King Kobra are another band that pops up occasionally to release a record. It has been ten years since the last one, and there was a gap of 23 years between the third and fourth album. They were a working touring band for the first three albums but then they became a project band that filled a gap in between the schedules of its members.
The only guy who played on all the albums is Carmine Appice. He is joined here by guitarists Carlos Carvazo and Rowan Roberson, Johnny Rod on bass and Paul Shortino on vocals. So, what does this rendition of the band offer us mere mortals this time around? Well, for fans of the heavy blues groove all your boxes will be ticked. All original songs apart from Love Hurts, this is quite a solid album although the production is a bit muddy in places.
Music Is A Piece Of Art opens up the album with a heavy Zeppelin groove, very reminiscent of Badlands. That groove continues with Turn Up The Music and I really like the hook and chorus on this one. Favourite track time next with Secrets And Lies. A nice change of pace changing through the gears and I really like the solo. Drownin’ follows and the hook and chorus are superb, I love the main melody. One More Night ends Side 1 and it’s a straight up and down blues rocker.
I could have done without Love Hurts but I guess Shortino’s raspy style suits the song. Dance has a very deep heavy low end groove with those Zeppelin drums again. If I played you Darkness before the vocals kick in, you would swear this was a Zeppelin outtake. We Are Warriors is the best song on Side 2 because it sounds like them. A nice riff, with a great guitar sound, a cool driving tempo, and a catchy hook and chorus. The album closes out with Drive Like Lightning and it’s a return to the Bonham drum sound.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
