Artist: Voodoo Circle
Title: Broken Heart Syndrome
Genre: Hard Rock
Release Date: 25th February 2011
Label: AFM Records
Album Review
VOODOO CIRCLE is about to release their second album ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’ following on their self-titled debut of 2008. However this band has a long-time experience preceding its inception - to name a few of the previous bands of VOODOO CIRCLE’S musicians - SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR and DEZPERADOZ. With this experience behind them they combine blues, funk rock, Prog rock, hard rock with even some epic metal elements, an amalgamation of styles and sounds that feel quite retro, but weirdly enough it works well enough to sound modern at the same time.
The album slides between these differing styles quite effortlessly, the skills are showing throughout - these are musicians who play consistently at the best of their abilities. ‘No Solution Blues’ opens the album with a superb riff, kicking off with hard rock that gets tinged with epic metal as it enters its second half. Second song, ‘King of Your Dreams’, is again filled with great riffs, a solid track full of drive and determination. ‘Devil’s Daughter’ is a wonderful bluesy, funk rock evocative combination. ‘Blind Man’ is beautifully paced and a smashing ballad. Readman’s singing is superbly narrative with classic rock sensibilities and his texture suits the music well. ‘Wings of Fury’ starts PINK FLOYDian with its psychedelic hues and soon speeds up into harder territory, and becomes an epic song, one of my personal favourites here.
Though I’m not a big fan of music possessing too much retro sound to it, this though is an impressive exception - due to the VOODOO CIRCLE’s great musician skills combining their song writing with a nod to the Rock’s golden era’s greats whilst making their own sound, resulting in an album that is still relevant and fresh and invigorating.
Tracklist
01. No Solution Blues – 3.49
02. King Of Your Dreams – 4.57
03. Devil’s Daughter – 6.41
04. This Could Be Paradise – 3.33
05. Broken Heart Syndrome – 4.58
06. When Destiny Calls – 4.33
07. Blind Man – 5.20
08. Heal My Pain – 3.05
09. The Heavens Are Burning – 5.59
10. Don’t Take My Heart – 4.28
11. I’m In Heaven – 4.10
12. Wings Of Fury – 4.16
Line-up
David Readman – vocals
Markus Kullman – drums
Alex Beyrodt guitar
Mat Sinner – bass
Jimmy Kresic – keyboards
Websites
http://www.voodoocircle.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/voodoocircleband
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10
