Shakra is a band that owes a great deal to
Gotthard. They are both Swiss outfits, and throughout their formation and existence on planet Earth,
Shakra has done everything in their power to mimic the band they seem to idolize so. If imitation is the highest form of flattery then
Gotthard must be blushing pretty damn red right now.
"Infected" is not the first album that could be compared to the band from these guys and its likely not the last. The same hyper energy, big choruses, "big" hard rock stamp, simple melodies and guitar that cuts a swath through the rhythms - its all here, and borrowed straight from that book of
Gotthard. Of course you can spot a myriad of other bands lurking around in their background too such as Bonfire, Krokus, AC/DC,
Pretty Maids, hell there's some HIM hiding out in one of their darker alleys this time too. So its not a bad album, its just not anything new under the sun.
Whether that's a bad thing or not depends on your mood. Melodic rock is usually best when it keeps both roots and originality together by blending old and the new for fresh combinations.
Shakra may sound alright but their songs are derivative and often uninteresting. They are as fresh as two week old bread. Stale and a bit tasteless. There are a few bites that seem alright but the rest is better left as crumbs for the starving birds- or in this case - those absolutely parched for a trickle of hard rock to quench their thirst.
"Vertigo" is likely the most surprising song on hand here, as it whisks away the darkness of HIM in the night and tries to emulate that when no one was looking. Unfortunately, the attraction of HIM is the dark, self deprecating lyrics that soul search and soul steal and leave your own nature feeling twisted and naked. Like forbidden thoughts, or a voyeuristic peek at your neighbors. You know its wrong, but you are drawn in anyway by some force you really don't want to inspect too closely. A guilty pleasure.
"Vertigo" has none of that. It has the outward appearance of the dark, goth touched vibe, but the bland lyrics and equally uninteresting delivery leaves it just a mild curiosity among the straightforward fare littering the disc.
Shakra should have pushed the boundaries here, instead of just lightly touching the border, timidly. Where HIM is a dark multifaceted gem that has twinkling darker depths, like a black diamond,
Shakra is more of an onyx. Sleek, shiny but nothing laying beneath the surface besides that black blankness. A similar glamour has been laid upon
"Look At Me" which is defined by its Razor whip guitars, opaque hues and hungry, feverish rhythms. These two tracks step furtherest away from the formula and thus are the most celebrated for their daring crossover by shrugging off the norm.
Now the rest of the album moves through the motions shaping and changing as the songs turn from one to the next.
"Playing With Fire" has the gallopy rhythms of
Pretty Maids,
"Make Your Day" has a classic rocker vibe like Krokus. Nothing too taxing, just dark tilted party fun for
"The Conquest". The guitar solo is kind of sexy and revealing in a sultry string bending manner.
"Love Will Find a Way" has all the wispiness of a
White Lion ballad, especially in that Mike Tramp-like vocal delivery by Mark Fox.
"Dance With Madness" has that growling aggression of
Pretty Maids and some thunder climbing rhythms.
"Make Your Day" is typical hard rock with a darker switch flipped for the bridge and the bit after the gnawing, high octane chorus.
"Inferno" is more of the same, the guttural vocals and big backing rock soundtrack.
"The One" cracks some of the percussion to give it a distinct flavor but its more guitar solos and choruses and all that predictable stuff.
"The Other Side" contains nice portions that are easy to catch onto and a stable, rocking backbone, but the flood of repetitiveness leaves it floundering in shallow water to drown. Thus the album kind of runs together, songs come and go and its hard to pull them apart and distinguish them as their own separate entities. It all becomes one big rolling ball of hard rock. Easy to listen to, but just as easily forgettable.
And while
"Infected" suffers from lack of originality, its apparent that it has definitely been put together so its worth your hard earned cash. A total of thirteen songs for the regular edition and fourteen plus a video clip for the limited pressing makes for alot of music for your buck. Where quantity is concerned, you are surely not getting shortchanged. If any of the bands mentioned in this review fancy your tastes - such as Krokus, Bonfire,
White Lion,
Pretty Maids, Fair Warning, and especially
Gotthard - then
"Infected" is an easy recommendation if you don't mind all the similarities that come along with the package. The music is well played and produced, just don't expect it to shake the foundations and blow your mind and you'll have a fun time with it. Hopefully for their next disc
Shakra will change a bit for the better and really do a masterpiece of a melodic rock disc, but for now, this average workout should please fans that crave nothing more demanding than familiarity and find a few new ones in the process.
Written by
Alanna Thursday, June 28, 2007
Show all reviews by AlannaRatingsAlanna: 6.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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