More nearly men. Could've, should've etc etc.
Of  the band formed by Mandy (Krokus, Asia, Gotthard) Mayer in 1983, vocalist Jimi Jamison went on to make the bigtime via Survivor a year later, on the seminal 'Vital Signs', but 'First Strike', Cobra's patchy debut - a mix of nearly great melodic rock songs and mediocre fillers -  stiffed.
Why that happened (or didn't) is a mystery inside an enigma. It's brimful of hardbodied melodic rock, with a sprinkling of heartstopping hooks and vertiginous choruses. It's not all magic of course, despite our memory telling us so.
 
Tom Allom's brash, ultra bright production was de rigeur for the times, but doesn't do the album a lot of favours. Fortunately, its sheer musical quality pulls it through, especially in this beefed up, remastered version, reissued by those discerning chaps at Rock Candy Records.
At the time - 25 years ago - it seemed like Cobra were riding an unstoppable wave, with fame and fortune beckoning. 'First Strike' was critically acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic and featured high on the UK import charts.
But f&f are elusive, unsentimental beasts and have a habit of galloping on without you.
 
And so it was with Cobra.
It soon became clear that 'First Strike' was beating a path to the bargain bins and the consequent tensions and insecurity within the band quickly led to its breakup.
Suddenly it was all over.
 
The album and its music has worn remarkably well. AOR fans will know the album and take little convincing.
As with much of eighties' AOR, unfiltered seventies' hard rock resonates loudly through the music. Opener 'Blood On Your Money' and the Foreigner-esque 'I've Been A Fool Before' are both clearly tailored for FM Radio but equeally, both owe an undisguised debt to Free's raw, unadorned power.
 
Unsurprisingly, the songs have loads of bite (forgive me).
'Only You Can Rock Me' is perfectly formed, soft centered hard rock - a precursor to Survivor's chart challenging melodic rock. The fact that it pivots on Meyer's hard edged guitar work stops it (and several other tracks) from tipping over into soft rock meltdown.
Unfortunately songs like 'Travelling Man' and 'First Strike' are ballast. Written to the formula, Stars In Their Eyes melodic rock.
 
Elsewhere,'Danger Zone' is a bold, technically satisfying, and very successful attempt at bridging seventies' styled hard rock to streamlined, eighties' radio AOR.
'Looking At You' may well be the statutory acoustic ballad, but its so well executed that you can luxuriate in the music without giving the cliché a second thought.
 
The slickly harmonised 'Thorn In Your Flesh' closes the album with the heightened sense of anticipation and urgency that fuels all the best AOR music.
 
A fine finish to an album that should perhaps have meant more at the time.

Written by Brian
Thursday, February 12, 2009
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Ratings

Brian: 7/10

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