(Alex Beyrodt's) VOODOO CIRCLE - review added 18th January 2009
Album Review: Voodoo Circle (Self Titled) (2008)
For fans of: hard rock... and Yngwie Malmsteen style guitar fret board abuse
Before we go on, lets make something clear. Alex Beyrodt, head honcho of this project, is a fantastic guitarist. He has all the neo-classical heaviness of Yngwie Malmsteen but doesn't use the style to the exception of all others. Beyrodt's style is heavy and accessible, yet he'll still blow you away when you least expect it.
Voodoo Circle also features Pink Cream 69's David Readman on vocals, Mat Sinner on bass, Mel Gaynor on drums, and guest slots from ex-Yngwie vocalist Doogie White, bassist Rudy Sarzo and more.
The album starts with 'Spewing Lies', a good if unexceptional, almost power metal track. 'Desperate Heart' is considerably better with a well choreographed build-up to a chorus big enough to live in. 'Kingdom Of The Blind' has some of the best guitar trickery on the album and a fine chorus structure.
'Heaven Can Wait' is awesome and sounds like something off Whitesnake's 1987 album. You can easily imagine David Coverdale laying down his creamy vocals on the track, especially as the song reaches it's climax. 'Wings Of Sorrow' is brilliant and by far the best track. It's one of the best songs I've heard in ages, by anyone. Sadly it isn't available on all versions of this release. Why not? If the whole album had sounded like this it would have comfortably scored 90%+.
The remainder of the tracks on Voodoo Circle are merely good to middling. They don't do anything wrong but there isn't a lot to lift them from the crowd. There is a fair amount of repetition and blurring of ideas. It's a very likeable album, it just isn't overly inspiring.
Voodoo Circle features a group of brilliant musicians, but the end result is not as good as I imagined. Technically, everything about the album is near-perfect, but ultimately most of the songs are not that memorable. Apart from 'Wings Of Sorrow' and Heaven Can Wait' the album is lacking in character... and character maketh the best rock and metal.
Check out... 'Wings Of Sorrow'. Awesome.
Track List:
1. Spewing Lies
2. Desperate Heart
3. Kingdom of the Blind
4. Man and Machine
5. Master of Illusion
6. We'll Never Learn
7. Dream of Eden (Doogie White/David Readman Version)
8. Heaven Can Wait
9. Angels Will Cry
10. Enter My World of Darkness
11. Wings Of Sorrow
12. White Lady Requiem
13. Dream of Eden (David Readman Version)
Label: AFM Records
Artist's websites: Voodoo Circle , MySpace
