Stephen
After going through a lot of changes, Krokus decided to treat the fans by bringing back the veteran legion from "Once Vice At A Time", completing the classic line-up featured in their sixteenth release, "Hoodoo", for the first time since 1982. Krokus underlined the word 'consistency' when they talk about songwriting strategy, nothing much has changed since they carried the heavy metal version of AC/DC 30 years ago, and that also goes with "Hoodoo". The energetic performance of Marc Storace will probably tick your memory of how great Bon Scott's vocal in "Highway To Hell" while Von Arb and Kohler’s swaggering rhythm drives up the album to the maximum limit of dirty raunchy good ol' rock and roll.
"Drive It In" blasted the tempo high, a firey starter, the groove will leave you breathless as you rapidly tap your toes unconsciously. "Hoodoo Woman" and "Rock And Roll Handshake" were predictable but nevertheless a good solid track. The cover of "Born To Be Wild" was okay though I still question the need and motive for it, guess go picking up something unusual such as Led Zeppelin's "Living Loving Maid" will be more interesting. As the album strolled to the middle, my next personal favourite is "Too Hot", a great track with the same style as the other, except this time they put a melodic twist to the wonderful chorus. "In My Blood" showcase their heavy metal influence, a tense track in a fast-paced fashion. "Keep Me Rolling" pumped up the tempo, quicker than most of AC/DC songs but the pattern isn't far, the composition is superior, much better in my opinion if compared to other tunes such as "Dirty Street" or "Shot of Love".
Ending the album with an explosive closer, "Firestar", I came to the conclusion that this one is a strong release from the Switzerland legend. Packed with non-filler in-your-face hard rock tracks, "Hoodoo" was topped with a splendid vocal performance and stellar guitar works. However, I have a slight concern that this album was too predictable, formulaic, and several tracks felt a bit generic and not very memorable. I know Krokus doesn't have any intention to venture to a new territory, but at least, they can offer something varied to spice up the album. "Hoodoo" definitely will please the old fans and for new folks that are eager to try them out, this might not be their best release, but I'm glad to say that the best ingredient that made them loved for so long is here.