Forgotten Gems: Shokker-Shokker

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Out in 2015 but just now finding it's way to my ears, today's offering is technically a tad bit young to gain admittance into the halls of Forgotten Gems. Be that as it may, Chicago's Shokker* seems poised to break out in a BIG WAY! Or at least they will after their full-length debut drops!! It's due sometime later on in 2017 and if it is anything near the excitement of this self-titled EP....well, fans of true heavy metal are going to be insanely stoked! As for the who, what, and where of this four-piece band? It is Illinois to be precise.   Active in one form or another since 2011, powerhouse vocalist Rachl "Raxx" Quinn now leads the charge and she is f**king fantastic in that role! Casey Tremont (guitar, vocals), Jorey Guillermo (bass), and drummer Dan Dash perfectly back her up on this 3-track EP (the band's first "official" release. The three track are "Adrenaline", "Midnight Sun", and "Turn Around And Run". That middle one is my favorite. As strange as this no doubt reads, "Midnight Sun" reminds me of M.C.'s "Looks That Kill" under the following set of circumstances: (with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Accept, UFO, and Dio all serving as the influences) Nikki Sixx realizes from the start that Mick Mars isn't going to take them anywhere. In his place comes this blazing hot young guitarist with MAD skills. After re-working the song into a eighties metal masterpiece, Vince Neil is cut and in comes one of the all-time best lead singers. Having blown apart the studio with her sensational voice, Rachl "Raxx" Quinn and that amazing guitarist (Casey Tremont) leaves Nikki and, song in hand, time-travels to the present. In need of a killer lead singer and a guitarist that can melt speakers with his blazing hot licks, Shokker's rhythm section welcomes the pair into it's inner circle. They re-work the song in question to show off their own sinsational style and out comes "Midnight Sun"!  In my imagination that is how Shokker came up with the song. The key word there being "song". That is only one of the three jams on this EP. For the four members of Shokker influences range from Van Halen, Kix, Thin Lizzy, and Ratt all the way up to the N.W.O.B.H.M scene of old (Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon, Diamond Head, Tokyo Blade, Jaguar, White Spirit, etc.). The better parts of eighties metal seems to glue it all together, but in no way, shape, or form is Shokker living in the past! This Chicago metal band most definitely has a modern edge about it. We're not talking about modern metal. We are talking about lively music here. It's as fresh as if it was just plucked from the garden this morning! One can only imagine how good this lot is up front and personal. This EP is the next best thing. Finger's crossed here obviously, but good god above(!) I hope the band's new album is the heavy metal debut album of the year! Only time will tell....      



*Be mindful of the spelling there folks because you are going to want to follow up on this posting.