Krokus-Dirty Dynamite

The End Records
2013

God bless Krokus. Come hell or high water these guys just continue to play sweaty, get your swagger on, hard rock and on "Dirty Dynamite", the band's soon to be released seventeenth studio-album, the good times just keep on getting better. This Swish band was formed in 1974 by bassist (and original lead vocalist) Chris von Rohr and guitarist Tommy Kiefer. While listening to this album (especially a track like the foot-stomping "Let The Good Times Roll") it's hard to fathom that the band's first album (1976's "Krokus") was more classic rock/prog rock then this kind of soul-kicking, grizzled hard rock. Really it wasn't until the band's forth album, 1980's "Metal Rendez-vous", that Krokus started to play that familiar/much loved hard rock we all know. Since then this band has kept pumping out real rock. Alright, let's get this out of the way. Yes, Marc Storace has always sounded like Bon Scott. It is what it is. Frankly, if you ask me (and even if you don't ask me I'm telling you!), being mentioned in the same sentence as a legend like Bon Scott is a honor not something to frown about. So yes, Krokus are going to sound somewhat like AC/DC thanks to Marc's vocals. And? It's not like it takes anything away from the gritty nature of  this band's thunderous brand of hard rock! So move on folks because this guy could always sing. On "Dirty Dynamite" he just proves that getting older doesn't mean you have to stop rocking. Marc still has the pipes to easily carry songs like "Bailout Blues" and "Hardworking Man". As this album was two years in the making, with Chris von Rohr serving as producer, everything sounds heavenly heavy from the opener, "Hallelujah Rock n Roll", all the way to the last cut (the aforementioned rocker), "Hardworking Man". The sound is clean and everything sounds as if it's in near perfect sync. "Dirty Dynamite" was recorded at the legendary Abby Road Studio and you can feel the electric buzz/mystical magic that was started all those of years ago.The band pays homage to the studio's past with a sincere cover of "Help". In case you're not old enough to know, or your parents never schooled you in the history of rock and roll, "Help" is a classic song by The Beatles. Without stepping on any shoes, or trying to top the original (which is sadly what happens far too often when artists try to cover The Beatles), the guys in Krokus make "Help" there own while acknowledging one of the bands that started it all.  Of course the band's own brand of rock isn't too shabby either. "Rattlesnake Rumble" is simply a great power rock number. No matter how many times I've listen to this album it still gets me how strong some of these tracks are. With most older bands the quality tends to dip by this this point in their careers. That's if a band can even make it as long as Krokus has. While it's not all perfect ("Better Than Sex" sounds like a throwaway cut no matter how you slice it) this sure as hell beats most of what's passing for "rock" these days on the radio. Take "Go Baby Go", with it's mile-long blues streak, and put it next to some of today's rock and you'll hear how experience makes all the difference. There's just some really good hard rock on this new album. Just try not to rock out while listening to "Let The Good Times Roll". And the title track has a swagger all it's own that would Mick Jagger stand up and take notice!. Now, the band's last studio album, "Hoodoo", saw the song "Hoodoo Woman" landing on the soundtrack of the movie "Saw 3D" so Krokus is not only still relevant, but that just goes to show how universal their brand of rock is and that they can find a place in today's world to stake their claim. These Swiss legends have been blazing a path through rock's landscape since 1976 (when I was just 3 years old!) and on their seventeenth studio album they prove that there's still fire burning deep inside. There's more then a few singles on this album to prove how capable Krokus still is, but there's nothing commercial about "Dirty Dynamite". I mean other then the fact it could end up being a huge commercial success for the band if today's finicky listeners give it a chance. Fans of Krokus should find plenty to love about this new album, but this release should also be a mandatory listen for young rockers so they can hear how hard rock is supposed to played. 

Clash of the album covers

Two recent albums to choose from.


Krokus-Hoodoo

vs.


Scorpions-Sting in the tail


***Which cover do you prefer?

Krokus-Hoodoo

Sony
2010


This band seems to have been around forever. They are also probably high up on the list for all time total band members as they would likely give LA Guns a run for their money in that category. However what we have here is the return of the line-up that did "One vice at a time" back in 1982 which is Marc Storace, Fernando Von Arb, Mark Kohler, Chris Von Rohr and Freddy Steady. So no surprise the sound is similar to that album. Much more surprising is that this album flat out rocks. I am somewhat shocked to write that because I have often been lukewarm towards this band only being fairly excited about a few of their albums and most of those were from the 80's. Whether it's this particular line-up or what I don't know, but they are completely on here. Many of the songs have that AC/DC kind of groove. Realisticly Krokus do a better version of AC/DC here than the real AC/DC have done in years. Marc Storace sounds a little deeper than he did years ago, but that fits nicely with this straight ahead, rip roaring brand of hard rock. The music is tight and in your face. There are not a whole of surprises, but when hard rock is done this well it there doesn't have to be. Although the style is reminiscent of "One vice at a time" there is still enough of a sharp edge present that keeps "Hoodoo" from sounding dated. I gave this a second listen not quite believing my first impression, but I enjoyed it even more the second time around. There have been times in the past where I blew this band off and I had reason to as they have delivered some bland releases in the past, but this time they dug down and served up a hard rock album worth checking out.