ALBUM REVIEW: Shakra “Snakes And Ladders”

SHAKRA "Snakes & Ladders" cover

SHAKRA “Snakes & Ladders” cover

Snakes and Ladders, the excellent new album from Swiss hard rockers Shakra is their eleventh (!) studio release. Now, after 11 albums many bands might become complacent and be accused of phoning it in. But not Shakra, these guys still sound like they mean it.

Maybe it’s because this is the second release to feature the return of lead vocalist Mark Fox, but they have pulled out all the stops, sounding energized, lean, mean and ready to take on the world with a top-notch collection of hard rockers that almost demand you to pump your fist and bang your head.

SHAKRA

SHAKRA; promo pic

The album kicks off with “Cassandra’s Curse” a dark and brooding rocker that features everything Shakra shines at, namely heavy riffs, a catchy chorus and studio production that makes the music jump out of your speakers.

Title track “Snakes and Ladders” takes off right out of the gate with a melody that wraps itself around your eardrums and never out stays its welcome as it boogies along like a finely made Swiss watch. Featuring a killer guitar solo that manages to be speedy and melodic all at the same time, this track is a real highlight.

Shakra’s new album has been thoughtfully constructed to bring out the best in both their performance and their sound, but without losing any of the energy and excitement that great rock-n-roll demands. This is rock-n-roll that’s turned up to eleven – but with an eye always focused on melody and song craft.

The bottom line is, these songs are so catchy that they almost issue an ultimatum to sing along, and that’s a testament to the quality of song writing on display. The twelve tracks on Snakes and Ladders show a band that has arrived at the party ready to rock and with no intention of taking any prisoners. Highly recommended.