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Alex Beyrodt’s Voodoo Circle

Label: Blistering Records
Format: CD
Released: 2009
Reviewed By: Kevin Alba
Rating: 10 / 10

As I type this review I am still trying to pick up pieces of my head which exploded when I first heard this album. Honestly, when I first listened to this album I got up to the third song and had to turn my car stereo off.

 

Why you ask? Not because it was bad or I didn’t like it, but because it was so fucking good that I was actually afraid to keep listening to it! I just did not know what to do with myself. It is only February and as of right now it is going to be extremely difficult to budge Voodoo Circle from my number one spot when it comes down to making my year end list. Any other metal band out there reading this who plans on releasing an album this year, you better bring your A game.

What we have here is a new band going by the name Voodoo Circle which was assembled by Silent Force mastermind/guitarist Alex Beyrodt. Alex has brought along some heavy hitters to do this project with him including Sinner/Primal Fear bassist Mat Sinner, drummer Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds, Gary Moore, and Brian May) and amazing Pink Cream 69 vocalist David Readman. The only name I wasn’t familiar with is keyboard player Jimmy Kresic, who does a fantastic job. Now I have been a fan of Silent Force for years and own their catalog but I guess never really noted just how amazing Beyrodt is when he picks up the axe. I am not saying the guitar playing on Silent Force’s albums is dull or uninspiring, but it just didn’t grab me the way this does and with the Force it just went along with the overall sound. What Alex showcases in Voodoo Circle is Yngwie Malmsteen like shredding taking me all the way back to albums like “Rising Force”, “Odyssey”, and “Trilogy”. Alex’s guitar playing coupled with Readman’s brilliant vocals leave a smile on my face ten miles wide (yes, I got the “ten miles wide” part from “Cherry Pie” by Warrant) and causes me to realize what hard rock and metal has been missing, this is it!

The album opens with “Spewing Lies”, slowly building up to a guitar explosion that made me lose my mind. I was driving home from work and seriously considered pulling over and checking my pulse as I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It reminded me of the first time I heard Stratovarius and the song “Break The Ice” off the “Twilight Time” album (which left me stunned) meeting “Rising Force” by Yngwie Malmsteen (off of “Odyssey”). When I heard Readman’s vocals I seriously started beginning to say that this was too good to be true. The second track “Desperate Hearts” reminds me greatly of one of my favorite Malmsteen songs ever, “Making Love” from “Eclipse”, with its chunky opening riffs leading into a heavy yet slowly seductive tune with a strong chorus that sounds like it should be playing in an arena packed full of metalheads. The third track “Kingdom of the Blind” is perhaps my favorite on the album and at this point I am just completely numb. Its as if I am floating through outer space as Alex’s guitar playing hypnotizes me and Readman’s vocal delivery in each verse is putting me in a trance (very reminiscent of Whitesnake mainman David Coverdale). “Dream of Eden” has a very Egyptian feel to it’s opening adding a nice touch to the album and also features a guest vocal spot from ex Yngwie Malmsteen/Cornerstone vocalist Doogie White. When this track kicks in, arrangement wise I cannot help but think of a slower, menacing, heavier version of Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers”, just a hint of it. Doogie is not the only special guest on this album as it also includes guest spots from Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy, Dio, Whitesnake), Norifumu Chima (Concerto Moon), and Richard Anderson (Majesticm Space Odyssey). “White Lady Requiem”, the albums closer, is strictly instrumental and truly puts Alex on another level. After hearing this track, when I think of great guitar players Alex will instantly come to mind as one of the best currently out there. Alex has made me realize what a fraud half of the artists are who get labeled “guitar hero”. I would love to see half of todays so called metalheads try to digest something as amazing as this, go ahead, I DARE YOU!

This album is without a doubt a classic and there is no chance it will leave my CD player or be further than an arm’s reach away this entire year. I would love to see this band live and hope that they make it to the US at some point, maybe ProgPower USA next year? According to their MySpace they do have some live shows coming up so that is a great sign (lucky Europeans!) I very seldom give any CD a 10 rating, a band truly has to earn it and Voodoo Circle has done just that. If you are a fan of Yngwie Malmsteen, Rainbow, Deep Purple, or Whitesnake it is a must that you own this album. If you are a fan of hard rock or heavy metal in general it is a must that you own this album. If you do not own this album do not talk to me until you do!

 
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