Year : 2023
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 121 mb
Bio:
King Kobra was formed in 1983 when legendary drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Rod Stewart) approached Mark Free to add his vocals to some tracks he had previously written and recorded with guitarist Earl Slick (John Lennon, David Bowie). Three songs - "Overnite Love Affair," "Fool In The Rain" and "You Are My Life" - were strong enough to secure King Kobra a deal with Capitol Records. Producer Spencer Proffer, however, insisted on all new material for the band's major label debut, and the demos were scrapped, never to be released.With an album to make, Appice and Free started auditioning players and writing songs. Guitarist Mike Wolfe came aboard and immediately kicked in some song ideas of his own. Keel's guitarist David Michael Phillips was then brought in, followed by wild-man bassist Johnny Rod. Before he was able to record a single note, Wolfe bailed out to open a recording studio, and was quickly replaced by Mick Sweda. The line-up of Free, Phillips, Rod, Sweda and Appice would go on to record two solid albums for Capitol - Ready To Strike and Thrill of a Lifetime. For the next three years, King Kobra toured the world over, barnstorming North and South America - as well as parts of Europe and Japan - supporting such formidable headliners as KISS, Iron Maiden and Queensryche. During this time, the band attempted to re-introduce their original demos into the fold, adding Rod's basslines, but sidelining them again before they were able to include Phillips and Sweda.In 1986, Rod accepted an invitation to join W.A.S.P., and was replaced by Lonnie Vincent. Two new songs were cut - "Lonely Nites" and "Young Hearts Survive" - but were abruptly haulted when Free became dissatisfied with the direction of King Kobra was going. Stepping in for Free, vocalist Marq Torien, Appice, Phillips, Sweda and Vincent wrote and recorded six fresh tracks, including "Your Love Is A Sin." Unfortunately, the combination was short-lived as Torien, Sweda and Vincent went on to form Bulletboys, taking along tunes like "Kissin" and "For The Love Of Money" for their own major label debut.Undeterred, Appice and Phillips pressed forward and initiated vocalist Johnny Edwards (who would later migrate to Foreigner), bassist Larry Hart and guitarist Jeff Northrup - core members of a group called Northrup. Combining their ideas and talents, they recorded King Kobra III for Appice's own Rocker Records label. Songs like "Perfect Crime," "Mean Street Machine," "#1," "Red Line" and "Walls Of Silence" exhibited a new maturity and growth in the band's sound. But it was not to last. This time, Appice received a call from John Sykes and Tony Franklin to join Blue Murder, and after five years, King Kobra was solemnly laid to rest.When you think of King Kobra, a vision of four bleached blondes out in front with one of rock's preeminent drummers in the driver's seat may come to mind. Beneath the hype and heady days of the 80's hard rock scene, however, there were true, inherent surges of brilliance from bands like King Kobra who boasted strong songs, precision chops and exuberant performances. Amidst the shuffle, plenty of ideas would never see the light of day. For King Kobra, much of their most powerful material fell into a well of lost years, and is exclusively presented here for the very first time. For fans of a period when the hair was big and the notes were fat, it's a treat worth the wait.
Album:
I must admit that at the time with so much music around and no real profile outside of the U.S. that King Kobra pretty much passed me by early on even though they boasted a great line-up and had the legendary Carmine Appice leading the show from behind the kit. Maybe they were just a couple of years too early and threw in the towel a little too soon after three records, just as their kind of music was peaking in 1989 when Appice left to play with John Sykes in Blue Murder.Looking back now there’s a lot to like especially on those first two Marcie Free fronted records ‘Ready To Strike’ and ‘Thrill of a Lifetime’ though ‘III’ is also an interesting record which features Johnny Edwards on vocals who had stints with both Foreigner and Montrose after their more revered frontmen left.It’s funny how projects go though, when I last interviewed Paul Shortino back in June 2021 he told me that “ I’m also doing some stuff with Carmine. Doing another King Kobra record that will be released on Cleopatra called ‘Music is a Piece of Art’ – this friend of mine Chris Comet is working on the artwork.” and here we are two years later and whilst the record has now been renamed “We are Warriors” it opens with that very piece of music – a smoky, blue-infused hard rocker that signals King Kobra is back.King Kobra has an interesting lineage too if you follow your Rock family trees with the Icon connections of David Henzerling (or David Michael-Philips as he was on those first records) on guitar. That’s all in the rearview mirror though now with a new line-up that retains only Paul Shortino, Johnny Rod (Bass since 2010 this time around) and Carmine from their last outing when they released ‘King Kobra’ in 2011 and ‘King Kobra II’ in 2013.King Kobra 2023 comprises of new guitarists Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot) and Rowan Robertson (Dio) who are of course both great guitarists but the sound has a slightly Bluesier edge than their more recent outings which is fine by me: but with new guitars and vocals King Kobra like snakes do has really shed it’s skin and looks a little sleeker than maybe it did last reunion. Some less gracious might even say it’s really just a different band entirely.What you get is a mixed bag, though always entertaining and it’s not often I level this – but maybe even a few songs heavier than necessary when mist rock bands seem to be things down to nine of ten tracks to tap into the vinyl revival.‘Turn Up The Music’ for example is a nice mid tempo number with a touch of smoke, whilst ‘Secrets And Lies’ comes on like a train and rides a cool groove. ‘Drownin’’ adds a little more grit and stomps up a storm with a great refrain. Sadly though there’s no out and out ‘balls out’ rockers here and everything sounds cool if a little restrained.‘One More Night’ is another Bluesy mid-tempo rocker that has a Rainbow/Deep Purple flavour and like everything here a great vocal from Shortino.For a bit of deja vu ‘Love Hurts’ is the cover of the Boudleaux Bryant song originally made famous by the Everly Brothers and covered by the immortal Nazareth, a band who had a real knack of taking a pop song and rocking out with it (reaching number 8 in the U.S. in 1976). This version is a real homage to Dan McCafferty and perfect for Shortino’s voice. I’d have loved then to have taken another classic and seen that they could do with it but anything that gets people listening to Nazareth is fine by me.‘Dance’ and its sleazy slow crawl is another winner; before ‘Darkness’ adds some cowbell led big groove retro Zeppelin to the mix; and title track ‘We Are Warriors’ (released as a single) an homage to the Sunset Strip that has that early 80’s flavour down pat. We close what will be the vinyl version with the highway song ‘Drive Like Lightning’ that adds a little more cool bluesy midtempo rocking to the mix, very much in keeping with the flavor of the album.The CD adds two additional tracks: ‘Trouble’ and ‘Side By Side’. The stuttering groove of the former you feel is maybe not up to the level of the rest here, whilst the demi- ballad ‘Side By Side’ I really like and really suits Paul’s delivery.This is definitely a grower and if you love that Bluesier hard rock that eschews speed for feel then it’s a keeper.
Line-Up:
Paul Shortino - vocals
Carlos Cavazo - guitar
Rowan Robertson - guitar
Johnny Rod - bass, backing vocals
Carmine Appice - drums, backing vocals
Tracklist:
01. Music Is A Piece Of Art
02. Turn Up The Music
03. Secrets And Lies
04. Drownin'
05. One More Night
06. Love Hurts
07. Dance
08. Darkness
09. We Are Warriors
10. Dive Like Lightning
11. Trouble (Bonus Track)
12. Side By Side (Bonus Track)
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