Review VOODOO CIRCLE “Hail to the King”

It was in 2008 when guitarist Alex Beyrodt founded Voodoo Circle and debuted with the self-titled album that same year. After the positive response to the debut album, a second album was only a matter of time. It was in 2011 that “Broken Heart Syndrome” saw the light of day and marked another peak in the band’s history.

With “Hail to the King” the seventh Voodoo Circle album hit the shelves after the quite successful “Locked & Loaded” longplayer from 2021.

The voice of Voodoo Circle is still David Readman, whose voice fits perfectly to the classic rock infused sound of the band. There is a certain similarity to Whitesnake that can’t be ignored and the sound of David Coverdale’s legendary band is not only reflected in the vocals.

Whitesnake is a strong source of inspiration for “Hail to the King” and songs like “Let It Rock” and “Sweet Little Sister” will be appreciated by fans of the iconic “1987” album. In that sense, Voodoo Circle pick up where they left off with “Locked & Loaded”, but it’s more than just Whitesnake that provided the blueprint for this album. It is Led Zeppelin and especially their hit “Kashmir” that is present in “Black Country”. Even though there are cross references, the songs maintain enough of their own identity to spread the joy of rock’n’roll. “Black Country” is also the song on the album that takes the longest to unfold its charm. And in case you’re a Rainbow fan you should not miss the title track with its “Gates of Babylon” vibes.

In addition to these cornerstones of the album, “Hail to the King” also features the slower and darker “On the Edge,” while the rousing “Billy’s Song” takes us back to the early 1990s. The song, as well as “All For One,” were penned by none other than former Rainbow keyboardist Tony Carey. While working on a Sinner album in Carey’s studio at the time, the songs were recorded but only released in Japan. Now it’s Voodoo Circle who has re-recorded the songs and already at the beginning you can enjoy the great Hammond sound which is a treat for ears and mind.

“Hail to the King” is a seamless continuation of Voodoo Circle’s previous albums. The source of inspiration is even more present on this album, which is neither a good nor a bad thing. Voodoo Circle’s interpretation of the classic rock sound is entertaining and provides a great time while enjoying these well-crafted hard rock songs.