• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

King's Call: Showdown

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.0/5.0

Website Facebook
Lions Pride Music
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 22.11.2017

After a four year absence, King's Call, the German based power trio with an international cast, makes a return with their third studio album, Showdown. Like their previous album, Lion's Den, the band has a guest lead vocalist. This time it's journeyman Michael Bormann (Bonfire, Bloodbound, Silent Force, et al). Also veteran keyboard player Tony Carey (Rainbow) adds his talent to the mix.

King's Call

Also not unlike previous recordings, the songs within Showdown are essentially guitar-centered melodic hard rock tunes in an AOR wrapper. Guitarist and founder Alex Garoufalidis brings a bevy of sharp and brisk riffs and an abundance of slick solos. While these are the prominent elements, you cannot miss the pronounced bass lines from Andreas Kramer that fill each song. Otherwise, the song arrangements revolve around an abundance of melody and harmony, especially from the guitar and vocal parts, and then steady rock groove from the rhythm section.

Moving on to the songs then, you'll find some variety. Straight up riff rockers, often with a metal edge, come with Looking In The Mirror, Showdown, Shout It Out, and briskly paced Cry On The Wind. With the bass and drum groove, and a catchy chorus, S.O.S. becomes a bristling arena rocker. Alternatively, on the AOR side of things, there's Who Am I, with sharp riffs balanced by a bouncy groove and lighter vocals. Then there's the slow grooving ballad of sorts, Principles Of Love, which feature some light latent piano and female background vocals.

All said, King's Call's Showdown is another solid album of AOR melodic hard rock, featuring Alex Garoufalidis' always impressive and fine guitar work. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

King's Call's Showdown is another solid album of AOR melodic hard rock, featuring Alex Garoufalidis' always impressive and fine guitar work. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]