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December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
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October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
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• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
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September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
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August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
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• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

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Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King

Melodic Metal Rock

4.5/5.0

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AFM Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 15.11.2024 | Released: 15.11.2024

Consistent to nearly a fault, every three years guitar player extraordinaire Alex Beyrodt returns with his Voodoo Circle project. Hail To The King is the latest and seventh album for the band, and the first without long serving bass player Mat Sinner. He's been replaced by Alex Jansen (Primal Fear, Mennen, TwentyDarkSeven, Hardline). As with past albums, Beyrodt does not hide or disguise his influences, essentially classic hard and heavy rock with some blues undertones ala Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Rainbow, and Led Zeppelin.

Voodoo Circle

Of his songwriting and guitar performance across Hail To The King, Beyrodt has said, "Ultimately, each song decides which guitar I play. The days when musicians stood for one specific type of guitar are long gone. Nowadays, it's all about doing justice to the song and its story." It's a solid approach to songwriting; too many guitar players are looking to become their own hero by merely adding a solo to a song.

Speaking to the album and songs, as expected, I've added the videos for the first three singles: Lay Down Your Lovin', Let It Rock, and On The Edge. All are solid metal-edged rockers. That blues groove is self-evident within Sweet Little Sister, which will likely suggest Whitesnake nods for some. Strangers In The Night might be more representative in the riffs and vocal performance. (Definitely not a reference to UFO.)

At this juncture, I want to speak to two songs, only because the back story is so interesting: All For One and Billy's Song, both composed by keyboard legend Tony Carey (Rainbow, et al). Looking back 25 years, Beyrodt explains:

"At the beginning of the 1990s, we were in Tony's studio to record material for a Sinner album (1993's Respect), including the two Carey compositions, All For One and Billy's Song, which were only released in Japan (4/1994) at the time. I still remember how, in my mid-twenties, I couldn't believe that I was standing in a recording studio with a legend such as Carey, watching him play the Hammond organ for us, headbanging away. Both songs have been at the back of my mind ever since, just waiting for the right moment to record them again. And since I also wanted to listen to the Rainbow side of me for Hail To The King, that perfect moment seemed to have arrived."

Honestly, I believe these two songs to be the best songs on this album. I only wish video singles were supplied for both; I'd have them embedded. You could buy Hail To The King for these two songs and be completely satisfied.

All in all, guitarist and project leader Alex Beyrodt brings fans another successful Voodoo Circle album: Hail To The King, with their signature classic melodic metal rock ala Zep, Rainbow, and Whitesnake, and featuring two amazing songs composed by keyboard icon, Tony Carey. 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.

Guitarist and project leader Alex Beyrodt brings fans another successful Voodoo Circle album: Hail To The King, with their signature classic melodic metal rock ala Zep, Rainbow, and Whitesnake, and featuring two amazing songs composed by keyboard icon, Tony Carey. Recommended.

Support the artist, click the link below to buy the album at Amazon (US site) in your favorite format.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]

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