Voodoo Circle: Raised on Rock (AFM)

Big changes in the Voodoo Circle camp have fans wondering what to expect from the band’s new album Raised on Rock. It’s the melodic rock band’s first album without David Readman on vocals, and that leaves some pretty big shoes to fill. Fortunately the rest of the band – founder/guitarist Alex Beyrodt (Primal Fear, Silent Force), bassist Mat Sinner (Primal Fear, Sinner), drummer Francesco Jovino (Primal Fear, Jorn) are all back, and they’re joined by new vocalist Herbie Langhans (Sinbreed, Avantasia).

Raised on Rock is Voodoo Circle’s fifth full-length album, and Alex Beyrodt has once again delivered an album that is true to the original spirit of the band: namely a clear, strong admiration for the classic sounds of Whitesnake, Rainbow and Deep Purple. With Beyrodt still on top of his songwriting game (and with Jacob Hansen’s deft touch mixing and mastering), the only real question here is how well Langhans fits the band. I’m happy to report he fits like a glove. We got a glimpse of his more melodic rocking style on the last Avantasia album, but on Raised on Rock he sounds like he was born to sing bluesy melodic hard rock. Like Readman, he uses David Coverdale as the touchstone, but there are a few moments I’d swear it was Jorn Lande singing.

Aside from just how good Herbie Langhans sounds, there aren’t a lot of surprises on Raised on Rock. It’s exactly the kind of “modern classic rock” album you want from Voodoo Circle. Actually, there are a few songs (“Walk on the Line,” “Ultimate Sin” and “You Promised Me Heaven”) that sound more Blue Murder than Whitesnake, and that was a pleasant surprise. “Dreamchaser” sounds like vintage Rainbow, and album opener “Running Away From Love” has a JLT-era Rainbow vibe. The whole album is really strong, possibly stronger than Whisky Fingers. The classic rock vibe plus the amazing chemistry the band has just pushes this album over the top, in the best possible way.

If you were worried about the “new” Voodoo Circle sound without David Readman, worry no more. Raised on Rock is another very strong melodic hard rock album from this massively talented group of musicians. No current Voodoo Circle fan should be disappointed by this one, and it makes a hell of an introduction for newcomers who thought that music in the classic Whitesnake/Deep Purple/Rainbow/Blue Murder vein just wasn’t being made anymore.

Format Notes: The limited CD version of Raised on Rock comes in a digipack and includes two additional tracks – “Time For the Innocent” and “There’s More To See.”