Jump to content

King Kobra - II


Stefan

Recommended Posts

New album out July 5th on Frontiers Records.

 

KK+cover+(1).jpg

 

Tracklist:

 

Hell On Wheels

Knock ‘Em Dead

Have A Good Time

The Ballad Of Johnny Rod

Take Me Back; When The Hammer Comes Down

Running Wild

The Crunch

Got It Comin’

Deep River

Don’t Keep Me Waiting

We Go Round

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been a huge fan of King Kobra for years. Their last album is quite solid and I'm really looking forward to this one. I never thought that they'd make a new one, let alone two. It's funny that II is coming out 25 years after III (with two albums in between).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Not a huge fan of KK, but I am a huge fan of Shortino's voice. The samples sound pretty good, particularly 'Knock Em Dead' and 'Hell On Wheels'...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The clips sound promising. Interestingly enough, this is probably the first time in King Kobra's unusual career that two of their albums will sound similar. Ready To Strike and Thrill Of A Lifetime were released in consecutive years (1985 and 1986) and had the same lineup, but they went for a pretty different sound on the latter, even though it has some excellent songs. Then III came out in 1988 with only Carmine and David still in the band and a drastically different singer with Johnny Edwards. I think that the album itself is excellent, but it sounds nothing like the King Kobra of just a few years earlier. The band ended soon after and in a few years rock music was no longer popular. Years later, Carmine put a new King Kobra project together with some new guys and some old guys contributing and they put out Hollywood Trash in 2001. It seemed that the band would never be heard from again, but then the original lineup (minus Mark Free, plus Paul Shortino) decided to get together and release King Kobra in 2011. Like Hollywood Trash before it, I thought that this was going to be a one-off thing. Fortunately, they announced that they'd be making another one and now it's almost here. It's the first time since their first two albums to have the same lineup, and this "second time around" (GET IT? ;)) the band appears to have a consistent sound for the first time ever.

 

My King Kobra favorites are still the unique, underrated masterpiece Ready To Strike and the fun, rockin' III, but these two latest ones have been an excellent treat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Followed the path of the earlier Shortino-Kobra, 'II' implemented a non-sappy, straight forward hard rock / heavy metal album. Still a good formula although I expect 2-3 AOR-ish tracks at least for variation, but they didn't give any except for maybe the only ballad here, 'Take Me Back', and I must say I love that track. Paul's vocal is just amazing, he has the power, he has the rasp, and fits perfectly for this kinda music, but there is a slight problem with this album which is the consistency.

 

It lacks that one thing that made this album packed with killers as well as fillers. 'Knock Em Dead', for example, is a superb killer, reminds me of old Motley Crue, especially from Shout at the Devil era, a 10/10 I guess. I also like 'The Ballad of Johnny Rod', 'Running Wild', 'The Crunch' [a solid 9/10!], and 'Don't Keep Me Waiting', but I suspect many won't favor the fillers like 'When The Hammer Comes Down', 'Got It Comin', and 'Deep River' which is the worst and longest track.

 

The rest are quite solid, such as 'Hell On Wheels' - should have tweaked the verse, but it has a punchy melodic chorus, 'Have A Good Time' and 'We Go Around' worth 7.25 to 7.5. Production might be around 8/10, musicianship is 8.5 and boosted with Paul's vocal of course, and replay value should fall around 7.5. So the newie might be slightly lower than the s/t, but both I guess will quite please the crowd.

 

77%

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I gotta say I found this album to be rubbish, basically. Good production job and good sound - but the songs are weak as piss. Is that video for 'Have a good time' meant to indicate that is one of the better songs on the CD? Because it's a banal piece of plodding shit, and would be a filler on any single album ever recorded. No one could possibly argue that is anything but pure filler. But they made a video for the song? Why???

 

Anyway, 'Knock 'em dead' is a pretty decent riff driven hard rocker, 'Take me back' is an okay, solid ballad, 'The crunch' is actually a really good melodic rocker, and without doubt the best song on the CD, and I also don't mind the closer, 'We go round,' despite it's messy chorus. So that's 4 songs out of 12. What are the other 8 like, you ask? Rubbish, basically, is what they are, imo... of course. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • 2023 HH Donation Drive

    Please support Heavy Harmonies! The donations goal is the out-of-pocket expenses to run the main site and this board for calendar year 2023.



    15% of donation goal reached.
    Donate Sidebar by DevFuse
  • Posts

    • So, where you, Dusty, are going be watching the free KISS show, sorry there is also football game? 
    • Ooops, double post. Rock You All Night Long - Dan Reed Network.
    • Approximately one week in and the drive has met 15% of the goal to cover the site's annual out-of-pocket expenses. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far! -Dan
    • Sadly the bonus disc of demos is just an extremely cut down version of the Demos album released back in 2007
    • https://metalsludge.tv/a-new-box-set-alert-wingers-1988-1993-albums-chapter-one-atlantic-years-compiled-in-a-new-box-set-bonus-disc-of-demos-included/ A NEW BOX SET ALERT … WINGER’s 1988-1993 Albums ‘Chapter One – Atlantic Years’ Compiled in a New Box Set, Bonus Disc of Demos Included   Metal Sludge — News from the WINGER camp and for all you Box Set collectors, it’s great news for you! Atlantic Records is issuing a new Box Set that includes the WINGER releases from 1988-1993, and in addition, they are adding a Bonus Disc of related Demos. Atlantic recently did something similar with Ratt which proved to be a great package that fans loved. Now it appears, it’s time for the WINGER Box Set release. Share and support… see details below. ————————————— FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   WINGER’s 1988-1993 ALBUMS COMPILED IN NEW BOX SET, ALONG WITH A BONUS DISC OF DEMOS One of the most-aired hard rock bands on MTV during the late ’80s and early ’90s was Winger, a band who had it all – expert chops, chart success, arena tours, etc. And now for the first time ever, the band’s best-selling albums will be compiled together in the new box set, Chapter One: Atlantic Years 1988-1993 – which will be released on November 17, 2023 via Atlantic/BMG, and will be available as both vinyl and CD versions. Included will be the band’s self-titled debut from 1988 (which spawned the hits “Madalaine,” “Seventeen,” and “Headed or a Heartbreak”), In the Heart of the Young from 1990 (which gave us “I Can’t Get Enuff,” “Miles Away,” and “Easy Come Easy Go”), and Pull from 1993 (which contained “Down Incognito”). And long-time fans of the band – whose classic line-up was comprised of singer/bassist Kip Winger, guitarists Reb Beach and Paul Taylor, and drummer Rod Morgenstein – will probably be most intrigued by the inclusion of the fourth disc, Demo Anthology, which includes original demo versions of Winger’s biggest hits. Additionally, the set will be newly remastered by Ted Jensen – with the remaster process overseen by Kip Winger. “I’m very proud of this box set.  It captures an unforgettable era for the band and these are the only remasters I officially endorse.” – Kip Winger Still rocking to this day – the band issued their seventh studio effort overall in 2023, the appropriately titled Seven. Kip Winger is also a respected and successful symphonic composer, having issued recordings under the name C.F. Kip Winger, while Reb Beach has been a member of Whitesnake since 2002, and Rod Morgenstein has served as a professor at Berklee College of Music (in addition to playing in a variety of other more jazz-fusion-based projects). To obtain all of Winger’s definitive LP’s in one fell swoop, Chapter One: Atlantic Years 1988-1993 covers all the bases – and then some! PRE-ORDER HERE: https://winger.lnk.to/atlantic FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: wingertheband.com   TRACKLIST: Winger (1988) • US – PLATINUM / CANADA – GOLD / JAPAN – GOLD • #21 US Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart / #96 Canadian Albums Chart • “Madelaine” (#27 US Rock) / “Seventeen” (#19 US Hot 100 / #19 US Rock)/ “Headed For A Heartbreak” (#19 US Hot 100 / #8 US Rock) / “Hungry” (#85 US Hot 100 / #34 US Rock)   Tracklist:   1. Madalaine   2. Hungry   3. Seventeen   4. Without The Night   5. Purple Haze   6. State Of Emergency   7. Time To Surrender   8. Poison Angel   9. Hangin’ On 10. Headed For A Heartbreak Personnel: Kip Winger – Bass/Vocals Reb Beach – Guitar/Vocals Paul Taylor – Keyboards/Vocals Rod Morgenstein – Drums Producer:  Beau Hill Winger II:  In The Heart Of The Young (1990) • US – PLATINUM • #15 US Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart • “Can’t Get Enuff” (#42 US Hot 100 / #6 US Rock) / “Miles Away” (#12 US Hot 100 / #14 US Rock / #56 UK Singles Chart) / ”Easy Come Easy Go” (#41 US Hot 100 / #20 US Rock)    Tracklist:     1. Can’t Get Enuff     2. Loosen Up     3. Miles Away     4. Easy Come Easy Go     5. Rainbow In The Rose     6. In The Day We’ll Never See     7. Under One Condition     8. Little Dirty Blonde     9. Baptized By Fire   10. You Are The Saint, I Am The Sinner   11. In The Heart Of The Young   Personnel: Kip Winger – Bass/Vocals Reb Beach – Guitar/Vocals Paul Taylor – Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals Rod Morgenstein – Drums Producer:  Beau Hill Pull (1993) • #83 US Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart • “Down Incognito” (#15 US Rock)   Tracklist:   1. Blind Revolution Mad   2. Down Incognito   3. Spell I’m Under   4. In My Veins   5. Junkyard Dog (Tears On Stone)   6. The Lucky One   7. In For The Kill   8. No Man’s Land   9. Like A Ritual 10. Who’s The One Personnel: Kip Winger – Bass/Vocals/Keyboards Reb Beach – Guitar/Vocals Rod Morgenstein – Drums Producer:  Mike Shipley, Kip Winger Demo Anthology (2023)     Tracklist: 1.      Madalaine 2.      Hungry 3.      Seventeen 4.      Headed for a Heartbreak 5.      Can’t Get Enuff 6.      Easy Come Easy Go 7.      Miles Away 8.      Blind Revolution Mad 9.      Down Incognito 10.    Who’s the One WINGER ON TOUR: Oct 7th –   Rock The Locks Music Festival –  Unatilla, OR Oct 13th –  Rocktober 2023 At The Old Gray – Monterey, TN Oct 14th – District 142 – Wyandotte, MI Nov 11th –  Newton Performing Artist Center – Newton, NC Nov 18th – Buffalo Rose – Golden, CO Dec 16th – Smart Financial Centre – Sugar Land, TX Dec 17th – The Factory In Deep Ellum – Dallas, TX Jan 17th – Rockisland Fest 2024 – Key West Amphitheater – Key West, FL
    • You should check your post in "The Song Game" thread last Thursday mate. Glass houses and all that. 
    • New album 'Paradise Lost' out September 29th through E.X.R Records. 1. Paradise Lost 2. Get It Out 3. Runaway Train 4. Heroes 5. Back Where You Started 6. Dead Beat Clown 7. Devil Inside 8. Life Goes On 9. Beyond Repair 10. Tin Soldiers 11. Babylon              
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.