First things first; let me place my cards on the table – I really like The Poodles. I've liked them ever since I first saw the video for "Metal Will Stand Tall" which led me to seeing them at Bradford Rios supporting Krokus and HammerFall and they were excellent. Since then guitarist Pontus Norgren has left the band and joined the aforementioned HammerFall whilst The Poodles now find themselves on Frontiers Records alongside Whitesnake, Journey and other 80's related acts.
Henrik Bergqvist is now the guitarist and in some ways he is responsible for the bits of Performocracy that I don't like namely when the band come dangerously close to sounding like U2 and Coldplay – two bands I absolutely can't abide. I think we're supposed to call this type of guitar playing, "shimmering" and other powderpuff adjectives. I desperately dislike "Love is All" and at thirteen tracks Performocracy outlives its welcome by about three. "I Believe in You" meanders along without ever getting going.
That's not to say that there aren't some glorious Poodle-related moments such as the single "Cuts Like a Knife" and the rather wonderful "Father to a Son" which combines interesting subject matter with a sing-along chorus and reminds us why we fell in love with The Poodles in the first place.
Producer Mats Valentin is once again on form giving Performocracy a nice sheen and giving an epic feeling to the epic melodies at which The Poodles excel. If you're already a fan you'll find tons to love on this album but whether it will convert the unconverted is very much open to debate.
Track Listing
01. I Want It All
02. Until Our Kingdom Falls
03. Father To A Son
04. I Believe In You
05. Cuts Like A Knife
06. As Time Is Passing By
07. Love Is All
08. Your Time Is Now
09. Action!
10. Bring Back The Night
11. Vampire's Call
12. Into The Quiet Night
13. Don't Tell Me [bonus]