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Voodoo Johnson: 10,000 Horses

After their last terrific EP Into The Red I have eagerly awaited this new disc ever since I heard they were working on their first full length CD. Well, classic rock and roll is still alive and well and flourishing in merry olde England. With the release of 10,000 Horses, Voodoo Johnson has gone a little bit more mainstream but still deliver a crunching old school treat that is sure to please their fan base and should garner in a multitude of new ones.

This disc is a throwback to the golden age of heavy metal but with a modern twist that is the trademark of Voodoo Johnson. Thoughts of groups in their heyday like Skid Row, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and Foreigner come to mind as I go through this album. Even though they might be able to share the stage with any of these groups, Voodoo Johnson definitely create their own sound and brand of fist pumping rock and roll.

When the opening riff of "Headstone" hits you after popping this CD in the player, it will become obvious that this disc will be impossible to sit still for. This is the kind of rock and roll that will start the leg twitching, the fingers rapping and the head banging. It is the kind of stuff your momma warned you about when we were babes and listening to the devil's music. As a matter of fact, VJ (Voodoo Johnson) emphasizes this when they hit you with the next song "Sin". The guitar brothers Carl and Paul Gethin get their first chance to let it hang out a bit on this one and the electricity they produce would light up a small city.

VJ aims for the radio and a broader audience on much of this disc. It is not a bad thing as you will find out with songs like "End Of The Empire" with it's acoustic start that builds to a very heavy power ballad complete with anthem like chorus and full orchestration. It will remind you very much of the type of stuff that you heard from the bands mentioned at the start of this review and it is also the reason that you listened to those bands. Sometimes we get too rapped up in the aspects of music forget that the idea is to have fun. VJ gives you every opportunity to smile while you enjoy what they have bestowed upon you. Try not to crack a big grin as you hear Kev Bayliss tell the rock and roll tale they call "You Will Never Know". Play this one at your next party and there will most definitely be a good time had by all!

If you want to hear just how far these guys have come, all you have to do is listen to the reworking of the song "Nowhere Inbetween" which originally showed up on their EP II. Musically they have progressed leaps and bounds from what can now be called humble beginnings. If you don't think the last song is enough proof then just listen to the stunner they titled "Sleepwalker". This one captures the essence of what we call heavy metal and one of my favorite tunes on this disc along with the grungy, gritty old fashioned blues based rocker "Feel Karma". It is hard for a band to be able to bring back the feeling you get from the classic rockers of the past and still be a fresh and new experience. Voodoo Johnson makes music that gets you excited and that is the special quality they capture.

Before they lash you with the powerhouse rocker "Never Make It Out Alive" to end the disc, the boys show a different side with the acoustic ballad "Rain". This stirring love song is a very tender piece that I believe is very personal to someone and is one of those songs which will touch you as Kev sings about the feelings that we all have or hope to for that someone special. It is a well placed reflective piece that also gives you a chance to slow the heart palpitations before the final blast of their heavy metal onslaught.

To put it in a nutshell, any fan of classic heavy metal should be pulling up Voodoo Johnson's homepage right about now to see where this disc can be ordered. Since I have received the album it has been a constant companion. While I might throw something else in for awhile, 10,000 Horses seems to make its way into the player before too long. It is easily going to be one of my top picks of the year and most certainly one that should be in your collection too!

Track listing:

1. Tombstone
2. Sin!
3. Feel Karma
4. Edge Of The Empire
5. You Will Never Know
6. It Doesn't Matter To Me
7. Burn
8. Nowhere Inbetween
9. Sleepwalker
10. Rain
11. Never Make It Out Alive(Bonus Track)

Added: July 16th 2010
Reviewer: Scott Ward
Score:
Related Link: Band's Myspace Page
Hits: 2335
Language: english

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