I was never a big fan of the term 'supergroup'. Just because you take musicians from different bands you don't necessarily create something that's super, on the contrary. In particular when the 'supergroup' isn't really a band that has gelled together, but rather a group of people who have swapped CuBase files and edited the lot into an album. Making great music takes more than technical skills in my view; it takes an ability to create an atmosphere and feeling. And, like it or not, feeling more than often surfaces between people who have spent days and months together in the rehearsal room.
Voodoo Gods haven't convinced me entirely. Yes, yes, with people like David Shankle (he was the lead guitarist in Manowar for six or so years, around 'The Triumph of Steel'), bass prodigy Jean Baudin, Decapitated guitarist Hira, Mike Browning, who most will probably best remember for his time as drummer and vocalist for Nocturnus, exotic metal drummer Alex Voodoo as well as George Corpsegrinder Fischer from Cannibal Corpse, the technical side of things is in place. And with none other than Andy La Rocque mixing the album, what could possibly go wrong?
Variation and diversity are both elements that are also in place, the sound and mix are fine, however, be prepared for an early nineties touch.
And, yet, I can't be moved to say that this is more than a alright solid album. It's not as amazing as I'd hoped when I received the CD many weeks ago - which is probably why I haven't written about it yet. I've flicked it into the CD player so many times now, hoping that it would finally really take off, work its way in and convince me at last. But it hasn't happened yet - although varied in expression, none of the eight songs on 'Anticipation for Blood Leveled in Darkness' manage to really crawl under my skin and stay there. I reckon I miss that feeling I talked about before.
If Voodoo Gods indeed are a band as their website claims, I'm hoping that their second album will emmanate the feeling I'm missing and thus come across more powerful.
