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Swiss band Shakra has always stood for decent melodic hard rock with a heavy edge. After their last album 'Everest' their vocalist Mark Fox left the ship. In John Prakesh the band has found a good successor, the man has a different style, but has the perfect voice for this type of music; clean with a rough edge.

The music hasn't changed a lot; they still play decent hard rock with influences of AC/DC, Whitesnake, Guns & Roses, Gotthard, Krokus, Disturbed and some 80's glam rock bands. The choruses are easy to sing-a-long with, but the band brings in a kind of heaviness too. The music sounds very accessible but Shakra doesn't turn into a wimpy and commercial band, the guitar riffs are too heavy for that. Looking closer and listening closer, I can conclude that the songs are rather average and that everything that enters my ears sounds like it has been done before. That is the biggest problem that I have with Shakra. The music is good, but it sounds too average after a while.

Nevertheless there is nothing wrong with well performed (not that original) music, just look at AC/DC. All fans that liked Shakra with Mark Fox don't have to be afraid. Shakra is back with John Prakesh behind the microphone and back with a nice album.

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