Back On Track - Reviews

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SHAKRA - Back On Track
AFM

Metal Express Rating: 8.5/10
by: FRANK JAEGER
Email: frank (at) metalexpressradio (dot) com

Eight albums in twelve years -- that reminds of those good old days when fans didn't have to wait five years before their favorite band would release a new album. These Swiss guys are positively old fashioned, and that also goes for their music too. By now, the Rock world should have noticed this band from the Alps, as their prior albums entered the charts in their home country with high scores (and the German charts as well). Their most recent release, Everest, actually made it up to #4 in the Swiss album charts.

Of course, as usual, that was cause for criticism accusing the band of being too mellow and too commercially orientated. But, that always happens when a band becomes successful, and Back On Track shows that Shakra doesn't listen to those voices and instead continues down the same road of simple, but effective Rock songs that made all their albums so enjoyable.

There is only one main difference between the new album and its predecessors. Singer Mark Fox left the band last year, and Back On Track is the first album with John Prakesh at the microphone. But, the new singer was chosen wisely, as he has a similarly rough voice as does Mark, and his performance leaves nothing hanging in the balance. In every of the twelve tracks, from up-tempo songs like "B True B You", to mid-tempo stompers like "Unspoken Truth", or slow tracks like "When I See You", John amazes and gives these otherwise good tracks just the last kick to make them great songs.

With dominant guitars, but radio-friendly melody lines, Shakra manage to place one foot solidly in each of the worlds of mainstream and heaviness. Back On Track is the strongest release of Shakra to date because there is no bad or even mediocre track on the whole album. Gotthard and Krokus, beware, this is the release to beat in 2011!

Heavy Paradise / Review

http://heavyparadise.blogspot.com/2011/03/shakra-back-on-track-2011.html

Swiss melodic hard rockers Shakra are no strangers among the fans of this gerne. With their first releases "Shakra" (1997), and "Moving Force" (1999), and by touring with acts such as Great White and Uriah Heep, the early career of this Swiss heavy band was a steep learning curve with dramatic success but the real breakthrough came with their third record "Power Ride" (2001) when singer Pete Wiedmer was forced to leave the band because of his health issues, replaced by Mark Fox. Fox did an excellent job as Shakra's lead voice but after the release of "Everest", Mark Fox and Shakra took separate ways! The new guy behind the microphone was the yet-unknown John Prakesh and the band started working on a new album.

So here we are in 2011 and the band is releasing the brand new album titled "Back On Track". The fact is that I was never a big Shakra fan even if I own some of the band's previous albums. I also have to admit that I really like what I'm hearing from "Back On Track". It's all about a well played hard rock album with big melodies and very good guitar work. As you all can assume I'm really into bands or solo artists in which the guitar part takes a lead part in the album's final result. And in Shakra the guitar work is very very good! The vocal performances are passionate and the rhythm section is solid as a rock! The songs are all well written and in the whole album there is an 80's feel without sounding cliche! They achieve to mix 80's hard rock sound with some modern heavy elements with such a great way! Songs such as "I’ll Be", "Brand New Day", "Stronger Than Ever" or even the more commercial tune of "Crazy" are examples of the new Shakra sound!

Bottom line is that "Back On Track" is a very good album which probably will end up high in this year's many Top 10's and set candidancy for Heavy Paradise's final Top list! Well done!
HeavyParadise's Rating :8/10

Metalriot.com

http://metalriot.com/news/album-review-shakra-back-on-track/

Fans of 80’s metal are in for an uplifting rise as Swiss band Shakra release their brand-new album; “Back On Track”. The album amplifies a nostalgic sound that captivates unrequited love, temptation, and the will to persevere. Shakra’s back and better than ever with catchy tunes and great quality in sound production. The heavy-metal band formed in 1997 and has had a series of line-up changes leaving the future of the band left to debate but that all changed when John Prakesh came on board as their new vocalist replacing Mark Fox.

Listening to “Back On Track” was a great experience. Songs like “Crazy”, “When I See You”, “Yesterday’s Gone”, “Unspoken Truth and the self-titled track were all worth the wait. Shakra’s drummer Roger Tanner demonstrates how to execute the right collaborative sound with guitarists Thomas Muster, Thom Blunier and bassist Dominik Pfister. John Prakesh yells and sings powerfully in “Back On Track”.

Get the full review here.

This album is a good example of commercial sounding metal worth listening to. The lyrical theme of this album is all about not letting anything stop you from walking the path you choose and that every day is an opportunity to work on the problems you have. That being said, the album isn’t being delusional either. John Prakesh makes it clear that at the end of the day we cannot hide from the experience of pain and emptiness but we can’t let the past haunt and hold us from pursuing our dreams. “Back On Track is a pretty blunt album overall.

With eight albums under their belt, a history of playing along-side classic bands like Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses and experiencing a 12-country tour with HammerFall and Stratovarius; it is needless to say that Shakra is a well-seasoned predecessor.