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STORACE “Crossfire”
STORACE “Crossfire”
By Colonel Angus
Marc Storace has been a part of my musical history for quite some time. I was first exposed to his melodic rock n roll vocals via KROKUS’ “Metal Rendez-vous”. That 1980 classic record made me a KROKUS fan before I really got hit with the NWOBHM bug and totally immersed myself in that genre. With each subsequent release, KROKUS gained not only my dedication and support but soon all my fellow rockers and metalheads were joining me in cranking the volume on “One Vice at a Time” and “Headhunter”. Those were (and still are) great releases and get spun in the Angus household to this very day. At around the time of “The Blitz”, I could see the cracks starting and I’m certain their label wanted more “hits” and less of their hard charging brand of rock. By the time of “Change of Address”, me and my metal brethren stopped following the once great KROKUS and moved onto other new bands.
Fast forward to 2006 when I was given a copy of “Hellraiser” to review and lo and behold, my band was back. That record, in my opinion, was a return to form and sparked my interest in the band again. The releases following were just as good so when “Crossfire” made its way to me, I was already looking forward to it. Unbeknownst to me (and I’m embarrassed to write this), I had no idea that STORACE released “Live and Let Live” back in 2021. How I missed that must be a sign of my aging mind. Anyway, “Crossfire” is my first foray into this new namesake outfit call STORACE.
So what do you get on “Crossfire”? Well, you get a dozen hard rock tunes (technically ten rockers, one ballad, and one intro) that have just the right amount of melody to make each one catchy and memorable. Right off the bat, “Screaming Demon” hits you with some great riffing and that classic STORACE vocal delivery. The track has that headbanging, let’s party ‘til dawn feel and that vibe takes hold throughout the record. There is an intro called “The New Unity” that ushers in “Rock This City” which is a thumping rocker that will get your blood pumping. This tune in particular has a great 80’s rock/metal sound and takes you back to the fun times of 80s metal. God, I miss that scene sometimes.
As we move along, we get another thumping rocker called “Adrenaline” which has some cool moody parts that remind me of “Stranglehold” by TED NUGENT. It’s a great mix of 70s and 80s rock with a little metal thrown in for good measure. “Love Thing Stealer” is back to basics with a just a great catchy hard rocker that will have you reaching for the “repeat” button with its infectious grove. Sticking with that winning formula, “Let’s Get Nuts” following closely to its predecessor. Both have a simple rock n roll structure but it works so well. Sometimes, less is more and the last couple of tracks are proof of that.
What starts off as another basic tune, “Thrill and a Kiss” somehow works its way into a great rocker that brings back that 80s metal sound. This album is full of very catchy and memorable pieces and “Thrill and a Kiss’ stands up as one of the best on “Crossfire”. It is hard for me to pick a favorite because it changes from day to day (that’s the sign of a quality record) but this is the one as I write this review. “We All Need the Money” slips back into basic rock n roll territory and while it’s a good track, the others are better. Certainly not a song I would skip but just not one I go back to often.
Things improve with another 80s metal sounding song that will get you up and moving. “Hell Yeah” has that fun, party feel that was so prevalent back in the day. It may be a bit repetitive but the groove prevents you from sitting still. As we approach the last few track, the band does not let up one bit. “Millionaire Blues” is not your typical laid-back blues workout but more of a rocker that has an underlying blues feel. Again, STORACE (the band) has a way making everything catchy and melodic. Even though this tune is towards the back of the record, it is one of the better tracks on an album full of quality material.
The sounds of sirens brings forth the aptly titled “Sirens” and this one is a bit of an odd one (in a good way). It doesn’t follow that simple style of the other tunes and it has this great epic feel about it. There are some nice middle-eastern touches added to make this song special and unique. “Crossfire” ends with piano ballad “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” and while it is a good tune, I would have put it more in the middle of the album. It is very much in the ballad category and normally I’m not a fan but the heartfelt performance elevates it beyond being just another ballad.
For those of you looking for a record that is 100% KROKUS, then look elsewhere. But if you are like me and you enjoy KROKUS but with some other elements thrown in, then “Crossfire” will do the trick. Marc Storace puts in a great vocal performance throughout and with guitarist Tommy Henriksen and drummer Pat Aeby, they have crafted a record of some of the best rock/metal of 2024.
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