KROKUS
Rock the Block
Reality Entertainment 2004
www.krokusonline.com

What's the 4-1-1?
Krokus are back (where they ever here), and the Swedish powerhouse is going to rock your blocks off!

Genre
Hard rock / 80s metal / melodic rock

The Good
Krokus is still around and believe it or not, better than ever. They've learned the basic rock formula and worked it to it's fullest potential. "Mad World" employs a simple rock riff into a rather catchy tune about our unbalanced society. "Leading the Pack" starts off with a commanding yell and repetitive lick as Storace and company announce that Krokus is back and taking charge. They even find a way to name drop Shakira. "I Want It All" slows the tempo down a bit, but has some great melodies to it.

There's arena rock riffage-a-plenty on "Go My Way", accented by some bluesy pentatonics. Angus Young's influence is plastered all over "Raise Your Hands"; simple power chords and three chord changes. There's only so many ways you can say a woman's pissed off, but Krokus has topped them all with "Throwing Her China". At first I laughed at it, but now I can't get it out of my head. The high-energy anthem "Rock the Block" closes out the album.

The Bad
Alright, "We'll Rise" sucks, but that's it.

The Verdict
Yeah, I've ragged on Krokus a lot over the years, but this album is unbelievable. I never realized how much they sounded like AC/DC, and not a bad version of AC/DC like Jet. Plenty of great rock riffs and anthems. The old boys still got it.

Did you know?
Krokus have released twenty albums in their career (that’s not a typo).

Rating: out of 5

--George Dionne