VOODOO CIRCLE – Hail to the King

German hard rock band Voodoo Circle continue to wear their influences on their sleeve with their seventh studio album, Hail to the King (2024). With obvious influences such as Whitesnake, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, and Europe (no, not “The Final Countdown” version of them), the album is filled with blistering guitars, charismatic vocals, lots of swagger, and epic jam sessions. Hail to the King was produced by guitarist Alex Beyrodt and mixed by Achim Köhler. What’s cool about the album is that two of the tracks, “All for One” and “Billy’s Song,” were written by former Rainbow keyboardist Tony Carey. Not only did Voodoo Circle represent their influences, they got to work with their influences, as well! Of course, it also helps that vocalist David Readman sounds like a mix between David Coverdale from Whitesnake and Joey Tempest from Europe.

Nods to the Greats of Rock ‘n’ Roll

The album kicks off with the smartest choice of song, “Lay Down Your Lovin,’” an upbeat rocker with a great riff, big melodies, and it’s the shortest track on the record, being three minutes and 44 seconds long. Readman struts his stuff during “On the Edge,” an atmospheric, midtempo number with a memorable chorus and big hooks. “Castles Made of Glass” pays tribute to Whitesnake (think 1987 era, but much spookier) and makes great use of “oooh” in the chorus. “Stand Your Ground” sounds like modern Europe (think War of Kings from 2015 and Walk the Earth from 2017). It’s dark, heavy, doomy, and somewhat on the verge of heavy metal. “Black Country” is an obvious nod to Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” with its pounding bass line and striking guitar riff. The title track is another upbeat rocker that closes the album on a high note.

Overall, Hail to the King is a very good album. However, more than half of the songs are slow and midtempo rockers. While they work for the most part, as stated above, they could’ve been shortened a couple (or three) minutes. They kind of drag on and on (“The Sound of the Eagles”), and it’s not like the music is as intricate and artistic as Rush. The musicianship on Hail to the King is still incredible; Beyrodt is a very talented guitar player. But, the album is over an hour long and with more than half of the songs being midtempo, the material gets stale quickly. There’s nothing wrong with long albums and long songs, but the material has to stand out and keep listeners interested. There’s also the “Let It Rock” song, which is a repetitive song title that’s been used for decades and has the same message. It’s a fun track, but nothing groundbreaking.

Final Assessment

Of course, it’s all based on taste. The classic rock and old school influences are obviously there, which props to Voodoo Circle for keeping the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll alive. There are people out there that will appreciate the epic and adventurous approach of these songs, but they’re not for everyone. For curiosity, a strong patience level, and the love of classic rock, give Voodoo Circle’s Hail to the King a chance!

Album Tracklist

1. Lay Down Your Lovin’
2. Let It Rock
3. On the Edge
4. Sweet Little Sister
5. Castles Made of Glass
6. Stand Your Ground
7. Black Country
8. Billy’s Song
9. Strangers in the Night
10. All for One
11. The Sound of the Eagles
12. Hail to the King

Band Lineup

Alex Beyrodt – guitars
David Readman – lead vocals
Alex Jansen – bass guitar
Markus Kullmann – drums