VOODOO CIRCLE – Whiskey Fingers (Album Review)

Halloween is a distant memory, but some magic music is being created by the German band Voodoo Circle, a Classic Rock collective, founded in 2008, as a project of Silent Force guitarist Alex Beyrodt (currently also playing with bands Primal Fear and Sinner). The band’s “crue” is composed of Alex Beyrodt, together with vocalist David Readman (Pink Cream 69), bassist Mat Sinner (Primal Fear, Sinner, and Silent Force), keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Silent Force) and drummer Tim Husung.

Like the footprints that can follow you around a beach, the band’s musical path has been walked before. However, the style and panache of this group of rockers is greater than the need for originality. The crystal clear sound is that of prime time Whitesnake or possibly Rainbow. It is a modern call on classic rock and is refreshing in a retro kind of way.

The LP circles the wagons with David Readman out Coverdale-ing his namesake with a great vocal performance – the standout feature of the record. Songs are largely short and punchy, with the majority of them each clocking in at under 5 minutes. What that brevity gives the listener is some really memorable hooks, such as on “Medicine Man” or the kickoff “Trapped in Paradise“. This is one hell of a record for reviving memories of 1987-era rock. I look back with great affection to that time and Voodoo Circle made me yearn for simpler times when my hair was black and my waistline was many inches smaller!

The guitar tone of cuts such as “The Day The Walls Came Down” is pure John Sykes at the height of his powers – all that was missing was the Keith
Olsen power production! Loved the almost Commodores-like harmonies in the middle of this track as well.

The latter part of the album screws itself into a ball of lightning energy and runs for the finish line like a hardened drinker getting to the bar before last orders. The combination punch of “The Rhythm Of My Heart“, “Devil Takes Me Down” and “5 O Clock” are the tasty appetizers before the final course of the absolute monster “Been Said And Done“. This finale would not disgrace any Deep Purple album with its haunting organ and superb soloing…class is the one word that sums up the track.

If you like Eighties rock, served with a tipple of taut, tasty, tunes, sink your teeth into Voodoo Circle and forget that you may have eaten similar fare before…and also enjoy several Whiskey Fingers while you’re at it!

Buy: Whiskey Fingers