VOODOO SMILE -

VOODOO SMILE - ALL BEHIND YOU - BRENNUS
Why does a band whose debut album is named All Behind You have a face portayed on the cover? What is known is how the album kicks off sounding like a cross between Dokken and Craaft. The French have the advantage though because unlike Craaft they employ no keyboardist. This keeps the band's power high during the course of thirteen songs. No One Knows has the same high-pitched screams as Sebastian Bach and Get The Fire is akin to Van Halen. You get the picture. Commercial songs like Far Away are even reminiscent of unsigned band Toxic Virgin whom we reviewed elsewhere (except VS has soloing). There is a redundant Billy Idol cover version which the world should ignore. The singer is flat at the higher end though. The record company informs that he has since departed having been replaced by new man Seb. The band's weakness is the repetitious drumming which has little to offer the rest of the composition and is content to just maintain a straight melody. The guitars have really good licks on the solos - a barn burning pleasure to hear. The solo during Forever is phenomenal and the instrumental towards the end simply kicks back side.