Founded by legendary Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice, King Kobra came out of the eighties metal explosion. They were an outstanding band yet were pretty much overlooked at the time. In 2011, they released a reunion album with the addition of former Rough Cutt singer Paul Shortino and have just released the follow up to that, “King Kobra II.”
The ride begins with the sound of train whistles as “Hell On Wheels” kicks things off. Better buckle up for this one! It’s hard hitting from the start and absolutely attacks with the guitars of Mick Sweda and David Michael-Philips. Things just get better from there. The record is jampacked with fantastically written songs and outstanding musical performances. I’m totally loving the bluesy groove of “Have a Good Time” and the grinding rock of “The Crunch.” They slow things down with “Take Me Back,” a slower tempo acoustic sing-a-long, and the love song “Got It Coming.” It’s hard to pick an outstanding track because they are all excellent but the one that stands out the most is the true prison blues of “The Ballad of Johnny Rod” with a spoken intro and outro.
King Kobra is back in full force musically. I always thought Paul Shortino was an underrated, but outstanding vocalist and he proves it on this record with his soulful, soaring vocals. Add in the guitars of Sweda and Michael-Philips, the bass of Johnny Rod, and the drums of the extraordinary Appice and what more could a rock fan ask for. “King Kobra II” is classic, hard rock mixed with a heavy dose of sleazy blues and polished for the modern listener. If you’re already a King Kobra fan, this is a must buy. If you missed the bandwagon back in the eighties, don’t let King Kobra slip by a second time. Check them out today!
