Although Glam Metal acts as DEF LEPPARD, QUIET RIOT, MÖTLEY CRÜE, DOKKEN, TWISTED SISTER, RATT and others are famous for some of their most popular and successful releases, many musicians are influenced by their early releases, those when the bands sounded more aggressive and nasty, and less accessible for a broader public (imagine the blow the fans felt when the accessible “Theatre of Pain” was released after the massive energy of “Shout at the Devil” to have an idea of what such words mean). The early age of Glam Metal is still a huge source of influences to many acts, as the German quintet COBRAKILL, here with its second full-length, “Serpent’s Kiss”.

The band’s drummer Toby Ventura (producer, mixing, mastering) along with Aldo Lonobile (mastering) and Menny Leusmann (recording of the vocals) were the one who worked on the sonority of the album, creating a sonority that brings to mind what was done on albums as “Out of the Cellar”, “You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Tooth and Nail”. In other words, it’s massive and clean, but nasty and bears a huge weight. So it’s an updated form of early Glam Metal’s models of sonority that is very good, indeed. As the paragraphs above state, we are dealing with a Glam Metal album that bears the weight of traditional Heavy Metal. It means that the songs bears the frantic and ferine aggressiveness of the past with a very good melodic sense guiding the writing of the songs, turning the experience of hearing the album a great moment. And imagine such thing with a band with a high level of creativity, and spewing tons of pure energy. Yes, for a Glam Metal fan, it’s a ‘must have’ item.

“Above the Law” (a massive blow of energy filled with Heavy Metal influences on the guitar riffs, but with a clear chorus on Glam Metal ways), “Bazooka” (another blow of energy with tons of weighty and mighty melodic hooks, and what thunderous work on bass guitar and drums), “Concrete Jungle” (a more accessible and Party ‘n’ Roll moment, with charming hooking melodies and a very good singing), “Razor Blade” (a pure 80s Glam Metal hit with clear influences of KISS on its harmonies), “Monstrous” (the melodic hooking ambiences are amazing, and what ‘vanhalean’ shreds on the guitars), “Same Ol’ Nasty Rock n’ Roll” (this one bear Sleaze Rock/Metal side, being nasty and filthy, but yet melodic), “Torture Me” (it’s impossible to resist to its melodies), and… I give up! As a mandatory homework, you’ll hear to “Hungry Heart”, “Seventeen”, “Silent Running”, “Ride My Rocket” and “Velvet Snakeskin” as well. This album is amazing!

“Serpent’s Kiss” brings back the early Hard/Glam Metal outfit, and it’s amazing. For now, once more I have to complain that I’ll never to be able to see a COBRAKILL’s show, because I live in such defiled country called Brazil.