The Kamchatka Peninsula is a simply gorgeous brown bear loaded 1,250-kilometre-long peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of about 270,000 km² bordered on the east by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk on its western coastline, while the band KAMCHATKA (2005) load-in from Varberg, Sweden (that's in Europe, the viking part).  HOODOO LIGHTNING is the lads' 7^th full length release to date.

When the needle drops for the first time on HOODOO LIGHTNING's opening cut "Blues Science PT 1 - Thunder Rise", I check my Audirvana app to see that I don't have some older KADAVAR cued up. These guys are low end heavy sorta like KADAVAR is, with prominent Lemmy - MÖTORHEAD bass stylings and a generous dollop of the buttery blues groove stuff. No punk impatience is found around these here parts; what we get is some gut-punch power blues and by the time track #3 "Fool" comes in we see how KAMCHATKA cuts their jib, with lyrical molten guitar leads drenched in plate reverb and impeccably mixed voices from both Thomas and Per who trade lead vocals as well as back each other in song. These lads can sing the rawknroll and one of these cats sounds a bit like Paul Rodgers of FREE fame. Track #5 "Supersonic Universe" is my favorite cut - the verse builds then shifts gears while laddering up key changes into the chorus "Supersonic Universe, I know we could have had it worse, learning how to be a man, Sam selling lightning to the promised land."

Now I gotta ask, who is this Sam and can he get me some lightning too? "Let it Roll" casts the verse's stones towards DEEP PURPLE's song "Burn" and has some nice breakdown interplay with the bass-guitar jam before seguing back into a wee bit of the acoustic guitar. I dig it mates and once again, listen to the timber and classic character in the vocals - my favorite part of the release. "Stay in the Wind" has the groove all coloured-up between the lines with a slightly "Turning Japanese" guitar lick announcing the song before getting down with some Ted Nugent style droning riff and rolling guitar backed by Per's rollicking bass. Thomas keeps the joint burning with his guitar sparks on "El Hombre Dorado" before ending in ZZ Top rifflandia with the single coil closer "A Drifters Tale". Fun band they is;  I will be on the lookout for a show ... these lads will be on tour April and May 2020 in Germany and Hungary. Go check 'em out and tell them dani bandolier sent ya.