Marc spent 2023 and 2024 writing and producing his new album “Crossfire”, with songwriting shared between Marc Storace, guitar player Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper band) and drummer Pat Aeby (Krokus, Gotus), while Henriksen produced it and it was mixed by Mutt Lange’s engineer, Olle Romo. There is no doubt that ‘Crossfire’ has a more commercial bent than ‘Live and Let Live’, with both modern AC/DC and classic Def Leppard being huge influences. However, I must admit that every time I listen to the chorus of “Let’s Get Nuts” I am strongly reminded of “Let’s Get Rocked” (how on earth did that song get to be more than 30 years old?). There is much more variation than on the debut, and while for the most part this is fairly straightforward hard rock there is no doubt this is much more interesting than the debut.
Whereas the debut is more for die-hard Krokus and Storace fans, this is an album which is still not totally essential and still has a long way to go, but it is thoroughly enjoyable and Storace shows so sign whatsoever of slowing down. He is one of the few singers who not only has maintained his range and power but shows no sign at all of age in his vocals. I mean, he was born in October 1951, so this was recorded when he was in his Seventies, but no-one would ever guess that just from the songs as he sounds just like he did when he joined Krokus 45 years ago. Not essential, but a damn fine hard rock jaunt all the same. 7/10
