Voodoo Circle: Broken Heart Syndrome

An affectionate, effective parody... or is it?

By Dave Ling
( Classic Rock )
published

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With a cry of ‘baby, baby, baby’ and lyrics that beseech: ‘Don’t break my heart again’, just about the only trick missed by No Solution Blues, this album’s marauding opener, is a Coverdale-inspired bark of: ‘Ow, oww, owww!’

Teaming guitarist Alex Beyrodt with the vocals of David Readman, Broken Heart Syndrome is Voodoo Circle’s second album. As you’ll have gathered it’s something of a retro-fest, romping through territory previously conquered by Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio and especially Whitesnake.

At moments like Devil’s Daughter, which dares to begin with the line: ‘Ever since I was a drifter’, things verge close to the comedic, though what Voodoo Circle lack in originality they certainly make up for in the energy stakes, and there are some excellent songs here, including a distant cousin of Knocking At Your Back Door that’s been cunningly re-titled as King Of Your Dreams.

Dave Ling
Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.