Artist: Kings Call 
   Title: No Alibi
   Label: MusicBuyMail Records

t pains me when people who are so called fans of the Melodic/Hard Rock genre’s state the scene is dying when week after week, here at The Mayfair Mall we receive numerous debut albums from bands with their roots deeply planted in the scene, bands who never seem to get the acknowledgment they deserve.

And another example is Kings Call the brainchild of Alex Garoufalidis, who has worked with not only his former band Eagle Springs, but also with the likes of Graham Bonnet, Chuck Wright and Cherrie Currie.

So in 2008 Garoufalidis has come full circle and returned with his new band Kings Call who are Martina on bass, Asik on drums, Hendrik on keyboards and Garoufalidis on guitars and vocals. Their debut album that is jam packed full of Melodic and Hard Rock that will quench even the thirstiest of fans who are delusional about the whole scene being a desert deficient of new talent.

The album gets underway with ‘Shaking’ that instantly grabs you with its bluesy 70’s feel, with Alex sounding a little like Billy Gibbons with his vocal, but it’s his flowing guitars that really are the standout part of this one.

That same slick guitar sound is carried on thru into the melodic tones of ‘Caught In A Lie’ and the sublime tones of the up beat rocker ‘Never Be Alone’, before things really pick up with ‘Crying Shame’, a song that has it’s roots deeply planted in the 80’s commercial American Rock culture.

‘All You Can Do’ is one of my favourite tracks off the album as my heart will always be dominated by the 80’s sounds and styles.  This one really rocks my boat, from the big guitar sound and the stylish rhythm section, down to the keyboard flurries this one has it all for me.

Another of my personal favourites is ‘Crank Me Up’ again a song that could have easily been part of Gibbons and Co’s 'Eliminator' album, where as ‘Shining’ is definitely Garoufalidis all the way, with those trademark vocals and stirring guitar solos.

Another slice of pure melodic heaven is the slow burning tones of ‘Rock & Roll All Star’ and the atmospheric ‘Destiny’, with Alex's fine unadulterated guitar work being the highlight of this piece. The album concludes with ‘To The Limit’, an up tempo rocker that rounds off what is a great album and one that shows once again the scene is very much alive and kicking once more.  

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