“Rising” is the fourth studio album by the Swiss quintet Shakra. The major question is: can Shakra surpass the success of their well acclaimed album “Power Ride”, released in 2001? One obvious difference between the two albums is the fact that the vocals on the new release are done by new band member Mark Fox, who replaced Pete Wiedmer. The personal preferences of this newcomer are very clear in the way he uses his voice: AC/DC and Whitesnake. Fox proves to be a worthy addition to the band. His vocals are very powerful and fit the music fine. The melodic rock on “Rising” is pretty much guitar orientated.

Thom Bluniers and Thomas Munsters playing style sounds fresh. One major weakness on the album is the fact that the heaviest song on the album,”Too Good For Me”, is followed by the only real ballad on the album “I Will Be There”. The contrast between these two songs is simply too big. One track that is particularly strong is “Dome Me Wrong”, strong rhythms exchanged with multiple vocal parts. If you like some of the better Bon Jovi Stuff, you’re going to love this one. “Rising” has become a strong melodic rock album. Shakra proves with this release that they have found a sound of their own.