You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

Drawing a veil over 2001’s Hollywood Trash, an ill-judged attempt to add a modern spin to the band’s hard rock formula, to all intents and purposes King Kobra are back after an absence of 22 years.

Originals Carmine Appice, David Michael-Philips, Mick Sweda and Johnny Rod have added ex-Rough Cutt/Quiet Riot frontman Paul Shortino as replacement for Unruly Child’s Mark (now Marcie) Free.

Shortino has one of the finest, huskiest, bluesy hard rock voices in the business, and although a third of these 12 songs were preserved in mothballs since the mid-80s, the Kobra despatch them with an unexpected fire and urgency.

Rock This House and Tear Down The Walls have more in common with the band’s chunky debut album Ready To Strike and the Johnny Edwards (Foreigner)-fronted KK III than the radio-friendly Thrill Of A Lifetime, but this is worth purchasing for the excellence of Shortino’s contribution alone.

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’.