The band have never rested on their laurels, and 'Retox' is no different in that regard, progressing as the band have changed, and as with all of their previous albums, just that little bit different from what has gone before. They're not here to re-record the past, they're here to tell us about the future, and opening the album with a superb piece on piano on the albums title track certainly helps set the pace, not so much for what it is, but because it's the last thing that I would have expected, a really slow and quite piano with just Andreas Eklund voice soaring over the top of it. It instantly makes you sit up and takes notice because it's the kind of track a band would put in the middle of the album not right at the start. I love that!

From there on out though we're into freefall as the rest of the band get in on the act, and with the dual guitar action, you get a really rounded sound, and following 'Retox', 'Small Town' sounds so huge, so immense. You know that's part of the reason that House of Shakira have put it there.

Retox shows us that House of Shakira have lost none of the ability, but are turning their sites to the future, not to be trapped in the past. Melodic Rock fans are surely going to be in heaven when they listen to this!

Lineup:

Tony Andersson – Percussion
Per Schelander – Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Adreas Eklund – Lead Vocals
Anders Lundstrom – Guitars
Mats Hallstensson – Lead Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Vocals