I was very pleased with Koritni’s previous album Lady Luck. I gave it a high score although it wasn’t the epitome of originality. And just like Australian hardrockers Airbourne, it really doesn’t matter. Backed with a great set of songs and enthusiasm they know how to cheer up an audience. So when I heard about this release, I knew it was going to be more of the same from this Australian-French outfit. With Lady Luck still fresh in my mind, I was sure that Game of Fools wouldn’t disappoint me.

 

AC/DC currently tours Europe, so Koritni has a huge competitor on the market right now. You could almost say that the album‘s title is aptly chosen. As soon as the album starts with '155', you know that it is going to be good. And yes it is again a bit of guess-the-riff-and-the-band-that-goes-with-it game. Then again, as I mentioned before, it doesn’t matter. This band is quite honest to the roots of what made the genre great. On last year’s live DVD set, an entire set of Guns ‘n Roses songs is included, presented as a tribute to the band. Also with AC/DC’s High Voltage on this set, there is no doubt what influenced these guys. No profound lyrics, no complex song structures, virtuoso technique, but honest and pure rock.

 

Other reviews compare singer Lex Koritni to a young Steven Tyler, I still consider him to be like a twin brother to former Skid Row front man Sebastian Bach. Either way, these guys stick to their guns and successfully too. The album is mixed by Mike Fraser who also mixed Black Ice from the famous Australian rockers. The brilliant cover is drawn by nobody less than Mark Wilkinson, who provided the early Marillion artwork. It is no guarantee though for a major breakthrough. As the album is basically of the same quality as the previous one, I hand out the same score.