Headhunter (40th Anniversary Edition)

Swiss rockers Krokus had already been around the bend a number of times by the time they scored their first (and only) American platinum success with 1983's Headhunter. Shameless bandwagon hoppers that they were (their origins lay in cheesy, late-'70s progressive rock), the band at least deserve credit for mixing their musical stew just right on this occasion. The results include the frenetic title track, a highly competent power ballad in "Screaming in the Night," and their biggest hit -- a reworking of Bachman Turner Overdrive's "Stayed Awake All Night." Mid-tempo rockers such as "Eat the Rich" and "Russian Winter" also receive energetic performances from the band, but singer Marc Storace generally makes a nuisance of himself with his grating screech, which falls somewhere between Bon Scott and Accept's Udo Dirkschneider. Though their ridiculous attempt to emulate the pop-metal posturing of the day (guitarist Fernando Von Arb's incessant pouting remains an especially horrifying image) would do them little good, Headhunter, at least, remains Krokus' finest moment. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia