Without a shadow of doubt, Krokus vocalist Marc Storace is one of metal’s best singers. With an impressive range and a gravelly, oak-aged, whisky-croak, he lent his vocal cords to some of the ‘80s best albums; Metal Rendez-vous, Hardware, One Vice At A Time and Headhunter all helped shape the decade’s sound (and it’s no surprise that he was a contender to replace the departed Bon Scott in AC/DC). Now his solo band, the modestly-titled Storace, get their debut album reissued, along with a storming live set, which makes this the definitive version of Live And Let Live.

Recorded in the midst of the global lockdown and released in 2021, Live And Let Live is characterised by a sense of urgency and the opening (and title) track comes racing out the speakers like a raging bull. With a distorted, bluesy guitar riff and a powerful backbeat it’s an addictive number that reminds me why I originally fell in love with raunchy rock n’ roll. Maybe it was the effect of the global pandemic or Marc’s optimistic nature, but there’s a life-affirming quality to this song (and indeed, the whole album) that’s really quite contagious. As the globe continues to be plagued by war and pestilence, Live And Let Live acts as a kind of counterweight, injecting some much needed positivity into the world. The great thing about Storace is that they aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel; while the songs certainly aren’t generic, those with a penchant for raucous hard rock will find a spiritual home in in the high-octane blast of ‘Carry The Burden’ and the cool shuffle of ‘Broken Wings’, yet they’re peppered with a freshness that places them firmly in the present.

Marc Storace has obviously taken good care of his voice and he still has the same throaty rasp that garnished all those classic Krokus records. It’s the type of voice that could make the telephone directory sound interesting, so when paired with the type of hard rock that the band deliver, well, there was only going to be one outcome. Live And Let Live is an album which allows him to fully showcase his versatile voice with a mixture of hard rockers such as ‘High On Love’ and power ballads like ‘Don’t Wanna Go’ (with shades of Krokus’ ‘Screaming In The Night’) ensures that things never become staid.

Whilst out on the road promoting Live And Let Live, Storace played with some of rock’s biggest names, supporting KISS and The Scorpions whilst sharing the stage with Alice Cooper at the Rock The Ring Festival. If the band were daunted at all, it doesn’t show because Storace prove themselves a tight unit, giving the songs from Live And Let Live that added oomph from being performed live. This second set opens with the same couplet from the studio disc and with songs such as this in their arsenal, the band really can’t go wrong. Yet, there’s also a few surprises in store; Krokus tracks that are rarely played live such as ‘Midnight Maniac’ and ‘To The Top’ get an airing and are welcomed like old friends. Although Marc is best known from his tenure in Krokus, his musical lineage stretches back much further and we get the pre-Krokus track ‘Telephone Man’ from his late ‘70s London-based band Eazy Money’.

A kick ass studio album coupled with a kick ass live disc makes this edition of Live And Let Live very special indeed.

• Live And Let Live – Special Edition is released via Frontiers Music on 13th December 2024.

Track List:

CD1: Live And Let Live

1. Live And Let Live
2. High On Love
3. Lady Of The Night
4. Carry The Burden
5. Broken Wings
6. No Place To Hide
7. Don’t Wanna Go
8. Love Over Money
9. Time Waits For No One
10. Paradise

CD2: Live

1. Live And Let Live
2. High On Love
3. Midnight Maniac
4. Telephone Man
5. Lady Of The Night
6. Hellraiser
7. Broken Wings
8. To The Top
9. No Place To Hide
10. Don’t Wanna Go
11. Carry The Burden
12. Love Over Money