What can I say about Brainstorm? No, really, what CAN I say about Brainstorm??? I’ve personally reviewed their last 3 albums for Ave Noctum, heard every album since their impressive debut (and it’s follow up) with Markus Jurgens on vocals and subsequently enjoyed each release since with Andy B. Franck behind the mic, with a virtually stable line-up for the last 20 years! 11 albums with pretty much this exact line-up and not a duff release amongst them! Their instantly recognizable brand of full-on, top drawer Heavy Power Metal hasn’t particularly changed over the years, just got a little more refined and more mature as you would expect. So basically, if you want to know what Brainstorm sound like, pick a clip from the last 20 years – you’ll get the idea and I’ll just crack on with reviewing this particular release – as there is something just slightly different about it.
But I can’t quite put my finger on what it is!!! This isn’t going well is it? Sorry…There’s just…something! Oh for crying out loud – look, I assure you that this is just as infuriating for me to write as it is for you to read (OK, maybe a little more for you…), but trying to narrow it down – there’s all the intensity and power that we’ve come to expect, delivered with the usual conviction and professionalism. The guitars are as sharp as ever, the rhythm section as tight as can be and Franck’s vocals delivered it that same dynamic Dickinson-but-a-bit-lower style that’s so instantly identifiable as Brainstorm. The songwriting is exemplary as always, balancing power and melody perfectly – a fast track, then a pounding Metal anthem etc, etc, sprinkled liberally with instantly catchy but never cheesy vocal lines…
And maybe that’s it! All that! This album just feels…right. As a Brainstorm album it is perfectly balanced and perfectly presented. It does what it does, when it should – when it’s needed. It’s that maturity that I mentioned earlier, coupled with a band that have quite possibly been sat individually developing some great ideas over the last couple of years, in difficult, tougher circumstances and finally had the chance to bring them to the table. As almost to emphasise this confidence further, for the first time the band feel happy enough to introduce a couple of guest vocalists – ‘Escape The Silence’ features the inimitable Peavy Wagner of Rage, and ‘Turn Off The Light’ has Orden Ogan frontman Seeb Levermann on it (who also produced the album…so I guess that was an easy one). So in conclusion (yes thank you, we got there in the end), this is a band sounding refreshed and utterly confident in the beast that they’ve collectively created, enthusiastic to be doing their thing once more – and I think that totally spills through into the music. This is simply Brainstorm at their best, setting their own bar just a little higher with each release.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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