Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the opening sentence of a review might just initially sound insulting or offensive to someone in the band. I’ve tried really hard to word it differently, but to hell with it, I’m just going to say it. Burning Point have really improved since founding guitarist Peter Ahonen stopped singing for them. See? It sounds like I’m slagging him off, and I’m really not – actually he was a pretty good vocalist all told, but in 2015 he recruited ex-Battle Beast vocalist Nette Valo to take over the vocal reins and there was a marked upward shift in the performance and songwriting, as if Ahonen was now finally free of writing for his own voice – the shackles were off.
OK, 2015’s self titled offering basically showed what Valo could do with the band’s back catalogue, but 2016’s “The Blaze” showed that step forward that Burning Point had always promised and have been working towards with each subsequent release since their debut way back in 2001 and more obviously since 2006 with the introduction of fellow guitarist Pekka Kolivuori (the two guitarists work so well with each other). More line-up shuffles have meant all has been quiet from Burning Point since 2017, but 2021 however sees the band sporting a new vocalist in the form of unknown Italian Luca Sturniolo…and he is indeed a bit of a find. He oozes that wonderful Italian vocal flamboyance which means the speedier, more involved tracks might bring to mind recent Rhapsody Of Fire, as well as Shadows Of Steel, Skylark or Highlord. But as the album evolves there is just as much that might be reminiscent of fellow Finns Thunderstone as well as Mystic Prophecy, Bloodbound, Masterplan or Stratovarius, such is the diversity of Sturniolo’s voice.
But these kind of comparisons wouldn’t be possible were it not for the equally diverse and varied songwriting, which covers about every corner of the Power Metal spectrum with ease. The riffs come thick and fast, backed by a powerful, dynamic rhythm section as you would expect, but it’s once again with the vocals that Ahonen has had the most fun in the songwriting. Whatever the song throws at him, Sturniolo handles admirably. Whether it’s a soaring verse or a memorable chorus, he has clearly worked closely with Ahonen to give each song the best delivery possible. There’s no denying that Burning Point have taken another step forward with “Arsonist Of The Soul” and hopefully if they can keep the momentum going this time, the upward trend will certainly continue.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
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