BRAINSTORM „Memorial Roots”

Music: Power Metal
Website: http://www.truemetal.org/brainstorm
Country: Germany
Duration: 55:16 (11 songs)


Cool Songs: Would You, The Final Stages of Decay, The Conjunction of Seven Planets

Ever since “Downburst” back in ‘08, Brainstorm have become the power metal league's latest darlings. Good for them then, because what they bring to the table is a refreshing take on the genre devoid of effeminate synths, testicle-popping falsettos, and assorted gheyness. For this year’s “Memorial Roots” (it’s been out in Europe since October last year), the fivesome fronted by Andy B. Franck, whose voice is a cross between Armored Saint’s John Bush and Matt Barlow, concentrate on what they do best: songwriting. Brainstorm may not be the fastest band or the heaviest, but they sure can churn out memorable tunes by the handful. This “Memorial Roots” gets off to a good start with the drawn out epic “Forsake What I Believed” followed by equally bloated fare such as “The Final Stages of Decay” and “The Conjunction of Seven Planets.”

Yet for all the sunshine in their performance, something has gone awry on “Memorial Roots.” While the musicianship is tight, Franck’s vocals are priceless, and the massive hooks draw the listener in, the production totally fails the band. That crucial ‘oomph’ factor—call it power, or voltage, or proper sound engineering—is nowhere to be heard, thereby diminishing the album’s appeal. The cumulative effect of this shortcoming is making listener’s wish that Franck’s vocals soared higher; that the guitars of Milan Loncaric and Torsten Ihlenfeld crunched harder; and a less diluted rhythm section. Even worse, the terrible specter of mediocre songs confronts our ears around the middle. While “Hailed Down Dreams” and “The Final Stages of Decay” mark the album’s high water mark, the lows (contrary to what their recent “Best of” compilation suggests) come in between. “Blood Still Stains,” “Ahimsa,” and “Victim” don’t kill it as much as the better offerings among the tracklist.

Since hope springs eternal, Brainstorm still have what it takes to finish the album on a powerful note with the energetic mid tempo barnstormer “Would You” which casts its spell by delivering a chorus whose sheer might will cause goosebumps. It’s a fantastic touch that evens out the album’s wrinkles and gives us a final rocking good time before the curtains fall on this flawed release. Now “Memorial Roots” may not be Brainstorm’s finest, but rest assured, these guys still have a bright future ahead of them.

note: 7/10

Tracklist

1.Forsake What I Believed
2.Shiver
3.The Conjunction of Seven Planets
4.Cross The Lines
5.Hailed Down Dreams
6.Blood Still Stains
7.Ahimsa
8.The Final Stages of Decay
9.Victim
10.When No One Cares
11.Would You

Line-up

Andy B. Franck- Vocals
Torsten Ihlenfeld- Guitar
Milan Loncaric- Guitar
Antonio Ieva- Bass
Dieter Bernert- Drums