As you make your way through the opening barrage of "Devil's Eye", and it's a quite catchy barrage I might add, you once again start to realize that you are set to yet again experience another extremely solid album from the always dependable Brainstorm, that little band from Stuttgart who have been cranking out one corker of a power metal album after another since 1997's Hungry and haven't let up since. Midnight Ghost, which sees the band raising the flag of metal for AFM Records yet again, contains 10 tracks of melodic, heavy, and dark tinged European styled power metal with just a splattering of prog thrown in for good measure.
After the already mentioned killer opener, the album reveals a host of strong new songs that are instantly memorable and catchy, whether it be "Revealing the Darkness", the ultra addicting "Ravenous Minds", or the speedy, double bass drum & manic riffing attack of "The Pyre". As always, lead vocalist Andy B. Franck is especially on point throughout, showing yet again that he is one of the most talented vocalists in the genre with his mid range roar and soaring high pitched wail, and his bandmates Torsten Ihlenfeld (guitar), Milan Loncaric (guitar), Antonio Ieva (bass), and Dieter Bernert (drums) also put in excellent performances here on Midnight Ghost. At just 10 songs, there's no filler or bloat here, each track standing out on its own and more than worthy of its inclusion, and to be honest, I wish more bands took this approach. The epic & majestic "Jeanne Boulet (1764)" sees the band toss in some symphonic prog & folk elements to their brand of grandiose metal, while "Divine Inner Ghost" is a groove laden bruiser, the twin guitars churning out some super crunchy riffage over propulsive drumming for a sledgehammer approach, the chorus, as every one here, super memorable. Speaking of catchy and melodic hooks, how about the soaring "When Pain Becomes Real" or the fist pumping anthem "The Four Blessings"? Both songs are impossible to ignore and instantly warrant singing right alongside Andy every step of the way. The deliciously evil sounding "Haunting Voices" is one of the albums heaviest tracks, with some killer riffs and potent vocals, and folky acoustic guitars complement the melodic closer "The Path", a real emotional ballad with a great hook and expert musical arrangements.
In a genre where so many bands make similar records over and over again, Brainstorm manage to create works each time around that are instantly memorable and fresh sounding, displaying a knack for not only crafting choruses that stick in your head for days, but also whipping up guitar riffs that still feel inventive and perfectly able to kick your ass in the way we all like heavy metal music to do. Job well done guys- Midnight Ghost is easily one of 2018's premier power metal albums, so don't miss this one.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
01. Devil's Eye
02. Revealing The Darkness
03. Ravenous Minds
04. The Pyre
05. Jeanne Boulet (1764)
06. Divine Inner Ghost
07. When Pain Becomes Real
08. The Four Blessings
09. Haunting Voices
10. The Path
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