Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2023 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
March 2023
- Excalion: Once Upon A Time
- RPWL: Crime Scene
- Transworld Identity: Seven Worlds
- Stormwarning: Stormwarning
- Phantom Elite: Blue Blood
- Narnia: Ghost Town
- Redemption: I Am The Storm
- Cross Country Driver: The New Truth
- The Banishment: Machine And Bone
- Seventh Crystal: Wonderland
- Demons Down: I Stand
February 2023
- Air Raid: Fatal Encounter
- Robin McAuley: Alive
- Creye: III - Weightless
- All My Shadows: Eerie Monsters
- First Signal: Face Your Fears
- Gabrielle de Val: Kiss In A Dragon Night
- We Came From Space: Overlords
- T3nors: Naked Soul
- Wig Wam: Out Of The Dark
- Khymera: Hold Your Ground
- Infinite & Divine: Ascendancy
- eMolecule: The Architect
January 2023
- Girish & The Chronicles: Back On Earth (Reissue)
- Arctic Rain: Unity
- Electric Mob: 2 Make U Cry & Dance
- Crowne: Operation Phoenix
- Ronnie Romero: Raised On Heavy Radio
- Ten: Something Wicked This Way Comes
- Riverside: ID.Entity
- Issa: Lights Of Japan
- Heroes And Monsters: Heroes And Monsters
- Big City: Sunwind Sails
December 2022
- NY Fury: I Want It All
- Tommy DeCarlo: Dancing In The Moonlight
- Tarmat: Out Of The Blue
- Scream Maker: Bloodking
- Sabu: Banshee
- Rob Moratti: Epical
- Nevena: Nevena
- Landfall: Elevate
- After Lapse: Face The Storm
Brainstorm: Scary Creatures
Brainstorm: Scary Creatures
Heavy/Power Metal
4.0/5.0
Website
Facebook
AFM Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 20.01.2016
When I saw the new Brainstorm album promo arrive in my email I hesitated. I wasn't sure I wanted to review Scary Monsters. Why? Because I wasn't all that impressed with 2014's Firesoul. I compared that album Metallica's heavy metal roadkill St. Anger. Not so positive. But apparently I was wrong. The album became their highest charting album. Oh well. All music is subjective.
Brainstorm
Scary Monsters, however, for me, is definitely a step up from the previous. Some things remain like the immense wall of riffage throughout, varying from thrash to power metal levels. But the two things I panned, the muted vocal arrangements and lack of significant guitar solos, have improved. Whether by mix or mastering, Andy Franck's vocals are more forward, not by leaps and bounds, but much better. And there are some breathtaking fiery guitar solos, notable in the title track, yet also in Scars In Your Eyes, Take Me To The Never, and We Are.
There's also two other elements that rose to the top. There's quite a few songs here that move on pure heavy metal rock groove, you know, the toe-tapping variety. Take Me To The Never is one, but also Sky Among Clouds and We Are. It comes down to a solid combination of guitar harmony and basic rhythm section groove. The other thing is the drumming. Dieter Bernert is on fire, his groove and pacing amazing. Put together with the bass line as within We Are, the drums are inspired. In the end, Brainstorm fans will find Scary Monsters a fine compliment to the previous Firesoul, both an continuation and advancement of the Brainstorm power metal sound.
Brainstorm - We Are
Share This Review with Your Friends
Tweet
In Short
Brainstorm fans will find Scary Monsters a fine compliment to the previous Firesoul, both an continuation and advancement of the Brainstorm power metal sound.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
Album of the Week
Formed 23 years ago, Finland's Excalion has had a turbulent musical career. Before releasing a trio of albums between 2005 and 2010, they had personnel changes. Currently, only the drummer and keyboard ... [ Read More ]