Maybe it’s just me, but the guy on the cover of “Downburst” looks like someone from the Tekken games, just surrounded by a lot more blood. As for BrainStorm themselves they are pretty awesome indeed. The guitars are faster than the speed of sound and the vocals sound epic, coming across as somewhere between Rob Halford and Kai Hanson. BrainStorm are rather like a new take on the traditional power metal genre,  an updated Judas Priest for 2008 if you like. “Fire Walk With Me” keeps this formula going but adds elements of Dio era Sabbath and Iron Maiden to the mix, to further the band’s “epic” sounding music.

Brainstorm are definitely a pleasant change in the current metal world of all things heavy. Instead of cookie monster vocals and hardcore breakdowns BrainStorm are breaking the boundaries by playing in the style of legendary bands but, at the same time, defining their own sound. “End In Sorrow” is as much of an anthem as Hammerfall’s “Glory To The Brave” but adds both a  more modern melodic sound to the music as well as a very typical orchestral sound. Imagine The Scorpions but with Ronnie James Dio replacing Klaus Meine and you'd be pretty close to the sound. Lyrically this lot aren’t your normal power metal band either. The songs don't all deal with the traditional metal fare of Vikings and dragons et al but rather they are more like Sad Wings Of Destiny style Priest.

BrainStorm really are worth checking out, they are bringing back that old school metal that has been swept under the rug lately. Up the Storm!

Let us know your views on Downburst

Track Listing

Falling Down Spiral
Fire Walk With Me
Stained With Sin
Redemption In Your Eyes
End In Sorrow
How Do You Feel
Protect Me From Myself
Surrounding Walls
Frozen
All Alone

Line Up

Andy B. Franck – Vocals
Torsten Ihlenfeld – Guitars
Milan Loncaric – Guitars
Dieter Bernert – Drums