Brainstorm

"Metus Mortis"
(Metal Blade) 

Ballsy, powerful, and musically enriching release from this German band. Vocalist Andy B. Franck is one of the premier vocalists in metal, his range is continually being expanded and as each song folds into the next, the paradigm for what you think he can do is changed. While it's common for a band to put its strongest songs in the beginning of a CD, often padding the release with filler, this release gets better as the CD continues. Following the atmospheric "Metus Mortis," drummer Dieter Bernert thunders in with a powerful, full-sounding tom-tom pattern, locking in with bassist Andreas Mailander, before collapsing into a rhythmic compliment to guitarists Torsten Ihlenfeld and Milan Loncaric. Then Frannck thunders in. But the real gems are tracks "Cycles," "Behind," and "Meet Me in the Dark," the last track reminding the listener of Painkiller-era Judas Priest. This release is a treasure.

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