BRAINSTORM Wall of Skulls | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by AFM Records on September 17th, 2021

Quick Background

Brainstorm is a German power metal band formed in 1989 by guitarists Torsten Ihlenfeld and Milan Loncaric, and drummer Dieter Bernert. After releasing two albums, the band stabilized the line-up with the arrival of singer Andy B. Franck and the release of Ambiguity in 2000. They are known to play a somewhat darker style of music than most power metal groups. I really like this band and I have seen them live a couple of times. However, I don't know their discography deeply as they are more of a 'best of' band for me. With that said, Soul Temptation from 2003 may be their best album, and actually their latest albums have been consistently good. Their previous album for example Midnight Ghost (2018) did very well for me and it may be one of their best. So let's see what 2021 brings us.

Wall of Skulls

Wall of Skulls is their 13th studio album. With a stable lineup and a sequence of good records, Brainstorm is back with their power metal. The new effort features an intro track and 10 proper tracks. All of them around the 4 minute mark totaling 45 minutes of high energy and dark power metal. 

"Where Ravens Fly" starts with a Helloween flavor. But when the vocals start, the similarities are reduced. Franck's voice is nothing like their compatriots, meaning no high pitched screams. But rather a lower register with melody vocal approach. Speaking of melody, the guitar solos throughout the album are also very melodic instead of a million notes per second. Check "End of My Innocence" for a great example of it. 

Wall of Skulls is also spiced up by two guest singers that fit the band very well. Peavy, the Rage mastermind, can be heard on the heavy "Escape the Silence" (albeit he only sings a short bridge) and Seeb from Orden Ogan on another heavy one "Turn Off the Light". Such a powerful contribution to this Judas Priest inspired tune. Seeb is also the producer and again did a good job creating a modern and bombastic power metal production. I mean, how huge is the chorus of "Solitude"? What a great sing along while fist pumping song.  A short but nice guitar solo reminding me of a Bach organ phrase. Furious double-bass drums set the tone for "Stigmatized (Shadows Fall)" another heavy song with top-notch guitar work.  

I know that "Glory Disappears" has some weird lyrics, actually overall the lyrics are not their strong point, but anyways I love this song. It's so catchy and fun to sing along. This chorus is tattooed in my head already. "I, the Deceiver" keeps the energy high until the very end, this epic feel song brings up the Judas Priest influence to close the album on another very high note. To top it off, as in Midnight Ghost, another great album artwork that reminds me of Axel Rudi Pell's Game of Sins.  

The Picky Guy

The second half of the album while still good is not as powerful as the first one, with a couple of songs with less impact namely "My Dystopia" and specially "Holding On". Other than that nothing really to complain here. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

Brainstorm. has again proven that they deserve much more attention from the metal community. Wall of Skulls is another power metal masterclass. Catchy without becoming cheesy, full of hooks without becoming happy metal and  melodic but also powerfully heavy.  

SCORE: 84/100

Genre: Power Metal

Released by AFM Records on September 17th, 2021

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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