The first hint is the cover artwork by Ken Kelly (KISS, MANOWAR, RAINBOW), which adorns the debut of the Swedes of STORMBURNER. ‘We Burn’ then opens this long player with a scream like from the textbook and the first appearance should not cloud the experienced ear. We climb quickly into our cuddly fur shoes, which we had preheated in front of the fireplace.
A ‘Metal In The Night’ or ‘Demon Fire’ sounds like all the Teutonic True Metallers, starting with WIZARD, sang their songs heroically, but the vocals of Mike Stark already tend strongly to their heroes around Eric Adams , Of course we know the Swedish singer from the IRON MAIDEN-affine STARBLIND. So now let’s wring the swords and shields so slowly, let’s clean the jerkin and the Gambeson properly by hand washing.
At ‘Men At Arms’ STORMBURNER are finally, as expected from the beginning, in the arms of the US-Americans of MANOWAR. An impressive pointer for all fur carriers. ‘Shadow Rising’ simply clatters out of the speakers like European tradition of the eighties. Of course the guitarists Tommi Korkeamäki and Mats Hedström are also allowed to catch fire. Meanwhile, jerkin and gambeson are dried, we can get the skins for the bondage to be sent ahead.
Even more vocal on a line to the most inflated true metal band of all time around Joey DeMaio obviously settles’Eye Of The Storm’. Although STORMBURNER usually sounds more like MANOWAR’s true-metal descendants, the vocals of this venture in particular emphasize the consistently oppressive material and classical songs á la’Ragnarök’ and’Rune Of The Dead’ out of the mass of imitators, even if STORMBURNER Finale’Ode To War’ ascend the well-known church choir. But the death blow with a Misericordia dagger is missing. So undress slowly, if you are one of the survivors, and wash the sweat from your bodies.
True Metallers, whether with or without, bearskins tied around their wet-shaven breasts and hips, find their own favorite battle hymns here.
(7/10)
Read the review at Streetclip (In German)