AFM Records [release date 21.11.14]
Swedish metal-heads Bloodbound return with an evil looking album to celebrate their tenth anniversary and like their last release “In The Name Of Metal”, you just know what to expect with “Stormborn”…or do you…
Enjoyable though it was, previous album “In The Name Of Metal” had very little variety between one song and the next. “Stormborn” on the other hand has that missing variation and is a vast improvement because of it.
For “Stormborn”, Bloodbound, feature an unchanged line up with Patrik Johansson on vocals, Tomas Olsson and Henrik Olsson on guitars, Anders Broman on bass, Fredrik Bergh on keyboards and finally Pelle Akerlind on drums.
Bloodtale sets the scene with a creepy horror movie like opening complete with choir and narration. Satanic Panic truly gets the fists pumping with its Judas Priest-like riffing and vocals plus an extremely catchy chorus.
Both Iron Throne and Stormborn bring on the totally over the top gothic choir opening and neither would sound out of place on any recent Blind Guardian platter.
Nightmares From The Grave throws you off guard with its celtic metal feel and children’s choir but turns out to be one of the best tracks on here. That celtic feel returns during the epic When The Kingdom Will Fall when the almost Big Country like bagpipe guitars surface.
There are several throwaway Primal Fear/Judas Priest like numbers such as We Raise The Dead and Made Of Steel but they are still enjoyable nonetheless.
Special mention must go to vocalist Patrik Johansson who has his perfected his Rob Halford screams to such an extent that the master himself would be mightily impressed.
Definitely one for true metal heads but “Stormborn” has enough variation to sound fresh.
Nice…let’s just hope that Bloodbound keep improving…roll on the next release.
****
Review by Phil Berisford
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