BURNING POINT
"Burned
Down the Enemy" (Metal Haven Records; 2007)
Reviewed by Edwin Van Hoof
Burning Point has been caught up in legal hassle for nearly two years after the release of their highly acclaimed “Salvation by Fire” and “Feeding the Flames” albums. This set back caused frustration to surface within the lyrics of their brand new CD, “Burned Down the Enemy.”
Starting with a clean slate and new record company, the band has made their first statement! The long awaited third release from this Finnish true metal quartet brings back the sound which gave them their name as carriers of the true metal flag.
The classical USA power metal (with inflections of more neo-classical sounds, NWOBHM boosts and the more archetypical European sounds) is vivid and thunderous here with hard hitting tracks such as the opening “Parasite,” the slightly more Teutonic and upbeat “Hell Awaits,” the powerful "Deceiver" and “To Hell and Back” (with its powerful keys alongside raging guitars). More slow moving, melodic hammer hymns such as “Heart of Gold” (with its Queensryche reminiscent sophisticated sounds) or “Sound of the Ancient War” all bear the mark of predecessors, yet have plenty of Burning Point ingredients.
“Eye for an Eye” blends together the typical European metal sounds with USA power and English NWOBHM influences. Twin guitars hand-in-hand, pumping bass, catchy hooks and breaks, and an epic drive in the vein of Warlord. The amazing “From the Beginning of It All” is written with a pen carrying pure wonder. Gripping melodic sounds and amazing arrangements are also found in the following track, “Icebound” while “Against the Madness of Time” is a great hymn and the closing title track, with its furious double bass and Celtic intro, is just wonderful. When the guitars power up, the song unloads a package of pure shred.
“Burned Down the Enemy” took Burning Point a lot of time and agony battling through the darker sides of life, but they have clearly rediscovered their power and passion for classic metal. Even more then before, the band provides power and classical ingredients from the widest metallic specter to create a cocktail worth praising. The typical Iron Maiden ingredients, in combination with the power of USA metal and German upbeat metal, make Burning Point one of the last frontrunners and remnants of a beloved genre.
It’s a record Maiden would die for, but many ... too many ... will pass never knowing.
For more information, check out http://www.brnpoint.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 18 Nov 2024 12:18:24 -0500.
