MAD MAX

(GERMANY)

STORMCHILD RISING

(2020)
LABEL:

SPV STEAMHAMMER

GENRE:

HARD ROCK

TAGS:
80's, Old School
"Without revolutionizing the genre, Mad Max nevertheless offers a coherent work paying homage to the metal and hard rock of the 80s with this varied, energetic and melodic "Stormchild Rising"."
LOLOCELTIC (11.01.2021)  
3/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s)
During the support tour of "35" (2018), the members of Mad Max, as usual, took the time to chat with their fans after their concerts. According to Jürgen Breforth, it regularly emerged from these discussions that what they expected from the Münster Quartet was not that they would innovate at all costs, but rather that they would continue to offer classical titles in line with their best work. Some might find this principle very limiting but, like Saxon, the Germans have the ability to navigate between melodic metal and hard rock with ease while keeping a real coherence to their opus.

Encouraged by their fans, Michael Voss and his band thus offer a new opus validating this approach to the point of referring to the album which offered them their first success: "Stormchild" (1985). With "Stormchild Rising", the references to the 80's are legion. However, it's hard not to think of Scorpions' compatriots on the melodic riffs of 'Eyes Of Love' or 'Gemini'. On 'Talk To The Moon', it's the one from 'Bark At The Moon' (1983) by Ozzy Osbourne that seems to have been recycled. A bit of Iron Maiden here (the 'Mindhunter' bridge), a bit of Judas Priest there (the pre-solo of 'Rain Rain') and all the metal legends of the glorious 80's seem to have been invited to a party in which Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Vandenberg, Lords Of Black, The Ferrymen...), Oz Fox (Stryper) and Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot, King Cobra, Shortino...) participate.

However, the whole holds perfectly the road and never gives the impression to be a pale copy of what could have been done more than 30 years ago. And after all, Mad Max also comes from that time, which gives it an unquestionable legitimacy. The apostles of German white metal successfully alternate metal and speed tracks ('Hurricaned', 'Rain Rain'), more melodic and Anglo-Saxon tracks ('Talk To The Moon', 'Eyes Of Love', 'Ladies And Gentlemen', 'Gemini'), and some heavier but no less bewitching ('Kingdom Fall', 'Busted'). More surprising are 'The Blues Ain't No Stranger', with a scent worthy of Whitesnake, on which Oz Fox plays a nice solo, and the cover of Rough Cutt's 'Take Her' in which Paul Shortino logically participates.

Without revolutionizing the genre and respecting the specifications set by its fans, Mad Max nevertheless offers a coherent and effective work without any real dead time. A perfect testimony of the best of the 80s and reinforced by a production worthy of its time, "Stormchild Rising" will delight all fans of the blessed years of metal and hard rock by giving them a pleasant moment both energetic and melodic.
- Official website

TRACK LISTING:
01. Hurricaned (feat. Ronnie Romero) - 3:29
02. Talk To The Moon - 4:12
03. Eyes Of Love - 3:31
04. Ladies And Gentlemen - 4:51
05. Mindhunter - 4:36
06. Rain Rain - 4:25
07. Gemini - 3:50
08. Kingdom Fall - 5:01
09. The Blues Ain't No Stranger (feat. Oz Fox) - 4:16
10. Take Her (feat. Paul Shortino) - 3:32
11. Busted - 4:51
12. Ladies And Gentlemen (feat. Detlev Jöcker & The Rock And Roll Children) (single Edit, Bonus Track) - 3:40

LINEUP:
Axel Kruse: Batterie
Jüergen Breforth: Guitares
Michaël Voss: Chant / Guitares
Thomas "hutch" Bauer: Basse
Detlev Jöcker: Chant / Invité
Oz Fox: Guitares / Invité
Paul Shortino : Chant / Invité
Ronnie Romero: Chant / Invité
   
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