As I first glimpsed the cover artwork of the BRAINSTORM debut album “Hungry” I thought that I have to deal with another Death Metal album. Looks like a H.R. Giger painting for homeless people. After I listened to the opener “Nails In My Hands” in the store, I have been quickly disabused and bought it on the spot. This song is a hammer. It immediately rages forth like a hurricane and arrogates the neck muscles to the maximum. And the melody line is just awesome. At halfway the band brings in different breaks, before the guitarists reveal their whole potential.

“King Of Fools” begins somewhat hardy, but afterwards becoming speedy, impressing with its heaviness and howling guitar-solos. With “Innocent Until Caught” the axes are flying lower, before they turn a bit slower but still damn-heavy, and the chorus sticks instantly. Ok, the arrangements partly seem a bit hardy, but for a debut it was respectable. The bleak, bass-accented “Liar’s Edge” turned out to be a really strong piece, where I got a kind of METAL CHURCH/RAGE feeling. The shout-choirs in the chorus are a bit annoying, but only a little bit. And the really tubby production conveys the whole a rehearsal room-charm.

Really good, on the other hand, is the vocal performance of early-vocalist Marcus Jürgens, who delights with his powerful, not too high style. Even if the album does not own the hit-potential of the later albums, you should have checked it out, because with time some real earworms would peel out. And on a tour, the guys should easily hold their ground opening for bands like SOLITUDE AETURNUS and MORGANA LEFAY.

(Online October 27, 2006)