Year : 1985 (Rockport Records Edition 2020)
Style : Melodic Heavy Metal
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 149 mb
Bio:
Stormwind was a heavy metal band from Düsseldorf and was active between 1980 and 1988. However, only one album was released during their lifetime: "Taken By Storm" in 1985. Just like Ax Victims, there have always been persistent rumors about a second, unreleased album. And while Ax Victims are on the road a lot as Universe, in the case of Stormwind we are finally filling a gap posthumously: “Burning Wheels” is Stormwind's second album, which - just like the debut - was also created in 1985 is and has been under lock and key until today. So this is not really a re-release in the traditional sense. And collectors will continue to be helped, since - also in 1985 - a 12 "EP with the title" Warbringer "was released, the three tracks of which are also included as a bonus. I'm a little surprised about the last two tracks on this CD, "Come To America" and "Dark Stallion", which are said to have been released in 2004 - long after the breakup and without a real reunion. Still, all fourteen tracks sound like one piece. You can immediately hear that the same band is still at work here. If you like old German Heavy Metal in the style of Gravestone, Ninja or Accept, you can't really avoid this almost forgotten jewel, which was published much too late.
Album:
Stormwind is another one of those pretty badass Teutonic traditional/speed metal bands of 1980’s. Not to be confused with the Swedish power metal band (formed in 1996 if my memory serves me), who seem to have usurped this much older (and therefore more deserved) band’s last.fm page, this band has a classic speed metallish sound akin to old Saxon or (sorry, I know this is typical, but Accept) Stormwitch. Other points of comparison might include Belgian act Crossfire, or the other Low Country Heroes Picture. Very rockin’ stuff, and there’s plenty of awesome riffs to be found – perhaps even more than average in this sort of material. Classic mid 80’s sound, strong recording quality and forceful and (I know, I know this is cliché but similar to Udo) well-done vocals. A little surprised didn’t get a bit more recognition, I mean – I know there were a million of these Germanic heavy/speed metal bands around at this time, but you had quite a few of about the same caliber managing to make a name for themselves: Krokus, Bullet, Faithful Breath, Bullet, and perhaps even Bad Lizard to name just a few. Oh well, that’s how it goes I guess.Anyway, did I mention riffs? Did I mention Saxon? Tracks like ‘Evil’s Child’ and the awesome opener ‘Hard Sins’ are riff monsters that sound very comparable to Saxon. Seriously – props to the band, and to Wolla and Niko especially for churning out some classic and classy 80’s metal riffs here. In the former, we get a strong Germnic tinge coming through in Klaus Klemm’s voice similar (groan) to Udo again. In both these tracks, and pretty much the rest of the album, riffs and drums are fast-pace, driving things along at a nice head-nodding speed metal pace. Really enjoyable, and in my opinion, at least a few notches above a lot of the stuff of heard from this scene. Guitar skill is evident not only in these two cuts, but in most of the songs; pretty inventive stuff that sorta jumps out at you a bit (perhaps dude to the pretty remarkable job on recording/mastering) that does give a nice clear, distinct sound to the album.In my opinion, this album is slightly above average in the Germanic speed metal genre. A continuous supply of good time party numbers, with oodles of cool riffs, likenesses to Saxon and Accept mean it’s a sure-fire winner. I know it’s lame to compare every German speed metal band to Accept, but just look at song titles like ‘Breaker’ – then listen to that track, and tell me that isn’t totally just like Accept. ‘Warlord’ is a definite high point – a total anthem that should get the heads nodding along. Also, one of their heavier sounding ones – and again with the badass riffs. This one’s a favourite of mine and has definite replayability. Surprisingly good is a term that comes to mind as is the phrase ‘above average’. A forgotten relic of the classic German era that bests many of the efforts from the plentiful amount of imitators out there.
Line Up:
Klaus Lemm - Vocals (1984-1988) - See also: ex-Darxon
Rudy Kay - Guitars, Keyboards (1980-1983), Bass (1984-1988) - See also: ex-Energy
Wolla Böhm - Guitars
Niko Arvanitis - Guitars
Olly Kliem - Drums (1980-1988) - See also: ex-Energy
Tracklist:
01. Hard Sins 03:09
02. Chaos 03:39
03. The Next Could be You 03:17
04. Striker 02:42
05. Thunder & Lightning 03:36
06. Evil's Child 03:02
07. She-Devil 03:20
08. Fairy of Dreams 03:53
09. Breaker 02:54
10. Warlord 04:46
Warbringer (ЕР)
11. Warbringer 04:12
12. Hot Love 04:36
13. Iron Rock 02:36
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