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Stormchild Rising

    
       
       
       
     
             
Mad Max are a heavy metal band from Germany, forming in 1982, releasing their debut E.P. 'In Concert', later the same year. In a career spanning almost four decades, Mad Max have released thirteen studio albums, with 2020's 'Stormchild Rising' their fourteenth.    
             
Germany needs absolutely no introduction when it comes to the world of heavy metal - producing many of the worlds greatest bands. And the longevity of German bands is astounding, with many enjoying a forty year plus career! Mad Max is one such band - formed in '81 and still producing great music today... 'Stormchild Rising', the bands fourteenth studio album, is packed to the rafters with barnstorming, swashbuckling, "foot on the monitor" heavy metal with the massive Mad Max signature melodic sound. The album explodes into life with the energetic 'Hurricaned', featuring guest vocals from current Rainbow singer (and first of three special guests) Ronnie Romero. 'Hurricaned' is full of pace and power, and is so in-fucking-fectious, you'll be singing along without even realising it! What an exhilarating opening... And the exhilaration continues immediately, with the foot stomping 'Talk To The Moon'. A chugging rhythm pulsates the airways, and yet another catchy sing a long style chorus is gonna engage the bands legion of followers - and plenty of new ones too.    
             
Featuring the guitar sound so synonymous with the iconic NWOBHM, 'Eyes Of Love' is a melodic metal monster, showcasing some hard rock traits, easily crossing the border from metal to rock...and back again. 'Eyes Of Love' even has a little AOR sprinkled over it, making it appeal to a wide ranging audience. Marching in like the metal anthem it is, 'Ladies And Gentlemen' is pure fist pumping, head nodding, foot stomping punchy heavy metal. Forget the likes of Manowar, Powerwolf and Sabaton - Mad Max is the place to be for anthemic metal. For 'Mindhunter' offers more of the same - a lot more beefy though... Mid tempo and pounding hard, 'Mindhunter' is gonna crack floors and crumble walls. And with a blistering turn of speed, the album races of at full tilt with the speedster 'Rain Rain'. Power metal pace and thundering heavy metal combine perfectly to send fans into a frenzy of head banging and fists held high in the air. 'Rain Rain' is one of the many highlights 'Stormchild Rising' has to offer. 'Gemini' returns the anthemic flavour back to the album in emphatic style. Big, bold and bombastic. 'Gemini' punches hard, and will have fans all over the world smiling wide - very wide indeed.    
             
The punchy crunch hasn't relented for a single moment, and although 'Kingdom Fall' creeps in as though a power ballad is gonna come forth - it doesn't! 'Kingdom Fall' is heavy stomping anthemic metal at its finest, standing tall and very proud. The second of the three special guests makes their appearance on 'Blues Ain't No Stranger' - Stryper guitarist Oz Fox contributes a scorching guitar solo...  As for 'Blues Ain't No Stranger' - it's the heaviest hitting anthem on offer, stomping so hard the ground shudders. 'Take Her' is a cover of a classic Rough Cutt song, taken from the hard rockers 1995 self titled album, and also featuring guest vocals from the bands original singer (and third special guest), Paul Shortino. Mad Max have done a great job here, tweaking 'Take Her' just enough to blend in with their own sound, but not too much that they lose the feel of the original. And suddenly we arrive at the final song - 'Busted'. Featuring the hardest crunch of any of the songs on offer, Mad Max finish a fabulous album in fantastic style. What a joy 'Stormchild Rising' has been to listen to - one of my (many) favourite releases of the year.    
             
Overall, a punchy power metal romp, blending traditional heavy metal with the majestic anthemic style.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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Wings Of Time      
           
"a hard rocking, heavy hitting album of infectious songs that'll keep your attention from start to finish" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             
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