You should really know what to expect when you see the album title and cover, these Germans are on album number two, and this sees them flying the flag for traditional heavy metal and all things good in the world. Take the styling of fellow countrymen Sinner, The Scorpions and U.D.O. then you have an idea of what Kissin’ Dynamite will sound like (perhaps their name could be a name check to the AC/DC track from ‘Blow Up Your Video’?). What a package!
Musically, the opener and album title is a planned and well received rebel rousing anthem, in fact a number of these tunes are, but on the aforementioned opener you have Udo Dirkschneider adding to the glorious vocals of Johannes Braun. The standard formula verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, solo is masterfully executed. I would reckon these chaps have had a healthy upbringing of proper, classic metal. One surprise for me was the cover of Damn Yankees ballad ‘High Enough’. I must admit, when I read this before I listened to the music, I was sceptical, simply because this track is admittedly one of my favourite tunes of all times when it comes to the ballad thing, vocally Johannes isn’t a patch on the original Shaw/Blades US #3 hit in the lower register, but the band have really nailed the vocal harmonies and overall melody of the song with the high notes included, apart from a worrying electric guitar intro, the remainder of this cover will sit as a good tribute to that much-loved (by yours truly anyway!) super group and still makes me want to crank up the Kissin’ Dynamite version to ten.
‘Supersonic Killer’ is much more Gamma Ray whilst power metal German style is still more powerful than some of the wimpy symphonic stuff, there is a bit of grit, some balls if you will. ‘In the Name of the Iron Fist’ and ‘Run for Your Life’ are notable strong tracks on the CD too, in fact, out of all 12 tracks, a cliché but, “all killer no filler” comes to mind! ‘Metal Nation’ wants you to join in the choral chants like Manowar used to want you to do, this is a metal album, the Europeans will love this and those over here whom have not forgotten that there was life before the cookie monster vocalist or face painted individual were thrust into the limelight.
Your not going to find anything brutal, evil or divine (Nearly singing another song there!) on ‘Addicted to Metal’, the title says it all, classic metal released in a time when people often forget about how important melody and song structures really are. This is a most memorable album taking me back to the glory days of rock and metal, one that will stay in my mind for a good time to come. This is how to make infectious music.
http://www.kissin-dynamite.de/
http://www.myspace.com/kissindynamiterocks
http://www.afm-records.de
