Dirt Metal reviews

[_pazi_]

someone knows what to write well i agree with that wrote i think that dirt metal album suppose to have it own genre :dirt Metal

[Tin Star Man]

I can´t belive it! In the latest Rumba magazine was a fast review of Dirt metal and they gave it only 2 stars... They said that it sounds like german heavy metal and that you forget it when you stop listening! I guess this is what happens when the album is listened only once...

[Nino_Laurenne]

http://hardrockhaven.net/online/2009/th ... irt-metal/

Finnish Rytmi magazine gave 4/5

N

[Jukka_Karinen]

http://www.rockreport.be/readersreview.asp?id=2575

[RickLovesCoke]

Nice!! i agree with all of the reviews except the 3.5 can't wait for U.s Release!!

[Nino_Laurenne]

European release is getting closer so let's collect some new reviews here...good and the bad

Here's probably the first review from UK!

http://www.hotdigits.co.uk/cgi-bin/diar ... user=jason

-N-

[Nino_Laurenne]

Seems like UK loves the new album!

http://www.uberrock.co.uk/cd-reviews/25 ... cords.html

http://www.live4metal.org/may2010-04.htm

Also couple of radio stations seem to play our songs in the UK.

N

[Jukka_Karinen]

One from France comes here, with a translation for the people who don't understand French. (The first post is in English, but is not the real review. The second post is the real deal here.)

http://defender.metal-live.com/viewtopi ... =1&t=23053

"This 5th studio album marks an important step in Thunderstone band’s career.
In fact, 3 years after its predecessor «  Evolution  4.0 », « Dirt Metal » is synonymous with main changes. A new record company, Sony Finland, (that just signed a european deal with the german label SPV), new keyboards (Jukka Karinen), new singer (swedish Rick Altzi) and then a new style. As for this last point we should rather talk about style evolution, as Thunderstone were smart enough to abandon its basic power metal, very (too much?) influenced by Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, to turn to some more agressive heavy metal, darker, and especially, more personal.
It must be said that Nino Laurenne, guitarist/leader has, in 10 years, become an « important » producer in finnish scene and that his different experiences permitted him to think about the artistic future of his formation.
Anyway, the result is brillant and with « Dirt Metal », Thunderstone perfectly negotiated this transition sometimes tricky for bands.
The arrival of the singer Rick Altzi has doubtlessly something to do with this success. Indeed, from a song to another, this new frontman shows a surprising vocal diversity; all you have to do is listening to tracks like «  Star » or « Ghost of youth » to realise it… Sometimes the shadow of a certain Jorn, who would have taken amphetamine, is gliding here and there… You can then imagine how impressive is his performance across the album !…

Following its memorable concert at the Zénith of Paris with Stratovarius and Symphony X and its tour with Manigance, Thunderstone has always maintained a particular relation with France and it’s a safe bet (to say) that this style evolution will reinforce its status in France!"

[Impactsphere]

I could translate my Review I made for my Online Radio (btw: www.sound-generation.fm/extreme) into english since it is in german^^

[Jukka_Karinen]

I could translate my Review I made for my Online Radio (btw: http://www.sound-generation.fm/extreme) into english since it is in german^^

If you could, please do. That would be totally awesome!

[Impactsphere]

here you go
there may be a lot of germanisms in that but each and everyone who finds a spelling mistake can keep it !

That the finns with the swedish singer of Thunderstone Recently had to go through a lot of changes is quite familiar and that their last output „Evolution 4.0“ has arisen a lot of cleft points of view also, but what about their latest record „Dirt Metal“? Is it a genre name or a kind of self-criticism?

Granted, it’s definietly not easy the to review the current album of one’s favourite Band from a neutral point of view, and it definetly got harder by the changes in the line-up since the last album. The distinctive voice of Pasi Rantanen is now gone as it is keyboard vituoso Kari Tornack, who were replaced by Jukka Karinen and Rick Altzi, but less to the line-up and on to the album.
It starts with the short „Rebirth“ which I – since we had to wait two years with no clue weather Thunderstone is still alive – think defines the changes and the whole situation best. Right behind this „I Almighty“ kicks in with a keyboard-intro and a straight load of power metal spiced with Thrash Metal and going into a few quieter breaks which sound a little like a ballad. This song as an opener proofes to me that Thunderstone are still able to write good songs and that even with a new voice and keyboarder they sound like Thunderstone. The following title track „Dirt Metal“ is also a little heavier, groovier, an absolute earcatcher and absolutely awesome – who doesn’t headbang or mosh or go off in any way while listening to this has no balls! Definetly one of the if not THE highlight of this album. „Blood that I bleed“ right after it is a little quieter, doesn’t have that certain someting, sounds a little faceless but never the less is definetly not a filler. But it still to me is a song like a teflon pan – it just doesn’t get stuck even though you listen to it quite a few times concentrated. But the next one, „Star“, which is the song Thunderstone have given some insight on the album previously which I think is quite representative for it – it’s heavy, has a catchy chorus, that may be a little kitschy but gets stuck. Also I love that Growl passage, made by Tomi Koivusaari that contrasts with the lyrics (Should they ever play it live, I will do the growl, promised). Ghosts of Youth hammers right in your face with a great riffing (all hail to Mr. Laurenne) and a groove that catches from the first time you hear it. The Next song after, „Counting Hours“ is also a little calm and melodic with a focus on the Singing and I think Rick sounds a little like Pasi Rantanen ins that song. Another Highlight follows with „Dodge the Bullets“, a song that has more than just a little Prog in itself – its the fastest Track on the album, keeps on changing and never gets boring with it’s contrasts, the keyboard interludes, the groovy parts, the slow ones and the in-your-face attitude, truely a masterpiece of songwriting. Deadlights is to be discribed as the perfect potential single – catchy, mid-tempo and in the perfect radio length. „At the feet of fools“ also doesn’t seem to kickstart in my point of view, it’s the same with „Blood that I bleed“, so the Song is made quite good but it lacks of the certain something. The last song starts a little slow with a nice bassline, and minimalizes it’s way into a melancholic song with a lot of heavyness, outshined by Ricks Voice. Until it breaks out with a guitar riff that is still stuck in my ear (somebody send me the tabs of that song, please!), seems to gather power and then changes into a a little slower Version of the main riff of „Star“ and into a slow go down that turns hymnic with Ricks voice. This song begins, creates it’s whole own universe and makes it disappear in the same breathe with only an acoustic guitar outtro to be left. Hell yeah, This guys definetly created a suffering song on the highest level – melodic, heavy, melancholic and progressive!!! A worthy end without doubt.

So much to the music. But the whole thing around it made it interesting, since I first had to order the album from Finnland when it wasn’t to be bought in Germany, cobined with the fact that it was first planned to be released in the beginning of year 2009 was quite a slap in the face but the music compensated this more than enough.
I can totally agree to that Thunderstone now have Rick Altzi, who also sings for At Vance and is a quite experienced and skilled singer to have him as replacement for Pasi Rantanen, which is also a nice thing because Rick can sing without an accent and Pasi couldn’t, what was a quite annoying fact when you tried to understand some lyrics. For me the only hearable difference between Kari Tornack and Jukka Karinen is that Jukka uses other synths than Thunderstone used before for keyboards before, I don’t know weather it was his decision or influence or a part of the original songwriting (another fact nice to be known). During Karis time with Tunderstone and especially on the first three albums I think it also was another focus in the music, mainly on Progressive Power Metal, which still shapes the Sound of Thunderstone, but the band took a progress more in direction of Thrash Metal and (with the growling passage in Star) to even heavier levels (since Nino’s roots are in Thrash Metal it would also be quite interesting to know to what extend is the Sound of Antidote was similar with the Sound of Thunderstone right now) so I think that Dirt Metal fits quite good as a genre – its heavy, groovy, dirty and kicks in! The Songwriting is kind of similar like on Evolution 4.0 but a little heavier and with more groove (Yeah, I was kind of reminded of Pantera) and catchier. Also there did not change much about the sound Quality at all: powerfull, clear-as-glass and very good balanced – yeah there is definetly an advantage in having the guitarrist and songwriter as a producer and the manager of Sonic Pump Studios, isn’t it, Mr. Laurenne ? My Advised Songs are: Ghost of Youth, Dodge the Bullets, Star, Suffering Song and the title song and they guarantee for a moshpit on every party and the Slayerneck the morning after!

Conclusion: Thunderstone do not invent themselves new, but they are definetly reborn and back on the Road , heavier, groovier and better than ever! Dirt Metal isn’t only a fitting name for their music but an album that Thunderstone fans will love and that would not be a mistake for people who like Power Metal with a whole load of Thrash and a shot glass of prog.
My Rating for the Album is 9/10 Points

[Jukka_Karinen]

Thank you very much for the translation! (Back from holidays.)