BURNING BLACK – Mechanichell

Italy should be proud on a having a US Metal type band. As it was done in the style of Bay Area Thrash Metal that the Italian bands endorsed, so it came on embracing classic US Metal. To be exact, the mixture of old Heavy Metal with US based Power Metal. The running Burning Black is far from being your typical European Power Metal trip. This band, as the German Brainstorm, is a US representative.

Burning Black is like the remains of Malice and Obsession and share similarities with tunes of the early Hammerfall. The origin of their music is easy to guess, its Judas Priest and reminders of Maiden. It always seemed that most Heavy Metal bands worldwide were influenced by Maiden. However, Priest succeeded mostly on the US and that is why many US based bands were affected by the power of its music. As US Metal touched Burning Black, it’s easy to assume that the mark of the Priest spirit loomed over them.

Only a year and a half passed since the band debuted their Prisoners Of Steel album. While showing their American nature (even their names were adjusted with American names after the debut), Burning Black made their second, MechanicHell, which was also released on their new label, Limb Music. Although they made their second after a rather short period of time, it didn’t hurt them whatsoever.

It resulted as quite a good release filled with cutting edge melodies, classy raspy vocals, mid tempo joined by faster beats of 80s origin and a striking aura. Burning Black made sure that they won’t be too much on the catchier side as they probably didn’t want anything cheesy enough on their part. They wanted something hard and pounding, yet with the feeling of old grandeur.

After the first tunes, MechanicHell, was only another Heavy Metal album, however, with the approach of the mesmerizing “Purgatory Child”, everything changed and up until the finishing ballad, “Victims And Tortures”, it only turned out to be a better release than on its first steps. Italy shines again as Burning Black brought the 80s to your doorstep; all that needs to be done is to let them in.