Ambiguity

Following the mega-cool Unholy, Brainstorm unleashed their third full-length effort Ambiguity; their first of which to feature the mighty Andy B. Franck helming. I guess we’ll start with the vocals first. I’m sure by now you know I loved Marcus (and still do), however I also happen to love Andy too. I always felt Andy was better suited to Brainstorm than he was with Symphorce, and I have to admit he’s perfect for the band. Mention Brainstorm to anyone in the know and Andy will be one of the first points of conversation, and rightfully so, as he fits the band like a glove and is a brilliant front-man with his charismatic Halford-styled vocal approach.

As far as the music goes, this is a notch beneath Unholy in terms of aggression, furthering the bands power metal approach. There’s a slight 80’s vibe going on as well, which has always been present but comes a little further into the foreground this time around. Production is clear and vibrant, though still maintaining the bite essential to the bands sound in the guitars.

As far as the actual songs are concerned, I’d say this is one of the few Brainstorm albums that I struggle to recall individual tracks from. The album is of a consistently good quality, but they don’t go up and above. Far from the blazing brilliance of Unholy, which had an almost highlight after highlight approach, Ambiguity tends to plod along slightly, and as a result I rarely reach for this album when craving a Brainstorm fix.

Tracks such as “Tear Down The Walls”, “Coming Closer” and “Lost Unseen” show Brainstorm firing on all cylinders, doing exactly what they do best. The awesome guitar work, headbanging riffs, blazing drum work, and majestic vocal lines – killer stuff! There’s a particularly insane guitar part in “Lost Unseen” towards the end of the song, I’ve heard nothing like it, but it shows just how creative Milan and Torsten can be. However, in and around these killing tracks are fillers that really detract from the overall quality of the album. “Beyond My Destiny” is far too bloated and bites off more than it can chew, “Arena” should be good but doesn’t quite cut it, and “Far Away” is an overlong, boring ballad.

So all in all, whilst there are some killing parts, especially the last few songs, there is undeniably a plodding quality to the album that sadly hurts Ambiguity. Still, it was a good introduction to Andy B. Frank, although I don’t think this is the album for anyone new to the band to start off with!

Originally written for http://www.blackwindmetal.com

Brainstorm's Ambiguity is something I bought from iTunes when I was looking for some good European power metal, and I'm glad I bought it. Brainstorm hails from Germany, the same country that other classic power metal bands like Helloween and Blind Guardian call home.

Brainstorm's particular brand of power metal adopts a heavier, more polished and refined sound than their countrymen's early work though. They sound more like a thrash metal band with power metal influences than an outright power metal band.

However, this perception is shattered the moment the tracks "Far Away" and "Beyond My Destiny" start. These two serve as the token ballads that every power metal band seems required to have on every album they release and that nobody seems to like. Personally, however, I did enjoy "Beyond My Destiny", which reminds me of Florida-based symphonic power metal band Kamelot's album, Karma, but with more power metal and less symphonic elements.

The album features fast-paced songs like the opening "Crush Depth," "Tear Down the Walls," "Coming Closer," and "Demonsion", to name a few that sound very much influenced by thrash metal and seem heavier than normal for a power metal band and feature heavy guitar riffs and thrash-esque guitar solos and drumming. Brainstorm's music also seems to shed the stereotypical Lord of the Rings style lyrics and imagery that are often associated with power metal bands.

Brainstorm's vocalist is Andy Franck, who was also the vocalist of Symphorce, a band that is on my list of bands to listen to. I greatly enjoyed Franck's vocals which add a sense of melody to the band's fusion of thrash and power metal. His vocals also seem to have a small hint of aggression to them at times.

In the end, I would definately recommend Brainstorm and Ambiguity to fans of power metal. I enjoyed it as well as their follow up album Metus Mortis, but that's another review.

I've never run into Andy Franck in Brainstorm before (though I wasn't overly impressed by Symphorce), so this review is more or less based on first impressions and several intent listen-throughs of the entire album.

Immediately noticeable (perhaps not so to long-time fans of the band) is the outright heaviness of sound. The drums are clear and punchy, the guitars have a deep chug to them, and Andy Franck's voice has a rough edge to it that demands attention and lends a sense of authority to the music.

Some of the album is decent, a couple of points are poor, but there are a few very good tracks here. The opener “Crush Depth” has an ominous introduction that really sets a great mood for the album, as well as being one of the better tracks. My personal pick on this album is the next song, “Tear Down the Walls”, which picks up at a faster tempo and boasts a catchy chorus and some good fretwork during the solo section. A couple of other standout tracks include “Arena” and “Perception of Life”, the latter being the closest representation of more typical power metal to be found on this album.

I would peg the lowest point of this album at “Far Away”. A slow ballad with no hint of guitar work (beyond a soft solo near the end), and some pretty, but generally unimpressive piano work. It's not that there's really much wrong with the track, other than it seems to wipe out the powerful vibe that the band is otherwise working towards, and certainly isn't remarkable in any way as far as ballads go. Andy Franck's voice also sounds somewhat awkward in a ballad setting. “Beyond My Destiny” is another slow track, but has a good chorus and some decent instrumental work, though it does drag on a bit after eight and a half minutes.

I'd say this is a great acquisition for anyone who is into Andy Franck, and wants something better than Symphorce. Fans of thrash and U.S. power metal will also likely find this album easily accessible. However, the general quality of the album is good enough that anyone with a liking for metal or even hard rock will find it worth the purchase. A solid release, good bordering on very good. This from the perspective of one who primarily enjoys melodic and symphonic power metal.

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.

Everyone knows Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, etc., have written some truly wretched sappy-emotional songs in their history. Often these “Cheesy Poofs” songs are relationship related: “hey, guys...my broken heart is telling me to write a piano-and-vocal piece that puts into a musical perspective just how much I cried that time Rosa broke up with me.” All too many power metal bands seem to need at least one lame, slow, gentle, tearful ballad per album. We can even look as far back as Judas Priest’s hilarious “Epitaph” for an ancient metal example of the existence of abysmally low points on otherwise great albums.

So the bad news is of the three Brainstorm albums I’ve heard (this, Metus Mortis, and Soul Temptation), this is the one that is guilty of Cheesy Poofing. And fuck me, is it ever a sickening one. Its name is “Far Away”. Stay away from this song at all costs. It consists of: (1) one piano, (2) one sad, mewling Andy B. Franck, and (3) one short, soft guitar lead seemingly inspired by Kenny G. It is totally without merit for those who enjoy Power Metal for its heaviness and dare I say…power. Granted, slow songs can be fine…if they’re HEAVY. “Far Away” is a triumph of weakness.

To harp just a little further, I’m not a fan of the “other” slow song on this album either, “Beyond My Destiny”, which comes too early in the track list (#3), destroying the strong foundation of intensity and heaviness that the previous two songs had established. It even starts off with a little tinkle-trinkle of piano, which almost had me pressing the skip button already. The song picks up a little steam soon enough, but this is the second-slowest track on the album (behind “Fart Away”) and, for me, a tune that will always be skipped henceforth. It attempts to be epic, being over 8 minutes long, but it doesn’t quite have the songwriting to make it work. It’s not a total wash, mind you; there is a nifty instrumental section in the last half of the song that’s admittedly enjoyable and almost saves it. But this track is more suited to being on their newest, most commercial album, Liquid Monster.

The rest of this disc is pretty spotless, comprised mostly of mid-to-fast paced heavy/power metal played with reasonable conviction (think Metalium, perhaps). There’s nothing on here that approaches the perfection the band achieved on Soul Temptation (and truly, I doubt they will ever reach such a high point in their career again). But it’s an unquestionably strong album in the big world of Power Metal, played by professional musicians. And of course, if you like the voice of A. B. Franck, as I do, you won’t be disappointed with the vocal performance here.

Perhaps the best way to describe this album in relation to their following two albums is that this is more of a sketch. Metus Mortis added color to the picture, and Soul Temptation cleaned everything up, fixed all the rough spots, and completed the painting. An excellent example of this analogy is the song “Maharaja Palace” (along with its brief intro, “Darkest Silence”). This is very clearly an early thought that was eventually fleshed out to fullness in the magnificent middle-eastern inspired “Trinity of Lust” on Soul Temptation.

So, if you want Brainstorm at their peak, get Soul Temptation. If you can’t get enough after hearing that one, Metus Mortis and Ambiguity will certainly not disappoint. They may not inspire awe, but both are solid slabs of metal.

These guys are one of the best bands I have heard in a while. They manage to mix thrash and power metal, and they do it excellently. I can listen to this album ten times over and never get bored of it. I really have nothing negative to say about this album, so I'll tell you all what makes it so good.

Firstly, Andy's vocals are fucking amazing. They're loud, dominant, and powerful. He sings in a thrashy style, but still hits all those super-high notes like most power metal singers do. Definately one of my favorite vocalists.

Secondly, the riffs are huge ass-kickers! These guys play the shit out of their guitars. If you're looking for some good shredding- you'll definately find it here!

And last, but definately not least, the sound of the drums. The drums on this album are loud, powerful, and controlled. They also don't get repetative and boring like most power metal bands tend to do with their drums. You can tell the drummer does his job of keeping the song steady.

This is a MUST HAVE for all you metalheads out there; it'll have your heads a'banging in no time! So what are you waiting for? Get your ass out there and buy it!

I've been listening to Ambiguity for many moons, and It still gets better with every single listen. Andy Frank is one of the best vocalists i've ever heard and is abit reminisent of dickinson at times but that ofcourse is mostly not all true. No one sounds like Dickinson. Just trust me on this one, if your a fan of power metal your going to fucking endulge in this time and time again. Many metal maniacs have still never heard of these guys, and they certainly don't have the recognition they should have by now. Brainstorm is not like most power metal, because they have less cheese elements and are quite abit heavier. The production is excellent, the musicianship is flawless, and every song on here is worth a mention. The choruses tend to get stuck in your head like the pair of tits you saw the night before. The guitar riffs are actually pretty damn good for what they are and fit perfectally with evetything else. These guys are definatly contenders for the best Power Metal band ever in my opinion. Brainstorms Proceeder to this album Metus Mortis is even a step higher in quality production and songs, also invigorating taking up different musician styles and knacks that so many power metal bands have thown in the garbage disposal. I see so many Power Metal bands staying the same never evolving, because they want to stay true to their sound. I'd rather a band surprise the piss out of me and shove something with new (good) influences in on me because who wants to hear the same cheese over and over? Ackhem I think this discription reminds me of Hammerfall. Brainstorm doesn't apply to any of these Power Metal bands that keep on making the same album. These guys keep making quality metal and i don't think they'll be stoping anytime soon.

Best Tracks: Crush Depth, Tear Down the Walls, Beyong my Destiny, Arena, Coming Closer, Maharja place, Demonsion, Lost Unseen

Every once and a while comes a band that reminds you of what Power Metal is all about, Riff Power and amazing vocals, clever lyrics and faster than lightning solos.
Brainstorm belongs in that selected (and too, too few) group of relatively new bands that although playing Power Metal, knows that it had its roots in Traditional Heavy and Thrash metal, that Power metal IS NOT, by definition, writing songs about Elves and Maidens trapped in a cupboard somewhere in a sugar castle in Fairie Land.Sure they have mid-tempo songs and balads, but not for one second they loose the purpose, the drive to make every song has powerfull and heavy has possible.

I had heard about Brainstorm since their debut album, and for years they remained has one of those bands to "check out", but somehow i never really got around to do it. The last i heard about them was that Henne Basse had joined their ranks, when i came across this album, and i was surprised to see that their new frontmen was Andy B. Franck.
Now, although they are per se, two amazing voices, Andy B. Franck and Henne Basse are two completelly diferent singers. Henne Basse is probably the best german singer since Kiske, and Andy being more of a growler, in the lines of Peavey Wagner from Rage and sometimes almost a Mustaine-like kind of singer.So i was curious of how Brainstorm managed the change in vocal styles.
And the first thing you get from this album is that it couldnt have ever been sung by Basse.Andy's voice in this record is a complete magnitude of heaviness by itself.
"Ambiguity" his, as the name states, a variation between more upbeat tones (just check "Arena") and the sheer doom-esc, dark melodies of "Maharaja Palace".But these changes of mood, of ambiance, are done whit such mastery that the result is a cohesive and above all, heavy has sin kind of album.

The album starts off whit the brilliant "Crush Depth", a dark melody intro breaking away into a mean riff.You can just feel the heavyness pouring away from the shreding.Also great is the dual guittar solo, reminding Priest's glory days.

Next is "Tear Down the Walls" which is straighforward Power/Speed Metal.Fast song where the ritmic section shines.

"Beyond my destiny" is a ballad, but think more in the lines of Savatage kind of ballad than Helloween.Great solo on this one.

"Arena" brings such a dramatic change from "Beyond my Destiny" that will leave you dazzled.Fresh out of the harmonics from "Beyond..." , you get hit full in the face whit a fully pledged thrash riff that builds into a great solo.The chorus is of the catchiest in the album.

Next is "Coming Closer", and just hear that Double Bass pounding away.Some clever tempo changes and a 1:30 minute guittar solo make this a great song.

"Darkest Silence" is probably one of the best instrumental/intros ever done since "The Hellion".Full of indian/oriental sounds, it puts you into the perfect frame of mind to "Maharaja Palace" and what a song this one his.Heavy, dark and whit one of the best chorus ever, the keyboards adding a "arabian nights" feeling that vivedly clashes and complements the bass relentless pounding, the dark and mean riffs.Even the Lyrics are a constant clash of oposittes:

"Your screaming's My laughter
a Golden disaster
I'll take you forever
Down where hell is"

Brilliant,Brilliant Song!

"Far away" is a strange, strange song, a piano ballad, but never falling into that "cheesy flower metal" style.It sits in the album much in the way of "Beyond my destiny".Andy B. Franck proves in this song what a complete singer he his.

The change of pace in this album is amazing."Demonsion" is a fast, power metal songs that is a oposite to "Far away" as much as "Arena" was a oposite to "beyond my destiny".a Good song.

In the Limited edition, the next song is "Revenant". I have no ideia if this song is a original or a cover song, but what a brutal song it his.Starting off with Andy growling like a death metal singer, it turns into a devastating piece of headbanging and shredding.Heavy , heavy, heavy!

"Lost unseen" is a 130 decibel discharge of Speed/Thrash riffs and amazing drum work.Although the chorus goes into the classic Power Metal formula, the rest of the song is full metal.An Amazing twin guittar solo tops it off.

"Perception of Life" is another Power/Thrash song, that plays out at 100 mph , whit a classic sing-along chorus, and another guittar duel solo. A good song to finish the album.


Brainstorm proves whit this album that good Power Metal is still around, and that you dont need 100 men choirs or full blown orchestrations to make great songs.Just do the riffs...


Killer Songs: Definitely "Darkest Silence/Maharaja Palace", "Arena","Crush Depth", "Lost Unseen"