| CD REVIEW Burning Point |
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Band: Burning Point Following the January 2007 release of their 3rd album Burned Down The Enemy (which was their debut on the Metal Heaven label – review, by yours truly, posted 18/01/2007), Oulu based Finland’s Burning Point promoted that album with a full-scale tour and several additional gigs in their home country, adding an appearance at Roumania’s Maximum Rock Festival as the only gig outside their country’s borders. To that end, they had added bassist Jukka Jokikokko (whom had, incidently, been their recording engineer at the Helgate Studios where they’d recorded their album) to the line-up in late 2006. They also shot a video for the album track “Heart Of Gold” during March 2007. When Spring 2008 came (and time to record this new album), former drummer Jari Kaiponen stepped aside, as he couldn’t combine schedules with his other band National Napalm Syndicate anymore. Keyboarder Jusso Ontero (who’d already played the drums of one track on the BDTE album) took over the seat behind the drum kit, and to fill in Jusso’s place the band enlisted Pasi Hiltula (formerly of Kalmah and Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, but also an old friend of the band, having played keyboards on their first two albums). In between recording sessions (additional to the 10 songs plus intro – the band’s take on that children’s music box tune from the movie The Godfather – that would make out the new album, the band also re-recorded two songs off the debut album, and invited several people to record a total of 4 cover songs) Burning Point also did some choice gigs, like the support of former Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach, when the latter went passing through their area. For Burning Point, the new album (to which four members contributed in songwriting and song arranging this time) is a return to their Classic Rock roots, and indeed one is able to make out a lot of “80s vibe” on the album, and especially the spirit of Yngwie Malmsteen comes around the corner occasionally. However the keyboard-laden Power Metal is definitely molten with a modern production sound (courtesy of Finnvox Studios, where the album was mastered). The album also continues the band’s obsession with all things concerning “fire”, proof of which comes clearly with the inventive album title! You can listen to (a sample of) the title track off the new album (and 5 other tracks…among which the below mentioned “I’ll Be Yours”, and view an additional 3 on video) at myspace.com/burningpointband. Regrettably, that won’t show you the more introvert side of the band, as brought with the great heavy ballad “Was It Me”. To promote the album, Burning point will undertake a short Scandinavian tour with Sweden’s Cryonic Temple and Germany’s Tragedian, dates for which have been scheduled between March 13 and 20! Whether the band will also be playing shows outside the confines of Scandinavia, is something we still have to wait for to know! Anyway, about the bonus tracks…first of all, the band recorded new versions of the songs “Lake Of Fire” and “Black Star” (both off 2000’s debut album Salvation By Fire). For the 4 cover songs, the band invited guests to contribute. For Q5’s “Let Go” (off the When The Mirror Cracks album) the band invited former Q5 singer Jonathan K (now with Night Shade); for Running Wild’s “Gods Of Iron” (off the Branded & Exiled album), they got ahold of former RunningWild guitarist Maik Moti; and for the rendition of The Rods’ “Nuclear Skies” (off the Let Them Eat Metal album) the guys were actually able to get singer/ guitarist David “Rock” Feinstein to do his bit. Finally, there’s a rendition of the song “I’ll Be Yours” (off the album R.OC.K.) from Finnish artist Kirka. The track, which will also be the first single off the album, includes a guest guitar solo by longtime Kirki ex-bandmember Riku Kukkonen, and guest vocals by Kilpi (and ex-Altaria) singer Taage Laiho. I ain’t sure which songs might make it on the limited first edition, nor which will be used as extras on the Asian edition of the album…time only will tell us, I guess! 89/100 Tony. |