NO BROS – Metal Marines (2015)
We already presented here the reissue of one of the ’80s albums by NO BROS, the band created by Austrian hard rock guitarist and concert promoter Klaus Schubert – also recently involved in Schubert In Rock featuring awesome contributions by the likes of Joe Lynn Turner, Tony Martin, Biff Byford and more.
Well, NO BROS is back on the road with a new album called “Metal Marines“, always with charismatic Freddy Gigele at the microphone.
“Metal Marines” simply crystallize No Bros’ musical style: timeless hard rock / metal. There are bands that even after 20 or 30 years keep their style alive, and this is what makes difference in the end of it: their personality.
As does the opening track “Legends Of The Eighties”, a true statement in its title. It’s No Bros calling card, a definition of their sound. They were one of those band that melded sharp guitar riffs and leads with old school Hammond organ, equally dueling all over the song. It’s a sound you don’t often hear anymore, and I’m sure there are plenty of potential listeners who would love this.
“Metal Marines” mix that ’80s classic Hard Rock with some more heavier sound (and modern, updated) on guitars and rhythm section. But this time, there’s a good (and hooky) influence of melodic rock elements that permeates the entire album, specially due the musical accessibility we can feel on the refrains with sweet backing vocals.
The entire album is quite good, keeping a homogeneous quality level for the songs. But I dare to name the aforementioned “Legends Of The Eighties”, “Back Again” with its vintage riffs, the heavy and nasty “Dance Of The Black Tattoo” (including keyboards touches), and the energetic melodic hard rocker “A Night in Touch City” as the strongest moments.
Also “Runaway Girl” is one of my favorites where a heavy atmosphere is balanced by some good amount of musical accessibility, creating a one of the album’s more catchy tunes.
Title track “Metal Marines” is a goodie too, very rhythmic and although a bit cliché, it’s fun all over.
We have an interesting bass & drum groovy set up at the start of “Devil With An Angel’s Face”, and there’s a fine ballad (“Find Myself”) where the song is cast upon piano and vocals, then Schubert comes in later to add the quinessential guitar solo akin Scorpions.
“Metal Marines” seems like composed & written in 1985, but sounds quite modern and updated to current times. Think a mix of later Rainbow days, Scorpions, ’80s Ozzy, etc.
All is pretty melodic (with harder moments) so the title of the album is just a reference to an era, this is not ‘metal’, but more classic rock / melodic hard rock.
The production did a fine work capturing the essence of the genre circa the mid-Eighties, yet potent and modern.
A really enjoyable release.
01 – Legends of the Eighties
02 – Back Again
03 – Devil With an Angel’s Face
04 – Dark Chamber
05 – Written in Fire
06 – Over the Sea and Far Away
07 – Metal Marines
08 – Song Number 9
09 – Runaway Girl
10 – A Night in Touch City
11 – Find Myself
12 – In the Shadow of the Galley
Freddy Gigele – Lead Vocals
Klaus Schubert – Guitars
Bernie Welz – Drums
Andy Marberger – Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Andy J. Brunner – Keyboards
Martin Seimen – Hammond On “Song Number 9”
Michael Ausserhofer – Bass On “Find Myself”
BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Music/dp/B015EW75BK
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