CD Title: Empyre
Year: 2009
Website: burningpoint.net
MySpace: myspace.com/burningpointband
Label: Metal Heaven
Featured on: Loucifer Speaks... and wherever else I can post it!
Rating: 8.8 / 10
More Links: BURNING POINT THREAD ON THE LOUCIFER SPEAKS FORUM.
Starting an album with the theme from the Godfather really sets the bar high from the start and I had to wonder if Burning Point were going to be able to reach it.
The music on "Empyre" lurks somewhere between Power Metal and The New Wave of Traditional Metal (apparently that's a genre now... whether it is or not, it doesn't matter, I shall use it as a descriptional tool!). For me, if a band is considered NWOTM they better make me want to reach for my denim and leather... and, thankfully, Burning Point do.
Big choruses, guitar solos, head banging a-plenty and just the right amount of moments to throw your fist in the air with a look of determination on your face. There's even a power ballad! Marvellous! There's also a very healthy amount of guest appearances too.
The songs are powerful and inspiring and I'm extremely pleased to say that there doesn't appear to be any below par tracks on here at all. Admittedly, I'm not overly keen on power ballads as a rule, when they're executed to this level then who am I to argue? I'll just reach for my lighter!
Something about this album puts a goofy grin on my face, and that's gotta be worth a big thumbs up. "Empyre" will be an album that gets played a lot in the future...
I've gotta track down more Burning Point stuff...