Northamptonshire rockers Stormbringer don’t, sadly, purvey a zesty twenty first century take on the Deep Purple album of the same name… However with their third album, Born a Dying Breed,they’ve put together a muscular set of melodic, modern metal that should appeal to all fans of the genre as it appears in 2017.

There’s not a whole lot to get really worked up about – this is solid rather than life-changing – but there are some genuine moments of heavy metal grandeur here for the listener who’s willing to stick with the band, aided by an absolutely crushing production courtesy of Russ Russell, who has got the best out of all involved and then some.

Smother is superb, featuring some fluid soloing and an impressive vocal from Jimi Brown, whose powerful singing is of interest throughout. Don’t expect too many death grunts from young Jimi – he’s got more than enough in his locker to be bothering with devilsome belching – but do expect some powerful, soulful vocalising a la a young Mike Patton in places. He’s one to watch.

Pay Your Respects and Through These Eyes are both mighty impressive, too, the pair being excellent, memorable slabs of beefy, tuneful metal that deserve a wide audience. Pay Your Respects has an intro heavily redolent of Pantera’s Walk, but don’t hold that against it; Whilst Through These Eyes is a bona fide stormer, edgy, riffy and with a fantastic chorus and more marvellously self-assured soloing. I’d like to tell you who by but the information I was supplied with the album tells me merely that Jamie Peters and Dom Wallace play guitar – not who does what. So sorry!

Sentinel Daily Editor Scott Adams tells me that both tracks have been playlisted by Sentinel Daily Radio, which is clearly a start, but the best result of all for Stormbringer would be for you to head our to your nearest record shop and buy this album as soon as you can. You won’t have any regrets, let me tell you!

 

Born a Dying Breed is out now on Attic Records