Brainstorm: Midnight Ghost (AFM)

German power metal stalwarts Brainstorm returned with a new album this year. Midnight Ghost is the band’s 12th studio album, and this time around they enlisted Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann (of Orden Ogan) to produce, mix and master the album.

I don’t want to say that Brainstorm has been in a rut, because their last several albums have all been really solid and really enjoyable. They have been somewhat predictable though, following the same formula of straightforward heavy power metal. That’s still true of Midnight Ghost, but the album has an energy and sense of excitement that hasn’t been seen since the Liquid Monster days. Perhaps that is coming from a fresh approach to production from Levermann, or perhaps the band was just more motivated to write better songs. Either way Midnight Ghost makes an impact.

Brainstorm is at their best when they’re delivering rousing anthems with steady headbanging rhythms. Think “Into the Never” from Metus Mortis or “Inside the Monster” From Liquid Monster. On Midnight Ghost it’s “Revealing the Darkness” and “Divine Inner Ghost,” both of which immediately earn spots on any “Best of Brainstorm” playlists. “When Pain Becomes Real” and “Haunting Voices” are also highlights, showcasing vocalist Andy Franck at his very best.

It’s almost funny how quickly the reaction to Midnight Ghost went from “oh hey, a new Brainstorm album” to “oh wow, a new Brainstorm album!” It’s good to see people excited about Brainstorm again. Hell, it’s good to be excited about Brainstorm again. This is a veteran power metal band getting everything right. Here’s hoping they can recapture this magic again.

Edition Notes: The limited CD version of Midnight Ghost comes in a digipack and includes a bonus DVD with a full live performance.