Rating RRRRr
Rating by Kimmo Toivonen
Just a a couple of months after seeing Kissin' Dynamite live at Malmö Melodic and being blown away, vocalist Hannes Braun announced his departure from the band. This self-titled album is his "farewell album", although he's planning on continuing behind the scenes as a songwriter and in other roles, just not performing. The band has a huge challenge in finding a suitable replacement, as Hannes was pretty much the face and the voice of Kissin' Dynamite. We'll see whether they bring in someone famous or a new face - my money's on the first option.
This album contains 6 new songs and 7 re-recorded versions of songs from the band's first two albums. The opening track is the first single "Glory Days", a nostalgic, anthemic song with a massive chorus. For an outsider, the band has been living their "glory days" during the last few years with chart-topping albums and sold-out arenas, but in this song Hannes is looking back at the early days, when the days were more care-free and easy. "I Salute You" is a salute to the band's fans and features Saltatio Mortis, a German medieval metal group and bagpipes. It's anthemic for sure, but for me it's just okay.
I thought "Heartattack" was one of the new songs, as I didn't remember it from "Steel Of Swabia". I kind of wonder why, because the chorus is annoying as hell! I dug up the original version and sure enough, the 2026 version sound bigger and more powerful and Hannes doesn't sound like a teenager, but still... not one of my favourite songs of theirs, quite the opposite.
"Night Is Calling" is one of the new ones, and an instant hit for me, the kind of melodic dynamite the band has been delivering lately. Amaranthe is guest starring on "Out In The Rain", another "Steel Of Swabia" remake. Again I had to check out the original, and I must say I prefer the new version. The original didn't make it to my "Best Of KD" playlist, but this will. The same goes for "Love Me Hate Me", originally from their second album "Addicted To Metal", the new version sounds massive! I enjoy the "campfire version" of "Lie For Me" (from "Steel...") much more than original, the acoustic guitar work is excellent and the song somehow oozes warmth. The original was a bit gloomy.
The new song "I'll Be" has been one of my favourite songs of the last few weeks. It may be made of tried and tested elements, but it still sounds fresh and exciting. Lyrically it could be interpreted as Hannes' pledge to his band mates - "Don't surrender, I'll follow your path, You know that I got your back.. I'll be the one that you can count on, I won't let you down, I am there for you".
"Steel Of Swabia" 2026 with Primal Fear and Dragonforce members guesting is another worthy update, as is "Against The World", which benefits of Hannes' matured vocals and the updated production. "Nothing Breaks Like A Heart" is a good new song, but maybe just "an album track" rather than a potential hit. "Only The Good Die Young" is again a Steel Of Swabia remake, and just like the others, I think it sounds better.
The final song "Good In Goodbye" is a very poignant song to end this album. This Bon Jovi-sounding ballad is a heartfelt letter to the rest of the band and the band's fans. I can imagine Hannes having a hard time singing this at the last concerts, there's so much emotion in it.
I am not sure whether this "half new, half old" album was the best way to say farewell. Of course I would have preferred an album of all-new songs and maybe a full remake of the first album as a bonus, but probably that wasn't an economically viable solution. Especially now when the album came out on the band's own label for the first time.
No comments:
Post a Comment