Magic number seven marks a milestone for Bullet, arriving after the longest gap between albums in their career. Nearly 25 years in, these Swedish metal maniacs are still flying the flag for straight-ahead heavy metal made with traditional “class” for all those who love their electrifying dose of denim, leather, spikes, two wheels, late nights and cold beers. The moment you hit play, what instantly hits you is the sound. Comes across fatter, warmer, and noticeably cleaner compared to their older stuff, yet it remains organic and punchy. The band makes its stance clear right out of the gate: with the title track as the opener, the first three songs leave no room for surprises if you know what they’re all about, but on the same time they showcase even tighter, more groove-driven songwriting. Dag Hell Hofer is as uncompromising as ever, delivering gritty, crucial blows while this steel machine keeps revving forward. This time around, hard rock’s bluesy seduction seems to be seeping deeper into their core. There’s a strong AC/DC current running through cuts like “Keep Rolling” and “Spitfire”, both shining examples of impact through simplicity and attitude. Still, the spirit of Accept, Saxon and Judas Priest, constantly feeds them, wisely used as a creative leverage for keeping things from ever feeling one-dimensional, revealing the range needed and the kind of songwriting that not only gets you from the start but would also generously reward repeated spins. The more metallic punches on this one land with “Avenger” and “Chained by Metal”, back-to-back bangers, while the anthemic “Strike at Night” proudly carries the same torch, in an even more uplifting tone. The epic closer “Night Falls Down” not only deserves its place and spot, but wraps the album up with a passionate and nostalgic tone that adds to the sweet taste their new take leaves overall. As always, one can feel the band’s pure enjoyment of what they do, and that live-wire energy sparks through every riff and chorus. “Kickstarter” is probably not a masterpiece, but it’s nothing less than a very good, inspired, hard-hitting album with upbeat, positive force. A record that grabs you and drags you along for the ride, proof that for metalheads of any age, the nights are can always be magical.
♦ 8/10
Tasos Bouhoutsos
