Sweden has awesome bands and Screamer is one of them, one of the country’s most ambitious acts. After “Highway of Heroes”, they’re back and bring another full-length album. The best one! “Kingmaker” starts with the title track, which opens with kick in your face guitar riffs, played by Djan Rosic. The fast, in a double tempo, drums, by Henrik Petersson, follow, Andreas Wikström’s incredible vocals are next and the guitar solos are raging, especially the one played by Jonathan Aagaard Mortensen. “Rise Above” is very fast and will make you want to dance and make you play air guitar. I like how awesome it is, it has very punchy, synchronized riffs and a Saxon sound. On this track Andreas has a very wide open voice, that resembles Bruce Dickinson … Do you want to go travelling? Then listen to “The traveler”, which is a very melodic hard rock tune. What makes it even more incredible are the bass, played by Fredrik Svensson Carlström, and the drums – it reminds me of Scorpions! The guitars give the song a good rhythm to it! “Hellfire” has an Iron Maiden-esque rhythm section and Judas Priest-like guitars. What a tune! In “Chasing Rainbow”, which begins with a keyboard sound, the guitars sound like Yngwie Malmsteen, very classic, melodic, changing tempos! Andreas has a very solid voice on “Ashes and Fire” and shows his potencial. It is a hard rock song, with twin guitars, reminding of Thin Lizzy, among others. “Burn It Down” and its accelerator will make you lift off of your seat. This one has a game of voices and choruses that brings Accept to your mind. “Fall of a Common Man” is another track that sounds like Iron Mainden, it has guitars at full speed ans is very rhythmic. “Sounds of The Night” has an American taste and sound to it, but also German hard rock influences (Bonfire etc.) can be heard! It is hard rock and heavy metal, but all together! And last, but not least: “Renegade”. “Kingmaker” ends up with a ballad, that is pure Scorpions at their highlight! The harmonies come back and the guitars are on the center of this one. Screamer is going to be huge and this album is the proof of it. Once you hear the album, you will want to go to a gig of theirs. They won’t disappoint you!
♦ 9/10
Raquel Miranda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCkzJr3YIN4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arbwc6ook7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm8bK7sl-mY
