Gun Barrel - Power-Dive


Year of Release: 2001
Label: SPV
Catalog Number: SPV 085-41542
Format: CD
Total Time: 48:52:00

Gun Barrel is not a progressive metal band, and so might be a bit out of place on this site. But there is something rather infectious about their sound, driving hard rock that at times recalls Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and AC/DC. This kind of metal was quite popular in the 80s as the antithesis to the hair bands, this being ballsy blues metal with bravado that borders on the comical. That's not to suggest that Power Dive is played for laughs, but that they sound as if they are having a lot of fun. It's hard to pin Gun Barrel down to just one style, as they play around in various corners of the metal genre, though for the most part, it's of the basic rock based variety (as opposed to the classical based variety). Most of the tracks, if not all, are radio ready; the first single is "Only A Passenger," which compares favourably with Maiden, without sounding exactly like Maiden. "For All Like You" brings out many a clich? both stylistically and lyrically -- a bluesy arrangement that underscores lines like "I was born under a bad sign..." By the time you get to the quicker paced middle section, the defiant lyrics engender fist-pumping punctuation. The track that comes closest to the heroic prog metal style is "Gate Of God," though the one track that stuck out the most for me was the countrified-metaller "Gone With The Wind." This is a mid-tempo rocker that seems very immediate... something along the lines of Blues Traveler, down to the gravelly delivery of vocalist Guido Feldhausen. "We Will Carry On" is a rousing, war-buddies type song...perhaps very appropriate right now. "We will carry on, no one stands alone, side by side we will carry on..." Counter to that is shout-along "Shut Up Or Lose Me," a rollicking, fun track -- at least sonically.

At the forefront throughout are the vocals of Feldhausen and the guitar work of Rolf Tanzius, who together formed the band in 1999 in Cologne, Germany. The band released two self-produced Eps, Bomb Attack and Back To Suicide, the latter of which was beginning to create a buzz for the band in the early part of 2000. In fact, "Back To Suicide" (the track) was used for a boxing match televised on Germany's satellite TV RTL...this created more buzz and lead to the band's signing with Limb Music Products. Rounding out the line up are bass player Holger Schulz and drummer Toni Pinciroli, Power Dive, their debut, was produced by Hyper Child's Olaf Reitmeier and mastered by Sascha Paeth, known for his work with Angra, Kamelot, and Rhapsody. This is unlike any of those other projects. And, unlike the albums from those other artists, Power Dive's over all sound seems a little blurred, this conclusion drawn after listening to the CD on at least two different stereos. But, the band is quite tight -- the drums punchy and driving, the bass keeping everything grounded. They play with so much energy that you might be exhausted by the end.

Also released by Limb Music (LMB 41542)


Tracklisting:
Power-Dive (4:42) / Only A Passenger (3:07) / For All Like You (5:46) / Bomb Attack (3:01) / Gate Of God (5:44) / Straight Down To Hell (4:05) / We Will Carry On (4:17) / Shut Up or Lose Me (2:28) / Gone With The Wind (5:17) / Back To Suicide (3:46) / She's Coming Over Top (2:51) / Take Me To The Highway (3:48)

Musicians:
Guido Feldhausen - vocals
Rolf Tanzius - guitars
Holger Schulz - bass
Toni Pinciroli - drums

Discography:
Bomb Attack (ep) (1999)
Back To Suicide (ep) (1999)
Power Dive (2001)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin DE

Added: October 13th 2001
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website:
Hits: 2352
Language: english

  

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