SINBREED - WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

If you saw the Peter Jackson remake of King Kong there was a part in that film where the crew is being chased by a heard of very large dinosaurs. It was either get outta the way or run for your life. In a similar way a stampede is coming in the form of German power metal band Sinbreed and with this stampede you either get on board or risk being run over! When Worlds Collide is the title of this epic album of metal music.

Opening with the Helloween like ‘Newborn Tomorrow’ the stage is set for the chariot race to come. Herbie Langhans (Seventh Avenue) on vocals handles the melodies with flair and range. A great performance throughout. Flo Laurin on lead guitars wrote the songs and he has written some stellar ones. The after mentioned ‘Newborn Tomorrow’ opens with an acoustic interlude before taking off from the launch pad. This song is a great opener with melody, speed, power and wonderful playing throughout. Watch the video on this page.

‘Dust to Dust,’ ‘Infinity’s Call,’ and album closer ‘Salvation’ move at a freight trains pace but have such powerful melody lines. These compositions are made for the Autobahn. ‘Salvation’ in particular has a great hook as the chorus hits; this driver slows to 2nd gear after a 5th gear push for most the song. And an epic chorus that has a hold on you that won’t let go. ‘Dust…’ is probably one of the heavier tunes but again the song writing is so good that the chorus digs in deep. Not only are Helloween influences present, but I would also say Narnia style songs. There are many of those epic choruses that remind me the last Theocracy album.

Flo’s guitar playing is a highlight through out. I really enjoyed the solo melody part of ‘Infinity’s Call.’ He brings so much to the table it’s pretty amazing. I would be amiss if I didn’t also mention the fantastic drumming from Frederik Ehmke (Blind Guardian). His playing is fluid and precise as he locks in with bass player Alexander Schulz. These two make a very rhythmic backbone for Sinbreed.

The tempo slows up a bit on ‘Enemy Lines’ a nice intro that leads to a dynamic bridge which adds to the range of this album. Title song ‘When Worlds Collide’ also takes a brief respite from the lightening pace on the rest of the album. A catchy chorus with one of the epic melodies makes for a terrific song.

The production is strong with an even mix throughout, good tones and vocal sounds. There are keys as well but they are added to enhance not to dominate, both Morten Sandager (Pretty Maids) and Joost Van Den Broek (Ayreon, Star One) donate their own keyboard magic to this disc. The title track does enjoy a great keyboard melody that reminds one of how well it can be done, think Dio’s ‘Rainbow in The Dark.’

When Worlds Collides isn’t perfect but it’s hard to find fault with a release this strong. I’d say at this point When Worlds Collide will still be talked about when album of the year discussion starts. Sinbreed is a world class group that should able to tear up the boards in Europe and the rest of the world. Fans of heavy metal everywhere will enjoy this offering of metal excellence.
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