Hallelujah, it’s raining brains.

Brainstorm might be one of the hardest working average metal band out there. They keep putting out unremarkable records; in fact, they seem to be getting less noteworthy as time goes on. Liquid Monster is slower and less intense than Metus Mortis (a couple albums ago). Surely this, like everything else this German band does, is intentional.

Some liken rougher, more deliberate metal with singing, verses and choruses as heavier power metal. It guess it depends on whom you ask. To me, Liquid Monster seems like the kind of material that outdoor metal festivals in Germany like to book: it’s not hard to grasp, translates well to a live setting (and being able to jack the kick drums up to absurd levels), and doesn’t require much previous familiarity with the music to enjoy it, as long as you embrace metal as being heavy and rockin’.

However, if you’re like me, you idealize power metal as having grandiose melody, classical harmonies, intense instrumental interplay and dextrous rhythm changes to go with all the bombast and wizard-like skills. Not that they couldn’t do it, but Brainstorm isn’t about that. I can still remember how the chorus to Liquid Monster’s first track goes, but I can’t shake the feeling of stagnation three songs into the album, max. I guess if you like Iced Earth... (5.3/10)