Sinner - Crash & burn 3.5/5
Reviewed: 10-10-08
Tracklist:
1. Crash & burn
2. Break the silence
3. The dog
4. Heart of darkness
5. Revoluion
6. Unbreakable
7. Fist to face
8. Until it hurts
9. Little head
10. Connection
11. Like a rock
12. One night only (bonus track)
13. Fast decision 2008 (bonus track)
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Matt Sinner and his first band, Sinner, have released their 16th full-length CD; and 17th if you include Matt Sinner’s solo CD released in 1990 that included the line-up of Sinner at the time. Their latest effort is entitled ‘Crash & burn’ and is the first time the band have released a CD in consecutive years since their 1997/1998 CDs, called ‘Judgement day’ and ‘Nature of evil’.
2007’s ‘Mask of sanity’ (reviewed by yours truly) was a pretty good, yet a standard Sinner release; and ‘Crash & burn’ seems to be following in the same footsteps. Sinner have been one of those bands who have rarely changed their sound over the decades (much like AC/DC) and in those few cases, works for them. Sinner play your traditional heavy metal, a mix of both European heavy metal and American 80s hard rock/metal.
‘Crash & burn’ sees a return to their roots kinda feel, where Sinner churn out the short, 3 1/2-minute rockin’ tracks, that you would hear playing in any rowdy bar or pub across the land. Nothing special, just metal and hard rock, songs about fighting, women and all round “guy’s stuff”. Although this type of hard rock/metal appeals to me, being a huge fan of AC/DC, I must say that it does get a tad boring if all you’re hearing is the same song structure over and over again. Despite this, there are still some great tracks on here, containing some wicked foot-taping, head-shaking riffs, grooves and beats; and some top-notch solos.
The thing I miss most about Sinner is their more in-depth, creatively written tracks; the ones which actually went beyond the 5 minute mark. Songs which graced previous Sinner releases from the 90s and 2000, but alas, it seems those days are now gone, unfortunately.
I must say that guitarist Henny Wolter has done another great job on ‘Crash & burn’ since returning to the flock after a year's absence (as well as a returning member of Primal Fear). Along with Christof Leim; these 2 have ripped out some cracking riffs, licks and solos. Matt Sinner as the bassist, does very well, but Matt Sinner as the vocalist, is a little inconsistent on ‘Crash & burn’. He’s lost a bit of range and delivery in his voice, but still has that raspy, grating, coarse feel in his voice which makes him unique and perfect for their style of metal.
Some of the better tracks off ‘Crash & burn’ include the following: “Crash & burn”, with its air-raid siren starting the show before the fast-paced opening riff and beat begins. “The dog” is probably one of the best tracks on the CD, having a cool “driving” riff which keeps your head nodding every time you hear it.
“Break the silence” is a slower, mid-paced track, but totally riff driven with a catchy chorus. “Revolution” has a great southern rock/bluesy feel, with a kick-ass solo in the middle. “Until it hurts” is a slower track, featuring acoustics and heavy bass. With a pick up during the chorus, this track is another of the best on the CD. Finally, “Like a rock”, the CD closer, has a great driving riff, a catchy chorus and a top vocal performance by Mr. Sinner. The limited edition version of ‘Crash & burn’ contains 2 bonus tracks (“One night only” and “Fast decision 2008”) and a video clip of “Revolution”.
Here’s the bottom line; although ‘Crash & burn’ is an enjoyable yet typical Sinner CD, it’s not their best effort, nor their worst. Obviously, it’s not meant to be ground-breaking, just something to rock out to while chuggin’ a beer with your buddies.
If you enjoyed what you heard on ‘Mask of sanity’, or even any CD from Sinner in the past 10 years, then ‘Crash & burn’ will tickle your fancy. Anyone loving their traditional hard rock/metal, from the 80s until now, will have an interest; and possibly fans of Primal Fear might also wanna check it out.
SEAN
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