On the Spur of the Moment

Whatever its title may suggest, there's nothing about Germanic heavy metal band Brainstorm that would imply a spur of the moment decision; the band's timeless regeneration of traditional heavy metal is evidently arranged, performed, recorded, and produced with meticulous planning and attention to detail. But whatever the band may lack in spontaneous combustion, they rather make up for in clinical efficiency, which may not impress unconverted observers much, but is clearly something their established fan base has not only continued to support but very much come to expect: that's right, the expected. Be that as it may, since nothing is ever guaranteed where memorable songwriting is concerned, Brainstorm deserve much credit for keeping things relatively interesting within the confines of their limited musical range. Imperial opener "Below the Line" really outperforms its mundane title; energized fist-pumping anthems like "In the Blink of an Eye," "Still Insane," and "Dark Life" seamlessly wed biting staccato riffs to double kick drums, yet never exceed their mid-paced speed limits. And even classy late-album offerings that finally threaten power metal velocity — "Where Your Actions Lead You to Live" and "A life on Hold — stop quite short of losing any measure of control. Surprises? None whatsoever; so, again, don't let the title fool you: On the Spur of the Moment finds Brainstorm acting like their predictable yet reliable selves. Hey, someone has to toe the line in heavy metal, why not Brainstorm?