Burning – Nightmares (2016)

There is a big chance that a lot of Danish readers and other metal fans from outside the Netherlands are not familiar with the band Burning. Well, the band started in 2013 and released the single “Lurking in the Dark” (added as bonustrack) in 2014. What I like most of the band is that not only their music is old school heavy metal, but the complete package has that charisma. The lyrics, the new video, the artwork it all has the old school look and feel.

Opener “Razors and Reasons” is an uptempo track in which influences of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden are mixed together. What’s also special is that the lyrics of this track and the first 2 parts of the lyricss of “Anthem For the Lost Souls” are written by a Dutch known thriller book-writer Bronja Hoffsslag. After she had seen the video clip of the band’s first single she got very excited and so they decided to work together. Being present they also asked her for posing on the artwork and as you can see with success.

Next track “Trials of 1613” is a lot slower, a doomy track in which Hugo sometimes sings in a kind of Ozzy Osbourne style. Below you can see the video of the song. “Nightmare” is again a mid tempo track with a nice roling and rumbling bass line and a contagious rhytmn. Hugo perhaps isn’t one of the top 10 singers in heavy metal, but he has the kind of sound that sticks perfectly to this old school music. The guitar riffs in the songs are catchy and effective, not too complex, just right.

My personal favorite is “Stuck”, probably the fastest song, in which influences of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath merge and the singing lines are great. A nice solo finishes it off. The almost 13 minutes long “Anthem For the Lost Souls” consists of 3 parts and is the most epic track. The three parts are musically rather different, but definitely form a unity. With spoken words in a kind of Manowar (“Defender”) style , the parts are linked together. The second spoken part is a kind of Burning version of the Lord’s Prayer. Their 2014 single closes the album, a real NWOBHM track!

Besides some bands I already mentioned also influences of Trouble, Witchfinder General, Saxon, Picture and a more modern band like Ghost can be added. For our Dutch and our German readers close to the border: the releaseparty is 25 March 2016, location: FOX Nightlife, Stadskanaal, with opener You’re Dead (S.O.D./M.O.D. tributeband) and headliner Tygers Of Pan Tang!

If you are into NWOBHM with some doom influences, interesting lyrics all packed in nice metal songs, check them out!

01. Razors and Reasons
02. Trials of 1613
03. Nightmares
04. No Remorse
05. Stuck
06. “Anthem For The Lost Souls”
I. And on the Sixth Day God Created Man
II. New Vision
III. Domination
07. Bonustrack: Something is Lurking in the Dark

Hugo Koch – Vocals
Jan Engelkes – Drums
Andy Haandrikman – Bass
Johnny Karst – Guitar
Rene Knegt – Guitar

Password: Plotn08

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