I never took too hard to the metal-head scene, that’s definitely Baron, but my style hatched from the late 60s through the early 80s, however nestled in all those bar bands, and hard rock sleazy days, carefree fun, stop worrying about crap and hypersensitive emotions just drink and laugh. Nonetheless, I always work to discover new bands, music, adventures all of it, so often fans of these groups look for that next Bon Jovi brand; especially now with founding member passed away, and his band does achieve that passion for the music and equally blissful lyrics.
The music on the album makes me recall the wonderful days of cruising down back roads of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the east coast, finding the music that inspires me to find the lighter side of life, that opening song “Not the End of the Road” has a really rich melody and a hold-on tight chorus, that fills with power from instruments and Hannes Braun‘s vocals. However, I have to note before continuing onward, that this is my first time listening to them, prior to now they had six previous albums, therefore I’m unaware of line-up changes to their 5-piece band; amazingly this is released by Napalm Records. “What Goes Up” is a little more laid back with a huge groove and hypnotic refrain and “Only the Dead” picks things up a little and is just as compelling, but it’s the track “Good Life” (featuring Saltatio Mortis, Guernica Mancini, and Charlotte Wessels) that shows the real talent, vocals those lyrics ring so true’ a partial ballad, yet so much more. I can’t stop playing this song. The oddly titled song, “Yoko Ono” I could do without it feels very misplaced with the other songs on the album, I… forced myself to listen to it, on repeated plays it was a skip. Then “Coming Home” returns the album to greatness, it hits on all cylinders, it reminds me of some of Bryan Adams songs lyrically and very much captures Bon Jovi’s positive vibes. As if the band knows what we need it swings triumphantly back to a hugely rocking track “All for a Halleluja.” that is about be reborn in the music, passion of life and just crushes it! They follow up that song with another great hit “No One Dies a Virgin” with such a powerful lyric truth – ‘in the end life fucks us all’ we have all heard these truths on other songs The Byrds “Turn, Turn, Turn” but never so simply put, amazingly 7-words sums it all up. Then it’s time for another ballad song “Gone for Good” great vocals, that add to meaningful lyrics, very much a somber song, that will have a listener thinking about past loves and glories with special one. “Voodoo Spell” starts very strange deep vocals, but about 1-miunte into it cleans its up really well, kicks in a rocking song, thank goodness! Once it gets to the heights it oddly returns to those deep vocals briefly before going back to the clean style, those deep and muddle tone really unwarranted. Often a band finishes an album with a kick-ass song, however Kissin Dynamite has “Scars” that is uplifting ballad track, show what they capable of and what to hope for in the future.
Track List:
Not the End of the Road
What Goes Up
Only the Dead
Good Life (featuring Saltatio Mortis; Guernica Mancini & Charlotte Wessels)
Yoko Ono
Coming Home
All for a Halleluja
No One Dies a Virgin
Gone for Good
Defeat It
Voodoo Spell
Scars
Band Members:
Hannes Braun – vocals
Ande Braun – guitar
Steffen Haile – bass
Jim Müller – guitar
Additional Musicians:
Sean Lang – drums
Many others are stating this is the album of the year, and I gotta say they are right, you seek that rocking good time music, then this band is delivering those goods. I don’t often look at the band’s appearance, though they have throwback look of the 80s, it’s the music I care about, and this is a band I hear in bar and have waves of charged emotions, or just listen to as the sun sets on another day. Either way really can’t go wrong this awesome record, even with that one “Yoko Ono” song… One thing is for sure they just gained a new fan of their music.
Vincent’s Rating: 4.8/5.0
Band Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Kissindynamiterocks/
https://www.youtube.com/c/kissindynamiterocks/videos
https://www.kissin-dynamite.de/en/
Label Links:
https://napalmrecords.com/english/
https://www.facebook.com/napalmrecords/