THORNBRIDGE
“Daydream Illusion”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9.5/10

Thornbridge are a power metal band from Germany formed in 2008, releasing three albums to date – ‘What Will Prevail’ (2016), ‘Theatrical Masterpiece’ (2019), and ‘Daydream Illusion’ (2024).

Featuring a lighter – but not too light – style of power metal, Thornbridge are less aggressive on ‘Daydream Illusion’, the band delivering cleaner, catchier melodies than ever before, even to the extent of including a ballad on an album for the very first time! More on that later – ’cause right now, the band invite us in to their illusion by way of the one and a half minute instrumental ‘Come On In!’ Highly anticipative and tension building, ‘Come On In!’ is a perfect lead in to the albums title song (and first song proper) ‘Daydream Illusion’ – Thornbridge hitting the ground with incredible force! Echoing the classic gallop of traditional heavy metal, ‘Daydream Illusion’ (the song) will rock heads back and forth at a head bang-able friendly pace, very wide smiles appearing on the face of every listener around the world.

With the pedal firmly pressed to the metal, the German outfit roar on with the heavier ‘Kingdom Of Starlight’, the bustling barrage of power and traditional heavy metal a fucking glorious sound that’s surely gonna whet the appetites of everyone everywhere for what’s to come – ‘Daydream Illusion’ (the album) moving swiftly on with the all out power metaller ‘I Am The Storm’. The band are at their most feisty here, delivering a brand of fast paced melodic power metal to send jaws crashing to the floor in stunned amazement – ‘I Am The Storm’, and especially the highly sing-able chorus break, a dead cert for an in concert sing along! And pace quickens even more – ‘Sacrifice’ setting light to the airways with a blistering turn of speed, the level of head bang ability shooting right through the fucking roof! ‘Daydream Illusion’ (the album) has just gotten better and better since it began, every song better than the last, each one increasing the levels of energy and oomph!

That is until ‘Island Of My Memories’ – opening with the mellowest passage heard so far, turning heavier from thirty seconds onwards to finally letting loose at the one minute mark to resume the albums phenomenal energy driven gallop. Thornbridge have displayed immense levels of purpose and intent with listeners, fans and followers punching the air in delight at the albums blistering first half – a half that’s flown by in what seems like no time at all! And as the second half gets underway with ‘Send Me A Light’, a second mellow passage greets listeners – this time remaining in force for the duration! ‘Cause this time, the mellowness signals the bands first ever ballad, ‘Send Me A Light’ encouraging everyone to raise lighters high in the air and sway from side to side. The elegance here is top notch, although regular readers know my views on ballads appearing on metal albums – and even in this day and age when it’s kinda the norm, I defiantly stand by my view that ballads are for rock albums and not metal ones! Thankfully, ‘Bird Of Salvation’ returns pace and power to the album, galloping forth like it’s the nineteen eighties all over again, the mouth watering smell of old school heavy metal very strong indeed! And this one, right here right now, is the kinda foot to the floor metal I could listen to every single fucking day! And night too! Who needs sleep when there’s so much heavy metal to listen to?

And with a dramatic upturn in speed, ‘Final War’ rockets off at full throttle, the band scorching the earth with phenomenal pace and power! Head bang ability too – every mosh pit around the world going fucking mental over ‘Final War’, everyone’s head rocking back and forth faster than at any other time on the album. So far anyway – for there’s still two more songs to go! The first of which ‘My Last Desire’, maintains the albums exuberant and energetic power metal rampage, the band oozing the classic sound of European power metal. Harking back to the era when bands such as Grave Digger, Helloween and Running Wild defined the European sound, Thornbridge are more than capable of carrying the power metal torch for many a year to come! And bringing ‘Daydream Illusion’ (the album) to a barnstorming conclusion, ‘Lost On The Dark Side’ displays as much energy and oomph as the album began with – the band keeping the pedal well and truly pressed to the metal.

Overall, a pulsating and infectious ground shuddering rampage of power come heavy metal, ‘Daydream Illusion’ is head bang-able to the max.

TRACKLIST

Come On In!
Daydream Illusion
Kingdom Of Starlight
I Am The Storm
Sacrifice
Island Of My Memories
Send Me A Light
Bird Of Salvation
Final War
My Last Desire
Lost On The Dark Side

http://www.thornbridge.de/
https://www.facebook.com/thornbridgeband/

This review is the property of Iron Mathew and Metal Gods TV. It is strictly prohibited to copy any part of this review, unless you have both of the parties’ permission, or are the band/record label/PR company in question. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be considered as Plagiarism and you will be reported to the appropriate authorities

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