New Music Review : Mad Max - Stormchild Rising : CD Album Music Review : Dangerdog Music Reviews : Craig Hartranft

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Mad Max: Stormchild Rising

Heavy Metal Rock

4.5/5.0

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SPV/Steamhammer Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 12.08.2020 | Released: 21.08.2020

Formed in 1981, Mad Max took their band name from the 1979 Mel Gibson dystopian action film. Excepting a few absences from the metal scene, in nearly 40 years Mad Max has dropped 13 studio albums. Now the quartet offers their fourteenth long-player, Stormchild Rising. If you recall, Mad Max released a similar entitled album, Stormchild in 1985.

Mad Max

Born in the glory days of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Mad Max continues to offer listeners their version of heavy metal rock. You can expect sharp riffs and ripping solos combined with a roaring rhythm section, yet wrapped up in hard rock melody and groove, with more than a few catchy refrains. You'll find all these things with Mindhunter, Gemini, or Busted. Mad Max picks up the pace and also gets a bit heavier with Hurricaned. Alternatively, Ladies and Gentlemen and Talk To The Moon turn more upon melodic hard rock with some AOR accessibility, thanks to fine melody, rhythm, groove, and memorable refrains. The former song offers a delightful acoustic guitar breakdown three-quarters in before a significant guitar solo emerges. Two additional songs deserve mention. The Blues Ain't No Stranger features a guitar solo from Stryper's Oz Fox. Take Her is a cover of the Rough Cutt song wherein Michael Voss duets with Paul Shortino, Rough Cutt's original vocalist. Both songs are quite fine.

All said, Mad Max's Stormchild Rising is another fine heavy metal rock album from this talented, consistent, and enduring band.

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