Purveyors in the stadium rock realm, German artists Kissin’ Dynamite continually excel at the art of catchy songwriting designed to get people on their feet. Literally growing up as teenagers together through this band, albums such as Generation Goodbye and Not the End of the Road have become steady favorites, ascending high in the European charts. The 8th studio album Back With a Bang lives up to its title – another 12-song outing that showcases a mix of 80s-oriented anthems, highway cruising rock/metal tracks beyond the occasional thoughtful/reflective ballad sure to illicit the proper response from the faithful, while growing more interest in this act.
“My Monster” is one of the early standouts – the smooth as silk chorus, driving guitar chords, as well as the dynamic modern groove element injected at the right spot keeps the hooks flowing as you want, while the follow-up “Raise Your Glass” tells the story of the development of the band in a positive light, the guitar work of Ande Braun and Jim Müller setting up the mood shifts brilliantly. Pulsating keyboards next to crunchy riffs seductively unfurl “Queen of the Night” – encompassing the feel of Loverboy/Survivor next to European melodic metal. Calmer guitar strains build electric momentum, opening Hannes Braun’s emotional vocal register for “I Do It My Way” – the chorus another grandiose effort that will encourage massive audience participation in the tradition of classic Queen or Def Leppard. The pace of the record exceeds expectations – the quintet adept at mixing up faster rockers with more mid-tempo material that is distinctive track by track. “More Is More” may have been a quote made famous by Yngwie Malmsteen, but its given a playful twist, the use of the talk box and chasing fame (the best line being ‘saving the money gets you nowhere’) theme beyond the acoustic incorporation providing layers of sonic earworms to treasure. The closing ballad “Not a Wise Man” allows the tender, reflective side of this style to shine – the vocal harmonies rich in elements of The Eagles or other older 70s/80s artists to be another standout.
Kissin’ Dynamite proves that melodic hard rock/metal can achieve stadium success if solely based on the quality output, attention to detail, and fine craftsmanship on the production/songwriting levels that Back With a Bang presents. When the rest of the world will climb aboard – who knows? At least those of us who never thought this style faded into oblivion can savor these records.