When I eagerly opened up the latest package from Uber HQ, I immediately started wondering what delights or horrors might await me. Was I going to be reviewing the next great band to rock our world or was it going to be another dreadful Christian offering?  Imagine my delight then, when I spied the latest album from Finnish Heavy Metallers Thunderstone, hidden amongst the bundle of goodies. Having purchased and been mightily impressed with their last album 'Evolution 4.0' I would actually rate that as an album of fantastic Melodic power metal.

Then I read the press release with horror, not only had the band left the highly respected Nuclear Blast label but have since replaced Kari Tornack and Pasi Rantanen with Jukka Karinen and Rick Altzi, respectively taking up the roles of keyboard player and vocalist in this all new line up.  As Thunderstone are considered one of the best and most respected Heavy Metal bands in their home country, not only coming runner up in the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest, (only entering initially as a joke) but also scoring a number one album in the process, you can only wonder if this line up change might just be a foolhardy decision on their part.

Rest assured though even after one listen to 'Dirt Metal' I can thankfully state that their decision has in fact paid off.  Anyone reading this, who like me loved their 'Evolution 4.0' album and maybe are hoping for a repeat of that will leave disappointed as 'Dirt Metal' is far removed from that last album.  So where 'Evolution 4.0' remained a keyboard friendly Power Metal album, 'Dirt Metal' finds the band switching to a harder, darker and far more heavier sound, and if I was to sum up the difference between the two in one word then it would be "Diversity" as the band explore a far greater range of Heavy Metal genres.

Kicking off with the suitably titled 'Rebirth' the band sheds their old skins and return fighting in this traditional Metal offering.  Title track 'Dirt Metal' is an equally appropriate titled number as it offers the listener a 'Dirty Metal Beast' of a number.  If you enjoy a great song that you can sing along to in the privacy of your own shower then 'Blood That I Bleed' is just such a number. One that will also appease all the air guitarists out there as it features some mighty fine fret work from guitarist Nino Laurenne and for any air drummers feeling left out there is some mighty tub thumping from Mirka Rantanen to also contend with.

For all you Thunderstone fans out there that loved their previous albums you will simply salivate at 'Counting Hours' as the band revisit the past melodic glories with great effect.

If there is one song on 'Dirt Metal' that will divide the bands old and new fans then it's the quite magnificent 'Star', a song that kicks in with a Dimebag Darrell type guitar riff that leads us into the most brutal song I've heard from the band yet, featuring some deathly growls from vocalist Rick Alzi whilst also remaining strangely melodic.  'Dodge The Bullet' meanwhile leads the band out of their comfort zone and into Thrash territory whilst once again stubbornly refusing to lose the band's melodic edge.

Turn back the clock a few decades to a time where Heavy Metal began to develop into the thundering musical genre that we all know and love today as 'Deadlights' returns us to that time, giving the band a slightly Seventies rock edge, and proving to the musical world that Heavy Metal is here to stay.  Rick Altzi takes his vocals down an octave or two on the heavier 'At The Feet Of Fools' featuring some draw dropping frenetic six string action.  Any fan that by this point has missed the more keyboard orientated works of the bands former albums will be overjoyed at album closer 'Suffering Song' a more atmospheric number that displays the wonderful keyboard work of Jukka Karinen.

Whether 'Dirt Metal' will reach the glorious heights of Thunderstone's former albums is unknown right now, but having witnessed the open mindness of the Heavy Metal fraternity around the globe, I believe the band are on to a sure fire winner here.... Go and get yourself dirty.

 http://www.myspace.com/thunderstoneband