Michael Bormann – Closer

RMB Records (2015)

Reviewer – Aaron Chatfield

What is it about the water in Germany that makes them produce such quality hard rock and metal? Would be nice to bottle it and distribute it across the rock globe. Michael Bormann is a great example of that quality, through his time with Jaded Heart, Charade and more recently the superb Redrum. His solo albums are solo in every sense of the word, as Michael pretty much does everything from banging the drums and producing, through to his usual excellent vocals. ‘Closer’, is his 2015 solo release.

Album opener, ‘I’m Not Your Entertainment’, sets the tone for the release, crunchy guitars, keyboards providing texture and electronic percussion and those smooth vocals that Michael is known by. This is A+ melodic hard rock, with a modern edge and where songs are key. Big choruses, that worm their way into you head instantly.

‘Let’s Make History’, follows a similar path, before we arrive at ‘Never Say Die’. Our third track drops the tempo, but delivers a driving beat and an anthemic chorus. Reminds me of the classic 80s martial arts film soundtracks!

‘Can’t Get A Touch Too Much’ is a let down for me. A bit bluesy, a bit of soul and a bit of rap… but it just doesn’t work for me. It picks up as the track moves on and it shows that Michael is willing to push the envelope, but it feels a little out of place.

‘Because We Are The World’ starts off like a Disney Lion King soundtrack, complete with a kids choir in the background. Not my favourite track, but it works quite well in slowing the pace down on the album, before we are back rocking with ‘Living It Up’ and ‘I Wanna Be A Rockstar’.

‘For This One Time In Life’, is the albums power ballad of the opus. It’s got all the right moves at all the right time, melancholic verse, leading into a big chorus. The albums title track, ‘Closer’, continues Michael’s heartbroken lament. A wonderful simple ballad, stripped back to a piano, acoustic guitar and Bormann’s vocals. I can see Michael performing this live, just him an a guitar.

‘Rich Men’s World’ and ‘Down To The Bottle’, return us to full on rock, although the latter has a rap style verse, which again, I’m not 100% convinced by, but the chorus makes up for it.

Last year Michael tried out on Germany’s version of The Voice, auditioning with a cover version of Demi Lavato’s track ‘Warrior’, which is the closing track of the album. Typically I like my album closers to be a big rocker, but in this instance, Michael’s cover is so good, it closes the album off in style. Piano and voice, nothing more, but the power that Michael delivers is exceptional.

Overall If you are a Michael Bormann fan, then you will be buying this anyway and you won’t be disappointed, but if you are new to Michael’s music, then take a shot, I don’t think you will regret it! Whilst you are at it, pick up his other solo material, Jaded Heart and the Redrum albums!