Review – Kissin’ Dynamite – Back With A Bang!
Napalm Records (July 5th, 2024)
Reviewer: Jason Hopper
Kissin’ Dynamite’s 2022 release ‘Not The End Of The Road‘ was my top album of that year and the anticipation was high for their follow-up. The time has come and now the boys are back…with a bang! Yes, I’m sure a lot of reviewers are making this pun but I could not resist, nor should I resist. This album is both exactly what I expected and just as thrilling as I thought it could be. As of late, this band has been on fire over the course of their last few albums. Since their implementation in 2006, they have honed their skills to become one of the top melodic rock acts of the genre.
There is no sense in reviewing the three singles that have already been released (‘Raise Your Glass’, ‘My Monster’, ‘The Devil is a Woman’) but I will add that if you loved those, then this album has all that and more to offer. Some tracks may be stronger than others, but everything here is top notch.
Kicking off with the title track, the band waste no time announcing their intentions. The title alone should give you an indication of the tempo. The song rocks hard and fast! A perfect way to start the album.
The two singles follow (‘Monster’ and ‘Raise’) so the next new track that follows is ‘Queen of the Night’. A thick and heavy groove rocker that keeps your pulse racing. Following ‘Devil’, we have ‘The Best is Yet to Come’. While the intro would lead you to believe a slower track is unfolding, the song builds up its tempo quick and is quite similar to the title track of their last album ‘Not The End Of The Road‘. Lyrically, it’s a modern-day version of Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, with a man and woman longing for more. Another winner and now we’re onto the second half of the album.
The first half has all top-notch songs. The second half has some great ones as well, on par with what came before, but some songs are not on the same level. It does not mean they are bad, but when you have so many stellar tracks, there’s bound to be a few that are slightly less than by comparison. The songs here are a bit more introspective and not as intense.
Beginning with ‘I Do It My Way’, the band sings about breaking free and succeeding on your own in this mid-tempo track which felt like more of a filler track for me until the chorus. Lead vocalist Hannes Braun delivers his best vocal performance here. When he gets to the line “Fly like an eagle but higher…”, the song simply soars (pun intended). His conviction in selling the song just overtook me. This is the track to play when life gets the better of you. Pure inspiration.
The following two tracks I would consider to be a slight dip in quality and what I would call filler tracks. ‘More is More’ and ‘Iconic’ would be the highlight of some albums but when weighted against the other songs found here, it doesn’t compete. These are certainly not the songs I would want to hear if I ever saw the band live.
The album ramps back up with ‘Learn to Fly’, a lyrical sister track to ‘I Do It My Way’ but with way more gusto. A terrific track that could have easily been released as a single and has the same intensity as the opening track.
There’s an infectious swagger to ‘When the Lights Go Out’ that is sure to get your head bobbing and your body moving. A song that’s both about partying and performing for their fans, it would be a great way to end the album. However, the band decided to wrap things up with an acoustic-based ballad.
‘Not a Wise Man’ is quite catchy but sounds strangely like a Steel Panther song with normal lyrics. If you ever wanted to hear that band play it straight, you get that here. Once again, Hannes takes a song that would be above average and elevates it in his approach, making it ascend to the heavens and concluding the album on a high note.
There is an energy here that is unmatched by most. The band has been building in strength since their debut, with this album being just as good as their last release. A Top 5 album for me and I am sure for others as well. Support the band, support this release, and spread the word about this album. It is as good as any top-quality album that was released in the 80s.
Tracklist:
- Back with a Bang
- My Monster
- Raise Your Glass
- Queen of the Night
- The Devil is a Woman
- The Best is Yet to Come
- I Do It My Way
- More is More
- Iconic
- Learn to Fly
- When the Lights Go Out
- Not a Wise Man
Line-up:
Hannes Braun – vocals
Ande Braun – guitar
Jim Müller – guitar
Steffen Haile – bass
Sebastian Berg – drums
ROCKPOSER DOT COM! 