BURNING POINT - The Ignitor [Japan release] (2012)

*

BURNING POINT, from Oulu, Finland, has been around for the last 11 years.
"The Ignitor", their 5th album, while it isn't much of stylistic deviation from their past material, it has a new welcomed blend with more melodic influences.

"The Ignitor" is an album that dabbles in the grey area somewhere between pure Euro Melodic Metal and more traditional Hard Rock.
Good melodies, good hooks in lyrics and chorus, and a bunch of impressive well played guitar solos make this an entertaining listen. In this new album Burning Point moves with some deft craftsmanship that only comes with maturity.
Pete Ahonen is the vocalist and he has never sounded better. The vocals are mostly mid-ranged but powerful and clear. And yes he can hit the high note when called upon. He also shares guitar duties with Pekka Kolivuori and they produce some real crunchy riffs.
Some tracks are really metalized as opener "Eternal Flame", "In the Fires of My Self Made Hell" or "Heaven Is Hell". These have some standard power metal clichés, although the band's conviction allows them to rise above the crowd. They toss in enough good riffs and quality vocals to give them a proper edge, and are relatively short tracks (as many here, which benfits the listen).

But where Burning Point shines is on the more hard rockin' songs.
Notable moments include the hyper-melodic "In the Night", a truly awesome track which partly resurrects the sound of the long forgotten Fifth Angel, the ominous and darker groove of the title track, and the mega hooky chorus of "Silent Scream" (another highlight) where the band pays homage to Joe Lynn Turner-era Rainbow.
There are also some progressive elements that remind me of Queensryche, especially in the solid "Demon Inside You". The anthemic "Losing Sleep" is another really good moment, delivering some memorable melodies in a cross between Primal Fear and Jorn Lande's band Ark.
All these tracks feature really well placed keyboards in the mix which adds texture and climate to the music.


Certainly, one could say, "The Ignitor" is common fare for European power metal, and that person would be right. But you have more to discover here.
If you are not specifically a metal fan, you'll enjoy - at least - the half of the album via the melodic and classic sounding tracks mentioned above. This is a straight-forward, super accessible album with tons of hooks and nice performances by all involved.
Production is sharp and agile with a crispy sound in the Allen / Lande style, very well mixed as well.
Fundamentally, "The Ignitor" finds Burning Point in fine form delivering a well-rounded metal album.


01 - Eternal Flame (Salvation By Fire Part II)
02 - In The Fires Of My Self-Made Hell
03 - In The Night
04 - The Ignitor
05 - Silent Scream
06 - Heaven Is Hell
07 - Losing Sleep
08 - Demon Inside Of You
09 - Everdream
10 - Lost Tribe
11 - Holier Than Thou
12 - Ice Queen (Japanese bonus track)
13 - Blood Will Win (Japanese bonus track)


Pete Ahonen / Vocals & Guitars
Pekka Kolivuori / Guitars
Jukka Jokikokko / Bass
Jussi Ontero / Drums & Keyboards


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www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=IUCP-16140