Not all bands are capable of delivering hot streaks of well received albums, particularly when they are released in a relatively short space of time. Yet, that is exactly what Burning Point have achieved and although they may have a name which sounds like a euphemism for chlamydia, the band are back with ‘Arsonist of the Soul’, their first album in five years.
Well, it cannot be said that Burning Point’s creative well has run dry, that’s for sure. What the Finns have delivered here with ‘Arsonist…’ is an album which easily equals their earlier work. This is an album which careens forward like a Tasmanian Devil galloping down the road. Tracks such as ‘Out of Control (Savage Animals)’ ‘Fire With Fire’ and the superb ‘Persona Non Grata’, a track of monumental power metal proportions, have all the appeal of Firewind playing with Dreamtale whilst Timo Tolkki sprinkles some of his old school power metal magic all around the place. Furthermore, new vocalist Luca Sturniolo shows his chops and makes his mark immediately by delivering a vocal performance worthy of Sonata Arctica when they actually played decent power metal instead of ‘fa la la la’ing’ all around the place.
There isn’t anything here that power metal fans won’t have heard already, but what they will hear is an album that is done exceptionally well with enough earworms to warrant a visit to the doctor. ‘Arsonist…’ presents a new chapter for Burning Point and it is good.
