Demonicorn

Although having been around for fifteen years Thunder And Lightning might be a name only real fans of the genre know. Hailing from Berlin/Germany their name stands for a straight-forward and relentless yet highly melodic brand of (power) metal. Taking inspiration from the classic Teutonic school of music (think Iron Savior, Running Wild or Grave Digger) as well as from various other regions around the globe their interpretation of this particular style might not win and innovation awards but who like myself has zero interest in bands re-inventing the wheel when it comes to music should take notice. Their full length number four with the slightly corny title “Demonicorn” (you know: like “demon” plus “unicorn” – got it?) is a prime example of how melodic power metal should sound like in 2019.

The riffs are sharp and perfectly executed and some of the chord progressions are of such an uplifting and rocking nature that one cannot help but bang the head while listening to the music. The rhythm and the lead guitars are perfectly harmonized offering a perfect blend of straight rocking grooves and some clever placed melodic elements. Of course there are solo parts to be found as well but those are never overdone hurting the flow of the music. The mixture of the crunchy main riffs and the lead harmonies makes up for a perfectly entertaining listening experience.

The drumming is fast and ferocious pushing the music even more forward. The speed and intensity are kept high over most of the playing time with only a few slowed down parts. Thankfully the band members are very talented songwriters making sure that each song is easily distinguishable from the others so that there is not one moment of boredom. That being said the album has a very stringent feel leading to a very satisfying listening experience when consuming the whole record in one sitting.

Most songs are highly addictive with a nice mixture of faster and a few mid-tempo tracks. There are some outstanding chorus parts to be found here and with Norman Dittmar Thunder And Lightning have a secret weapon covering the vocal spot. His soaring delivery is the icing on the cake turning each of the eight songs into a battle hymn of the highest order. He switches between an angry mid-ranged tone and high screams with ease without ever missing a single note.

The production is flawless with every instrument sounding crystal clear. The mix shows just the right balance between offering a certain crunchiness without burying any detail. It is pretty obvious that a lot of effort and passion has been put into “Demonicorn” and in case you are looking for a slice of catchy and delicious melodic power metal, look no further. This one will definitely have a place on my personal year end list 2019. Great stuff.