Band:	Brainstorm
Album:	Metus Mortis
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2001
A review by:	Pierre Tombale

01. Blind Suffering
02. Shadowland
03. Checkmate In Red
04. Hollow Hideaway
05. Weakness Sows Its Seed
06. Into The Never
07. Under Lights
08. Cycles
09. Behind
10. Meet Me In The Dark
11. Strength Of Will
12. Face Down [Digipack/Japanese bonus]
13. (E.O.C.) Cross God's Face [Japanese bonus]
14. Savage [Helloween cover][Japanese bonus]

Two years before the masterpiece 'Soul Temptation' Brainstorm released the album 'Metus Mortis'. It clearly shows the path to Soul Temptation with some minor flaws in it.

The album is opened with the album titled intro Metus Mortis, a dark instrumental to pave the way for the fast and heavy 'Blind Suffering'. The next song 'Shadowland' shows the great vocals of Andy B. Franck that can be heard throughout the 'Soul Temptation' album, on this track underlined by blasting double bass drums that are very ... for this album. 'Checkmate In Red' and 'Hollow Hideaway' are a bit faceless among the other songs although they're not bad they don't seem to have that special touch. 'Weakness Sows It's Seeds' is a nice midtempo alternation with variation on the vocals that are partly spoken almost seeming growled. 'Into The Never' is again a fast song that opens with speed riffing that could have been from a Thrash Metal song, the same counts for 'Behind', but he mighty choruses can clearly draw the line. All the following tracks (two or three, depends on which version you do own) are variations of the above described songs, mainly changing between fast and midtempo. The best tracks of the album for me are 'Blind Suffering', Shadowland' and Weakness Sows It's Seeds', they are to get you into the album, the rest will follow by listening deeper. Then general atmosphere you will find is quite dark, not as deep and changing as on Soul Temptation, maybe there aren't that many effects either. If you have Soul Temptation you will like this album, if you have this album you will love Soul Temptation. Why? Just try!

The convincing concept of mixing Power Metal and Progressive Metal is very successful, especially when you're not that much into Progressive and you don't want any more of the typical Power Metal. No wonder that with 'Metus Mortis' Brainstorm played themselves into the hearts of fans, 8 points.