(Heavy Metal) BURNER - Baptized In Gasoline album review

(Time to Kill Records)

Release date: September 30, 2020 (Time to Kill Records)

This is the debut release from Swedish act Burner.  Given the grey hair and/or baldness in their pictures, this reviewer suspects the band members have been involved in music in some form or another for a few years, but that is just a guess.  Regardless of age or experience, these boys have produced one kick-ass record. 

There is no avoiding the comparisons to Motorhead as guitarist Bjorn Ohlson's English language lead vocals have a Lemmy-like gruffness to them, but there is also a low-pitch Udo Dirkschneider growl in there as well. Needless to say, the mic-work is fantastic.  As is the thundering bass of Mats Thureson and Jan Andersson's drums. The music has many traits of Motorhead, Saxon and Accept, but it is not derivative of any of them. Burner have written and performed some very catchy, original songs here.  

The band calls itself "gasoline fueled rock with no brakes", and that is an apt description.  Whether you consider them heavy metal, hard rock, or rock n' roll, all these monikers fit.  

Highlights are numerous, and crap is non-existent on the 12 song, 40 minute CD version.  But if you want to sample the cream of the crop, try "Hammerdown", "Kill You Til You're Dead", "The Burner", "Gasoline" and "Murder".  

Headbangers who like a little rock n' roll rhythm mixed into their metal should definitely buy this.  Lemmy the Father is looking down from his throne in heaven with great approval on these Swedes.  

(8.5)