Gun Barrel
Brace for Impact

Germany’s Gun Barrel are back with their fifth album, their first in four years and it is called Brace for Impact which is a quite fun title for a straight ahead “power dive” rock album. For bikers everywhere it seems to be a correct choice judging both by cover artwork and by the sound of the band as well, at least by what they did last time I heard them back in 2003 on the Battle Tested album but back then they had another singer and almost a decade has past as well and only one of the members are still remaining in the band now. The new singer came in 2011 so he hasn’t appeared in anything Gun Barrel before this album and I for one was curious remembering how the band sounded back in the day I was curious as to what has changed in almost a decade, would I still recognise them as the Gun Barrel I know?

Well, yes I would. The music is still the raw type of straight rock’n’roll with the touch of biker meeting, beer and what have you. It is the same kind of rebellious rock feel to it as it was before and that while still giving the impression that they have evolved since I last heard them. One thing that does contribute to this is of course the new singer who seems to have consumed a lot less whiskey than the singer, Guido who was in the band when I last heard them but it is not only that, they sound a bit like rebellious rocksters that have grown up while still hoping to retain something of that rebellious spirit that they had back then almost a decade ago. I think this album has a very good production, it sounds mature while still retaining that little touch of rawness or rebelliousness that good rock music should have. It is an album of eleven tracks and 47 minutes of music and for the genre it has a decent variation to it.

I think this is a very good rock album, not fantastic in any way but good to play while driving or holding a biker meeting, or just as a good set of party music. It is good. At the same time it is a bit ordinary, but that might just be that I am not really a fan of regular “biker rock” music in the vein of Motörhead and what have you. But sure it is well done and I can enjoy giving it a spin in the player but not really if I am in the mood for really listening for this kind of music only lends itself for casual listening rather than active.

So for you who love Motörhead, Rose Tattoo, Saxon and whatever else in that veil, you will adore this no doubt about it, and also probably if you are already a fan of the band since before. For the rest of you/us it is not something to hate but on the other hand it is not something to the opposite of hate either so a rather good straight ahead, no-nonsense rock music.

So in the end I will say that this album is good no matter who you are but it will be great if you happen to be one in the targeted audience, highly recommended for the HD-biker while not as recommended for the rest of us but still a very competent and good production.