by Franco Cerchiari
— Sr. Columnist —
Released on the Steamhammer/SPV Records label, on the heels of 2016’s excellent Tales From Beyond, comes Beast Reborn, Mob Rules 9th studio offering. Recently celebrating their 25th anniversary since their formation, this release clearly proves that this German outfit has no intention of resting on their laurels anytime soon. Invoking images of faraway lands and travelers seeking the answers to the unknown, Beast Reborn is heavy with everything that is so great about Power Metal with glorious keyboards, layers of vocal harmonies, soaring choruses and power guitar chords. By way of comparison to Tales From Beyond, the music of Beast Reborn shows that Mob Rules have in a sense have reinvented themselves and the result a release that is louder, more full and daresay, epic. To put it in perspective, imagine the Metal of Helloween and the larger than life sounds of Dream Evil, Human Fortress, Dionysus or Excallion and you have an idea of what Beast Reborn is like. The addition of second guitarist Sonke Jansenn (also the guitarist of Vindictiv) was an excellent idea for the twin guitar attack gives Mob Rules a much fuller sound and feel.
Great melodies but still heavy, infectious without being overbearing, tough and aggressive, Beast Reborn opens with the 1 minute symphonic instrumental title track complete with strings and cathedral-esque keyboards, but what comes next is what fans of Power Metal are going to want to hear. The almost raw vibe of “Ghost Of A Chance” has certain moments that will remind one of Iron Savior, but pay note to the high reaching voices, the monstrous chorus, fantastic keyboards, tough guitars, and the killer bottom end rhythms. “Shores Ahead” is a keyboard laden and epic track and “Travellers In Time” is a rousing song that takes the listener on a voyage. The twin guitar attack of “Children’s Crusade” was excellent, “The Explorer” was a song that one would assume would be playing while one fights for his honor, and “Revenant Of The Sea” is a somber tune with a stomping beat, that keeps a tight check on the tempo during the verse but during the choruses the guitars come alive with full force. “Way Back Home” again shows why adding a second guitarist was such a good idea and closing Beast Reborn is the ballad “My Sobriety Mind (For Those Who Left)” that features a simple but effective piano, with a blistering mid track guitar solo that was incredible.
Harder, darker and more intense that past releases, Mob Rules has done themselves proud here. Of course, radio will continue to prove how useless and stupid they are by turning a deaf ear when incredible bands like Mob Rules releases excellent albums like Beast Reborn, but for those of us who do care about supporting bands (unlike radio), this one needs to be heard and heard as often as possible.
Genre: Power Metal, Heavy Metal
Band Members;
Klaus Dirks – vocals
Markus Brinkmann – bass
Sven Ludke – guitars
Sonke Jansenn – guitars
Nikolas Fritz – drums
Jan Christian Halfbrodt – keyboards
Track Listing:
Beast Reborn
Ghost Of A Chance
Shores Ahead
Sinister Light
Traveller In Time
Children’s Crusade
War Of Currents
The Explorer
Revenants Of The Sea
Way Back Home
My Sobriety Mind (For Those Who Left)
Label: Steamhammer, SPV
Website: www.mobrules.de
Hardrock Haven rating: 
(8.5 / 10)
