Review TURBOKILL “Champion”

Whether a band is already a champion with its second album is a question to be answered individually. “Champion” however is the title of the second album penned by Turbokill.

After the band’s formation in 2016, “Vice World” was released three years later, and now it’s the aforementioned new album that continues the band’s journey through the fields of melodic power metal.

Fronted by former Alpha Tiger frontman Stephan Dietrich, the group kicks off the latest effort with full speed, but first you have to listen to the intro “Inner Calling”. After the last notes of the intro have faded away, “A Million Ways” provides a brisk start to the album. Reminding us of the 80’s sound of bands like Helloween, the guys deliver up-tempo melodic metal with catchy melodies.

The title track was released as a single prior to the album’s release. The inspiration for Turbokill’s music remains the same, although the song is kept in a more moderate pace. The track comes with a big chorus that invites you to sing along. It’s really 80s metal done in a great way, which is also the album’s weak point. Despite being done in a really great way, the album features music that isn’t really new and you can draw the connection to some inspirational sources from a few decades ago. This doesn’t limit the listener’s joy to songs like the throbbing “Mirage Mirror” and “Power Punch”, the latter being a headbanger’s delight.

To conclude: “Champion” is an album that refers to some of the ‘champions’ of the second half of the 80s, and it feels like a little time travel to a era when this kind of music had its first glory days. Now, in 2024, the album has a certain retro character. However, listening to these 12 melodic metal anthems is still entertaining and may bring back some memories for those who grew up in the heydays of melodic power metal.