Review GUS G. “Steel Burner”

Gus G. is busy with two outfits. Firstly, there is Firewind, which is led by the Greek guitarist. As well as this musical mothership, Gus G. also releases solo albums, with “Steel Burner” being the newest addition to the list.

Unlike with Firewind, the solo albums focus on instrumentals as well as songs featuring various guest singers. “Steel Burner” adheres to this approach, opening with the title track. This is an electrifying instrumental with excellent guitar work and a great sense of songwriting. “Steel Burner” is more than just an album full of endless guitar solos. There is no doubt that it is all about riffs and solos, but the album also offers a constant sense of good songwriting.

This is apparent when listening to “Nothing Can Break Me”. Gus G. invited German metal queen Doro Pesch to provide the vocals for this invigorating and vibrant headbanger. The combination of the haunting riff and Doro Pesch’s vocals is perfect, and it’s clear that this collaboration was a fruitful one.

Next is “Dancing With Death”, which features another renowned singer. Matt Barlow took on the vocal duties here, and the song showcases the album’s versatility. “Dancing with Death” is a pulsating power metal song. Barlow’s voice is one of the best in metal, and his performance on “Dancing With Death” is excellent. The song has a generally gloomy and dark vibe, which gives the album a pleasant sense of variety.

Gus G.’s latest studio album features two songs with Ronnie Romero: “Frenemy” and “My Premonition”. “Frenemy” is the first of these two songs and shows a new facet of Gus G.’s creative work. This pulsating metal song has a moderate pace and a hypnotic element. The symbiosis of rock and metal creates the foundation for this song. ‘My Premonition’ takes the hard rock vibe to the next level. This vivid power ballad showcases Gus G.’s remarkable ability to write songs tailored to specific singers. The same goes for “No One Has to Know”, which features Dino Jelusick.
In between these songs, “Steel Burner” features some instrumentals, which are as varied as the rest of the album. There is the soulful “Confession”, a treat for the listener’s ears, while the calmer, slightly neo-classical “Closer” lives up to its name. It is the album’s finale.

“Steel Burner” is an album that showcases Gus G.’s excellent guitar work and superb songwriting skills. With the focus on the six-string guitar, the album always features great melodies and hard riffs, as well as strong songs. It isn’t just an endless series of leads and solos. What fans get with “Steel Burner” is well-crafted metal, performed with heart and soul.