Brainstorm

' When Brainstorm's second album, "Journey to the Light", failed to sell, some people reasoned that it was due to a shortage of up-tempo material. So with its third and final album, "Funky Entertainment", the Detroit band decided to go for maximum disco appeal and make up-tempo songs a top priority. While "Journey to the Light" was primarily an album for listening, "Funky Entertainment" is very dance-oriented. "Funky Entertainment" wasn't a big seller, but it did enjoy some exposure in dance clubs. At the same time, there were die-hard Brainstorm fans who felt that by neglecting ballads, slow jams, and quiet storm material, the Motor City residents were selling themselves short creatively. And, to be sure, "Funky Entertainment" is the least-essential and least-memorable of Brainstorm's three albums.' Review by Alex Henderson at AMG

California Brainstorm is a natural complement to the Palace Springs live album - Palace Springs having been recorded shortly before the production of Space Bandits, whilst California Brainstorm was recorded on the tour for that album, and with the track list not having that many overlaps. Indeed, the two go so well together that on the recent Atomhenge 2CD rerelease of Palace Springs the California Brainstorm set is provided on the bonus disc. Overall, this period of Hawkwind found them taking a turn for extended cosmic jams and progressive electronic soundscapes, perhaps as a deliberate recalibration after the mid-1980s saw them taking an increasingly hard rock-oriented direction.

RPM welcomes Southern German metal band Brainstorm, whose new album Plague of Rats releases on February 28, 2025. Produced by Sebastian Seeb Levermann with artwork by Gyula Havancsák, Plague of Rats features 11 tracks, including guest appearances by Elina Siirala and Alexander Krull, and a bonus cover of Rick Springfield’s “Celebrate Youth.” Brainstorm will embark on a release tour with co-headliners Arion and special guests Stranger Vision from February 27 to March 6, 2025, across Germany and Switzerland, with additional shows scheduled in Spain, the Netherlands, and festivals throughout 2025.