As it turns out, Brainstorm's latest starts off on a high note; "Falling Spiral Down" is a rousing vintage metal barnburner, hinting at the finest moments off W.A.S.P.'s _Dying for the World_ with Rob Halford handling the microphone. Sadly, the creative peak only lasts so long. By the time "Fire Walk With Me" has launched into a suspiciously glam chorus, a giant question mark has already etched itself into the very fibres of the disc, and unfortunately neither "Stained With Sin" nor its follow-up, "Redemption In Your Eyes" does much to change the record's fortunes.

There are moments when the band's undeniable talent flairs up and something as solid as the superlative "Surrounding Walls" pops out of the woodwork. But ultimately it does it little to change the fact that _Downburst_ makes for an uneven listen at best, and perhaps more disappointingly, could only ever be seen as a something of a missed opportunity for a band who are clearly capable of better.