{"id":429008,"date":"2025-09-16T13:46:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T13:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/429008\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T13:46:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T13:46:28","slug":"burning-sun-retribution-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/429008\/","title":{"rendered":"Burning Sun – Retribution Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Nameless_n00b_607<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

It has been a much slower year for power metal than I would like. There have been a couple of fun releases here and there, but the volume of quality output has been very low. The classic \u201890s style of guitar-forward and keyboard-minimalist power metal has been significantly lacking in particular, and Burning Sun<\/strong> is looking to change that. Naming themselves after a Helloween<\/strong> song, this half-Hungarian, half-Chilean duo is on a mission to tell a classic fantasy story through a legacy sound. Burning Sun<\/strong>\u2019s sophomore album, Retribution, lands only two years after their debut, Wake of Ashes, continuing the story of a paladin named Emaly.<\/p>\n

\ufeffRetribution by Burning Sun<\/a><\/p>\n

Burning Sun<\/strong> pays homage to various \u201890s European power metal bands well. While the debut was all about breakneck brightness, Retribution sets its sights towards the guitar grit of Iron Savior<\/strong> and Primal Fear <\/strong>(\u201cCold Winds,\u201d \u201cFight in the Night\u201d). The anthemic qualities of Helloween<\/strong> dominate across the board (\u201cOpen Your Eyes,\u201d \u201cShadows Undone\u201d), and the occasional Iron Maiden<\/strong>-informed gallops and choruses are a welcome presence. Of the duo, Zolt\u00e1n Papi handles the bass and lyrics, whereas Pancho Ireland doubles as vocalist and guitarist. Ireland has a knack for emulating the classic style of power metal riffage they\u2019re no doubt both fans of, opting for rhythmic hooks rather than lighting up the fretboard. He has upped his vocal game, too, navigating wail and grit in Zak Stevens fashion. Furthermore, he is now the only lead vocalist. Where the debut disoriented itself, juggling three voices, Retribution relies solely on Ireland\u2019s pipes and is better for it. Reducing the number of hands on deck reinforces both vocal and instrumental cohesion.<\/p>\n

Burning Sun<\/strong>\u2019s focus on guitars over keyboards is a welcome change from current norms. Power metal of the European variety is often mischaracterized as the over-the-top synth-laden side of the genre, even though it\u2019s never been that simple. I love a good mission to Mars, but sometimes remaining at ground level is a better option, and Retribution largely sticks to German conventions. Burning Sun<\/strong> enforces a guitar-first attitude and swears by the triumvirate of soaring anthemic vocals, triumphant guitars, and charming choruses. The culmination of this approach is the stunning Primal Fear<\/strong>esque lead guitar melody on \u201cCold Winds.\u201d Unfortunately, Retribution does stray from its own design philosophy at times. For example, the moodier \u201880s synth stomper \u201cAftermath\u201d features some vocal fumbles and feels out of place so early into the album. The voice acting at the end of \u201cCold Winds\u201d is unintentionally hilarious and breaks immersion\u2014once again confirming that storytelling works best when left to the music and lyrics. The album\u2019s minor drawbacks fortunately never snowball into any major issues, and it never loses its critical fun factor.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retribution is short and sweet but could pack a bigger punch. I\u2019m a big fan of the trend of younger (and even some older) bands starting to write tight and concise records again, and Retribution is no exception. Below 40 minutes and sans the gargantuan epics that often characterize the genre, it\u2019s a highly replayable breeze. But it feels like Burning Sun<\/strong> is still holding back its full potential. The record does its job well but lacks ambition, and I wouldn\u2019t mind it flying a bit closer to the sun\u2014just a bit more heft, speed, and drama to spice things up throughout. Retribution doesn\u2019t need more songs; its material just needs to rip and tear more. It lacks a true barn burner, the likes of \u201cSteel Tormentor,\u201d or indeed, \u201cBurning Sun.\u201d Cuts like \u201cHeart of Darkness\u201d and \u201cBy the Light\u201d are damn close to fortune and glory. Likewise, further production improvements can only help. The sound is better than on the debut, but it could still use punchier drums and more prominent bass. I\u2019m content with what the album delivers, but the flame can and should burn brighter.<\/p>\n

Retribution is a fun throwback to the glory days of power metal. Burning Sun <\/strong>isn\u2019t doing anything extraordinary, but they\u2019ve accomplished their goals of writing a good, earnest tale of swords and sorcery. It\u2019s the sort of comfort food that I can never have enough of. The trajectory looks promising for Burning Sun<\/strong>, and I\u2019m curious to see if they can enchant their blades in the future and set aflame the ground beneath.<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> Good!
DR: <\/strong>9 | Format Reviewed:<\/strong> 320 kb\/s CBR MP3
Label:<\/strong> Metalizer Records<\/a>
Websites:<\/strong> Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a>
Release Date:<\/strong> August 22nd, 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n