Bowmen - 2024 - Mission IV

(47:27; Fastball Music)





















Track list:
1. Demons 3:53
2. Said or Done 3:05
3. Diggin' in the Dirt 4:29
4. Fight the Tide 4:06
5. Hold Me Now 3:50
6. Broken Man 3:57
7. Still Got My Time 3:11
8. Memories 3:19
9. Palace of the King 4:30
10. Rocket Man 3:58
11. Black Angel 5:17
12. Hold Me Now [Acoustic] 03:52

Line-up:
Markus Escher - vocals, guitars
Christian Tilly Klaus - drums, vocals
Jan Wendel - guitars, vocals
Stefan Pfaffinger - bass, vocals
with:
Oksana Gessner - viola
Thomas Bachmannn - vocals, guitars


German band Bowmen started out back in 2015, and from 2017 and onward the band has been releasing new music at a fairly steady pace. The album "Mission IV" is the third full length production by Bowmen, and was released through German label Fastball Music in the spring of 2024.

Hard rock is the chosen playing field for the music explored on this production, and the band incorporate many different but often related varieties of this tradition on this album. Many of the songs do appear to point back to the 1970s though, with some classic boogie style bass driven runs as well as the just as classic style of hard rock that is usually given the description blues based hard rock. More distinct 70s references comes in the shape of one song that play around a bit with a playful and funky attitude, and songs with a little bit of a psychedelic spirit being present is a part of the experience too.

The band does look at bit towards the 1980s too however, with AOR tendencies being present on a couple of occasions and a bit more prominent we also get some clear hair metal twists in quite a few of the songs. And while perhaps explored somewhat different than when this specific style of music was at its most popular, we do get a couple of power ballads along the way too.

For my specific taste in music, the highlights actually appear towards the very end of this production. The slower paced and more majestic tune 'Black Angel' is a clear highlight for me, with its more powerful march alongside the border between hard rock and early heavy metal. But perhaps even more impressive is the acoustic version of the power ballad 'Hold Me Now', where some folk music expansions adds a nice bit of nerve and tension to this song alongside a compelling mood and atmosphere.

For me, "Mission IV" isn't what I'd describe as a standout album in any way, but it does showcase a band that are able and willing to explore hard rock with a bit more of an expressive spirit. There is variety at hand here, and the album as a whole has something of an inclusive spirit that for me is a compelling feature. If you enjoy a band that explore the hard rock tradition in a bit more of a varied and inclusive manner than your average hard rock band, this is an album that should be of general interest.

Olav M. Björnsen, June 2024

Links:
https://www.bowmen-band.de/
http://www.fastball-music.com/

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