You know what you’re going to get from Sinner. Since 1982, Mat Sinner has been doing this, and there has never been much need to change the formula. A riff here, a gallop there and a soaring chorus over the top. Throw in the sort of musicianship that makes difficult things sound effortless, and disappointment was never particularly likely.
“Boom Bang Goodbye” is being billed as the final Sinner album. Rather than quietly slip away, though, Mat has gathered an extraordinary cast of guest singers around guitarist Alex Scholpp and drummer Moritz Müller for one last celebration.
“Dreams Can Come True” establishes the mood immediately. This is unmistakably Sinner, right down to its galloping rhythm and enormous chorus, while Renan Zonta leaves you wondering how on earth he reaches some of those high notes.
“Wait”, featuring Michael Bormann, does something similar but is perhaps a little tougher. Live for now, it seems to suggest, and there is a genuine sense of glee about the whole thing.
Ronnie Romero arrives for “Leave It All Behind”, which brings a touch of reflection. It builds exactly like the finest 1980s power balladry, with the arrangement knowing precisely when to hold back and when to go for the grand gesture.
“All Night Long” provides the contrast. This is a celebration of the good times, delivered with the confidence of people who know exactly what they are doing. The solo is sublime, and you already know it would sound superb live.
“Are You Ready” is so gloriously rooted in the 1980s that, frankly, any more of it and the thing would have shoulder pads on. Björn “Speed” Strid sounds entirely at home in its polished melodic metal surroundings.
“Born To Run” is not a Springsteen cover. There are no hands strapped across any engines here. Instead, Erik Mårtensson fronts a swaggering melodic rock monolith, while the twin-guitar work from Scholpp and returning former Sinner man Mathias Dieth would make Iron Maiden blush.
“Hellbreaker” confirms that this is very much the guitar record you would hope for. Faster, furious and heavier, it finds Romero returning while the work going on behind him is stunning.
There is perhaps more of a folky tinge to “Turn The Page”, with Michael Sadler of Saga bringing his unmistakable voice to something that builds beautifully. Quite apart from the musicianship throughout “Boom Bang Goodbye”, the songs themselves are superb.
That is particularly important because the entire record is uplifting in a way that 2026 scarcely deserves. “Road To Remember” embodies that spirit, marrying another huge hook to the sort of warmth that runs through the album.
“Under The Moonlight” opens with just a touch of Van Halen about it, but largely it simply sounds like the superior hard rock it is. There is no reinvention taking place, because none is required.
The closing “Power” reckons we all need a “wake-up call”, although everyone involved sounds very much at the top of their game. Magnus Karlsson handles both vocals and lead guitar, ensuring the supposed final Sinner song finishes with suitable weight and grandeur.
Mat Sinner reckons this is the end. Whether it really is or not, we will have to see. Lynch Mob recently said much the same with “Dancing With The Devil”, and hard rock goodbyes do not always remain final.
If Sinner really are turning out the lights, though, they are going out on a high.
RATING: 8/10
