Southern Germany’s Brainstorm are preparing to break their musical silence with their upcoming album, Plague of Rats, set to drop on February 28, through their new record label, Reigning Phoenix Music. They’ve just given a taste of what’s to come with the album’s first single, “Garuda (Eater of Snakes).” The track is accompanied by a music video, crafted by Mirko Witzki. Watch it below.
Stream/purchase “Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” here: https://brainstorm.rpm.link/garudaPR
Pre-order Plague of Rats here: https://brainstorm.rpm.link/plagueofratsPR
“The wait is over, and we couldn’t be happier to finally release new music to our fans. “Garuda” is the perfect introduction to our upcoming album Plague of Rats: it’s heavy and powerful, and you feel connected to the music, the beat, the riffs, and the melodies immediately!” comments guitarist Torsten “Todde” Ihlenfeld.
The single tells the tale of Garuda, the mythological half-human, half-eagle creature known for slaying snakes and serving as the messenger of the gods. With its powerful riffs and Far Eastern melodies, “Garuda (Eater of Snakes)” bursts forth as a dynamic and fitting introduction to Plague of Rats. This track doesn’t just live up to its name—it’s a striking first glimpse into the album’s sonic landscape. The accompanying music video delves deeper into the rich tapestry of Indian mythology and legends, immersing fans in this mystical world. Plague of Rats can now be pre-ordered in your preferred physical format (earbook, digipak-CD, colored vinyl, ticket bundle), pre-saved on your favorite digital service provider (DSP), or pre-ordered digitally (including the instant-grat track “Garuda (Eater of Snakes)”)
Though Brainstorm have a long history — much like the ancient Indus civilization, the main force behind Plague Of Rats — they’re still in tune with the times. Their latest opus combines signature elements with a fresh, modern edge that’s clearly left its mark on the album. Plus, the band’s ‘attack mode’ approach shines through with a line-up of powerful tracks – no slow songs, no ballads, just pure, high-energy metal. Created alongside their trusted team — Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann for mixing and mastering at Greenman Studios, Gyula Havancsák on artwork, and Alex Kühr on photography — this album delivers ten epic new tracks that will transport fans to the captivating world of India and beyond.
Plague Of Rats tracklisting:
01Beyond Enemy Lines
02 Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)
03 Fale Memories
04 The Shepherd Girl (Gitavoginda)
05 Your Soul That Lingers In Me [feat. Elina Siirala]
06 Masquerade Conspiracy
07 From Hell [feat. Alex Krull]
08 The Dark Of Night
09 Crawling
10 Celebrate Youth [RICK SPRINGFIELD Cover; excl. digipak/earbook bonus track]
11 Curtains Fall
Once caught by “Garuda (Eater of Snakes),” which will likely find its way to the band’s future set list, European metalheads should make sure to attend Brainstorm’s eight-date release tour alongside Arion and Stranger Vision. The tour kicks off on the night before the official Plague of Rats release date in Aschaffenburg, Germany. Dates and ticket info can be found below.
Brainstorm live
The Plague That Burns The Sky
Brainstorm + Arion
Co-headline tour 2025
w/ Stranger Vision
Presented by Rock Hard, musix, metal.de, powermetal.de, Decibel-Touring & RPM
February:
27 DE Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal
28 CH Solothurn – Kulturfabrik Kofmehl
March:
01 DE Essen – Turock
02 DE Mannheim – 7er Club
03 DE Munich – Backstage (Halle)
04 DE Hamburg – Bahnhof Pauli
05 DE Hanover – MusikZentrum
06 DE Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
Excl. CD+ticket bundles: https://brainstorm.rpm.link/shopPR
Regular tickets: https://linktr.ee/brainstormarion
More upcoming Brainstorm live dates:
March:
08 NL Harderwijk – Estrado
09 NL Gouda – StudioGonz
June:
05 – 08 DE Oettingen i. Bay. – Camping Battleground Festival
August:
24.08.2025 PL Pindelo dos Milagres – Milagre Metaleiro Open Air
Brainstorm boasts an unparalleled career: since their 1997 debut, Hungry, the band has continued to evolve and solidify their position in the international metal scene with standout albums like Metus Mortis (2001), Soul Temptation (2003), Liquid Monster (2005), and more recent releases such as Midnight Ghost (2018) and Wall of Skulls (2021). Having toured worldwide and achieved impressive chart positions in recent years, Brainstorm remains as determined as ever to set new milestones instead of resting on their laurels.
Brainstorm are:
Andy B. Franck – Vocals
Torsten Ihlenfeld – Guitars
Milan Loncaric – Guitars
Jim Ramses – Bass
Dieter Bernert – Drums
Follow Brainstorm:
https://www.brainstorm-web.net/
https://www.facebook.com/officialbrainstorm
https://www.instagram.com/official.brainstorm/
https://x.com/Brainstorm_band
https://www.tiktok.com/@officialbrainstorm