Last year
Firewind put out the very competent album Forged By Fire, packed with quality Power Metal and now a year later Greek guitarist Gus G (ex. Dream Evil) has gathered a strong team for
Firewind's fourth album continuing the promising tendencies.
New on vocals is Apollo, who has a rougher, not overly melodic but very powerful style. On drums former
Helloween and
Metalium skin slayer Mark Cross debuts with an energetic and crushing performance, just listen to the hammer of an opening track to get a taste of what to expect from the two new guys in the band.
In the category of "right to the point" Power Metal songs with lots of tempo,
Insanity is an album highlight: Shredding guitar solo, catchy chorus and thunderous drums.all great stuff.
Another song fitting in here is
Till The End Of Time, relentlessly leading the way with double bass drumming and a sweet lead melody, and just to add that extra ingredient making things shine even brighter, a ingenious guitar/key split solo is squeezed in.
As the albums single,
Falling To Pieces is a wise choice. A mid-tempo melodic rocker with a spaced-out but immensely cool key melody and to the point rocking guitar solo.
Ready To Strike may have a rather simple refrain, but the calm piano playing and subsequently solo passage that Gus nails down beautifully gives the song a whole new dimension.
Breaking The Silence features guest vocalist Tara giving the song an interesting twist, the chorus seems a bit forced and the idea isn't working out to the fullest potential though. Overall it's rather repetitive but clever keyboard playing injects dynamic and enhancing layers.
To create even more variation
Deliverance is a whole other story. A grand atmosphere is nicely built up from acoustic guitars, creative bass passages and a relaxed chorus, almost making this a half ballad. A good track where the different elements plays nicely of each other.
Dreamchaser lacks neither force, technical extravagance or a tough drive.unfortunately that ever so important chorus line is simply too uninspiring here.
Instrumentals can easily become rather anonymous cuts without much memorable substance. Far from it
Before The Storm is what I would call a suiting and very successful offering, the atmosphere is warm and the guitar playing hypnotic.
The Essence sees an amazing and diverse vocal delivery, packed into a mid-tempo song with an all embracing chorus, an all of a sudden break into a slow inventive section and a great bridge sending it back into full blown action.
As if it was a goal in itself to prove that they master a range of different ways to pin down and execute fine song writing,
Where Do We Go From Here? represents an almost rocking side to the band. Highly groovy, once again a cool refrain and some loose guitar inputs for good measure makes sure this also come in as a winner.
When thinking back upon these 11 songs one of the first things that comes to mind is just how fabulously well all partners in crime bring their distinct and at times mind blowing abilities into the larger picture, these guys are smoking hot.
This is not a half cheesy, fantasy based, epic Power Metal disc (Yeah, I like those too). No, this is groovy, direct and really heavy stuff, keeping in the memorable melodies and harmonies.
The utterly brilliant production has its important part in this, like a ton of metal falling from fourth floor; it's weighty, hard-hitting and loud.
Lyrically conditions are looking bright too, there is an "everyday issues" element to detect: A personal struggle with life's adversities in a search for meaning and a gathering of hope from within along the way makes them easily relatable.
Keep up the good work guys, and by all means the soaring intensity level. it's really refreshing with something this fierce.
Written by
Tommy Monday, July 31, 2006
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