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St. Elmo's Fire: Evil Never Sleeps

Heavy/Power Metal

4.0/5.0

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Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 21.03.2018

Not to be confused with the movie or it's popular theme song, St. Elmo's Fire is an American metal band from California formed in 1979. Between 1986 and 1992, the band dropped four popular albums and became a regular fixture on LA's Sunset Strip. The albums were collected by Karthago Records and re-released in 2015. About the same time guitarist and founding member Jeff Jones resurrected the band with all new personnel. Now St. Elmo's Fire drops their fifth studio album, Evil Never Sleeps.

St. Elmo's Fire

Essentially, St. Elmo's Fire plays traditional American heavy power metal, with Jones' guitar lines a significant and strong presence. Jones allows his guitar to lead the harmony and aid the melody of each song. Then he tears into terrific solos. Vocalist Kevin Brady sings clean and melodic, also adding to the song harmony, but at times can seem a bit muted in the mix. After this, most every song moves with some speed, developed by the pacing of a powerful rhythm section. Yet underneath all the gallop, the rhythm section delivers some sweet rock groove.

As for the songs, for heavy power metal listen for We Will Not Die, I Begin, Lord Of Thunder, Across The Nations, and Hammer. Alternatively, something different comes with Rise. With catchy riffs and a memorable refrain, the song is a more a heavy metal rocker, easily suitable for radio airplay. Then there's Soultaker which also moves by some groove, but that comes with a thundering bottom end from the bass and drums. The album comes with three bonus tracks, alternative versions of Doomsday, Betrayer, and Wasted, though they didn't seem all that different to me. Nevertheless, Evil Never Sleeps finds St. Elmo's Fire back in the saddle, delivering a fine album of American heavy power metal. Recommended.

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Evil Never Sleeps finds St. Elmo's Fire back in the saddle, delivering a fine album of American heavy power metal. Recommended.

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Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]