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Frontiers Music
Released: 22.02.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.02.2019
And let the accolades fly. Supergroup. A band of heavy metal all-stars. Yup. That's what people are already calling Spirits Of Fire which features some heavy metal royalty: Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-Judas Priest, Iced Earth), Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Death, et al) and Mark Zonder (ex-Fates Warning, Warlord). You want more? Spirits Of Fire was brought together by and their debut album was produced by the legendary Roy Z. With all that heavy metal muscle, these guys better not suck.
Nope. Not happening. Guitarist Chris Caffery speaks to his songwriting: "My influences for writing on this record were the bands that we were and are still in! I wanted to write songs that Priest, Savatage, Testament, and Fates Warning fans would like. But, I wanted them to have a personality of their own as well." Spirits Of Fire has pretty much nailed the classic heavy power metal genre on the head, offering strong riffs with guitar harmony, abundant and thrilling solos, a thundering rhythm section, and Ripper Owens dealing his classic Halford inspired vocals. Of course, with Roy Z behind the knobs the production is glistening and vibrant.
As for the tunes, many songs get you off to the races with strong guitar lines such as Light Speed Marching, Spirits Of Fire, Meet Your End, and All Comes Together, which turns on a fine rock groove. Alternatively, something like A Game, tricks you at the start. Offering Owens' voice over light electric guitar and drums, the song develops steady with a lingering guitar lead, before rising into heavier metal. With Stand And Fight you get a speedy power metal rocker, once again aflame with Caffery's guitar leads. For It's Everywhere, you get acoustic guitar to guide you into more melodic heavy metal rock with fine groove and hooks in the riffs and lyrics. It's likely my favorite song of the gaggle. The album rounds out with something completely different, a somber metal ballad which slowly builds momentum to an ending Caffery guitar solo.
Honestly, Spirits Of Fire's debut is a superior album of classic melodic heavy/power metal from some world class metal musicians. Believe the hype. It's for real.
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Honestly, Spirits Of Fire's debut is a superior album of classic melodic heavy/power metal from some world class metal musicians. Believe the hype. It's for real.
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