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Firewind: Firewind
Firewind 2020 Self-titled Album Art

Firewind: Firewind

Melodic Heavy/Power Metal
4.0/5.0

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AFM Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.05.2020 | Released: 15.05.2020

We all know Firewind, the band and platform for Greek musician Gus G. and his immense neo-classical guitar theatrics. He and his band have been dropping albums, somewhat consistently since 2002, yet with often shifting personnel, notably in the vocal department. When he bounced from his Ozzy Osbourne gig to record Immortals, Henning Basse was on the microphone. He stayed with Gus for five years, the second longest serving vocalist. Now Gus and crew are back with a new album, sufficiently self-titled Firewind, and a new vocalist in Herbie Langhans, known for his work with Avantasia, Sinbreed, Seventh Avenue, and a host of other bands.

Firewind - Click For Larger Image

Firewind

Essentially, a Firewind album needs little introduction or explanation. I actually gave it away in the first sentence of this review. Every album revolves around Gus G.'s songwriting which exists to display his fret pyrotechnics in the context of traditional heavy power metal. Name your guitar wizard, Uli Jon Roth, Yngwie, et al, and Konstantinos Karamitroudis is a disciple faithfully executing a familiar formula.

The songs within Firewind are large and bombastic power metal romps where sharp riff harmony and extended neo-classical guitar solos muscle it out with an agressive rhythm section delivering gallop and groove and a vocalist trying to keep his head above the raging power metal fury. Oh yeah. Gus likes to drop in some synths here and there. Firewind and Firewind is like a power metal royal rumble with only four members. But you know who the last man standing will be after the last musician has been tossed over the top rope. Gus G. and his trusty Jackson guitar. Pedal to the power metal tunes come with Welcome To The Empire, Devour, and the uber-fast Kill The Pain. Alternatively, speed is tempered by steady heaviness with the tougher tunes Orbitual Sunrise and Overdrive. That latter title, as well as All My Life and Space Cowboy, displays Gus's gift for crafting a song with some self-evident groove for heavy metal rock. With Longing To Know You Firewind drops a symphonic melodic metal ballad, heavier, but an anthem nonetheless. All in all, Firewind is simply more Firewind with Gus G. displaying his frequent and fiery neo-classical guitar chops in the context of catchy melodic power metal. Recommended.



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The Bottom Line

All in all, Firewind is simply more Firewind with Gus G. displaying his frequent and fiery neo-classical guitar chops in the context of catchy melodic power metal. Recommended.

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