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[ More Music Reviews ]

Ross The Boss: Born Of Fire

Power Thrash Metal

3.0/5.0

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AFM Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 11.03.2020 | Released: 06.03.2020

Almost two years to the month, guitar legend Ross Friedman (The Dictators, Manowar, Death Dealer, et al) returns with his namesake metal band, Ross The Boss, for his fourth studio album, Born Of Fire. The album features drummer Steve Bolognese, Ross's compatriot from Death Dealer.

Ross The Boss (r) & Band

I'm going to keep this review short, and to the point. Which saves both of us some time. Honestly, there's nothing new or novel here within Born Of Fire. Actually, there's an amazing amount of consistent redundancy across the songs (which, sometimes, can be a very fine thing, but not in this case). Whether you start with the first song, listen to the last song, and then pick one in the middle, everything sounds the same. Mostly, every song is made up of power metal to punkish speed, viciously abrasive riffs, Marc Lopez's raw, assertive, and scalding vocals, and then with all things leading to a Boss guitar solo, which are frisky. The combination of abrasive raw riffs with the generally quick pacing is why the designation, power thrash metal. That's pretty much it, and all I have to say. Frankly, I think Friedman is either in a creative musical rut or simply resting on his laurels by rotating his heavy metal tires. But you may hear things differently.

Harem Scarem: Change The World

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.5/5.0

Whoa. Thirty years. That's how long Canada's Harem Scarem has been in the melodic hard rock game. Well, that's excepting a small name change in Canada to ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

There's nothing new within Born Of Fire. Actually, there's an amazing amount of consistent redundancy across the songs. Whether you start with the first song, listen to the last song, and then pick one in the middle, everything sounds the same.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]