Firebird
No.3

I park the car in Maglioggio, a small hamlet in the municipality of Crodo in the Antigorio Valley. Backpack on my shoulders and off I go; once again "In Perfetta Solitudine" (quote: Diaframma) to fully appreciate these places so dear, so necessary to me. In silence, accompanied by the sound of my footsteps along the leaf-covered path; the route winds through a dense forest, and I must pay attention to that signal made of several small stacked stones. There it is, I see it, and at this point, I have to turn right, leave the main road, and proceed into the woods, following a slight trace for a few minutes. I reach the rock face and climb without difficulty to get to the narrow ledge, the semi-hidden passage to be traversed with utmost caution because it is narrow, low, uncomfortable. A few dozen meters and I reach the destination: The Balma dei Cervi and its ancient rock paintings. Something unique here in Ossola; symbolic red-colored graffiti drawn in prehistoric times by ancient populations. A stylized bird, a sketched human figure, lines and dots that seem randomly placed, but they are not.

Graffiti and signs on the rock; present in these forms for millennia, with evident references to a very distant past...suddenly the revelation. A flash and I am reminded of the Firebird and the cover of their third album. Bill Steer, the founding leader of the group, drawn, sketched by a skillful hand; sitting and intent on playing the guitar, barefoot…Like a graffiti of the Balma; the same intensity, the same evocative force, the same emotion. Music and Mountains: a perfect combination for me.

Now, only now can I begin to talk about the album.

Bill Steer is one of the fathers of Grindcore and Death Metal; he played in the early Napalm Death, contributed to the birth of Carcass. He is an enthusiast, a profound connoisseur of the music from the sixties-seventies. He loves Hard-Rock-Blues and put together the Firebird in the late nineties.

No.3 was released in 2003; it's the third and successful chapter. Once again, the impressive comparisons that can be drawn, that leap to the ear when listening to the work. It looks to the past and those magical years that saw the emergence of hundreds of bands that made history on the music scene. A sound that of the Firebird completely derivative, as already heard an infinite number of times; however, there is class, there is expertise, there is so much passion in the ten tracks present. A perfect production that tries to highlight Bill's guitar work and also his clear voice, far from the haunting and frightening growl that made him famous among those who appreciate metallic extremism.

A classic trio formation; bass and drums that strive to support the guitar rides arranged by Bill. An organ, reminiscent of Deep Purple, and a harmonica make the sound even richer and more effective.

We start at a charging pace with "Cross The Line" and on the same level, we also place "End of the Day": an unrestrained unruly boldness, made of wild and sunny six-string riffs. A rightful tribute to Hendrix can be extracted in the short "Tumbling Down"; the slide guitar in "Station" seems to come from Eric Clapton's hands. The long and dusky "Long Gone" would not look out of place in Free's repertoire, thanks to a melancholy and reflective mood. Listen to the end of the track, and you'll agree with me!!

Compared to the first two albums, there is a greater control, a certain catchiness, especially in the vocal lines. Less raw but still irresistible.

The collection closes with the gentle simplicity of "Friend," one of the peaks of the entire production of the Firebird.

Well done, Bill, another nearly perfect hit.

Ad Maiora.