Iron Fire
Thunderstorm

A completely Danish reality, I quite like these Iron Fire.

They are classified as a power metal band, but I, at least, hear very little of that power me(tal). Rather, I find many Maiden influences and from all those bands that made NWOBHM great, especially Judas Priest. The spectrum of Helloween is present, but not the modern band, which survives thanks to a lung of steel, but the early Helloween, from the "Walls Of Jericho" and Hansen-Kiske era (especially in the solos), as well as further flashes of Running Wild. In short, just to understand: do you like heavy? It's there. Do you like thrash riffs? They are there. Do you like speedy? That's there too. When you listen to the speedy, clear, melodic solos, do you feel a sense of premature ejaculation? You will ejaculate. Do you hate singers with high-pitched voices, those trying, in vain, to emulate Kiske and Dickinson? Then you'll love Iron Fire because, in essence, they are everything that power metal is not.

They are fast; maybe they aren't excessively technical (but who cares!), but they know their stuff.

Unfortunately, I'm reviewing their third release, which, truth be told, seems really well thought out, excellently sung, played, and baptized, ready to hit the market and be devoured by the fans. In short: it has everything, including the balls.

So, let's get the party started with the speedy "The Final Crusade," where the band immediately shows off their family jewels with a monstrous performance by the entire band, including the singer (this guy is really good...). They continue with excellent tracks of pure heavy-power (a term to be taken with a grain of salt, because by power I mean "strength" and "speed"), all skillfully "adorned" with excellent riffs that owe much to dear 80s thrash. So... there is something for everyone.

The melodies of "Warriors Of Steel," the rocky title track, the monumental "Raise Of The Rainbow" (introduced by a folky guitar that then explodes in all its fury in an excellent song close to the heaviest shores) will truly make you tremble. Great hit songs that won't fail to amaze you.

Slightly off-tone pieces include the monotonous and predictable ones (very power... and when I say power, I mean that damned and cursed power metal) "The Battle Of Freedom" (which in its intro reminds me a lot of Hammerfall... which says a lot... fortunately, then it detaches from Cans and company. Oh, and... just for the record... the solo is truly beautiful) and "The Glory To The King" (this one is really shitty, reminiscent, instead, of Hammerfall in the title... Bleah!).

And, as the rule dictates, here we are at the obligatory ballad "Angel Of Light" which, fortunately, does not prove to be the usual monotonous and predictable ballad, so sweet that it skyrockets your blood sugar and gives you a diabetes attack. The ballad is really well structured, and it's a pleasure to listen to. Introduced by a harmonica (yes!), it manages to recall the old, beloved, devoted, and now-gone NWOBHM... Martin Steen's performance is very good, never wavering, always solid.

I have nothing else to add. Maybe one thing... The song titles. A "touch" of "maturity" and less "childishness" in choosing them would have done the album more justice. And then... Then there's that crappy cover, tacky and absurd, reminiscent of the even tackier and more absurd (do I really have to name them again?)... Hammerfall (it's practically and shamelessly identical to "Glory To The Brave"... what the hell! A minimum of originality wouldn't have hurt at all!). But, as they say, in life, sometimes (many times), you can't have everything...

Around 60 minutes of excellent high-quality heavy-power.

A listen, trust, and chance definitely well deserved. All of them.

Au revoir!