IRON FIRE

‘To The Grave’ is Danish band Iron Fire's fifth album and what an excellent disc it is too. It makes an immediate impact with ‘The Beast From The Blackness‘, a storming opener, which brings to mind the classic power metal of Helloween and Stratovarius. As the album progresses, it becomes clear that the band have a strong grasp of melody giving ‘To The Grave’ a more commercial feel than most power metal bands with this quality more often associated with some of the heavier AOR bands of the 80s such as the underrated Q5, White Sister and fellow Danes, Pretty Maids. In spite of this more accessible appeal the cracking riffs, which the band consistently deliver and the chest beating, air punching choruses ensure that the album's roots are firmly planted in the power metal genre. The title track, ‘The Battlefield‘, ‘March of The Immortals’, ‘The Kingdom’ and ‘Hail To Odin’ show off all these qualities. ‘Ghost Of Vengeance’ is Kamelot influenced and again does not fail to impress. Iron Fire have suffered many ups and downs since their formation in 1997 with many line-up changes (quite often due to medical/personal reasons) and loss of record label interest. ‘To The Grave’ is a tribute to the band's perseverance, particularly vocalist Martin Steene, the sole original member and is an album they can all be proud of. I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who has a passion for any type of melodic riff-orientated metal.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Napalm Records

Album

TO THE GRAVE

Review by Dave Crewe

RUNNING TIME:

55:40

RELEASE DATE:

12th Jan 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) The Beast From The Blackness
2) Kill For Metal
3) To The Grave
4) The Battlefield
5) Cover The Sun
6) March Of The Immortals
7) The Kingdom
8) Frozen In Time
9) Hail To Odin
10) Doom Riders
11) Ghost of Vengeance
12) The Demon Master

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Denmark

"...brings to mind the classic power metal of Helloween and Stratovarius."