Iron Savior – Firestar
AFM Records
Release Date: 06/10/23
Running Time: 50:14
Review by Simon Black
10/10
Sometimes an artist really just gets it into the back of the proverbial net….
I hadn’t really had much exposure to Iron Savior back in the day, as they never really made as much of a dent in the UK compared to some of their peers, and then their back catalogue got lost into the rights purgatory that’s cursed so many former Noise International artists that aren’t big enough to afford lawyers to wrestle control back from whoever holds the catalogue this week. Their answer was simply to do a Taylor Swift and re-record the lot, and good on them, as the “Reforged” series has been going strong for a few years now. But they are also in parallel still writing and recording new stuff, and I quite enjoyed 2020’s “Skycrest”, as well as being impressed with the reboots.
Then there’s this one…
From the get-go, this album bursts forth demanding to be heard properly, which means my neighbours are also going to be giving me feedback on it sometime soon, because this has so far taken over the stereo this week and ain’t letting anything else in for review. Although you would expect a band of this level of experience to know the ropes, but “Firestar”, however, is in another league entirely from anything I’ve heard from them previously.
Each and every track is a thundering masterclass in precision focussed German Power Metal, with catchy riffs, anthems and melodies that roar, soar and generally smash your brains out with a slice of lemon wrapped around Douglas Adams’ hypothetical gold brick. Stylistically, they are absolutely in their traditional spot, but the difference this time is the sheer energy and efficacy of the delivery, which somehow seems to have captured both the essence of their sound and that certain magic something that turns the dials all the way up to 11.
Without an iota of padding, nor indeed anything much slower than 176 beats per minute, this isn’t an album, it’s a juggernaut. Back of the net? Nah, this one’s up there orbiting with the spaceship that always graces their album covers…
TRACKLISTING:
01. The Titan
02. Curse of the Machinery
03. In the Realm of Heavy Metal
04. Demise of the Tyrant
05. Firestar
06. Through the Fires of Hell
07. Mask, Cloak and Sword
08. Across the Wastelands
09. Rising from Ashes
10. Nothing Is Forever
11. Together as One
LINE-UP:
Piet Sielck – Vocals, Guitars
Joachim “Piesel” Küstner – Guitars
Jan S. Eckert – Bass
Patrick Klose – Drums
LINKS:
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