Fire From The Gods — Reviews

Nowadays, you really have to go into a metalcore album expecting the absolute standard. And maybe some days you're just in the mood for hours upon hours of the same downtuned riffs and screaming, and there's nothing wrong with that. We all have those times. Fire From The Gods is the next band that fits into that similar metalcore vibe, but their vocalist does provide a... sound for sore ears.

First and foremost though, most everything else about this band is that same old metalcore sound we're all used to. But that means we have driven riffs to jam out too. We have a big start with 'Public Enemy', riffs and rap metal vocals carrying it through to the end. The growled vocals throughout are also great if you're in a mad mood. A lot of other great instrumentals mark the album - 'In Spite Of Doubt' has a breakdown with some fantastic guitar. 'Composition' is also chock full of great instrumental elements that make it stand out. Closing track 'Into The Blue' starts uncharacteristically quiet, before becoming a confident song that takes the album to its end.

What's special about this band is vocalist AJ Turner. He's the only thing diverse about the album. To begin with, he's African American. That's not something you see a lot in metalcore, let alone in the vocals. Props to him already. That takes confidence. His vocals are incredibly vast, too. From the Avenged Sevenfold meets Beastie Boys style rapping on 'Public Enemy' to the clean vocals on 'Into The Blue' to the brutal growls on 'Lifeline', this guy can really go a lot of places with his vocals. What's really special are those harmonies in the choruses of 'Excuse Me'. There's something mechanical about his voice, almost likes it's gone through a vocoder, and under that is the low clean vocals. In between lines comes harmonies of growls that are just phenomenal. There's an almost reggae style vocal in the bridge, too, harkening back to what I can assume would be Turner's roots. There's a lot of diversity on this album as far as the vocals go.

That is what Fire From The Gods needs to capitalize on. Those big choruses full of giant harmonies; that's a sound I haven't heard before, and if I have, not in a long time. Metalcore doesn't go very far instrumental. You either evolve out of the sound or stay with the big riffs. What can be changed is the vocals, and there's a lot of hope for this band.

Favorite Tracks: Excuse Me, Composition

Least Favorite Tracks: End Transmission, Diversion, Pretenders

Rating: 62 / 100