Born of Fire was formed back in 1998, in Arizona (US) releasing their first demo a year later and a first full length in 2000 called Transformation, comprising a sophisticated power metal style well accepted by the international media. After a 3 tracks EP the band took a lull of 10 years just to come back with renovated energies in 2012 releasing the compilation album Anthology via No Remorse Records.
Born of fire then signed with Pure Steel and are ready to release their second full length the next 14th November, Dead winter Sun, heralds notorious progressive drippings under an American power metal structure, lots of changes of rhythms in the compositions and the inclusion of orchestrated elements combined with the melodic electric guitars, and no doubt, the vocals are in the clean, melodic and mid high pitched style on the line of bands like Queensryche, Fate Warning or Crimson Glory.
Cast the last stone starts the record becoming part of the highlights of the album, awesome from the mid tempo pulse with melodic vocals to a catchy chorus linked with Dead winter sun, the tittle track of the album, being another top track of genuine progressive American power metal, slow to mid paced track on the line of Queensryche.
Echoes of the lost goes in crescendo to a mid pulse intense anthem with one of the best vocal performance well backed by orchestra and electric guitars as the Hollow Soul riff take you to an awesome mid paced trip of epic verses and melodic progression with outstanding interpretation on the vocals, then the double pedal drums introduces the listener to the aggressive headbanging song In a cold world containing some modern elements but very much on the line of the band's style, excellent the changes of pulse and the vocal perception.
Last goodbye and Tears are the ballads of the album, with a good amount of intensity and also enriched with a refined composition that in general has been taken care in every detail, the acoustic guitars and violins play definitely a very well performed role.
As the symphony of Speed of dark opens in very well produced dark atmospheric feeling its the turn of Spiritual warfare, continuing the usual rhythm patterns of the rest of the album, with remarkable job of the vocalist creating a good high pitched pace, and also the harmony between the guitars and orchestra elements are brilliant.
When hope dies explodes in a fast tempo pure power metal act, the progressive drippings are leaded at perfection by a combination of power and aggressive elements, superb performance in this track, remarkably their best hit to finish the album.
The album in general is awesomely produced, and the details have been taken care denoting a hard job well done, every song is sophisticated in the compositions and the vocal parts are remarkably brilliant, but looking the album as a whole, you'll find the pulse in general follows the same diagrams, feeling some times the need of faster rhythms or more straight choruses.
Excellent album though, Dead winter Sun remarks the reborn of this band, burning brighter than ever with renovated power!
7,5 / 10
Born of Fire are comprised by:
Gordon Tittsworth - vocals
Booby Chavez - guitars
Victor Morell - guitars & keyboards
Michael Wolff - bass guitar
