FIREFORCE – Annihilate The Evil

5/10

FIREFORCE - Annihilate The Evil - 5/10

5/10

Summary

Limb Music
Release date: September 1, 2017

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User Review

4/10 (1 vote)

Is “Combat” Power Metal a genre? If it is, Antwerp’s Fireforce secures the high ground with the quintet’s third album. Unfortunately, it’s a small hill next to a mountain crowned with Sabaton’s fortress. Fireforce does not have the musical quality to threaten the mighty army from Sweden.

The production of the album is solid. The vocals are not overwhelming, guitar is soothingly heavy, snare and cymbals are harnessed and the bass drum putters along like an old Harley struggling to stay lit. The bass guitar is largely M.I.A. due in large part to the band’s simple song structure with rhythm and bass guitars playing in lock-step.

The opening track “The Boys From Down Under” hits hard with a furious burst of Speed Metal guitar and drum fury. The train goes of the rail when vocalist Filip Lemmens stretches out the word “…fighting…” during the chorus. His inability to execute a Metal vocal creates a cringe-worthy auditory assault, which can distract the listener from an otherwise decent song. The following tracks “Revenge In Flames” and “Fake Hero” also feature promising instrumentals and decent song writing, but are ultimately sabotaged for the same reason. Lemmens’ shortcomings are evident in most songs. He manages an average performance speaking the lyrics, but lacks the vocal quality to successfully deliver a Metal sound. Tonally, he is reminiscent of Biff Byford of Saxon.

Annihilate The Evil is an uncomplicated, full-frontal Power Metal assault hobbled by vocalist limitations. Recommended only for die-hard fans of military-themed Power Metal.

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Author

Zac Halter

Zac was a reviewer here at Metal Express Radio, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His interest in heavy music began in the 70s with his father’s Johnny Cash albums. After cousins introduced him to Steppenwolf, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, KISS, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Johnny Cash didn’t stand a chance. The 80s were spent in full pursuit of everything Metal: searching for new music at record stores, listening to albums, studying the covers and sleeves, and attending concerts. In the 90s, he preferred Death Metal over Grunge and hosted the Death Metal Juggernaut on WUPX in Marquette, Michigan. It was advertised as the only prime time Death Metal radio show in the country.
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