Arctic Flame – Guardian At The Gate

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Given that traditional heavy metal is a good 35 years old now (or more, depending on definition), it is no wonder that people are running out of good ideas within the genre. American band Arctic Flame have been trying their hardest, having already cranked out a few albums, with typically named Guardian At The Gate being their latest effort. There are, however, flaws with Guardian At The Gate that go beyond simply retreading a style that has been more or less exhausted. The songs themselves are a bit slow and pedestrian, but not entirely without charm – opener My Little Slice of Hell isn’t such a bad cut, with some memorable melodies. Other times their songs can be tiring and rather dull. The real issue is execution, though. Arctic Flame’s heroes might be the leaders of NWOBHM, but sadly they are more comparable to one of the dregs of the genre with far less musical talent than someone like Iron Maiden. The guitar playing on the title track, for example, is very loose and sounds lazily played – perhaps guitarist Sebastian Garcia just agreed it was a slow and boring track too? Michael Clayton-Moore’s rather thin vocals also don’t do the majority of the album justice either, a pleasant enough style but in a genre that really needs its vocalist to excel, he doesn’t succeed. But with that being said, there are times where it really does come together, like in the rather politically incorrect Raise Your Glasses. The good generally speaking isn’t enough to outweigh the bad, but frankly it is becoming more and more difficult to make something genuinely interesting within this sub-genre that will appeal beyond traditional metal purists. Arctic Flame give it a good go; it’s mostly a flop, but not without its moments.

Written by James Donovan
More: 2011, Albums, Heavy Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, Arctic Flame