Fireforce – March On

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March On opens up with the volley of classic heavy metal that is Coastal Battery, which more or less sets the tone for the entire album. Fireforce play pure, fundamental heavy metal, as if thirty years of increasingly obscure genres hadn’t existed. The band’s incredibly old school sound would suggest a band that has been knocking about for years, but far from it – Fireforce are only a couple of years old. Between the band’s war-themed lyrics and their singers throaty delivery, it is difficult not to think of Grave Digger when hearing this album. The heavy guitars and odd high pitched scream also allude to early-Iced Earth, whilst the good old fashioned odes to loving and playing metal (Born to Play Metal, Metal Rages On) can’t help but suggest Manowar comparisons. March On is a primitive and basic sounding heavy metal record, with a fairly stripped down, essentials-only recording. The band sound like they have a very well conceived idea of what they want to do – play heavy metal, and nothing more – and succeed in doing just that. The only complaint, albeit a rather important one, is that they never manage to make it really interesting or engaging. It never breaks the mold, nor does it excel by creating powerful tunes or showcasing stellar talent. It’s simply a satisfactory heavy metal record, and little more. Perhaps though, that’s good enough for a debut album.

Written by James Donovan
More: 2011, Albums, Power Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, Fireforce