Search - Anthem :: No Smoke Without Fire

Feel the heat!

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 05/02/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1990, No Smoke Without Fire was the sixth studio album by long-running Japanese metal band Anthem. I hate to take the easy way out and compare them to their better known countrymen Loudness, but that's really the most valid comparison. Anthem is a straight-up heavy metal band that was obviously very influenced by bands like Judas Priest and Accept.



No Smoke Without Fire is one of Anthem's more polished releases. There's still a great Accept meets Judas Priest vibe, but the songs are better written and more melodic, and new vocalist Yukio Morikawa seems to be more comfortable at the mic than his predecessor. I miss the early Anthem "Rock n' Roll Survivor" type songs, but songs like "Love on the Edge", "Hungry Soul" and "The Night We Stand" definitely fit the late 80's metal mentality.



I can't see any 80's metal fan not liking this album. The only problem may be tracking it down. It was remastered and reissued in 2000, but is still not that easy to find, at least not for a reasonable price."