Search - Fueled By Fire :: Spread the Fire

Thrash is back...I guess

Matthew R. Martinez | Los Angeles, CA | 12/14/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"There has been a re-emergence of thrash metal as of late in many parts of Los Angeles. Bands like Merciless Death, Fueled By Fire and others are at the forefront of it and although it is great to see this music again, this particular album does not really seem to capture the scene of the 80s. Sure they have high tops, tight jeans and King Vs, but when you really listen to the lyrics, the record seems more focused on posers, circle pits and it is filled with references to 80s thrash bands and their lyrics. Hopefully their next release will contain songs with a meaning. But hey it's a start."

Nearly Death Angel...

Yoruk Kurtaran | Istanbul, Turkey | 10/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fast, riff oriented, vocals like Death Angel, style like Bay Area Thrash bands; especially like Dark Angel, Death Angel, Vio-Lence. Beware: It is not metalcore. It is Thrash! Not like it is 1st class, but definately good."

Breaking The Stereotype

B. Fanciulli | United States | 09/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A glance at the band photo on the back cover would lead one to assume this is just another in the over-filled pool of West Coast death metal bands. But, wait. The logo font looks mysteriously like that of Annihilator. The front cover artwork depicts one of the band members in '80's metal fashion, sporting mirrored sunglasses, a leather jacket, and a studded jean-vest over it, strangling what appear to be emo kids. Looks promising.



For thrashers who have spent the last 15+ years in the closet, listening to old Kreator, Exodus, Sodom, and early Slayer albums, it's time to come out. No more settling for releases from our aging heroes that lack the spark of earlier days, or the occasional good death metal or metalcore album just for something new to listen to. Amazing new thrash bands are appearing everywhere, it seems. Fueled By Fire is at the forefront of the onslaught of thrash albums released in the last year, right behind the new Municipal Waste.



The instrumental intro track is okay--the rhythm lifted from DRI's "4 of a Kind"--a primer for what's to come. The second track, appropriately titled Thrash is Back, is a mix between Kreator's Total Death and Metallica's Whiplash, with a Killers-era Iron Maiden-like guitar solo. Awesome. From there forward, with the exception of Betrayal--a thrash ballad that the album could totally have done without, this is a full-on jigga-jigga-jigga thrash assault; somewhere between early Kreator and the first two Maiden albums. The vocals even sound a bit like Paul Di'Anno, with the occasional hideous screams to boot!"