FRENZY FIRE
METAL & ROCK REVIEWS
Into The Flames
|
FRENZY FIRE |
||||||
|
METAL & ROCK REVIEWS |
||||||
| HOME | ||||||
| REVIEWS | ||||||
| ARTISTS | ||||||
| UPCOMING | ||||||
| LINKS | ||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
Into The Flames |
||||||
| Sole Syndicate are a hard rock band from Sweden formed in 2015. releasing their debut album 'Garden Of Eden' in 2016. The bands sophomore album 'Last Days Of Eden', was released in 2020, with third album 'Into The Flames' a 2022 release... | ||||||
| ...featuring twelve songs over an incredible sixty seven minutes! | ||||||
| The hard rockers from Sweden certainly give value for money with plenty to offer on their new album. The bands meld of groove with melodic rock is punchy and hugely bombastic - so be prepared for a head nodding, foot tapping, smile inducing listening experience, as Sole Syndicate launch the album with the six minute plus 'Forsaken'. To open an album with such a long song is a bold move, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. In my opinion, the first song on any album has to be immediate and infectious, making you want to hear more - and in the shape of 'Forsaken', Sole Syndicate do just that! The heavy groove rock style of the band is as loud as ever, bombastically bashing the ears with a blend of hard rock that is just intoxicating. And although 'Forsaken' is a mid tempo stroll, there are passages of pummelling punch that'll knock you into next week! 'Count To Zero' moves up a few divisions and punches a lot harder than the opening song - tempo and energy levels rising higher too. The groove is gorgeous, the band invoking involuntary foot tapping and head nodding among listeners everywhere. What a cracking opening double... | ||||||
| ...leading into the mellower strains of 'Brave Enough' - that switches to the hardest punching song heard so far. 'Brave Enough' blends hymn-like majesty with an almighty foot stomp, and a sing a long-able chorus that a live audience will surely lap up - should the band play it live of course. 'Shadow Of My Love' sends the album into ballad country, which is not unusual for hard rock albums. But in the shape of 'Shadow Of My Love', Sole Syndicate meld ballad, anthemic, and hymn-like tendencies to great effect, allowing for lighters in the air, arms raised high, and bodies swaying from side to side, along with a harder hitting chorus break that, again, will be lapped up by the audience in a live arena. With its cheeky tongue-in-cheek title, 'Miss Behave' is a breath taking romp of electrified energy. The quickest song heard so far, the band let loose with a blend of hard rock bordering on heavy metal and the iconic "foot on the monitor" gallop - Sole Syndicate baring their teeth and showing mild levels of ferocity and aggression! 'Dust Of Angels' maintains the energetic nature of the previous song, yet increases the punchiness - if that's even possible! Well it must be, for Sole Syndicate have done it - and done it with a huge amount of confidence. | ||||||
| Adopting an American style of hard rock, 'Sunset Strip' reminds me of bands such as Aerosmith, Great White, and Night Ranger - with a swaggering style of blues tinged hard rock. The majestic march of 'Sunset Strip' places it in the upper echelons of rock, heading for stadium rock. 'Do You Believe' takes on a more nineties style of rock, with elements of progressive, alternative, and even a little grunge. Sole Syndicate are not afraid to expand their soundscape, taking onboard influences and nuances from many other genres of rock - all the while keeping their root groove intact. Strains of ballad territory fill the air once more, as the band stroll on with 'In The Absence Of Light' - progressing to impose a bombastic foot stomp and move away from mellow to majestic and proud. 'In The Absence Of Light' is a powerful blend of ballad and hymn-like leanings, the band not afraid to continue their tour around every corner of the rock genre. | ||||||
| And as the album enters its final quarter, my interest has not waned one bit - Sole Syndicate weaving addictiveness into every song on offer. 'Freak Like Me' is a thunderous and punchy march of heavy groove rock, with one of the biggest melodic edges of any song on the album. And the chorus - sing a long-able or what! Sole Syndicate continuing to amaze me - starting two years ago with 'Last Days Of Eden'. Returning the earlier electrified energy,'Back Against The Wall' is up tempo and punchy, blending faster paced passages with an almighty foot stomp. The chorus is quick, and may just bang a few heads as it thunders on by. The albums final song is also the title song - 'Into The Flames' clocking in at over ten minutes in length! And it is an epic in every sense of the word. From its mellow beginnings, to its highly anthemic rhythm and majestic hymn-like swagger, 'Into The Flames' (the song) is a wandering meander of infectious hard rock. There is melodious intent, sing a long ability, and an immense level of hook ability, you'll not be able to stop listening - right from minute one to minute ten! | ||||||
| Overall, a head nodding, foot tapping, smile inducing slab of heavy hitting grove rock, 'Into The Flames' is a great album. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
| Review is also featured at Metal-Roos | ||||||
| Other Reviews | ||||||
|
|
||||||
| Last Days Of Eden | ||||||
| "a groove laden and hugely melodic hard rock album, full of stunning surprises from start to finish" Read Review | ||||||
| Top | ||||||