FRENZY FIRE

    

METAL & ROCK REVIEWS

    
             
HOME            
REVIEWS            
ARTISTS            
UPCOMING            
LINKS            
             

     
   
   
       
       

Denial To Fall

    
       
       
       
     
             
Spitfire are a heavy metal band from Greece, forming in 1984 and releasing their debut album 'First Attack' in 1987. A spectacular release, 'First Attack' saw the band immediately rise to prominence and garner the attention of metal heads everywhere. With the band on the verge of breaking big, tragedy struck when their singer Dinos Costakis was seriously injured in a car accident, forcing his retirement from the band, and performing altogether. While such tragedies can end careers, Spitfire found the resilience to go on, releasing a live album '100% Live' in 1990 under the name Speedfire. Returning to their original name during the mid-1990's, the band went through some line-up changes, but kept performing, and released a second album 'Die Fighting' in 2009. Over the years the band have shared a stage with the likes of Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Scorpions. With just guitarist Elias Logindis as the sole remaining original member, the five piece outfit from Greece make their return to the metal scene with 'Denial To Fall' - the bands third album.    
             
And what an album it is! Nine Songs and forty five minutes of pulsating heavy metal...the kind of metal that gets the adrenaline flowing and hearts racing. Spitfire are back - and firing on all cylinders. The album explodes into life with 'Stand And Fight' a barnstorming tirade of fast paced and highly anthemic metal. The head bang ability is off the charts, the pounding rhythm a head bangers dream as all the mosh pits everywhere come to life in a frenzied fury. Yet, among all this fiery swagger, is a melodious intent that keeps 'Stand And Fight' infectious, catchy, and memorable. Picking up the pace and forging ahead at speed, 'Wasted' is a ferocious heavy hitter. The galloping rhythm is at full tilt, and the foot on the monitor nature of 'Wasted' takes me back to the glorious eighties when that style was all the rage. A cracking opening double salvo from the Greek metallers.    
             
Title song 'Denial To Fall' assumes the heavy foot stomping style of legends Judas Priest. The pulsating rhythm is highly infectious, making the head bangers of the world involuntarily nod their heads back and forth. Bombastic barnstormer just doesn't do 'Denial To Fall' (the song) enough justice! At over six minutes in length, 'Unholy' is the longest song on offer and is an epic and glory styled journey of heavy hitting, anthemic metal. Think of the epics Manowar and Powerwolf have delivered over the years - and you'll get some idea of what 'Unholy' sounds like. And with a title of 'Ready To Attack', you'd be expecting to hear a raging thunderstorm of a tune - and you wouldn't be far wrong! 'Ready To Attack' is the hardest hitting song heard so far, simply pulsating with oomph and oof! If heads weren't banging before, they damn well will be now. Oh this is getting good. With its slightly mellower mood, the foot stomping nature of 'On My Own' is highly majestic, marching across the land as though it owns the place. The bouncy feel of 'On My Own' reminds me a little of The Sanity Days - the project featuring former members of the British thrash metal band Onslaught. The heavy power metal style of the bands 2015 debut 'Evil Beyond Belief' appears highly influential to 'On My Own'.    
             
Spitfire are roaming right round the genre of heavy metal to create an interesting and infectious listen - moving into the realms of hard rock for 'Many Lies', more specifically, a metallized style of the famous AC/DC boogie. Yep, you heard me right - the AC/DC boogie. 'Many Lies' is heavy, with venomous vocals, and a swagger that is beyond belief, the band exploring outside the box with this one. 'Naked Fire' firmly plants the album back in the box, thundering along at a mid tempo, highly energetic pace. The traditional metal gallop is also back, as is the foot on the monitor vibe and a head banging ability that is simply through the fucking roof. Bringing the album to a close is the fast to mid paced 'Back To Zero' - a fiery tirade of traditional heavy metal. The album began fast, ended fast, with every other pace known to man in-between - what a roller coaster ride of metal styles to attract a wide array of fans.     
             
Overall, a forty five minute metal pummelling with a traditional flavour full of energy and pizzazz.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
Review is also featured at Metal-Roos    
             
             
Top