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The Flame Still Burns

    
       
       
       
     
             
Tarchon Fist are a heavy metal band from Italy formed in 2005, releasing five albums to date - 'Tarchon Fist' (2008), 'Fighters' (2009), 'Heavy Metal Black Force' (2013), 'Apocalypse' (2019), and 'The Flame Still Burns', released in 2023.    
             
And boy does the flame still burn! The flame of traditional heavy metal that is - the Italian outfit a hard hitting heavy metal machine! The new album features eleven songs across a barnstorming forty six minutes, all coming to life with the old school flavoured title song 'The Flame Still Burns' - featuring the iconic gallop of classic heavy metal. Raise your fists in the air readers (and listeners) and salute the sound of heavy metal as it should be: infectious, catchy and highly head bang-able! Pace and intensity doubles for the blistering 'Lens Of Life', a raucous rocket of rampaging head bang ability! Tarchon Fist have turned up the heat, showing a clean pair of heels as 'Lens Of Life' races on to a conclusion.    
             
What a cracking opening double shot - the band delivering an infectious one-two that will turn heads everywhere. And with the intensity level remaining sky high, 'Soldiers In White' pulsates with incredible energy and fizz, buzzing endlessly and banging heads harder than ever. Such a glorious threesome - and there's still plenty more to come! So bring it on Tarchon Fist. And bring it on they do with the more melodic 'Wolfpack', introducing touches of the bouncy and happy style of pirate metal, similar to bands such as Running Wild, Red Rum and Pirates Of Metal. Stunning stuff from the Italians - the band storming on with an increased level of majesty courtesy of '911'. Creating a power metal come heavy metal come hard rock feel, the band deliver a triple music attack to attract an even wider range of listeners. And I reckon it's gonna work too!    
             
Since the album began, 'The Flame Still Burns' (the album) has been a full on and in your face onslaught of infectious and very attractive heavy metal, keeping the listener hooked every second of the way. And now at the half way point, the album continues as strong as ever with the majestic march of 'Ireland's Rebels'. Anthemic in stature, 'Ireland's Rebels' has a rousing call to arms feel, and a bold, brazen nature that makes it stand tall and proud. And the change of pace across the chorus break is sublime. 'Always Alone' maintains the incredible intensity, albeit at a masterfully melodic pace, pounding the ground with mighty aplomb, cracking walls and shaking buildings to their foundations! What a thrilling ride 'The Flame Still Burns' (the album) is turning out to be! And still there's plenty more to come! 'Escape' upping the levels of pace, tempo and energy to new levels - breath taking levels! Tarchon Fist are one of the surprise discoveries of the year, I'm so glad I found them, 'cause this style of heavy metal I wouldn't wanna miss! And neither should you!    
             
Heavy hitting and bombastic to the max, 'The Man' is a melodious slice of infectious heavy metal to bring smiles to the masses - involuntary foot tapping and head nodding occurring everywhere! What a great song - definitely a song to get an in concert crowd all fired up, with fists raised high to salute what must certainly become a crowd favourite. Clocking in at under three minutes in length, 'So, Thank You All' is the shortest song on offer, taking on the mantle of a hymn-like ballad. But way too heavy to fall fully in to ballad territory - Tarchon Fist remaining on the heavy metal trail. And from a three minute song to a seven minutes plus one - album closer 'The Legend Of Rainbow Warriors' displaying an epic atmospheric build up as it gets underway, adopting a mellow march for the first minute - and then entering the realms of balladry proper! The band do pick up the heaviness, swinging back and forth, primarily keeping 'The Legend Of Rainbow Warriors' on the bridge between metal and rock.    
             
Overall, a galloping album of infectious heavy metal featuring a high intensity level and a glorious amount of head bang ability.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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