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We Are The Fire

    
       
       
       
     
             
Cleanbreak are a heavy metal band from the USA formed in 2021, releasing the bands debut album 'Coming Home' in 2022, and sophomore album 'We Are The Fire' in 2024.    
             
Founded by the duo of vocalist James Durbin and guitarist Mike Flyntz (Riot (V), ex Faith And Fire), the bands current line-up is completed by bassist/keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge Of Forever, Enemy Eyes, T3NORS, The Big Deal), and drummer Nicholas Papapicco. Cleanbreak are a heavy hitting melodic metal band, standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Cyhra, Jaded Heart and Saints 'N' Sinners, the bands new album consisting of eleven songs across forty five minutes - 'Warrior's Anthem' immediately hitting the airways with a phenomenal melodious intent! The incredibly melodic nature here is matched by an infectious level higher than the sky, Cleanbreak setting their stall out very early - the bands bombastic edge taking front and centre as 'Never Gone' comes alive with a touch of the anthemic and a liberal sprinkling of hard rock! And across the albums first two songs, the band have shown an eagerness to open up their sound very wide - wider even than the Grand Canyon (and for all you fact fans out there, the Grand Canyon is eighteen miles wide at its widest point)! I have an immensely strong feeling that 'We Are The Fire' is gonna excite, thrill and delight fans of both heavy metal and hard rock.    
             
The band are majestic, strutting their stuff with elegance and poise, 'Unbreakable' taking on board everything the two previous songs offered, and adding so much more - the sound of jaws dropping and hitting the floor resounding all around the world like a massive earthquake! Are Cleanbreak making a late charge for the Album Of The Year title? You bet your bottom dollar they are - 'Can't Lose Hope' roaring through the gears to storm off at a traditional metal pace, the band planting their collective feet on the old school heavy metal monitor to not only adopt the classic metal pose, but also the iconic gallop of pioneering metallers Iron Maiden. What a sensational foursome - the albums first four songs that is, but I could have easily meant the four musicians on show, for all round 'We Are The Fire' has been stunning so far! Not to mention breathless, the pace, power and pizzazz all fabulous, the album marching on with the bolder and immensely bombastic 'Breathless' - the chorus break one of the most catchy and sing a long-able I've heard all year! The anthemic, rabble rousing nature here is out of this world, every listener everywhere singing in unison "all colors fade into black, it is too late to look back, you stabbed a knife in me, leaving me breathless, fade into black, it is too late to look back, you stabbed a knife in me, leaving me breathless now". Absolute wizardry from Cleanbreak.    
             
The sensationality of 'We Are The Fire' is overwhelming, each and every song that passes by is an absolute beauty - beauty which only gets more beautiful as perfection is redefined by 'Deal With Yourself'. Everything here is simply spot on, the pace, power and melodious intent are so on point I'm literally dribbling right now - and not just from my mouth either! My excitement level is much higher than what I experienced earlier this year when I listened to (and reviewed) Dream Evil's new album 'Metal Gods' - and that was a magnificent album! But before I get too carried away, let's return to Cleanbreak and the sublime balladry of 'Love Again' - a mellow offering with so much reined in power it's amazing the band can hold it all back! Lighters are gonna be raised high for this one, along with arms and a gentle swaying from side to side - so close your eyes and let yourself get caught up in the moment! I know I was, and that's why I've just spent the last two minutes correcting spelling mistakes as it's very difficult to type correctly with your eyes closed! 'Bide Our Time' returns melodic metal to the fore, along with sky high levels of elegance and majesty, Cleanbreak maintaining their show-stopping exuberance and flair - 'We Are The Fire' continuing to get better and better as we stride into its final quarter!    
             
A quarter that begins with the boundary breaking border crossing 'Start To Breathe', the band mixing hard rock and heavy metal to absolute perfection - and let's be honest here, that's something the American outfit have done all album long! The band are standing head and shoulders above many of their contemporaries, some of metal and rock's luminaries too - Cleanbreak are a talented and naturally gifted band that can rise to the highest echelons of metal royalty. And quickly too - the albums title song 'We Are The Fire' displaying more urgency than any other song heard up to this point! Although, as 'We Are The Fire' (the song) gets going proper, it adopts a mid tempo raspy-ish nature, the band returning the songs initial oomph across the chorus break! The ease with which the band chop and change metal styles here is seamless, the album still getting better and better as we coast towards the final song - 'Resilience In Our Souls' picking up the pace to hurtle forth with all the panache of galloping heavy metal! The foot to the floor, foot on the monitor attitude here is top notch, every listener, fan and follower around the world smiling from ear to ear as Cleanbreak end their sophomore album with an immense level of head bang ability!    
             
Overall, a stunning array of melodic heavy metal along with many hard rock traits, 'We Are The Fire' is a sensational and must listen to album.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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