J-Man Embrace The Sun

Firewind is certainly among the more popular modern power metal outfits, and Days of Defiance is an album that was widely praised as one of the best Euro-power metal albums in recent memory. Although I haven't been a follower of the band for a significant amount of time, I was blown away at first listen by Days of Defiance. What Firewind has done here is taken everything that's great about European power metal, stripped away that unnecessary layer of cheese, and created a killer album to go down for the ages. This isn't the most innovative or revolutionary album out there, but the musicianship and compositions are so excellent that it's easy to excuse the band from a slightly derivative approach. Firewind is head and shoulders above the competition, and Days of Defiance is perfect proof of that. I'd recommend all fans of power metal to give this a shot.

The music is fairly standard Euro-power metal - it's the stellar compositions and arrangements that really set Firewind apart from their competitors. This isn't a terribly unique or original album, but who cares when the music kicks this much ass? Tracks like "The Ark of Lies" and especially the breathtaking instrumental "SKG" prove Firewind's brilliance in its purest form. The technical capabilities of the musicians here are impeccable, to say the very least. Keyboards in power metal are usually there to add extra bombast and atmosphere, but Bob Katsionis proves that he isn't here just for some neo-classical arpeggios and symphonic chords. He has some amazing shredding solos - as a keyboard player myself, it's great to hear a band utilizing their keyboard player as much as Firewind does here. The lead guitar work from Gus G. is also spectacular; he's a multi-faceted player who can transition from blazing shred-solos to melodic riffing in the blink of an eye. That's honestly one of the greatest things about Firewind - there's nothing quite like hearing professional and skillful musicians playing incredible music. Firewind is simply a fun band to listen to; that in itself is a shining asset.

The production is certainly bombastic and powerful, but there is a raw edge to the sound that keeps too much cheese from creeping its way in. I personally love the sound of Days of Defiance.

Conclusion:

Days of Defiance served as my introduction to Firewind, and calling it a great entrance point would be an understatement. If you like many of the concepts behind European power metal but are lactose intolerant (i.e. don't like cheese), you'll definitely want to check this album out. I'll go with a confident 4 star rating for another top-notch effort from Firewind. This was one of the best power metal albums from 2010 - fans of the genre shouldn't miss out on this gem.

Time Signature Kill in the name of metal...

Genre: power metal with balls

"Days of Defiance" has all the things that I like about power metal. There is focus on melody and pompuousness (although we are not dealing with epic power metal as such), and there are catchy choruses galore that you cannot help but to sing along to. Just check out tracks like "Chariot", "Embrace the Sun", "Heading for the Dawn" and "Kill in the Name of Love".

Another thing that there is focus on is the musicianship itself, and there are some virtuous moments on the album - especially in "SKG" which is pretty much a vulgar display of power (metal) in that it displays how technically skilled these musicians really are.

There is, happily, a distinct lack of cheesiness on this album, and nowhere does my cheese-o-meter react to the music. Actually, I think that there is a good and heavy punch to Firewinds music on this album, and there are even a couple of thrashy elements now and then. In addition, they also draw on classic metal in places, and Iron Maiden and Judas Priest seem to have served as primary sources of inspiration.

There's only one ballad, and those who have read some of my other reviews know that I am not a ballad-hater, but certainly very picky when it comes to ballads. The ballad in question is Broken" and I really like it. It is simple, touchy, catchy and just the way a rock ballad should be.

The vocalist, Apollo Papathanasio (Apollo! Now that's a f*cking heavy metal name!) has a big and powerful voice, which at times remind me of Graham Bonnett's efforts in Rainbow's "Down to Earth". I have been a fan of Graham Bonnett for a long time, and now I am a fan of Apollo, too.

Recommended to fans of power metal, classic metal and even fans of rock music in general.