Hell Fire is a thrash metal/NWOBHM band from the USA formed in 2010, releasing their debut album ‘Metal Masses’ in 2016. The band’s second album ‘Free Again’ was released in 2017, with their third full-length offering ‘Mania’ a 2019 release.
With three albums in a little over three years, Hell Fire is not taking it easy. And with their latest offering, the band is firing on all cylinders, delivering some of their heaviest work to date. ‘Warpath’ launches ‘Mania’ (the album) in a ferocious blast of fast-paced “foot on the monitor” style heavy metal. Hitting the ground at full tilt ‘Warpath’ is explosive, bombastic and a scorcher of an opener. Blending traditional heavy metal and thrash, Hell Fire is a fierce fury, yet can also deliver a menacing mid-tempo foot stomp such as ‘Mania’. Heaviness takes on a new kind of heavy as ‘Mania’ marches on, majestically stamping over everything in its way. Brutal and pummelling, ‘Mania’ is a mighty procession of raw savagery.
Pace lights up the album with the fiery ‘On The Loose’ running rampant, echoing the early eighties NWOBHM sound, hinting at pioneering NWOBHM bands such as Raven, Angel Witch, and Samson. Throw in a couple of Iron Maiden-sounding guitar solos and ‘On The Loose’ is a cracking old-school style blast of traditional heavy metal. Hell Fire is an American band but has taken everything the British heavy metal scene has to offer and combined it perfectly with their own style of brash thrash-influenced heavy metal. Scorching pace sets the album on fire with the ferocious ‘Born To Burn’, running amok with savage riffs and thunderous drums. Head banging of the vigorous nature will take over every listener as ‘Born To Burn’ races on to a conclusion. Bringing back the earlier heavy foot stomping fury, and adding mellow guitar riffs, ‘Transcending Evil’ runs along the border of power ballad territory. A breather from the frenetic pace of the album, ‘Transcending Evil’ doesn’t fall fully into ballad territory, staying half a step away, in a land occupied by two Iron Maiden classics, ‘Strange World’ and ‘Remember Tomorrow’. The influence of these two songs on ‘Transcending Evil’ is plain to hear, and if you’re gonna be influenced by anyone, then why not one of the greatest heavy metal bands ever!
At a little over forty-five minutes and ten songs, the album roars on with the blistering speed metal cacophony ‘Lashing Out’. Get those heads banging you fanatics, ‘Lashing Out’ is a headbanger’s dream. ‘Isolator’ is a raucous mid-tempo romp, hitting hard and kicking harder, nodding its head in a massive way to the iconic eighties NWOBHM sound. If you’re old enough to remember the early to mid-eighties NWOBHM evolution, close your eyes for a moment and let yourself drift back to a glorious age of metal, ‘The Dreamer’ is very much a retro-sounding song from that era and reminds me of everything great that British heavy metal had, and still has, to offer. Cracking stuff Hell Fire, and a big thank you for reminding me of the eighties heydays for British heavy metal. ‘Knights Of The Holy’ is a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions, the kind of epics that legends Iron Maiden constantly deliver. A crescendo building and atmospheric lead, set up ‘Knights Of The Holy’ to gallop at pace, “foot on the monitor” style. The third album from Hell Fire is attractive to fans of the traditional and classic styles of heavy metal, coming to a close with another mighty mid-tempo foot stomp. ‘Masochist’ is heavy, thunderous, and stamps heavily as it struts its stuff, marching on to a glorious finish.
Overall, thunderous and furious thrash influenced heavy metal, fast-paced, infectious, and a glorious ride from start to finish.
TRACKLIST
Warpath
Mania
On The Loose
Born To Burn
Transcending Evil
Lashing Out
Isolator
The Dreamer
Knights Of The Holy
Masochist
Hell Fire: Facebook
Release Year: 2019
Label: RidingEasy Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire, and Metal-Roos.
