It’s not often you hear good EU styled power metal from our cousins across the pond, with Ironflame I have been a fan since their debut. I saw them live in Germany a couple of years ago and this cemented my admiration for the band and their music. This is what labelling styles does, reality check, they’re a great metal band! ‘Blood Red Victory’ extends their true heavy metal legacy, this is their third release and there is no creative stumbling block as far as this band are concerned. For the uninitiated, if you liked the first couple of Hammerfall releases, enjoy Riot and Running Wild (all era’s), then you get a flavour for this band.
The overall theme in the lyrics is victory, but without the hero worship and pomp of some major names in this field. Coupled with songs about overcoming adversity but written in the we/us perspective giving the fan/listener a sense of inclusion. For one, this is a great way and an uncommon way of writing.
‘Honor Bound’ (US spelling!) and the opener ‘Gates of Nevermore’ set up the album perfectly and I could perhaps make it all about these two songs. The foundation here is a perfect support mechanism for the remainder of the album. But to be fair, as you go through this strong, stellar album, tracks like ‘On Ashen Wings’ start to feel more emotive compared to the chest beating anthem approach at the start of the album. For the CD version, you will get two more bonus tracks, namely ‘The Serpent and the Throne’ and ‘Horns Held High’. Of which, listening is highly recommended.
Overall, the style, the stance and the feel of ‘Blood Red Victory’ is “true” metal without all the associated bullshit of hype that comes with it. It’s an honest release that makes the listener gleam with joy and excitement. You may even figure its back to basics, but I for one feel there is a definite maturity in the songs, the arrangements and concentrated effort in mailing the guitar solos on this their third release to date. Ironflame were a great find, in a field that may have lost its way, these American’s shine though and give a balls out approach to their art. For fans of the style, I implore you to take a listen.
(8/10 Paul Maddison)
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