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Track Listing
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· My Deja-vu (1)
· Dreamtower
· The Pharaoh's Curse (2)
· Refuge of the Free
· Blue Sky (3)
· Laputa
· Until The End Of Time
· System Utopia
· Ghost Of America
· Invisibile Man
· Make Believe
· Murder By Numbers
· Undone (Euro Bonus Track)
(*) Best Tracks
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Buy it if you liked:
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Mark Boals - Edge Of The World
Ring Of Fire - The Oracle
Artension - New Discovery
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RING OF FIRE
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Dreamtower
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Frontiers Records FRCD142
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· Produced By: Mark Boals & Ring Of Fire
· Running Time: 69.26 · Release Date: March 24
· Released: EU · Genre: Melodic Power Metal
· WebLink: Ring Of Fire · LabelLink: Frontiers
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Ring Of Fire are back with album number 3 - 4 if you include the double live release. The band's first album was actually released under vocalist Mark Boals' name, but he liked the line up so much, a band was born.
These guys are one of the better melodic metal outfits on the market. It's not overly heavy, no sign of a punishing guitar sound, but it is full-on and largely uptempo, in your face heavy rock.
Boals is best known for his work with Yngwie Malmsteen and he continues the musical legacy of his past work with this band. Lots of high pitch vocals and big power chords, a few screams and some dramatic vocal delivery techniques are spread among the album's 13 long tracks.
Most tracks clock over 5 minutes in length, which means there is plenty of opportunities for those extended guitar, keyboard, drum and bass parts, as well as several dramatic semi-progressive, extended instrumental passages.
As far as the album's songs do go, I think the guys have improved with every release and Dreamtower proves to be their best yet.
If all the tracks were of the caliber of the opening track My Deja-vu, it would have been even better still. That track has a great hook that I'd like to see more of in other songs. It certainly offered a more melodic touch to the track.
The band features one of the best line-ups of this genre, with Tony MacAlpine, Vitalij Kuprij, Virgil Donati and Philip Bynoe all involved. Classy musicians without a doubt.
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The Bottom Line
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If you like it heavy, like it a little more complex than straight up hard rock and can really appreciate a good melodic friendly metal outfit, Ring Of Fire have a lot to offer. Continuing to get better with each release, this is no exception and sees Mark Boals on top of his game. Still room for further improvement, with some additional hooks and a thicker production sound two areas that would impress me if bettered next time around.
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Line Up
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· Mark Boals: Vocals
· Tony MacAlpine: Guitar
· Vitalij Kuprij: Keyboards
· Virgil Donati: Drums
· Philip Bynoe: Bass
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