After many years and a few albums featuring an inconsistent
lineup, it seems like Firewind have finally become one of those bands that are
consistently putting out worthwhile albums. Beginning with Allegiance, Gus G.
and vocalist Apollo Papathanasio have been cranking song after song of classic,
memorable power metal. One would think that the band would get stronger over
time; however, each album since Allegiance has actually been slightly weaker
than the one before it. Thankfully, "Few Against Many" breaks this trend.
On first listen, I have to admit that this album was boring.
It definitely takes a while for the subtleties of the melodies to kick in. The
album initially seemed so contrived and forced, which made me think the songs
were mediocre. With time, however, there were quite a few songs that stood out.
Even before mentioning those tracks, there is one song that I loved even on
first listen: “Another Dimension”. This song has the thrashiest Firewind riff
in existence, and maybe even the thrashiest riff of the year. Seriously, this
is what I expected to hear from the new Bonded by Blood record. Even had the
rest of the record been a letdown, the opening of this song will force you to
bang your head so hard that you’ll forget about the other 9 songs. Moving on to
the more predictable Firewind songs, both “Wall of Sound” and “Losing My Mind”
are the typical singles you would expect from this band. They aren’t too heavy
or too fast, but the choruses will stick with you for hours. Likewise, the
title track and “Glorious” are both songs that will stand the test of time. One
of the more surprising songs is “Edge of a Dream”, which features the band of
cellists, Apocalyptica. Even though it’s a ballad with only lead guitars and no drums, the performance of Apollo on vocals makes it one of the stronger tracks.
From this point on, the rest of the album drags. The songs aren’t bad, but they
aren’t standouts either. I certainly wouldn’t imagine any of them will make
Firewind’s setlist anytime soon.
In the line of Firewind albums, this one may not be the top,
but it’s certainly not the bottom either. Chances are, if you liked Days of
Defiance, you’ll like this album as well; however, if you are expecting this to
be another record like Allegiance or The Premonition, you might be let down. There
is one thing that can be said for sure from this record: Firewind has found
their sound, and they don’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
Be sure to check out and like Firewind on Facebook!
Highlights:
“Wall of Sound”
“Another Dimension”
“Glorious”
“Glorious”
Final Rating:
3.75/5 or 75%
Written by Scott