Blackfire Well – The Fall
Self-Released – 01 June 2008
By Jason Jordan
Blackfire Well, an outfit containing former UM scribes Dan Fisher and Tom Strutton, make their first move with full-length outing The Fall, which is a tasteful, edgy progressive metal experience that attests to the songwriters’ collective chops. Still, while it’s an eyebrow-raising debut in several ways, I’m forced to admit that I rarely care for the vocals, but, as we all know, tastes are indeed subjective.
The 41-minute record begins and ends with classy, acoustic tracks—‘The Well’ and ‘Painter’—but it’s the opening riffs of ‘My Body My Soul’ that sell this particular song, easily propelling it above the rest of its peers. Blackfire Well know how to write good songs, and how to add variety to ensure that they remain interesting throughout. Aside from airtight musicianship and instrumental variance courtesy of Strutton, Fisher provides the listener with a range of vocal styles including but not limited to clean singing, high-pitched wailing (see the infectious number ‘Inside’, among others), and growling. Those eager to liken BW to other bands will quickly cite Opeth, intermittently sprinkled with slight Into Eternity and Tiles tendencies, though the former are far from a carbon copy of any group out there today.
With many strengths and few weaknesses, The Fall is a rock solid long-player from a unit that I hope will progress in the future. For now, Blackfire Well impress but don’t yet amaze. Either way, they still warrant some of your time.
Official Blackfire Well Myspace
Self-Released – 01 June 2008
By Jason Jordan
Blackfire Well, an outfit containing former UM scribes Dan Fisher and Tom Strutton, make their first move with full-length outing The Fall, which is a tasteful, edgy progressive metal experience that attests to the songwriters’ collective chops. Still, while it’s an eyebrow-raising debut in several ways, I’m forced to admit that I rarely care for the vocals, but, as we all know, tastes are indeed subjective.
The 41-minute record begins and ends with classy, acoustic tracks—‘The Well’ and ‘Painter’—but it’s the opening riffs of ‘My Body My Soul’ that sell this particular song, easily propelling it above the rest of its peers. Blackfire Well know how to write good songs, and how to add variety to ensure that they remain interesting throughout. Aside from airtight musicianship and instrumental variance courtesy of Strutton, Fisher provides the listener with a range of vocal styles including but not limited to clean singing, high-pitched wailing (see the infectious number ‘Inside’, among others), and growling. Those eager to liken BW to other bands will quickly cite Opeth, intermittently sprinkled with slight Into Eternity and Tiles tendencies, though the former are far from a carbon copy of any group out there today.
With many strengths and few weaknesses, The Fall is a rock solid long-player from a unit that I hope will progress in the future. For now, Blackfire Well impress but don’t yet amaze. Either way, they still warrant some of your time.
Official Blackfire Well Myspace
