Cover artwork by Frank Frazetta. |
Breathe
Fire are one of the more mysterious bands I’ve ever come across. They have a true, “let the music do the
talking” attitude whereby online presence is minimal, info is sparse and hype
is nonexistent. Hell, these guys are so
shrouded in secrecy they don’t even have album or song titles. What I have been able to gleam is that the
band is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they’ve been around since at least 2007 and
from all appearances they are two members with fury enough for five.
The four
song ‘E.P.’ is a pummeling attack of Metal, hardly defined by subgenre
classification, Breathe Fire angrily colors outside the sludge / doom lines,
pressing hard, breaking every crayon they come across along the way, or so it
seems. Picking up the gauntlet lain down
by High on Fire, Breathe Fire throw heavy handed punches from the get go and only
stop between songs. It’s an intense ride
that only lasts for some 19 minutes but feels longer for all the bludgeoning abuse
visited upon my sensitive nature.
As
touched upon earlier the band has eschewed song titles for its first bandcamp
release so the tracks are labelled “Track 1”, “Track 2”, etc. “Track 1” opens the affair with cruel
intentions. From the word go, an exhilarating
ascending guitar run and pausey drum riff spills forth making way for neck vein
popping screamed vocals. I’ve said it
many times here but I don’t typically go for vocals that aren’t clean. Breathe Fire’s guitarist / vocalist doesn’t
offend me, his screams are melodic and inject an appropriate amount of energy
into the boiling cauldron of music the instruments churn.
This
E.P. has loads going for it, but the melodic guitar runs spread throughout are
one of the major distinguishing markers.
It takes the songs up a notch from straight forward sludge metal and
injects a touch of class(ic rock). “Track
2” takes its time building a tense atmosphere for a full two minutes before the
pummeling resumes. Minor chords and a
cement boot of crash throw the listener overboard into deep waters where there’s
no escape from a fully immersive experience.
The lone
instrumental of the bunch, and closing number, “Track 4” is where the band
brings it all home. Far and away the
best song on the E.P., Breathe Fire lets loose their inner High on Fire on this
one with a firewagon of choppy riffs, bell ride and breakneck syncopation. It’s a downhill ride on spiked wheels,
chewing pavement , disrupting traffic and threatening lives.
This is
a killer introduction to a band who, though most likely new to most of us,
already knows its chops and is as focused as a tightly closed fist. From the Frank Frazetta cover art on down
Breathe Fire mean business, and their business involves swinging heavy axes. ‘E.P.’ is available on bandcamp for FREE, 100
per cent, no questions asked FREE download, so follow the link on the player
below and bloody your nose.
Highlights include: "Track 4" and "Track 1"
Rating: 4/5
Total Run Time: 19:22
Genre: Stoner Metal, Doom, Sludge
Reminds me of: Buzzherd, Crowlord, Hollow Leg, Vykanthrope
Release Date: January 13, 2014
Band photo
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