Sometimes life is like magic. Here we have a band that was disbanded in 2014, but still NOT FRAGILE is able to bring us a new release some 11 years later. They have named the album "One Way to Glory" and it is a complete surprise. What's more, the records company Dying Victims Productions has decided that together with this new album they will rerelease the 1988 debut EP "Who Dares Wins". Well, thank you for small favours, I say. While there are similarities between the two, there naturally be some differences as well. The main thing that is the same while comparing the two releases is the musical genre they operate in. In order of importance and accountability they are Speed Metal, mixed with Power Metal and traditional Heavy Metal. And that is a combination that works very well within the grounds that NOT FRAGILE cover.

Even though this is a new release, "One Way to Glory" doesn't house new material. This is actually a kind of a Best Of for NOT FRAGILE. You will hear songs of all seven studio albums pass by, making you realise that the musical genre that NOT FRAGILE chose was one that they were very comfortable with. And what's more, I can't say that I have heard any song of the 12 on offer that doesn't cut the mustard. They all hack it, have the quality you were hoping for and the sound that makes me (and hopefully you)  very happy. That sound being the one where they alway7s sound like a demo band that has done good. Nothing sounds polished, the rough edges have been allowed to remain, giving "One Way to Glory" a very coherent sound throughout, even though the songs cover a 21 years period. NOT FRAGILE have obviously always chosen to stay as near as they could to the sound that they produced in rehearsal, and attempt to adapt it in such a way that it would prevent them from sounding much more like a studio band instead of a live band.

I have also reviewed their debut EP "Who Dares Wins", and you'll find that as the one next to this one on the METAL TEMPLE site. What I get from listening to their debut EP as well as this compilation album is that NOT FRAGILE has been very constant in the quality of their songs. Nowhere are they superb or out-of-this-world brilliant, but neither can you catch them being subpar at any time at all. And to be able to say that you've been of a certain good standard all through your musical career is an achievement in itself.