ARCHED FIRE is Finnish Speed/Heavy Metal. Formed in 1989 by a couple of young guys, they took a 30-year break, then decided to get it going again. Reforming in 2019, they hit the pandemic head on with a new energy and determination. Their debut full-length was released in 2021 and is now followed by Trust Betrayal, their sophomore effort. Check it out in WormHoleDeath Records, released April 7, 2023.

Who doesn't love an album that begins with "Fear" as the first song? This particular track has a short, melodic intro followed by a lightning-fast riff. There are blast beats and thundering bass that work in tandem with the rhythm guitar to round out the sound. The song has a lot of lead work on guitar that uses more finesse than power, which I do appreciate. Same thing with the vocals; there's lots of power and some good backing vocals, but the main voice has that falsetto that hooks the ear just right. That falsetto has Rob Halford-esque presence. There are some songs that really catch the ear on this album, like "Narcissist," a song about that person you know that just has to make it about them, no matter who the story is about. We all know who this is in our own lives. We relate to this one in ways we wish we didn't. There are a lot more melodic sections in this track, going more for the Heavy Metal instead of Speed metal.

In much the same vein, "Oblivion" even leans into the Hard Rock arena in some spots, though it does get heavy across the bridge and through the end of the song. On the other hand, "Self-Backstabbers" has a nice brutality to it from the opening notes. The riff is heavier and has a cool chugging rhythm to it driven on by the faster tempo from the drums. The vocals go harsher, though not down fully into fry /growl style, then back to higher power ranges. "Mastermind" is on the heavier end. The blast beats with the rampaging rhythm handle the platform for the delivery of the lyrics. The variable delivery speeds are a nice contrast with some lines hitting hard and fast and others having distinct pauses. This song has some of the best songwriting ARCHED FIRE offers, in my opinion. I love the challenging shifts and twists in this song.

The final track is the longest on the album. "Artificial Sun" runs at almost five and a half minutes and has some nice grit in alternating lines of the verses. The tune is mid-tempo and melodic, not getting too heavy, but maintaining the tone of the album. ARCHED FIRE are a band that likes to vary their style. They do this by flexing through everything from Hard Rock to Heavy Metal to Speed Metal. Through it all, they keep a consistent tone, making sure all the songs fit together on the album, creating a whole rather than pieces of something that are crammed together without thought.