Speed metal from Hungary my friends! The name of the band is BURNING SUN and they are releasing their first and exciting album Wake Of Ashes with 8 songs for our headbanging pleasure. From the land of bands like TORMENTOR and BLIND MYSELF, we are presented with a band with 2 credited members only. One takes care of the guitar and vocals, the other the bass and the lyrics and we have the holy ghost in the drums. Let's check what they have in store. The album starts with high energy with the song “Emaly”. A traditional and very well performed speed metal ala ANGRA or DRAGONFORCE. After a whisper asking the light to bless her sword, the song narrates the history of a female warrior named Emaly getting ready for battle. Great musicianship with an epic melody and a killer double bass drum. The album promises to be good.

 “Bend The World” keeps the energy up despite being a little slower in tempo. Great guitar riff throughout and a nice sing along chorus. The singer Pancho Irelands has the least Hungarian name in the history of Hungary, but the boy can sing. Holy moly! With a high register and a little raspiness mixed, his vocals are a match made in heaven for the proposed style of metal they play. It reminds me of the great singer Andre Mattos RIP. The third tune “Way of the Paladin” starts with a more traditional 80’s hard rock riff used in some different variations inspired by Californian bands. The song has elements of speed metal, but has an interesting mid chorus where the tempo and the melody changes nicely. It shows that the duo is eager to explore new ideas melodically, making the song a little bit more special. We reach the halfway point with “Hundred Lions”. The vocal starts with a lower register and, if it is still the same singer, he really has a great range and performs a completely different vocal style from the 3 first songs. All the songs will have a touch of epicness to go together with the good lyrics by Zoltán Papi about our female warrior.

 Tune number five is “Templar's Verdict”and this is another one more like 80’s metal style. With a slower double bass drumbeat ala “Red Hot” from MOTLEY CRUE, the band is capable of delivering a more tamed classic rock, mixing the high and low vocals in the melody.  Landing in the sixth position, we have another well executed speed melodic metal with high registered vocals in “Golden Wings”. Another good tune with a nice chorus and interesting tempo changes. I am starting to feel that the bass is a little too close to the guitar riff. All basses are competently performed by Zoltán Papi but I have not heard the bass detaching from the basic riff and making his presence felt a little more. Let the bass shine in some parts please. All songs have great guitar riffs and solos performed by the also good singer Pancho Ireland and “Darkfang Keep” is no different. As this type of metal requires great guitar work, he does not disappoint despite being the only guitar player. To perform any of these songs live, the duo will have to find a good drummer and another good guitar player so they can be faithful to the album’s sound. Despite the weird song title, this is another very 80’s rock that mixes the speed metal style in small doses throughout the tune.

We reach the end of our journey with “Under The Burning Sun” keeping the energy up, for me the best tune of the album. Great vocals, melody and finally I can hear the bass shine a little. Another song with interesting changes in tempo and moods and this makes me happy. We have a small female vocal interlude in the middle that takes the song to another frame of mind bringing it to an epic conclusion for the song and for the album. Great job for a first album indeed. Is there more to explore? Always! But the band already had a solid debut and the evolution from now on will be evident I am sure.