FATAL FIRE were formed in 2020 and they are from Frankfurt, Germany. The Power/Speed Metal outfit release their debut album, which has a length of almost 39 minutes. The album was produced, mixed and mastered by Markus Teske (DARK SKY; MOB RULES; SINBREED) at Bazement Musikproduktion. It was released via Dutch label MDD Records, which has many Power, Thrash, and melodic Death Metal bands among their current roster.

“Destruction” is the opener of the album, and the track delivers what a Power Metal fan would expect to hear: tight guitar riffing, fast pace, and epic melodies. It is an old school Power Metal song, where the female vocals are between the medium and higher end of the vocal range. During the verse parts, the vocals have a lot of Rock vibes, while for the choruses, there are tonal shifts towards higher pitched notes. Every good Power Metal track has its extended lead guitar solo, and so has “Destruction”. Altogether a very good opening of the album. “Ashes Remain” continues with the speed, the traditional Power Metal riffing, and the epic melodic framework. Some parts of the song sound a bit darker and heavier. The highlight of the track is the extended and contributing lead guitar solo, which includes a trace of twin guitars. “Dawn Of Fate” starts with the lead guitars and a few Folk vibes at high pace. While the overall Power Metal sound remains unchanged, there are a few subtle changes to the riffing as it is more playful compared to many other album songs. The guitar melodies have also a few neo-classical inspirations at times. The chorus vocals are intensified by background vocals and the chorus lines are almost anthemic. The lead guitar solo is once again the focal point of the track and overall, the guitar melodies sound often IRON MAIDEN inspired.

“Crossroads” is a much needed change in sound in terms of pace and riffing. It is a track at a measured tempo with some mid-tempo parts and the riffing is thunderous during the verse parts. The tempo shift is short for the chorus parts, where the chorus melodies are dark but catchy. “Sea Of Damnation” goes back to familiar territory in terms of pace and riffing. It is a fast track with the typical tight riffing. There are a few more changes in tempo and rhythm throughout the track, as the chorus parts played at mid-tempo with again a catchy melodic framework. The track also includes a mid-tempo break with a first short lead guitar solo. There is a second extended lead guitar solo at high pace near the end of the track, leading into a final chorus part. “Meteorites” keeps going with the Power Metal sound in terms of pace, riffing, and melodies. At this point, the album songs become a bit repetitive, even though there are always slight differences in the melodies between all the tracks. “Meteorites” focusses even more on the lead guitars, and the solos seem to be endless. However, “Meteorites” is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

“Kingslayer” has an epic melodic start with the lead guitars leading into another fast track with at times staccato type of riffing. The bridge leading to the chorus parts slightly change the tempo, but not for long as the chorus parts are at high pace. The focal point of the song is again the very extended but contributing lead guitar solo. “Kingslayer” is probably the most epic and anthemic song, and the track was released as video with the YouTube link being provided below. The album finishes with “Ardent Wave”, and it starts with the acoustic guitars joined by the vocals. When the guitars, bass, and drums eventually join in, it all develops into a track at measured tempo with dark melodies. During the acoustic part, vocalist Svenja Rohmann shows her huge potential as a vocalist in terms of transporting emotions to the listener. This is one of her strengths that could and should have been utilized more often on the album. “Ardent Wave” has many ballad-esque features however, the track follows the song structures of the rest of the album, and it means, there is another extended lead guitar solo. All in all, it is a good way to end the album with a slow song.

FATAL FIRE release a good debut album. “Arson” has all the typical ingredients of traditional Power Metal, where the focus is on the guitars, the riffing and especially the lead guitars. There is often too much emphasis on the technical aspects of the guitars, leaving bass, drums, and vocals not sufficient room to shine. The songwriting needs a bit more matureness as the album sounds repetitive at times. The album is well produced. “Arson” is a good start to the career of a young and promising band. With some tweaks in their sound, FATAL FIRE could become a shining light in the Power Metal sky.