RING OF FIRE is a five piece Neo-Classical/Power Metal band from California. Formed in 2000 by Mark Boals with an all-start lineup, it retains an impressive group of musicians who are all incredibly virtuosic, each displaying talents far beyond standard. From the ear splitting vocals to the amazingly adroit musicianship, this is a band that will delight the metalhead who loves classically influenced songs. Gravity, their fifth full-length album was released on November 11, 2022, via Frontiers SRL.

From the very start of this record, you hear the Neo-Classical blazing forth from the speakers. "The Beginning" comes in slowly, heavy on the vocal/keyboard pairing of Mark and Vitalij. When the rest of the instruments kick in, they come in heavy, weaving in, around, and through the voice/keys/piano phrases. Aldo stuns with his guitar work, so much so that I had to go back and listen for the bass/drums. They are there, and they are very present, but there is so much to hear, you have to keep going back to make sure you get it all.

"Melancholia" still has a lot of keyboards in it, but is definitely more guitar heavy at the start. There are dueling leads between the two instruments, keeping us very aware of what these two musicians are capable of. The bass is heavy throughout, keeping time for both guitars and keys as they trade off leads constantly. "Sky Blue" acts as the Power Ballad for this album. The guitar work is delicate and full of raw emotion, echoing the longing in the voice. This is the song that will hit you right in the feels and leave you thinking about the one you love, whether it is the one you have or the one the got away. You cannot hear this song and not think of them.

Going back to piano driven, "Another Night" is a slow starter that takes forever to build. The best thing about that is how much harder the guitar solo hits because it has been foreshadowed beautifully. The lead work of both the keys and the guitar heading towards the solo makes all the difference here. It is expertly done. The record concludes with "Sideways," a faster song with a lot of killer, technical work from all the instruments. There is a bit of a Progressive Metal feel to some of the song, highlighting how well that genre meshes with Neo-Classical Metal.

RING OF FIRE blends and mixes their styles however they desire, creating massive songs with tons of virtuosity. Any of these musicians could teach master classes on their respective instruments, so to hear them all combined here, joined in wonderful harmony, is a treat. Lovers of technically precise music will adore this one.