J-Man
Close To The Fire
Fans of Christian power metal have had a lot of solid material to sink their teeth into from Liljegren Records recently, and Divinefire's latest effort, Eye of the Storm, is no exception. This album is filled with symphonic keyboards, double bass riffing, and soaring vocals galore, with the quality of music often unquestionable. Although I do have a few gripes with the often-cheesy lyrics and the overall level of bombast, there's no doubt that this will please fans of symphonic power metal for years to come. Eye of the Storm isn't the most terribly original album out there, but it's an above-average release with enough quality tunes to satisfy this reviewer.
Eye of the Storm is symphonic power metal in its truest sense. Expect to hear tons of symphonic keyboards, fast drumming, heavy guitar riffs, neo-classical solos, soaring vocals, and even some growls thrown in for good measure. If this sounds like the type of thing that you can't stand, you'll want to avoid this one at all costs. I actually enjoy Eye of the Storm a surprising amount - this album is significantly better than many of its symphonic metal peers. Maybe it's the extensive use of heavy riffs and dark atmospheres that really intrigue me. There's still a bit of cheese here, but the generally dark moods keep this dreaded factor to a minimum. One of the best things about Divinefire are the incredible musicians, and that's certainly no exception on Eye of the Storm. The powerful vocals from Christian Liljegran, German Pascual, and a host of guest musicians really enhance the overall quality of the album. You can expect a decent amount of growling from Jani Stefanovic as well, and, although he's not the best growling vocalist out there, he adds some nice vocal variation into the album. In addition to that, Jani is also responsible for the guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, and orchestrations - when one considers the intricacy of the compositions and the talent that is required to master all of these parts, a new appreciation is surely gained for this excellent musician.
Some people may have issues with the prominent Christian lyrics, but they're surprisingly unobtrusive here - and that's coming from a fairly strict atheist. A few lyrics irk me a bit, but in comparison to some of Christian Liljegren's other projects (particularly Golden Resurrection), this is a pretty "mellow" album from a lyrical perspective. The production is a bit too bombastic and synthetic for my tastes, but I have a feeling that was the intention here. Still, I would've preferred a much rawer approach.
Conclusion:
Eye of the Storm isn't the most groundbreaking album out there, but it's an enjoyable symphonic power metal album that should please fans of the genre. Divinefire is a group of talented musicians that deliver quality compositions and impressive arrangements, and that surely shouldn't go unnoticed. Although my interest waxes and wanes throughout the duration of the album, it would be unfair to give Eye of the Storm less than 3.5 stars. I'd recommend all fans of symphonic power metal to give this a listen.