Light The Fire – Ascension
Standby Records
Release Date: Out now
Review by: Matt Barton
Texan electro post-hardcore (or electronicore if you will) band Light The Fire have been mighty busy since forming just five years ago. In that time the band released two EP’s: Note To Self in 2011 and a self-titled EP in 2013. It wasn’t long before they caught the eye of Standby Records who, in 2015, jumped at the chance to sign them. The quintet then went on to release their debut Lost At Sea in the same year. Now, just a year later, the boys are back with their new album Ascension.
Short instrumental opening tracks are almost cliché with these type of records, but this one doesn’t disappoint with opener N.P.W.F. being exactly that. Luckily, the next track, and first single from the album, Strong Mind, Fragile Hard, is a beauty! From the moment the band kicks in you know this song will be a cracker and frontman Jeff Gunter‘s vocals are brutal one minute, melodic the next. The use of synth backs this song up perfectly. It really is one of those songs that lovers of the genre will soak up.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3KSAjRtWaY&w=560&h=315]
One thing becomes clear when listening to the album, however – Gunter’s much better at the unclean vocals than clean singing. That’s not to say his clean singing isn’t good, it’s just that his uncleans are so good than when he brings it down a bit it’s almost disappointing.
I hate being one of those people that say the singles are the best song off an album but the latest single Not The Only One is catchy as hell. With an almost mathcore style guitar solo in the middle to Blake Hein‘s brilliant drumming, this is one song that will be stuck in your head for days.
I’m definitely a sucker for the electronicore genre (there’s just something about synth and metal that is almost irresistible to me) and this album is a great one – my biggest issue with it however is, minus the 2 instrumental tracks, this record is just eight tracks long. At a touch over half an hour, it just isn’t long enough. Before you know it, the album is coming to an end with Learning To Let Go and damn it if you will call me greedy, but I wanted more! The band has put just nineteen tracks total across their two albums so I really hope they listen to their fans (well, this fan anyway) and include more tracks on album number three.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ7V0SOjNs4&w=560&h=315]
