Fireborn - Reflections.

FIREBORN

REFLECTIONS

(Deko Entertainment)

By Paul Davies

            For a debut album to clock in at one hour and fifty minutes, the devil is to be found in the detail. On ‘Reflections’, Fireborn unleash a passionate and confident inaugural slab of Heavy Melodic Metal. This German five-piece is fronted by blonde powerhouse singer Jenny Gruber whose raw impassioned vocals rip right through these fourteen supercharged songs.

            ’Reflections’ opening couplet of tunes, ‘Young Heart Dies’ and ‘As Long As I Love You’, details the dedication to their craft. Moreover, ‘Angel In Need’ contains the dramatic pace that smartly seeps into Power Ballad territory.

            Produced by Schmier - Destruction, Burning Witches, Panzer - the controlled rawness of their sound is captured. This is achieved without adding too many fussy frills so as not to fall into the pretension trap of trying too hard to sound like their musical idols. Schmier’s steady and experienced hand on the production tiller, such as on ‘Deep Blue Water’, steers this album away from falling overboard into a sea of too many comparisons. He’s done an admirable job in revealing Fireborn’s innate identity.

            Fireborn repay his faith by pushing themselves to their limits across these mid-length compositions which vary from full on Metal bangers, ‘Proud And Ashamed’, to the delicate, ‘Guide You Home’, that displays a powerful breadth and range. With so many good songs included, ‘Reflections’ is an impressive debut. Let’s hope that they can follow this up sooner than later…