A little over a year ago, I reviewed Decay, the debut album from German metal band Tension. Little did I know that it would also be their last. Not long after Decay‘s release, the band called it a day, which was a real shame because they were a fun listen. They weren’t revolutionary in the grand scheme of things. In fact, there were even far better bands within the NWOTHM realm. However, I can always get behind a band who worships the NWOBHM and 80s US power metal, and Tension did so rather well. This sudden split made I and others wonder: What lied ahead for these German heshers? The answer comes today in the form of Firmament’s debut, We Don’t Rise We Just Fall.
Who is Firmament? For a lack of better terminology, they’re essentially Tension 2: Electric Boogaloo. OK, that’s not a completely accurate assessment, but considering both bands share the same drummer, guitar duo, and up until last year, singer, such an assertion isn’t out of the ordinary. The biggest difference between Tension and Firmament is that whereas Tension’s brand of old school metal drew exclusively from the 80s, Firmament’s sounds trapped somewhere in time between the late 70s and the earliest part of the 80s. Mind you, I say this with the utmost respect. Firmament executes these 70s influences in a way that doesn’t come off as blatant 70s worship, but rather in the same manner classic NWOBHM acts incorporated these tropes into their sound to create something new.
We Don’t Rise We Just Fall elegantly strides the line between classic hard rock and heavy metal with the same confidence as fellow new schoolers Wytch Hazel and Freeways. When it’s time to bring the heavy, Firmament does so in spades. Cuts like “The Void”, “Hide & Seek”, and “On the Edge” are utterly explosive, strengthened by a stripped down production and no frills approach. The riffs are ripping, the hooks are absurdly catchy, and the drums sound like they’re gonna tear right through your stereo, similar to Bill Ward and Ian Paice on classic Sabbath and Purple albums respectively. There isn’t a weak link to be found musically, and it shows. Firmament is tight, but also loose when they need to be.
On the flip side are songs where melody and atmosphere take precedent over brute force. Mellow passages akin to Wishbone Ash and Blue Öyster Cult are scattered all throughout this album, specifically on songs such as “Firmament”, “Loosing You”, and “Last Desire”. These moments don’t just feel like they were thrown in to add depth to the compositions; they feel right. It all comes together on my choice cut, “Live in the Night”. This über-melodic rocker oozes the same passionate yearning as Diamond Head circa Borrowed Time (1982), even down to frontman Maik Huber’s clean, howling vocal delivery.
I really hope Firmament doesn’t meet the same untimely fate as their predecessor. They’ve grown even stronger as songwriters, musicians, and a collective unit in just the past year, albeit playing a slightly different variation of retro metal. For a band who claims they “just fall”, I can sure see them rising to the top of the NWOTHM crop. They’re distinct enough to stand out from the excess of Priest and Maiden clones dominating the scene, and talented enough to grab the ear of any self-respecting old schooler. If you prefer your metal on the mustachioed and stonewashed denim side, crack open a cold one and crank this sucker up!
7 out of 10
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
For fans of: Diamond Head, Wytch Hazel, Tower