FIREBRAND SUPER ROCK – Point Of No Return CD-EP

Firebrand super rock are a four piece Edinburgh based rock band, who formed in the summer of 2004, and have since played countless gigs in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee and smaller towns like Hawick. The Firebrand sound is one of sheer, unadulterated, sweat driven rock
With influences ranging from Guns n' Roses, Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden and Alice In Chains, Firebrand have forged a sound of their own. A hugely distinctive and powerful female vocal presence, and worthy musicians make up the band.
Edinburgh's leading female-fronted metal band with their debut EP and it's got all the hallmarks of Classic Rock and vintage heavy metal coming from every pore of its existence. A quartet, they write exceptional songs and deliver them with an Iron Maiden-esque ferocity that puts them right at the top of their tree.
The title track simply roars into life with rifle-fire drumming, thunderous bass undercurrents, molten, solid guitar riffs as the incendiary and powerful vocals from lead singer Laura Donnelly scythe a path over the heavy metal thunder and it all sounds absolutely stunning. A searing lead guitar break adds the icing to one seriously substantial cake. “Pickin' The Bones” is every bit as powerful with a similar pace, the drums slightly less manic, as the lead guitar work from Jamie Gillchrist just sizzles. Above this, Laura exhibits an even wider range of her powerful vocals as shed veers from menacing through hollered to positively banshee-esque, all in tune and all to mesmerising degree. The song itself twists and turns with nods towards Judas Priest's classic “Breakin The Law” along the way, a mark of just how strong this band really is. This is Classic Metal at its finest.
“Fenrir” opens with a scorching lead guitar, tumbling drums and more of Frazer Marr's stomach-crunching bass foundations, before the whole thing tears the roof off as a slice of driving metal erupts. The verses are delivered with the customary strength from Laura, while that vocal just takes off to awesome degree, the song possessing a multi-tracked chorus that also gives the track an extra dimension to its metal splendour. A steaming guitar break has the hairs rising on the back of your neck as Bruce Urquhart's punishing drumming keeps it all moving on another outstanding slab of rock. The final track is the amazing “Drop D Destroyer” which starts out quietly with ghostly lead guitar chords above deep bass, slight feedback and cymbal splashes, and then the track just erupts in this blaze of lead guitar as the rhythm section charge in, Laura's vocal drives through on top and another head-banging slice of molten metal collides into your head to jaw-dropping effect. The vocals here are positively on fire as she provides another incredibly strong performance, the extra presence of the male harmonies on the surging chorus providing a neat contrast, while the guitar break is as economical as it is amazing, the thunderous riffing and the band's fierce determination, combined with the song's sense of purpose and the all-out attack, with confidence dripping from every pore, all combine to deliver a most spectacular metal anthem.
All in all, this is an EP with four Classic Rock tracks that doesn't waste one second, is everything you could want from such an animal, and rocks with a vengeance, as passionate as it is powerful.

Back to Dundee Live home page
Email Andy G
Menu