Arched Fire – Remote Control
WormHoleDeath
Release Date: 30/04/2021
Running Time: 38:44
Review by Simon Black
6/10
There’s been a lot of this of late. This, being bands I’ve never heard of releasing albums with a several decades back story that is. The recent revival in NWOBHM and the 80’s in general has seen a wave of new acts influenced by their parent’s (or indeed grand-parents) record collections in much the same I was by my Mum’s Stones and Beatles records a long time ago. It’s also seen a lot of acts who were around at the time and either did not stay the pace, or never really got going before Grunge et al became the focus of the easily distracted labels searching for the next big thing.
Finland’s Arched Fire definitely fall into that final category who were teenagers when they formed in 1989 and by the time they had got their shit together, the world had well and truly moved on. They folded early, without really getting the chance to even dent a wider, and at that time, burgeoning European Underground scene, with all the members moving on to other projects in the intervening years before reforming very recently and producing this album. After thirty-two years of gestation and the experience gained on other projects the old A&R adage that a band has years to write the first album has never been more correct and it would be interesting to know just how many of the songs were birthed in the 1980’s.
So enough of the history and on to the present.
Stylistically this is NWOBHM with a strong vein of Speed Metal running though it and a few Thrash-like motes and time changes thrown in for good measure. I’m quite enjoying Kristian Herkman’s vocal turn, which alternates from a straight Rock / Metal clean delivery to some incredibly high ranging shrill screams that hybridise Halford’s unique turn on ‘Painkiller’ whilst snorting Martin Walkyier’s Sabbat era delivery. It’s an odd mixture but works quite well and adds variety and tone to proceedings.
Musically the guitar work is fluid and melodic when the solos come around, but the overall musical arrangements can sound a little jerky and I am left with the feeling that even though the material has been simmering on the pot for a long time, that it could have also benefitted for a little more time spent on pre-production. It’s also let down a little by the production, which whilst retaining that retro feel of a hastily recorded demo just doesn’t sound rich enough for the day and age we live in. The drums and vocals suffer from this in particular although the stringed instruments sound punchy and fat. It’s frustrating, as with a little more care the overall sound would have compensated somewhat for the chaotic arrangements. Nevertheless, an interesting start, and I can see the energy and chaos being transferred into the live arena much more effectively.
‘Wormhole’ (Lyric Video)
TRACKLISTING:
01. Hindsight 20/20
02. Back On Track
03. Remote-Controlled End
04. Crawling Down
05. …And Ride Away
06. A.T.W.
07. Wormhole
08. Escape
09. Futile
10. From Dust To Dust
LINE-UP:
Kristian Herkman – Vocals
Aslak Purojärvi – Drums
Mika Rytilahti – Bass
Janne Särkelä – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Ari Väntänen – Rhythm Guitar
LINKS:
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