Ring of Fire - Battle of Leningrad (2014) [Gorgatz]

Ring of Fire - Battle of Leningrad (2014) [Gorgatz]



- I N F O -

After nine years of absence, Ring of Fire have returned with their fourth album, titled ‘Battle of Leningrad’. For those of you who didn’t pay much attention in history class, let me fill you in. The concept of this album is based on the Nazi’s siege of Leningrad that took place during WWII for a period of around 900 days, causing hundreds of thousands of people to starve to death. Despite that, the Russians persevered and eventually forced the Nazis out of Leningrad. Fittingly, the album’s opening track ‘Mother Russia’ begins with a piano part accompanied by the sound of marching drums; a clear soundtrack for battle. The dramatic atmosphere intensifies as soon as the guitar riffs enter the picture.

The track is followed by ‘They’re Calling Your Name’, a fast-paced tune with a mental synth lead, followed by a guitar solo about halfway through the track, which clearly showcases guitarist Tony MacAlpine‘s talents. The midpoint of the album comes in the form of ‘Firewind’ – also the longest track at 7:42 minutes. This track changes things up a bit with a combination of the speedy choruses and slowed down verses. Unlike most metal bands, something striking about Ring of Fire is how well Mark Boals‘ melodic vocals work, especially paired with Vitalij Kuprij‘s keyboard part in this track.
The title track begins with a harmony, making way for Boals‘ anguished vocals to tell the story of the sufferings of battle. Though it may not be a stand-out track, it features yet another beautiful sombre piece by Kuprij – a great way to capture the feeling of the song. The keyboard is even more captivating in the introduction of ‘Our World’. This song definitely popped up like a jack-in-the-box, as I definitely didn’t expect such a ballad to appear on the album. I didn’t expect it to work either, but it actually works really well. “I try to hold on, ’til everything’s gone”; a line that perfectly captures the story of the siege of Leningrad.

Ring of Fire have been deemed a super-group by many, and this record is a perfect example of why that is. It is more than clear that there is some major talent in this band. The record has an epic feel to it and it fits so perfectly with the concept they have chosen.

- T R A C K L I S T -

01. Mother Russia
02. They're Calling Your Name
03. Empire
04. Land of Frozen Tears
05. Firewind
06. Where Angels Play
07. Battle of Leningrad
08. No Way Out
09. Our World
10. Rain


Format: 320 mp3
Genre: Progressive Metal
Sub-Genre: Power Metal
Size: 120.74 MB