Blackguard – Firefight – Review

Hailing from Canada, Blackguard stands a top a mountain looking down and play the sound track to the epic battles of fantasy from the medieval ages. They swing their swords once again with their latest effort entitled Firefight, and with blistering riffs and epic keys alongside the brutal vocals this fight might get a little intense.

From the opening of the album you can envision the war between pagans and the christian crusaders or something of the like. So bust out World of Warcraft and get questing for the epics with Firefight. Blackguard has a good sense of balance with the right amount of symphonic components as well as shifting from the guitar being layered within the rest of the band and then standing out for heavenly sounding solos. But, they fail to really separate themselves from the rest of the epic metal pack. The do flirt with some metalcore riffs alongside the rest of their wizardry but sometimes the song structures although epic, feel very basic for the genre and they blend into one another.

The album feels somewhat formulaic, but it works I headbang along but after a few minutes my inner warrior wears off and its on to the next one. The symphonic melodies are like lullabies its only the coarse vicious growls that defend me against slumber. Which is a direct result of the vocals being the only thing sounding dirty within this entire production. The uber clean approach almost made me forget that it was a metal album, so I propose Blackguard get a little mud on their boots when it comes to gearing up for the next battle.

Firefight overall is a very good album, but it needed some extra firepower amidst its four to six minute epics to keep the melody from lulling the dragon to sleep and rather taking the extra slice at its throat and slaying the beast. Perhaps, it simply is not my cup of tea, but I needed a little more brutality. Blackguard‘s Firefight is in stores now and if you want to embrace the inner knight within check it out. [James Terry]

Score: 3 (out of 5)

Release Date: March 29th, 2011
Record Label: Victory Records
Genre: Melodic Death Metal

RIYL: Destroy Destroy, Aeveron, Runic.

Track Listing:
1. Tephra
2. Firefight
3. Farewell
4. Wastelands
5. Cruel Hands
6. Iblis
7. The Fear of All Flesh
8. A Blinding Light
9. The Path
10. Sarissas