Release Date: March 22nd 2024. Record Label: Tapes Of Wrath. Formats: Cassette/DD
Face The Fire - Tracklisting
1.Homosapien 04:32
2.From Beyond 03:33
3.Face The Fire 05:00
4.Warped One (Arise) 03:11
Members
Michael 'Owensie' Owens (guitar and vocals)
Tob Swift (guitar)
Ror Conaty (drums)
Review
Face The Fire is the debut EP from Psych Stoner Metallers Burning Realm who are from Dublin, Ireland features current and ex-members of No Spill Blood (Svart / Sargent House Records), Venus Sleeps, Wizards of Firetop Mountain, Mongolia, Realistic Train, and Puget Sound.
Burning Realm’s overall sound is dominated and influenced by bands such as Thin Lizzy, Torche, Floor, Thin Lizzy, Sleep and even Yawning Man. There’s also a kinetic Punk Rock energy heard within the down-tuned Sludgy grooves that allows Burning Realm to have a deep meaningful DOWN-TUNED approach and Amplifier Worship melody to their music.
Opening track Homosapien takes that classic style of Sludge/Doom-Pop/Stoner Metal riffage that FLOOR and TORCHE were closely associated with. Burning Realm adds a murky Psychedelic vision and Shamanic Chants within their vocal delivery. The song can be quite meditative and with weird Psychedelic acoustic guitars still retaining a Droned Out melodic energy. The mood is quite out there and wonderfully trippy.
Second song From Beyond channels the High On Fire and Big Business way of life with a classic mid-nineties Stoner Metal attitude from Michael’s vocals. The frantic guitars both played by Michael and Tob works superbly well with Burning Realm offering their own great blend of upbeat and aggressive guitar solos that becomes more impressive when the strands of Classic Hard Rock appear which is then changes to a more chaotic blend of Sludge/Stoner Metal instrumental heaviness and Psychedelic exploration.
The final two tracks Face The Fire and Warped One (Arise) continue that musical journey with flashes of early era The Sword and KYLESA coming from Burning Realm and a soulful sonic interchange with epic drumming from Ror Conaty. Perhaps the most technically impressive and most interesting creative sounds appear within Face The Fire with Burning Realm taking their music into a more Progressive direction.
Face The Fire is a vastly entertaining debut EP which offers a kick-ass style of modern day Sludge/Stoner Metal which I’m hoping to see a more substantial release from Burning Realm in the future. The EP is full of interesting and action packed grooves that leave you wanting to hear more.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Super Fi Records for the promo.
Face The Fire will be available to buy on Cassette/Digital Download from Tapes Of Wrath (part of SuperFi Records) from Friday 22nd March 2024.
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