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Hailing from Macedonia of all off-the-beaten track places, Serpentine Fire (no relation to the Earth, Wind & Fire song of the same name) ply a strikingly and well-produced concoction of mid- to uptempo traditional metal with subtle thrash underpinnings (if you’ll pardon the oxymoron-like couplet “subtle thrash”). In other words, this is somewhat akin to “power metal” as it was known in the mid-eighties: the chunk-riffed median between plain ol’ heavy metal and all-out thrash. I’m feeling Vicious Rumors and Onslaught here, for sure, and if it loses a point or three with regard to originality, then it certainly carries the day with track-to-track playability and proficiency. Guitar leads, in particular, have more dynamics and melodic nuance than anyone asked them to have, whether solo or in tandem. Vocalist Igor Panev reaches for the high end of his register like a junior Eric Adams, and a good time is had by all. Economy of length, intelligent sequencing, (mediocre) lyrics attached, all capped by the charming inanity of titling a song “Metal Magic,” a move not recommended to anyone after 1983 not looking to elicit giggles, Brothers Abbott included.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Pain |
| 2. Out To The Light |
| 3. Metal Magic |
| 4. Instrumental |
| 5. The Angel With Regrets |
| 6. The Game |
| 7. The Madman's Dream |
| 8. The World As We Know It |
| 9. Insanity |
: 40:24
| Buy other Serpentine Fire albums |
