So what's new with Fire Up the Blades relative to its predecessor Advance and Vanquish? How about all the musicians? That's right, kids, and yet no one skips a beat with the band sounding like a well-oiled machine of molten Metal mayhem. Dual vocalists Cam "Massive" Pipes and Jamie "Screech" Hooper are still doing exactly what they did to make "Deadly Sinners" a veritable hit. Their "good cop, bad cop" vocal trade-off is still refreshing and serves to pace out each song as well as the album as a whole.

That Joey "Drum Mercenary" Jordison produced this entire affair is a surprise, at least to me. Who knew he had a thing for Bay Area Thrash-influenced Power/Classic Metal? At least Fire Up the Blades doesn't sound like some bastardization of Satyricon and Korn -- or any of the several other bands ably assisted by Jordison in recent times. Let's just say the man's palate is well-rounded and his production skills solid, as evidenced here. If only he'd lose that mask....

3 Inches of Blood gains points for the sheer fun factor of Fire Up the Blades. One must wonder if they take themselves seriously or have their tongues planted very firmly in their cheeks. It could be both, I s'pose. Standout tracks include "God Of The Cold White Silence" and, of course, "The Goatriders Horde." Listen about 3 minutes into "Forest King" and you might expect to hear "sing me a song, you’re a singer; do me a wrong, you’re a bringer of evil..." since the bass line sounds lifted from, well, you know the song. You certainly should. [Those lyrics hail from "Heaven & Hell" by Black Sabbath (with Ronnie James Dio on vocals).]

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 51.56