Firewind - Few Against Many review
| Band: | Firewind |
| Album: | Few Against Many |
| Style: | Heavy metal, Power metal |
| Release date: | May 22, 2012 |
| A review by: | Milena |
01. Wall Of Sound
02. Losing My Mind
03. Few Against Many
04. The Undying Fire
05. Another Dimension
06. Glorious
07. Edge Of A Dream [feat. Apocalyptica]
08. Destiny
09. Long Gone Tomorrow
10. No Heroes, No Sinners
11. Battleborn [Limited Edition Digipak bonus]
12. No Heroes, No Sinners [Acoustic version] [Limited Edition Digipak bonus]
Firewind, Firewind, how I loved you. You proved that bands with frequently changing lineups can still sound tight as fuck. You proved that having a kick-ass young shredder in the band doesn't necessarily turn your songs into vessels for his solos. You proved that it's possible to issue five albums in six years with each following album being better than the one before it. You issued one of my favorite power metal albums, The Premonition. You kicked ass.
Then came 2010 with the inevitably underwhelming Days Of Defiance. There was still some fuel in the tank but it ran out long before the album finished, leaving me worried for the band's future. Came 2012 with another generic album name and the single "Wall Of Sound" which was everything but a wall of sound.
"Well this can't be good", I thought.
And I was right.
Firewind now sounds like someone put them through a shit blender. Rare appearances of good tunes are appreciated, until you remember you've heard the band do that exact same thing before, and better. The rest is drowned in hard rock pretension, random chugging, mid-paced songs with all life sucked out of them (whatever happened to the band that wrote "Brother's Keeper"?), songs that try to be anthems and fail miserably (whatever happened to the band that wrote "Tyranny" and "Head Up High"?), ballads that don't even try to invite you to sing along (whatever happened to the band that wrote "Hate World Hero"?) and, on occasions, songs with good bits... That don't match up. I'm not sure how could they make such amateurish mistakes in songwriting. Come on, listen to "Destiny" and say it's a good power metal song, I double dare you. Listen to "Edge Of A Dream" and say Apocalyptica's guest spot wasn't painfully wasted.
Sure, there's still nice solos, guitar/keyboard exchanges and Apollo Papathanasio sounds as charismatic as ever, but the defining characteristic of this band - playing solid, catchy and powerful metal - is nowhere to be found. And I'm not the only person who feels that way about Few Against Many. Perhaps Firewind is not one of Gus G's primary concerns anymore, or perhaps they just hit a rough patch. As a fan of this band, I'm hoping for the former.
 | Written on 27.09.2012 by A part of the team since December 2011. 7.0 means the album is good. |
Comments
Comments: 27
Visited by: 375 users
| Druss Posts: 277  |
Still haven't heard Days Of Defiance, but comparitively speaking, between this effort and 2008's, you're definately right, Few Against Many is very underwhelming....just seems sloppily put together, a hint here and there of a good riff, a hook, then its gone. Disappointing, spot-on review.
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| Lit. Account deleted |
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| Fredd Account deleted |
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| Kamil Account deleted |
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603  |
Written by [user id=114127] on 27.09.2012 at 14:50 I think they're becoming too big to hear or care what any of us have to say... I wanted to mention that in the review but I decided to leave it out. So, ultimately, this review serves no purpose except to express my personal disappointment, which is awful, but there you have it 
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Fredd Account deleted |
Fredd
Account deleted Written by Milena on 27.09.2012 at 15:32 Nah, at least you've saved me 40-something minutes of my precious life.
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by [user id=114127] on 27.09.2012 at 15:37 How about I furthermore make your life better and direct you to The Premonition?
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Fredd Account deleted |
Fredd
Account deleted Written by Milena on 27.09.2012 at 15:38 Getting it right now. Thanks 
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Either back on topic or the two of you get a room 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Fredd Account deleted |
Fredd
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 27.09.2012 at 15:41 An emergency room? you evil man
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 27.09.2012 at 15:41 We're talking about Firewind. Your point?
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Spirit Molecule spirit molecule Posts: 1918  |
Written by Milena on 27.09.2012 at 15:32 Did one of them throw a fit or something after a bad review of an older album ?
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Spirit Molecule on 27.09.2012 at 16:50 I don't think so, why?
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Spirit Molecule spirit molecule Posts: 1918 |
Written by Milena on 27.09.2012 at 16:58 Oh ok, well some of the previous comments made it seem like they had shown up before.
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| Spirit Molecule spirit molecule Posts: 1918 |
Written by [user id=114127] on 27.09.2012 at 17:13 Yeah I've noticed that, but I guess Firewind might be a bit bigger than the other ones as Milena mentioned. Oh and thanks brah
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| Coolingsrock Posts: 228  |
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| Stabby Account deleted |
Stabby
Account deleted Written by Milena on 27.09.2012 at 15:32 Truth. I was going to say that I'm glad you wrote how you really feel (and I feel); because if nobody criticizes the album they'll just do it again. But in reality they won't read this, or pay attention to negative reviews, and the album will sell decently well and they'll play a sold-out tour and everyone will scream at the end of their new songs. Instead this is our lamentation. And how sweet it is! Nice work. I can't help but think that Firewind's descent into mediocrity has been fueled by Gus playing for Ozzy. I'm not suggesting that it's Ozzy's fault, but Gus might be feeling more pressure to appeal to the mainstream heavy metal crowd.
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| Susan Smeghead Elite Posts: 6941  |
"Perhaps Firewind is not one of Gus G's primary concerns anymore" GOD I hope not! This is so disappointing to read. I haven't heard the album yet, and definitely will, but I just was getting this suspicion anyway. I mean, they've never been at the top of the power metal ranks but they've always had their own sound and been solid as fuck and enjoyable, awesome, loveable, etc. I reviewed their 2010 album, released right after Gus joined with Ozzy, and I proclaimed that Firewind was a "real band" and not just some side project of Gus's, but one of his main focuses. Gus: please don't make me wrong about that!!
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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| The Galactician Posts: 400  |
I just started listening to these guys a few weeks back and haven't made it beyond their first record, which I really enjoy. Think I'll give this one a great big skip based on this review. 
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Elite Posts: 3099  |
"Evolving" is hardly something I think a band like this are capable of, the focus on their formulaic style of producing riff oriented and melodic songs doesn't allow for any variance. The band sounds the same as always the only thing that is different here I think is that the band has become increasingly off the mark in making their music catchy and memorable.
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| Sir Thrashalot Posts: 55  |
I've personally seen a Firewind show last year, they did a GREAT job, always been a Firewind fan since "Burning Earth", the addition of Appolo solidified the band, a great signer with a charisma beyond most. But honestly, i listened to this album, and i can't be more on Milena's side on this. Few Against Many seems so down, so slow and doesn't make me want to sing very loud in my car like the Head Up High and Mercenary Man and good old Firewind times. Songs don't catch my attention at all, it seems like they ran out of fuel. Nowhere near the energy and passion they had in the beggining. "The Premonition" and "Allegiance" were so powerful and feel good songs, now their new songs drag me down, very negative compared to the kick they had before. Very disapointing for me, hope they will get back on their feet, because they used to be one of my favorite Power Metal bands, top 3 easily, and now they're going down. "Days of Defiance"... I told myself, meh one speed bump, they'll be back... now i'm not so sure about it ...
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| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603 |
Written by Sir Thrashalot on 01.10.2012 at 16:44 Ah yes, that's how I felt :/ Thanks for the comments. Always nice to write for you guys.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| Dorian75 Posts: 53  |
I agree that Premonition is considered as their magnum opus but i also believe that Few Against Many has some great songs in its track list. Losing my mind/Few against many/The undying fire/Glorious after several times of listening the album i still believe that they are great songs powerful with identity and everything else you can name them but meaningless. As for the edge of a dream it is not the kind of song that grab your face at first but steady and strongly is growing inside you and this feeling you get listening to this song has no turning back. Maybe they don't have to prove anymore how good they are in making good first impression. It's the difference between a sexy hot young girl with swim suit and a charming lady full dressed in night elegant suit. In first case you can't stop staring , in second case you have to do something further more if you want to find out what it's not revealed at first sight!!! Ok the wall of sound its a typical wanna be easy listening hit comfortable for car cd player and nothing more but i still believe that it's not much worst than head up high or mercenary man(from the legendary Premonition) , two really overrated songs based on a by far more easy going/listening attitude.
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| Dorian75 Posts: 53 |
Written by Milena on 01.10.2012 at 20:52 I agree that Premonition is considered as their magnum opus but i also believe that Few Against Many has some great songs in its track list. Losing my mind/Few against many/The undying fire/Glorious after several times of listening the album i still believe that they are great songs powerful with identity and everything else you can name them but meaningless. As for the edge of a dream it is not the kind of song that grab your face at first but steady and strongly is growing inside you and this feeling you get listening to this song has no turning back. Maybe they don't have to prove anymore how good they are in making good first impression. It's the difference between a sexy hot young girl with swim suit and a charming lady full dressed in night elegant suit. In first case you can't stop staring , in second case you have to do something further more if you want to find out what it's not revealed at first sight!!! Ok the wall of sound its a typical wanna be easy listening hit comfortable for car cd player and nothing more but i still believe that it's not much worst than head up high or mercenary man(from the legendary Premonition) , two really overrated song based on a by far more easy going/listening attitude.
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| IconMaiden Posts: 53 |
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