AMBUSH – Firestorm
- Posted on 12-06-2014
The Scandinavian scene continues to roll out new talent in all facets of metal – here is a quintet from Sweden in Ambush that started in 2013 and quickly released a demo and EP prior to this full length debut. "Firestorm" lives for an older time: when synchronized twin guitar parts careened into Lizzy Borden-like choruses, mid-tempo riffing and double bass becoming tenets in the traditional and power metal landscape.
Vocalist Oskar Jacobsson has a similar high octane voice and shrieking propensity as acts like Enforcer or Steelwing – check out "Don’t Shoot Let ‘em Burn" or "Heading East" for some killer melodies and over the top screams. Musically these 8 songs run all up and down the spectrum dynamically – "Master of Pain" is more of a creepy, Mercyful Fate meets Accept number, while the opening title cut is a heads down power anthem in line with newcomers such as Skull Fist or Ranger.
Ambush design their music for maximum heavy metal appreciation – the lead breaks of Olof Engkvist and Adam Hagelin fiery and energetic, the choruses very minimalistic yet mead hall oriented for audience shout a longs and keeping their arrangements at a fairly quick 3:28- 4:52 clip doesn’t burn out the listener. Favorites include the Judas Priest meets Lizzy Borden anthem vibe for "Ambush" and the mid-tempo studded closer "Natural Born Killers" which leaves your ears abuzz through its confident hook and metal to the bone attitude.
Don your best denim jacket, strap on those band patches, and cruise to your favorite market/ outlet to purchase "Firestorm" – digitally or physically this is proof of old school heavy metal’s eternal timelessness.