"Fireaxe is a band that is epic in scope, simply put."
Reviews of
Eternal Devotion to the Dark Goddess |
Food for the Gods |
Victory or Death |
Lovecraftian Nightmares |
A Dream of Death |
Unholy Rapture
"Eternal Devotion to the Dark Goddess"
"On the official Fireaxe website Brian tells his music is a channel for
This story is about a man who tells about his youth, his dreams and
Brian Voth is first of all a virtuosic guitarist. Don't expect fast
Brian Voth is also a good singer. With his possibility to touch the higher
Brian Voth is an extremely creative musician, a man with a vision, super
- Officer Nice of Metal to Infinity
***
"Lyrically it's an extremely cynical outlook on life, but then again
"Musically (Brian) continues on showing that (he's) able to write interesting
"All in all I'd say that it probably ends up as (Fireaxe's) second greatest
- Thomas Pedersen
"Holy shit, Brother. I've recently had the profound joy of discovering
This is what Metal should be - a love and nourishing of tradition, with
I send to You a mighty Hail and thanks for sharing Your vision with me.
- Andrew Morris
***
"Them" is just about brilliant with the unifying theme that runs
"I'll also mention part IV of your work (The Flame Extinguished).
"If most of the world had forgotten what the spirit of Metal
"All praise to Fireaxe - You have done it. Fireaxe is now the
- Bim Landers
***
"I want to add my stone to the monument of praise FIREAXE fans are building.
"Instrumentation is perfect and so are your "reviled" vocals, which I
"...an epic that moreover has a purpose, which is all the greater."
"I like it. Now I must find a 4 hour period of quiet to read along the
lyrics!"
- Nicolas Bonneau
***
"Voth may be a one man band, but FFTG doesn't necessarily sound like it.
"As for the solos, the better ones convey emotions in keeping with the
"...it's the almost fanatical conviction and emotion that elevates the
"Voth doesn't just sing words, he lays it all out when he lets it rip."
"As for the tracks, the highlights of the album include the thrashy speed
"In the end, despite it's limitations and imperfections, true metalheads
(Rated 4.0 out of 5.0)
- CrashTest of metal-rules.com
***
"I had my reservations before I listened to it I must admit though.
- Thomas Pedersen
***
"I think there is a great deal of musicality in the work: very nice
"Many spots where keyboard and guitar are playing quieter, more
"...outstanding creative musical ability...it would be wonderful to hear
- Shirley Beckett
***
"I was crushed !! this is killer epic metal !! it's really killer !"
- Manolis Makridakis
***
"If you've ever wished that old-style heavy metal would be just a
- ANUS staff
***
"Great album, I'm 110% satisfied with it...! Definitely needs many
- Cody Guadagnoli
***
"I want to inform you that the CDs have arrived and I must say that Food
- Christian Kebler
***
"Your high voice, high pitched i mean, reminds me of Uriah Heep,
- Robert Ommundsen
***
"Thank you for A Dream of Death, Lovecraftian Nightmares and Food for
- Santiago
***
"My great respect for creating such an incredible work.
- Christian Diederich
***
"I'm listening to Food For The Gods right now.. I hadn't heard any
- Dale Stevens
***
"I can honestly say this is some of the most challenging music I've ever
"Ultimately, I think your art epitomizes what heavy metal is and ought to
"Whatever happens, your art will never be far from my mind, and you have
- Steven Bissonett
"I was very eager to listen to Brian's work so when I received this cd I
"I challenge you to enter the Fireaxe realm. You will be enchanted."
- Trampakoulas of The Forgotten Scroll
***
"With a voice like Brian, you can go all the way. Standard but powerful
"Putting a name on this style of Metal is quite difficult cause there are
"Searching for some original, unique piece of Metal, go for Fireaxe
- Stefan of Metal to Infinity
***
"I'm pleased to announce the song writing on this compilation is excellent,
"Bottom Line: With some real drums this could be some damn fine heavy metal music."
- Ian of Metal Hordes
***
"Some vocals reminded me in some places of King Diamond but instead of
- Review at Music Extreme
***
"Brian sent me this one last week totally out of the blue, and I'm so
"FIREAXE music is really impressive and a strange mix of Power and
"...each minute is a joy, this is the aural equivalent of drinking fine wine."
- Runehammer at Metal Gospel
***
"Voth proves that he is quite the mastermind, learning each instrument
"Fireaxe brings to life "Victory Or Death" with classic tracks like the
"I really enjoyed the rather barbaric sounding "Cut Or Be Cut", which shows
- Eric Compton of Maximum Metal
***
"The production was off a bit for me, specifically the loud distortion on
- Nailer of Maximum Metal
***
"Brian Voth takes on all the instruments, the programming of the drums,
- Darken of 666 Metal
***
"Voth has more than a few strong points: his vocals, while not the absolute
- Roberto Martinelli of Maelstrom
"The music is specifically written to accentuate the poems. During more tranquil
"Voth's vocals are well-suited to both the music and the subject matter. He packs a lot
"The end result is a haunting tribute that any Lovecraft fan is sure to enjoy."
"I give LOVECRAFTIAN NIGHTMARES four skulls" -
- Mike Oliveri,
Feo Amante's Horror Home Page
***
"The interpretations are ingenious, to say the least - Brian has really stretched his
" Again, words fail when trying to get across how great this stuff is. I imagine
- Lord Vic,
LARM
***
"Word. Brian Voth's one-man-band, Fireaxe, is absolutely some of the best fucking metal
- Goddess,
Dark Velvet
***
"The music is like I have mentioned before power metal that reminds me a bit
- Bruno Van de Velde,
Undertow web zine
***
"I received your CD and played it. The production values on the CD
"Your work on my two poems is awesome. I really enjoyed "Whispers in the
- Octavio Ramos
***
"Even with the minor short comings that warrent taking off a whole 1 point
"Lovecraftian Nightmares" does implement a slightly more "mellow" approach
"Had Fireaxe come to fruition in the late 70's, I'm certain that they would
- Bim Landers
***
"The music is diverse, not limited to any one style,
"'The Ancient Track' is definitely my favorite, the one song that
" On the whole, Lovecraftian Nightmares is a good listen, one that grows on
- Melanie Fischer,
Imelod Magazine
***
"(Fireaxe) gives us an amazing experience with this album, the record has so many
"He has many long running songs, like 'Nathicana' and 'Nemesis', and these songs
- Johnny Angelund of "Metal Club" magazine
***
"I thought your Lovecraftian album to be an excellent, original piece of work that
- Mike "JD" Sorvani
***
"Haunting rhythms and pro vocals sounded all great. And I do admit, the first track
- Carlo DeShouten
***
"(Lovecraftian Nightmares) was marvelous, I especially liked about
- Jarmo Tolvanen
***
"It is cool, creepy, strange and magical all at the same time.
- Damian Smolko
***
There is 10 tracks on this CD! And their highlights are:"The Outpost"
- Wally,
Catchy Hooks E-zine
***
"...rhythmically pleasing, whether a hard driving beat of the faster, insistent music
"Nathicana ....same haunting tune that caught my musical ear
- Shirley Beckett
***
"Your website is Excellent! Thanks for the offer of the Lovecraft tape."
"(Lovecraftian Nightmares) is quite an accomplishment,
- Chick Lewis
***
"The drums of the jungle in ecstasy boom,
- H. P. Lovecraft
"A Dream of Death"
"This is an excellent album and one that will grab your attention.
- Derek Daniel of
Stormbringer Webzine
***
"...so in an effort to really convey why I think this band is so great let me just
"You can tell from the way a lot of the stuff is written that Brian has put a lot
"I urge EVERYONE to give it a listen. Music doesn't get much better than this."
- Lord Vic,
LARM
***
"A complex conceptual album, you really get your money's worth
- Jason Christie of
Eternal Frost Webzine
***
"Let me just say that Brian Voth is one of the most hard-working individuals in
- Azzie of Stormwatcher Magazine
***
"the sheer guts, determination and vision of it all overshadow shortcomings"
- Simon Lukic of Musically Incorrect
***
"Brian's music is more traditional metal than what I usually present in Dark Velvet
"Brian's voice is very similar to great singers like Klaus Meine of the Scorpions
- Michael Kidd of
Dark Velvet
***
"The thing I liked the most about this CD were the lyrics. They all go together
- Renee Maxwell of
Night Ritual Webzine
***
"This work is made up of 10 tracks that are laboured on the hard'n'heavy side,
- Carlos Tavares of
The Space of ... Carlos Tavares
***
"Fireaxe exists in a class of its own. Doing it justice through a typed
"Yeah, musically speaking it's amazing as well. Tempo changes that flow
"Until Brian Voth unleashes his latest album, "Food for the Gods", "A Dream
- Bim Landers
***
"This simply is some of the best traditional style heavy metal I have
"This is the sort of music that further reinforces my opinion that heavy
- Alexander Sinn
***
"I was completely blown away"
- Diane Bellmann
***
"This one kicks ass."
- Johan Tomtlund,
Swedish Metal Inquisition
***
"his guitar playing stands as a monument in his playing."
- Johnny Angelund of Metal Club
***
"Earthbound Goddes is one of my favorites though, with a little touch
"The New God ... Its heavy and fast and transmits its energy to the listener."
"It takes a lot of work to put out a product like this CD,
- Melanie Fischer,
Imelod Magazine
***
"Its great that your music touches people in ways that even the most famous
- Kasandra of
KHAOS A.D.
***
"Though I'm not convinced by Brian's talents as a singer I must admit that
- Ed Sander of
The Dutch Progressive Rock Page
"Sheer artistry and dedication. Fireaxe pays a lot of attention to arrangement, solo
"...a compelling piece of work"
"The fuzzed-out overdriven rhythms are overpowering."
"'Godslayer' is the lyrical highpoint, to me. He more or less
- Jason Christie,
Eternal Frost E-zine
***
"This is a band that is epic in scope, simply put."
"Capable of strong songwriting and catchy licks...Fireaxe doesn't
- Scott Waldie, Stormwatch magazine
***
"Unholy Rapture really caught me off guard. It is certainly dark and brooding,
"Ever since I first heard this tape, I've tried very hard to think of a band
"...this sound could help inspire a whole new genre of metal."
- Scott Bivins Scott's Progressive Metal Network
***
"This demo tape lacks in the production department, but there are
"'Forgotten Son' has a solid and heavy distortion pickup, and 'Blind'
- Andrew J. Smith Manalishi's Heavy Metal Album Reviews
***
"Fireaxe music rocks.
Fans, which would you prefer? Something with spirit or the
- Goat
***
"Awesome...Really Rocks...Excellent Guitar Playing."
- Mike Garrity
***
"The tape (Unholy Rapture) is really good ... The playing is really intense,
"The guitar tone is really distorted, something I didn't expect for this
"Awesome, and only three bucks!"
- David D'Silva
***
"Beyond Zimbabwe is my favorite song on the tape...the drum track
- Glenn Harvey
***
"...extremely heavy...intelligent and emotional."
- Arnold Hablewitz
***
"Fireaxe rocks with a vengeance! Power meets Prog head on with ferocious harmonies
- Brian Voth
***
"They play the devil's music, and they're all going to hell.
- Rev. Jimmy Swaggers
***
"Fireaxe is a weird band. They play some soft form of metal. And sadly, quite
- Rikard Jonsson
Tantrumized Web Zine
his emotions and he plays the way he feels. Even without these words I
would have understood the main reason for his special 'band'. In a few
songs, even a few notes it is obvious that sentiments and feelings are
the red line in the entire story of this concept album. Anger, sadness,
darkness, fear, hatred,... are all concluded in the vocal lines, the
rhythms, the musical elements and instruments. Impressive if you would
ask me, especially if you have the knowledge Brian Voth plays every
single instrument.
ideals but also his disappointments and his failure. The melancholic
and dark atmosphere of the entire album creates a breathtaking effect.
Especially on the calm, acoustic though ultra gloomy parts cold shivers
are becoming a part of me.
fingered and shredding solos but be prepared for a man who pulls the
strings on a mind blowing, even heartbreaking way. The combination
with some awesome piano and keyboard parts are bringing you in a perfect
mood. Adding varied and powerful riffs, interesting guitar lines and
imposing acoustic parts makes this release so much more interesting.
What you shouldn't expect are 'easy on the ear' songs or popular tunes.
''Eternal Devotion To The Dark Goddess'' is due to its progressive
touches on multiple tempi a difficult album to get into, often complex
but not for one second boring. What I promise you; it has an addictive
effect and a few spins will prove that the chemistry will also work with you.
notes it isn't that difficult for me to like his vocal lines. Often he's
experimenting, making me feel like I'm listening to a real 'musical'. The
sound of his voice can be compared with Jon Oliva (Savatage, Trans Siberian
Orchestra, Doctor Butcher, Jon Oliva's Pain) meeting Ray Alder (Fates Warning,
Engine, Redemption). His wide range is a bonus, especially because the feelings
of the leading figure are so well performed by the vocal lines. Either the
man is angry, hopeless, in pain or whatever... Brian Voth finds the right
notes to express these thoughts. By adding some interesting samples the
songs are bonded to each other so the listener is overwhelmed by the
concept. The total picture of this album will touch your heart and your soul.
intelligent and incredible Metal minded. The fact he owns the talent to
mix his skills with emotions makes him a 'one of a kind' artist. Even the
lyrics are clever written, making Brian Voth even more a master brain!
In my thoughts this man deserves all hails, all respect and I want you
to bow deep for that much talent! Brilliance is a word that describes
this passionate CD perfectly. This traditional (US) Heavy Metal, with a
lot of progressive touches, is a gem that deserves a place in your
collection. Check out (his websites) and buy this masterpiece."
(rating: 93 out of 100)
this is Fireaxe and anything else would be a disappointment. (Brian's)
voice has always fitted perfectly in mocking absolute ideologies and
setting up a completely anti-romantic atmosphere. And I don't mean
romantic as in love but as in the Romantic ideals kind of way. Maybe
my personal views on life have changed a bit over the last year or so
but it's always pleasant to see someone making fun of the two-faced
political and philosophical view on Americans irrational attitudes
towards "freedom" and "liberty". I find it a bit inadequate though
that (Fireaxe has) to use so much profanity (in this CD), in particular
when (Brian has) made it quite clear through (his) newsletters that (he)
possesses an intelligence far above the common man. Nevertheless concept
albums are always nifty and this one is no exception."
songs that break away from the traditional way music is written, both in
terms of song structure and length. The dynamic contrasts between the
faster and slower sections are something that I've always admired about
(Fireaxe) music, and I feel (Brian has) really mastered it this time around
(see "My Reflection" for a prime example of this). The first three
tracks are the highlights of the album as far as I'm concerned, both
the storyline and music work together in creating an excellent picture
of what's going on. The problem though is that it doesn't really manage
to hold this high quality all the way through. There are some parts that
I feel are just a bit out of place and in contrast to "Food For the Gods"
there isn't that massive and epic ending to the CD as both "Atrocity"
and "Cold and Dark Infinity" had for example. That said I still find
this to be a very impressive piece of work and will certainly receive
a lot of playing time in the future."
work so far. I doubt that (Brian will) ever manage to top the "Food For the Gods"
as it is such a grandiose opus that reaches Wagnerian proportions at times.
It will forever remain one of the greatest metal albums I'll ever have the
privilege of listening to."
"Food for the Gods"
'Food for the Gods'. Although the album has yet to soak in to the bone,
my comprehension of it thus far blows my mind.
vision aimed towards pushing boundaries and creating art. This is exactly
what you have accomplished with FftG. I generally enjoy traditional black
and death metal, as most heavy/power/traditional acts have turned into
just that - acts - long ago. It is always spirit invoking to discover
artists that still provoke the spirit of Metal.
My vocabulary fails me when I try to express my gratitude for this album.
I am looking forward to discovering some of Your other work.
Forever in Peace, War, Love, and Hate "
throughout it until we are brought to modern times to see how very
little has actually changed. Also moments such as the beginning of
"The Siren's Song" provided another intense moment. This album is
full of incredible moments."
It's about the most intense and creative piece of Metal that
I'll probably ever hear. I'm not just comparing "Food for
the Gods" with other Fireaxe material, but with everything
I've ever heard, and I pride myself on knowing quite a bit
more than a handful of underground Metal bands/projects."
is all about, then one band stands in utter defiance with its
burning axe held high. "Food for the Gods" is the greatest
album I've ever heard."
measuring stick by which all Metal should now be judged."
I'm really impressed by your monumental chef d'oeuvre. Everything's
not perfect of course, but musically it really fulfills my expectations."
already liked on the previous releases for their raw effectiveness
and emotional quality."
The main foundation of the Fireaxe sound is the guitar, with solid riffs
and creative guitar solos."
setting of the particular song. In fact, at times the solos are almost
a second voice. But don't worry, Voth has chops too, so sometimes it's
just about pure shred. As for keyboards, they're used periodically
throughout the album and are especially effective during songs that
try to convey a sense of pain, desperation or isolation, such as during
one of the better songs on the album, "I Live In Silence.""
album. It wouldn't work without it. And besides that, I don't have to
agree with Voth's world view to appreciate his music."
metal assault of "Chariot", the impassioned call to arms monologue of
'Malediction', the epic 11 minute journey that is 'River Of Madness',
the haunting expression of self-pity in 'I Live In Silence' and the
entire chapters of "Raise The Black Flag" and 'The Soul Doctors.'"
have absolutely nothing to lose by investing in a copy FOOD FOR THE GODS,
especially considering the reasonable sticker price. The album is made in
the true spirit of heavy metal with a dedication to crafting music that is
much more about expression than it is about sound. And since many songs
from the Fireaxe repertoire can be downloaded for free at the official
website, your experiment costs you nothing but a little time. So get off
your lazy ass and try the experiment for yourself."
In my mind I had imagined a worse case scenario in which I received
something that sounded amateurish and over-the-top. And for that matter,
how is possible for someone to have enough creativity to create a four
hour long album which wasn't filled with plenty of pointless parts?
Gladly I was mistaken, what you have produced here is a very strong
artistic and emotional statement that should, in a fair world, leave
an everlasting impact on the metal realm. I doubt that I have really
fully understood the magnitude of this album and I think it's safe to
say that it will probably take months until I have fully grasped all
of the greatness to be found here! Certainly well worth the money and
a purchase that I will most likely listen to for a long time to come."
melodic lines (My Name is Joshua; intro for Waiting for Tomorrow for
example, and the piano melody and accompaniment in I Live in Silence
conveys sadness and melancholy), great musical lines of harmony in
chords (The Last Man), excellent acapella harmony in "Tribute" and
other songs, outstanding guitar "riffs" and solos."
peaceful music lines have beauty in them."
it put into a positive, optimistic framework..."
little less effete and self-obsessed, and take the literal attitude
that hardcore punk had toward the world but give it that grand lyricism
for which metal is famous, you might find a friend in Fireaxe. It's
low-tech, with basic production without the touches of tasty sound that
make big studio albums so richly full, and it is often a shade short of
where it needs to be in content - often repetitive or too basic in the
logic that connects sections, as if it suffers from a surfeit of symmetry
brought about by too much logical analysis - but it is what heavy metal
could be if it grew up, somewhere between Mercyful Fate and Queensryche
and Led Zeppelin, an epic style with a desire to be more of a kingshearth
bard than a stadium ego-star."
more spins, but I'm quite confident that Food for the Gods was one
of the best metal albums released last year."
for the Gods is one of the best albums I've listened to this year!
Especially The Flame Extinguished just blew me away. The atmosphere
and solos are simply awesome."
and the keyboard adds nice touches. All in all there is a lot of
lightness/darkness variation in the arrangements, I like that,
and some good melodies and the words can be heard. Don't go too
far in the theatrical direction and end up like Freddy Mercury...
only joking. Congratulations."
the Gods. Modern Heavy Metal should learn a thing or two from Fireaxe's
approach to songwriting. Hell, even with your limited resources, as you
mentioned, you could even give most producers some advice on how
compressing the shit out of a song is not a good idea."
It`s really great music combined with profound lyrics
(probably a lot of historic research?) and I still need a
lot of time to deal with it carefully...It already motivated
me to read up on Babylonian and Egyptian history."
of it before, and ... damn.. this is fucking amazing.. and I'm only
up to Covenant. Anyway, thanks once again! I look forward to hearing
more work by you in the future!"
heard. Meaning, listening to your music has made me think so much, made
me questioned my own beliefs and challenged my preconceptions. At first,
I was somewhat taken aback, and evens offended by the contents. But I
realized that was your intent, especially with Food for the Gods. I guess
because it's in my nature to question, though, I continued to listen
and to think about your message. In a lot of ways now, I agree with it.
The destructiveness of dreams and ideologies cannot be denied, they are
historical fact. But, the inclusion of all ideologies in your criticism was
the most interesting part. Your music made me question my own beliefs and
what good they have done for me and those around me."
be. The prevailing theme in your music, even the work based on Lovecraft,
is doubt. Your music casts doubt on every ideal and belief, from the
metaphysical to the ethical. It is not simply "rebellion" or "teenage
angst" that fills most of what's called heavy metal these days. Rather, it
is a sophisticated questioning of reality and humanity, and our most deeply
held convictions. It challenges us to attack and even to abandon that which
we cling to so much and believe so strongly that we think we cannot live
without it. It seems that most people around the world unconciously agree
with the old line "Life isn't worth living unless you have something to die
for." Your music comes right back with its own assault on that assumption,
and especially with Food for the Gods, throws cold, harsh reality in its
face. And, it seems all that more relavent today to throw doubt on that
assumption, with what's happening in the middle east and all (extremism on
every side, from the terrorists themselves to the pro-Bush ideology to even
the anti-war activists who march in the streets and smash windows and
vandalize property and fly over to Iraq to be "human sheilds"). It seems
like the people of the world are beating their heads together just to prove
they are right, and won't let up until they've cracked their skulls. What
none of these people wish to consider is how they might be WRONG. This,
in my view, is the most destructive egotism of man, that he can't stand to be
wrong, and his ego won't let him consider the possibility. I guess that's
why I kept listening to your music, because I wanted to be more scientific
about my beliefs (science is about posing a hypothesis and then doing your
best to knock it down), and your art helped with that process. Apart from
that your musicianship is brilliant, and your tunes fucking rock! But I
think the content surpasses that and anything I've heard in metal music or
music in general for a long time, if ever."
my gratitude for sharing your genius with me."
"Victory or Death"
immediately put it in my cd player. Being completely unprepared of what I
was about to hear, I was absolutely stunned from the first second.
"Failures of the Fathers" took me by storm and before I realized what
hit me, "Chariots" literally knocked me down. What we are dealing with
here, is fantastic Epic metal reminiscent of great Manowar! Brian Voth
handles all instruments with amazing dexterity (even the choirs!) and
presents 9 opuses of supreme metal craftsmanship that will appeal to
every fan of the genre that is fond of epic music filled with fiery
guitars and high pitched vocals. All the compositions are full of
ingenious changes, intricately designed to capture the listener's
full attention."
as well as extremely high vocals, be sure he can handle it all with no
problems at all. Also listen very closely to his guitar works cause it's
riffs and solo's cuts deep into you heart and soul."
so many different levels within the Fireaxe way of Metal. I'd like to name
this one man project more than just good US Metal."
and you won't regret." (rating: 89 out of 100)
the songs are catchy, and the musicianship is great. It is clear Voth has a
deep understanding of what makes a good song and how to achieve that. When
this album first arrived I only had time to listen to the first song, and
for the rest of the day I had "The Failures of the Fathers" chorus stuck in
my head. After listening to the rest of "Victory or Death" it became clear
that the other songs are just as solid as "Failures"; if the entire three
cd set is like this that would be pretty amazing."
using the darker sound that he uses, here the context is pure epic metal.
There are programmed drums on this recording and that gives a machine like
feeling to the music that sets Fireaxe apart from most of the bands in the
style. The heavy guitars develope good riffing ideas always taking care of
combining the heavier and more epic moments. This album is pure metal and
lovers of the style will surely enjoy it a lot."
glad he did. Truth to tell, I wasn't that impressed with his vocals on
the Mp3's I'd heard but he sounds a helluva lot better on disc...I
love it on "the big speakers."
Progressive which really gels well."
from scratch, recording, singing, and writing the songs that depict the
ultimate in human emotion, warfare, in all its painstaking glory and burden.
Voth does a wonderful job here delivering his message for mankind, with
heavy metal the backdrop for his human life paintings. For the experienced
metal listener, this album is on the same side of the tracks as Manowar
and Virgin Steele, with a slight smudge of progressive metal a la Lethal,
Psycho Drama, and the ever present Fates Warning. For the inexperienced
metal listener, well, this could be a great introduction to modern age
power metal."
stormy opener "Failures Of The Fathers", with Voth singing in the same
style as Klaus Meine (Scorpions), crossed with the screaming highs of
Manowar's Eric Adams. "Chariot" rolls along in a furious crescendo, with
Voth showing off a fuzzy, grinding guitar sound, with a crunchy bass in
the background."
the high falsetto vocals that Voth seems to pull off so well."
the bass, but Voth makes up for it with a passion for metal that really
comes across. Hails to ya, brother."
and the production, which is an arduous task, but it was performed
professionally nonetheless. The overall music is a combo of power metal
melody with some dissonant riffs and lots of double bass drumming. It's
like putting Maiden, Priest, Dio, Manowar and King Diamond together with
concept lyrics that are aimed to stir the philosophical side of our brains
and souls. The songs tend to be long and have a lot of changes, which means
that if you enjoy endless riffs, Maiden-ish harmonies, and sloppy, yet
kickass solos-- look no further."
best technically, have strength and drama to them that fit in very well with
this kind of rough, melodic and epic metal; the presence of the guitar and
the sense of rhythm on the drum machine is also good; and finally, Voth
understands what heavy metal sounds like."
"Lovecraftian Nightmares"
stanzas, the music is mellow and soothing. The guitars take a more classical sound,
and on some tracks there's a soft piano (okay, keyboard) accompaniment. But as the
horror rears its ugly head, the drums, bass, and heavier guitars really kick in to
drive the terror home."
of feeling and emotion into every track, whether he's reciting or singing the stanzas."
(out of 5 - Mike's code says "pretty damn good!")
talents to capture the diverse emotions and moods present in Lovecraft's poetry."
that Lovecraft would be proud of the music Brian has created for it, because it
gets across the same feelings I got when reading the poetry for the first time,
but it also captures some of Brian's emotion as well - the hallmark of a true artist."
I've heard in a long time. Fireaxe is not about shocking you with Satan and it's not about
living up to your preconceived notion of what heavy metal ought to look like; but it is ALL
about making quality music that comes from the soul. Voth doesn't screech out garbley-gook
and call it noise; he actually sings...and quite well. I haven't heard an underground musician
this skilled on the guitar since Frizzle was in Bella Morte. If you like metal, but hate the camp
associated with it, then you must ferociously seek out Fireaxe. You won't be sorry."
of Iced Earth. It has the same dark feeling and it sounds big. If this CD had the same
production qualities as an Iced Earth album then it would blow away a lot of people.
Anyway get in touch with this guy if you want to hear something original."
package and the CD itself are spectacular. I own an original
"Lovecraftian Nightmares" cassette; the CD completely
blows it away."
Night." You really worked hard on this one. "Hounds of Tindalos" is a pure
rocker, thrash-metal with a bang. "Nemesis" and "The Outpost" are other
standouts."
out of a 100 (*laughs*), this is a total masterpiece of "traditional" Metal.
to many of the tracks here. "Nightmare Lake" is a high water mark, showcasing
Brian Voth's mellow and heavy sides, forging an unnerving piece of shifting
emotions, from bleak to bleaker. "Despair" is a straight forward ballad with
some nice vocal harmony with some simple yet very effective melody. Brian
Voth is truly the master of comprehensible minimalism. While the simplictity
of the instrumentation can be off-putting to some people, the overall
completeness to the finished product is undeniably powerful and moving."
be hailed as a huge influence. It's a shame that Art is virtually dead in
today's culture. As it is, Fireaxe leads the next Age of Enlightenment
that is all too ignored by mainstream society."
at times sounding almost Rush-like, at others a touch of Vangelis,
then right into heavy riffs again.."
continuously goes through my head, and I love the looped/echoed guitar over
itself at the beginning of 'Nathicana'; sounds great and a monumental
effort to write fifteen minutes and fifteen seconds of music!"
you the more you listen to it, each song with its own distinctness that
you'll remember. A definite buy, I give it 4 severed ears out of 5."
different moods and musical parts..."
are two of my favorites. These two tracks take you through a voyage through the music,
they bring me new things every time I hear them."
honours the old poems well. Your voice has an unearthly quality to it, which reminds
me a bit of Rush, but then again, any voice not of this Earth, reminds one of Rush."
(Beyond Zimbabwe) truly did blow me away."
The Ancient Track, I found it very beautiful and it fit well in the poem,
and Hounds of Tindalos, which cheered up my math studies."
I can't even give it a number rating because it is beyond my human
limitations to perceive what I have just experienced over and over
for the past week or so. But I will say this much...somewhere ELDER
GODS which man was not to know, smile for the first time in eons.!"
a 8minutes long saga that reminds me a lot of those Kings of Metal "Manowar".
There is some great Guitar playing on this song, Brian really likes to use
a lot of Distortion"Nemisis" A 11 minutes long Metal Anthem! "Festival"
a really good Ballad, again with some great Guitar playing! This song sounds
like a mixture of Queensryche and those Viking albums that Bathory did."
or the soft flowing pulse of the meditative sections."
the first time I heard it ... a melody that keeps coming back in my mind."
your band deserves to be congratulated."
and summon the chosen to torture and doom."
It is also an album that grows on you and may take you several
listens before you begin to appreciate it's contents."
say this: music becomes art when it aspires to and achieves the artistic ideal of
communicating feelings and emotions from the artist to the listener, and on that
score Brian Voth (the sole member of Fireaxe) is a true artist because his music
has touched me deeply like no music has in a LONG fucking time."
of himself into the music, something that makes the music sound 'human' and
'personal', which helps keep away the pretentiousness and pomposity that most
progressive metal is guilty of. Quality, tastefulness, honesty; all of these
can be applied to the music of Fireaxe."
with this album. As always, the guitar work is great,
and the arrangements well thought out."
the underground. After the last work of his Unholy Rapture, he attacks us with
this Dream of Death, over 70 minutes of new fucking metal! A blend of power
metal and hard rock, Fireaxe is a complete project to say the least."
"this is not for everyone ... but for those interested, they may actually find a
great deal of worth in Fireaxe."
"I for one, am looking forward to Brian's future work with great interest."
but it is the intense emotional and philosophical message that makes this music even
more appealing."
and his guitar work is comparable to that of rockers like Hendrix to that of metallers
Michael Schencker and Wolf Hoffman. While I certainly won't classify his music as
gothic, I highly recommend Fireaxe to anyone seeking traditional metal with a deeply
personal outlook."
to tell a very complicated story, and I think they go together really well."
"The story, which I won't get into because it will take a page to explain,
could easily turn into a book or movie."
"Overall, this release seems to be the fruits of one guy who wants to get his
music out there without dealing with the bullshit of a label or bandmates or
big studios, and for a first CD, and given the equipment used, I think he
accomplished what he was trying to do."
distinguishing itself from the ordinary by the way its song structures are crafted."
up review is nearly impossible, so I won't even begin to try."
with incredible emotion help move along the complex nature of the songs.
The aggressive parts are Power Thrashy Mad while the somber, reflecting
parts are mellow and moving pieces. Even the guitar solos say something
and add to every song and serve to move along the album's concept."
of Death" remains as the best underground release, possibly of all time."
listened to in a long time and it is literally 'no filler, just killer.'
I really appreciate the epic nature and can feel the emotion conveyed
through the music. Even in the metal underground, there is alot of crap
to sieve through and I found this music to be the proverbial
'diamond in the rough.'"
metal is truly a superior form of music."
"it struck a cord so deep and so similar that I was crying too hard to go on"
"I consider your work to be a powerful and beautifully artistic expression
of the deepest and truest pain of living that unfortunately you, I and probably
countless others have had to endure."
"All in all in a word, WOW"
"His heavy metal riffs make you really listen to what he does with his guitar,
hear the track "The New God" and you see what I mean."
"Another thing I have to point out in his music is the lyrics, really cool stuff here."
of that Rush flair again that I like"
and it's been done pretty well."
singer can't...never loose that magic"
he is quite a talented composer. Some of the melodies, vocal lines and song
structures are quite impressive."
"Unholy Rapture"
construction and lyrical themes creating an undeniably strong collection of songs."
destroys the concept of religion, but with elegance and grace. He sets up
religion like the strawman it is, only to utterly eviscerate it."
disappoint on songs like 'Beyond Zimbabwe', 'Godslayer',
and of course the 12 minute epic 'Death Machine'."
but has more to offer than other music in this vein that I've heard. The lyrics
are very intelligent..."
it sounds like...to no avail. Fireaxe has a sound all of their own."
some true signs of promise-especially in the time phrasings."
is slow, strong, and atmospheric. After a light intro, "Heart and Soul"
melts into a driving rhythm-and-lead tradeoff that continues
throughout the song. Nice time changes midway through... "
"6.8 out of 10" (not bad for a demo tape)
same tired heavy-metal-grunge rehash... try Fireaxe."
especially the laughs on Beyond Zimbabwe."
type of music, but it really heightens the tension in songs like Fall to
the Flame and Beyond Zimbabwe."
is fantastic. I listen to it when I come in to work, it wakes me up
and gets me moving."
and driving rhythms. I should know, I wrote the songs."
Send me your money so I can stamp out this menace to decency."
boring....I had problems listening to their demo. I just wanted to do something
else. The first song has this weird intro...some bongo drums...and the vocals
are kinda unsteady. I think this is a band playing a mix of all their old
heroes from the seventies and eighties. This is a bit old-metal. They also
have some quite songs too which doesn't pull the demo up. Some of the songs
can be ok for a while, some parts of a song. I like some of the guitar-play,
but when looked at it the overrall...I can't give my recomandations for this
demo...sorry... 5/10"
Make your voice heard
If you have an opinion about Fireaxe, send it in. All responses will be read and some will get placed on this page. Whether your comments are positive or negative doesn't really matter, if you've got something that you want to say, go ahead and say it. The more you write, the more your effort will be appreciated. I'll try to respond to any messages within a couple days. Send e-mail to: bev@neptune.net.