It’s not much longer before we get to the no. 1 spot of 2023, and that year’s honorable mentions by an extent. The no. 2 spot of 2023 definitely had perhaps the most upbeat & optimistic release of that time, and the first of the two I’m looking at I once spoke of back in 2020. Much like that previously mention album, this record was a much needed boost of positivity to help us get out of the disease-ridden mire of the beginning of this decade. I’m speaking of course.....of Iron Savior. For almost 30 years, this German band has crafted some of the Power Metal genre’s finest in Science Fiction record, but never forgetting to add just a little bit of Fantasy to even it out. So, without further delay, here’s a look at Iron Savior’s 2023 release, Firestar. Let’s begin!
Background
As I seem to be saying a lot lately.....2020 was an absolute crapshoot. I don’t need to go into detail like I been doing when bringing up this year, but it stands to reason that not a lot of good was going on. For Iron Savior, they didn’t let a once-a-century plague stop them from making music, and by the end of that year they had released the excellent Skycrest (Which I’ve talked about here). However, that wasn’t the end of their work, as by November the 19th of 2021 they would release a 10th Anniversary Edition of The Landing, which was completely re-recorded & including the Japanese bonus tracks (Which was a huge treat for those outside the Land of the Rising Sun). However, it wouldn’t be until 2023 that all new material would reach listeners, and on 6th of October that year, Firestar was released.
Basic Description
Sci-Fi Power Metal Fun.
This has pretty much been the band’s M.O. since they began releasing music back in 1997: a band firmly within the realm of Power Metal musically, but more often than not utilizes Science Fiction rather than the style’s signature take on the Fantasy genre (Though they do keep a little of that genre in their music.). It’s definitely makes fans of Power Metal who like the style more on the traditional side to do a double take, but more often than not they adapt to it very fast. As for Firestar itself, I say it’s fantastic! There is one weird fault with the album (More on that in a bit), but that weird fault doesn’t ruin the experience that this record provides. Firestar was definitely an album that was needed to help listeners continue to get out of the mire that was 2020. The upbeat energy, mixed with the heaviness of the instrumentation, and topped with the Sci-Fi syrup, just makes the whole listening experience a great time. Nuff said!
Best Track
It’s hard not to love the title track of the album, and for good reason. Everything about the song is infectious: from the pacing, to the instrumentation, and to Piet Sielck’s signature vocal work, it’s hard to not have this track at least be partially stuck in your brain. But as usual, it’s Iron Savior own brand of Sci-Fi Power Metal optimism that really shines on this tune, and Firestar as a whole to be honest. My only complaint is that this song isn’t the opener, and that’s it!
Firestar
Worst Track
In an absolute bizarre move, Firestar doesn’t have a single power ballad that’s pretty much been typical of Iron Savior since the beginning of their career. The European edition doesn’t have a ballad, and the American version (Which I have) doesn’t have one either. It’s only on the Japanese Edition that Firestar gets a ballad, and it’s a lovely little tune by the name of When The Tanks Are Rolling. Sadly, there isn’t a link to the song on Youtube, but I can say that it’s definitely within the ballad territory. Maybe not as sappy as something like Ease Your Pain off of their last album, but it definitely does have that Iron Savior ballad-grade emotional weight on it’s shoulders. If you by any chance grab/download the Japanese release, it’s definitely not a track to skip!
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:
Firestar
Overall Impression & Rating
Firestar was an absolute blast! Sure, there wasn’t a ballad to be heard for the most part, but everything else is a nice slice of Power Metal cheesecake that just so tasty. Yet another example of an album that pulled many of us out of the disease-ridden depths of the first few years of this decade, it’ll be around for us whenever we need a big emotional pick-me-up!
Firestar gets a 9.5 to 9.9 out of 10.
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