44 Fires has brought a confrontation of bruising rock n roll to London and the UK for a while now, the band which just gets better and better with each year and new song they unleash, earning a strong reputation and loyal fanbase for their fusion of metal, alternative rock, and grunge. The release of their new EP, The False Flag Agenda shows that their rise and increasing presence within UK rock is not going to be slowing down any time soon, in fact with the release being as impressive as it is they might just be leading the scene very soon.
The three tracks making up The False Flag Agenda grip the ear and thoughts with skill and invention from the very first second of all their individual declarations, each a snarling and provocative encounter lyrically and sonically leaving long lasting impact and pleasure. That ability to make a lingering mark has been a trait of the quartet since it first formed though the new EP is undoubtedly their finest moment to date. Emerging from ‘a collective desire to return to the musical roots of each of our band members’, 44 Fires took shape in 2011 with the union of guitarist Jay Franklin (War Criminals/The Final Hour/The Duvets & Big Twin) and drummer Aaron Beard (The Final Hour/Latch/HOYB). They were soon joined by vocalist Brian Small who joined from No Silent Order and bassist Dan Turton, since left before the recording of the EP. Infusing a mix of essence from inspirations such as Clutch, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine, Metallica, Alice in Chains into their own distinct ideas, uncompromising politics, and invention, the four piece was soon riling and inspiring audiences and fans whilst earning a growing positive response from the underground media. It has been a rolling brawl of a rise for the band which has grown with each year and will surely explode once The False Flag Agenda rampages through the senses of the country.
Previous songs have always had a hook and eyeball to eyeball intent which has gripped and recruited strong attention but as opener Army Besides Me alone shows, the band has honed it into a potent weapon and persuasion which compares with anyone. The song lays a blaze of guitar across the ear first before the throaty bass of new member Tony Hampton dances slowly upon the grazing. It is an instantaneously inviting embrace soon employing greater sinews through the challenging narrative of Small, his forceful and expressive delivery the perfect vehicle for the intent of the song’s attack, and the ear snapping rhythms of Beard. Not so much in sound but in stance and construct, the song reminds of One Minute Silence and the band easily rival the Americans with this scintillating start. The bass is a persistent incitement throughout the song too, the spine to which the guitar and sonic imagination inflame their enterprise around, all combining for a powerful and enthralling encounter.
The following Idiot unveils an accelerated hunger to its press upon the ear, riffs and rhythms snarling and biting with elevated aggression and intensity soon matched by the vocals of Small. With a contagion soaked chorus making its play not long into the song too, the track stomps with insatiable appetite upon the listener to spark a mutually greedy response in return, the blend of rock and metal with a shifting and unpredictable blaze of enterprise and virulence, ensuring full involvement. Not content with succeeding in seducing the passions to its anthemic cause the song also sneaks in a spicy groove at one point which offers scything discord and delicious venom to brand the connection is permanent.
The band follow up the best track on the release with one which decides rather than stand toe to toe to win the affections it will offer a smouldering lure with an incendiary potency to its call. Merging a slow suasion of melodic rock and grunge enticement with a spine of metal entrapment, Freedom is the most intense and provocative track on the EP resulting in a presence as distinctly different and equally impressive as the other more direct finger poking riff loaded songs. It is a stirring fire for thoughts and emotions completing an outstanding release which places 44 Fires to the front line of not only underground but we suggest UK metal in general but do not take our word for it check the band out @
9/10
RingMaster 22/05/2013
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