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recensione

I saw Merging Flare live for the first time about a couple of years ago, and I was positively impressed. Since then I wondered how was it possible that they didn’t have released an album yet, and now that that album is finally here, I must confess: the result is... even better than expected!
“Reverence”, is in its melodies made of traditional Heavy metal, in a way tribute that these Finnish guys make towards all the bands that have inspired their music, and even when you can recognize some definite traits of those, it still sounds fresh and original.
What comes immediately to your mind is for instance Gamma Ray - from which Mr. Kai Hansen himself provides guest vocals and quality guitar riffing in four of the eleven songs that compose this record – but also Accept, Running Wild, Judas Priest, and even Queen pops out while listening to the work of the Finnish act.
For a debut album the production is very well done (here it’s Dan Swanö’s doing), and exalts perfectly the great guitar playing of Kasperi Heikkinen, who performed in various occasions with Gamma Ray, and the versatility of Matias Palm’s voice, surely the main elements that makes the sound more lively and appealing to the listener.
Starting from the beginning, “At Daggers Drawn” already drags the attention on itself, I’d say “when Gamma Ray meets Angra” gives a good idea of what this track is about. A good guitar solo, together with the catchiness of the lyrics create the success of the song, all supported by the Henri Pyy’s speed behind the drums.
After the rhythm slows down a little, “Carved In Stone” represents for me one of the best pieces of this record, thanks to its anthemic refrain which gets literally “carved” in your brain. “Terrordome” gives the opportunity for Kai Hansen to show himself as a guitarist, while the band display a Queen-like approach, mixed with a touch of Accept in the more solid and heavy parts of the song. A different register for “In The Line Of Fire”, overwhelming your hears with its accelerations and intriguing composition.
The record moves to an heavier sound when it comes to “Steel Redeemer”, a track that could have easily come out from the eighties, enriched again by a more “rocking” chorus. It’s when everything seems to go towards a stronger sound, that comes one of the most melodic pieces of this full-length, “Pride And Bravery”. The refrain is probably the best part of this track, which otherwise is slightly below the level of what has been heard so far. Interesting is “Under The Fire”, a mid-tempo that shows the Hard Rock-side of this five-piece, and once again confirms the excellent guitar work, merged with the epic atmosphere of the chorus.
However, one of the biggest gems coming out of this album is “Star Odyssey”. The song has a definite Gamma Ray touch (and Kai plays the guitar on here as well), and it could have found without any problem its right place among the classics of their German colleagues. A great example of well-though composing from a band that could wisely mix together the lessons of their masters into their own personal creation. The record ends with a cover of Riot’s “Sign Of The Crimson Storm”, something definitely worth listening!
All in all this work represents a fresh breeze in an genre where it’s becoming very difficult to find something original nowadays, not to mention for the old bands to re-invent themselves. While some elements might need to be polished, here there seems to be a pretty good potential. With “Reverence”, Merging Flare manage to convey all their influences making them their own, combining them in a sound which, while still being clearly recognizable by every classic Metal fan, is able to define its personality and never cease to capture your mind.
And trust me, if once I got the cd into my player I couldn’t take it out for more than a week, it must be good stuff, since it doesn’t happen really often!

Recensione di Marco Manzi

tracklist

1. At Daggers Drawn
2. Faker
3. Carved In Stone
4. Terrordome
5. In The Line Of Fire
6. Steel Redeemer
7. Pride And Bravery
8. Killing Ground
9. Under The Fire
10. Star Odyssey
11. Sign Of The Crimson Storm (Riot cover)