Reviewed by Ian Webber

Lisbon, Portugal may not be the first place to spring to mind when searching out new metal talent. Any doubts about Cast A Fire's hard rock credentials however, are soon dispelled as a layered keyboard introduction gives way to a solid metal assault on this debut recording. Cast A Fire, the brainchild of Bruno Mira offer an interesting mixture of hard rock, power ballads and melodic depth. Bruno's vocals are at times reminiscent of Brian "Head" Welch and add a gothic mystery edge to the overall sound. The heavier tracks have a Scandinavian feel but with more harmony and layered keys. A range of influences surface as you listen, notably "Black Stage" with its heavy riffing and rasping vocals. Elements of Muse are evident in the orchestral "Prelude To Infinity" and even electronica is used to drive along the catchy "Whisper". As the album progresses, keyboards come more to the fore and this may lose the interest of diehard metal purists. It did, however, show Cast A Fire to be a step outside any clear cut genre, and musically very capable. You may not enjoy every aspect of their material, but with such variety on offer it is not difficult to appreciate the talents of this new band who have produced a recording that is worth a listen.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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