Classic rock, which for many fans served as the soundtrack to the double-denim wearing, big-haired ’80s, has become a much maligned and ignored genre since its heyday. The bands who led the charge thirty-odd years ago are either long gone or living off their back catalogues and we now live in dark times where Steel Panther and their one joke is popular and successful.
With their fourth album ‘Sunbound’, Brother Firetribe offer something that harks back to the golden days but also shows that there is plenty of life left in the genre. Separate intro tracks are normally a complete waste of time, but the one that kicks off the album is an exciting flurry of echoing drums, synths, piano, and dual guitar solos. If the Baywatch theme tune was played by Van Halen then it would sound like this.
Stylistically it’s clear where Brother Firetribe have taken their influences from and the melodic strut of ‘Indelible Heroes’ sees them give thanks to a plethora of musical greats from classic rock and beyond, as they directly namecheck Motorhead, whilst also paying tribute to the likes of Prince and David Bowie via the lyrics. It’s a well-intentioned song that doesn’t feel crass or contrived, and you can tell that Brother Firetribe are paying genuine respect to those they’re influenced by.
If you haven’t already decided to buy a studded leather jacket and a lifetime supply of hairspray by this point then ‘Taste Of A Champion’ may well convince you to do just that. The lyrics deal almost entirely in brilliantly OTT inspirational metaphors and the melodic stadium-rock riffs coupled with the soaring vocals of Pekka Ansio Henio make it the perfect soundtrack for every underdog-themed film montage ever.
Also part of the line-up is Nightwish guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and his sprawling solos and creative riffs often give the songs an extra impressive edge that only adds to their appeal, such as on ‘Help Is On The Way’ and ‘Last Forever’. Similarly the keyboard playing of Tomppa Nikulainen is absolutely spot-on throughout the whole album, and both of them are given a real chance to shine on the energetic and anthemic ‘Give Me Tonight’.
Brother Firetribe have never tried to revolutionise classic rock on any of their previous albums and ‘Sunbound’ is no different, however that isn’t damning them with faint praise as they’ve struck the perfect balance between the familiar and the fresh. For some ‘Sunbound’ will be an album that inspires nostalgia, for others it will be their gateway to a new side of music. Thankfully, Brother Firetribe have wrapped it all up in a set of brilliant anthems that deserve to be heard.
CHRIS HILSON