It’s a little known fact that traditional metal is scientifically proven to possess therapeutic qualities. While anecdotal, you should consider my own experience to be even more authoritative than any evidence that science can produce. Whenever I’m feeling down about my work, my home responsibilities, or just life in general, putting on some tunes about warriors valiantly battling in the name of duty and honor usually kickstarts my heart and returns the gleam to the eye of my tiger. Ironflame, the traditional metal platform of Nechochwen’s Andrew d’Cagna, was formed in 2016, and since that time, the project has released four stellar platters of classic heavy metal. The name Ironflame has twice graced my year-end list, so upon the announcement of fifth album Kingdom Torn Asunder, I almost gave in to the urge to reserve the record a spot on my 2024 contenders list. I ultimately decided that I should probably listen to the music first.
Ironflame’s approach to trad-metal has always been formulaic, but I certainly don’t mean that in a derogatory way. I love formulas. I love knowing that if I plug an input into a formula that I can count on the result being pure and true. So it goes with Kingdom Torn Asunder, but I had very little doubt that the album would be well executed and enjoyable. First single “Soul Survivors” demonstrates that the band’s sound hasn’t changed one iota; it still sounds like latter-day Iron Maiden, if Bruce and co. specialized in concise, energetic metal anthems instead of bloated monstrosities. The track’s driving rhythms and layered vocals have had a way of burrowing into my mind, where they’ve squatted rent-free for weeks.
Kingdom Torn Asunder by IRONFLAME
Of Kingdom Torn Asunder’s eight standard-version tracks, all eight hit the target. Barn-burners like opener “Blood and Honor,” “Standing Tall,” and “Majesty of Steel Druhm” hit hot and heavy, while the band’s penchant for killer mid-paced numbers is reprised with the likes of “Mistress of Desire,” “Shadow of the Reaper,” and the amazing “Sword of a Thousand Truths.” The way the band approaches the latter, a song inspired by perhaps my favorite South Park episode of all time, in such a deadly serious way, is the embodiment of what traditional heavy metal is all about for me. Pure gold.
I don’t have anything to complain about here. The performances, production, and aesthetic are all killer, and the songwriting matches that quality. As usual, d’Cagna handles everything except the solos, and, as usual, he demonstrates that he’s a one-man medieval fantasy army. His drumming thunders like the hooves of an oncoming Steppe horde, his rhythm guitar bites harder than a dwarven battle axe, and his vocals resound with an incredibly high charisma score. There’s not a single song here that fails to speak to my warrior soul, and that includes my promo’s two CD version-only bonus tracks. The standard version’s eight tracks go for about 40 minutes, and it is simply *chef’s kiss*.
Ironflame’s last album, Where Madness Dwells, was a top-10 inclusion for me, and if you put a sword to my neck and forced me to choose, I’d say that Kingdom Torn Asunder is even stronger. D’Cagna has molded Ironflame into one of the coolest representatives of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal, and these tunes of honor and glory will be lifting my sword, and my spirits, for the rest of the year.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: High Roller Records
Websites: ironflame.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/ironflameusa
Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024
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