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The sound of footsteps and bells slowly morphing into a thumping Roland 808 drum machine, accompanied by a collection of brass instruments and guitars set the stage for Florida Rock outfit Fame on Fire’s newest release Welcome to the Chaos.  The opening track aptly named Intro showcases multiple layers of instrumentation and suspense that perfectly leads into the album’s title track.  Featuring Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills, Welcome To The Chaos starts strong, with a smashing guitar riff that fades into a fierce vocal opening by Bryan Kuznitz that transitions into a catchy chorus showing the versatility of the band early on the record.  Additionally, the breakdown towards the end of the song will be a favorite for the moshers!  Up next is Ketamine, a nice mix between light and heavy that shows nice dynamic shifts and a great musicality that will appeal to many listeners.  Staying true to its name, Cut Throat is a hard-hitting and ferocious entry. Paul Spirou’s opening bass line, coupled with Kuznitz’s screams and Blake Saul’s guitars catch the listener’s ear early and hold them throughout in what is one of the best songs on the record.  Emo Shift sheds the screams from Cut Throat in favor of a contrasting melodic and assertive instrumental backing, plus a mix of autotuned and clean vocals featuring rapper Kody Lavigne.  Rounding out the first half of the record, Lost In Doubt starts, “You tell me I’m lost in doubt, and you can’t save me now.” The powerful lyrics serve as a reminder of the crippling nature of self-doubt and the effect that our own actions have on others.  By far, it is one of the more emotionally driven tracks, and it speaks volumes through its sounds. 

Robbery opens starkly different than anything so far on the record, with Saul turning down the distortion and Alex Roman turning up the punk on the drums.  It was a perfect choice to open the second half of the album as it keeps people on their toes and refreshes their interest to hook them until the end.  Signs keeps the punk groove from Robbery and combines it with a little swing, and it is a good transition song.  One of the lead singles off the record, Plastic Heart, infuses some hip hop into the record during its opening but transitions into another song that is consistent with the Fame on Fire sound.  Plastic Heart was a great choice to be a single as it prepares listeners for what they can expect and leaves no illusion about what the band wishes to convey.  Rotting Away is another song with a softer opening that transitions to having more rock influences with a touch of synth and 808, in addition to a ferocious breakdown around the two-minute mark.  As the album winds down, Back Then is a quick listener that would be an excellent song to blast at full volume while driving.  Jaded and Dead or Alive end the record on a good note, with both tracks having similar structures that make them great to listen to.  

Overall,  Fame on Fire made a significant step up from their debut album with Welcome to the Chaos.  They diligently avoided their sophomore slump and have big things ahead. If they continue to put out material like this, they will cement themselves among the top acts in the music industry.  Welcome to the Chaos releases Friday, July 22nd, and will be followed up by a US tour featuring You Me At Six and One OK Rock starting September 19th in Austin, Texas.  Be sure to pick up the album and catch Fame On Fire in a city near you!

Connect with the band on their social media platforms linked below:

https://www.fameonfireband.com

https://www.instagram.com/fameonfire/

https://www.facebook.com/fameonfire

https://twitter.com/fameonfire

 

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