EP Review: Fire by Rites to Ruin (Self Released)

Bristol, UK based Traditional Heavy Metal band, Rites to Ruin released their debut EP, Fire, on the 6th of September.

Rites to Ruin are traditional heavy metal at its finest with a distinctly modern twist.

Fronted by vocal powerhouse Krissie Kirby (Triaxis), Rites to Ruin are a five piece heavy metal band based in Bristol. With Matt Chambers (Triaxis, In the Absence of Light) & Lee Chamber on guitar, Paul Boschen (Burn thy Enemy) on bass and Tom Ross on drums, Rites to Ruin offers a distinct slice of NWOBHM promising a loud sound that will have you head banging in seconds.

Fire comes with 4 tracks and hefty run time of near 21 minutes. It gets under way with the track Forsaken and takes only a few seconds to hook you in with the catchy and thrashy riff. There is a good tempo and plenty of energy. Vocals are great, Krissie Kirby vocally displays strength and attitude in spades. I’m a big fan of the backing harmonising too but there are a couple minor moments in the first verse where I felt the vocals and music didn’t track particularly well. They are fleeting though and quickly forgotten as I get back to being caught up in the metal. The solo is top notch and the drums really stand out too. It’s exciting stuff from Rites to Ruin.

Santanico has a nice meaty punch to the riff with a bit of groove to go with the traditional sound. The drumming is top notch again and I really love the thicker bass line which seems much more prominent than on Forsaken. Vocals are good, we get a little more backing harmonising to emphasise certain lines before heading off into another cracking solo. Solos seem to be something Rites to Ruin have down to a tee based on these first two tracks.

Rise has a more melodic start with a bit more of a ballad feel to the soothing intro and passionate vocal delivery. The little building drum section is a special treat as the guitar starts fading in and you feel like something is coming. And it does, in a crescendo of riffs, bass and drums, we jump from the ballad into a raucous, energetic banger of a song. I really like the structure to the verses, the vocal delivery is top notch again. You can probably guess by now but yes, there is another glorious solo which ends into a section that sees the vocals hit harder and with more powerful before transitioning nicely back into the gentler melodic start.

Fire ends with the song Fire. A mammoth 7 minute track. Think more catchy riffage and quick tempo rhythms that lead into a nice, simple chorus with a wicked stop, start moment and lyrics you can imagine a crowd bellowing out live along with the band. I was so into the energetic track, I found myself thrown off course when a sudden slow down appeared. I love how it threw that curveball at me and kept me guessing. That slow down leads back into an even more powerful chorus delivery before we head off into the king of solos.

Making all the absolutely phenomenal solos on the EP Fire suddenly look pale in comparison, the solo here is hypnotic and mesmerising brining back the luscious feeling of traditional metal without ever sounding old. When the solo transitions into a more raucous and high energy instrumental section, I can see myself letting loose to this in a mosh pit and just having an absolute blast.

Rites to Ruin really hit the spot with Fire. Four tracks and 20 minutes that passes in seconds as you can so easily get lost in each and every song. From the riffs, to the excellent drums, the strong bass line, insanely good vocals and of course the solo mastery, it’s a combination of power and passion which may well hark back to traditional metal but has more than enough of a modern edge to make it not just a nostalgia trip and very relevant in today’s music scene.

Rites to Ruin are a collection of talented musicians who have combined to create a really fun, entertaining and memorable EP in Fire. It’s well worth your time so check it out, enjoy it and keep an eye on for what comes next.

Fire is available on all the usual streaming services now and you can grab a physical copy from the band, here.

Rites to Ruin Links

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