Album Review: Flame Imperishable – Glory and Ruin (Self Released)

Flame Imperishable is a fantasy-based power-prog metal band with elements of black and death metal, classical, and jazz music. Featuring a singer who is a trained classical performer, mezzo-soprano. Their new album ‘Glory and Ruin’ will be released on August 19th, 2022.

Sometimes, without hearing a single note, you can tell something is going to be grand. With the description of Flame Imperishable’s sound, the music that they draw inspiration from (Blind Guardian, Judicator, Dire Peril, Opeth, Nightwish, Epica, J.R.R. Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, Nintendo music – Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and the guests that feature on this new album (John Yelland from Judicator, Dire Peril, & Principium, Gregg Rossetti from Suspyre, Drew Creel from Masqued, and accomplished classical guitarist Valerie Hartzell), grand things are in store.

Beginning in a melodious fashion, the guitar and vocals combine to create the scene. The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion) growing in strength and power as it moves onwards and upwards. Progressive sounding power metal with a darker and heavier bite, dominated by a set of simply spectacular vocals. It’s a near 10-minute opening track that tells you all you need to know about Flame Imperishable.

Shorter and less elaborate but still equally hefty, Frozen in Time has some class energy and some unusual jazz-infusions. Followed then by frenzied riff-fest and progressive wandering that is Slavebranded, the melodramatic and eccentricity of Shrine of Resurrection, and the jazz-infused interlude of Bregalad’s Lament.

Imagination in the bucket loads, especially as the former’s jazzy oddness introduces The Herald’s Approach and is prominent throughout. Albeit, alongside a more robust metal rhythm, and with a lot more energy. Something that is reflected in the brash and veracious Reign of Fire. Where Flame Imperishable live up the ever-burning part of their name.

Which leads to the final trio of tracks, called The Scarlet Gale and split into three parts. The lavishness is on another level here and Flame Imperishable’s storytelling abilities reach even grander heights. Something melodic and cinematic with Part 1: Darkness Falling. The gut-wrenching Part 2: The Descent, where a change in vocals makes things sound fresher and the length reflects the bevy of ideas that Flame Imperishable have to show off here. Before the morose and melodic outro that is Part 3: Reflection wraps up one hell of an imaginative album.

Flame Imperishable – Glory and Ruin Full Track Listing:

1. The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion)
2. Frozen in Time
3. Slavebranded
4. Shrine of Resurrection
5. Bregalad’s Lament
6. The Herald’s Approach
7. Reign of Fire
8. The Scarlet Gale (Part 1: Darkness Falling)
9. The Scarlet Gale (Part 2: The Descent)
10. The Scarlet Gale (Part 3: Reflection)

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