Fire From The Gods - Narrative Retold album review

Given the internationally nomadic childhood of frontman AJ Channer, one of the most remarkable things about Fire From The Gods is how unremarkable they can sound. Their second album sees them stray tantalisingly close to blending the soulful, political hardcore of Letlive with the bounce and accessibility of nu metal. AJ has an incredible voice, and their rhythm section can bring the groove when it needs to, and it’s refreshing to hear a band with something to say – it’s just a shame they aren’t saying it in a more exciting way. Excuse Me, the most successful product of the band’s alchemy, sees AJ alternating between crooning, hip hop and dancehall styles over stop-start droptuned riffs, but overall the album’s let down by a frequent reliance on tired metalcore tropes. Fine for the most part and in places even quite good, but it’s a lack of consistency that holds Narrative Retold back from being something worth shouting about.