So far it’s been a pretty radiant year for tech metal – Periphery birthed their immersive, left-leaning double-disc Juggernaut bonanza, British-based Shattered Skies impressed us with their soaring debut record, and now it’s the turn of English quartet Red Seas Fire to have a crack.
The four-track Resolution is the last in a trilogy of freebie EPs, and while sonically it’s spot on, proggers might find themselves in danger of dozing off. Despite having former member and current Periphery bassist Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood involved, this EP lacks an experimental edge – frenetic, juddering drum rhythms can only take you so far. And yet, tech metal fans should get kicks aplenty. Blood Bank swirls with a contrasting cocktail of break-neck riffery juxtaposed with soaring melodies. Ocean Death dissolves into downtuned devilry while the most engaging cut here is The Mistakes We Make, which clocks in at nearly nine minutes and sees the band’s sound enhanced with some haunting synths. The trail was blazed years ago and their sound is nothing new, but Red Seas Fire might have just enough panache to make their voice heard in what is a pretty swamped scene.
