BLAZE ‘Blood And Belief’
(SPV)(2004)
Blood & Belief is Blaze's third album and sees the band firmly
establishing their own identity. The major influence at work here
appears to be Nevermore, Andy Sneap's production giving the guitars a
big, modern (not Nu) metal sound, combined with classic choruses,
although the intro of `Life And Death' has a vocal melody that is
eerily similar to Frankie Goes To Hollywood's `The Power Of Love'.
The band give a tight performance with ex-Pitchshifter drummer Jason
Bowld giving a solid performance behind the kit and guitarists Steve
Wray and John Slater playing several incisive solos, most notably in
title song `Blood And Belief' and my personal favourite `The Will to
Win' which is sure to have you singing the chorus by the second time
it comes around.
Bayley himself gives the vocal performance of his life, full of
energy and passion, particularly on the closing number `Soundtrack Of
My Life' which is full of honesty and, maybe somewhat ironically,
could have come straight off Bruce Dickinson's Accident Of Birth'
album.
Over the course of the last few years Blaze has become one of our
most underrated artists and with albums this good he deserves to be
playing bigger venues than he currently does. If you've not given him
a chance since him leaving Iron Maiden then perhaps now is the time
because Blood & Belief is set to be one of the albums of the year and
you wouldn't want to miss out now would you?
Related>>
Review
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Review by Neil Woodfin
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