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CARS ON FIRE ‘Black Hearts & Bloody Hands’ Review

Blasting forth with ‘BLACK HEARTS & BLOODY HANDS’, CARS ON FIRE are out to prove something to the world with their own brand of frenetic punk fused metal. Opening track “Borders” storms in, flailing at the listener with the passion of frontman Ali Ross showing that this band are here to assert themselves with a record that has been two years in the making.

After the critically accepted debut ‘Dig Your Own Grave’ in 2009, this second album has a lot to live up to. After some time away spent as an armed guard aboard ship in the Indian Ocean, “as the band was turning into a dangerous and out of control habit that was driving us all crazy”, Ross has returned triumphantly with a newly tempered attitude which really shows on ‘Of Grace and Bone’, exhibiting a refined melodic quality of the vocalist.

The chaotic attitude of this band is absolutely epitomised in the anarchic “Rhythm and Command”, with abusive riffs and incredibly diverse syncopated drumming. This is a well-constructed piece of fight music that ultimately shows us everything that this 4-piece Bristol based band can do. The complexity of rhythm showcased by Drummer James Hester is truly something to behold, providing a feeling of relentless abuse in the stomach.

This album holds its form throughout, ending in a similarly aggressive manner to ‘Borders’ with the no holds bared ‘Fractions of the Truth’. With the addition of guest vocalist Charlie Simpson (Fightstar) and the aid of producer Jason Wilcock, this album has become a great example of controlled aggression. With a tour in the pipeline for Jan/Feb get ready for this emotion to be unleashed via the aural abuse of CARS ON FIRE.

 

J Rangeley

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