Emblazoned with a flaming lion upon an icy mountain range and with the stamp of the traditional heavy metal sound mainstay Stormspell Records, SACRED’s debut album “Fire to Ice”, leaves very few doubts in the aspiring listeners mind for what’s about to follow. The supergroup from Gothenburg Sweden, comprised by past and present members of VICIOUS RUMORS, AIR RAID, KATANA, LANCER and SEVEN THORNS, has no qualms about what they are trying to achieve: play good old fashioned heavy/power metal. 
LOST HORIZON’s influence on the band is evident from the moment Gustav Blide’s soaring vocals fill the air in the epic introductory track, “Into the Light”. Blide’s vocals definitely consist one of the highlights of the album, with a complexion and delivery style reminiscent of the great Daniel Heiman. As the bombastic “Gateway to the Gods” rolls on, one can tell the band has leaned on its power metal influences, with fast riffing and grand choruses, whilst keeping them rooted in a classic heavy metal sound. A HAMMERFALL fan will feel right at home here. “Wasting Away”, SACRED’s first single released back in 2020, is a great example of that more heavy metal oriented style, showcasing some wonderful riffing.
“On the Verge of Becoming a Shadow” sheds a light on the bands more slow tempo, more emotional side, and successfully so. The result is a near 7 minute empowering epic and one of the album’s best moments. SACRED goes from strength to strength with “Caught in a Snowstorm”. The aforementioned track, a fine piece of uplifting power metal does a great job of conveying the overall sound of the album, making its selection as the band’s second single an excellent one. It’s followed up by the mid tempo “Tyrannical Warfare” before moving again to speedier power metal paths with “Nights of Madness”. I dare you to try not to headbang, if you can. The penultimate track of the album is the title track, slowing us down a little, while boasting another powerful vocal delivery. SACRED’s album concludes with their longest track yet, “the Flying Dutchman”. The song is fun however it does feel ever so slightly drawn out. This limited edition first pressing of the CD contains one more treat. A cover of the QUEENSRŸCHE classic “Queen of the Reich” serves as yet another showcase of Gustav Blide’s vocal capabilities.
Fire to Ice doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. SACRED knew what they wanted to do in this album and they do it reasonably well. The album caters to the seasoned classic heavy/power metal enthusiast, and if you belong to that demographic it does not disappoint. This is a strong debut and it has left me really interested in what they do next.
SACRED – Fire to Ice will be released by Stormspell Records on January 11th 2025 and will be available on CD and Digital format.
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Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
