Label: Metal on Metal Records
Date: October 3rd, 2024
In the absence of young, insufficiently inspiring and creative bands, I am turning back to the bands I already know and are proven as quality bands. This time, our old friends Ignitor are back with a new album. Formed in 2003, Ignitor has already released eight albums, including the last one, “Horns and Hammers”. The album consists of eleven songs, of which one is a cover and one live version. But let’s go layer by layer…
The first song that caught my attention and woke up my curiosity even before I heard it and made me listen to the album upside down is the cover of one of my favorite bands of all times, Saxon! Mighty Saxon and the mighty cover of “Machine Gun” gathered Ross The Boss (Manowar, Dictators), Marc Lopes (Metal Church, Let Us Prey, Ross The Boss) and Gabriel Guardian (Immortal Guardian) around Ignitor. The idea of a cover song came from Jason and Robert was the one who had chosen Saxon’s “Machine Gun”. He reached out to his friend Ross the Boss, and one day we might say, the rest is the legend… The video for the song was created by Marc Lopes. There is no need to compare the original and the cover version. Ignitor did a great job.
Overall, this is the album that simply celebrates metal. There is not much philosophy around it, they just play what they like to play and listen. Simply as that. But if you need more, I will say that the album is full of galloping rhythms, intense drumming, powerful vocals… Jason McMaster, who joined the band in 2009 replacing Erika Morgengrau, has a rich experience, (I would be free to say that he is the most engaged metal singer) singing in at least twenty bands in his career, not to mention guest appearances. As his name says, he is a real master when it comes to singing and he proves it one more time on this album.
As Robert Williams (guitars) said, those are the probably strongest songs by now. Absolute truth. Since, as already written, Mr. McMaster is very engaged, Ignitor was sending demos so he can write the lyrics. They are happy with the final product, so who are we to disagree? The title song, “Horns And Hammers”, gives you no opportunity to prepare for it, it just strikes with its power. As founding guitarist, Stuart “Batlord” Laurence says:
“We raised the bar high with our last two albums so we couldn’t settle for anything less than a full-on metal assault. We’ve always honored our influences, but we’re also very insistent that our music – first and foremost – sounds like Ignitor. With Horns and Hammers, we’ve covered the spectrum of metal and taken Ignitor to a whole new level.”
“Imperial Bloodlines” is a bit slower than the previous one, but still, passion and power are on the high level. “Dark Horse” slows down a bit more than a previous one, but soon furiosity will come out in the light of the day. The tempo change is characteristic for this song and demonstrates the versatility of vocal performance. “Cyber Crush” has an infectious melody, and the vocal irresistibly reminds of Dio. The next one, “Shattered Crosses” is one of my favorites. Simply, melody is an earworm. “Taking Up With Serpents” drives you through the album very slightly. “Ferocious the Martyrs” is maybe the most interesting song on the album, starting with a bass line and continuing with hypnotizing melody, kind of nostalgic vibe when it comes to vocals, and here Gabriel Guardian (Gabriel Guardiola – Immortal Guardian) as a special guest spices the song to the limit of perfection with an accent on the sound of organ. “Suicide Anthem” as the title recalls, is a bit slower and some might sy depressive, but I do not have feeling that the band wanted to create that atmosphere. “Chaos Maximus Eternal” brings the speed back, and that is what we expect from metal, at least when it comes to the sound, maximum eternal chaos! In the end, at least when it comes to promo I got, “Terminus”, instrumental with a specific atmosphere with a gong that marks the end of another chapter on Ignitor’s musical journey. I am sorry that my promo doesn’t include the live version of “Hell Shall Be Your Home”, released on the previous album “The Golden Age of Black Magick”, but what to do…
I do not mention album covers often, because simply my brain doesn’t process that kind of information as a significant part of an album, same as when it comes to videos. When I perceive a cover, it means it is really good, and this one, created by Claudio Bergamin, is one of those. For all those who are not familiar, Claudio Bergamin is Chilean photographer and digital artist who signed many album covers. I would just mention a few, my favorites, because Hallford (Live at Saitama Super Arena – Original Soundtrack (Live album) + video), Judas Priest “Firepower”. On Ignitor’s “Horns and Hammers” cover we can see medieval warrior and his horse on a striking red background taking a rest after the battle.
“Horns And Hammers” is a really nice way to mark 20 years anniversary of a band. Congrats!
