ALBUM REVIEW: A World On Fire – The Five Hundred

Metalcore quintet THE FIVE HUNDRED have already proven that they are destined for great things after displaying their wealth of talent on the Thursday night of Download Festival 2019. Their debut album Bleed Red was greeted with significant applause and the follow up A World On Fire which is due for release on July 30th via Long Branch Records is poised to blow it out of the water.

Black Dogs launches you right into the eye of the storm, engulfing you with vicious screams and pulsing drum beats. Cathartic melodies seep into the fray alongside impressive riff work to get this release off to an intense start. The Rising Tide offers up some calming waves sweeping into your ears before resuming the buoyant tempo with intoxicating grooves. Powerfully emotive chorus lines hit you right in the chest. The guitar work slickly transitions between galloping shredding and neat lead segments.

Our Demise dishes up some hard hitting drumming and boisterous riffing whilst also continuing to utilise euphoric melodic elements to great effect. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why they made the wise choice in making this one of their previously released singles.

The Warmth kicks the aggression up a notch with thunderous blast beats and venomous vocal barrages that send shivers down your spine. As well as hammering you with feverish intensity there are also some serene clean tones to drift away on. Walls Of Jericho is jammed to the brim with killer hooks. Get those necks warmed up as this will inject you with an instant adrenaline rush. As an added bonus you are also treated to the audible devastation brought forth by CABAL‘s Andreas Bjulver Paarup. The exhilaration pours over into Your Apocalypse which is a surefire contender for one of the most infectious tracks you’ll hear in 2021. This track also features the second guest in the form of RED METHOD‘s Jeremy Gomez who adds his own signature blend of fury to the mix.

With Scars keeps the momentum flowing at full force with further bouts of frenetic instrumentation. Soaring vocal bursts and swift riffing really hit that sweet spot. Our Curse continues to offer up the crushing guitar and drumming combo that slot together so seamlessly. There is an unnerving, dramatic vibe which hovers over this track and fits perfectly with the subject matter. Just to add the exclamation point a mouthwatering solo is reeled off with pinpoint execution.

Agony lets the captivating vocal work of frontman John Woods-Ely take the spotlight as the instrumentation sits back in the arrangement. This piece showcases just what an incredible talent he is with his impressive, passionate range, willing to tackle any note on the scale head on. Last but by no means least the title track A World On Fire gears up for one final volley of addictive, accessible hooks capped off with a beautiful solo flourish to leave you with a complete sense of satisfaction as it departs.

THE FIVE HUNDRED have really blossomed into a multi-faceted beast with this effort. The material found within A World On Fire deserves to be played and appreciated on the biggest of stages in front of capacity crowds who will scream back every single word. There is absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t be regarded in the same breath as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE for their ability to blend huge melodies with formidable intensity.

Rating: 9/10

A World On Fire is set for release on July 30th via Long Branch Records.

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