WORLD FIRE BRIGADE – Spreading My Wings (2012)
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WORLD FIRE BRIGADE is a new modern hard rock supergroup featuring Fuel’s Brett Scallions, Smile Empty Soul’s Sean Danielsen and producer Eddie Wohl.
The seeds for this project were planted during the 2003 tour that had Smile Empty Soul supporting Fuel, and germinated now with their debut “Spreading My Wings”
The first thing I want to make clear, this is not a Fuel or a Smile Empty Soul record, it’s much better than these pretty insipid bands.
It’s a World Fire Brigade record and their music is inspired by more traditional hard rock sounds, modern for sure and with a spice of alternative, but on the good side. Obviously, it’s going to have tinges of feeling like a Fuel record, Brett Scallions only has one voice, however that only happens in some vocal parts.
Brett is taking more chances here than in his own band and Sean has written some really heavy riffs on this album.
After an intro, first up is the title track “Spreading My Wings”. This song is a good representation of what the band offers; it’s heavy, it’s modern melodic, it’s good. The tones in the breakdown are hot & dirty, where the guitars take a front role.
Follower “All You Know” has a really raunchy riff lying underneath a very singable verse and chorus that somehow reminds me Rubber (Harem Scarem modern side).
“Weight Of The World” is up next, a commercial modern yet razor track with radio intentions. There are still some heavy elements involved, with good lyrics and vocal parts.
“Don’t Walk Away” and “Take Me Away” are songs that really separates this record from each members previous bands. The latter features Rob Caggiano from Anthrax, so going in, you know it’s gonna be heavy. This song is the most adventurous on the album for Brett vocally. Pushing his voice to a near growl in spots, the melody is there, but in passing you may not recognize his voice.
On the other hand, “Shot Down” and “All My Demands” are the less interesting tracks here, as have some of the alternative feel that early Smile Empty Soul songs used to offer.
“Free and Sane” is an OK slow track (not a ballad) that sounds more like a Fuel song, but more organic and with a blistering guitar solo closer to the end.
“Spreading My Wings” is a good rocking album by this new band that although has members from mainstream acts, has its own identity.
World Fire Brigade’s music is more meaty and consistent than the majority of the modern rock bands. It’s modern and a bit alternative yes, but gritty and powerful as well.
If you are tired of listening classic hard rock but modern bands bored you to death, “Spreading My Wings” is a good disc that floats in between with good results.
Good one.
01 – The End Of Silence
02 – Spreading My Wings
03 – All You Know
04 – Weight of the World
05 – Shell of Me
06 – Fly
07 – Don’t Walk Away
08 – Take Me Away (feat. Rob Caggiano)
09 – Shot Down
10 – All My Demands
11 – The Beginning of Madness
12 – Never Saw the Wall (feat. Rob Caggiano) [Explicit]
13 – Free and Sane
14 – One
Sean Danielsen – Guitars, Vocals
Brett Scallions – Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Eddie Wohl – Keyboards, Programming
Ken Schalk – Drums
Dustin Schoenhofer – Drums
Guests;
Rob Caggiano (Anthrax) – Guitar
Andy Andersson (Fuel) – Guitar
BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Spreading-Wings-World-Fire-Brigade/dp/B008DL46J4
