Pick Up The Torch
FirstBourne - "Pick Up The Torch"
ALBUM TITLE: Pick Up The Torch
GENRE: Rock/Metal
LABEL: SAOL
DISTRIBUTOR: Bertus/The Orchard
ARTIST: FirstBourne
LINE-UP:
Mike Kerr – Guitars
Ven Thangaraj – Bass
Ian Raposa – Vocals
Joe Bertola – Drums
Something great is going on at the East Coast and in its secondary cultural melting pot, Boston. While big festivals all across the world, stadiums and major concert halls alike continue to represent the dying of rock and metal, as can be seen from the lack of non-geriatric headliners, here we have a thriving first class outfit that’s considerably younger but ready to seriously pick up the aging torch from giants and dinosaurs.
Enter FirstBourne, a multi- cultural quartet formed in 2016 on a strong foundation of musical passion, skill and friendship. Socially and culturally deeply integrated, Mike, Ven, Ian and Joe set out to bring back good old AOR in a super-accessible and sometimes pretty explosive form that verges on melodic metal in a way Helstar did back in 1989 with their awe-inspiring Nosferatu album, just vastly yet carefully evolved.
Friends of hard rockin’ grand masters, such as Axel Rudi Pell, Journey or Hardline, looking out for young blood in the traditional setting, will be greeted by four busy bees. Caring people who, when not adding to their caravan of award nominations and wins, or carving out kaleidoscopic arrays of shimmering melodies, are contributing to fundraisers for people in need, such as homeless veterans.
Following their more than respectable debut album Riot, FirstBourne are now back for their second attack Pick Up The Torch, a masterpiece that can and should be taken literally, just as the band’s name. Joining in from Brazil, India and the United States, the guys are deeply connected with the fact that they are indeed the first born children in their respective families, thus their namesake.
Whoever is going to hand acts like FirstBourne the torch after granting decades of inspiration, should risk an ear at this straight rockin’ AOR on melodic metal rails, ranging from bedazzling sweep arpeggios at lightning speed to playful yet pick-evaporating shred attacks with the ever so godly smell of Van Halen in the air. Add the high-luster vocals, determined to set a new reference range for the genre(s), and the founding fathers should be left with a smile, laying back, taking in the well deserved strong sense of pride and accomplishment.
Some dinos, such as renowned white metal icons Stryper, are aware that the least healthy thing for this scene would be a generational gap, and are therefore taking up a clear position that should be the common stand for everyone really. Stryper have been welcoming mentors to FirstBourne in the past, sharing stages with the younger torchbearers. And FirstBourne, teaming up with many underground musicians from several bands, will pay their respect one week after their OCT 25 album release celebration by smashing the stage as Stryper, with a set of Stryper songs, at the Annual MT Heavy Metal Halloween Covers Weekend – a three day long, positively loud statement against said generational gap.