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Don't Drop the Sword > Into the Fire > Reviews > Fandraxx
Don't Drop the Sword - Into the Fire

Old-School Power Metal - 91%

Fandraxx, August 4th, 2017
Written based on this version: 2017, CD, Independent (Digipak)

Don’t Drop the Sword is a speed metal band from Germany. They serve as a gate back to the older days of more stripped down power metal. Days before the entire genre was dominated by mountains of sugary keyboards and giant choirs. Don’t Drop the Sword is a speed metal band instrumentally, with the lyrical themes of power metal. They reach back to the sound of bands like Manowar and even early Helloween. Dueling guitars with hard-rocking and catchy riffs.

“Into the Fire” contains five jams and except for “Memories”, they all have a heavy, very riff driven structure to them. It starts with Death or Glory, which probably has the most Manowar feel out of any of the songs. If it was slowed down ever so slightly, I could easily see it on Manowar’s next album. It’s a fast start, displaying an impressive rhythm guitar performance. It’s a running theme through each song; each one displays the strengths of a different instrument. The title track “Into the Fire” has a great bass riff about halfway through it. Drummer Dom works his ass off on “Rise of Neith”, while “Memories, the albums slow ballad, does a great job showing off Guitarist Maxi’s lead skills. Vocalist Anti best displays his voice in the closer “Don’t Drop the Sword”. It’s like a running theme throughout the entire album.

Now, all the musicians on this do a great job on each of their parts. Anti’s voice has a lot of power, that it’s almost surprising. His lower natural intonation is very impressive and refreshing in the current power metal scene. It’s so dominated by guys that shout higher notes than a six-month-old baby. It’s refreshing to hear a guy flip the script completely, even throwing some growling into songs like “Into the Fire”. The guitar riffs change from faster to slower so seamlessly that when the solos kick in it really wants to make you head bang. Everything flows in such a way, there’s absolutely nothing forced in the songs. There’s no solo that’s there just because it sounds cool or a drum fill that’s used because of the same reason. Everything makes sense where it is.

In terms of production, this album is solid, especially considering it was done without a record label. The guitars are punchy with a nice amount of drive to them. The drums serve more in the background, a lot of time relegated to keeping a tight rhythm, putting in tasteful fills when needed. They have a lot of power to drive the song where need be. I personally believe the albums lacking a little bottom end that could come from a slightly more pronounced bass, but that could just be the ramblings of a bass player wanting to hear more bass. You be the judge.

You have literally no reason not to listen to Don’t Drop the Sword's debut effort “Into the Fire”. The album is free for download from bandcamp. Don’t Drop the Sword has displayed a lot of potential from this first extended play. Time will tell if they can back it up with a full-length release.