The Fire Dance

Whether it's Acero Letal, Eternal Thirst, or Demona, browsing Chile's perpetually expanding speed metal catalog is a day at the spa for speedfreaks like me. I have Raijin to thank for my most recent happy ending, specifically in regards to their tertiary single The Fire Dance.

Whether a high-class easter egg or just coincidence, 'The Fire Dance' begins with a sample of Handel's 'Water Music'. If you don't recognize the piece by name, it's similar to Vivaldi's 'La Primavera', in that they're both used to portray members of a certain social class who can use Ferraris as toilets. Quite the charming juxtaposition, then, when a raunchy '2 Minutes to Midnight'-y riff puts a sudden stop to the frou-frou classical movement. A cavalcade of satisfying, melodic leads in the same vein as early Tokyo Blade and Traitors Gate are soon to follow.

Band frontman F. Steele not only supplies us with this satisfying progression of chords in verses and choruses, he also delivers dynamic and almost mesmerizing vocals. A modest post-production echo is all Steele is affected with, everything else coming from a pure and passionate tone that carries us through a surprisingly emotional story. At least, when compared to most speed metal. Speedtrap's 'Heavy Armor', describing a knight's love for his own breastplate, is about as romantic as speed metal gets.

Also uncharacteristically complex is the song structure itself. The usual M.O of speed metal is to supply you with a catchy verse and a catchy chorus and repeat them indefinitely, until time could dilate without you noticing. Here, Raijin was a little more ambitious. I was surprised to find myself continually engaged during my first few listens, in awe of how fluidly verses melded into bridges, and how the bridges glided into tremorous solos. 'The Fire Dance' utilizes its five and a half minute timeframe exceptionally well, and it has a wolf howl 'solo' to prove it.

The same could be said of Raijin's other singles as well as their hugely impressive Wildpath EP, but The Fire Dance was the one I always found myself coming back to. Self-purported as a "Chilean defender of NWOTHM", I'm happy to report this moniker checks out.