Firewind's 'Stand United' - Album Review

Eagle-eyed readers of this blog will know that, in recent years at least, I review albums in chronological order of release. This helps me to keep up with what I have covered and what I have not - and it also helps me to judge if, by the time I get to an album, whether I should still review it. I do not like to review albums a long time after their release dates, as there is limited interest in such by that point, so there are always decisions to be made about what to cover and what not to. I do not get sent albums by bands or record companies for review, so I cannot be ahead of the game like other reviewers, with every album I cover here having been purchased myself on release. This is why it is frustrating when albums are delayed in getting to me - and I have noticed a trend in recent years when it comes to releases by AFM Records. I do not like criticising the label, as their output is generally great and their digipacks are always really well put together, but in recent years their distribution in the UK has been rubbish. I have often had to wait two or three weeks after release dates of AFM Records' albums when ordering from Amazon UK - but recently this has gotten worse. Amazon UK cancelled my order of the album I about to talk about as it did not know when it was going to be getting any stock and I recently received an email saying that they do not know when they would be posting out my copy of Leaves' Eyes new album Myths of Fate which came out last week either - but stopped short of cancelling the order. I do not know why AFM Records makes so little effort with the UK. I recently emailed the label to ask why, but I am yet to receive a response. HMV's website seems to try and guess when the albums will be released, but the dates keep getting pushed back - and there is no communication from the label as to why. As such, I had to get my copy of Firewind's tenth studio album Stand United from abroad - and it only arrived on Monday, just in time for me to get a few listens in before heading up to London to see them live tomorrow! Moving onto Stand United, then, as that is enough ranting about AFM Records for one day, it is the band's second album with their current line-up - and their first album since 2020's self-titled release (which I reviewed here). Firewind was a bit of a re-set for the band and it harked back to the tougher sound of their early days - with the band's more epic side reined in following the departure of long-time keyboard player Bob Katsionis. He has never been replaced, leaving the band's founder and guitarist Gus G. to lead the line alone - meaning that Firewind focused on his riffing and soloing more than ever. The album also saw the debut of current frontman Herbie Langhans, who did a great job, and he has fully integrated himself into Firewind over the past four years. With long-time bassist Petros Christo and drummer Johan Nunez rounding out the line-up, the current four-man Firewind is a lean and heavy beast - although G. actually handled all of the bass, as well as the keyboards, on this album. G. has always been Firewind's leader, but I think it is fair to say that Katsionis played a key role as his foil and significant songwriting contributor, so Firewind and now Stand United has seen G. reassert his authority on the band - and in Langhans he has found frontman who has enough grit to suit his vision and can cover the styles of the band's four previous frontmen live.

Stand United generally carries on the sound re-established on Firewind, but there is perhaps a bit more of a classic rock influence throughout. It does not feel as heavy overall as the last album, but there is still plenty of Firewind's trademark crunch - and the slight difference is not so drastic that the album sticks out like a sore thumb. Salvation Day, one of my favourite cuts here, kicks things off and the Queen-esque opening vocal harmonies which are the first things heard establish that classic rock sound. The song is very much classic Firewind in tone though, and when the first big riff from G. kicks in his style is apparent - and his soaring opening guitar lead is packed full of energy and melodic hooks. This whole song is very hooky, too, and, as such, it opens the album in fine fashion. The verses are crunchy and relatively fast-paced, with a surprising amount of keyboard backing and occasional piano given the general focus on guitars - whilst the chorus sounds like something which could have sat on either of the band's first two albums. There are a few big choruses here, but Salvation Day's may be the best. Again, it is quite fast-paced, but Langhans' vocal melodies are slightly different from the norm - with his twists and turns ensuring that the chorus really lodges itself in the brain. It is a song which pulls the listener in from the off, then, and G. also impresses with a lengthy guitar solo which builds on some of the opening melodies whilst introducing plenty of his trademark controlled, shredded leads. This is the sort of song I want from this version of Firewind - and the album feels strong due to its presence. The title track follows, and it goes for more of an all-out power metal feel - with Nunez laying into his double bass drums from the off and G.'s main riff having a thrashy side to it thanks to the pace. Despite being a power metal band, Firewind have always sat at the heavier end of the genre. They have never felt too upbeat or sugary - and Langhans' gruffer vocal delivery helps to ensure that the band sound grounded. He can still deliver plenty of vocal hooks, though, and the chorus here is a real power metal anthem with long-held notes and a bit more of an epic overall feel. The pace slows somewhat for the chorus, with G.'s guitar melody backing Langhans nicely, and the more epic feel contrasts nicely with the thrashy, heavy pace heard elsewhere. Firewind have been writing songs like this for years, but again it feels like a bit of a throwback to the first couple of albums. Firewind gradually got more epic and lush from 2006's Allegiance onward - culminating in their most ambitious album Immortals (which I reviewed here) in 2017. As much as I love Immortals, I do like how the band have returned to their original sound more recently - and Stand United is packed full of crunch and hooks to hark back to the early 2000s. Having said that, though, Destiny Is Calling sounds like something that could have easily sat on 2008's The Premonition with its synth melody which backs G.'s fast-paced opening riff. The track feels more upbeat and overtly-melodic than the opening two songs - with a bouncy chorus that recalls some of the band's best-known singles and a smoother overall sound. There is still plenty of crunch thanks to G.'s guitar riffing, but his keyboard playing gets more focus placed on it here - with the chorus making good use of the opening synth run. Langhans' voice is grittier than Apollo Papathanasio's ever was, though, and the former's gruffer approach helps to ground the song in the modern Firewind sound rather than it truly harking back to what is arguably the band's classic era.

After three pretty up-tempo tracks, The Power Lies Within goes for a more mid-paced sound overall - packed with groove and some memorable guitar leads. The bass and some effects-heavy guitar open things up, but a muscular guitar riff soon takes over - and the song's tone is set from here. Firewind's material is generally on the faster side, and they do not release too many genuinely mid-paced, groovy tracks. I like it when they do, though, and this is a song which showcases that classic rock influence mentioned earlier. Despite this vibe, though, the overall heaviness has not been reined in. G.'s guitar tone is as crunchy as ever, and the bass is high in the mix to add to the overall bulk of the piece. Nunez's drumming is also a bit more paired back, but his booming playing adds perfectly to the groove - and it is nice to see him laying down something like this rather than his usual blistering approach. Throw in a great neo-classical guitar solo from G. and a chorus which could rival Salvation Day's as the album's best and the track is a creeping, heavy beast which really showcases the toughness of the band's current line-up nicely. The opening four songs here are, in my opinion, the album's best - but there is still plenty to enjoy. For me, though, Come Undone is a bit of a step down compared to the opening four songs - and it returns to the sound of Destiny Is Calling with a synth melody sitting under the opening guitar riff. I think that the former song did this style better, though, but I do think that the chorus here is still pretty strong - even if it does not fully capitalise on the hooks of the aforementioned synths. Unlike the previous similar track, the synths are not used during the chorus - with the chorus instead being more of an epic, Helloween-esque moment with driving double bass drums and ringing guitar chords. I like the chorus in and of itself, but the song feels like it is trying to be a couple of different things at once - which lets it down a bit for me. Fallen Angel is better, though, and after the opening effects-heavy guitar riff which sounds like something from an old video game soundtrack the groovy piece gets underway with a pacey riff and plenty of bass. There are occasional keyboard flourishes which add colour, but in general the piece is another somewhat of a hark back to the band's early sound - albeit with a slightly more organic guitar tone which again showcases that classic rock influence. The guitar playing is a bit simpler here, so the big standout is Langhans - who really delivers during the flowing chorus. The hooks here are a bit different for Firewind, but his grit means that he pulls them off nicely - and the song is one of the album's underrated sleeper cuts for me. Chains goes for a bit of a smoother sound. Whilst not exactly a ballad it has a poppier edge - and the overall approach reminds me somewhat of Mercenary Man from The Premonition. The keyboards are a bit more prominent here, which gives the track a poppy sheen, whilst G.'s guitar playing feels a bit thinner - without the usual wall of sound approach he is known for. Firewind have done this sort of thing before, though, and I like it when they write more of a traditional pop rocker - and the chorus here is packed full of AOR-esque melodies and a similar sheen. The band excel when operating in a heavier way, but the melodies and hooks here are hard to resist - and it is always fun when the band throw in a 1980s-inspired cut like this.

Land of Chaos returns to the album's core sound, though, and opens with a muscular riff which is packed full of G.'s trademark character. He has such a distinct riffing style which really sets Firewind apart from other power metal bands - and this track is a really good example of that. Many of the band's core elements are present here, and the track feels like a faster piece despite it actually being a bit groovier than average. Nunez's powerful drumming keeps the track moving, but despite his double bass drum patterns the piece is snaking and with a bit of a Pantera influence at times - with a breakdown riff which kicks in just before the main guitar solo sounding a bit different for Firewind, despite the rest of the track exhibiting lots of classic elements. The solo is another big shred fest, too, whilst Langhans really excels in this gritty atmosphere - with a mid-paced chorus which sees some of his gruffest vocals on the album. Up next is a cover of the new wave/power pop band The Romantics' Talking in Your Sleep. I cannot say that I am familiar with The Romantics really, but Firewind have occasionally covered slightly left-field pieces - and famously did Maniac from the Flashdance soundtrack on The Premonition. Clearly wanting to do something similar with Talking in Your Sleep - the track has been morphed into a pretty tough, groovy rocker and I think that the arrangement works pretty well. Langhans is the real star here, his gritty voice boosting the vocal hooks in a big way - with the crunchy and off-kilter chorus popping out of the speakers nicely. There are heavier songs here, of course, but the cover is a fun one. It allows G. to experiment a little more with both his guitar and bass playing. Some of the basslines here are pretty funky, and often lead parts of the verses, whilst his guitar playing is a mix of more traditional riffing and clean accents. Covers can sometimes ruin the flow of an album, but Firewind have become pretty good at these unusual covers over the years that Talking in Your Sleep adds quite a bit to the album in my opinion. The album then comes to a close with the more epic Days of Grace. It is not a true ballad, but it is certainly a more dynamic piece - with clean guitar sections and more of an atmosphere which build up towards a powerful chorus which is more typical of the band's sound. I have always liked G.'s clean guitar playing, his precise picking always leads to melancholic yet perky sections, whilst the slower moments here allow for more of  keyboard presence and a more emotional vocal from Langhans. He might not have the biggest range, but he tones it down a bit for the clean sections before letting rip as the riffs kick back in the chorus arrives. Given the song closes out the album, there is unsurprisingly a big centrepiece guitar solo - and the song also fades out with some aching leads later on. G. takes plenty of opportunities to show off his varied guitar playing here, then, and the overall dynamics of the piece allows the album to feel somewhat grander as it fades out. Overall, then, Stand United is another very enjoyable album from the Greek band. I do think that it is a bit top heavy, with much of the best material coming early on, but it flows nicely and the subtle sound variations help each song to stand out. I do not think that the band will ever top the majesty of Immortals for me, but I like this more stripped back Firewind of late - and I am looking forward to hearing some of these tracks live tomorrow.

The album was released on 1st March 2024 via AFM Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Salvation Day.