Heavy Fire
Black Star Riders · 2017
40 min · 10 tracks · hard rock
A vibrant fusion of classic rock riffs and modern energy, channeling the spirit of the genre's golden era.
Top tracks — play these first
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Heavy Fire — The title track serves as an explosive opener, encapsulating the album's high-octane spirit with its anthemic chorus and driving guitar work.
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When the Night Comes In — This track showcases the band's ability to blend melody with hard-hitting rhythms, creating a memorable hook that lingers long after the song ends.
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Cold War Love — With its introspective lyrics and dynamic shifts, this song highlights the band's lyrical depth while maintaining an infectious rock sound.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases solid songwriting and musicianship but doesn't significantly innovate within its genre.
What we noticed
- The opening track features a driving guitar riff that sets a high-energy tone, which is maintained through the first half of the album.
- Several tracks incorporate dual guitar harmonies reminiscent of classic rock, particularly in the choruses.
- The last three tracks slow down slightly in tempo, providing a contrast to the earlier energetic songs and allowing for more introspective lyrics.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- upbeat anthems for road trips
- short bursts of energetic fun
- catchy choruses for sing-alongs
- playful narratives about relationships
Maybe skip if you
- prefer lengthy, immersive albums
- seek heavy production styles
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on February 3, 2017, Heavy Fire is the third studio album by Black Star Riders, following their 2015 effort, The Killer Instinct. At this point in their career, the band had solidified their identity as a continuation of Thin Lizzy's legacy while carving out their own path in hard rock.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Thin Lizzy· Judas Priest· Def Leppard
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Heavy Fire 4:28
- 2 When the Night Comes In 3:16
- 3 Dancing With the Wrong Girl 3:21
- 4 Who Rides the Tiger 4:20
- 5 Cold War Love 4:05
- 6 Testify or Say Goodbye 4:17
- 7 Thinking About You Could Get Me Killed 3:38
- 8 True Blue Kid 4:17
- 9 Ticket to Rise 4:38
- 10 Letting Go of Me 3:44
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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