Ross the Boss should need little introduction to heavy metal and punk fans, as his contributions with both Manowar and The Dictators have continued to draw in listeners decades after their original release. Since 2006 he’s been releasing material with a solo band bearing the same name, first with a German lineup on New Metal Leader and Hailstorm and then later with a brand-new American lineup for 2018’s By Blood Sworn. Despite the eight-year gap between Hailstorm and By Blood Sworn and change in personnel it was clear that Ross hadn’t lost his edge, and this is once again demonstrated with this year’s Born of Fire. Where some of the previous Ross the Boss albums have felt like a love letter to his heavy and power metal days of old, this release ups the thrash influence and puts a modern spin on some of the ideas. Not every song ends up being a true stand-out, but there’s still plenty of strong hooks that make this a worthy addition to any metal fan’s collection.
Born of Fire comes roaring out of the gate with “Glory to the Slain”, a short and fast paced track that showcases a more aggressive riffing style compared to its predecessor. Early on Ross the Boss and his crew of musicians go for speed with writing that feels like it’s channeling just as much from classic US thrash as it is the heavy metal you’d expect. But this isn’t just a case of the entire record being a throwback to the metal styles of old, as when the group slows things down a bit they incorporate some grooves that have a bit more of a modern flair to them. There’s quite a bit of variety across the twelve tracks that make the band feel like heavy metal shapeshifters, but there’s plenty of scorching solos and catchy hooks that tie everything together no matter where they go. The keyboards become more prominent towards the second half of Born of Fire and add some additional melodies alongside the more aggressive instrumentation, which makes the album as a whole feel more dynamic. Admittedly not every direction the group goes in proves to be a surefire hit as a few come and go without fully sticking out in your head afterwards, but there aren’t any outright duds either.
Marc Lopes joined as vocalist on By Blood Sworn and brought a different dynamic to Ross the Boss’ material compared to Patrick Fuchs, which has been taken to the next level on Born of Fire. What works to Lopes’ favor is how easily he can move between gruffer pitches and falsettos which bridges the gap between thrash and heavy metal. His lower singing ranges come in almost at a scream at times and the distortion and grit suit the aggressive nature of the instrumentation, but the ability to hit the higher ranges is what sets his performance apart from many of the others out there. Compared to the last album it feels like the writing gives him even more of an opportunity to demonstrate his range and intensity, and that makes a significant difference.
The second album to come from this version of Ross the Boss’ American lineup is even stronger than its predecessor and feels like the perfect blend between classic and modern influences. It leans on thrash a bit more alongside heavy and power metal, and with plenty of variety throughout there are plenty of moments that will keep listeners coming back for more. Here’s hoping that this lineup sticks around longer than its German predecessor and that there’s even more still to come. Born of Fire is available from AFM Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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