frank blackfire

Death Metal Underground has received criticism for our review of limp-wristed, warmed-over Swedish heavy metal act In Flames. Our staff called them the Swedish version of Christian glam rock band Stryper. However despite being hard rock, Stryper were actually heavier, more sincere in purpose, and more aggressive than the Comic Sans In Flames. Stryper and the speed metal influenced glam rock of Skid Row were at least far more musical than Fredrik Nordstrom produced melodeaf such as post-Alf Svensson At the Gates, Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquility, In Flames, and Soilwork. Stryper and Skid Row were at least well-versed in 60s and 70s riff rock while directly influenced by Metallica and Slayer:

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Tags: beer metal, Bill Steer, Bolt Thrower, butt rock, carcass, frank blackfire, fredrik nordstrom, glam rock, gothenburg metal, hard rock, Heavy Metal, idiots, in flames, junk food, kreator, melodeaf, skid row, stryper, Surgical Steel, those once loyal

frankblackfirebackonfirecd

It’s technically been out since November 20th, but whatever. Frank “Blackfire” Gosdzik is best known in the metal world for performing with Sodom and Kreator – both of which managed to exert a major influence on death and black metal despite not technically belonging to those genres. His tenures with each seem to have pushed both bands into periods of improved musical technique and more conventional songwriting (Agent Orange is to In The Sign of Evil as Coma of Souls is to Pleasure to Kill). Since then, we haven’t heard much from him until now. Interestingly enough, the samples provided for Back on Fire suggest a simpler approach more reminiscent of the former than the latter.

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Tags: 2015, back on fire, frank blackfire, germany, kreator, sodom, Speed Metal

Lucky Charms Metal

Frank “Blackfire” Gosdzik releases new solo album