Artist: Day of Fire
Album: Losing All
Genre: Rock
Label: Razor & Tie

Some bands break out on their first record and fail miserably on their Sophomore effort. Others take a bit longer to bloom and use their second release to catapult their careers. Then there are those rare gems that have a large audience, but little mainstream exposure who rise to the top following a slew of solid releases. This third category perfectly defines Nashville’s Day of Fire who are gearing up to release their 3rd record, Losing all on January 26th.

Having built up a strong Christian fanbase starting with their debut in 2006, Day of Fire have been quietly growing in popularity, but I have a feeling once “Light Em Up,” the lead track from Losin All hits the public, they won’t be a quiet sensation for long. It kicks the recor doff at high-speed with solid rock and roll in the vein of Seether and Theory of a Deadman, but with a dash of originality that seals the quality of it all. This is followed by the assured hit “Hello Heartache” that seems built on the foundation of great 70’s rock with the emotional twist of 90’s alternative music.

The album continues strong with the riff heavy “When I See You” before almost collapsing completely on the straight-up awful “Airplane.” I’m all for the acoustic ballad, but the singer wishes to not ride on, but rather be an apparent time traveling airplane. Seriously. That happens and yes, it does seem more like a Family Guy cut away than the source material for a ballad. Luckily, the following tracks, especially the 80s-esque “Cold Addiction” that really showcases vocalist Josh Brown’s skill as a singer.

“Landslide” serves as a solid track to carry us over into the back half of Losing All and luckily, the title isn’t a sign of things to come. In fact, the one-two punch of “Hey You” and “We Are No One” showcases the absolute best material I believe the band has ever released. Both songs are perfect examples of rock done right in modern times as they combine emotional depth with riffs, pounding drums, wailing vocals, and thick, dirty bass lines. It’s a headbanger’s birthday wish come true.

Finally, as the album comes to a close, we have the most obvious representation of the band’s faith on the epic final track, “The Dark Hills.” This brooding masterpiece uses vivid lyrics and ingeniously structured instrumentation to take the listener to a whole new level that I haven’t heard in quite some time. It’s truly one of the defining tracks of the band’s career.

Having released two solid underground hits, Losing all seems destined to be the much-deserved key to mainstream popularity for Day of Fire. From the ingenious songwriting, to the great guitar work and perfected cohesiveness, this record is simply great. Also, in a time where using drum triggers and 808’s is considered “rock and roll,” it’s refreshing to hear a band that can create a great record using the same gear people have been using for over half a century. Losing All is the first great rock album of the new decade.

Score: 8.7/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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