One thing you can count on with purveyors of “true” heavy metal, they love themes of sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, and sword and sorcery. England’s Fury is one of those bands taking the same things to exponential levels on their second long player, Lost In Space. And dig the cool sci-fi art from Andy Pilkington of Very Metal Art.
Besides those themes, there’s no disguising Fury’s sound. Theirs is elemental and classic “keep it true” heavy metal, born from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. They have the twin guitar presence for harmony, melody, and ambitious leads. A clean bass line is heard throughout coupled to deep drums for a solid rythym section. Pacing and tempo can very from steady moderation to speedy excess. Julian Jenkins vocals are clean and melodic, and the vocal arrangements from harmonious choral to metal chants and cheers. Again, Fury works from the fundamentals. And they want to do it without regard to time restrictions. Lost In Space is a long album, better than 74 minutes, plan to spend some time with it or maybe halve it. There’s no song less than five minutes, with the average rounding out to better than seven. This essentially gives the band room to stretch: more repitition of refrains, more solos, drop in some nice choral effects. Thankfully, it does keep your interest.
Now to mention a few songs of interest. One is Dragon’s Song, pretty much brisk song with strong guitar lines, but at the very end the drop in one of those singular choral moments. Another is Star Trippin’, again with plenty of stirring guitar work, but something of a breakdown at the four minute mark. It’s a light segue with the guitars dialed down, and then you catch the bass line. Also, there appears to a female voice injected. Either that or Jenkins dressed in drag and singing falsetto. At the start of Sons of War there’s a nice guitar intro with a somewhat Middle Eastern feeling. The song also the pace and feel of marshall music fitting the song’s title. Valhalla is the shortest song here. Essentially, a Norse ballad with vocals over light guitars at the start, before rising in power past the midpoint with guitar fury. The epic song is the closing A Tale Of Silver, at nearly 14 minutes at offers a variety of pacing and some variety in guitar segues. So there’s a sampling of the tunes. All in all, Fury and Lost In Space are the real deal, classic and true melodic heavy metal. Large, epic, and very entertaining. Quite recommended.
01. Lost In Space
02. Star Trippin’
03. When The Hammer Falls
04. Dragon’s Song
05. Sons Of War
06. The Battle Of Shadows Vale
07. Now Or Never
08. Valhalla
09. Nebula
10. A Tale Of Silver
Martin Trail – Bass
Alasdair Davis – Drums
Jake Beesley – Guitars
Julian Jenkins – Vocals, Guitars