Day of Fire – Losing All
Feb 5, 2010 CD Reviews
Posted by
wiegmake
Day of Fire
Losing All
Razor & Tie
Grade – A
The latest release from Day of Fire, titled “Losing All,” is hitting the airwaves like a “ten ton heavy thing” as the saying goes. Immediately, I was impressed with the raw grit of the recording and the true grit of the lyrics. I had an opportunity to speak to drummer Zach Simms about the project and he concurred that there was something extremely different about this album.
Aside from the obvious differences, the change of labels, the band took a different approach to writing and recording the CD. Josh Brown primarily did the writing on the Day of Fire debut. While on “Losing All” the band wrote more collectively and as Zach stated, “there was more unity and cohesiveness” on this album. Along with the band, Chris Daughtry co-wrote three tracks and what I consider the best track, “The Dark Hills,” the band wrote with Billy and Rose Falcon. (Billy worked with Bon Jovi back in the day, and Rose had released a CCM project a few years back.)
The band also had more working time between this album and “Cut & Move” as they did with after the debut, allowing them to put more of a “polish” on it as Zach explained. When it came to recording, Zach explained that while they did use some scratch tracks, the majority of the album was recorded live with the whole band together in the studio. This process kind of gives it that nostalgic rock sound that is missing from many of the ProTools type recordings where everyone does their own piece in different locations and times.
On “Losing All” the band has returned to the 90’s rock era and I could hear a lot of Stone Temple Pilots influences, particularly with “Light Em Up,” a fist-pumping tune that is a pure adrenaline rush. Throughout the whole CD you can hear a strong similarity to STP. There are several tracks, however, like “Hello Heartache” and “Cold Addiction,” that sound like they have evolved from the unique Day of Fire motif. “Never Goodbye” adds a nice touch as a strong rock ballad reflecting on loved ones lost or missed opportunities.
Wait… are they yelling “Hey You” at God? They sure are. On this particular song (“Hey You”) I am reminded of how we have so many questions and it is hard for our limited brains to understand the world today, especially the amount of sin in this world and the degree to which it is administered.
Another favorite of mine is “Long Highway,” a song about the lack of communication in a marriage and the damage it causes. It all seems so simple, but sometimes we are so stuck on ourselves that real two-way communication is next to impossible. Having a Christi-centered marriage is an excellent place to start and from there I’m sure any couple can learn to communicate.
“The Dark Hill,” is the last track on the CD and like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, this song is the light at the end of a very difficult and reflective journey. It says it all as it cries out with a stirring reverberation. “How heavy was the crown of thorns… I wonder if I’m too far gone… I know He’ll come save me.” This is the meat of the album. While the general theme from track to track is pain, darkness, and trouble, we have to “keep pressing in to God” as Zach told me.
With their new partnership with Razor & Tie records, the band will have new opportunities to reach audiences that may have connected to Josh’s former band Full Devil Jacket and the secular rock scene in general. The new album has an amazing potential to open doors and shine some light on a terminally dark stage.
- Ken W.
Tags: Day of Fire
