FIRMAMENT prepare to demonstrate their determination and passion with first full EP 'Ashes & Awakening'

(Image: Unknown, please email for credit or removal)

FIRMAMENT (Not in order): Adele, Dave, Fee, James, Phil

It’s stupid to believe we’re almost at the end of January and what a month it’s been when it comes to music. We’ve had big tours kick off, exciting announcements about new albums coming our way and of course have seen the underground scene kick into high gear to ensure they show the big guns just how much they have to give. After all, the world of music is constantly changing and we all need to find ways to show we have as much gusto as ever before.

This takes us back to good old Nottingham, where we find Symphonic Rock/Metal band Firmament preparing to enter the fray with their first full EP – Ashes & Awakening. The quintet have been hard at work getting this piece ready for the world and have given us glimpses of what to come with previously released singles ‘New Tomorrow’ and ‘Cry for the World’. Giving Get Heavy a sneaky glimpse ahead of its release, how does the rest of the EP hold up?

Starting with earlier mentioned ‘New Tomorrow’ (a track by us last November), the track sets the tone of the EP nicely. A clean introduction with softer vocals prepare us for what’s to come, slowly building into a track that shows how powerful the band can push themselves when required. As an intro track, it builds the right levels of excitement without going over the top.

Moving into ‘Through Tempests’, we enter a thrashier, faster vibe that is reminiscent of more classic metal. The overall tone and speed of the track mirrors that of the title – how we handle ourselves during periods of chaos and how maintain the momentum used to overcome them.

Carrying on this energy is next track ‘Shadow Game’ (no, not the crazy Yu-Gi-Oh! games that had even crazier outcomes), a track that dabbles in a more Iron Maiden meets Alter Bridge style. Utilising a operatic metal/rock ballad blend, Firmament engage in dual guitars, thunderous drums and a galloping bass line that is topped with powerful and epic vocals to create a track that will be an instigator of headbanging and a crowd pleaser whether played through the radio or performed live. There’s a clever use of pauses in some sections that allow the vocals to take the lead, building moments of tension before dropping back into the musical aspect to keep the track fresh and interesting.

As we move into ‘Caged, we enter a different pace overall. Slower, deeper and more along the lines of a power ballad. The band’s creative shines through with the use of haunting effects over beautifully written guitar lines. Of course, the band do shift back to a thrashy style for the outro of the song but once again this highlights the band’s ability to jump between tones in a simple and masterful way.

Closing out the EP is 2^nd released single ‘Cry for the World’, a track that focuses on getting the listener to sit and reflect on their ways and make the changes needed to ensure we continue to have the world we do. Punchy and one that goes for the throat, it shows the band have much more fight to give even when we near the end of the journey.

From start to finish, ‘Ashes & Awakening’ is yet another solid offering by the band and one that shows how well they can match the tone of their songs with the music they create. It also shows a sign of evolution, moving away from the symphonic rock sounds we met with their first release and dabbling more into symphonic metal. The band are continuing strong in their journey and showing how well they have united over time to bring their stories and tales to life.