Album Reviews : Sacrifire – Died Alive (EP)

A live recording of their debut show, Bendigo’s Sacrifire offers to the gods a raw 4 song thrash/death attack. Firstly it must be said that given it’s their debut live show as a band, they have nailed their sound surprisingly well. The band had by this stage clearly spent many an hour in the band room tightening up their sound, combine this with the live mix of pretty good standard; it bodes well for a good listen.

There are many different influences incorporated on this EP. Some of the guitar melodies are clearly inspired by the Gothenburg scene, where other riffs more directly relate to the American Thrash scene. Then we have double kicks and cymbal work reminiscent of Grindcore.

The vocal performance by front man Simon White on this recording may have suffered from being recorded in a live situation, however at times he sounds like ex-Arch Enemy vocalist Johan Axelsson or At The Gates’ Tomas Lindberg, especially when those melodic riffs are used. Lyrically the band has drawn inspiration from George Orwell’s masterpiece titled ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’.

I guess after reading back on what I’ve just written, it could be said that Sacrifire offer little more than a At The Gates cover album, but I think this would being giving an injustice to the band as the influences they have used aren’t simply ‘At The Gates’. A moment of wailing baby scream guitars really irritated me, but on the whole a band that could easily gain a strong following in the local scene.

For fans of: At the Gates, early-Arch Enemy

Band: Sacrifire
Album: Died – Alive
Year: 2008
Genre: Melodic Death
Label: Self-Released
Origin: Bendigo, Australia
http://www.myspace.com/sacrifire

Track Listing
1. Reset the Tripwire
2. Choke on the Cyanide
3. (A Lovely Dose Of) Murder Fluid (Reviewer’s Choice)
4. Death of a Day