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Nations Afire

The Ghosts We Will Become

Written by: PP on 23/08/2012 23:38:02

The hype has been slowly building around punk rock supergroup Nations Afire overseas, not least because its lineup counts in it key members of Rise Against, Ignite, and Death By Stereo, and the band have been gearing up towards the release of their debut album "The Ghosts We Will Become". While their debut EP "The Uprising" didn't impress us much three years ago, the full-length is better, most notably in their use of alternative rock melody.

Basically, if you come into this record expecting a sound directly comparable to that of Rise Against or Ignite, you're likely to be sorely disappointed. While obvious references to both do exist, as well as to Authority Zero in places, Nations Afire are much more subtle in their songwriting, and don't lean as much on hardcore for their expression as they do on alternative rock. That results in more melodic songs at medium tempos, that lack the edge and politically charged fury of Rise Against, as well as the clean 'Offspring-lite' sound of Ignite. It's a good thing that Nations Afire forge a path of their own instead of going for the obvious choice of simply emulating the mainstream success of Rise Against , but at the same time the band lacks some of the character and charisma that would make them a great band instead of just a good one.

Because that's all that "The Ghosts We Will Become" is - a good punk rock record. Even during its highlight moments, such as the opening song "I Am An Army" or the anthemic "Pick Up The Pieces", the band's material never really strikes its listener as something special. It doesn't strike an immediate chord like the best Rise Against songs or the best Ignite songs. They need to find a way to do that before they'll advance further on our rating scale.

Download: Nine Lives, Pick Up The Pieces
For the fans of: Rise Against, Ignite, Authority Zero,
Listen: Facebook

Release date 31.08.2012
Redfield Records