Album Review: Freya - Fight As One
Reviewed by Daniel Phipps
Formed 22 years ago from the ashes of the Syracuse vegan straight edge legends Earth Crisis, Karl Beuchner, Ian Edwards and Eric Edwards formed Freya and released their first full length (As The Last Light Drains) twenty years ago. Even with the reformation of Earth Crisis in 2007 Freya have continued to remain active releasing an album the same year as the reformation and 3 further records during the years. The band's sixth album Fight As One is set for release in September through label Upstate Records.
What instantly comes across with Fight As One is a really punchy metallic record as Freya deliver a dose of eleven tracks of dark Hardcore which crosses the line into a more furious thrash sound without losing it’s hardcore ethos and vibe. What first grabs me is the album has a really nice bass sound which comes through really nicely within the mix and gives the opening of the album a real kick. The guitars to compliment have a really thick crunch to them which come across especially well during the more thrashier sections and allows the record to provide a series of tracks which offer a really heavy groove throughout its run length such as “Sense of Doom'' which the band collaborate with Hatebreed front man Janey Jasta (Freddie Madball & Scott Vogel also lend their voices to the record). Now this is not just a new age sounding metallic hardcore record Freya are more than happy to offer a more straight up traditional hardcore sound to the album and a track such as "Omens" offers that more punky vibe to Fight As One.
Where the album definitely has its positives it does have areas where it is lacking at points. Some of the tracks I find end very abruptly, almost as if there had been no real final decision on how they could finish, which is slightly anti-climactic. I also feel it could really have done with a true hardcore anthem. Not meaning to compare the band to other bands that members are involved with but from a frontman who penned such lyrics as “Night of justice, knight of justice. Liberation's crusade's begun. Your laws will have no meaning past the Setting of the sun” Fight as One really does not have anything that really hits you lyrically and gets you pumped.
Unfortunately, even with being a well written album with really solid production Fight As One is an album that will be enjoyed but will not really be a record that remains part of your listening pile for more than a few spins.
