Ross The Boss – Born Of Fire

Ross The Boss, founder member of Manowar back in 1980 shows he still has the riffs in his metal arsenal with Born Of Fire, his fourth solo album released on AFM Records. These twelve monster songs are blazed out by his backing band of Marc Lopes on vocals, Mike LePond on bass guitar and superhuman drumming from Steve Bolognese.

In my opinion this is the heaviest album I’ve heard from Ross since his  Manowar era as ‘Glory To The Slain’ flies out of the saddle driven by inhuman kick drumming. Marc shreds his lungs throughout with an astonishing vocal range. Mike lays down a heavy groove as Ross lets rip for a short sharp three minute album opener. As if it could not get any heavier, ‘I Am The Sword’ has riffs that buzz as the rhythm section lock in seismically as band backing vocals beef up the choruses. A slight drop in pace but not in the heaviness sees ‘Fight The Fight’ grind along backed by snapping snares that raise it to headbanging mode. Marc snarls with glee as it picks up midway for a guitar solo meltdown.

‘Shotgun Evolution’ is a chest beating epic of bullish heavy metal that heads off the richter scale midway on a blast beat driven piece and onto mid paced thrash metal. Steves snare work again takes hold over the writhing riffing in ‘Denied By The Cross’. A cathartic lead vocal and histrionic guitar solo is matched punch for punch by ankle breaking kick drumming.  A symphonic feel during ‘Maiden Of Shadows’ is fueled by crushing riffs. ‘Born Of Fire’ is a full on gallop as a slight break from the mayhem comes from melodic choruses. ‘Demon Holiday’ is my album highlight purely for the earworm main riff as Marc hits his most powerful glass shattering screams. The Earthshaking ‘Godkiller’ thumps along on a ‘Children Of The Grave’ groove. ‘Waking The Moon’ is doom like in its rhythms, a laid back pounder that flexes its muscles towards some firey fretboard work from Ross. ‘Undying’ is a pit opening chugger that switches back and forth for more melodic passages and this monumental album ends on ‘The Blackest Heart’. It’s a song that seems to creep up on you. An almost five minutes of different moods are almost ethereal with their variety backed by majestic riffs.

Born Of Fire album track listing :-

Glory To The Slain.

I Am The Sword.

Fight The Fight.

Shotgun Evolution.

Denied By The Cross.

Maiden Of Shadows.

Born Of Fire.

Demon Holiday.

Godkiller.

Waking The Moon.

Undying.

The Blackest Heart.

Ross The Boss Band line up :-

Ross The Boss – Guitar.

Marc Lopes – Lead vocals.

Mike LePond – Bass guitar.

Steve Bolognese – Drums.