Ιron fire, who have made quite a name for themselves with their preceding releases, have come back. ‘Blade Of Triumph’, their previous recording, simply passes the torch to their latest cd ‘To the Grave’. The quality of their endeavours has taken them to the top of the Danish classic heavy metal ladder, always taking into consideration the lack of true rivals. A just settlement? Hard to say for most, as the band's songs meet undeniably high standards, as long as innovation is off the table. It seems pretty righteous to me though, because innovation or originality is a concept totally misunderstood by so-called progressive know-it-alls. Such bands loyal to our kind of sound should be regarded as strongholds that must be further fortified with albums like this one.

The successfully tested Hammerfall / Nocturnal Rites mix accompanied by Martin Steene's (Force of Evil) hair-raising vocals recipe is once more followed in their last up-to-date cd. It jump-starts with ‘Τhe Beast From the Blackness’, ‘Kill For Metal’ and the homonymous titled track, causing major earthquakes. This is though the turning point, as the initial surprise withers, proving that 12 songs in an identical vein -however good- are a "touch too much". A couple of ballads, or mid-tempo interludes might have prevented the gradual loss of interest.

In conclusion, a must-have for anyone who just heard the name Iron Fire for the first time, for any classic heavy/power fanatic!