Shadow Hunters – Fire Will Be Free (2016)

Norwegian duo, Shadow Hunters describe themselves as dream rock or sci-fi Rock; now I’m not really sure what that means, but the new single ‘Fire Will Be Free’ has some heavy elements of symphonic rock and classic alternative. So, if that sounds up your street, you should give them a listen.

The single ‘Fire Will Be Free’ is catchy and well written; it has all the elements of a good alternative song. The vocals are well performed, not particularly adventurous, with range but nonetheless not bad. It has an old school 30 Seconds To Mars vibe, with maybe a little hint of that ’emo’ tone. The lyrics are quite basic, but I would expect that considering they are in English and I can only assume it is the band’s second language. There are a few inflection issues, more obvious with certain words, but I quite like it – it adds character!

Instrumentation-wise, the song encompasses an array of different aspects that each add another layer to the song. As I said before, it has more symphonic stylistic elements. In my very limited knowledge of Scandinavian alternative music, this seems to be quite a popular concept. The base of the symphonic elements in the song are synthesised strings, and some very airy sounding samples that sit neatly in the background; almost undetectable but they do add a certain feel to the song. The fast strings in the chorus really bring these parts to life.

The more standard instrumentation is all well performed and I have no fault with it. I think the drums really make this song; some parts are a little tame for my taste and the drums really kick it into the next gear with a really upbeat feel and some nice little fills. The guitar has its only real peaks above the rest of the instruments at the start and towards the end with a few notes repeated in a solo style. It’s a good way to blend the different sections of the song. However, I think it makes more impact at the end, as it’s the backbone to the outro.

I think, overall, it is a good track, well-performed and produced. It is well thought out and just enough to catch the attention of listener. It’s radio friendly and could potentially build a big fan base.