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TOKYO BLADE “Time is the Fire”
TOKYO BLADE “Time is the Fire”
By Dark Starr
I am pretty sure the title to this album refers to the line, “Time is the fire in which we burn.” I generally associate that with “Star Trek: Generations,” but it’s actually originally from a poem. In any event, it seems an appropriate title for this album. There are those who would argue the era of NWOBHM is over. This album shows that time is irrelevant for good music in that genre. This is a killer slab of heavy metal music. It has enough variety to keep it interesting and a lot of great sounds. This is actually very likely to make my best of 2025 list. It’s such a great disc, no matter what year it’s released.
Driving, mean metal is on the menu as “Feeding The Rat” starts things. It is a real powerhouse stomper. It’s also a great way to start things in style. There is a rather bluesy section later, and the instrumental break beyond that is positively on fire. More killer metal is on display on “Moth To The Fire.” I love the riffing on this thing. It’s a strong romp, but I think I prefer the opener.
A spoken female voice and ambient weirdness get us underway “Man On The Stair.” We get a rather symphonic power-ballad approach as it drives forward. It turns more toward meaty territory from there. The song is power metal at its best. It drops back to the weird ambience with spoken voice that started it later. They fire out from there in a neo-classical metal jam that gives way to an even more potent jam from there. This song is varied, dynamic and potent. It’s also my favorite track to this point. It is pure class.
More straightforward metal is the order of business on “Are You Happy Now.” It is a powerhouse stomper. It’s nothing Earth-shattering in terms of variety, but it just plain rocks. More dramatic and powerful, “The Enemy Within” really drives forward with style and charm. It is one of my favorite tracks here.
The instrumental section late on “Going With The Flow” is fierce and driving. The whole tune is intense and fiery. It is another standout on the disc. There is a lot of power and style at the heart of “The 47.” For me it doesn’t work as well as some of the others here do, but it’s still a screamer.
Riff-driven and mean, “The Devil In You” is a driving metal stomper. Driving and meaty, “Soldier On” feels like a more metal version of THIN LIZZY to me. That’s a good thing. It’s another screaming hot piece of music. I love the chorus hooks on “Don’t Bleed Over Me.” The riffing is great, too. The song is another killer metal stomper.
More tasty metal is on the menu on “Written In Blood.” The formula isn’t really altered, but when it’s this strong, who cares? The sounds of horse-bound combat opens “The Six Hundred.” The cut fires out from there with some powerhouse metal jamming. There is just something magical about this thing. It’s one of my favorites here.
On “We Burn” we get a fierce metal stomper. It is one of the meanest things here. It’s also a highlight of the set. There is a cool movie like spoken intro to “Ramesses.” The metal stomping drives in from there. The track very epic-like. It has a lot of drama and style at its core. The instrumental section later in this track might be the best one of the whole album, and that says a lot given the competition.
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