Release date: 24th January, 2025

!NON-PROMO REVIEW! We didn’t ask or receive a promo for this album, and I’m reviewing this one purely of my own volition because it frankly deserves more coverage. ON FIRE are a Power/Speed metal band from Canada that was formed in just 2022. A supergroup that consists of Jeff Black on guitars (who really seems to be in every Canadian band these days), Jo Steel of ICE WAR and many others on bass (as well as handling the lyrics and songwriting), Alex Rossi of KONQUEST behind the drumkit, and Cara McCutchen of MORTILLERY on vocals. I went into this record completely blind, only finding it from searches of the Metal Archives for metal releases in 2025, and, not being a name I recognized, was drawn in to explore more. At a glance, it passed the album cover test and the name test, and per the laws of Metal, I had to give it a shot. Hot damn am I glad that I did!

Review

“Bite the Blade”, and just as Witches Brew records described it, this is raw speed metal and it’s ripped straight out of the 80s. However, the crisp and clear vocals of McCutchen are a wonderfully stark contrast to the otherwise grimy instrumentation. It reminds me warmly of 80s speed metal acts like BLACKLACE and ACID, with maybe a bit of CHASTAIN in there. This opening track is nothing too flashy, but it doesn’t have to be when it’s still an absolute ripper. The drums thundered ahead like an artillery barrage, the cadence of the vocals like whisps of gunfire, while the bass diesel-y growled like the engines of a tank, and the guitar peppered the battlefield with notes so fast that they left only red mist in their wake. (It’s good, is what I’m saying).

“Death Stare” began with some isolated melodic licks on the guitar, before the rest of the band joined in for a speed metal onslaught. However, there remained a splendid melody of said onslaught, and not just from the frankly infectious chorus delivered from McCutchen. The late stage guitar solo was merely the cherry on top to an already fantastic track. This one is also a testament to how powerful a well used F-word can be, even when used many times over.

“Cry of the Wolf” opened up with the audio of an actual wolf howling, as well as the band members also howling, which then led to me howling. Instant 10/10 song. I adore that main riff, and really Jeff’s guitarwork and tone as a whole shines throughout this track and the entire album. Everything about this track is perfection. The way all 4 band members own piece creates a wonderful puzzle. Jeff’s axe-work is among the best in all of NWOTHM, but McCutchen’s extraordinary delivery of every lyric, Rossi’s tremendous drumming, and Jo’s sizzling bass, it’s all just spot-on.

“On Fire”, the eponymous track, pounded with its opening in a way that made me visualize the stage show (pretty sure that’s a good thing). McCutchen’s melody is ever-so slightly different in this one, and not in a bad, more in a curious way. GOT IT! I’ve been wracking my brain this whole time about who exactly this record was reminding me of, and the closest my mind is going to is APHRODITE, another Canadian speed metal band who split in 2022, and apparently also had Jo Steel in it (It’s like every Canadian person in a metal band is friends with each other, I swear). I have to confess, on my first listen, this one didn’t hit for me, but man on this relisten it shot up to the top. Great track!

“I’ll Destroy You” began the second half of the album, and wasted no time roaring forward. The clear-cut shining star of this one is far and away the sequence of notes McCutchen hits during the chorus. It’s such a simple chorus as well, but darn if it isn’t effective as hell. Ever since I first heard the album, this one was a standout for me, and possibly my favorite on the album (though competition is stiff). Adding on to the earlier point about McCutchen’s note; she belts out a storm to close the track.

“Kill ‘Em All”, which I personally consider a sequel to the previous track, ripped right out of the gate. Just pure balls to the walls speed metal goodness (aka perfection). Adore the riffing in this one, as well as the incredible rhythm from Jo Steel and Alex Rossi, and as per usual McCutchen is a treat to the ears. The almost isolated nature of how she delivers the chorus may not be flashy, and maybe even off-putting to some speed metal fanatics, but I found it to be a wonderful twist on the formula and one that made the track stand out quite a bit.

“Allegiance to None” was more of the tried and true speed metal that you’d expect from the album, which might grate on some listeners, but personally I was ready to riot and rampage to this album. While it’s what I’d consider the weakest of the tracks on the album, which is saying a LOT for how great this album is. I still found myself digging the quakes of McCutchen’s voice (her final note was aces!) and really felt like the guitar work stood out here.

“Tomorrow” was our final foray into the bitten blade, and it was a worthy sendoff. By this point, I felt like the music should have wore thin on me, but it hadn’t. I was still just as locked in as I was when I first started the album. The vocals continued to be an addiction, and the endless tempest from the drum and bass section was a fuel for an atomic fire that was started by the very first guitar chord.

Conclusion

ON FIRE’s debut came out of nowhere for me, and it blew me away. Everything just clicked for me in a way that I can’t quite explain. A big thing that I haven’t mentioned yet is the runtime, while a good speed metal album is never long, Bite the Blade runs just two minutes over half an hour (that means you can listen to it 48 times in one day, as you should). This makes relistens a brief, but worthy, journey, like the Hobbits getting to Rivendell. According to my very sophisticated scoring system, Bite the Blade is currently my reigning, defending, undisputed album of the year so far. Who knows, maybe it’ll hold that crown for the entire year.

TheNwothm Score: 9.5/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://onfire.bandcamp.com/album/bite-the-blade

Label: https://witchesbrew.eu/en/products/on-fire-bite-the-blade-cd