Fer de Lance is an epic heavy metal band from Chicago, Illinois, USA. Cruz Del Sur is proud to present the band’s second album, Fires on the Mountainside.

Epic heavy metal is having a big moment, with new bands injecting lifeblood into old styles that bridge the gaps between power metal, doom metal, and good ol’ heavy metal. Enter Fer de Lance, a band who reaches for the epic heights once claimed and conquered by Dio. To Dio’s unique blend of the fantastical, the mystical, and the macabre Fer de Lance adds a heaviness borrowed from doom metal and some of the grandeur and prettiness of folk metal. “Fer de lance” is a French epithet meaning “spearhead” that has been applied to a number of species of particularly venomous pit-vipers, and that name reveals much about Fer de Lance’s sound: sharp in attack but with a depth and magnificence that recalls a storied victory hard-fought on a bloody battlefield of yore. On Fires on the Mountainside, Fer de Lance perfectly balances the multifaceted nature of epic heavy metal, reaching the heights once explored by Dio but delving deep under mountains of doom heaviness, all while mixing in folk elements and sublime storytelling.

Review

Epic in scope, opening title track Fires on the Mountainside encapsulates so much in its 13 minute runtime that it could nearly have been released all on its own as a statement of intent for the band. The track opens with bombastic, majestic twin guitar leads that swell and crescendo before the song quietens in time for the Dio-esque vocals to jump in. Then, the song explodes into an epic and heavy riff that invites, in equal parts, headbanging and awe-struck attention. One thing that Fer de Lance accomplishes here is true power metal glory without a hint of cheese: the song is played with such finesse and confidence that the music truly feels epic, a word that is perhaps overused in today’s metal parlance. A bluesy solo four minutes in takes the song to new heights. Despite being 13 minutes long, this track has so much to give and so many twists and turns that every second begs for your attention. Crystalline synths undergird everything, counterbalancing the crushing riffage and stately guitar leads. The song simply encapsulates too much for me to cover here: many great surprises await for listeners inclined toward bands like Atlantean Kodex, Smoulder, Legendry, and the more melodic side of black metal (one riff, in particular, reminds me of castle metal greats Obsequiae).

Fires on the Mountainside skews toward the more epic side, and so second track Ravens Fly (Dreams of Daidalos) has much to live up to in terms of hitting the same heights. Luckily, Fer de Lance has a keen knack for sequencing. Ravens Fly offers a nice surprise in opening with some slow twin guitar leads before absolutely bursting into a big, burly riff. Black metal of the Viking and melodic variety seems a clear inspiration here, but these tracks are just too multifaceted to pin down to one style. The particular brew that Fer de Lance concocts on this album is so well balanced that it is truly an engaging listen to hear the transitions between heavy doom riffs, soaring twin guitar leads, pretty folk-accentuated heavy metal, and melodic black metal ferocity. And yet, this and other tracks never feel out of control or randomly put together: Fer de Lance has mastered transitions down to a science. Ravens Fly features some of the more aggressive licks and passages on the album, and they work every time.

Death Thrives (Where Walls Divide) kicks things off with doom and gloom before jumping into a start-stop riff of utter heaviness. Tremolo guitars whisper over top of the proceedings, and plucked acoustic guitars add an air of fantasy. This song demonstrates yet again that there are a lot of irons in Fer de Lance’s fire, which could be a misstep in a lesser band’s hands, but here everything feels so cohesive and carefully orchestrated. This track stands out as the most doom-forward so far, but the folky elements are always present and able to add mystical flavor to the already tasty doom riffs on display. There’s lots of headbanging good fun to be had here, but I find myself just as drawn to the atmospheric touches that round out the sound-landscape Fer de Lance is painting at any given moment on this song.

At four minutes, Fire & Gold is the shortest track on this beast of an album, and it opens with some Blind Guardian-esque acoustic guitar strumming, stomping, clapping, and chanted vocals. What feels like an interlude more than a song at the start builds into perhaps my favorite guitar solo on the album. The addition of these bluesy solos adds yet another flavor to the cauldron, and yet this track feels a little like it never quite takes off into the stratosphere like the other tracks. Given that the previous three tracks add up to a whopping 23 minutes, I could use a little less time with this particular song. That being said, it truly builds up tension and excitement for the next track.

Coming out of Fire & Gold, The Feast of Echoes explodes into a mid-tempo stomper of a riff. In true Fer de Lance fashion, though, this crunchy, muscular riff is seasoned with soaring guitar leads and omnipresent synths, adding a good deal of atmosphere to this doomer of a track. On this song and certainly elsewhere, drummer Scud’s work on the kit brings such a feeling of propulsion and movement, helping the slower riffs to feel fluid and momentous. This track isn’t afraid to get dark – a truly gloomy mood overtakes the song about halfway through. Singer MP also pulls off some spot-on Dio worship on this track, including some signature “mmm-mmms.” At nine minutes, the track can feel a little long, but I certainly wouldn’t call it boring. The riffs are simply too good, and the ideas feel fresh and carefully curated throughout this track.

Children of the Sky and Sea is a love letter to Ronnie James Dio and his tenure with Rainbow. With some truly ripping guitar leads and solos, an adventurous spirit, and a whole lot of atmosphere, Fer de Lance manages to capture some of the magic of “Stargazer,” the most epic song in the history of classic heavy metal, and I am here for it.  Kicking things off with bold and lofty harmonized guitar leads and some crunchy riffage underlying everything, the song then roars into mid-tempo epicness with the entrance of MP’s vocals. Perhaps with the exception of the title track, this song feels most like an epic in the narrative sense, an outsized tale of doom and glory. A clear album highlight.

Tempest Stele closes out the album with some of the most unique music on Fires on the Mountainside. A shuffling drum beat changes up the rhythms most often heard on the album. Fer de Lance mostly foregoes heaviness on this track, opting instead for bluesy, exotic, and stately guitar leads, mystical acoustic guitar strumming, and a choral approach to vocals. This track wows with mood and atmosphere rather than heaviness, a bold move for a closing track. This song also brings the feeling of cohesion to the album as a whole, with echoes of prior riffs entering and exiting quickly. In all, it’s not my favorite track on the album, but I like the way that it offers one more unexpected detour before the album ends.

Conclusion

For my money, Fer de Lance has captured the spirit of epic heavy/doom metal while adding in a number of unique qualities on Fires on the Mountainside. The title track and album opener is worth the price of admission alone, but don’t sleep on the other tracks here. Sometimes venturing into epic doom territory, Fires on the Mountainside has a little something for everyone: Fer de Lance liberally applies elements of black metal, U.S. power metal, folk metal, and an undying love for everything Dio throughout these tracks. For me personally, I need more than just track length to convey the spirit of epicness, and Fer de Lance never bores on Fires on the Mountainside, at least for those with ears for that particular blend of mysticism and majesty at the heart of so much epic heavy metal that has followed in the vaunted lineage of Dio and Rainbow. Don’t let the track lengths deceive you here: these songs are not long for the sake of length; they are full of ideas, transitions, and stunning passages of awesome might and power. At the same time, this album needs one’s full attention to appreciate its charms – I wouldn’t recommend it as background music. For the initiated and dedicated, Fires on the Mountainside offers many delights.

TheNWOTHM Score: 9/10 

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FerdeLanceMetal/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ferdelancechicago

Label: https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com

Band: https://ferdelancemetal.bandcamp.com/

Out 27 June 2025

Current Line-up:
MP – Vocals & Lead Guitars
Rüst – Bass
Scud – Drums
J. Geist – Guitars