Review | Cleanbreak – We Are The Fire

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In 2022 US power vocalist James Durbin teamed up with Riot V axe slinger Mike Flyntz plus Stryper duo Robert Sweet (drums) and Perry Richardson (bass) under the moniker of Cleanbreak. Their first album ‘Coming Home’ (produced by Alessandro Del Vecchio) was a first-class heavy metal assault attack with scorching guitars and Durbin’s high-pitched vocals. ‘Coming Home’ was and still is one of the better power metal albums around.

CHANGES

We are two years further and a second Cleanbreak album entitled ‘We Are The Fire’ is about to be released.  There have been some changes in the line-up. Richardson and Sweet have made way for drummer Nicolas Papapicco while Del Vecchio contributes the bass parts and keyboards. Luckily metal merchant Mike Flyntz is still there and his heavy chops and solos are crucial for the sound and songs of Cleanbreak. I must state that I find him better with Cleanbreak where he is the sole guitarist while in Riot V he shares the stage with Nick Lee. James Durbin on this album yet again proves to be a singer that is just born to sing heavy metal. His latest solo-albums are good, his Quiet Riot period did not really suit him, but he really comes to live in Cleanbreak where all registers of his voice are used to the maximum.

VERSATILE

Durbin proves on this record to be versatile as well. It is not all just about his energy and relentless power vocals. He can be versatile when he wants to be. The proof of that is when you hear the rock ballad ,,Love Again’’, where a different and more melodic part of his voice is featured. It sounds very impressive indeed. Another song in that vein would have been welcome on ‘We Are The Fire’ as well. But as the album title suggests: Durbin and Flyntz are here to rock hard, with plenty of ‘vicious’ energy and straight in your face songs as main ingredients. Sometimes brought with speed, sometimes with less pace, but always based around a bone hard and original riff and impressive and aggressive singing.

CLEANBREAK – THE CONCLUSION

With eleven hard, crunching metal songs (except the power ballad ,,Love Again’’) on offer, it is clear that Cleanbreak takes no prisoners. Both albums have this fierceness in them that you do not hear that often these days. Yes, you have to learn to like the high-pitched voice of James Durbin, but again the man proves to be the real thing and accompanied by a seasoned veteran like Mike Flyntz, Cleanbreak is definitely a power trip that leaves you begging for more. Check it out metal heads!

Release date: 11 Oktober 2024