Author: Dinah Kolka is a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University with a BA(Hons) in English Literature with a rich background in both creative writing and journalism. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Salisbury Review and The Mallard, and she was published in the Scottish Book Trust’s 2018 anthology Rebel. In 2023, she self-published her own collection of short stories under the title The Search and Other Stories.

BLACKFYRE RISING, BANSHEE LABIRYNTH, 22ND OF NOVEMBER 2024

When Blackfyre Rising joined the stage, it was as if a wild tiger had entered the room – the energy had shifted immediately, and the electrifying excitement was felt throughout the room. One of the most striking realisations I had when I pushed myself through the crowd into a quiet seat on the side was that Blackfyre Rising has a committed audience. They are ready to do everything they can in order to satiate them (excluding maybe the drummer removing his clothing which was requested by some women in the crowd). It has been a really long time since I saw such an excellent engagement with the audience. Despite the technical difficulties they experienced at the very start and the stress of the gig, they delivered a great show, taking on each challenge and difficulty in stride.

SUPPORT

Unfortunately, I found myself missing the support band In Charge and appeared in the middle of the set by Chekhov’s Gun. The band was playing good old-fashioned black metal and their cliché-titled song ‘Eat the Rich’, although obnoxiously named, was excellent. With perfect riffs and a synth interlude, they offered a feast for the senses – with deliciously Burzum-like tunes and theatrical attire of the vocalist who had his face dutifully painted like every black metal band member ought to. The vocalist made sure to jump into the audience and continue playing while shifting between people in a manic frenzy. I was pleased I didn’t entirely miss them – they were a joy to listen to and definitely a band to watch. You can find them on Spotify.

VENUE

Waiting for Blackfyre Rising, I was thinking how quirky the Banshee’s venue was – it was tiny, with good acoustics, some stools and a stuffy aura that makes you feel like you’re listening to a gig in a garage – basically perfect to listen to some new bands you’ve never heard of before. Because the room was small, it optically made it seem like there were more people which looked good for the bands, the publicity, and the atmosphere. The stools were scattered around but people weren’t interested in sitting on them – they were close to the stage, eager to listen to the next song. Finally, after some wait, the band appeared on stage.

EVENT BACKGROUND & BAND HISTORY

Blackfyre Rising was the headliner for the event organised by Scotland Rocks Radio (you can listen to it here), which is committed to showcasing Scottish talent in the metal and rock scene, either by playing new music on their radio or by organising events such as this. I was overwhelmed by the unwavering support of Scotland Rocks Radio to smaller and emerging bands – they give the leg up to those who need it and it’s an admirable cause to support.

Blackfyre Rising formed back in 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland and they quote their influences as Black Stone Cherry, Alter Bridge, and The Winery Dogs. Hearing their passionate sounds – I can confirm that the above is correct. In the past, the band made it through to the Grand Final of Metal2TheMasses 2023 and it is clear that we will likely see them at Bloodstock in the future. The band consists of James Brown as lead vocals & lead guitar, who proved to have an incredible ability to build rapport with the audience, Dave Taylor as lead guitar & backing vocals offering technical perfection in guitar-wielding, Magnus Tait as bass guitar & backing vocals, who although a little overshadowed by his more gregarious band members, offered a truly astounding bass work nonetheless, as well as Tom Parker on drums who was an essential part of the band – both for the need of the drums and to appease the calls for his top to be removed (which he did not do in the end, much to the audience’s chagrin, apparently).

STAGE PRESENCE

BR took longer than usual to prepare – they seemed to have a lot of tech issues. Despite highly stressful moments, it was clear that this wasn’t anything new for them – and James, the band’s leader was clearly capable of diffusing any difficult situation with a smile. He took care of the anticipating audience and of his band members, ensuring the energy did not dissipate whilst everyone was waiting for them to set up. This was the first and most significant difference between Blackfyre Rising and most other bands – they skillfully mastered the art of putting up a good show, no matter what. No one sat down or left throughout the entire show, the crowd was mesmerised as the band played with zest and passion. The band took care to introduce each band member and give a little nod to Scotland Rocks Radio. They were overall very confident in their abilities, with each of them knowing exactly what they were doing, as the vocalist dived into the crowd while still playing the guitar not losing his cool for a second. Joking with the audience throughout that their music can be found on BBC News, and other ridiculous platforms, they really distinguished themselves from other bands. Blackfyre Rising has a solid career unravelling in front of them and they are most certainly a band to watch.

SONGS

Blackfyre Rising opened with ‘I’m Alright’. The second the band was playing, there was a new kind of magic in the air, with an enchanted group of women out front, enjoying every part of the show profusely. With songs such as Don’t Tell Me or Play it Dirty, I realised the band is not scared of experimenting with sounds; and intros are catchy and loveable. This was also the time when Dave Taylor had his moment of spotlight with really solid solos and engaging riffs akin to the leaping of wild beasts.

The songs were extremely memorable and it’s the type of work I would certainly recommend to anyone who’s new to the band. ‘Play It Dirty’ captures the quintessential essence of Blackfyre Rising. The technically perfect riffs reminded me somewhat of Queens of the Stone Age with Soundgarden vocals. Compared to other songs both Don’t Tell Me and Play it Dirty offer the most in terms of sound – the intro, the chorus, and the riffs are perfect and sound almost like Avenged Sevenfold with the rising vocals and an epic feeling to it. If a band wants to break into the mainstream, that’s the type of songs they should be making and Blackfyre Rising understood the assignment perfectly.

Another highly striking song was Spellbound Woman which in my opinion was their best work – the song is new and is not available on Spotify just yet. It had an almost 70s music vibe with modern energy. Their new work is even better than their old stuff which clearly shows how the band has progressed and matured in sound over the last few years. Compared to Chainbreaker, one of their more familiar songs available on Spotify, with memorable drums which had the whole audience wildly flailing in ecstasy, they certainly maintained their quality. The band had the audience shouting for the encore and they delivered the song titled ‘Running’ which was very interactive and got the audience very excited once again.

Technically, the band proved to show really sophisticated skills with high-quality work. The vocalist loved the attention which lifted the band from ‘yet another rock band’ to an actually memorable experience.

Seeing how their influences fall closer to Alter Bridge than Radiohead, I suppose, they didn’t quite fit into my niche of music preferences, and nonetheless, I found a lot to like from their work. Spellbound Woman and Play it Dirty was excellent. The rapport-building skills were unmatched and they have a committed audience that will do everything for them – and that is the first step on the road to success. You can listen to Blackfyre Rising on Spotify. Follow them for updates on Facebook or Instagram.

The images featured in this review, including the featured photo and others as credited in the captions, were captured by Jai Dee Photography for Scotland Rocks Radio. We would like to extend our thanks and credit Jai Dee for generously allowing us to use his work. We would also like to thank Steve Page for his photographs as credited above.