“Close Eyes, Deep Breath, Run” proves Fires. to be a true force to be reckoned with.

Fires. – Close Eyes, Deep Breath, Run

Fires. represent the best of post-rock mayhem on the colossal slabs of “Close Eyes, Deep Breath, Run”. Pure passion plays out throughout the whole of the EP. Every single riff races through with a wild-eyed intensity behind it. Nods to Explosions in the Sky’s careful crafting of crescendos with a metallic sheen tie the whole of the bombastic sound together. The rhythm section works overtime for it feels akin to a sheer force of nature, a gigantic wave that propels everything forward with righteous fury. Of course, all of this avoids the true heart and soul of the sound – the intense vocals that rise above the impressive din.

A sense of defiance opens the EP up with “Intro://fizzy_lifting_drinks”. From there they explode onto the scene with the heavier swings of “All for This”. The usage of quiet and loud together results in the varied, shocking tender moments of “Change Your Mind” with its lumbering tempo building things up into a raging hulk of a track. “Dream (feat. Andy Kavanagh)” goes for a strange surreal approach, with samples further lending to the chaotic quality. Beats blast on through with the procession of “Forgotten Sons”. By far the highlight of the EP comes from the impressive finale of the symphonic “A Life Worth Living (Taxes)”.

“Close Eyes, Deep Breath, Run” proves Fires. to be a true force to be reckoned with and that demands to be played at the loudest possible volume.