The Valiant Fire by Damnation Angels is the second album of this symphonic metal band from the United Kingdom. While Damnation Angels have a very professional sound, there is one major thing I can't get over when listening to The Valiant Fire: they want to sound like Kamelot too much (old Kamelot). Don't get me wrong – I love Kamelot and I especially loved their earlier, more power metal-oriented releases. But when a band completely mimics the sound of another band, something feels off.

The Valiant Fire is a solid symphonic metal album (if I just try to ignore the fact that it completely sounds like another Kamelot album from the Karma and Epica days...). All musicians clearly show they master their instruments, and the vocals by Per Fredrik Asly are very strong (again, he sounds like Roy Khan quite often). The album opens with the deeply symphonic Finding Requiem, where some inspiration is borrowed from Once-era Nightwish as well. Like every symphonic metal album, we also get served up a power ballad, The Passing, where I can already imagine a crowd of fans switching on their lighters or cellphone lights and swaying along. Another favorite of mine on The Valiant Fire is Everlasting, a track where Damnation Angels move away from the Kamelot-sound and explore more of a traditional heavy metal sound mixed with some AOR.

In general, there is nothing to dislike about Damnation Angels' The Valiant Fire – but I'm unsettled by the fact that it sounds so much like a Kamelot album (but not done by Kamelot, so it's not at the same level) that I just have to compare this album to Kamelot – and then the original is always the best.

Tracklist

1. Finding Requiem

2. Icarus Syndrome

3. This Is Who We Are

4. The Frontiersman

5. Closure

6. The Passing

7. Everlasting

8. The Fire Inside

9. Under An Ancient Sun

Label: Massacre Records

Website: https://www.facebook.com/damnationangels

Score: 6/10