Spiralfire - End of the Universe

Spiralfire

End of the Universe
self-released; 2014

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The minute I checked out the Facebook page of Spiralfire I thought I was going to be in for a treat. There is a picture of the lead singer Sinclair Vernon in the cosmos with lightning bolts coming out of her freakin’ hands. That signifies power my friend. Female fronted power. 

When I started listening to Spiralfire’s recent album End of the Universe the first thing that got my attention was the vocals. Vernon instantly reminded me of the power that female fronted rock groups yielded in the ‘80s. Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde and Ann Wilson are a couple of names that come to mind when I heard Vernon. She certainly commands the music with an iron first but it doesn't hurt that the band can pack a punch. According to their Facebook page Riley Miller (lead guitar) and Keith Lewis (bass) are the other members (not sure who the drummer is) who supply a steady supply of solid music for Vernon to sing over.

The album is incredibly consistent in terms of production quality and songwriting. The production is top notch and should be a reference for those who want to hear an album that was recorded, mixed and mastered by professionals. No muddy low end but also no high-end frequencies that pierce your ears. Great stuff.

It is hard to pick favorites amongst the twelve songs because of the consistently good songwriting but after a couple of listens I was starting to have a slight bias on songs. It doesn’t get much better than opener “Can’t Get It Right.” This is classic power ‘80s rock. The guitar riff is commanding and the chorus is memorable and sounds huge. 

The second song “Written In The Sky” is another song I had a hard time finding fault with. My only complaint is I wish they had the lyrics up on their Bandcamp page. “Fight Song” is a song deserving of the name. It’s a cathartic, anthemic purge getting you ready for battle. No need to drink another Red Bull before that game of Ping-Pong, just play this song loudly before the match.

End of the Universe is a breath of fresh air when we are bombarded by more art rock than ever before. Unpretentious, female fronted power ballads. I’m feeling this. 

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