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This debut from Italian Prog Power act Firestorm meets any preconceptions I'd had about the release. Playing strictly to the mould set by Labyrinth and perfected via Vision Divine, Firestorm also take a lot of cues from fellow Italians Secret Sphere, with their use of raunchier riffage. Singer Riccardo Curzi's vocal delivery is stellar in some places, however most of the time his projection and delivery leave a little to be desired, coming across as very girly in places – quite like Roberto "Ramon" Messina (Secret Sphere) in the softer parts, though not to detract from Roberto's vocals. Fortunately when his vocals are good, they're rather effective, sounding like a weaker Urban Breed in certain places. Guitarists Manuele Pesaresi and Moreno Baldoni handle their jobs aptly, delivering some pretty effective riffage (see the intro of "Tempus Fugit"). The lead guitar work is nothing to sniff at either. Although in the info I have here no one is credited for the keyboards, they are certainly worth noting; there is no denying that they are handled well – just some of the effects used come across as a little goofy. The rhythm section is your usual Prog Power fare, handled well but nothing to write home about.

It's not until the later half of the album that we see what Firestorm really have to offer. Both "Angeldevil" and "Falling Into Alienation" fail to inspire much but an aim for the skip button. "Tempus Fugit" is a good song though, with some fine riffage in the intro and a superior guitar tone. "Salomè" is where things get really cool, lifting the album above the mediocrity hinted at with the opening track. The vocal delivery at around 1.02 is damn piercing although I've been tearing my hair out trying to put a finger on who he sounds like (part of me wants to go with Urban Breed). The mid-section to this track is immense, I love the drum fill. "Beyond Every Rational Thought" is another corker, opening with a raging double bass assault – if the whole album sounded like these last two tracks we would have been on to a solid 4. "Shadows In My Mind" is a nice Power Metal number although it doesn't quite reach the highs of the previous two. Overall despite a rocky start this really starts to kick ass after "Tempus Fugit", making this recommendable to Prog/Power fans the world over. Even though the competition is stiff, these guys they certainly have potential. If the good ideas here were to be utilized well enough with a future release the results could be awesome. Overall an interesting start for a band that may very well have a bright future ahead of them – once they iron out the creases, that is.

Standout Tracks; "Tempus Fugit", "Salomè", "Beyond Every Rational Thought" and "Shadows In My Mind"