A Concept from Fire

When a metal band gets its first exposure to the world through MTV rather than the more traditional route of dismal, dues-paying touring and word of mouth, it's a band that starts with a built-in backlash. Such was the case for A Dozen Furies, who won their Ozzfest spot through an MTV battle of the bands full of reality TV humiliations that no band should have to experience — unless that band was shameless enough to sign up for such a show in the first place. So dues paying came in the form of licking up another man's loogie and as clean-up crew for Ozzfest, and then again as performers at Ozzfest, where reactions to these metalcore newbies (save guitarist Marc Serrano, who served one tour of duty with former Ozzfesters Unloco) was mixed, but ultimately positive. Which is certain to be the case with A Concept from Fire, an album that will leave metal purists nonplussed but will also find support from the same groundswell of metal and sensitive post-hardcore fans who have made names of As I Lay Dying, Shadows Fall, and Atreyu, to name just a few. Like those bands, there's a mix of thrash, melodic Euro death metal, and — more than their contemporaries — vocals that oscillate from maniac growls for the verses to soaring sweetness for the choruses. If there's any dividing line for listeners, it's likely to be the vocals. Those who can appreciate the ugly/pretty dichotomy will more than likely throw devil horns to the sky for A Concept from Fire, but those who don't will find one finger more than sufficient.