Firesuite

"Mixing swirling post-rock soundscapes with sudden shards of jarring white noises, Firesuite veer flawlessly from one musical pole to the next. The songs ebb and flow, the dual male and female vocals mesh perfectly and it's all thoroughly impressive in a quietly understated way.." Kerrang! (KKKK) - Kerrang

The first time I listened to Sheffield-based band Firesuite’s new album, ‘You’re An Ocean Deep, My Brother’ I almost had a cortical aneurism and it took me a full four weeks to pluck up the courage to listen to it again.

Let me explain…this record is so big, so epic and dense that I really think it is going to be of massive importance to this band’s career. When I heard it I went, “Oh my god…” and I couldn’t really take in the sheer heroic scale of thing. All I could think was, “How the hell am I going to review this?!!!” Well, eventually I managed to think up some strings of word-descriptors to do so; I was planning a piece of expressive contemporary dance but the editors pulled the plug on that at the last minute…so, words it will be.

I suppose the best place to start would be ‘What kind of music is it?’ Well, it’s heavy, it is prog, it’s straight rock, sometimes it’s a sonic wall of pure musical brawn, its always melodic, sometimes beautiful and a little bit larger-than-life.

We’ve got two soaring voices, male and female, some pretty weighty guitar licks, a ridiculously noisy drummer and a bassist who is (frankly) incredible. Sometimes the record sounds violent and harsh, particularly on songs such as ‘Sammy Davis Jr Jr’ and then this is juxtaposed against the following track ‘Stay’ with it’s lovely harmonies and melodic guitars which build to a clattering and forceful climax at the end of the track.

The recording itself sounds like most recordings that are produced by unsigned bands, slightly under-produced and raw but that is no bad thing when it comes to Firesuite, a band who have the power to harness the raw intensity of noise. It’s not just creating powerful sounds, but dense and compelling feelings within the listener which allows you to actually make some kind of emotional connection with the album.



There are some more chilled out moments on the record, such as instrumental track ‘Sci-Fi Lullaby’ which pretty much does what it says on the tin! But it also allows the awesome bassist to show off some reverberating melodic noodling and the drummer to crack out some drum n’bass-esque beats. Also there’s ‘Forever December’ which is my favourite track, due to its beautiful (almost eerie) melodies and raw lyrical delivery. These chilled out moments can also be some of the more interesting and experimental parts of the record.

In its own way ‘You’re An Ocean Deep’ is very diverse and covers a wide range of genres but there is no mistaking that Firesuite have a distinctive sound and approach to music. As far as I am concerned they could probably choose to make another album that sounds completely different to this one but both of them would be amazing.

I really can’t wait to hear this stuff live; if it’s delivered with the same zeal and stark force as it is on the record then I’m sure it will be brilliant.

But if these word-strings haven’t sold it to you yet, my dancing comes highly recommended…..by me. - Sloucher

A lot of commentators these days seem to fall back on the “bedroom album” argument when talking about the music industry these days, and even if that's not the case, there's certainly a lot of records being made to a decent standard at small studios all over the world right now, probably on a shoestring budget. I'd not be too surprised if that's from whence this Firesuite record comes, but you wouldn't tell from the production values.

In terms of sound, it's something like Failure, cranked to eleven and shot through with boy/girl vocals and post-rock atmospherics that aren't unlike the ethereal musings of Hammock. At a time when shoegaze has been resurgent, I guess it's only natural that eventually the Dinosaur Jr. fuzz would take over again and bands would begin re-discovering slacker US indie-grunge. The great thing about Firesuite, of course, is that they do a pretty decent job of smashing the two together, like freight trains bent on collision.

That's certainly the overriding vibe behind opener, 'Of Little Faith', but it's on track two, 'Amity', (when the Hum and Deftones influences cascade in) that the album really takes flight. Hyperbole aside, it really is a wall of sound we're dealing with here, and it's I guess no mean feat that the vocals manage to cut through so well in spite of this. From then on, the album doesn't really let up. There's brief respite offered by 'Stay' and the cartoon electronica of 'Sci-Fi Lullaby', but it's soon back to fast, sludgy rock on Kyuss-esque 'Beneath the Roses'. The space rock vibes cut back in on 'If Only Time Were Distance', which sounds as if it could be taken straight off Exeter's first (and only) record, before the collection tails off with coda 'Forever December'.

Though I'm certainly in a reference-overkill mood today, it definitely bears restating that the three bands that Firesuite most resemble in my mind are Failure, Exeter and RIBS; given that the latter two represent two of my most cherished unsigned finds of recent years, that bodes well for Firesuite. The fact is, You're an Ocean Deep, My Brother is an exceptional work. There's not a bad song on it, and let's be honest who cares how 'original' it is or isn't. When all of your songs are good enough to bring this level of enjoyment to the table, as far as I'm concerned you can do what the fuck you like. Essential. - What Is Music?

Firesuite is a band that people need to get on board with. The UK act is set to release their debut LP, You're An Ocean Deep, My Brother in March and this high octane and melodic indie rock is filled with enough energy to stoke the fires as the icy Winter months draw to a close. I've posted the full throttle "Amity" below, but head over to the band's bandcamp site to listen to more and snag more details. Or, check out this site to keep up to speed with the band's progression. According to band member Chris, "We are a small band with big ambition." What I like about FIresuite, similarly to other indie hard rock acts like My Bloody Valentine and, as of recently, Cold Cave, is that the frenetic and pounding energy of the tracks are given a perfect blend of melody with the vocals and progressions. "Amity" is a track that deserves the volume loud and listener attention aggressively focused. The band has just recently recorded a BBC live session and has also recently played alongside Monotonix, which would have been a killer set to see. We've heard the whole album and if you like the taste you're getting below, it's imperative that you snag the whole LP when it drops. We'll keep you posted as things progress. In the meantime, let the intensity of Firesuite wash over you. - Citizen Dick

Some of us here at Echoes And Dust were recently discussing whether it’s easier to review music that you like or music that you are not so keen on. During the course of the conversation, a fellow scribe said something that reminded me of this quote from The Bard, in which he expounds on a quote from the Old Testament:
If there is nothing new under the sun, but that which
Has been before, how are our brains cheated,
Which, toiling to create something new, mistakenly
Brings forth something that already exists
Essentially, there is ‘nothing new under the sun’.
Now, while that might be true, it’s a bit cynical, even for a grizzled and jaded old asshole like me!
Of course, it’s true that there are a finite number of musical notes that can only be combined so many ways; I’ve not done the math. When it comes to music, the point is not that this music is totally new and fresh; Usually I can find an element of a new song that sounds like another song I have heard. No, the point is about how music makes me feel, and what I derive from that feeling. Joy, excitement, sadness…
So, you say to me, Thanks for the lecture, Professor. What are you on about?
Firesuite‘s new EP, Red World, is not revolutionary; It doesn’t redefine a genre; they’re not the next whomever-the-next-big-thing-is. Firesuite are, however, a band that consistently makes sweeping, gorgeous songs – complex and layered, noisy with feedback yet aurally pleasing.
Firesuite‘s full-length album, 2011's ‘You’re an Ocean Deep, My Brother’, is a favourite of mine, and I bought it based on the E&D review (that you can still read on this site!). ‘Red World’ picks up right where the previous effort ends, and my biggest complaint about this new material is that there is not enough of it for my taste! At least an EP is better than a sharp stick in the eye. Or nothing at all.
The opener is ‘Rabbit’, which features walls of feedback, layered on the co-lead vocals of Sarah and Chris (whose emotionally charged, almost pained falsetto makes me think of Jeff Buckley pretty much every time). As already mentioned, the operative term for most of this EP is ‘layered’: Under the fuzz and feedback, you’ll hear a whole lot going on. There are lots of the ‘loud quiet loud’ moments that I love, going from clean and pretty back to dirty and loud. The drum fills and bass keep things moving along nicely. All in a bow-wrapped, 4 minute bundle of goodness.
Next, ‘Undo’ showcases more of the heart-rending vocals over the manic electric guitar, but also treats the listener to the acoustic side in a couple of spots, showcasing that very near perfect juxtaposition of the fine and delicate with the huge and scary (sonically speaking, of course). The last minute of the song features a sort of baritone guitar barrage, a huge crescendo to the end.
Track 3, the title track, starts out a bit more like a sort of standard ‘Indie’ track, until the bass and syncopated drum line (my favourite drum bits on the EP) come in to set the stage for guitars, with sparser feedback herein. This track changes time in a couple of parts, slowing down, only to build back up with dual guitar lines. Firesuite really showcases their ability to craft a dramatic song here; using structural elements as well as they do the musical ones. If I had to choose, this would be my favourite track at the moment.
‘Concave’ is jazzier, heavier on the bass line and drums. This is probably the most difficult track to sort out, with some very Proggy elements, as well as probably the fastest tempo in any Firesuite song ever. This track has definitely taken a little time to grow on me, since it is quite different in the way it flows compared to the rest of the Firesuite tunes I am familiar with. Definitely cool, definitely interesting.
Lastly, ‘Had Enough’ is another great, building, layered track. By this point, I have definitely NOT had enough, but sadly, that is all we are going to get for now! This one, for whatever reason, makes me feel a bit of that delicious kind of melancholy, the kind where longing kind of feels good for a time. You know what I mean.
To answer the question from the first part, it is definitely more difficult to be objective when reviewing music I love, but I have never claimed to be anything but a fan that likes to share my opinion. Firesuite is a good example of a band that I can’t really say anything negative about, and the fact that they are cool, appreciative musical artists makes it easier to trumpet their merits to the world. Groundbreaking? Maybe not. Solid, beautiful, flowing tunes? Abso-fucking-lutely, guys and gals.
Buy ‘Red World’, and allow it to wash over you, heart and soul.
Released on November 5th as a pay what you like digital download or limited physical CD with art cards & a poster on Cognitive Dissonance Records. - Echoes And Dust

Here we have a collection of compositions for the desperately dirty, hi-top shoe wearing, scruffy haired kids of a decade past. Most will be closer to thirty then twenty; and their Fender Jaguar guitars are now very dusty. These people have full time jobs and their hoodies have been replaced with polyester ties and easy iron shirts. You may look savvy at the workplace, but when the teenage angst is gone, aspiration jumps out the office window.

It’s refreshing to find bands out there still being noisy, personal and impossible for your parents to understand, even when you’ve surpassed those days of nose-picking ignorance.

Firesuite have carved out their niche nicely with a collection of their last three singles on this five track EP, and despite Red World hardly differing from their 2011 album You’re An Ocean Deep, My Brother, we’re hearing a band working hard at clashing guitar noise with soulful and meaningful melodies, whilst tacking vocals together from experience.

“Rabbit” starts this quick blasted EP of sludge, shoe gazing and post-punk antics – clear that broken hearts are abound – but this isn’t for the hanging fringe, skinny jean kids of today. It’s reminiscent of a time before alternative rock became a commodity for Pepsi Cola, sexual popularity, and the overuse of hair product.

The following song, “Undo”, is a step forward. The female vocal harmonies are heart wrenching, and when convening aside the male lead there’s a perfect hint of desperation. Not one stereotypical scream is heard over the distorted guitars and smashed drums, delivering a fresh sweet and sour dynamic. The title track is of equal intensity as “Undo”, but this anthem has the extra bonus of ‘head-bobbing’ appeal, especially with the opening sequence.

“Concave” reverses from the previous songs requires little concentration, and sadly it just about hits the mark, but that feels necessary because when the final song, “Had Enough”, charmingly plods along to the end, it’s essential to take that step back from the earlier roaring tracks, otherwise you might burst an ear drum.

Sheffield’s Firesuite are wonderfully frustrating – it feels as if they’re too late with this style of alternative rock, and what’s more annoying is that the Americans did it over ten years ago with little fame to show for their independent post-punk efforts, but saying that, they’re worth listening to and it most certainly doesn’t make this EP any less then first-rate. - Drunkenwerewolf

'Red World' was the third and final track from a trio of digital singles to have been released by Firesuite over the past three months. The band have released a digital single each month, starting with 'Rabbit' in August, followed by 'Undo' in September, and culminating in 'Red World' last month.

Now the Sheffield five-piece release all three tracks together alongside two new numbers with their Red World EP, and fans of the bands unique sound will be pleased to know their scuzzy post-hardcore approach is raw and epic, albeit an acquired taste.
smart but brazenly barbaric, elegant but organic
The EP gives the group a fresh canvas on which to paint a rich tapestry of math-rock style syncopation and instrumental mastery, moving effortlessly between beautifully worked harmonies and sheer walls of sound, reminiscent of Chicago post-metallers Pelican. In comparison to their 2011 debut 'You're An Ocean Deep My Brother', Red World is a more composed effort, giving the songs a structure that lets you appreciate the artistry behind them all the more. Lead singer Chris Anderson is on top form again, but it's the backing from Sarah Griffiths that sees the most improvement, winding in between Anderson's distinct vocals to compliment the sound of the band as a whole.
The only area that the EP really falls down is in the final track, 'Had Enough', which lacks the strength or urgency captured in the rest of the EP, with Anderson's voice taking on a more grating tone than is suited to the slow, atmospheric build up on which they have built their sound.

For those already familiar with the group, new track 'Concave' is a cinematic slice of post-hardcore brilliance, bringing crashing cymbals, deafening riffs and a captivating vocal precision to the fore. In many ways 'Concave' sums up the direction for the young group; smart but brazenly barbaric, elegant but organic. One thing is for certain, if Firesuite can stay on this course, it won't be the last time we get a glimpse of the Red World.
- Alt Sounds