Sweden based hardrock/heavy group Flames Of Fire will release the new album “Our Blessed Hope” via Melodic Passion Records on December 1st, 2023!
Flames of Fire debut (2022) got very good feedback for their classic hardrock and now they are back with 2nd album Our Blessed Hope
Christian Liljegren and Mats Åke Andersson states that they love artists and bands like Dio, Iron Maiden, Stryper, Rainbow, Sweet, Queen, Petra, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Kayak, Kansas, Uriah Heep and Yngwie Malmsteen´s Rising Force to name a few etc and of course you hear these influences on this album.
Christian Liljegren here, vocalist and one of founder of Flames of Fire also vocalist for Narnia one of the leading Christian Metal bands says:
We live in a strange world with lots of turbulence right now and it is hard for us to navigate.
I am just honest no one have ever blown my heart away like Jesus Christ since 1985.
I will never hide it as you hear my strong Christian belief in all my lyrics and bands I have represented since late 1980’s.
Jesus Christ is a person that has been controversial since he walked on earth 2000 years ago and still is. Some believe He is God and some don´t and Flames of Fire shares hope for the world with a heavenly dimension.
Flames of Fire was formed in spring of 2021, but the story goes back to 1987.Our Blessed Hope
In their hometown, Jönköping, Christian Liljegren and Mats-Åke Andersson met for the first time outside a burger chain called O’Briens.
Christian was then 16 years old and fronted the band Venture and Mats-Åke was 21, guitarist and composer in legendary local band called Zaragon.
Zaragon was active between 1984-1988 style-wise strongly influenced by Rainbow, MSG, Iron Maiden early Europe. They were close to a record deal but bad decisions and a bad management made nothing happen. Zaragon did some fine recordings with Ragne & Styrbjörn Wahlqvist from Heavy Load.
That meeting in 1987 had a great impact on both. It was the passion, fire and energy for the music, that really connected these hard rock & heavy metal lovers. Both watched the concerts in 1986-1987 with Europe and Madison – two bands they both loved, as well as Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Michael Schenker, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Iron Maiden & Alcatrazz.
The meeting developed into a friendship that lasts until this day, even though the years went by and a lot happened along the way.
Sound and production is done by Jani Stefanovic from Solution .45, The Waymaker, ex. Divinefire.
The debut album sounded great and now for the second studio our Blessed hop album Jani has an important role as producer and graphic design and have worked out the whole
production for Our Blessed Hope together close with Christian Liljegren who has recorded all his vocals both lead and backing vocals in Melodic Passion studios in Eskilstuna Sweden.
The sound is heavier and more diverse sound and a great step and development from the debut. Very organic classic hardrock and heavy metal sound.
Of course we got the amazing twin guitar sound between Jani Stefanovic and guitarist Stephen Carlson, who worked close with Christian on his solo album Melodic Passion, as Stephen also is a good co-writer.
The bass is fantastic on this new album by Per Schelander in the style of Phil Lynnot and Steve Harris
He is also involved House of Shakira, Astrakhan, ex. Royal Hunt, and Pain of Salvation, and.
Per have worked with Christian on the Melodic Passion album as well, so now they had a killer team and this album take it to the next level on top of that Alfred Fridhagen on drums who has done work with Christian Liljegren and Jani Stefanovic in The Waymaker and Golden Resurrection.
The distribution is handled worldwide by Sound Pollution, a close partner to Melodic Passion Records, the record label behind Flames of Fire, and partners in Japan, North and South America.
The metal circle is complete to reach out to the people with great heavy metal!
Both Jani Stefanovic and Stephen Carlson are both very talented guitarist but also different styles, as Jani has a more modern approach, while Stephen is more into classic hard rock style from 1970-1980’s with Christian Liljegren voice in the style Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson, David Byron and Joey Tempest, Flames of Fire make the sound unique and powerful with lots of passion and spirit in the music and lyrics.
Description of release:
Classic hardrock and heavy metal in the finest way where all people involved have long experience on the music scene in bands such as Narnia, Pain of Salvation, Divinefire, House of Shakira, The Waymaker, Brotthog to name a few and it will appear to fans of Dio, Stryper, Iron Maiden, Europe, Narnia, Rainbow, MSG, Saxon and the list goes on
The distribution is handled by Sound Pollution, a close partner to Melodic Passion Records, the record label behind Flames of Fire, and partners in Japan, North and South America.
The metal circle is complete to reach out to the people with great heavy metal!
All members in Flames of Fire are very well experienced in touring around the world and have visited North and South America, India, Japan and of course Europe, and are able to bring Flames of Fire on tour and festival gigs.
Christian and Mats-Åke have tried to capture the spark they felt when they experienced hard rock and heavy metal for the first time in 1970’s and 1980’s.
You can really hear that fire in Christian’s voice and in the music in a way that is not common today.
Flames of Fire’s 1st single This is the One is set for release November 3, 2023. The song is an song with great variation and a great sing along chorus in the vein of classic heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden, Stryper, and Crimson Glory, that used a lot of twin guitars. Soaring vocal style like Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford that Christian like a lot, but of course with his own flavor added to the songs.
The album Our Blessed Hope is set to be released December 1, 2023.
Tracklist:
01 – Second Advent of Jesus Christ
02 – This is the One
03 – Battlefield of Souls
04 – Prayer Warriors
05 – In Dark Times – Shelter Me
06 – Alpha and Omega
07 – Rest In Me
08 – The King will Return
09 – Our Blessed Hope
10 – Vila i mig
Band Members:
Christian Liljegren – Vocals
Mats-Åke Andersson – Guitars, composer
Jani Stefanovic – Guitars, keyboards, drums & producer
Stephen Carlson – Guitars
Per Schelander – Bass
Social Media: Facebook / Pre-order album / Spotify