Fire Up the Blades
Encyclopedia
Fire Up the Blades is the third studio album
by Canadian
heavy metal
band 3 Inches of Blood
. It was released on 26 June, 2007 by Roadrunner Records
and is the band's final release through the label. The band confirmed in February 2006 that they had begun to write new material, and by then had about four songs prepared to appear on the forthcoming album. A demo of "The Goatriders Horde" which was recorded in Seattle in spring 2006 was later made available for streaming on Roadrunner's official website.
Fire Up the Blades marks the first major role of Joey Jordison
of Slipknot
and Murderdolls
, as a producer
, who revealed that he'd been a fan of the band since their first studio album, Battlecry Under a Wintersun. This was not his first feat as producer overall however, as he produced several tracks on the 2005 Roadrunner Records artists collaboration album, Roadrunner United: The All-Star Sessions
. It is also the first release by the band to feature lead guitarist Justin Hagberg, rhythm guitarist Shane Clark, bassist Nick Cates and drummer Alexei Rodriguez
; the latter of whom was fired from the band six months later.
. "This album is heavily influenced by low quality beer
, bong
rips and listening to black metal
in the dark," says Hooper. "It doesn't sound blatantly black metal, it still sounds like us. But it's a faster, more intense
version of us."
A sampler containing demo versions of "The Goatriders Horde" and "Night Marauders" began circulating the internet in March 2007. This sampler may have been bootlegged however, as a demo version of "Night Marauders" was previously released that January on a free CD issued with that month's edition of Metal Hammer
magazine. The demo of "The Goatriders Horde" was also most likely ripped from a stream of the song which was made available on Roadrunner Records' website.
On at least one occasion since the firing of drummer Alexei Rodriguez, the band has performed live with Joey Jordison, who also produced the album, as drummer.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band 3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2000 in Vancouver, British Columbia, currently consisting of Cam Pipes, Justin Hagberg, Shane Clark, and Ash Pearson...
. It was released on 26 June, 2007 by Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
and is the band's final release through the label. The band confirmed in February 2006 that they had begun to write new material, and by then had about four songs prepared to appear on the forthcoming album. A demo of "The Goatriders Horde" which was recorded in Seattle in spring 2006 was later made available for streaming on Roadrunner's official website.
Fire Up the Blades marks the first major role of Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
of Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
and Murderdolls
Murderdolls
Murderdolls is an American horror punk supergroup, founded during 2002 in Hollywood, California. The band line-up consists of core members Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison. Former members include Ben Graves, Acey Slade, Eric Griffin & Tripp Eisen....
, as a producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, who revealed that he'd been a fan of the band since their first studio album, Battlecry Under a Wintersun. This was not his first feat as producer overall however, as he produced several tracks on the 2005 Roadrunner Records artists collaboration album, Roadrunner United: The All-Star Sessions
Roadrunner United
Roadrunner United was a project organized by the heavy metal record label Roadrunner Records to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It culminated in an album released worldwide on October 11, 2005, entitled The All-Star Sessions...
. It is also the first release by the band to feature lead guitarist Justin Hagberg, rhythm guitarist Shane Clark, bassist Nick Cates and drummer Alexei Rodriguez
Alexei Rodriguez
Alexei Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican drummer, once known for his time in Canadian heavy metal band, 3 Inches of Blood and the metalcore band Walls of Jericho. He is currently the drummer for the Los Angeles-based band, Prong....
; the latter of whom was fired from the band six months later.
Background information
Prior to the album's release, the band stressed that Fire Up the Blades would be "darker, tighter and more dangerous" than their Roadrunner Records debutAdvance and Vanquish
- Song meanings :Through interviews, vocalist Jamie Hooper has revealed the meanings and themes of the songs from Advance and Vanquish:* "Fear on the Bridge" is the first part of a pirate trilogy entitled "Upon the Boiling Sea". The second part is the sixth track, "Lord of the Storm" and the third...
. "This album is heavily influenced by low quality beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, bong
Bong
A bong is a filtration device/apparatus generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco,or other herbal substances.In construction and function a bong is similar to a hookah, except smaller and more portable...
rips and listening to black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
in the dark," says Hooper. "It doesn't sound blatantly black metal, it still sounds like us. But it's a faster, more intense
version of us."
A sampler containing demo versions of "The Goatriders Horde" and "Night Marauders" began circulating the internet in March 2007. This sampler may have been bootlegged however, as a demo version of "Night Marauders" was previously released that January on a free CD issued with that month's edition of Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
magazine. The demo of "The Goatriders Horde" was also most likely ripped from a stream of the song which was made available on Roadrunner Records' website.
On at least one occasion since the firing of drummer Alexei Rodriguez, the band has performed live with Joey Jordison, who also produced the album, as drummer.
Track listing
Song meanings
- "Trial of Champions" is about an enslaved gladiatorGladiatorA gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
who fights his way to victory, and ultimately kills the emperor. This is a reference to the Fighting FantasyFighting FantasyFighting Fantasy is a series of single-player fantasy roleplay gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volumes in the series were published by Puffin in 1982, with the rights to the franchise eventually being purchased by Wizard Books in 2002...
game book of the same name, which features a similar plot. - "God Of The Cold White Silence" references IthaquaIthaquaIthaqua is a fictional character in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. The titular creature debuted in August Derleth's short story "Ithaqua", which was based on Algernon Blackwood's tale "The Wendigo"....
, a Great Old One in the Cthulhu MythosCthulhu MythosThe Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
of H. P. LovecraftH. P. LovecraftHoward Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
. - "Forest King" is about floraFloraFlora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and faunaFaunaFauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
taking revenge on humanity. - "The Great Hall of Feasting" is about the massive dining halls of ValhallaValhallaIn Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
. - "The Hydra's Teeth" refers to JasonJasonJason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
and the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece.
Personnel
- Cam PipesCam PipesCam Pipes is the lead vocalist in the Canadian heavy metal band 3 Inches of Blood. He performs a falsetto vocal style reminiscent of King Diamond...
– clean vocals - Jamie Hooper – screaming vocalsScreaming (music)Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
- Justin Hagberg – guitarsElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Shane Clark – guitars
- Nick Cates – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Alexei RodriguezAlexei RodriguezAlexei Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican drummer, once known for his time in Canadian heavy metal band, 3 Inches of Blood and the metalcore band Walls of Jericho. He is currently the drummer for the Los Angeles-based band, Prong....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Joey JordisonJoey JordisonJoey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
– producer - Dan Turner - Engineer
Release history
| Country | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Japan | |
| Worldwide |