MARCH IN ARMS
“Pulse Of The Daring”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9.5/10

March In Arms are a power metal band from the USA formed in 2012, releasing their self titled debut album in 2018, and their sophomore album ‘Pulse Of The Daring’ in 2020.

Featuring themes of war, history and patriotism, American metallers March In Arms present their second full length album ‘Pulse Of The Daring’ amid a huge cloud of fire and brimstone. Every song on offer is loaded with explosive energy, anthemic aggression, and a melodic swagger that is gonna stun the likes of Sabaton, Powerwolf, and even the masters of anthemic metal Manowar – for ‘Pulse Of The Daring’ is ten songs of majestic metal that just begs to be played loud. References to wars and battles are littered across all songs on offer, but I’m not here to provide you with a history lesson – you either get the references, or can search the internet for the answer yourselves… I’m here to provide you an insight to how the album sounds, what’s good and what’s great. March In Arms are a new band, making a huge impact with their second offering, detonating massive incendiary devices as they launch their new album with ‘1914’ – and please God tell me you at least know the historical reference of this one? ‘1914’ is the start of the thunder, the beginning of the album, and what a beginning! Heavy hitting and shuddering the ground as it advances forward, ‘1914’ sets the tone for what is to follow…

…and what follows is a cacophony of fire and brimstone. ‘Altar Of The Gun’ is a mid tempo heavy foot stomp of the heaviest order, that is until the change of pace half way and ‘Altar Of The Gun’ becomes a raging inferno of heavy/power metal – full of pace and a head banging rhythm to engage the head bangers of the world in a short bout of vigorous head banging. ‘Welcome To The Blitz’ is a menacing slow to mid tempo march, and is just as frightening as the blitz. Atmospheric and tension filled ‘Welcome To The Blitz’ is heavily melodic too – a metal anthem with a real message. Ploughing on, March In Arms proceed to heavy things up with ‘Nisei’, yet lose none of the albums melodic streak. If anything, the melodic, and infectious nature, doubles with ‘Nisei’. The title song ‘Pulse Of The Daring’ is a big booming foot stomp, that just gets more booming as it progresses, picking up pace and thundering like, err rolling thunder. The mid tempo nature of this album is relentless, almost like March In Arms have purposely kept to this pace to portray a military like feel. And in ‘An Act Of Valor’ they have added extra beef, with “heavy hitting mid tempo foot stomp” taking on a whole new meaning. ‘An Act Of Valor’ is as bold and brave as an act of valor. Kudos March In Arms. Kudos.

And as the album continues to roll relentlessly on, ‘No Years Resolution’ injects a new level of energy not heard on the album before. The intensity level is also turned up a notch, with ‘No Years Resolution’ the bounciest offering on the album so far, proceeding to deliver a heavy head nodding experience – stepping in to the hard rock arena midway for a break down that is just awe-fucking-some. And what the fuck? The pace has just taken off at full tilt. The entire aura of the album has shifted to the power/speed metal arena with the blazing ‘Thunderbolt’. Full of power metal pace and speed, ‘Thunderbolt’ is a head bangers dream. There is pace, power, purpose and intent, with ‘Thunderbolt’ the biggest fucking surprise on the album. Oh wow, a good album has just turned into a great album in the space of five minutes and twenty six seconds. And I dunno where March In Arms have found this turn of speed, but they show no sign of waning, with ‘Omaha’ continuing the furious tirade with increased amounts of energy. And in a double shot of blistering pace, March In Arms have upped the ante, the energy, the pace, hell they’ve upped everything! What a double shot… I tell ya, the album is worth the purchase price anyway, but I’d pay the whole price just for these two songs! At four seconds short of six minutes, the final song on offer, ‘Not For Nothing’ is the longest song on the album, and to be fair, has the hardest job – following the two best songs on the album. Fair play though it tries. ‘Not For Nothing’ returns the booming anthemic metal to the fore, rounding off an album chock full of metal anthems.

Overall, anthemic and melodic heavy metal, heavily steeped in historical themes of wars and battles, ‘The Pulse Of The Daring’ is a compulsive listen.

TRACKLIST

1914
Altar Of The Gun
Welcome The Blitz
Nisei
Pulse Of The Daring
An Act Of Valor
No Years Resolution
Thunderbolt
Omaha
Not For Nothing

https://marchinarms.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marchinarms

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