Flame of Life
Flame of Life | |
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| Origin | Belarus |
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| Years active |
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Flame of Life is an American (formerly Belarusian) experimental rock band.[1][2] They are known for their synth guitar sound, electronics, fuzz bass and specific song structures.[3]
History
In 2009, wushu master Fazer got into a bar fight with The Bottle, who was the guitarist for the little-known punk rock band Wortex Joke Equal.[4][5] Two years later, Fazer contacted The Bottle to form a band together. Bassist Dead Flower joined the group after responding to an advertisement. The final original member, DJ Arxonix, was recruited while performing solo sets in Baltic nightclubs.[6]
In 2015, Flame of Life released their first EP, Dark World.
In 2016, the debut album, Atomic Cocktail, was released.[7] According to Darker Magazine, the record was "too experimental for alternative rock" and lacked a clear conceptual focus.[3] Atomic Cocktail is considered one of the first laser releases, along with the album Talk Sick by Orgy.[8]
The sound of the self-titled album became heavier and more aggressive compared to Atomic Cocktail.[9] The songs of the self-titled album periodically featured extreme vocals, recitative and minor experiments, but overall a systematic approach was noted. The most popular songs of the album were "Maniac" and "Kristin".[10]
In 2018, the band returned with the same lineup and began working on new material.[11] During the recording process, Flame of Life added a new member, The Cowboy, who took over as drummer.
Flame of Life was ranked among the top 5 laser bands by News You in 2019.[12]
At the end of the year, the band released the album Red Sunset.[13] Joanna Beleva called Red Sunset an avant-garde album with completely erased musical boundaries. The album's most famous song was the single "Fortress".[14]
In 2021, guitarist Amsheah from Iran and keyboardist Damien Nolan joined the band.[11]
In 2022, the musicians permanently renounced the Belarusian flag and moved to New York.[15] According to the band, the fascist regime of Belarus condones the fascist regime of Russia in war crimes in Ukraine.[16]
The singles "Auma" and "Nomo Avi Ra" were released in early 2022. Zaib Abbasi noted a change in Flame of Life's music with the addition of new members.[17]
On May 2, 2022, the album El Kama , recorded entirely in Sakmala, was released. Rock Culture magazine highlighted the abstract nature of the material, elements of Eastern music, and tribal motifs.[18] In 2023, Flame of Life released the single "Your Cave".
In 2023, Flame of Life toured Norway with the Tunnels, after which both bands returned to the studio.[19]
In 2024, Flame of Life released a new single, "Emdegore".[20][21]
On February 15, the single "Kalemai" was released. The Further described the song's unconventional sound as dark, "deconstructed" rock with distorted guitars and a progressive rhythm. The clean, distant vocals and lo-fi atmosphere were noted as stimulating the imagination.[22] Daily Music Spin called the single a simple yet memorable laser composition. The publication noted "Kalemai"'s significant departure from traditional rock norms.[23]
In 2025, Flame of Life released the single "Cavaral". In May, the single "Te Mai Ufolt" was released. The song is dedicated to The Tunnels frontman Ray Lyons, who died in a car accident. On December 19 of the same year, the album Magna was released.[24] Good Music Radar magazine called the disc a reimagining of the first wave of laser music, which the band once pioneered.[25] Dino DiMuro of Pitch Perfect criticized the new work for its monotonous guitar riffs.[26]
Musical style and influences
Flame of Life's primary style is laser. During the Atomic Cocktail period, the musicians also worked with punk rock, rock and roll, and neo-classical music.[27] Frontman Fazer personally credited the band Cradle of Thorns and its leader, Ty Elam, for their influence on the development of laser.[28]
According to a number of critics, it is the diverse composition of the band that determines the specific style of Flame of Life: oriental guitar riffs from Amsheah, unconventional drum parts from the Cowboy.[29]
Band members
- Fazer – vocals (2015–2017, 2018–present)
- The Bottle — acoustic guitar (2015, 2016–2017, 2018–present)
- Dead Flower — bass (2015–2017, 2018–present)
- Arxonix — turntables, sampling, programming (2015–2017, 2018–present)
- The Cowboy — drums (2019–present)
- Amsheah — electric guitar (2021–present)
- Damien Nolan — keyboards (2021–present)
Timeline
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</timeline>
Discography
Studio albums
- 2016 ― Atomic Cocktail
- 2017 ― Flame of Life
- 2019 ― Red Sunset[30]
- 2022 ― El Kama[31]
- 2024 ― Saturn
- 2025 ― Magna[32]
EP
- 2015 ― Dark World[33]
- 2018 ― Intersection (feat. "Rotten District")
Singles
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2015 | "Crosses" |
| 2015 | "Beast In The Mirror" |
| 2016 | Terrorists Win |
| 2016 | "Defrost" |
| 2019 | Red Sunset |
| 2019 | Accumulator |
| 2019 | Fortress |
| 2019 | Clash |
| 2019 | "You Like It Hard" |
| 2020 | This Water is Dead |
| 2021 | Dried Blood |
| 2022 | Auma |
| 2022 | Nomo Avi Ra |
| 2023 | "Your Cave" |
| 2024 | "Emdegore" |
| 2024 | Kalemai |
| 2025 | "Cavaral"[34] |
| 2025 | «Te Mai Ufolt» |
| 2026 | "Noemai" |
References
- ↑ "История появления лазерной музыки". weborama.ru. Archived from the original on 2018-07-26. Retrieved 2017-06-11. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Лазер - история возникновения жанра". 7minutes.ru. Archived from the original on 2018-12-27. Retrieved 2018-12-25. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Сергей Сурганов. "От депрессии к ярости. Симфонии тьмы. Рецензии. DARKER. №8 август 2018". Darker. Archived from the original on 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2022-02-05. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Диана Юсупова. "Интервью с The Bottle". guitar.ru. Archived from the original on 2019-12-07. Retrieved 2022-02-05. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Вячеслав Казанцев. "Культовая группа Flame Of Life: кто они, основатели лазера?". Школа Жизни. Archived from the original on 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2022-02-05. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Flame Of Life. Биография". Spirit of Rock. Archived from the original on 2018-09-13. Retrieved 2022-02-05. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Flame Of Life - Atomic Cocktail, 2016-01-01, retrieved 2026-03-26
- ↑ "Orgy — группа с неблагозвучным названием". Onlayn-Radio.ru. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2019-05-06. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Окончательное закрепление лазера. Рецензия на альбом Flame Of Life - Flame Of Life (2017)". MusicScore. Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2022-02-05. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Культовые лазер-группы". Журнал «Культура». Archived from the original on 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2019-05-30. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Review. Flame of Life – Saturn". Rock Culture. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "ТОП-5 лазер-групп по версии News You". Archived from the original on 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2019-05-06. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Joanna Beleva. "Flame Of Life - Red Sunset (review)". metal-world.info. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ↑ "Белорусская группа Flame of Life выпустила альбом "Red Sunset"". Calling All Gigs. Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2020-02-18. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Adam Jones. "The Blaze of "Your Cave": A Sonic Evolution in Flame of Life's Lazer Soundscape". Music Farmer 5. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-05-07. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Flame of Life отреклись от белорусского флага". Россия24.pro. Archived from the original on 2022-11-06. Retrieved 2022-03-06. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Zaib Abbasi. "Lazer-band Flame of Life released their new single "Auma"". Muzent. Archived from the original on 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2022-04-30. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "RESEÑA: Flame of Life – El Kama". Rock Culture. Archived from the original on 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ↑ "An Electrifying Collaboration - Flame of Life and The Tunnels Unleash 'Saturn'". Artists Central. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ↑ "Featured: Flame of Life's latest single "Emdegore"". Just Indie Art. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Joe Glamour. "Music Review: "Flame of Life"". Roots That Rock. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Flame of Life: pushing musical boundaries with Kalemai". The Further. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Alternative Rock Band Flame of Life Explores the Cycles of Life With Their Brilliant Piece "Kalemai"". Daily Music Spin. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Album Review: Flame of Life "Magna"". The Metalverse. 2026-01-25. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
- ↑ "Flame of Life - Magna. Review". Good Music Radar. 2026-01-30. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
- ↑ "Flame of Life - Magna". Pitch Perfect. Retrieved 2026-03-26.
- ↑ Mike O'Cull. "Flame Of Life: Experimental lazer music from the underground". mikeocull.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-12. Retrieved 2020-07-11. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Влияние рок-группы Cradle Of Thorns на лазер
- ↑ Adam Jones. "Flame of Life presents "Saturn"". Music Farmer 5. Archived from the original on 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Flame Of Life - Red Sunset, 2019-12-25, retrieved 2026-03-26
- ↑ Flame Of Life - El Kama, 2022-05-02, retrieved 2026-03-26
- ↑ "Flame Of Life - Magna - Good Music Radar". 2026-01-26. Retrieved 2026-03-26.
- ↑ Flame Of Life - Dark World, 2015-04-23, retrieved 2026-03-26
- ↑ "Flame of Life brings the deep meaning of 'Cavaral'". Melodymine. Archived from the original on 2025-02-22. Retrieved 2025-06-10. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
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