Very much a project based album this effort from Fierce Heart. Quite a strong rockin’ album featuring one of the best rock guitarists around in Rex Carroll.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Fierce Heart
ALBUM: Fierce Heart
LABEL: Mirage
SERIAL: 90235-1
YEAR: 1985
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Larry Elkins – vocals, bass * Rex Carroll – guitars
TRACK LISTING: 01 Echoes * 02 Fierce Heart * 03 Out For Blood * 04 Lions Share * 05 Search And Destroy * 06 Heroes * 07 Never Gonna Cry * 08 Bad Maureen * 09 Loose Lips
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Very much a project based album this effort from Fierce Heart. Quite a strong rockin’ album featuring one of the best rock guitarists around in Rex Carroll. Despite it’s reputation as a pomp album reviewed previously in other publications, ‘Fierce Heart’ is more of a straight melodic heavy rock album, with emphasis on strident guitar and a heavy rhythm section.
Larry Elkin’s vocals are a raucous cross between Larry Baud and Jeff Scott Soto while we see the potential of Carroll’s axe wizardry prior to his tenure with christian rockers Whitecross.
The Songs
There are some power rockers on here, like ‘Lions Share’, ‘Out For Blood’ and ‘Search And Destroy’, which sounds very much like AC/DC doing melodic metal. It sounds fantastic to be honest. Others which stand out include ‘Never Gonna Cry’ which could be an Eyes track for all we know, and the title track ‘Fierce Heart’.
In Summary
If there is one slight flaw with this Fierce Heart album is that it is very one paced, and the beat is kept consistent (though not ploddy) during precedings. I wonder whether a drum machine was used but I understand one wasn’t. However, more than making up for it is Rex Carroll’s sonic attack, very much with dexterity that Steve Vai would be happy with.
The band morphed into a new lineup upon the departure of Rex Carroll in 1986 to form Whitecross, they became Grave Danger but they were denied an album release in early 1990 by their label MCA. Decades later, Fierce Heart reunited, with a new release in 2020.
Video
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
