Firmament For Centuries Alive Review
Firmament
For Centuries Alive
Dying Victims Productions
2025
Germany is no stranger to quality hard rock and metal across all subgenres. Over the decades, Deutschland has given us the Scorpions, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Destruction, Sodom, Tankard - you name it. All different, all great. For this review, though, we turn to Firmament and their fire-breathing new full-length, For Centuries Alive.
Formed in Leipzig in 2021, Firmament deliver a decidedly old-school take on traditional metal, pulling from proto-metal and NWOBHM. With only one album under their bullet belts prior to this, the growth is palpable, and these nine songs fall firmly into the “epic” variety. The press release describes their sound as “epic, dark, yet romantic heavy rock,” powered by the classic lineup of drums, bass, twin guitars, and vocals - and based on this album, I can’t argue. The songs are melodic, catchy, and impactful, with a clean, almost analog production that bridges past and present both stylistically and sonically.
So, the music - what to make of it? The fingerprints of power metal, ’70s hard rock, and NWOBHM are everywhere. Think Thin Lizzy, by-way-of–Maiden twin guitar harmonies, Saxon’s grit, and Diamond Head’s sense of drama. Marco Hermann’s vocals don’t quite soar to Dickinson or Kiske heights, but his controlled upper-mid-range channels early Di’anno while holding its own. “Pulsar” is a prime example: earworm hooks, weaving twin guitars from Tom Michalik and Philipp Meyer, big riffs, progressive flourishes, and a fist-pumping chorus.
“A Legend of the Fall” is pure Maiden worship, complete with galloping rhythm, harmonized guitars, Stefan Deutsch’s tasteful rolling bass, and the first shred-heavy solo - all backed by yet another killer chorus. “Swear by the Moon” ups the ante with more guitar fireworks, a galloping groove, a clean bridge, and Jonas Zeidler’s impressive drumming. These guys seem to craft singalong choruses effortlessly.
The curiously titled “An Anthem for the Spotless Mind” leans harder into rock pacing, coming off like Blue Öyster Cult on steroids. “Brother of Sleep,” “Starbeast,” and “Into the Realms of Distant Wonders” swing back into trad-metal glory, driven by monster hooks. Finally, high-fantasy closer “The Empress and the Foundling” wraps it all up with technical riffing, minor-key drama, and gassed-up tempo - a triumphant finish.
In just thirty-eight minutes, Firmament delivered a tight, memorable, and damn solid set of metal and hard rock songs on For Centuries Alive. They draw heavily from the past but add their own distinct touch, making them a band to watch going forward. Consider me pleasantly surprised, and officially a new fan.
RIYL: early Iron Maiden, Saxon, Diamond Head, Gygax
~TB