With The Old Lie, Denver’s Victim Of Fire expands their blackened crust foundation into something sharper and more melodic by proving they are unafraid to experiment. Their third album marks the first time every live member contributed to the writing process, and that collaborative shift brings both variety and cohesion to a tracklist steeped in twin guitar harmonies and wartime narratives.
The opening with the title track is driven by Wilfred Owen’s poetry and a turn toward melo-death influences. The band signals they’re willing to blur genre boundaries without losing the raw urgency that defines their sound. Songs like “Apocalyptic Inclination” and “Wayward Light” balance furious speed with layered harmonies by underscoring guitarists, Emily and Austin’s interplay. They channel both historical and contemporary critiques of militarism by tying the brutality of the past to present-day political machinery.
“Soldiers Dream”, also rooted in Wilfried Owen’s work, emerges as the album’s fastest track by pairing its velocity with a sense of restless tension. Mid-album standouts like “Discordance” and “Barren Path” shift focus to more personal territory like that of post-tour disorientation and self-doubt without losing the record’s intensity. “Front Towards Enemy” breaks from mould by giving one a jolt before the reimagined “Disharmonist” reasserts the band’s melodic ferocity with added speed and harmony.
Closing with their take on Iron Maiden’s “Aces High” feels less like a novelty and more like a full-circle moment by tying the band’s influences to their modern hybrid approach. The album benefits from production that keeps the grit intact while letting the guitar work shine. It’s a reflection of Austin’s dual role as producer and player.
The Old Lie succeeds because it captures Victim Of Fire’s ability to merge styles into a unified and high-energy record that works as well in a live set as it does through headphones.
