Friday, 8 March 2024

Album Review: Giants Of Defiance by Fireball Flingaz

 

Giants Of Defiance

By

Fireball Flingaz

 


Back in 2020 Remark and Exile returned as the Fireball Flingaz dropped powerful album, Back 2 Burn. That release tore into the establishment and the powers that be, making a firm and incendiary statement about what they saw happening in the world around them.

Now, almost four years later, there has been little change; in fact, you could say that the powers that be, have continued to chisel away at the heart of democracy. We see people suffer when governments flourish, they rage war in the name of their people even though the people do not support their actions and we even see nations supporting and refusing to even recognise when genocide is perpetrated on an entire nation of people right in front of their faces.

So, with a world in turmoil, the Fireball Flingaz have returned with the Giants Of Defiance, fourteen tracks that promise to unload their frustrations at the state of society. Remark and Exile handle the vocals with Exile on production, cuts, artwork and more. It is all wrapped up in a stunning package with all lyrics and a wealth of AI infused artwork to interest and terrify.

With that said, expect controversial language, subjects and opinions throughout but, now its time to open your eyes, ears and minds to the Giants Of Defiance…

The G.O.D Intro sets the stage for what’s about to be unleashed, with pounding drums, guitars, and frantic cuts. The energy and power sinks deep into you psyche with such force it threatens to tear your mind to pieces. There is no priming yourself for what's to come as the albums title track, Giants Of Defiance continues to pull at your awareness with a heavy pounding sound with an eerie twist and electronic elements keeping you focused. The Flingaz words explode with a rage born of the fire that is in the hearts of all of us, feeding on that fire they take aim and stand in defiance of those who use misdirection and fake facts in order to control us and make us all look the other way from what their true intentions. Standing in defiance and not in silence is the Fireball Flingaz way and they have much to say…

Now you know where the Flingaz stand, its time for them to Wake ‘Em Up and they do that with a pounding drum beat mixed with bass and orchestral strings creating the kind of sound that opens the eyes and fuels the fire in the belly. This one is aimed at those who either choose not to wake up, or are so brainwashed by the system that they are unable to wake up and see what is truly going on around them. It takes strength of will and an unrelenting force to wake these people, especially those who do the bidding of the powers that be, and still refuse to see the pain and suffering they inflict, which is particularly true of those who are supposed to be there to protect us. Here the Flingaz show that there is often only one way to wake the blind, and that is to force them to see the truth. Chokehold brings a head nod, boom bap sound of drums and more that injects energy into your body causing the adrenaline to be released, fuelling you to move and pump your fist in the air. Now that the Flingaz have filtered into your awareness and cleared the way to open your third eye, it’s time to start showing you what is going on around you and how you have been kept in a chokehold by the media and the governments; keeping you living in a false, safe view of the world while the truth undermines and destroyed everything you thought was good, paving the way for a new world that makes 1984 look like a child’s story. Now they have your head nodding and your fist pumping, it’s time to keep that energy going with drums, horns, bass, and more deadly cuts. Strike sees the Flingaz keeping the fires burning with one that seems to be more of an anthem or a call to arms. This is the Flingaz getting the listener fired up but, in way that is once more showing who they are and how they do it. This is a statement of facts for all those who stand in the way of defiance or those who look for a cause to fight for. So, jump around and have fun with this one because things are not gona be this way for long…

Run 4 It sees the drums and strings heavy but, with BPM knocked back a bit, just to allow the vocals to come to the forefront, while keeping you moving. Here the Flingaz bring more focus to the corrupt government and how they seek to run everything, control everything. They want you in this perpetual state of fear, wrapped in a cloak of darkness, from where they can keep you where they want you. If you wake up and see the truth and look towards the light then you will break their hold on you, and this is what the Flingaz do here, is to invite you, no scream at you, to run for it, run for the light or even fight for the light because, in the light is where you can stand tall and fight against the demons who seek to control you life and every thought. Pounding drums and horns provide and main elements of Enuf Iz Enuf. This one ramps up the adrenaline levels once more as the Flingaz show their exasperation at the way the world is headed, all of the snakes, the lies and the alibies. Enough is enough, and now and its time let all that frustration and pent-up anger out, for all to see. There is no way to sugarcoat things, you have to be real and pull no punches if people are to see past all the BS that is being perpetrated in the world. Guitars and a pounding drumbeat finds the Flingaz questioning our very existence. Fuck The Matrix questions the very foundations of the reality we are living in. Could we be living in a reality that is fabricated by the powers that be or could it be we are living in a reality that was never truly real and has always been under some outside control? Whatever the answer is, we are coming to realise that the very lives we lead seem to be something where we the many exist to make money for and serve the few. Now is a time not to be woke but, to simply wake up and see the true reality of the world in which we live and to say fuck it, I’m not living this way anymore...




Its heavy boom bap all the way with One Dead Body as the Flingaz look at the way our mental health can and is affected by what is around us every day. The media delivers news stories that are designed to mislead and keep us in a state of fear, smart devices are all around us and spy on all we do, listening to our conversations and even mapping everywhere we go and what we do, using algorithms to filter us adverts and suggestions to keep us from using our own minds and intuition. They want us to be dead inside, mindless zombies to their control and when we truly die, there will be one more dead body to replace the last. Drums, keys, and strings are all apparent as our ears are pounded by the sound, while our lives are pounded by Unfriendly Fire. While the music ignites the fire in our souls, the Flingaz hold their middle fingers in the air and take aim at the government once more. Here the focus is on a different type of fire, one that has been burning unseen by us since we created any type of class system. Governments or anyone who seeks to control or rule over others has been stoking these flames, flames which threaten to engulf us all unless we stand up and show the few just who has the true power. The fire that burns deep within us has the potential to consume all in its way but, with the power of truth and light, we just have to know it and the Fireball Flingaz are helping to ignite that friendly fire within. Choose Ya Weapon pound our ears once more with drums and orchestral strings, ensuring we do no loose focus. What the Flingaz are doing here is not asking you to go out and pick up a physical weapon to use, no; they are inviting you to think and find a different kind of weapon. When the attacks are coming at you from the media, your smart devices and more, you have to use your mind and soul to fight back with the same weapons. One of the most powerful weapons is music, whether you make music or just listen, if you chose that weapon, choose wisely and make sure it speaks the truth and opens you up to a way to fight back.

N.M.K Not My King hits with heavy sound of drums, strings, and cuts, as the Fireball Flingaz direct their anger at the monarchy. Many in the UK and across the world celebrate the British monarchy but, fail to realise just what that monarchy and bloodline is built on. We did not ask for these people to be our figureheads but, we fund them and celebrate all they do, unless one chooses a different path. The British monarchy is one of the richest landowners in the world and built a legacy that was based on invading and taking from others across the globe, stealing, enslaving, and murdering. There is also much more that could be said but, this is the Flingaz stating what many of us feel, we did not ask or vote for you to be our king, you have no power over us, and we will not bow our heads to you. Some might find this a little too powerful but, sometimes frustration is a powerful things and the words follow. The penultimate track of the album is the final full track, Among Us has a powerful beat with some eerie elements that have us looking over our shoulders. Just what are the Flingaz referring to here? Who is it that walks among us? Well, think of those who are looking to sell you something or the ones who make the decisions that effect so many, the ones who do the bidding of those in charge. The sort of people who appear to be a friend but, who are really only looking to forge their own career path. They will draw you in and gain your trust but, throw you under the bus the minute anything goes wrong. They may also be the person that draws you in, making you sign your name on the dotted line, not fully explaining the small print, just getting your signature is the aim. You could go on wondering just who these people are but, they are far more dangerous than any alien that might walk among us. The final track is the Outro, taking us out of the album with a pounding drum and cut infused sound that gets us bouncing once more, easing the weight of all we have just assimilated from the Fireball Flingaz but, wait just a second because the guys still have a couple of verses left just in case you thought you might forget what has got before, the Flingaz seal you minds in the open position. You are now awake and part of the revolution…

 


What you have just been exposed to is 50 minutes of hardcore Hip Hop that takes a stand against everything and any person that seeks to undermine your true self or looks to control you from a place of power by putting you in a place of fear.

 Giants Of Defiance is an unrelenting and unapologetic shot across the bow of all the powers that be. This is not an album that seeks to bring light but, by being outspoken and allowing all that frustration and anger to come out, it actually makes you realise that there is a silver lining out there, you just have to wake up and see it because it is the star in the night sky, the blue beyond the thunder clouds, the calm after the storm; that positive aspect is there, it is many things and to see it, sometimes you just have to vent all that is stopping you from seeing it.

Let’s be real here, there is subject matter here that not everyone will agree with but, there is nothing here that is not the truth, there is nothing false here. These are not the ramblings of a couple of angry rappers who are pissed off at the establishment. Exile and Remark have been in the game for years and know their stuff and what they see around them builds up, like a pressure cooker, and sometimes they just need to vent it all because sometimes there is a place for anger, a place for frustration, you just have to channel it all into the music. The Fireball Flingaz have some stunning flows and lyrical prowess that is intense and deeply powerful, it does leave you breathless by the end. Putting this much strength into their vocals really reminds me of the likes of Killa Instinct in its delivery. The production from Exile is just as powerful and unrelenting as the lyrics, with every track being hardcore but, still keeping you buzzing, and when you add his frantic and razor sharp cuts it just has this air about it that is uniquely UK Hip Hop, or what some would call Britcore.

Overall, Giants Of Defiance is a UK hardcore Hip Hop explosion of an album. The Fireball Flingaz are full on for the entire album, standing strong in the face of adversity and holding up their middle fingers to all who make life hell for the common people. Giants Of Defiance is a statement, the voice of the masses channelled through two guys who are not afraid voice their feelings over some of the hardest Hip Hop beats you are likely to hear this year.

Giants Of Defiance is out now and I suggest you grab it while you can because the Fireball Flingaz are not finished, so keep watch for what’s coming…

Huge thanks to my good friend Remark for letting me loose on this one.

Time for me to be outta here,

See ya next time,

Steve  


LINKS

Get your copy at the Inflamer website Here:

https://www.inflamer.uk/

Fireball Flingaz on Bandcamp:

https://fireballflingaz.bandcamp.com/

Fireball Flingaz on Facebook Here:

https://www.facebook.com/fireballflingaz


VIDEOS


Fuck The Matrix


Strike


N.M.K - Not My King



 

 

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