Pulverized Records, from Singapore, is known to sign up mostly quality extreme Metal acts. Impressive to say the least. And Sweden’s CRUCIFYRE is a nice addition to that roster. Formed in 2006 and with a demo tape and a previous album under their (bullet) belts, the style the band plays is far from copying the classic NWOSDM sound that nowadays has saturated the scene. That is a welcomed surprise for yours truly. The Black / Thrash Metal influence is undeniable, right from the start when vocalist Erik "Tormentor" Sahlström begins to spit forth blasphemy. His voice is not the usual Death Metal growl, but a mid-pitched grunt that goes along the mid-paced rhythm that dominates the album. "Black Magic Fire" does have that catchy mix of tremolo riffing and heavy as hell groove like its country mates DISMEMBER, but their sound falls into AURA NOIR territory. With certain variations that add a haunting atmosphere, as in the first part of ‘Apocalypse Whore’, where those chants fit perfectly or the intro passage of ‘Pentagram Palms’. Production wise, it’s great to hear that the mix favors their style and that every instrument has its place, without overshadowing Erik’s vocals. An overall punchy sound with a treble edge on the guitars and a pounding rhythm section, handled by Yasin Hillborg (ex – AFFLICTED) and Karl Envall (ex – KAAMOS). Sure, there are good riffs aplenty courtesy of TG (ex – MORBID) and Urban Skytt (ex – CREMATORY). As you can see, these guys are no newcomers. And that absolutely shows through "Black Magic Fire". Conclusion? Absolutely awesome release! Given the background on each of the musicians involved in CRUCIFYRE you could have guessed that they were moving along a well-known path, but no. They have chosen to up the ante and put out a strong album full of honest (and Satanic) music that is as evil as it is refreshing. Just listen to the album closer ‘One And One Is One’. Incredible! Death, Black, Thrash… "Black Magic Fire" has it all. And then some. Totally recommended! So pick it up as soon as possible! Contact the band here: www.facebook.com/pages/crucifyre/164973910205853, and go get the album from their label here: www.facebook.com/pulverisedrecords