Dire: Volume II - Turn Up the Volume Posted November 16, 2021 By RyanAdams_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know
Dire is an American heavy metal band from Georgia. Under their belt, they have one studio record, Volume I, and two EPs, Dire and Depths. Now, you can add a second studio album to that list. Volume II is their biggest and best yet.
What It Sounds Like
Dire's heavy metal sound has an old-school flair to it. Flurries of guitar riffs and solos energize the album, pairing well with pounding drums and driving bass. Lead vocalist Joran Messer's screams and singing is reminiscent of modern heavy metal giants such as Killswitch Engage and Trivium.
Spiritual Highlights
Dire's Volume II is full of solid, biblically sound songwriting that is strengthened by great heavy metal music. The first song "Reign" sets the worshipful tone well. This lyrical style is similar in songs like "Forever New" and "Without You."
Some songs focus more on the human condition, spiritual, and mental struggles we face as both humans and Christians. "Not Enough" confronts pride and "No Dying Breed" wrestles with loneliness. There is no shortage of passion and mature songwriting here.
Best Song
"Reign" is a killer track that easily carves its way into the best metal songs this year. The chorus proclaims an everlasting truth, "Dominion, honor/To Him who sits upon the throne/Glory, power/Who was and is and is to come!" On top of the refreshing boldness in songwriting, "Reign" does what every opening track should do: set expectations and leave an impact.
Volume II is a crushing heavy metal album that is sure to leave an impact on those who listen. Dire has showcased great improvement and growth from previous releases and I hope this is a sign of more metal to come from them. At 14 songs, it is longer than most modern records, so fans used to recent EPs might need to set aside extra time to focus in, but it is worth it. Each song is enjoyable and there is a lot of depth to the songwriting.
