the firegod - a light

the Firegod

A Light
self-released; 2014

3.6 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

I don’t have too much information about the artist known as The FireGod but as far as I know he is a solo act from Seattle, Washington who has released five albums. His latest A Light contains six polished songs that are ultimately pop but overflow without a lot of instrumentation. Although guitars are present within the songs (usually in lead form) it’s the synth, electronic elements and beats, which are the most prominent. 

A Light starts with “This Love,” which immediately establishes some of the unconventional sounds he implements into his music. The verse contains bass, drums and a synth that sounds like a robot talking. There are traces of ‘80s rock in there; it’s subtle but it’s there. The chorus is the catchiest part of the song as he sings, “This Love /will bring the end to everything / My life expectancy is growing thin / There's no escape / must be my destiny / This love / will suck the life right out of me /Bring me to my knees and watch me bleed.”

The second track “Move Me” combines a deep electronic house beat, arpeggiated synths and his vocals. He strategically breaks out a lead guitar during certain sections to add another layer of depth. “Honey (Just Call)” contains a programmed drumbeat with airy synths that sort of has a dance vibe. The song gets moving once the clean guitars enter and meets its apex towards the end of the song when he implements overlapping vocal harmonies. 

“A Light” was a highlight for me that in my opinion was the artist’s finest vocal performance. There is an emotional weight within the lyrics that when combined with melancholy and the contemplative tone in his voice is a winning combination.

The songs on A Light didn’t hit me over the head as mind blowing but rather a solid batch of well-written songs. He has some skill incorporating sounds you don’t always hear all the time while adhering to basic pop structure. Worth you time to give this a spin.

Become A Fan

Tweet