EPs have their drawbacks. Aside from being short (depending on how many songs are on them) you typically only see one side of the band. Actually, that’s not necessarily just true for EPs, but also full-length records. Sure, bands typically do one or two slow songs, but for the most part, they all tend to be pretty straightforward and stick with what is comfortable to them. The Greenville and Dallas, Texas based band, Light the Fire, decided to break that trend with their debut release, “Note to Self”. There may only be six songs on this EP, but in the twenty-two plus minutes it takes this record to play out, you also find out how versatile they are. In all, there are three different, distinct styles of rock you will hear. All of which the band pulls off as feeling right at home while playing them. The first three songs mine more of a typical rock genre, with a bit of a harder edge at times, and beginning this EP is “Note to Self”. The instrumental lead in to this song is about as epic as the song itself, beginning with what to me sounds reminiscent of an older rock style, with the crashing of the cymbals finding their way in at just the right moments, before the drums pick up the pace as the remaining instruments then fire up. The song has more of a radio friendly sound to it, with both the music and vocalist Jamie Glasgow’s voice being similar to what you hear in mainstream music. I do think this has a little more depth and makes a better connection with the listeners than most of what you hear in mainstream, though. The chorus even has a slight pop feel to it, as Jamie sings, “We are the proud, we are the strong, and although we fall we’ll carry on…”. However, there are moments in which you catch their harder side, which really comes out on the bridge/outro. The song takes a sudden turn into being more metal, with the rhythm section rising up as Jamie sings the next few lines in a deep, throaty scream. Personally, I’m not a real fan of screaming like that, but in moderation it is certainly tolerable, and here it serves to add a great effect to the song. One last thing worth noting about this one is the guitar solo towards the end, which is just flat out shredding and sounds astounding. “Thoughts” is next, and for the first thirty or so seconds it has you thinking you are going to hear the bands softer side, as there is a gentle plucking of the guitar strings creating a tranquil mood, further aided by what sounds to be a violin. The drums soon change all that, and after a brief guitar solo, the tune starts walking a fine line between being hard rock and metal. This is, especially lyrically, my favorite song on “Note to Self”, as Jamie begins it, “The hate’s taking you over, the nightmares will never subside, and here I stand in the shadows.” before belting out in a scream, “Kill the monster inside!” He then returns to his singing voice, “And I’ll be there through your sorrow, and I’ll be there through your pain. You are the victim.” then screams once more, “This will not happen again!” The chorus is the catchiest part of the song, just in the way the lyrics flow perfectly with the beats, while some brutal screams are included at various points throughout it. Like the first song, this too, has a bridge that, momentarily, turns it into a full-blown metal song. With the next song, “Save Me”, you finally get a taste of what a slightly toned down Light the Fire sounds like. It begins more acoustic based, as Jamie croons, “Miles away from who I am. These mirrors reflect what I can’t stand…”. The calmness doesn’t last, though, as it ramps up by the first chorus, “Save me now, ‘cause I am lost. Guide me through these empty thoughts…” and the blistering little guitar riff that starts in the second half of each chorus is mesmerizing. This song definitely lacks the harder edge the past couple of tracks have, but that’s a good thing. Like I mentioned at the start of this, they show their versatility and that there isn’t just one certain style of music that they stick to. This is further shown with the next songs, and the several seconds of silence at the end of “Save Me” seems to serve as the “calm before the storm”, so to speak. Things get very hardcore with “Don’t Fail Me Now”, during which Jamie unleashes his primal scream, showing the listener just what he’s capable of. This one does push the boundaries of my personal music tastes, but while I’m not crazy about, I can’t say I dislike it, either. The range that he has is also quite impressive. When singing, he has an amazing voice, but then he can switch gears at the turn of a dime. I find the best thing about this song to be its raw and unbridled sound, as you can tell that there are no holds barred on this one. The same can pretty much be said for the next song, “Under My Skin”, though it does seem to have a few more singing parts than the prior track. It’s just a metal song the way metal should be played, where even if there is a lot of screaming involved, it can still be enjoyable. “Your Song” ends the record, as the band does strip their sound down for a song that is a little more heartfelt. This one is purely acoustic guitars and vocals, making it the most breathtaking song on the record and the lyrics are the most amazing part of this song. “As I look back, as I recall, I can’t believe it’s been so long. It all seems like just yesterday we were kids, how I miss those days… And even though I’m far away, you’re in my heart everyday…” begins Jamie, sounding a bit sentimental, which comes across in his delivery of those words. Another great line comes in the bridge, “…This life is a gift, a delicate gift, and I will always love you…”. The song is a fitting an end to a remarkable EP. Light the Fire does walk a fine line between hard rock and metal, but they have one thing a lot of hard rock and metal bands don’t these days don’t have; A singer who can legitimately sing. I’ve never been a fan of those styles of music because of what they are now, but after listening to some older hard rock and metal bands, I discovered what the genres have degraded into. I don’t like how a band can get up on stage and have their “singer” scream forty plus minutes of songs, with all of what he’s screaming being totally unintelligible, and then that’s called music. Sure, Light the Fire’s music involves screaming, but they don’t solely rely on it, and once again, if it’s to add an effect to the song, I’m totally down with it. I feel like with “Note to Self”, Light the Fire is trying to return those genres to the greatness that they should be, while still holding on to a little bit of what makes them modern. I don’t know if they are purposely going for that or not, but regardless, they do a damn good job of it. -Jordan Buford, www.themusicenthusiast.com