Sometimes, our true place is not realized until we are tried in different corners of the earth. The case with James Durbin, most recall him as a standout contestant on the tenth season of American Idol in 2011. Many years ago, since that point, James Durbin released three albums solely under his name, between 2011’s Memories of a Beautiful Disaster and 2016’s Riot on Sunset, recorded two albums with the legendary Quiet Riot, with 2018’s Road Rage and 2019’s Hollywood Cowboys, and put out two more albums under the banner of his Metal band Durbin, those being 2021’s The Beast Awakens and 2024’s Screaming Steel.
Keeping quite busy and diversifying, Durbin also joined up with another project in recent years called Cleanbreak. This one consists of him on vocals, Riot V’s Mike Flyntz on lead guitar, Italian multi-instrumentalist Alessandro Del Vecchio on bass, and Nicholas Papapicco (who plays with Robin McAuley) on drums. An enticing lineup, you have experience, talent, and players from different walks of life with one commonality… Heavy Metal. Together, they create a classic Heavy Metal sounding mix of songs that could be heard right from the get-go on their 2022 debut album Coming Home. Overflowing with tracks filled with killer riffs and strong vocals from Durbin, the music is something straight out of the classic era of Heavy Metal, akin to Judas Priest, Saxon, or Stryper.
Something that should be very appealing to a particular group of listeners, now in 2024, Cleanbreak returns with a vengeance on their new album We Are The Fire. Released on October 10, 2024, through Frontiers Records srl, their sophomore album seems to find a deeper-seeded chemistry and, as a result, an outstanding set of Heavy Metal. Eleven tracks in total, including “Warrior’s Anthem,” “Never Gone,” the title track, and “Unbreakable,” show the truest potential of Durbin as a vocalist. Soaring to the heavens at points, his delivery is intense and authentic in the best ways possible. Matching this, Flyntz’s guitar work is nothing less than poignant as he delivers one razor-sharp riff after another, matched by well-crafted solos. Also, showing the weight in the water of Flyntz, who has helped keep the legacy of Riot alive through the decades (long live The Mighty Tior), it seems like this partnership between himself and Durbin fits like a glove. With this in mind, Flytnz and Riot V put out the impressive Mean Streets earlier in 2024… so that is also worth checking out.
With this all in mind, you would be remiss to pass up We Are The Fire. Beyond the few songs mentioned, there are also some other true gems like “Can’t Lose Hope,” as well as the very Queensrÿche-vibed “Love Again” and “Start To Breathe.” A Heavy Metal album that leaves an impression as something genuine and from the heart, Cryptic Rock gives We Are The Fire 4 out of 5 stars.
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