Review: The Fervor "Arise Great Warrior"

Recently a friend of mine was asked by a reporter what his favorite album of all time was.. and when he told me his answer was a Doors album, I scoffed. maybe even berated him a little. and his answer was "Look, you put an amazing guitarist, genius keyboardist, and an idiot in a room together, and you'll probably get Light My Fire but every now and then you'll get When The Music is Over.''
And although this has no Bearing on album i'm attempting to review (besides maybe the genius pianist and amazing guitarist), it did force me to go back and listen to some 60's/70's albums and was recalled to a time when music painted surreal voyages of magic realism, enigmatic characters,  and strange love with ordinary lovers, (or ordinary love with strange lovers)..
Although The Fervor's Arise Great Warrior is a slight 7 songs, the near forty minutes sweeps through vast landscapes of crushing emotions that transforms ordinary peeps into formidable creatures, demons & warriors.
The first and title track sets the scene of how love can make anyone the bravest warrior,  riding stoically into uncharted territory.. The second track, 'Lead Me', looks into the other side of this love, I.E. lying and side stepping as a way not to hurt someone whom inevitably will be . Both songs weaving in and out of majestic Guitar and Keyboard solos by Husband and wife Ben and Natalie Felker, leading one to wonder where the inspiration for these detailed ballads of love's ability to make one a raving lunatic come from.
'Crazy for The feeling' and 'Bent around a Dying Dream' are some of the album's strongest, tho all 7 tracks are terrific, carrying an anthem of hope and insanity (or that feeling of wanting to throw up when someone you love let's you know for the first time that they love you too), anyone who has ever been in a relationship can relate too.
The Album finishes with "Let's get Loaded", a sweeping epic that ties up the Album's stand out moments, building up into an emotional reprise from the previous track with a chilling declaration from Keyboardist/Singer Natalie Felker: "Synthetic feelings, you can't manufacture your own/Are you the reason i am all alone?"
But like all great albums, the end of the last song recomposes it's self, compelling a feeling of hope, reminding us that all great journeys for love are filled with monsters and insanity, but are worth it in the end, even if all we have to show for it are some faded bruises and a few displays of blind loyalty we didn't know were possible.

The Fervor's "Arise Great Warrior" will be out tomorrow, Feb.7th, and is a prime example of this city's musical talent and emotional sincerity. for more info visit karatebodyrecords.com