Stonecollar’s “Trial by Fire” is the complete package and is highly recommended for all the rock fans out there. These guys formed in 2004 and are from Cape Town, South Africa. Their sound had a slight blues vibe mixed with 80’s rock, minus the bad hair and glam. All I can say is these guys can rock and they do it well.

Each band member is very talented and hold their own throughout the whole album. Leshem Peterson has awesome vocal range and excels whether the songs are fast paced (“Loose Cannon”) or a slow ballad (“As the crows Fly). He adds so much to the group and takes them to the next level. Sean Tait and Clinton Jurgens, on the guitars, pretty much owned the intros and their solos (“Dying Breed” and “Poison the Well”) were epic. Lastly, Bryan Nicol had me banging my head throughout the whole album with his flawless drum play. These guys are very good on their own, but are even more awesome when they are together.

I find it hard to believe that this is Stonecollar’s debut album. Where have they been all these years? They sound and play like bands that have been around for a long time. There were so many songs that I would recommend on this album. My favorites were “Not for Good,” “Trial by Fire,” “SQT,” and “Poison the Well.” The pacing was just right, the lyrics were well-written and very strong, and the songs were catchy and memorable. The only issue I could find with this album was that I wanted more songs because 10 songs were not enough for me. I loved the album that much and they had me hooked the whole time. For being well rounded and totally rocking, I am giving this album an “A-.”