Pure Fire is the brainchild of Michael Shulman and Pasha (real name Pavel Yashchuk). This band is quite unique. First of all, there are no guitars on the entire album despite what my ears lead me to believe. Instead, Shulman is playing a six-string electric violin on the whole album. At some point, it becomes impossible to distinguish the sounds as a violin due to all the effects he buries his sound in. Pasha is a master drummer who is trying to pioneer a style of drumming called semi-rhythmical or melodic drumming with a technique called floating feet. According to his website, "with reworked body balance and a custom-designed set of pedals, it gives him the ability to perform rhythm patterns constructed out of three and up to seven, or even eight drums simultaneously with his feet alone!" Take that for what you will. On to the music.

Their sound is a mishmash of influences running the gamut from hardcore house techno to Rammstein to at times Children of Bodom. The whole album consists of instrumentals despite the fact that they have auditioned over 100 singers and turned them all down. Booming bass drum hits abound and the violin work is sometimes interesting, enabling Shulman to explore the limits of his instrument and create some sounds pretty unique and independent of the guitar. Floating feet seem to add nothing substantive to the music since I cannot hear rhythm patterns out of eight drums at once unless all of the many samples in the music are linked to the drums. This I supposed could be the only explanation of the semi-rhythmical style. Especially catchy is the title track which explores interesting new ground between techno and metal. "America," the song that follows it could be the backing track to a Britney Spears song with a tough metal grinding edge. The track "O4U" delivers a hard grinding sound with a melodic piano line behind it. It’s ballad-like without vocals. Children of Bodom influence can be seen in the solos here. It almost sounds as if Janne Warman and Alexi Laiho are jumping out of my speakers during the respective keyboard and guitar solos. Give credit where credit is due. Unlike many other self-financed albums, this one has a high level of production and sounds quite professional. These guys truly understand how an album is supposed to sound.

Pure Fire plays many shows in and around New York City. From the stage of L’amour to the bowels of the subway system, they work hard and promote themselves well. If you get a chance to witness the Hyper Dance live, take it.