Sainted Sinners – High On Fire

Sainted Sinners
High On Fire
Label: ROAR
Out: 21^st November 2025
Playing time: 47:05

“Good things take time“; this saying fits perfect for the new and fifth studio album “High On Fire“ of the international Classic Hard Rock group SAINTED SINNERS.

OK, so much time hasn’t actually passed since the last album, ‘Taste It’ (2021). Only four years. The band also ‘only’ needed three years for production. We’re used to seeing very different time frames. But for Sainted Sinners, that’s quite a lot. Another quote from the promo text is interesting, though. The production was themed ‘The Essence of Rock’n’Roll’. The band was founded in 2016. And you could almost call them an all-star band, with big names like David Reece, Ferdy Doernberg, Frank Pané, Jacopo ‘Jack’ Meille and Malte Frederik Burkert. Only Jack Meille and Frank Pané remain.

‘Crown Of Thorns’ starts with an epic intro accompanied by a narrator. After one minute, it really gets going. Guitar riffs and driving drums dominate at first. Jack Meille’s vocals sound a little calmer at times. But for the most part, his voice is extremely powerful. A Hammond organ can be heard repeatedly. And a great guitar/organ solo. ‘Out Of The Blue’ is also dominated by riffs. The Hammond organ provides some melodic interludes. Fine Classic Hard Rock, performed at a mid-tempo pace. The catchy chorus features polyphonic vocals. This time, the Hammond discreetly accompanies the obligatory guitar solo. ‘Night After Night’ is then a little bit harder. Riffs and electric piano accompany the singer. Later, the Hammond kicks in again. At the beginning of ‘Sunshine’, the guitars sound distorted, almost funky. The vocals are also technically distorted at times. All in all, it’s a calm and rhythmic song. Almost singing guitars introduce the power ballad ‘Empty Days Of Wonder’. Later, there are beautiful guitar melodies, with the Hammond organ repeatedly coming in in the background. ‘World’s On Fire’ starts with ‘fiery sounds’ before the song picks up speed. In ‘Down In A Hole’, the drums in particular set rhythmic accents. The musicians place great importance on melodic and easy-to-sing-along choruses. ‘Hide In The Dark’ starts with an orchestral introduction. Then it switches back to mid-tempo Hard Rock. But later on, some symphonic passages are also incorporated. ‘Sweet Sweet Addiction’ rocks hard. A strong but short guitar solo can be heard here in the first half of the song. Later, an extremely melodic solo follows, partly with a wah-wah effect. ‘Lost In A Storm’ is the second power ballad on this album. The grand finale is The Who cover ‘Who Are You’ from the British rock band’s 1978 album of the same name.

Can we really hear ‘The Essence of Rock “n” Roll’ on ‘High On Fire’? I would say ‘YES’. Sainted Sinners celebrate Classic Hard Rock / Rock “n” Roll in the style of the eighties and nineties of the last century. This journey through time is enjoyable throughout. The four-year wait and three-year production time were definitely worth it.

Sainted Sinners – World’s on Fire: https://youtu.be/med8AcXIlQQ?si=eswr-eY3BOLLCNHM

Lineup:

Jack Meille – Vocals
Frank Pané – Guitars
Samy Saemann – Bass
Ernesto Ghezzi – Keys
Berci Hirlemann – Drums

Track list:

• Crown Of Thorns
• Out Of The Blue
• Night After Night
• Sunshine
• Empty Days Of Wonder
• World’s On Fire
• Down In A Hole
• Hide In The Dark
• Sweet Sweet Addiction
• Lost In A Storm
• Who Are You