Fireball Ministry

Quite a few accolades were bestowed upon Fireball Ministry after their second album, including Guitar World magazine heralding the quartet as the "#1 metal band you need to know now." Sensing they had a good thing going, the quartet go the "AC/DC route" on their third full-length overall, 2005's Their Rock Is Not Our Rock -- following the same exact formula as their previous releases. Still comparable to a more melodic Pantera at times (perhaps a more fitting description would be that they're akin to Down) and once again teamed with producer Nick Raskulinecz, Fireball Ministry offer another helping of part-stoner, part-biker metal. While it doesn't take long to realize that derivative metallic sounds abound on Their Rock, in this day and age any group that sticks to its guns and doesn't give in to the mainstream should be commended, and Fireball Ministry refuse to buckle. Although they're thought of as a raw, straight-ahead rock band (and rightfully so), it appears as though the group made a conscious "epic" effort in the songwriting department, as several tracks stretch past five minutes in length -- case in point, one of the album's strongest tracks, the moody "Hellspeak." Fireball Ministry themselves would admit they're not trying to reinvent the wheel, and that's precisely one of the main reasons their fan base is a fast-growing one. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide