I must admit I was not expecting "Unleash the Fire" to rock my socks off. Its artwork tries to remind everyone that Riot is still Riot, just in case anyone forgot. It features Johnny, the band's mascot, and a bunch of references highlighting certain Riot songs and motifs, further drawing up the aforementioned connotation. A lot of this semblance carries over to the music, especially on "Return of the Outlaw," "Metal Warrior," and "Immortal," which all serve to instrumentally and lyrically reference bygone times. It isn't much of a nuisance, because nearly every tune here is rich in hooking riffs and excellent choruses that stay true to Riot's roots without overlapping them-I'm just whining because I'm a prick. "Unleash the Fire" is an album of variety, but cooked in a natural sense; nothing foreign, yet nothing predictable.

Speedy punches enriched by memorable melodies and noteworthy riffs like "Ride Hard Live Free" are balanced out by numbers that slow the pace a bit. The bruising mid-paced riffs of "Bring the Hammer Down" and the nostalgic rocky sections on "Take me Back" take things in a different direction, but they certainly do not appear forced next to more traditionalized Riot songs like "Fall from the Sky" or the title track. I'm most fond of Todd Michael Hall's vocals more than even the solid arsenal of speedy riffs and metallic grooves, mainly due to his ability to sound completely natural among the unbothered goings-on of Riot. He sounds flawless nailing the soaring chorus of "Land of the Rising Sun," which is probably the best song here. Grandiose riffs rising to let Hall nail its apex perfectly; a stellar anthem.