In 2017, the rock world was basically having a collective meltdown. For years, the genre felt like it was drifting into the background of pop and hip-hop. Then, out of Frankenmuth, Michigan—a town famous for Christmas shops and fried chicken—came four kids who looked and sounded like they’d just stepped out of a 1971 time machine. When Greta Van Fleet From the Fires dropped, it wasn't just an EP release; it was a line in the sand.
You either loved them for "saving rock" or hated them for "stealing" it. Honestly, there wasn't much middle ground.
The Double EP That Changed Everything
Most people call it an album, but technically, From the Fires is a "double EP." It’s a bit of a weird hybrid. It took the four tracks from their debut, Black Smoke Rising, and mashed them together with four new recordings.
The strategy was smart. "Highway Tune" had already spent five weeks at the top of the Mainstream Rock charts. By the time the full collection hit shelves on November 10, 2017, the hype was at a fever pitch. The band—consisting of the Kiszka brothers (Josh, Jake, and Sam) and drummer Danny Wagner—was barely out of high school.
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Josh Kiszka’s vocals are the first thing that hits you. It’s that piercing, sky-high howl. Some critics called it a tribute; others, like the folks over at Pitchfork, were way more brutal, basically calling them a "copy of a copy." But the fans? They didn't care. The EP eventually went Gold in the U.S., selling over 500,000 copies. That’s a massive number for a rock band in the streaming era.
Why Greta Van Fleet From the Fires Matters (Even Now)
The production on this record is surprisingly raw. It was recorded at Rust Belt Studios in Detroit with Al Sutton and Marlon Young. They didn't use a lot of digital tricks. They wanted that "punchy" API console sound. You can hear it in the drums on "Safari Song"—they aren't polished to death. They sound like they’re in a room, vibrating the floorboards.
- The Led Zeppelin Elephant in the Room: You can't talk about this record without mentioning Robert Plant. The similarities are undeniable. Josh has even admitted he didn't realize how much he sounded like Plant until people started pointing it out.
- The Covers: They didn't just write original riffs. They included a cover of Sam Cooke’s "A Change Is Gonna Come" and Fairport Convention’s "Meet on the Ledge." These tracks showed they weren't just about loud guitars; they actually understood the soul and folk roots of the music they were playing.
- The Narrative: The title and the cover art come from the Kiszka brothers' summers at Yankee Springs. They’d sit around campfires, telling stories and playing music. It’s a bit "flower power," sure, but it felt authentic to them.
The Grammy Win That Pissed People Off
In 2019, From the Fires won the Grammy for Best Rock Album.
Think about that for a second. They beat out veterans like Alice in Chains and Fall Out Boy. They even beat Ghost. For the "rock is dead" crowd, this was proof of life. For the critics who valued "innovation" above all else, it was a slap in the face.
The industry was basically rewarding a band for sounding like the 70s. But looking back, maybe that’s exactly what the genre needed at the time. It was a jolt of energy. It proved that young kids still wanted to pick up Gibsons and scream their lungs out.
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What Most People Get Wrong
A big misconception is that the band is just a corporate product. If you look at the recording process, it was actually pretty DIY. They refused to "update" their sound despite pressure. They used old-school gear. They tracked a lot of the backing parts live in the studio with no click track. That "natural" feel is why the songs have that specific swing.
"Edge of Darkness" is a great example. It’s a sprawling track that lets Jake Kiszka just go off on the guitar. It’s not "radio-friendly" in the modern sense. It’s long, it’s moody, and it’s unapologetically blues-heavy.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Listen
If you're revisiting the record or diving in for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
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- Listen for the Bass: Everyone focuses on the vocals, but Sam Kiszka’s bass lines on "Talk on the Street" are incredible. He’s often playing the organ and bass pedals at the same time during live shows, which is a wild feat of coordination.
- Compare the Covers: Listen to the original Sam Cooke version of "A Change Is Gonna Come" and then Greta's version. You’ll notice how they shifted it from a gospel-orchestral vibe to a heavy blues-rock ballad.
- Check the Gear: If you're a guitar nerd, Jake’s tone on "Highway Tune" is a masterclass in using a Gibson SG and a Marshall amp. No fancy pedals, just pure gain and technique.
- Ignore the Reviews: Seriously. This is one of those albums where you have to trust your ears. If it makes you want to drive fast or air-guitar in your kitchen, then it's doing its job.
The band has moved on since then. Their later albums like The Battle at Garden's Gate got much more "prog" and cinematic. But From the Fires remains that raw, lightning-in-a-bottle moment. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't original, but it was loud. Sometimes, in rock and roll, that's more than enough.