Retro Reviews - December 2025!

So I'm definitely cutting it fine, but I've had some busy weeks.  However, I think I'll be able to squeeze in a few more articles before the end of the year.  Let's get things rolling with a handful from 2015 in anticipation of my Top 5 article for that year.  I don't know if any of these are guaranteed make it, but I think they all have a decent chance.

Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall - Kingdom of Rock

After listening to his work in Primal Fear, The Ferryman, and his previous Free Fall album, I'm getting a pretty good idea of what to expect from Magnus now.  His follow up here is honestly more of the same symphonic rock and metal, featuring another great line up of guest singers.

As always, the production is the real star here.  All of these songs are very lush, layering the guitars and synthesized strings very well to sound like an epic orchestra, with plenty of slick guitar licks and solos throughout.  Once again, I feel like the songs are hampered by some generic lyrics, but Magnus and his guests are game, giving good performances, making the songs pleasant to listen to, making the album feel more like a showcase for the singers, most of which are on Frontiers Records as well.  There are times where I wish the song would push a little further or shift into some kind of power metal, but most of the time, the songs are often content to stick with mid-tempo rhythms, likely to give the layers and guitars space to breath.  "Another Life" does mix things up a little, starting with a nearly folky vibe before shifting into some bluesy metal, but otherwise it's pretty similar stuff across the board.

This is by no means a bad album, but it is kind of a forgettable one.  Things start of well with Jorn Lande singing the title track, and I did like "When the Sky Falls" with Tony Martin for being a little more Dio-like.  Of the albums more AOR-styled songs, "Never Look Away" stood out, featuring Tony Harnell of TNT.  While I enjoyed what I heard, with all the songs getting me to headbang along, but in the end, I can't shake the feeling I've heard all this before.  Fans of Karlsson's guitar work (and symphonic metal) will find plenty to like, but don't expect this to blow your mind.

Crypt Sermon - Out of the Garden

After enjoying their most recent album, I thought I'd dig back into their catalog and check out their debut, as these Top 5 articles gave me the ideal opportunity to do so.  Here, the band is definitely more basic in their doom metal style, sticking to sounds like Dio-era Sabbath and early Candlemass, but fortunately the execution makes the difference here.

To be honest, there isn't anything here that hasn't been done before, but like I said, the quality of how they play it is what matters.  Once again Brooks Wilson wails and croons, and the rest of the band backs him up with some solid atmosphere.  Enrique Sagarnaga pounds the crap out of his drums, even getting a little jazzy here and there with his fills and rhythms.  The lyrics are more Biblical in nature, but never feel preachy, instead often going for this haunted, wandering tone, like a journey to seek answers that never really ends.  

There are a few shake ups, mostly with tempo changes.  "Heavy Riders" really goes back and forth with its tempo, leaning more Dio-Sabbath, while "Into the Holy of Holies" reaches a classic metal tempo and has some very shreddy solos.  Otherwise, it's just some well-played doom with solid atmosphere, plenty of decent riffs, and a good, introspective tone that's reaching for more.  I don't know if it necessarily stands out in its genre, but remains a good foundation as a debut album and certainly worth the listen.

Find Me - Dark Angel

Once again, I'm filling in another 2015 gap with this one.  I've enjoyed this band in the past and this album really is more of the same, solid, slick early 80s melodic rock with modern production.  Things start off well with "Nowhere to Hide," bring that slick AOR energy right off the bat, and the album doesn't really deviate from it.  Another stand out is "Bleed in the Rain," which has more of a pop vibe, like it came from an 80s movie, and the last two tracks "Did You Feel Any Love" and "I'm Free" close things out with some good upbeat rock.  As usual, it's hard to really say much about the music when it's doing exactly what it needs to.  I don't know if this will blow anyone's mind, but those looking for another chunk of quality melodic rock will find plenty to like here.  

Sorcerer - In the Shadow of the Inverted Cross

Here's another slab of doom metal!  Despite having started in the 80s, this 2015 release would be Sorcerer's first full length album, as the band had recorded a few demos, then went on a massive hiatus.  After enjoying their other three albums, I went into this one with some decently high expectations and they were well met!

This is probably the closest album to Lamenting of the Innocent in terms of being more on the doom metal side rather than the classic metal side.  Plodding tempos, thick riffs, Kristian Niemann and Peter Hallgren lightning-style shredding, and Anders Engberg's soaring vocals are all here, establishing a solid atmosphere throughout the album.  "Sumerian Script" and "Lake of the Lost Souls" are a solid pair of slow-churning doom metal, but then "Exorcise the Demon" and "The Gates of Hell" shake things up with some very NWOBHM-style uptempo energy, full of neat guitar licks and noodles.  After that, it's back to some excellent doom, with "Prayers for a King" really standing out!

It's not quite as strong as Lamenting (though it comes quite close), but between the solid, clean production, the excellent songwriting, and the great story-telling in the lyrics, this will place pretty high on the Top 5 article I'm working on after this.  While the Crypt Sermon album was decent enough, what Sorcerer does here is my idea of what good epic doom is like.  Candlemass may have been doing it longer, but these guys are right up there with them in quality, in my opinion.

Atomic Symphony - Redemption

For the last one of this article, I'm reaching back once again to a debut album of a band I've enjoyed before.  Their two later albums were some pretty impressive, if moody, symphonic prog metal, powered by the iconic alto voice of Jasmin Baggenstos, and it seems their debut is where they started their particular sound.

The first thing I noticed was that the production was a little clunky, but as this was an independent release, that can be forgiven, and it's not really a deal breaker, once you get into the album.  The songs themselves have a strong story-telling focus, as each one has a tale to tell.  In fact, a reference to Nemesis makes wonder if some of the songs are part of the bigger concept they used for their other two albums (which I never did figure out).  There's plenty of proggy elements, which sections featuring some mixed meter or noodly riffs and transitions, but I get the feeling the songs aren't as complex here as they are on other albums.  Jasmin sounds great, though, and guitarist Roberto Barlocci really gives his fretboard a work out with plenty of shredding solos and complex neo-classical runs.

It's pretty much the same as their later albums, but with a bit less polish.  "Abyss" shows their unique blend of prog and symphonic metal, and "Breathing Rage" really works those neo-classical elements.  "Fate of the Gods" is their most chaotic song, the instrumental track "Delusive Dreams" as an interesting jam, mixing in some rockin' energy with their orchestrations and noodling, and the 9-minute "Shattered" makes for a decent closer.  I can see more hardcore progheads finding this album a little underwhelming, but overall, I enjoyed most of it, and see it as a solid start to what I think is a pretty unique band in the prog metal space.

Last Played - December 2023!

Wow, December disappeared in a hurry!  I admit I didn't get to all the albums I had hoped to, but I was able to check out a few different ones, mostly albums with a lot of epic pretentions (not that that's a bad thing!).  I think I'll try to work in a few more before I get to my Top 5, but here are the last few I checked out.

Nospūn - Opus

Building upon the template established by Dream Theater and Haken, this band of prog metallers are starting off at a pretty solid point with their debut Opus, a concept album full of strange imagery and diverse musical sequences.  At first, it feels like it might be a bit too much, but the songwriting just keeps it together enough to make the album feel whole and complete.

Starting at a house with many tenants, a young man sees a tragedy that causes him to become more and more reclusive over time, focusing on his musical masterpiece.  However, he ends up shutting the world out, and many years later, tries to use time travel to complete his work.  Instead, he ends up in a time loop where another version of himself tells him to leave his work behind and instead go back to prevent that initial tragedy and learn how to work with the world instead of avoiding it.  I admit I had to do some digging to get all these details out, as upon first listen, I was expecting something a little more metaphorical.  Nevertheless, it serves as a unique idea to hang these songs on, featuring plenty of time signature and tempo changes to match the freewheeling tone of the story.

Those entrenched in contemporary prog metal probably won't find anything particularly new or innovative, but the execution of the ideas is certainly top notch, as these players are very in-sync with each other for their performances.  There's plenty of shifts and changes, but none of it feels too jarring, and even becomes uplifting at times, especially with the grand, triumphant conclusion.  The songs that stood out to me included the theatrical "Death of Simpson," the quirky single "Earwyrm," and the classically proggy instrumental "4D Printing."  I'm probably going to have to give this one a few more spins before I can really wrap my head around it, but this might be the prog metal album of the year, and I know I'm not alone in thinking that.

Atomic Symphony - Nemesis

After enjoying their last release, I was surprised to see them come out with another so quickly.  However, I didn't jump on it until now, only to discover that the band is on hiatus for the forseeable future.  Hopefully, they find the time to come back together, as I do think they've carved a unique niche in the prog metal space for themselves.

Right off, they carry on with their dynamic riffing and symphonic wall of sound, and prog metal fans will be right at home with the quirky rhythms and proggy jams scatter throughout.  However, compared to Hybris, this one is a darker, slower, more melodramatic flair, trading in some of their adventurous songwriting in favor of more somber storytelling.  Again, I'm not quite sure if this is a concept album or not, but the artwork certainly seems to link it to the previous album, nonetheless.  While the band performs their material well, it's Jasmin Baggenstos who stands again with her iconic alto vocals.  This time around, she seems to have a more soulful approach, especially during the softer jazzy sections.  

The album is also on the shorter side, barely clocking at 36 minutes, and yet, it feels about right, as there really isn't any padding or any ideas that feel undercooked.  While all the songs keep a steady, mid-tempo vibe, they create a great sense of atmosphere, as this album feels much more cohesive and whole.  "Phoenix" does bring in some good energy in the middle, but otherwise, it's a dark tale that winds its way to its somber conclusion.  While I do think I like Hibris a bit more, as it is more lively, this is still some solid progressive metal from a band that probably didn't get much attention.  I'll have to check out their debut at some point to round out their discography, and if it's as good as their other two, it will be worth the listen.

Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold

I know hype can be a dangerous thing, but when this album was suddenly getting good reviews saying it's the best power metal album of the year, I certainly raised an eyebrow in curiosity.  It's not often that the genre gets attention from the more mainstream metal press like that, so I decided to check it out.  While it certainly tells an epic tale, I think this is some pretty standard power metal.

I was first surprised to discover that Daniel Heiman of Warrior Path was the singer for this band as well, providing his epic vocals and wails.  However, despite him being the only member to be in both bands, this album shares a lot with Warrior Path's sound, going for big riffs and epic story-telling.  The major difference is the lush production, with plenty of synthesized strings and choirs to help fill the wall of sound.  They also bring over some of their clunky songwriting, often shifting from mood to mood, and I noticed that there really weren't many choruses on these songs.  This brings the focus to the story that's being told across the album, which is a dark fantasy tale about the titular towers promising wealth and knowledge to whoever can find them, if they can make the journey unscathed.

For what it's worth, I did go into the album with a measure of caution, as I know the dangers of being overhyped for something, so I don't want to say I was let down by any means.  I'm just surprised that so many think this is some kind of revelatory album, considering that Warrior Path was doing much of the same thing two years ago..  I don't know if much really stood out, though I'm glad to say that the 15 minute title track was pretty good (as sometimes those can be a gamble).  In the end, this is just a very solid power metal album with an epic tale to tell, plenty of good riffs and solos courtesy of Steve Lado, and the epic singing of Daniel Heiman.  While I've certainly heard worse, I don't know if this has what it takes to be in my Top 5.  (We'll have to see.)

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With the end of the year, it's time to wrap things up.  I'll probably do a few more articles in January to take care of things (including my Top 5 of the year!), and then it will be time for another year of rock and metal!  I'm thinking about changing up my formulas a little, but those details will come later. For now, I hope we've had a good and safe holiday season, so that we can reflect on all the great music we've enjoyed.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - December 2022 Part Two!

If there are subgenres that I should be discussing more on this blog, it's progressive rock and metal.  As much as I like those genres, it seems to slip through the cracks.  To make up for it, I've decided that this next article will feature four current prog-related releases!  (And it also helps that I've been pretty interested in these albums, anyways.)  So let's kick back and appreciate some prog!

Beriedir - AQVA

This album came out early in the year, and I saw a video or two, but it didn't catch my attention right away.  However, as I caught another video, I decided to put this on the list of titles to review for the year, and I'm rather glad for it.  Finding an interesting spot between progressive and power metal, Berieder has provide a fascinating set of songs that make the most of their lush sound.

Initial impressions made me think of bands like Angra, Darkwater, and Evergrey.  However, the vocal harmonies make me think of Tyr, of all things.  In any case, we're definitely in quite some melodic territory that isn't afraid to shift around and build up layers of sound.  At first, things start in more of a power metal vibe, but as the album goes on, the proggy elements start showing up more and more.  While I don't think it's a concept album, most of the songs deal with water and weather, giving the album a strong sense of flow.  The middle has three songs that really stood out to me, "The Angel in the Lighthouse," "The Drowned," and "Stormbound," which I feel bring their different ideas together in a fascinating way, between all the proggy transitions and crunchy riffs.  There is also quite a bit of keyboard synthesizers on the album, often carrying the intro melody into the song, and featuring more noodly solos, which is interesting as they are credited to the vocalist Stefano Nusperli.  It would be interesting to see him do both the keyboards and the high wailing vocals in a live setting.

However, not all of it works.  Some of the lyrics can be a little on the clunky side, and some of the later songs feel a little weak.  "Arkangelos" goes for this mini-epic, but the chorus feels strangely static and uninspired compared to everything else, and "Of Dew and Frost" has more of a melodic rock vibe, despite its strangely dark lyrics, making for a messy fusion.  That being said, the album does end with "Moonlight Requiem," which provides a solid, power metal style closer.  Overall, it was a pretty good listen, and I think this one my grow on me the more time I give it.

Arc of Life - Don't Look Down

When I first heard about the existence of this band, I was pretty excited, so when their debut album came out, and it ended up being a weird blend of prog with AOR melodic rock, with a messy production that blended too much together, I was pretty let down.  I also assumed that this was going to be a one-off project, so when a follow up album was announced, I was certainly confused.  However, after the lead single seemed to show signs of improvement, I figured I should check how the rest of the album sounds.  While some of the song-writing problems remain, I do think this is a step up for the band.

Right off, the production is definitely better, and I'm able to really hear guitarist Jimmy Haun's and keyboardist Dave Kerzner's contributions.  While we still have Billy Sherwood's warm, lush soundscapes, the pieces feel more distinct and easier to hear.  However, the songwriting remains as loose as ever, with some songs feeling a little too busy, as if all their ideas are competing for space.  The opener "Real Time World" definitely has this problem as it shifts from idea to idea rather suddenly, making it difficult to grasp what the song is trying to do.  "Colors Come Alive" also has this problem, despite some interesting guitar work.  Some of the songs also feel long for the sake of long, with "Don't Look Down" being a track that could have been better if it were a minute or two shorter.  Speaking of song length, this album definitely leans into prog territory, as the pieces really wind around their chaotic ideas.  Most notably is the epic closer "Arc of Life," clocking in at nearly 18 minutes, and for what it's worth, is probably the best track on the album.  It doesn't seem as impatient as the others, letting their ideas flourish a little more and giving the performers more opportunities to express themselves.  I also liked "Let Live," as it has some solid basslines, though the chorus is a little jarring.

While I don't think they've quite reached their full potential, what I'm hearing is a band that is progressing forward.  It feels like they're trying to fuse elements of Tales of Topographic Oceans, Big Generator, and Open Your Eyes onto one album, with some pretty mixed results.  However, I can't help but wonder if their material wouldn't sound better live, without all the production's reverb, as it would give the band members the opportunity to really gel their sound together more naturally.  Still, the album does have a good sense of atmosphere, and is probably worth a listen or two for classic prog rock fans.

Borealis - Illusions

So what if Russell Allen sang for Evergrey, but then they added a ton of epic symphonic flourish?  This seems to be the sound Borealis is going for, and I can't deny that I like it quite a bit.  Between the chuggy riffing, catchy choruses, and lush orchestrations, this album goes big and largely succeeds.

The production is incredible, letting the heavy parts be heavy and allowing the lighter parts to stand out.  It feels like they picked up someone from Epic Music World to provide some incredibly epic strings and horns to back these songs with astounding power.  They also have nice little touches, like the occasional flute or violin providing a melody, and plenty of female vocals to wordlessly blend into the wall of sound.  The guitars really have a great tone, going back and forth between some very chunky riffing and great, melodic guitar solos.  Matt Marinelli vocals soar over all of this, not only magnifying the songs' energy, but giving them great emotional depth and weight.  Lynsey Ward comes in a few times as a guest vocalist and does a great job as well, often as vocal counter-point.  Stand out songs for me were "Ashes Turn to Rain," "Pray For Water," "Light of the Sun," and the epic closer "The Phantom Silence," bringing all their ideas together in one ten-minute monster that explores their dynamics quite fully.  Epic really is the best word for it all, and they do it very well.

If there is a problem, it's that it does occupy a very specific sonic space for pretty much the entire run-time, and so some people might feel that all this bombast might wear them down.  They do try to mix it up with some slower songs, like "Face of Reality" and "Abandon All Hope," and they even try a song without any guitars at all in "Burning Tears," but it still maintains the high drama throughout.  However, I love how epic they are willing to go with their sound.  I gotta be honest: this is probably going to end up in my Top 5 for the year.  If you're looking for epic, dramatic, symphonic metal with a few proggy touches and some heavy riffing, you'd be hard pressed to find anything better than Illusions for 2022.

Atomic Symphony - Hybris

When I first came across this group of Swiss prog metallers, I was initially impressed with Jasmin Baggenstos's vocals, as her alto voice was pretty unique, giving the band a different kind of richness to the layers going on.  After hearing their new album, there certainly is a lot more of that, as they provide a very fascinating, eclectic listen.

Initial impressions make me think of bands like Haken or Symphony X (though without the latter's neo-classical flair).  Aside from the vocalist, the heavy riffs are what set this band apart, as Roberto Barlocci and Thomas Spoegler have some pretty groovy riffs for their material, chugging and stabbing their way through these songs.  The symphonic elements are more subdued than other symphonic metal releases I've heard, but keyboardist Carlo Beltrame also brings out some interesting synth sounds and solos, sometimes in the atonal vein of Keith Emerson.  And Jasmin is definitely doing some great vocal work, shifting her tone from mysterious to melodramatic to aggressive in order to match the tone of the song, and yet it all sounds perfectly natural.  She also gets a few opportunities to hold some long notes, adding to the epicness, soaring over all the gritty, syncopated riffing and orchestral ambience.

I do wonder if the mixing is a little uneven, as some of the symphonic elements get buried under the crushing rhythms.  Another thing is that the songs lead into each other, making it feel like one album-long 40 minute epic, and maybe that's deliberate.  I'm not sure if this is a concept album or not, but it really does stick to its proggy, angular sound all the way through, making the tracks feel a little indistinct from each other.  That being said, it's some pretty fascinating stuff, with stand outs including the epic middle-piece "Oath Taker," as it takes the listener on quite the journey, and the title track and "Chimera" offering more accessible pieces while still providing plenty of interesting riffing and style changes for prog fans to sink their teeth into.  This album is definitely the proggiest material of this article, and it's probably going to take me a few more listens to really unpack all that's here, but I do think my expectations were met pretty well.

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Well, that was a lot of fun!  I know I like prog, but it does take more time to really let it all sink in, and I'm not always in the right mood for it.  Grabbing some power metal or AOR is so much easier!  Still, I think I've had a great opportunity to hear some pretty different and unique songs, and that's what prog is generally great at.

Kinda crazy that we're already here at the end of 2022!  I've got two more articles I want to try and push through before the end of the year (we'll see how that goes), and then we begin a new year!  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - July 2022!

I'm not sure what's hotter: the ridiculous temperatures we've been feeling this summer or these new releases!  Okay, that was a silly opening line, but this is a very good list of videos here for July.  Lots of symphonic and power metal this time, and even a few fusions of both.  Turn this stuff up, because it's more epic that way!

Let's start with how the last New Videos article ended: with some new Hammer King!  As expected, it doesn't rewrite the book in any way, but maintains a solid anthemic style, with a catchy chorus, and some nice riffing.  Definitely looking forward to more when the album comes out next month!

This was a bolt out of the blue!  While the first Allen/Olzon album was a lot of fun, one can never tell if these kind of projects will continue or just be a one off, so I'm happy to see these two coming together for another slab of sentimental symphonic metal!  This one has some pretty aggressive riffing to start, but it serves to balance out the orchestral flourishes quite well.

More symphonic metal!  However, these Swiss musicians are certainly more of a prog metal band than anything else.  While it features the expected musicality and shifts in tone, the big thing that stands out to me is Jasmin Baggenstos' alto vocals, which don't often come up in female-fronted bands, but she sounds great!

The second single for Dragonland's new album serves another great course of symphonic power metal!  The high-speed shredding and keyboard solos remain a staple for this band, and I'm here for it.  Here's hoping the rest of the album is this good!

Another second single, this time from SheWolf.  While the first one was more power metal, this one feels more like symphonic metal.  However, it's still pretty epic and uplifting, and her voice really matches the material, making for a solid piece of melodic metal.

Still catching up with yet another second single, Fallen Sanctuary is some pretty classic power metal, which is my favorite kind!  This song makes me think of Freedom Call, actually, with its freeflowing, cheerful vibe.  Very catchy and fun!