2025 Wrap Up Part One!

I have to admit that I've been pretty negligent with my New Releases articles, as my Top 5 lists took up a lot more of my time than I anticipated.  However, I did want to at least go over some new albums, so I've got this handful plus one more group before I figure out my Top 5 list for 2025.  This is much more metal focused (I'll get to rock in the next one), so for now, here's what I've been headbanging to lately!

Sabaton - Legends

After completing a pair of albums based on World War I, the band decided to break away from album-long themes in favor of just writing a bunch of songs about various heroes and moments in military history, ranging from ancient Egypt to Napoleonic France, with a few trips to East Asia for good measure.  While I did find their last album to be a little lackluster, I think these topics have revived the band a little, as there are quite a few good songs here.

As for their style, it's Sabaton doing what they've been doing for nearly two decades now: bombastic heavy/power metal, though this time I did notice an increase in synthesizers (and not just orchestrations), which was interesting.  They rarely take center stage, but do feature on most of the songs, which is a little unusual for them (or maybe I hadn't noticed them before).  However, all the sounds you expect are here.  Joakim Brodén's baritone voice dominates the album, giving the lyrics plenty of gravitas, and the rest of the band stays tight to the song, as they do little beyond their  solid songwriting formula.

This time around, I really enjoyed the faster songs, like "Hordes of Khan," "Maid of Steel," and "The Duelist," though they still have some solid mid-tempo stompers with tracks "A Tiger Among Dragons" and "Crossing the Rubicon."  The rest of the tracks are decent as well, if pretty standard fare for the band.  In the end, though, it's Sabaton doing what they do best, with a bit of extra flair that I think makes it stronger than some of their other albums.

Cristiano Filippini's Flames of Heaven - Symphony of the Universe

I checked out their debut album a few years ago and found it to be pleasant, but not an amazing listen.  However, their line-up stayed together, and now they've released another bombastic batch of symphonic power metal.  Not much has changed in five years, as they still have their blend of shreddy guitars, soaring vocals, and layered keys, providing both orchestrations and 80s synths.  Once again, I thought of Rhapsody of Fire, Beast in Black, and Sonata Arctica (especially their excellent first album), and they do a good job of blending those styles together.  The lyrics remain as melodramatic as before, being both fantastical and sentimental, and there are a number of longer songs on this one, with four of them going over six minutes in length.  However, I do think the songs lean more into AOR territory than they did on the first album, but considering their sound, that isn't much of a stretch, really.

Naturally, I was drawn to the faster songs, like the opener "On the Wings of the Phoenix" and "The Power Stars," though they often had some interesting shifts for the bridge, providing a touch of prog.  From the mid-tempo songs, I think "A Flame from the Sky" is the best one, as it has some anthemic qualities.  The rest of the songs were fine, largely held together by the consistent, lush production, and the album does a better job than their debut at maintaining its energy to the end.  Not amazing, but pleasant.

The Rods - Wild Dogs Unchained

When I checked their album for 2024, it was really the first time I had given them a shot, finding it to be a solid collection of straight-ahead, no-frills metal.  However, their discography seemed to show some pretty large breaks between albums, so I was surprised to see that they'd cranked out another one so quickly!  Apparently inspired by one of their albums from the 80s, this one is just business as usual for the old veterans.

Once again, this is cruise control metal, as things mostly stay in the mid-tempo range and rock along without too much to shake things up.  There is a few more synths than just the Purple-style organs, especially on the dynamic "Tears of the Innocent," but otherwise, this just plods along, providing decent riffs and hooks to headbang along to.  The energy does pick up a little with the title track, "Time to Rock," and "Make Me a Believer," where the band comes alive, at least for a little while.  I do enjoy this band, but compared to the likes of Judas Priest, Saxon, and Accept, who are still dominating the traditional metal space these days, this band really struggles to compete.  There's nothing wrong with "rocking it old school," but aside from their retro charm and confidence, The Rods aren't really doing a whole lot that helps them stand out.

Majestica - Power Train

After Tommy Johansson left Sabaton, he turned his attention back to his own band Majestica.  Once known as ReinXeed, this band his been Tommy's personal band since the early 2000s.  Five years ago, he orchestrated a rather clever concept album, telling the story of A Christmas Carol with Christmas carols.  This time there is no concept, just a set of very fun power metal songs!

While there are obvious comparisons to recent power metal, such as Sabaton, Twilight Force, and Beast in Black, I think what makes this album work is that it draws upon the uplifting attitude and whimsy of Helloween.  Things kick off with the title track, which is such a refreshing, high-speed blast of joy.  Sure, it's a little cheesy, but the cheerful attitude is pretty infectious, and I found I was smiling through a lot of it, and that feeling carried through the rest of the album.  Some of the songs are more story-based, but they never drop the ball, carrying the same energy as the other tracks.  All of this is performed with gusto, as Tommy and his buddies are tight and majestic as ever.

I actually feel pretty bad for sleeping on this album for so long, as it came out back in February!  This feels like a love letter to power metal in general, with "Megatrue" being full of HammerFall references as the most obvious in that tone.  "No Pain, No Gain" is probably the most empowering song I've heard in a while, and "Thunder Power" is a nice blast to the face.  However, the closer "Alliance Anthem" had such strong classic-era Stratovarius vibe that I nearly jumped out of my chair listening to it!  This is going to give both Helloween and Primal Fear some serious competition when I consider my Top 5 for 2025!

Last Played - June 2022!

Sorry for the lack of content.  Been busy with other things lately, so I haven't been as focused on listening to new stuff.  However, I did squeeze in these three, which are a solid trio of albums.  Here's what I've been checking out lately!

Hardline - Double Eclipse

While I've enjoyed a few of Hardline's more recent songs, I've heard that their debut album is a classic hard rock gem that came out at a time when that style was getting pushed to the curb.  Featuring Neal Schon of Journey (while they were on hiatus), and Dean Castronovo, who would later join Journey and be on plenty of modern AOR bands, this certainly has the credentials, and songs are exactly what I expected.

Right off, the first thing I noticed was the massive production.  This is stadium-ready rock right out of the gate.  The guitars are massive and crunchy, and Johnny Gioeli's vocals soar over everything with gusto.  The songs seem to drift back and forth between Whitesnake-style pop metal and the AOR style the band would become better known for these days.  It also finds a decent balance between hard rockers and epic ballads.  The lyrics are a little cheesy, but it fits right in with contemporaries like Steelheart and Slaughter.

However, Hardline got dropped by their label after this and wouldn't come back together for ten years with nearly a new lineup, but I know the 90s were pretty hard on bands like this.  It's also interesting to hear Neal Schon do something heavier than what I'm used to hearing from him.  The songs that stood out to me the most were "Rhythm from a Red Car," "Everything," and the Japanese exclusive track "Love Leads the Way," which is probably my favorite.  With big, rocking tracks like these, I can see why this album would have been a gem for those trying to find melodic rock in the grunge era.

Cristiano Filippini's Flames of Heaven - The Force Within

Back in November of 2020, I checked out two songs from this group and thought they were some decent symphonic power metal.  The name stuck with me, though, and this month I thought I'd finally go back and give their entire album a chance.  Feeling like a sonic mix of Rhapsody of Fire, Beast in Black, and Sonata Arctica, the album starts with a lot of energy, but seems to lose a lot of that drive towards the end.

The production really stands out here, going for this lush, layered, wall-of-sound style that really goes as epic as it can, making it easily comparable to Rhapsody of Fire.  Songs like "We Fight for Eternity" and "Far Away" are solid examples of the symphonic side of the band.  The lyrics are also reminiscent of their fellow Italians, as it's full of fantasy themes and personal stakes.  However, in the midst of all the orchestrations, there seems to be an emphasis on 80s synths, a la Beast in Black, including some solos!  Tracks "Against the Hellfire," "Dying for Love," and "Moonlight Phantom" are good examples of this sound.  Finally, vocalist Marco Pastorino seems to be an Italian Tony Kakko, giving these cheesy lyrics a strong sense of authority with his performative style.  The album's ballads "Always With You," "Finding Yourself," and "Missing You" show some strong Sonata Arctica influences as well.  And where is the titular Cristiano Filippini?  While I think most of his work is in the orchestrations, there are some nice melodic guitar solos throughout the album.  I get the impression that he probably a quite capable shredder, but instead he goes for more of an emotional, melodic approach most of the time, which I thought fit the songs quite well.

Describing all of this may seem like the album is rather all over the place, and it certainly has a lot of dynamics over its runtime.  However, the production keeps things pretty consistent in tone, so nothing felt out of place.  My favorite track has to be "Lightning in the Night," because I feel like it's the one that blends the different styles together for a great power metal epic.  Unfortunately, it's sandwiched by a pair of ballads, and the rest of the album doesn't have quite that same energy towards the end.  Still, I think this was a pretty solid listen, overall, and I would certainly want to check out any more from this project, if they decide to make a follow up to this.

Seven Planets - Seven Planets

After enjoying their debut album last year, I thought I'd take some time and listen to the second album Seven Planets had to offer.  Once again, we're back into that classic instrumental jazzy blues-rock, where there is plenty of licks and drum fills.  However, this album certainly sees an increase in the psychedelic side of things.

Probably the biggest difference is the amount of effects on the guitars to really let them drift in and out of the song.  While the fun licks are still here, the guitars are much more atmospheric than before.  Nowhere is that more prevalent than on the 10 minute epic "Objects in Space."  This one really takes the listener on a journey, with some nice builds and breakdowns that flow well.  In fact, flow is probably the highlight of the entire album, as the songs just kinda drift through the mind with ease.

Not to say that the album is forgettable by any means; there are plenty of solid riffs and melodies to be found here.  Stand out tracks for me were the epic "Objects in Space," "Lamont Starfield" with it's harder rock riffing, and "9th Time," which starts kinda mellow, but builds up pretty well, ending with a lot of good energy.  The whole album is just so jammy, though, that it feels like it washes over the mind, like a soothing bath.  I do think this is an improvement over the first album, though, as the guitar effects help to establish a solid, spacey atmosphere that I enjoyed quite a bit.

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I think, for the forseeable future, I'm going to shift my schedule slightly.  My goal now is to try and do three articles a month: a Last Played, an Anniversary Series, and a New Videos.  I don't mean to make excuses, but right now, I've got some other concerns that are taking priority.  Still, I don't plan to quit by any means; I still have plenty of things I'm looking forward to talking about!  So things might slow down a bit, but I'm still marching forward.  Next will be the Anniversary Series article for 1992, so look forward to that!  Until then, rock ! \m/

New Videos - November 2020 Part Two!

Well, I hope you had as good of a Thanksgiving as I did, especially one that rocks this hard.  Here's another bunch of new videos from all kinds of bands to help you stay awake through the holidays!

After Walk the Sky blew me away earlier this year, the band has been busy on a new track that they're releasing, along with a bunch of live tracks, in an EP they're calling Walk the Sky 2.0.  This is the new track, and it's heavy.  One of their grittier ones for sure, but very solid and very much in their style.  Great work!

It's hard to go wrong with Iron Savior, I feel.  While, this song is not as strong as the first single, it's pretty solid, straight-forward heavy/power metal.  Sielck still sound great, though, finding that middle point between Kürsch and Dirkschneider.  The album drops next month, and I'm really looking forward to it!

Dee Snider's last solo album was quite the barn burner, and this extra track from a recent live album is much very much in that same gritty, crunchy vein.  I'm really curious to see if he will continue on this path he started 3 years ago, because it could lead to some more great metal.

Inglorious is a band with a really solid blues-rock sound that feels classic without really sounding like anyone specific.  Maybe Whitesnake?  I've liked their stuff before, and this new one has their style in spades.  Nice, crunchy guitars and Nathan James just wailing like a champ over it all.

While I wasn't that impressed with their debut album, I never doubted the talent of these guys, and just from this song, I think there's promise.  There's more energy, and Trewavas gets to do some nice bass lines.  Not sure how I feel about the two different album versions, but the music at least sounds promising.

Another solid power metal track from these guys, though this one makes me think of Sonata Arctica, with the layered keyboards and a tempo that isn't fast or mid-tempo.  While like the last one, I'm not blown away exactly, but it has solid riffs and melodies, and Marco Pastorino brings a lot of confidence to the song.

New Videos - November 2020!

More videos!  The good stuff just never seems to stop coming out.  Here's another handful as we get into November, featuring a good mix of styles.  Turn it up!

Yup, another one from Spirit Adrift.  This one starts off with a kind of bluesy groove, thanks to the bass, before going into a stompy doom/heavy metal track.  I really liked the little licks the guitarists played here and there.  I clearly need to give this album a listen because I'm liking everything I'm hearing from it.

This is a completely new group, offering up some symphonic power metal, much in the vein of later Kamelot or Serenity.  The band name is a bit of a mouthful, but Marco Pastorino's vocals really soar over everything.  Perhaps not a great track, but certainly shows promise.

Black Stone Cherry is another one of those groups that I keep seeing around, but just haven't gotten to.  Here, they have a kind of southern-fried post-grunge, making for a solid rock, short, effective rock song.  I know I've been wanting to dig into these guys for a while, and I suppose now is better than never.

I've always been a fan of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and that Twisted Sister Christmas album, so the opportunity for a new Christmas metal album appeals.  Of course, there's a chance it could be bad, but this certainly isn't!  Giving some classic carols a symphonic power metal boost, this one is right for the season!

I've been listening to a few tracks from these guys, and they seem to be proggy power metal in the vein of Kamelot and Angra.  The riffs certainly have a more technical feel, but singer Vasilis Georgiou is definitely channeling Roy Khan for some dramatic heft.  Neat stuff!

Vanden Plas may have a style they stick to, but I can't deny that they know how to work it.  Melodic prog metal is a style that's been working for them for years, and it works again here on this one.  Always such a good balance between being crunchy, epic, technical, and soaring.