Retro Reviews - September 2026!!

Parts of my life are changing, so my article production has crawled to a snail's pace, unfortunately.  I'm hoping that as I get into this new routine, I can get back into the swing of things.  In the meantime, I've finally gotten around to these four from 1991.  They're a curious collection of albums, full of interesting ideas with some curious execution.  Still, here's what I got around to in the past month, so let's get into it!

Metal Church - The Human Factor

I know I've talked a lot about Metal Church on this blog, but I haven't reviewed any of their albums, so let's fix that right away!  I love their first two albums, but I've always struggled with their third Blessing in Disguise.  Mike Howe is a great singer, but the songwriting always felt a little off to me for some reason.  They're not bad songs, but they've never really clicked with me, either.  Still, it ended up being their most successful album so far, so with the same lineup, they charged ahead into their fourth album.

Right off the bat, they come out swinging with the title track, a cry for more humanity in music and performance (a surprisingly prescient topic these days).  The rest of the album matches that intensity, as the band is really bearing their heart to the world, digging into social and political issues.  This leads to some pretty aggressive songwriting as they express their anger, but it also makes the songs feel very wordy and long, as they have a lot to say about each topic.  The performances are top notch, with plenty of chunky riffs and shreddy solos.  Mike Howe remains a great singer, giving each song the right amount of emotion and bite.  This really is the epitome of the melodic thrash sound.

Unfortunately, I'm in the same mood as I am with Blessing in Disguise.  I can recognize there are some good ideas here, but it's not quite clicking overall.   While the former album wandered into some weird proggy digressions, this one seems to be all about frustration without much closure or catharsis.  There aren't any bad songs, but none really stand out to me either.  Perhaps this one will grow on me as I continue to revisit it, but for now, it's decent, but not really amazing.

Cirith Ungol - Paradise Lost

While their last album was an interesting shift, taking out the doomy atmosphere for some more traditional metal energy, it took them five years for the next one to come out.  In that time, they replaced their guitarist and bassist, which pushed their sound closer to US power metal.

Once again, the production is very clean, and the riffing very traditional metal with a lot of 80s swagger.  However, it also means that the sound has shifted away from what they were doing before, with Tom Baker's iconic wailing being the only thing that reminds you that this is Cirith Ungol.  He even sings on a few tracks, like the opener "Join the Legion" and "Go It Alone," which has a very pop metal feel to it, like it was meant to be a single.  Another upbeat song "Heaven Help Us," an environmental call for help, features Robert L. Warrenburg on vocals, nearly replacing Baker.  It's not a bad song, but it barely feels like it should be on an Cirith Ungol album at all!

Other songs are a bit of a mixed bag.  Their cover of Arthur Brown's "Fire" isn't bad, but "The Troll" has some very strange, dissonant melodies.  Fortunately, the end of the album brings back some of the band's epicness, starting with "Chaos Rising," which is a very good eight-minute number that starts somber before going full chugathon, "Fallen Idols," which features some nice doomy elements, and the title track that closes the album has that Cirith Ungol swagger we all know.

Overall, it's not a bad album, but most of it is a significant departure from everything they've done so far.  Unfortunately, the band would not last long after this, stating that they were not getting support from their label at the time.  While I know they were later reunite, this album is an awkward end to their 80s era.

Conception - The Last Sunset

Originally started as a group of guys covering metal songs for fun, the band evolved into a progressive metal outfit, and to match their new direction, they picked up the iconic singer Roy Khan, who would later be better known for joining Kamelot as they switched to a power metal sound.  As that band got big, Conception ended up becoming a bit of a footnote, despite their success in their home country of Norway.  Now, after being a massive Kamelot fan all these years (especially of the ones with Roy Khan), I am finally digging into these roots to find out where he got his start.

While most websites define them as progressive power metal, they aren't much like what one might think of with that label.  Instead of sounding like Angra or Blind Guardian, they seem to have an 80s speed metal core with various little gimmicks and deviations in each song.  As a consequence, the songwriting sometimes feels a little strange and clunky, but never feels disorienting or alien.  There are a lot of groove-driven songs in 6/8, shifting rhythms and layers around, and there are a handful of thrashy sections as well.  Roy Khan himself is a little stiff, leaning hard into his classical training, but he's still a great singer.  At times it sounds like he's singing for a doom metal band, despite the high-speed shredding going on around him.  The rest of the band is quite good, though, playing through these somewhat complex songs with ease.  Guitarist Tore Østby gets to show off his range of skills, going from somber, acoustic playing to neo-classical exercises, all of which flow well.  The bass and drums of Ingar Amlien and Arve Heimdal are solid, getting to explore a lot of rhythms and change-ups through these songs.

Ultimately, this is a fascinating debut effort, despite some stiffness, as I was never bored listening to it.  "Building a Force" is a solid opener (after the obligatory instrumental track), and "Fairy's Dance" had some interesting back-and-forth between the dark verses and the uplifting chorus.  Some of the tracks do feel a little awkward at times, or just plod along, but the epic closer "Among the Gods" has a lot of theatrical dynamics, going from metal to flamenco and back again.  It's not a great album, but it does a lot well to stand on its own.

Solitude Aeturnus - Into the Depths of Sorrow

Another debut album, this band started when guitarist John Perez was tired of thrash and wanted to do something closer to the likes of Witchfinder General and Saint Vitus.  It took a while, but he finally pulled a band around the name, featuring Robert Lowe on vocals, who I discovered on one of the albums he did with Candlemass.  Eager to dig into some more heavy metal roots, I wanted to give this doom metal band a chance.

Right off, the production is a bit rough.  In an effort to create a wall of sound, they've added just a bit too much reverb, making the music feel a little too mushed together.  The drums in particular sound a little lifeless, especially with the dull thud of the bass drum, which is a shame because John Covington plays very well, adding lots of fills and even getting in a lot of double-kicking on his bass drums, giving these slow songs a unique energy.  John Perez is joined by Edgar Rivera on guitars, and they play with plenty of range: sometimes melodic and haunting, sometimes fast and shreddy.  Robert Lowe vocals don't have his theatrical elements yet, going for a more mystical, moaning style of singing, but it works with the material well enough.  It feels like they have the basics of a solid sound, but they haven't worked out the kinks, and while the songwriting isn't bad, it's clear they haven't quite stepped out of the shadows of their influences quite yet.

It's not a bad debut, but the lack of polish and experience holds this album back from really being great.  The album plods along well enough, though I enjoyed the tempo change-ups in "Destiny Falls to Ruin" and "White Ship" quite a bit.  It's a good starting point, but not really a highlight of the year, or of the doom metal genre.

Top 5 of 1986!!

Once again, I have fallen way behind in my Top 5 lists.  This one was supposed to be out at the end of May!  I guess the mid-80s has turned into a rough spot for me (though I do wonder if the heat of summer hasn't been a problem as well).  In any case, at this point, metal had pretty much taken over in a lot of ways, as I mentioned in my Anniversary Article.  While there was some decent rock music as well, I just think the metal stood out more to me when I reviewed this year.

As always, these are just my opinions, and I can't listen to everything, but there are a few albums I should probably mention first.  Ratt and Cinderella had an outside chance of getting in, and some might be puzzled by the lack of thrash metal (except for one).  While I've never been a fan of Slayer (and they're too extreme for this blog), I'm actually not that big on either Master of Puppets or Peace Sells.  I know this is considered a massive year for thrash metal (and for good reason), I don't really get into those specific albums very much.  As for what did make my Top 5, well, keep reading!

5. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus

Doom metal might have a murky start, with bands like Saint Vitus, Cirith Ungol, and Trouble dabbling in the style, but as far as I'm concerned, Candlemass came singing right out of the gate!  While I don't think it's their best album, it's still a very good one, taking the doomy Sabbath atmosphere and kicking it up to epic levels, they established the Epic Doom Metal template for many bands to follow.

4. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time

Admittedly, this album is kinda stuck between two great albums, and the band was not as energized for this one due to extensive touring, but even a less-than-par Maiden album can still feature some great melodies and performances.  "Wasted Years" and "Heaven Can Wait" are certainly highlights, but they also brought out a number of epic songs, such as the historically driven "Alexander the Great."

3. Europe - The Final Countdown

Yes, the title track is great, but have you listened to the rest of this album?  I actually find some of the deeper cuts here to be quite strong as well, specifically, "Danger on the Track" and "Heart of Stone."  For slick, synth-driven glam metal, Europe rose above the rest with their theatricality and very catchy melodies that stay stuck in your head for a good while.

2. Sword - Metalized

Once again, this is not THE Sword, but a different Canadian band that plays some very gritty, straight-ahead heavy metal.  While I did review their second and third albums, I find their first one to be the strongest, full of fierce riffs and attitude.  It's just a shame they weren't able to find a big audience back in the day, because this album is great!  In fact, it nearly took the #1 spot.

1. Metal Church - The Dark

Like I mentioned, there was one thrash metal band that stood out to me during this year, and it's Metal Church.  Their debut is also a very good album, but they followed up with an excellent set of melodic thrash, maturing as songwriters and showing how to make some very fierce and powerful music without falling into weird digressions or overly complex structures.  I always feel like I should raising the horns whenever I listen to them!

Retro Reviews - June 2026 Part One!

Yes, I'm still working my way through 1986, this time with some more obscure metal bands.  While I've reviewed many of them before, it is interesting to see them change and evolve through the decade.  It's very clear that metal was definitely expanding as the decade went on, as different bands had unique ideas of where to take the genre.  In any case, here's a handful of interesting albums from the middle of the 80s!

Cirith Ungol - One Foot in Hell

After the relatively successful King of the Dead (which I thought was decent, and an improvement over their debut), the band marched on with another slab of heavy/doom epicness and more Michael Whelan artwork on the cover.  While the lineup was the same, this third album definitely shows some interesting changes.

Right off, this is a much shorter album.  While King of the Dead surpassed 50 minutes, this one barely gets past the 35-minute mark.  The production is also a little cleaner on this one, and the songs do have a bit more energy, leaning more into epic metal with the occasional doomy moment.  Tim Baker's iconic voice wails as usual, which I've come to really enjoy, as it fits the story-telling of their lyrics.  The guitar solos have some interesting variety, not just doing typical 80s shreddy, but often mixing things up with melodic sections, or even having two guitars wailing over each other, which works weirdly well.  However, this shift into traditional metal territory does mean their songs aren't quite as impactful.  They're not bad at it, but when most of the choruses are just repeating the title over and over, it leaves me to wonder if some of these songs weren't given enough time to really develop, especially since many of them are shorter than what they've done before.

Overall, it's another decent album, but there have been some trade-offs.  While I do like the uptick in energy and the cleaner production, they do take a hit to their doomy atmosphere, which King of the Dead had in spades.  I liked the opener "Blood Iron" and the very Sabbathy "Doomed Planet," but "The Fire" and "100 MPH" don't feel as inspired.  The closer "One Foot in Hell" is classic Cirith Ungol, though.  It's a solid listen, as the band expands their sound, but those looking for classic doom metal might be a little disappointed.

Helstar - Remnants of War

Despite feeling their debut album was pretty lackluster (but not terrible), I decided to give their follow-up a shot as well.  Losing nearly everyone but singer James Rivera and guitarist Larry Barragan, this is quite the shake-up.  Nevertheless, they charge on ahead, this time picking up some thrash and US power metal elements.

The biggest change is in the song-writing, as conventional structures are mostly abandoned and many of these songs don't even have choruses.  Instead, they've chosen to focus a lot on tempo changes and shifting moods, even messing with the time signature from time to time.  The riffing is also more complex and the guitar solos shred all over the place.  Barragan and newcomer Robert Trevino play some pretty solid stuff all across this album.  The rest of the band play with energy, and the wails of Rivera work here, as they push into more dramatic territory, singing about wars and betrayal, nightmares and evil (and even have moments that sound like Cirith Ungol).

While this is certainly an improvement over the debut, as this is more interesting, it also tends to occupy the same space across the album.  There are more thrashy elements, and the change ups do help, but at the same time, the songs do feel interchangeable after a while.  The title track adds a nice touch of doom metal, and I liked the more melodic chorus of "Dark Queen," but otherwise, these tracks are a little too jumbled to really get into it right away.  Maybe if I give this a few more listens, it will click, but for now, it's some pretty typical US power metal, with plenty of noodles for guitar fans to enjoy.

Saint Vitus - Born Too Late

After trying to expand their sound with their sophomore effort, only to result in a mixed bag, their singer Scott Reagers decided to leave the band, so they picked up Scott "Wino" Weinrich.  As for the music, they go back the fuzz-heavy doom they had for their debut, but with a slight psychedelic haze over everything.

Yes, we're back into the plodding riffs and atmospheric tones of doom metal, and I think the band is better for it.  However, they keep the decent production around, as the band sound pretty good this time around.  Wino brings a great sense of drama and angst to the songs, especially since the lyrics have more grounded subject matter, like social isolation, mental illness, and drug addiction.  Dave Chandler's guitar riffs bring back a lot of classic Sabbath vibes, but with a lot more effects to warp the sound quite a bit, giving the songs a bit more of a jammy feel, especially when his solos sound as much like noise as they do music, which is not a bad thing here.

I admit it took me a minute to get back into the right headspace for this, but once I did, I was grooving along quite well.  The title track that opens the album definitely captures the feel of the whole thing, as all the songs have a strong 70s style to it.  "Dying Inside" and "The War Starter" both express their Sabbath-inspirations very well.  While I don't think it's as good as Epicus Doomicus Metalicus by Candlemass (as I do love their epic sensibilities), but Born to Late shows a band really maturing as songwriters, creating a pretty solid stoner doom album.

Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian

After stepping up their proggy chops with The Spectre Within, the band carried on, replacing guitarist Victor Arduini with Frank Aresti.  While they maintain their blend of prog and US power metal, they really push the technical chops of their playing on this one.

The first two tracks make it quite clear that this band has a concrete vision of what they want to be.  Noodly riffs, weird rhythms, mixed meter sections, atonal harmonies, and an atmospheric sense of being at the mercy of some mythological power.  The lyrics for the album definitely drift into myth and fantasy of a few different kinds, supporting this atmosphere.  Despite this, I think there is something wrong with the production.  While it's not muddy, it doesn't seem to gel together as well as I'd like.  The guitars are thick, providing a decent wall of sound, but the drums are rather dry in comparison, like they're playing in a different room.  And poor John Arch sounds like he's shouting from the end of a tunnel, often buried by the other instruments.  It's a shame because these are some decent (if highly complex) performances, and Arch's wails are quite solid this time around.  I just kinda wish the band wasn't so focused on trying to sound so technical at the expense of songwriting.

Still, there are parts that I liked.  "Fata Morgana" is probably the most conventional song, and I liked how it switched from verse to chorus with a different tone.  "Giant's Lore" had some interesting riffs, and the closer "Exodus," despite being a slower song, built up a decent amount of epicness.  I also get the idea that I will need to listen to this one a few more times to really wrap my head around what they're doing.  I don't know if I like this one more than The Spectre Within, but this album certainly shows a band willing to expand and explore their progressive elements.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Doomsday for the Deceiver

Despite being best known for where Metallica found Jason Newstead to replace Cliff Burton, this band had its own quiet run through the 80s as a thrash metal band kicking around the west coast.  While the band had a bit of a rocky start, they were able to stabilize in the mid 80s to record some demos, which led to being picked up by Metal Blade for their debut album (the only one Newstead played on for them) that's been considered an underground thrash classic.

Sonically, this is very much a fusion of what was going on in thrash metal in the 80s: the speed of Slayer, the sing-song vocals of Anthrax, the dark epicness of Metal Church and Metallica, the technical chops of Megadeth, and some Maiden-inspired guitar work for good measure.  Pretty much US power/thrash metal stone soup.  Unfortunately, there is a bit of sloppiness in the songwriting, as there are times where the lyrics are mushed together, and many of the riffs and transitions feel like the band is trying too hard to sound edgy and weird.  The performances are pretty tightly played, but almost too tight, like every note is played with tension as they want to get it right, making for a bit of an anxious listen.  The lyrical topics are all over the place as well, drifting from raunchy lyrics to drug abuse, and from infamous historical figures to Satan starting the nuclear apocalypse only to be beaten by a monster named "Flotzilla" (which explains what the cover art is about).  However, they also like their long intros, often blending acoustic and electric guitars in interesting ways.

For what it's worth, there is some good energy here, as the band is clearly playing with their heart on their sleeves.  I ended up liking their two long songs in the middle, being the title track and "Metalshock," as I felt they showed their proggy Maiden influences the most on those.  The rest of the songs play at a furious, near-unrelenting speed, to the point that it's almost too much.  Still, it wasn't a boring listen, and I'm certainly interested in where the band develops from here, as I'm loosely aware that they shift into more of a US power metal sound later on.

Top 5 of 2020 (Revised)!!

Here we are!  Granted a little later than I wanted, as I was hoping to get through all of these Top 5's before the end of the year, but I didn't manage my time well enough.  Still, this has been an interesting Top 5 to consider, or rather, re-consider, as I put one together five years ago for this blog.  However, after relistening to everything I reviewed before and catching a bunch more for good measure, I've ended up with the same five albums (albeit in a different order)!  Apparently good albums stay good.  

Last time, I brought up Let There Be Nothing by Judicator as an honorable mention.  It's still decent, but a few others need to be mentioned, namely PWR/UP by AC/DC (which really is quite solid as an album of hard rock) and Firewind's self-titled album.  Their style of heavy/power metal seems to have grown on me a lot in the last five years.  Nevertheless, let's get into this Top 5, and talk about how these albums have faired these five years later.

5. DGM - Tragic Separation

Let's be clear: this is still a very good album.  It's in the Top 5, after all!  And it's not like I've lost any love for what the band does here.  It really came down to how the other four albums have just grown on me over time.  Admittedly, it also doesn't help that I think Endless was a better album, as they really pushed themselves on that one.  However, I still enjoy much of this album, with all of its technical riffing and melodic choruses.

4. Primal Fear - Metal Commando

Listening to this a few more times, I think I was a little unfair to this album when I first reviewed it, as there really is some pretty strong material here.  While it doesn't dethrone Rulebreaker as my favorite of theirs, this band is very consistent in quality and this album serves as another testament to their upbeat, heavy/power metal style, bolstered by Ralf's iconic, soaring vocals.

3. Iron Savior - Skycrest

I admit my thoughts on this album have not changed that much.  Iron Savior remains one of my recent favorites, and while this album isn't as good as Firestar or Kill or Get Killed, it's solid enough to maintain it's place from five years ago.  I will say that the song "Hellbreaker" has become one of my favorite songs, now, which certainly helps.

2. Lovebites - Electric Pentagram

I've mentioned it before, but I do think this is still their best album, with so many awesome, high energy power metal songs!  The album isn't perfect, as there are a few songs that I think are not as strong, but I wouldn't call them filler, either.  As I've gotten more into this band in the last five years, they really are a gem, especially in a time where I feel like power metal has been drifting into this farcical territory that I'm not fond of.  These women keep the fire for great power metal burning!

1. Sorcerer - Lamenting of the Innocent

This album.  I was blown away when I first heard it, and it has only gotten better.  Practically a musical steamroller, the album just flattens listeners with it's incredible atmosphere, bolstered by excellent riff after excellent riff.  Not since Paragon's Controlled Demolition has an album grown on me so much!  Now that I've listened to all of Sorcerer's albums, I'm confident that this is their best, and I look forward to whatever they do next, as I really do like their style of doom metal.  These guys definitely had the best album of 2020.

Retro Reviews - December 2025 Part Two!!

While I've been going through all these albums this year, I have to admit this article is a little different because it features some albums that I considered back in 2020, but never got around to, for one reason or another.  In the end, this is turning into a great opportunity to catch up on some stuff that I liked.  I don't know of any of these will break into my revised Top 5 (as that was a very good year!), but I won't know until I give them the chance!  In any case, here's another chunk of reviews here at the end of the year.

Archon Angel - Fallen

This is largely a project built around Zak Stevens, singer for late-era Savatage and Circle II Circle.  While I checked out a few of their videos, for whatever reason, I never got around to this until now.  For what it's worth, this is some decently executed symphonic metal, much like other Frontiers Records projects like Allen/Lande and The Ferrymen.

Naturally, there's also a good dose of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, especially on the opener "Fallen" and the overlapping lyrics on "Under the Spell."  I think the main difference is that the symphonics, while well arranged, are further back in the mix and in the song-writing, letting the guitars and vocals take center stage.  Speaking of guitars, Aldo Lonobile leans more into the melodic style of soloing but also has some pretty chunky riffs throughout, and his fretwork sets this album apart from other bands in this style.  Overall, it's some solid symphonic metal, with "Rise" and "Twilight" as the standouts for their uptempo energy, while the epic closer "Return of the Storm" makes the most of their symphonic style into something bombastic and fun.  They released another album a few years later, which I will get to sooner or later, as this one was pretty good.

Paralydium - Worlds Beyond

Here's another group who had their debut album in 2020, where I checked out a few songs, and then didn't follow up.  Featuring a few members from the melodic metal band Dynazty, Paralydium aim for a very melodic-but-noodly style of prog metal with catchy choruses, much like DGM or Vanden Plas.

One thing that sets this band apart is a greater emphasis on chuggy riffing, giving the band a bit of a heavier feel.  Mikael Sehlin's vocals easily slip back-and-forth between soaring and having a touch of grit, giving the songs a bit of range, and the synths feel fresh without necessarily being experimental (and Mikael Blanc gets plenty of keyboard solos along with John Berg's guitars).  The production gives the band plenty of space, whether they want to power through or jam around a bit, adding to the metaphysical, sci-fi/fantasy aesthetic they have going.  While I don't know if this is a concept album, the lyrics have plenty of epic melodrama that fits the music well.

And yet, I don't feel that the band isn't doing anything to really stand above the pack in the field of melody-heavy, symphonic-driven progressive metal.  All the pieces are here, and they have plenty of talent and great atmosphere, but the songs don't really seem to stick with me much after I've heard them, especially since the tracks do feel a rather interchangeable.  However, none of it was bad, so maybe I need to give this more spins to really get a feel for it.  I see that they have done at least one other album, so I'll be sure to give that a shot as well at some point.

Seven Planets - Explorer

After their first album was a solid blues-rock jam, and their second took them further into spacey atmosphere, their third effort really is just more of the same, but that's not a bad thing.  Their tight rhythm section and effects-laden guitar leads put the listener in the right mood for another set of psychedelic rock.

Things start off well with "Vanguard," which has a very Led Zeppelin kind of energy to it (as does "206" and "The Buzzard"), while the title track builds up and breaks down its dynamics quite well, flowing from section to section with ease, making me think of early 70s Pink Floyd.  "Great Attractor" was basically a slow build-up revolving around some thick reverb with a pretty satisfying ending.  There is no 10 minute epic this time, but there are a few nearly reaching seven minutes, and none of this drags at all, as their repetitions only serve to enhance their atmosphere.  With their groovy riffs and spacey soundscape, I just bang my head along and enjoy the ride.  As far as I can tell, this is their last album as well.  The band may still be going somewhere, and if they decide to record a new one, I will certainly look forward to listening to it.  Until then, Explorer is probably their best, though their self-titled album was quite good, and all three are absolutely worth a listen.

Greyhawk - Keepers of the Flame

A few years ago, I checked out this band's first release, which was a decent little EP full of epic US-style power metal.  Now that I'm reviewing a bunch of albums for my Top 5, their debut full-length crossed my radar and I figured I'd check it out.  Naturally, I got some pretty epic stuff, built on plenty of 80s tropes and techniques.

The boost in production certainly helps, but the songwriting seems to have eased up as well, making me think of the likes of Dio and Ozzy.  The album starts with the high-speed tracks "Frozen Star" and "Drop the Hammer," both of which were good, but then it feels like they then pick up a dose of rock 'n' roll, being very noticable on "Don't Wait for the Wizard" and the 6/8 swing on "Masters of the Sky."  Even "The Rising Sign" sounds like a classic 80s glam metal ballad, but the band adds some clever dynamics to turn it into a storytelling song, and it turns out pretty good.  And of course there are plenty of guitar solos and harmonized melodies all over the place.  While it does get cheesy from time to time, those who don't mind some sincere affection for classic fantasy and old-school metal will find plenty to enjoy here like I did.

Stygian Crown - Stygian Crown

After enjoying their latest album, I figured I should go back and check out their debut, which came out the same year as the rest of these.  With basically the same lineup, this is another slab of well-made doom metal.  The band continues to have great atmosphere, with Melissa Pinion's haunted vocals wailing over it all.  While it's easy to point out similarities to other doom bands, such as Candlemass and Sorcerer (to say nothing of Black Sabbath), I do think they create their own space by really leaning into dark, mythological story-telling.

If there is a difference, I'd say that the band isn't quite as experimental as they were on the second album.  These songs are relatively straight forward and don't feature much outside of the standard doom template (though it is well-executed).  Still, there is plenty to like here, as the melodies feel as morose as the lyrics, and most songs have some playful mixed-meter elements and tempo shifts.  If you like epic doom metal, there is little to criticize here, as it's quite a solid chunk of mournful, grandiose tracks.

Sacred Outcry - Damned for All Time...

Here's another situation where I enjoyed the band's recent release, so I figured I'd go back and check out the debut.  As it turns out, much of this was written and recorded in the early 2000s, but set aside for some reason.  Then, the album was mostly re-recorded much later and finally got released in 2020, though I understand some of the earlier work was reused.  While their newer album was a solid (if rather overhyped) power metal concept album, their debut clearly paved the way for it, as much is the same here.

As with Warrior Path, we have Yannis Papadopoulos singing before he was replaced with Daniel Heiman, and he does a great job here, as one would expect.  His wails are great, and when the songs has him harmonizing with himself, it sounds very powerful.  I'm not sure if this one is a concept album, like the later album was (it's possibly about Elric of Melniboné?), but it follows some similar elements: soft acoustic guitars often give way to epic metal theatrics, a sense of adventure in the tone and lyrics, and a massive, 14-minute epic towards the end of the album.  It's all pretty competently performed and nothing feels particularly out of place, but there is a sense that I've heard better elsewhere.

Naturally, I end up liking the faster songs, like "Sacred Outcry" and "Lonely Man," while the title track (the aforementioned 14-epic) goes through some interesting moods, drifting between somber and intense.  In comparison, I think this debut album might have some better moments (especially with Yannis's vocals) than the second, but Towers of Gold was definitely supported with a cool, epic story, so they may be even overall.  On its own, this album certainly gets quite epic, but I don't know if this band really impresses me as it seems to impress others.

Top 5 of 2015!!

This year's Top 5 was another that came together pretty quickly.  However, my obsession with epic styles of metal ensures that there isn't a whole lot of variety on this one (and those who review my "Anniversary" article for this year will see some familiar faces).  Still, there was plenty of good stuff to consider, including the album by Final Sign that I reviewed as part of my Divebomb Mystery Box article.  As always, I can't listen to everything, and these are just my personal favorites, but here are my Top 5 for 2015!

5. Shadowbane - Facing the Fallout

A few years ago, I bought a stack of CDs from Pure Steel records and reviewed them all.  Out of the bunch, this was my favorite, largely because it was the only power metal album I picked up.  Nevertheless, it remains a pretty good album, with its post-apocalyptic themes making it stand out.  I still think it's a shame the band never did put together a follow up, as I saw a lot of potential.  Nevertheless, it finds itself here at #5 for being just a solid chunk of metal.

4. Kamelot - Haven

Back when I reviewed this a few years ago, I thought the album was fine, but not great, as it didn't match how much I loved the Roy Khan albums.  Listening to it again, I wonder if my standards were just far too high, as this is some very good symphonic metal.  Karevik does a great job providing the voice for the album, and the band still has a knack for the epic, and so it finds a slot here in my Top 5.

3. Sorcerer - In the Shadow of the Inverted Cross

I know I just reviewed this, but I can't deny when Sorcerer is rolling out their style of doom!  Melodramatic, epic, and powerful, these guys had it right from the start with their (sorta) debut album.  In any case, now that I've heard all their albums, I look forward to whatever they do next.  For now, this album's excellence puts it here in my Top 5.

2. Cain's Offering - Stormcrow

I reviewed this five years ago when I was doing my Anniversary Article series, and I found it to be a worthy follow up to their excellent debut album.  Since, things have been quiet (likely because both Jani and Timo have been busy with other things), but I still think their particular blend of symphonic power metal is pretty incredible.  

1. Visigoth - The Revenant King

Another I reviewed five years ago, I had a hard time deciding to go with Cain's Offering or Visigoth for my #1 album for this year.  However, I think the dense, somewhat doomy atmosphere is what gives Visigoth the edge, as well as some fun, epic songs.  Drifting between US power metal to Sabbath-like doom, the album has quite a lot to offer, and with Jake Rogers on the mic, this album really soars.

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.

Top 5 of 2010!!

Fortunately, after the last article, I was able to pull this one together pretty quickly.  At this point, this really is just a Top 5 of whatever I've listened to in a given year.  Still, this one has some decent variety, this time around.  I did want to shout out The Showdown by Allen/Lande and Kamelot's Poetry for the Poisoned as honorable mentions.  They aren't the greatest albums, but they were decent, which is kind of a theme for this list.  Still, five had to be picked and this is what I came up with.

5. White Wizzard - Over the Top

I remember when metal sites were making a big deal about this band back in the day.  Their attempt at recreating the classic NWOBHM sound made them seem novel, and they were pretty good at it.  Their debut album features tons of catchy riffs and sing-along choruses, so it's easy to see why they excited metalheads back in the day.  Unfortunately, they ran into some serious problems, with lineup changes and getting dropped from their label, but like any classic metal band, they found a way to carry on.  In any case, their debut squeaks onto my list for just being a fun throwback to when metal wasn't dominated by breakdowns and harsh vocals.

4. Atlantean Kodex - The Golden Bough

When I listened to this again, I had a sneaking suspicion this might find itself here, but I wasn't immediately sure.  Despite its peculiar production, the atmosphere they create on this album is incredible, matching the ponderous style of doom metal with ancient myths and folklore.  Like White Wizzard, this is a band that I should have stuck with, and I will likely be following up on their next albums in the next few years.

3. Vega - Kiss of Life

I warned you this was gonna happen!  Drenched in 80s cheese and thick with synthesizers, this album is some very nostalgic, sentimental AOR, and that's why I love it.  While they're more recent albums see them mixing up their formula a little, they definitely started on the right foot with this one.  Full of catchy anthems and warm layers, Vega was on the right track from the beginning.

2. Sabaton - Coat of Arms

While this probably isn't their best album, it's certainly a decent one.  "Screaming Eagles" is clearly the highlight, but the title track and "White Death" are no slouches either.  I can see some folks arguing that Sabaton's albums feel a little interchangeable, but I simply see a lot of consistency.  I don't know if they have a great album in their catalog, but they certainly have some good ones, and this one is solid enough to find itself at #2.

1. Accept - Blood of the Nations

However, once I started putting this list together, the #1 choice was obvious.  Back when I reviewed it five years ago, I was blown away by the rich production, tight riffing, and straight-ahead, no-nonsense approach to songwriting.  While that has always been Accept's main focus, this comeback album came at the right time, punching everyone in the face with excellent traditional metal tracks.  In fact, this might be my favorite Accept album of all time!

Retro Reviews - November 2025!

This one took a little longer than I wanted, but there's a lot to cover here.  I'm still focused on my Top 5 articles, and so here's a bunch from 2010, though it's a little bit of everything, really.  I'm still hoping I can get through all these albums and articles before the end of the year, and maybe squeeze in a few more things, but it's looking tight.  In the meantime, here's a new handful of albums I've checked out, and I hope you do as well, as there's some great stuff here!

Atlantean Kodex - The Golden Bough (A Study in Magic and Religion)

I remember when this came out back in the day, with a lot of metal websites praising it.  I listened to it back then, thought it was good, but then never listened to it again!  I also feel like this band sorta disappeared off the face of the earth after their debut, but it seems they're still going with nearly the same lineup that recorded this album.  In an effort to get back into more epic doom metal (and as research for the upcoming Top 5 article), I figured I'd give this another go, treating it like a new listen as I remember very little of what's on this album.

Based on a book series that discusses mythology and religion, the songs dive deep into those themes as well.  The way the tracks transition from one to the next, using some sailing ambiance, gives this the feel of a concept album, like an epic quest.  There really isn't much doom and gloom so much as the dealings with magical and esoteric traditions, and the music does a great job of evoking those moods.  Many of the songs are long, include the first two both being over 10 minutes, and a 15 minute epic towards the end, but they never become boring or tedious.  Instead, they tap into this almost folky, ancient atmosphere that's easy to sink into, making for some very solid doom metal.  Markus Becker's vocals soar and harmonize very well, Manuel Trummer and Michael Koch provide great riffs and melodies on their guitars, and the rhythm section of drummer Mario Weiss and bassist Florian Kreuzer make sure things move along at a good pace.

If there is a problem with the album, it's that the production is a bit odd.  While it does provide a solid wall of sound, there are moments were it feels off, especially when the guitars stop playing.  The distortion effects are fine, but when they stop for a bit, the straight silence with no reverb that follows before they start playing again is so stark, it almost feels like a mistake, but it happens multiple times on the album, so it's a bit strange.  Their transitions can also be quite sudden, going from loud to quiet and back to loud with little-to-no build up or anticipation.  The drums might be a little too loud in the mix as well, as Becker does get a little buried at times.

Of course, these are just nitpicks.  In the end, we have a very engaging album full of mythic awe and wonder as the music epicly plods through its course.  I liked most of it, with the opener "Fountain of Nepenthe" setting the stage well, "The Atlantean Kodex" adding a nice dose of energy with more of an anthemic, 80s-metal sound, and the epic "A Prophet in the Forest" rounding out the journey  Fans of Candlemass and Sorcerer should find plenty to like, as long as they don't mind lyrics more inspired by Bulfinch's Mythology than the Book of Revelations.  

Vega - Kiss of Life

After enjoying their last handful of albums, I figured it was time I went back to their debut and checked out where they started.  Unsurprisingly, they have their 80s melodic rock style down right from the start.  These are songs full of cinematic touches, making them feel like part of the soundtrack of a melodramatic film from that aforementioned decade.

If there is one thing that stands out, it's the heavy use of 80s synths and keyboards, giving the band a bit more of a pop-band feel.  Sure, they rock out well enough, but some songs lean pretty hard into the synths, like "Staring at the Sun."  Still, this is some solid retro rock music, using a wall-of-sound-style production to make these songs sound anthemic and huge.  The title track and "Headlights" are two great examples of this, as the songs show the band's excellent use of dynamics.  Meanwhile, the opener "Into the Wild" and "Hearts of Glass" show the band's hard rock energy.  Overall, it's everything I loved about them when I discovered them with Only Human.  I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in my Top 5 for 2010, as it holds up well and is pretty consistent in quality.

Allen/Lande - The Showdown

It's been quite a while since I last talked about this curious combo of crooners, but Allen/Lande, despite being a little generic in the songwriting, at least provides some fun symphonic metal.  This third album would be the last they would rely on Magnus Karlsson's talents in writing and arranging these songs before moving on to a dozen other projects.  Still, this one soars just like the other two albums.

What little experimentation there is mainly focuses on arrangements and instrumentation.  The two singers belt out the lyrics in epic fashion, and there is plenty of lush orchestrations and slick guitar melodies, as one would expect from these guys.  None of the songs are bad, though the lyrics on "Bloodlines" were a little strange.  Standouts include the title track, "Turn All to Gold," and "The Artist" for their symphonic power, while "The Guardian" was one of the better ones in the AOR style.  While there were no real surprises, it's still competent melodic metal with a flair for the dramatic, which is good enough for me.

Airbourne - No Guts, No Glory

Here's another one that's filling in a gap.  I enjoyed their debut album, and this follow up seems to lean even harder into their AC/DC influences.  Between the raucous vibe and raunchy lyrics, it's another rock party jam from top to bottom.

As usual, I tend to like the faster songs, though I will say the band does some anthemic stuff pretty well.  "Raise the Flag" and "Bottom of the Well" are perfect for fist-pumping self-affirmation, aside from being a pretty good time.  Unfortunately, like reviewing AC/DC albums, there really isn't much to say.  The production is solid, the riffs are crunchy, and the vibe is fun.  Overall, it's a decent time with plenty of headbang-worthy tracks, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily an improvement over their first.  However, there's nothing wrong with staying in cruise control sometimes, and these guys were pretty content to stay the course for this one.

Pathfinder - Beyond the Space, Beyond the Time

I came across this band the same way as I'm sure many others did, with their cover of Mike Oldfield's "Moonlight Shadow."  It was bombastic, even operatic at times, and a very energetic version of the song.  However, their name sat in the back of my memory like so many other bands, so I'm taking it upon myself to fix this and check out their debut album, which has some very over-the-top symphonic power metal, with all of its tropes.

While I've referenced Rhapsody of Fire many times before when discussion this kind of music, but if you had told me this was one of their albums and not a new band, I might have believed you!  While the high speed riffing certainly recalls DragonForce, and the singer Szymon Kostro does lean a little into Hansi Kürsch's style, but in the end, these Poles are clearly inspired by the aforementioned Italian band.  The result is some very fast songs, a few interludes, and some very complex arrangements, mixing the guitars and symphonics and choirs quite well (and throwing in Beethoven in for good measure).  These songs are often long as well, fitting in all kinds of cinematic sections.  While I wasn't able to find a lot of specifics, but I'm pretty sure this is a concept album, telling a high fantasy story involving a hero getting powers from the moon, rescuing his lover from cave dwellers, then facing the hordes of evil, and having a showdown between dragons that gets rather metaphysical.  I think.

This is an album that's going to need more than few listens to really unpack everything, as there are so many transitions and sections.  While it's done well, it does make the songs a little hard to follow at times.  "All the Mornings in the World" was pretty good, as that song felt the most focused, and "Sons of Immortal Fire" was a nice break from all the high-speed melodrama by being just a solid metal song.  The rest are enjoyable enough, but I'm not really sure if they're capable of coming out from under Rhapsody of Fire's shadow.  I know they have one other album, which I will get to a some point, but for now, it's a curious album that I wish was easier to get into somehow.

Retro Reviews - 1985 Edition Part 2!

Yup, another slab of albums from 1985, this time focusing on sophomore releases from bands with two words in their names (I didn't plan that, but that's what happened).  Did these bands succeed in expanding and improving their sound, or did they fall in a slump?  This is the question I asked as I checked out this handful of heavy metal releases, and got some interesting results!

Saint Vitus - Hallow's Victim & The Walking Dead (EP)

This band is one of the classic doom metal bands that helped establish the genre with a sound very reminiscent of 70s Black Sabbath (if their name wasn't a major clue).  I listened to their first album years ago, and found it delightfully Sabbath-y, despite the muddy production.  However, now that I'm working on listening to a bunch of albums for my Top 5 articles, this ended up on the list as something I wanted to follow up on.  Unsurprisingly, it's another chunk of Sabbathy metal riffing and energy, but they mess around with the formula more.

The major thing that's different is that they push into some faster song-writing, with some mixed results.  "White Stallions" is not bad, but the title track is a sloppy attempt at speed metal.  "War Is Our Destiny" shifts its tempo around, starting slow, picking up speed, then shifting back down for the lyrics.  Of course, they retain their Sabbath inspirations on songs like "Mystic Lady," "Just Friends (Empty Love)," and "Prayer for the (M)asses," so the doom hasn't disappeared.  It just seems like they were trying to push their sound in a few different directions to see what their limitations were.  As a consequence, some of the atmosphere is gone, making it hard to just soak into the songs like with their first release.

I saw that Hallow's Victim is often paired with an EP that came out the same year titled The Walking Dead, featuring "White Stallions" again, a song called "Darkness," and the title track, which goes 11 minutes.  "Darkness" goes for more uptempo energy with triplet chugging, but feels a bit sloppy as well.  However, "The Walking Dead" is a plodding doom epic.  It does get a little repetitive, but it's also the song with the strongest sense of atmosphere compared to the rest.

Overall, I think their first album is better, but I can see that this band was trying to blend some new ideas in to see where they could go with their sound.  While I don't think this album and EP are bad, their certainly clunky.  Those looking for more classic doom will find bits and pieces to like, but may not connect with the material as a whole.  

Fates Warning - The Spectre Within

After their first album was a bit of a mess (though some decent US power metal), Fates Warning really come out swinging for their follow-up, establishing a stronger prog metal sound.  This second album is definitely an improvement, retaining what worked before and refining into something that sounds pretty distinct and powerful.

The new level of progressive comes right at the start with "Traveler in Time" with a bunch of mixed meter elements and some pretty curious melodies and harmonies.  The album maintains this proggy attitude throughout, and it feels like a bit of a missing link between early Savatage and Dream Theater's first album, with a heavy dose of Maiden-style riffing and soloing.  Seriously, the guitar work on here is impressive, as Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini really work their fingers off!  All of this would be fine if it weren't for the lyrics.  While John Arch is a great singer, the words feel like they're off by half a measure, not really lining up with the songs' phrasing, so the lyrics sound like rambling as much as singing.  Maybe it's just an attempt to be strange and unique, but the results can feel jarring.  The album ends with the nearly twelve-minute "Epitaph," which is their first attempt at a prog epic, and it's not bad.  I don't think it completely earns its length, as I think some of it is padded just to make it longer, but it was a solid closer.

"The Apparition" and "Kyrie Eleison" were the tracks that stood out the most to me, having some very strong Iron Maiden and Metal Church energy.  Considering the album as a whole, it definitely feels like a band in transition, trying some things to see what works and what doesn't.  However, unlike the Saint Vitus album above, this is clearly a step up for the band.  It's clear that they were settling into their own unique sound with this album, while having some excellent and unique guitar work.

Grave Digger - Witch Hunter

After checking out their latest album, I figured I should dig back into Grave Digger's past.  I listened to their debut years ago, and I thought it wasn't bad, despite being pretty sloppy.  With the follow up, they've definitely tightened up their song-writing and their chops, but once again, they focus on just having a lot of energy to make up for their flaws, and it mostly works.

This is pure 80s German metal, equal parts Accept and Judas Priest, with faster tempos and a harsher attitude, providing mainly by Chris Boltendahl's iconic gritty voice.  The guitar work by Peter Masson is furious and aggressive, and the rest of the band pound out these songs with gusto.  "Witch Hunter" takes a bit to get into with the long intro, but settles into some solid, horror-themed metal, and "Get Away" is a great speedster.  However, some of the other songs tend to have some strange transitions.  "Get Ready for Power" wants to have this anthemic chorus, but the half-tempo approach doesn't match the rest of the song's speed.  "Fight for Freedom" and "Friends of Mine" also have some jarring shifts, going from melodic and slow to thrashy and aggressive on the turn of a dime.  Their cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" is quite tame in comparison to the rest of the album.  Of all things, though, I ended up liking the ballad quite a bit.  "Love Is a Game" might seem pretty cliched, but Chris actually croons on it, and he sounds surprisingly good.  I also like that descending riff under the chorus.

Overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag of an album, but most of it falls on the good side, largely because of the energy the band pushes.  This album is an improvement over their debut, and you can tell they're having a lot of fun playing these songs.  Chris gets in some good wails and the solos are often satisfyingly shreddy, making it a bit of a gem that is better for its lack of polish.  Sometimes metal just needs to be metal, and this album shows how that works.

Armored Saint - Delirious Nomad

While I thought their first album was solid, if a bit generic, Armored Saint carried on with a rather quick follow-up, like the other bands in this article.  They ended up getting a producer who worked on Ozzy's first few albums, resulting in an album that has a lot of polish and tight songwriting.  

It really does feel like a blend of what Judas Priest and Ozzy were doing in the early-to-mid 80s, aiming for a more polished heavy metal sound without going full-on glam metal.  John Bush remains a great singer, bringing a lot of swagger to these songs, and there's some solid riffing and soloing.  "Over the Edge" has an interesting bluesy-groove, and "Aftermath" has some curious transitions to different levels of intensity.  Unfortunately, the rest feel very typical for 1985, and I'm surprised that this stuff wasn't put on MTV at the time, as it would have fit right in quite well.   The lyrics do stick to darker subject matter, like revenge, madness, nuclear apocalypse, and isolation, so maybe that kept them out of glam territory at the time.

Honestly, this album feels rather ahead of its time, sounding like some of the later 80s pop metal, like Skid Row, Tesla, and Winger (as there are a few proggy touches).  Like their first, this is by no means a bad album.  Featuring well-written, well-performed songs, you could certainly do a lot worse than many albums that came out at this time.  However, I can't deny that little of it sticks in my mind once I've finished listening to it, making for a bit of a middling release.