Top 5 of 2005!!

So this one ended up coming together much more quickly than I expected.  My Anniversary Article focused a lot on power metal, and things are not much different for my Top 5.  Once again, please keep in mind that this is just my opinion, and that I can't listen to everything I'd like to.  Still, there were plenty of honorable mentions, ranging from Wolfmother's self-titled debut and Presto Ballet's Peace Among the Ruins, to power metal giants like Masterplan, Allen/Lande, and Sabaton.  However, I think the following five albums are the best this year has to offer.

5. Nickelback - All the Right Reasons

Yeah, I know.  Yeah, this is the album with the meme song, I know.  I don't care.  This album just rocks.  Honestly, I think the Nickelback hate is overblown.  Sure, they're not the greatest band in the world, but they're generally good rock song writers, and this one happens to have quite a few of them.  Yes, I like "Photograph," but also songs like "Fight for All the Wrong Reasons," "Side of a Bullet," and even the satirical "Rockstar."  I like my post-grunge crunchy and catchy, and this is one of the best albums with that kind of style.

4. DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage

You probably expected this one to be higher, didn't you?  To be clear, this is definitely the album where their really nailed their sound and got a ton of attention (partially thanks to Guitar Hero III), but it still holds up pretty well over all.  "Through the Fire and the Flames" is practically a power metal classic, now, but I also like "Body Breakdown" and "Cry for Eternity" as well.  Admittedly, I haven't kept up with the band, as they have been riding the same sound since this album, but I do think this remains a pivotal point in the genre's history.

3. Stratovarius - Stratovarius

A bit of a black sheep in their catalog, this album comes from a pretty troubled time in the band's history, and the stripped down style certainly reflects that.  While there may not be as many lush synths or neo-classical noodlings, I still like a lot of the songs on this album, mostly the first three of "Maniac Dance," "Fight!!!", and "Just Carry On."  The album does lose some steam towards the end, but it remains a personal favorite, even if it is the end of an era for the band.

2. HammerFall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken

When I did my retrospective on this band, I noted how this album was the one where the band started stream-lining their sound a little more, focusing on mid-tempo anthems.  However, it does have some pretty dang good ones.  Relisting to this again, I still love "Fury of the Wild" and the rest for their natural epicness and catchy choruses.  While it may not be one of their best albums, it still dominates most of the competition for this year.

1. Kamelot - The Black Halo

However, when I started listening to albums for this year's list, I knew this would be my number one.  After building a unique blend of power metal, symphonic metal, and prog metal over the last few albums, they really nail it here with a masterpiece.  The second half of a pair of concept albums, the story does get pretty melodramatic, but the execution of music and arrangements are incredible, and make for a pretty satisfying ending to the story.  Between Roy Khan's beautiful voice and Thomas Youngblood's epic riffing and solos, this album was the best of the year, not just in power metal, but in any genre.

Top 5 of 2000!!

It's at this point we start to drift away from what was big and into what I've mainly listened to, as was the nature for the Anniversary Articles.  For 2000, I primarily focused on power metal, and in the end, it also dominates my Top 5 for the year as well.  However, I did want to give an honorable mention to Rob Halford's return to heavy metal with his solo band Halford.  Quite the Resurrection indeed!  I also made sure to give the stuff I heard last week its chance, but in the end, they didn't make it, mainly because these five are some of my personal favorites!

5. Edguy - The Savage Poetry

After cutting their teeth on a few albums, they decided to record their debut demo, and it's a considerable improvement, as they have their power metal sound worked out by this point.  Kicking off with "Hallowed" and "Misguiding Your Life," their songs crackle with Helloween-like energy, with the epic "Eyes of the Tyrant" being the highlight of the album, in my opinion.  While the band might be MIA these days, they were definitely one of the big stars during the swell of power metal bands growing at this time.

4. Nightwish - Wishmaster

Back before they were doing more progressive, cinematic metal, Nightwish was the premier symphonic metal band at the time.  Seeped in a gothic tone, and powered by Tarja Turunen's operatic voice, they were as epic as a band could get.  While I do think Oceanborn is a slightly better album, this one had plenty of great songs, like the bombastic title track, and the twisted "Kinslayer."  

3. 3 Doors Down - The Better Life

Nostalgia can be a pretty powerful stuff.  I was in high school, and post-grunge was really blowing up, with this album dominating my attention at the time.  While "Kryptonite" was the big hit, the album has so much more, with the somber "Be Like That" and the tense "Duck and Run, to the energetic tracks like "By My Side" and "So I Need You."  This was a contender to take the #1 spot, but after listening to everything, it settles comfortably at #3.

2. HammerFall - Renegade

Back when I did my big retrospective for this band, I considered this one to be caught between two very good albums.  However, classic HammerFall will always have a massive place in my heart, and this album is no exception.  With so many great tracks from beginning to end, from the pounding opener, to the electric title track, to the epic closer, it was going to take something pretty incredible to beat it.

1. Stratovarius - Infinte

Speaking of incredible!  I admit I haven't talked about Stratovarius very much here on my blog, and that's kind of a shame, as their albums were instrumental in getting me into power metal, with their blend of proggy keyboard solos and neo-classical riffing and shredding.  While Visions might be their best, Infinite is probably my second favorite of theirs.  Starting with the catchy "Hunting High and Low," the album just excels above the rest, with tracks like the near thrashy "Phoenix" and the epic "Infinity."  While it's not perfect, I can't deny the majesty of this album, and so it takes the top spot of 2000 for me!

New Releases - August 2024!

Time to get back on track with some new releases.  I've got another trio of power metal albums, featuring some pretty big bands.  I promise I'll get to other genres as the year goes one, but these took priority for the summer, so here we are.  Raise your hammers, cast your spells, face all comers, and check out these reviews!

HammerFall - Avenge the Fallen

I have admit that doing the Retrospective article got me pretty hyped to hear the new album.  While I do think the band has changed, I do like their newer albums quite a bit.  They always provide a good, epic, fun time, and Avenge the Fallen is no different.  It may seem like more of the same, but there is something to be said for consistency.

Things start off well with the title track, with gang vocals on the chorus.  In fact, this whole album has a lot more gang vocals this time around.  I'm sure fans will be singing those parts when they play these songs live.  The album carries on well enough, with "The End Justifies" starting with some riffing that wouldn't be out of place on some of their first albums, before going to a spacy section that shifts into a different chorus-like part.  I also liked "Hail to the King," with it's slow, 6/8 groove, and both "Burn It Down" and "Capture the Dream" had some interesting ideas.  The ballad "Hope Springs Eternal" isn't the worst, though it does overstay it's welcome a bit, things get understandably dark with "Rise of Evil," and the closer "Time Immemorial" has a bit of an odd style, chugging under the verse, but dropping to a somber tone for the chorus.

Perhaps a bit of a mixed bag, but honestly it's pretty solid all the way through.  None of the songs feel particularly terrible (even the ballad), and their fans have plenty of more anthems to shout to.  I'm not immediately sure how it compares to their other recent albums; I'll probably have to listen to this one a few times to really decide.  However, I'd say they met my expectations pretty well, making another solid chunk of heavy/power metal.

Rhapsody of Fire - Challenge the Wind

The Nephilim's Empire Saga continues as Kreel learns more about his origin and faces a new rival known as the Black Wizard!  Rhapsody of Fire carries on with their majestic style of symphonic power metal, for better or worse.

To be honest, I really struggle to review this band.  I know I have a few times before, but it honestly ends up being a lot of the same: great orchestrations, bombastic style, noodly guitar solos, fantasy lyrics.  And it's still good, but I really struggle to feel invested in what they're doing.  For what it's worth, they do have a bit of a change-up, adding in some raspy black metal vocals, which I think are done by singer Giacomo Voli (there are no other vocal credits, so I think he's doing both).  Still, it only feels like another layer within the bombast.  Even their storytelling feels lackluster, often taking too long to get to where they're going.  They even have a 16-minute song in the middle called "Vanquished by Shadows," that could have been cut in half, as it has a lot of repeating sections.  And then they repeat them again for "Mastered by the Dark."  It's like they just cut out a section of the long song, made it a new track, and called it a day.  

That's not to say I hate what's going on.  There are some good moments.  I liked "Kreel's Magic Staff," and "A Brave New Hope," even if they did have some jarring time-signature shifts, and "Diamond Claws" brought back some folky elements.  Otherwise, I feel like the album just kinds goes in one ear and out the other.  I know Rhapsody of Fire are a pillar in the world of power metal, but I just can't seem to click with them, and their latest album is no different.

New Horizon - Conquerors

After loving their debut album so much that it was my #1 album two years ago, I was very excited to hear what these guys from H.E.A.T. have to offer for their sophomore effort.  I enjoyed their blend of Gamma Ray style power metal and AOR, but they've definitely picked up more symphonic elements, wandering towards the likes of Dragonland, and Twilight Force.

Another major shift is with the lyrics, pulling a page from Saxon's old worn playbook by focusing on a bunch of historical topics for this album instead of typical topics fantasy and triumph (squeezing in Iron Maiden's "Alexander the Great" for good measure).  As a result, the songs feel like history lessons based on quickly reading the associated Wikipedia pages, which has mixed results.  Still, all the shiny production and tight performances are back, and Nils Molin sings his guts out, sounding great.  There are more synths this time around, but they're just another layer among all the orchestrations going on here.  It's solid stuff, but compared to the first album, it does come across as an awkward turn.

I don't necessarily want to be down on a band who wants to expand to new horizons (pun intended), but this album was not an immediate hit like their first one was.  I liked the great opener "Against All Odds," the Kamelot vibes on "Messenger of the Stars," the heavy AOR crunch on "Edge of Insanity," and there's plenty of story-telling here, but I think I need to listen to this one a few more times to really decide how I feel about it.

HammerFall Retrospective!

In the mid 2000s, just when I was about to start college, I didn't have much knowledge about heavy metal and its various subgenres.  I had heard of a few bands and kinda knew what was out there, but certainly hadn't taken the time learn.  I had ended up making a friend who was a big metalhead, and he decided to send me a bunch of burned CDs of the stuff to try and get me into it.  One band out of the bunch caught my attention: HammerFall.  From this friend, I had gotten copies of the first four of their albums, and with titles like Legacy of Kings and Crimson Thunder, I could tell this one wasn't going to have dark and angry lyrics or style I would have expected at the time.  And I was absolutely right.

Technically, I had a few Stratovarius songs (which I liked) before I picked up HammerFall, but it was this Swedish band that opened my heart to power metal, and I have not looked back since.  Melodic vocals, chugging riffs, pounding rhythms, fantasy lyrics, and an epic soundscape, this band filled a gap in my soul I didn't know I had, and I've been thankful ever since.

Yes, it's time for another retrospective, this time for the band that turned me into a metalhead.  It's also been fun to review all these albums in anticipation of their next album, Avenge the Fallen, which comes out next month.  Once again, I'll be going over their studio and live albums in chronological order.  Let's get this crusade started!

Anniversary Series - 2002!

It turns out that the heat of August isn't any less intense than it was in July, but I'm surviving.  At least I can pull together another Anniversary Series article, this time for 2002.  Just like 1997, though, it's mostly going to be power metal, so let's get into it!

First off, we get the epic conclusion of Tobais Sammet's Avantasia storyline with The Metal Opera Part Two!  Starting with a massive 14 minute track to recap the story so far, it's certainly starts as it means to go on!  Other metal epics from the year include the second album by Dragonland, continuing their own fantasy story with a Holy War, which I reviewed a few years ago, and the next serving of Nightwish with Century Child.  Featuring incredible tracks like "End of All Hope," "Dead to the World," and "Ocean Soul," the band really expanded the power and scope of symphonic metal.

HammerFall also released an incredible album with Crimson Thunder, which gave us great songs like  the title track, "Hearts on Fire," "Hero's Return," and "The Unforgiving Blade."  Even the covers of "Angel of Mercy" and "Rising Force" are incredible!  Along with HammerFall was Dream Evil's debut album Dragonslayer, providing excellent power metal tracks like "Chasing the Dragon,"  "The Prophecy," and "The 7th Day."  Thunderstone would also debut this year with their self-titled album, which has some solid material like "Let the Demons Free" and "Me, My Enemy."

However, it's not all power metal.  Post-grunge would have a few solid albums as well.  Canadians Our Lady Peace would find international success with Gravity, powered by their big hit "Somewhere Out There," but the rest of the album is quite good as well.  3 Doors Down would follow up their massive debut with Away from the Sun.  It's probably not as good as their first album, but it does have some solid stuff such as the title track, "When I'm Gone," and "Going Down in Flames."

I know there are plenty of other great songs and albums I'm missing, so be sure to share them in the comments.  I know I could have found more, but this month kinda caught me by surprise.  However, I do plan on getting to a Last Played article between now and the end of the month.  Until then, check out the playlist below and rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1997!

I'm going to be honest, this year's article is going to be mostly about power metal, as 1997 was the year HammerFall exploded, bringing with it a massive wave of new bands.  I'll try to include a few others, and if there's anything you think I missed, don't hesitate to let me know.  Now, let's get this anniversary article started!

Let's just start with HammerFall and go from there.  The idea of a band that embraced the clichés of the 80s, added a heavy layer of fantasy and historical themes, and charged with some neo-classical energy was considered pretty novel when their debut album landed.  While I think their next few albums were better, they were off to a great start.  With epic tracks like "The Dragon Lies Bleeding," "Unchained," and "Steel Meets Steel," they established a foundation they and many other bands would build on.

Other power metal highlights from the year include Edguy's second album Kingdome of Madness, Kamelot's second Dominion, the debuts of symphonic titans Nightwish and Rhapsody of Fire, and earlier in the month, I covered Kai Hansen's one-two punch of Iron Savior's debut and Gamma Ray's Somewhere Out in Space.  Finally, there's Visions by Stratovarius, including blazing tracks like "Black Diamond," "Forever Free," and "Legions."  This album would cement the band as one of my favorites from this era!

Progressive metal also had a strong showing.  Not only did Dream Theater give us Falling into Infinity, with the iconic "Peruvian Skies," but Symphony X released The Divine Wings of Tragedy, with the 20-minute epic title-track that builds on John Milton and Gustav Holst, and Vanden Plas provided their own style of prog metal with The God Thing, featuring great songs like "Rainmaker" and "Crown of Thorns."

Of course, it wasn't all metal.  Post-grunge was starting to pick up again, particularly with The Colour and the Shape by the Foo Fighters.  Songs like "Monkey Wrench," "Everlong," and "My Hero would become rock radio staples.  And then there was the iconic debut of Creed with My Own Prison, the first of three great albums that I jammed repeatedly when I was in high school.  At least, when I wasn't listening to the new Yes album Open Your Eyes.  It's no innovator or prog rock triumph by any means, but one I have a lot of nostalgia for as well.

So that's 1997 in a nutshell!  Definitely some great music, and I have more selections below in the Spotify playlist.  Perhaps it's not the robust selection, but it will get better as I explore more music.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - May 2022! Now with EPs!

I'm starting to catch up on some newer releases, but one other thing I've decided to focus on is Extended Play releases.  To be honest, EPs are something that I've never really quite understood, but they remain a constant of the heavy metal scene.  I guess if you feel compelled to release something, I suppose it's better to release a handful of solid tracks instead of throwing on a bunch of filler tracks to fill an album.  However, reviewing them is still a bit odd.  With a full album, you can get a sense of what the band is thinking and feeling at the moment, but an EP just feels like a step or two up from a taste (which I guess would be singles, in this analogy?).

Nevertheless, as I began looking over bands' discographies and new releases, there are plenty EPs to discuss.  So I decided I would include them as little mini-reviews in my Last Played articles in between the main album reviews.  In any case, regardless of format, here's what I've listening to lately.

Eliminator - Ancient Light

After enjoying their single "Silent Stone" as a solid piece of Maiden worship, I figured I should give the rest of their latest album a listen.  Right out of the gates, these guys are clearly aiming for that early Iron Maiden era of Killers, Number of the Beast, and Piece of Mind.  Sometimes they lean into the NWOBHM side with a dash of rock, but other times, they turn up the epic, with decent results.

Of course, it's not completely like Iron Maiden, as there are a few tracks that feel closer to US power metal, like "Mercy" and the doomy "The Nightmare of Aeon," but honestly, that's a pretty subtle difference.  Regardless, this band certainly has the chops.  David Foster's vocals are very much like Dickinson's, and he's given plenty of opportunities to wail high above the music (though he does get a little buried on "Arrival").  Then there's the lead guitar work of Jack MacMichael and Matthew Thomas.  When they aren't chugging away at classic-styled riffs, they are often trading solos, or playing harmonized leads together, clearly reminiscent of Murray and Smith.  If it weren't for the modern production, this could easily make you feel like it's 1983 all over again.

If there is a problem, it's that there aren't a lot of surprises.  This album really feels the same from front-to-back.  Sure, they change up the tempo here and there, and there are a few segments were they break out the acoustic guitar, but it's usually in anticipation of some epic metal shift like "Foreverless," or in the bridge of a larger song like "Lord of Sleep, Dreamaster."  However, for those who can't get enough of that old-school Maiden sound and want to hear some guys who are pretty good at it, this is some solid classic metal.

Lovebites - Glory, Glory to the World (EP)

This release is probably a little bittersweet, as it was part of an announcement of an incoming hiatus caused by the leaving of their bassist, Miho.  While it retains much of the frenetic power metal they're known for, I don't think these songs are quite as good as what was on Electric Pentagram, which I loved.  "Paranoia" certainly shows the band's darker, more theatrical side, but otherwise, the songs are pretty standard fare for this band.  Expect plenty of high-speed shredding and catchy melodies, but nothing particularly earth-shattering.

Lionville - So Close to Heaven

After checking out their first album, I decided to give their latest a spin, and it's pretty surprising how little has changed in the 10 years between them.  While the production is a little richer and the guitars have a bit more crunch (and there are less ballads), this is still some pretty straight-forward, 80s-inspired melodic rock from top to bottom.  

Of course, it also makes it hard to review, as nothing really stands out too much.  I will say that the lyrics lean into the clichés quite a bit, but they're sung so sincerely you can't help but get caught up in the sentimentality of it all.  The music supports every word of it, with friendly, rockin' guitars and lush keyboards to make everything so warm and accessible.  It's a bit of a shorter album, but that only helps the pace feel brisk and not get bogged down.  Essentially, Lionville are the epitome of modern AOR, and it may not make many new fans, I generally enjoyed what I heard.

Greyhawk - Ride Out (EP)

Likely named after the classic D&D campaign setting, Greyhawk is very much in the vein of classic US power metal, a la Omen, Manilla Road, and Manowar.  I quite liked the vocals by Rev Taylor, and they were often harmonized, which added to the epicness.  Otherwise, it's some pretty straight-forward chugging old-school metal, with plenty of noodly guitars one expects from the style.  "The Abdication," and "Serpent King" stood out to me the most, with the former being quite epic, and the latter having some great energy.  This certainly is a solid taste of what this band has to offer, and I'm curious to listen to more, so I guess this EP did its job!

HammerFall - Hammer of Dawn

Let's wrap this up this article with finally getting caught up on HammerFall!  These power metal legends are still going, and while their sound hasn't changed much over the past decade, they still have a knack for some decent epic and melodic tracks.

Right off the bat, we get "Brotherhood" for the opener, providing a very classic HammerFall feel.  From there, it's mostly mid-tempo material, with a few change ups.  "Hammer of Dawn" and "Venerate Me" are probably the best of the stompy tracks, while "Live Free or Die," and the closer "No Mercy" do a good job to bring back the speed.  Supposedly King Diamond is on "Venerate Me," but I could never hear him (that's not a voice you can mistake; was he just part of the chorus?).  However, the really different track is "Not Today."  While it's not a ballad, it does have a more mellow rock vibe, with clean guitar tones throughout, except for the melodic choruses.  I don't recall them doing anything quite like this, but it's not bad.  A bit an experiment, I guess.

Overall, I think this is better than their last album Dominion, as I feel it's a little more consistent across the board.  However, I'm not sure how it would compare to the others.  The first five still loom large in my nostalgia goggles, and I don't think they've ever really reached those heights since.  Still, I'm glad they're carrying on, and Hammer of Dawn shows that they're aren't out of magic quite yet.

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Well, I hope you don't mind me throwing in a few EPs this time.  They broke things up a little, at least.  Looking ahead, I'm not sure where I'll go next.  I'm thinking of doing a Last Played purely on albums from 1997, as there are a bunch of big ones from that year that I haven't heard yet.  We'll see.  In the meantime, I've got another Anniversary Article coming up for 1987, and I'm finding more videos to share, so that should round out this month.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - March 2022!

I feel like I should apologize for not posting as much lately.  It was a rough month for me (nothing major, though), and I was distracted by a certain Madness going around, so ended up not spending as much time listening to new music.  Still, I was able to listen to a few albums, mainly catching up on some power metal releases.

HammerFall - Dominion

Speaking of catching up, I'm still working my way through HammerFall's later albums, and this was next.  Of course, it has much of the same heavy/power metal stylings as they always do, but I feel like this one is a little on the weaker side.

While the songs have great production and sound, most of the tracks felt incomplete, like they didn't really think them all the way through.  I think one of the big things is the lyrics.  Sure, HammerFall's lyrics aren't high poetry, but here they seem a little clunky and while Joacim Cans delivers them in his iconic style, they don't seem to click for me here.  The topics are also more varied, ranging from the Vietnam War to Ragnarok to Paradise Lost, and while that's not a bad thing, necessarily, it does make the album feel a little less focused.  Of course, there is still plenty to like, in particular the guitar work.  Oscar Dronjak and Pontus Norgren play some really great stuff, not only providing some very chunky riffs, but the solos are really on point.  Shifting between melodic passages and neo-classical shredding, their guitarwork is some of the best HammerFall has ever had.  

As for the songs overall, there were a few that stood out.  "Chain of Command" and "Testify" gets a little heavier towards Judas Priest territory, and "Dead by Dawn" is pretty dark, making me think of some of their material from Infected.  However my favorites are "(We Make) Sweden Rock" a solid anthemic rocker, celebrating a country that has a great rock and metal music heritage, and "Scars of a Generation" another metal anthem that really goes big, especially on the chorus.  It's not a bad album, but certainly on the weaker side compared to some of their others.  Still, I'm all caught up and ready for the latest one!

Sabaton - The War to End All Wars

Speaking of bands with an iconic, unchanging sound, Sabaton is back with another slab of World War I inspired tunes.  Just like the last one, it features some pretty anthemic stompers, a few high speed stormers, and few bits of experimentation for good measure.

The first and last tracks "Sarajevo" and "Versailles" work as some interesting bookends for the album, featuring female narration instead of standard verses, with the choruses echoing each other and cementing some interesting themes.  Otherwise, it's back to the triumphs and tragedies of war, with tracks like "Stormtroopers," "Dreadnaught," "The Unkillable Soldier," "Hellfighters," and "Race to the Sea."  The ones that are a little different are "The Valley of Death," which has a strange, AOR-like uplifting vibe; "Soldier of Heaven," which is clearly an attempt at Beast-in-Black-style synth metal, and pulls it off quite well, I must say; and "Christmas Truce," which goes for a TSO-style somber epic.  However, I do think these songs change things up nicely, making them the highlights of the album

There are a few stumbling blocks, though.  The lyrics on "Hellfighters" seems a little uninspired, "Lady of the Dark" has this strange, groovy riff that breaks up the flow in a weird way, and the mixed-meter on "Race to the Sea" doesn't seem to gel quite right.  Still, it's a solid album overall, from a band who are reliably consistent in their quality.  While it certainly won't convert anyone who hasn't been on board before, it will find plenty of playtime from the fans who don't mind the formula the band has established.

Kamelot - Poetry for the Poisoned

After reviewing Ghost Opera nearly three years ago, I had planned to move on to this one rather quickly, but that didn't happen for one reason or another.  It wasn't until now that I took the time to revisit what would be Roy Khan's last album.  I remember feeling the same disappointment as I had with Ghost Opera when I heard this one back in 2010, and after all these years my opinion really hasn't changed.  I'm not sure what may have convinced the band to go in this gothic symphonic direction, but I just don't think it really works.

Overall, this album just feels clunky.  The songwriting seems to shift uneasily between symphonic flourishes, gothic moods, and weird proggy riffing.  While Roy Khan is still performing well, some of his vocal melodies don't quite mesh with the songs from time to time, and I'm not sure why.  I also think the riffing seems to be an attempt to get away from the power metal they've been doing, but Youngblood goes for this jarring, proggy style that doesn't quite gel with me.  There are cameos a plenty, with Simone Simons from Epica returning once again to provide a counter to Khan's vocals, and they're pretty nice.  While Ghost Opera was at least consistent, this album's quality tends to jump all over the place.  And I wish that their four-part title track was just one 10-minute track.

There are some things I do like, though.  "The Great Pandemonium" is a decent opener, "House on a Hill" is a solid ballad featuring Simons, "My Train of Thoughts" has some interesting mood shifts, and "Once Upon a Time" feels like a return to classic Kamelot, though still dark and moody.  However, I admit when I first heard this, I was pretty down on it, and as a consequence, I hadn't really kept up with the band since.  I had heard that Khan wasn't feeling well (which later turned out to be burnout) and after trying a few different vocalists, the band settled with Tommy Karevik of Seventh Wonder moving forward.  I do plan on catching up on the newer records, though, and I'll be sure to post reviews for the albums I've missed when I get around to them.  After all these years, I'm curious to see where they went from here, especially with a new singer.

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I'm afraid there won't be a New Videos article for this month.  I know I have plenty to check out, but I just haven't spent the time.  I just need to get back into the groove.  I'll still keep posting the Anniversary Series articles, and come up with more when I can.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - February 2022!

Yup, it's time to get back into the videos again!  Certainly some interesting melodic metal right out of the gate, going from prog to power and back again.  Turn these up, as they certainly demand it!

This is an interesting piece of mid-tempo power metal.  It's got some good energy, making me think of some of the more anthemic Stratovarius songs like "Hunting High and Low."  Fabio is pretty over-the-top, but doesn't steal the spotlight, and his voice combines well with Giorgia Gueglio's.

Well, I suppose being from the same part of the world as Iron Maiden gives them a bit of authenticity!  This is definitely in the style of older Maiden, as it has a bit of a rock vibe, but the vocalist could easily be mistaken for Dickenson, which is probably intentional.  Still, a solid metal track.

I know the video has the hashtag for prog metal, but I get massive Yes vibes from this, mainly due to the vocalist Damian Wilson being right in Jon Anderson's range.  Getting the guitarist from DGM and the keyboardist from Dream Theater certainly helps lift the prog chops as well.  It's a neat little song, and I'll have to keep an eye out for more from these guys in the future!

Well, this is a solid piece of power metal.  Not really innovating anything, but it has good energy, and some interesting use of synthesizers, making me think of Twilightning, actually.  While this is just for an EP, I'll have to keep an eye on this band, going forward.

Now this sounds like classic HammerFall!  The extended guitar noodling makes me think of their early albums like Glory to the Brave and Legacy of Kings.  While "Hammer of Dawn" was decent, this one certainly has the band's various trademarks all at once!

Last Played - January 2022!

While I may be busy working out my Top 5 for last year, I figure I would break things up with some classic album reviews.  I will admit part of this is in anticipation for my Anniversary Series articles, featuring material from the early 70s, but it also works as a good break from all last year's stuff I'm revisiting.  And we're going to start off with the two albums Uriah Heep released in 1971!

Uriah Heep - Salisbury

So early last year, I checked out these guys' first record, and found it to be interesting, though not mind blowing.  However, they were clearly on a roll, releasing four albums over the next two years.  Right off, there is definitely an evolution here from the first album.  While they may have started in Vanilla Fudge territory, they've definitely picked up a few concepts from Deep Purple by now.

Probably the tracks with the strongest Purple influence are "Bird of Prey," "Time to Live," and the 16-minute epic title track.  While that epic does try to go for some interesting arrangements with its orchestrations, it really does feel like a groovier, jazzier version of "Child in Time" to me.  As for the other tracks, "The Park" had an interesting, folky vibe, and "Lady in Black" had a really nice, haunting atmosphere.  "High Priestess" was just okay, but it did make me think of very early Styx, though.  However, the music generally flows well, and I enjoyed most of what I heard.

Their maturity is definitely growing here, especially with some better song-writing and jazz-fusion chops, showing a stronger sense of diversity.  Byron's voice is great as before, but I can't help but hear some Ian Gillain in it at times.  The organist Ken Hensley really stepped up for the songwriting, and it shows.  While the organ never takes center stage, it definitely forms the backbone of these songs, and he even sings the lead vocal on a few of the tracks.  Overall, I'll say that Salisbury definitely better than their first, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here.  Fortunately, you won't have to wait long for my thoughts on their next album!

Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself

Peculiar, meta-styled cover art aside, this album mainly continues their Vanilla-Fudge-and-Deep-Purple inspired sound.  It's a solid sound, but I wonder if this album isn't maybe a little less diverse than Salisbury.

Don't get me wrong.  It's still pretty solid classic rock.  The organs really take center-stage with their aggressive crunch, but the guitars are no slouch either.  The vocal harmonies are also very tight, adding layers to the songs.  Basically, they're maintaining their quality from the last album.  The title track and "July Morning" are staples of their lives sets, and for good reason, as they would make for some great live jamming.  However, "Shadows of Grief" is the one that stood out to me as being pretty different, as it seems to be leaning more into ELP's more aggressive style, with that middle section making me think of "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" from early Pink Floyd.  There are even more Pink Floyd vibes for the beginning of "What Should Be Done."

While I do think Salisbury was a step up, Look At Yourself generally occupies the same level.  Of course, that's not a bad thing, as I got to listen to two pretty solid rock albums.  However, I don't know if I'm really picking up on what makes Uriah Heep unique so much as hearing their influences mesh together in interesting ways.  I suppose that's how all music evolves, though.

Asia - Then & Now

So this is a bit of a weird one.  Half a compilation, half new material, this feels a release to just tide things over while Asia work out their lineup troubles.  I don't know if it was really necessary, but it's not a bad little collection of songs.

The classic tracks remain classic.  I still consider Asia's debut and Alpha albums to be some of the best AOR ever made, so the first half of the album, which consists of five tracks from those two albums, goes down pretty easy.  The second half is when the new stuff comes in, and for the guitars, they pick up a few different guys, including Steve Lukather of Toto fame for the first new track, "Days Like These."  It's a decent rock track, but definitely leans more into the 80s pop/rock of Brian Adams or Huey Lewis than Asia.  The second new track "Prayin' 4 a Miracle" is decent, definitely closer to Astra territory, despite the terrible spelling.  "Am I in Love" is a ballad, which are always a hard sell for me, but Wetton's voice carries the song pretty well.  The last new track, "Summer (Can't Last Too Long," brings the energy back up, and I found it be pretty solid, honestly.  It has that thick, layered, Asia sound, but with more optimism than usual, making it the best of the four by far.  The album then ends with "Voice of America" from Astra, which is an odd choice.  I think I would have chosen "Go" instead, as it has better anthemic power, in my opinion.

Overall, I suppose it's a harmless release, sort of like an EP that has some classics to go with it.  However, this would end up being the last album with John Wetton until their classic lineup reunion in 2006.  It's a curious snapshot of the band in the midst of realignment, before Downes would find John Payne and carry on with him for the next 15-ish years.  Outside of "Summer," though, I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone but Asia completionists.

HammerFall - Built to Last

Let me start by saying that HammerFall is one of my favorite bands.  I first got into metal by listening to their classic albums like Legacy of Kings, Renegade, and Crimson Thunder.  However, when their later albums felt a little underwhelming, I ended up not listening to their latest ones.  It's not like their sound has changed all that much (though it did get a bit darker there for a bit), but I did feel like something had been lost.  Now that they have a new one coming out this early this year, I figured I would try to catch up on their last few albums.  I remember checking out (r)Evolution and thinking it was a decent attempt to capture their former glory, but very little stood out as really great.  Built to Last carries on this classic power metal approach and I think does a bit of a better job of it than (r)Evolution did.

Of course, all the HammerFall staples are here.  Plenty of chugging riffs and noodly solos, with Joacim Cans vocals soaring over it all, and plenty of double-kicking drum work pushing the songs forward.  The band has always found a spot between power and traditional metal that makes the best of both, in some ways. "Bring It!" starts with some good energy, but the songs that really stood out where "The Sacred Vow," "Dethrone and Defy," "Stormbreaker," and "New Breed," as I felt they had that classic power metal vibe, with some interesting ideas and great solos.  I even didn't mind the ballad "Twilight Princess," as it has an epic vibe I hadn't heard from them in a good while.

Honestly, this album is pretty consistent, with some good variation in tone and tempo to keep things interesting.  "Stormbearker" and "Second to None" shake it up with some mixed meter and shifts in tone, but it never feels out of place at all.  I'm probably going to have to listen to this a few more times to really decide how I feel it compares to the classics I cut my teeth on, but Built to Last is definitely an improvement compared to the ones that came right before it.

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I'm still working on my Top 5, and I have a pretty good idea of what's going to be my number, but the other four are proving to be difficult.  There were more than a handful of generally solid albums that came out last year, and it's hard to rank them.  I also catching up on some of the 2021 videos I missed out on, so there maybe one more New Videos article between now and the end of the month, but no guarantees.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - December 2021!

Well, here's one last batch of videos for the end of the year.  This is not as long as November's list, but I was pretty busy catching up on albums for 2021.  However, these videos do give us a peek into what 2022 has in store for us, and it's looking pretty good, I think.  Let's get it on!

I don't know how many AOR groups there are anymore (though I do think Frontiers has picked up at least half of them).  City of Lights is another new for me, and I really like how this sounds.  There's a bit of crunch to this one, giving their sentimental 80s vibe some decent heft, while still giving the keyboards an opportunity to shine.

HammerFall are back!  It's a little strange, with the Halloween imagery, but this is some pretty standard heavy/power metal the band is known for.  I do need to get caught up with their latest releases, as I've kind of gotten behind on those.  Maybe I'll do a quick catchup before their 2022 release.

I'm trying to decide if Dynazty was always in the synth metal style (a la Beast in Black) or if this is a shift for them.  Still, it makes for a very powerful, uplifting track that's backed with some crunchy guitars and a soaring chorus from vocalist Nils Molin.

I'm not quite sure where these guys are from as there are a bunch of bands with the name Spitfire (Germany, maybe?), but this one seems to have a pretty solid mix of hard rock and heavy metal that's pretty energetic.  Can't go wrong with some chest-beating, fist-pumping music!

Well, that was pleasant!  A nice prog epic that seems equal parts Billy Sherwood, Jethro Tull, Rick Wakeman, and Pink Floyd.  It also has that laid-back third-wave prog vibe, establishing some nice atmosphere and giving plenty of room for folky organ noodles and a nice guitar solo.

Anniversary Series - 2005!

I have to say, writing these Anniversary articles has been fun.  I get to go over stuff I love as well as dig into things I haven't heard before.  This month: 2005.  I admit that my knowledge of what the rock world in general was doing at this time is pretty sparse, but I know what I like, and this year has plenty of melodic rock and metal worth celebrating.

Speaking of which, let's start again with power metal.  A lot of really good albums came out this year for the genre, including the debut of Allen/Lande, a team-up to two very dynamic singers who really lay it on thick.  The album is full of fist-pumping anthems that are blast to hear.  HammerFall would continue their crusades, providing another set of stomping huge songs in Chapter V, namely "Blood Bound," "Fury of the Wild," and "Born to Rule."  And while Stratovarius' history would be pretty bumpy at this point, their self-title release is something of a dark horse in their collection, having some of their best material, in my opinion.

Kamelot would carry on their quality streak with The Black Halo, the second half of a concept album pair based on Faustian legends, and features tons of epic material.  Sabaton would kickstart their military history flavored metal with Primo Victoria, camo pants and all.  And of course, a discussion of power metal in 2005 wouldn't be complete with DragonForce's Inhuman Rampage, featuring the Guitar Hero favorite "Through the Fire and the Flames," and cementing the band as the poster child for the genre.  Admit it, when most people think about power metal now, it's usually DragonForce they think of.

Of course, there was more to 2005 than power metal.  Post-grunge continued to stick around, with 3 Doors Down's opener "Right Where I Belong" from Seventeen Days, and Nickelback showing us that "Photograph" everyone keeps making fun of them for.  Other highlights include Wolfmother's debut, full of Sabbath-y riffs and Deep Purple-y organs, as well as Disturbed finally turning the corner into their now iconic groove metal with Ten Thousand Fists.

To cap off, I want to end with band that may have flown under the radar.  One called Presto Ballet.  Formed by Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, he set out to put together an album that paid homage to classic rock bands of the 70s, taking Yes and Kansas into strongest consideration.  Along with a dedication to more analog recording techniques, their debut album is a very bright and vibrant album that straddles the line between crunchy and prog the way bands like Kansas and Styx did back in their heyday.

So that's another anniversary article in the books.  As usual, the playlist with even more good stuff is posted below, and if I've missed something, shout it out!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 2000!

Once again, it's the middle of the month, so it's time for another anniversary article.  This time, 2000!  Once we got over the whole Y2K nonsense, what rocked that year?  I'm here to tell you!

Let's start off with some power metal, as the genre had really its stride by this point.  HammerFall would give us Renegade, with iconic tracks like the title track, "The Way of the Warrior," and "A Legend Reborn."  Nightwish expanded their symphonic stylings with Wishmaster, featuring another great title track, "Deep Silent Complete," and the dramatic number "The Kinslayer."  Other highlights include Rhapsody of Fire's Dawn of Victory, which gave us "Holy Thunderfoce," and Edguy's rerecording of Savage Poetry, which has the epic "Eyes of the Tyrant," a ten minute epic that goes through many different moods.

However, the one power metal album that stands out to me the most is Stratovarius's Infinite.  Building off of the sound of their successful trilogy of Episode, Visions, and Destiny, they add some thicker grit to their guitars and push to even greater heights.  Kicking off with the opening rocker "Hunting High and Low," the album moves through some great tracks.  "Millennium" is another great high-speed affair, "Phoenix" is a personal favorite with some massive riffs, and "Infinity" is probably their best epic track.  Full of speed and grandiosity, this album is pretty much peak power metal for me.

Of course, there were other metal bands doing work at this time.  Trans-Siberian Orchestra's third album gets away from their Christmas carols to give us a new story about the life and death of Beethoven in Beethoven's Last Night.  Melodramatic, but with some nice songs, and the references to classic music are weaved in quite expertly.  Other notable records are Helloween's The Dark Ride, Dark Moor's The Hall of the Olden Dreams, and Rob Halford's return to traditional metal with his first solo album Resurrection. 

Meanwhile, progressive rock was starting to come alive again, with new works from new bands.  While I admit I haven't listened to much from this time period, I did recently listen to Transatlantic's debut album, and thought it was pretty decent.

Finally, another genre that was big at this time was post-grunge.  While most of the stuff I'm familiar with didn't come out this particular year, one big album did, and that's The Better Life by 3 Doors Down.  This has to be one of the best debut albums I've ever heard, and I put it along side Boston's and Asia's first records as a solid rock album, from start to finish.  While "Kryptonite" would be the bit hit single from the record, the rest of the album is just a great, with songs like the crunchy "Loser," the driven "Duck and Run," the touching ballad "Be Like That," and the uplifting "So I Need You."  Honestly, I could have put all eleven tracks of this album on the playlist below, but I tried to keep it to the best.

So that's 2000!  Perhaps not as much variety as I would like, but I'm growing!  Also, if you think I've missed something, speak up!  These playlists are not set in stone, you know!

New Videos - May 2019!

Here we go, kicking things off with more videos!  I think I'm gonna have a bunch of these articles for May, as I'm seeing a lot of good stuff in the pipeline, as well as learning about a lot of new bands!

However, let's kick things off with one of my favorite bands: Hammerfall!  Coming back with their 11th album, they decide to start off with something that's more mid-tempo and anthemic as they celebrate their Swedish rock heritage. A solid start!

Here we have a new AOR project from Mike Slamer, who seems to have a lot of those.  This time, he's teamed up with Andrew Freeman from Last in Line for some great 80s anthemic rock.  This one has a very nice mix of guitars, synths, and epic vocals!

Apparently this band has been around since the mid-90s, but this song really doesn't show any aging in their classic sound.  While giving me some massive Saxon vibes, this is a nice slice of old-school metal for those who hanker for the days of denim and leather!

I admit that, except for Pink Floyd, my knowledge of psychedelic or space rock is pretty limited, but this is some amazing stuff from Monkey3!  The guitar has a bit of a Gilmour vibe in the solo, but the rest is a very dynamic mix of guitars and synths that really takes you out there!

Moonlight Haze is a new band, but seems to be sticking with a very solid style of symphonic metal.  Full of dramatic sweeps and epic vocals, there may not be any surprises, but it's well put together, and shows the promise this band has.

I'm really getting the impression that Italy has a lot of solid progressive metal bands (maybe because of their RPI heritage?).  This is Hollow Haze, and while it might not be the most proggy piece out there, this one is still some great, melodic metal, with some synth leads thrown in for good measure!