Top 5 of 1995!!

Still making progress on these articles, but it's gonna be tight if I want to get through all of them before the end of the year.  As for this one, 1995 was definitely a curious time, as genres were evolving and expanding.  As usual, I should explain that I can't listen to everything, and these lists are pretty subjective to me.  However, after listening to a bunch of albums (including ones I didn't review), I felt these were the five that stood out the most.

5. The Flower Kings - Back in the World of Adventures

I'll admit that third-wave prog rock can be a mixed bag sometimes, as I feel they tend to lean a little too much into jazz fusion for my tastes.  However, Roine Stolt and his buddies really went big for their (kinda) debut album, really capturing the whimsy and mystery of those classic 70s styles.  It's not perfect, but it does establish some decent atmosphere with slick passages and melodies throughout.

4. Paragon - World of Sin

After reviewing it last week, I did wonder if this might not sneak into the Top 5 somewhere.  Compared to the other two I reviewed, this one felt the most complete and consistent, with their wearing their Metal Church influences on their sleeves for their brand of power metal.  While they haven't quite reached their full potential (and the great vocalist Andreas Babuschkin hadn't shown up yet), it's a debut that certainly demands attention.

3. Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side

At this point, Blind Guardian is firing on all cylinders, nailing their peculiar mix of power, folk, and speed metal.  The title track, "Bright Eyes," and "I'm Alive" are highlights for me, and I know this album has plenty of acclaim in the power metal fandom.  It's only below the others as I think they're stronger and have more of the power metal style I prefer, but that I still think this is a great album in the genre.

2. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free

Losing Ralf Scheepers may seem like a big deal, but Kai Hansen really steps up to the mic and discovers that he has a good voice for this concept album about freedom and oppression.  It's also when the band really embraces their power metal sound, helping to establish the genre along with their contemporaries.  The album does get a little clunky here and there, but honestly, these are nit-picks, and certainly not enough to prevent it from getting such a high placing.

1. Stratovarius - Fourth Dimension

While they wouldn't have their iconic lineup just yet, it can't be denied that Stratovarius really starts with this album.  I love "Against the Wind," "Distant Skies," and "We Hold the Key," and the rest of the album isn't too shabby.  Timo Kotipelto's soaring vocals and Timo Tolkki's neo-classical guitars really come together to make some solid stuff, and the first of a string of excellent power metal albums!

Retro Reviews - September 2025!

Here's the other article focusing on 1995, this time clearly decided to power metal debut albums.  While a lot of it was clunky, it was also a lot of fun, not only to hear the promise these bands have, but they all did things just a little differently, making for some decent variety.  Here's what I've been headbanging to lately!

Wizard - Son of Darkness

I wasn't able to find much about the origins of this band, other than they started in the late 80s and were finally able to put together this album in 1995.  It's an eclectic blend of various styles of epic metal, making for an interesting mess.

Similarities to bands like Manowar and Running Wild are obvious, especially on songs like the solid opener "Sign of the Wizard," "Son of Darkness," "Masters of the Seas of Gods," and "Lonely Wolfe."  However, they do have a few songs in the style of European power metal, namely "Death or Glory" and "Enemy Die," which really stood out to me.  Then there's "Rain of Death," which had almost a glam metal vibe (which was a little strange, considering the lyrics are very dark), while "Dawn of Evil" feels like a combination of all these things, plus a bit of doom metal as well.  And if that wasn't enough, they try a classic 80s power ballad with "Lovesong" which feels very bland, like it was there to just have it (and the less said about the last track, the better).

So it's definitely a strange album.  I get the impression that the band just gathered their influences into a pile and emulated them (which isn't a bad way to start, really).  I liked "Death or Glory" and "Lonely Wolfe," and they certainly have the right attitude for this kind of music.  However, I can tell their sound needs some more work to polish out all the clunkiness, and I look forward to seeing how they do that with their later albums.

Nocturnal Rites - In a Time of Blood and Fire

Jarring artwork aside, this is another band who's debut came out in 1995.  Interestingly, they started as a death metal band in the early 90s, but after a few lineup changes, switched to power metal.  I've heard a few of their later songs and liked them, so checking them out was on my list and once again, my articles are giving me this chance to squeeze them in.

Right off, they sound very much like Helloween (with little bits of Dream Evil and HammerFall), though with a stronger neo-classical flair and some dark fantasy lyrics to set them apart.  Unfortunately, the production is a little on the thin side, perhaps a consequence of a small budget, as I wished these songs had more punch to them.  Otherwise, they provide a pretty solid set of double-kicking power metal, with Anders Zackrisson's vocal harmonies really standing out well.  "Sword of Steel" is a good, uptempo opener, the title track has some interesting time-signature switching, and both "Winds of Death" and "Rest in Peace" are epic and satisfying.  The song-writing does get a little clunky, but at this point, power metal was still a pretty new genre, and it's not like there are any terrible songs.

Overall, it's an unpolished album while showing a lot of promise.  The band clearly has some good energy and are talented, but I feel like they're held back by the production and some awkward transitions.  Like Wizard, I'm very interested to see where they go from here, as they have the pieces for making some great power metal.

Paragon - World of Sin

After enjoying their last two releases, I decided to go back to the beginning for this band as well.  While this line up would only last for this album, as band-founder and guitarist Martin Christian would be the only one to carry the torch forward, this is a solid enough debut to get Paragon rolling.

While I was expecting to compare their work to Accept as I have done before, this album definitely leans into melodic thrash metal, occasionally giving me Megadeth or Metal Church vibes.  Once again, the riffs are chunky, providing some good head-banging, and Christian's solos feature quality shredding and melodies.  Kay Carstens is a decent singer, having a nice mix of grit and melody, which works with these lyrics, which are pretty apocalyptic and violent.

In all honestly, though, this stuff isn't that much of a surprise, as their recent albums feel like a blend of heavy, power, and thrash metal styles.  The title track and "Into the Black" are solid, uptempo slabs of Accept-inspired metal, while "Beyond the Void" is more somber and doomy, but maintains its brooding energy well.  Finally, the closer "Bring the Hammer Down" is a fun bit of heavy/power metal.  If there is a problem, it's that the music feels not quite as punchy as it could.  The production is fine, but they aren't quite the sledgehammer of sound I've come to expect with their recent albums.  Still, I enjoyed quite a bit of this album, and, once again, look forward to the rest of their discography.

Iron Savior - Condition Red

In between all these power metal debuts, I decided to add this one in my continuing quest to listen through Iron Savior's discography.  This one is notable for being the first without co-founder Kai Hansen, so the crew carry on without him, putting together an excellent album of power metal.

This time the story starts when the Iron Savior's creator wanted to merge with his creation, but was denied.  After being sent into space from the initial war, he spent his time making a new Savior, but his desire for revenge corrupted him and it, turning it into the Protector, and he begins ruling other planets with an iron fist.  He also gains the ability to control others with his mind, but he discovers he can't control those who originally came from Earth.  In his wrath, he goes to war with Earth itself, and so humanity and the Iron Savior have another epic fight on their hands.  Honestly, it's pretty typical and in line with everything they've done so far, but it certainly makes for a decent story to inspire some triumphant tunes.

Musically, this is business as usual, but I'm really starting to hear the band become more of what I'm used to.  Piet's gritty voice is really becoming part of the band's character, and the riffs are deliciously chunky.  The album starts off great with "Titans of Our Time," and "Ironbound" carries that uptempo energy further.  Meanwhile, they channel their influences Judas Priest quite a bit, especially on "Protector," which sounds a lot like "Electric Eye," and I doubt that's on accident.  The album's energy carries on with great tracks like "Walls of Fire," "No Heroes," and "Paradise."  I think this might be their best album so far (not counting the more recent ones I reviewed), as it has plenty of epic melodies, energized double-kicking bass drums, and grandiose atmosphere.

Top 5 of 1990!!

I admit I'm kind of in catch-up mode, at this point, as I do want to make sure these Top 5 articles stay within their intended year, so I admit I didn't listen to everything I could have for 1990.  And I'm afraid this may be the case for the next few, but we'll have to see.  In any case, 1990 is a curious year, as it was one where rock and metal were in transition, like I mentioned in my Anniversary Article.  A few honorable mentions include that Blue Tears album I just reviewed, and Megadeth's Rust in Peace.  However, with my tastes, there really aren't many surprises here.  Here's my Top 5 of 1990!

5. Blind Guardian - Tales from the Twilight World

While their first two albums are some curious speed metal, this album is the one where they start to forge their iconic power metal sound.  Great tracks like "Welcome to Dying" and "The Last Candle" help this album be a landmark in the genre's history before it would explode later in the decade.

4. Gamma Ray - Heading For Tomorrow

Upon relistening to this one, I'm discovering that I'm fond of it more than I expected.  While this may have been Kai Hansen's first album away from Helloween, his iconic riffing and song-writing is all over it, and with Ralf Scheepers on board, it makes for a delightful collection of melodic metal.

3. Dio - Lock Up the Wolves

Looking back at my recent review, you'd think I was relatively unimpressed with it, but upon considering it for this list, I can't deny Dio's consistency.  It may not have any major hits, but I'll take a solid album of B's over one with a few A's and too many D's.  

2. AC/DC - The Razors Edge

The comeback album for these Australian titans of hard rock.  It's not flashy, or particularly fresh, but the production finally captures them at their best, playing iconic, anthemic, fist-pumping tracks.  It's not perfect, but the highlights, like the unforgettable "Thunderstruck," help raise this album to #2.

1. Judas Priest - Painkiller

However, the #1 album was not hard to pick.  It's Judas Priest doing what they do best: rocking faces off and rolling over listeners with powerful, catchy, excellently-played heavy metal.  After a few lackluster releases in the late 80s, the band came back roaring with their new drummer Scott Travis!  While this era wouldn't last very long, it definitely made an impression to anyone that listened to it, ensuring that classic metal can be as timeless as anything else.

Retro Reviews - August 2025!

I admit the schedule I had planned for this year has been falling apart as this summer has been rough for me.  For now, I'm mainly going to get these articles out just when they're done.  At the moment, I'm focusing on 1990 for a Top 5 article, and as a consequence, listened to some stuff that I hadn't heard before now.  Featuring both hard rock and heavy metal, this trio of albums turned out to be pretty decent!

Dio - Lock Up the Wolves

While Dream Evil was by no means a bad album, it wasn't a successful as earlier efforts.  This led to quite the shake up in the lineup.  First, Dio brought in Rowan Robertson on guitars, and the two worked together on the new songs.  Jimmy Bain and Vinny Appice would contribute to the writing, but they left before the band got into the studio, replaced with Teddy Cook and Simon Wright, respectively.  Keyboardist Jens Johansson also joined, coming over from Malmsteen's band.  With all these new pieces, Dio crafts his new set of tales, this time with much more atmosphere.

Things start off well with "Wild One," an uptempo speedster (for Dio, anyway), but then the album settles into a slower pace, even doomy at times, as if Dio wanted to reach back to his proggier 70s Rainbow days.  "Between Two Hearts" in particular focuses on a rather sad love story, and the title track, at a stomping eight minutes, provides a lot of mood, much like Dio's work in Sabbath.  There's also a stronger bluesy element, especially on "Evil on Queen Street," with its menacing 6/8 riff.  The album picks up again with "Walk on Water," then settles into cruise control for the rest.  While these slower songs aren't necessarily bad, their long runtimes make a long album feel longer.

I will say that Robertson has some great solos, though, and the rest of the band does well, with Dio still charismatically wailing away as always.  As an album, I'm not sure if I'd say it's an improvement so much as Dio and company flexing some different muscles to provide another slab of epic metal, one that's easy to leave on in the background and headbang away.  While this lineup would not stick around after the tour, their album represents one last hurrah for the 80s style metal that Dio helped define.

AC/DC - The Razors Edge

After truckin' on through the 80s with some mediocre albums, the band carried on, building on the strength of their live touring.  With new drummer Chris Slade, the Young brothers took control of the songwriting.  This time, they've injected a bit more energy, making for quite the capstone for their growing comeback.

"Thunderstruck" starts the album and has been one of their best songs for a good long time.  From the start with the rapid-fire riff, all the way through to its anthemic end, it's peak AC/DC, without a doubt.  The energy sticks around for "Fire Your Guns," "Rock Your Heart Out," and "Are You Ready."  Meanwhile, "Moneytalks" has a catchy, lilting melody and the title track has some very peculiar riffing and chord progressions that got my attention.  The album loses some of its drive by the middle, content to cruise to the end, but none of it is a dealbreaker, largely because of the great production, courtesy of Bruce Fairbairn.  After all the muddy stuff of their last few albums, this clearly is an improvement, making the songs feel big, no matter how simple they are.

Of course, much of what I've said really are nitpicks.  AC/DC remain largely consistent as ever, and my thoughts on any of their albums seem to reflect the band's energy and drive on each one.  With The Razors Edge, the band is more alive, and while it might be a tad too long, there are some good headbangers and solid energy through its runtime.  It's certainly hard to beat this band when they're on top of their game!

Blue Tears - Blue Tears

While Dio was forging ahead and AC/DC was making their comeback, other bands were just getting started, only to be dropped on their heads due to shifting tides and bad timing.  Blue Tears is one such band.  Despite kicking around through most of the 80s, they didn't get picked up by a label until the end of the decade, with this debut album coming out in 1990, just as glam metal was starting to wear out its welcome.  It's a bit of a shame, as this is some pretty solid stuff.

By this point, most glam metal was getting some very shiny production, and this album is no different.  The guitars are crunchy, and the gated reverb makes that snare drum hit like thunder, and most importantly, the vocal harmonies are tight and lush.  Their inclusion of some synths in the back give the band an AOR vibe, not unlike Night Ranger.  Of course, ballads were big winners by this point, and they provide more than a few, though they're not bad.  "Blue Tears" does get a bit cheesy, but otherwise hits all the right marks.  As for the rockers, the album starts with their iconic track "Rockin' with the Radio," and their other single "Innocent Kiss" has a bit of a cinematic tone.  Other standouts include "Crush," with its massive riff, and the energetic closer "Thunder in the Night."

Naturally, comparisons to other glam metal bands like Europe, Poison, and Def Leppard come to mind, but honestly, this album is about as good as any of theirs.  It's not perfect, as a song or two do drag the album down, but otherwise, I found this to be pretty enjoyable.  Unfortunately, when the band started recording their second album, their label dropped them in the wake of the grunge and alternative rock explosion.  Years later, the band would release those tracks (and many others) in some compilations, and later a reunion album (sorta), and I may have to check them out at some point.  Despite some good, catchy tracks, Blue Tears just ended up getting lost in the cracks.

New Releases - July 2025!

Once again, time and the summer heat have nearly gotten the best of me, but I've been able to squeeze in time for some modern releases!  I've got a bit of everything this time, as I'm trying to catch up with what's come out this year (I'm so far behind!).  In any case, here's what I've been jamming out to lately!

Robin McAuley - Soulbound

This guy certainly has something going with Frontiers Records, this being his third album in five years.  (And that doesn't include all the other projects he's doing, like Black Swan!)  I enjoyed the first one a lot, but was underwhelmed with the second album, and this new one seems to fall in between.

The album starts off pretty rough, as the first few tracks feel oddly stiff.  There's some interesting riffs, but nothing feels particularly alive.  Then, in the middle, there's suddenly a shift and they pick up some Whitesnake-style energy with "Crazy," "Let It Go," and "Wonder of the World."  At that point, it's like the album loosens up, and they start having fun.  The rest of the tracks are some decent AOR, but not as strong as those songs in the middle.  "Wonder of the World" is easily the highlight of the album.  Still, it was an interesting journey, and maybe this album will grow on me with more listens, but overall, it's a bit off-kilter.  It's always hard to know how these label-driven projects can turn out after a couple of albums, but at least Robin has a place to really let his voice soar, as it's aging pretty dang well.

Brainstorm - Plague of Rats

After enjoying their last album so much that it squeezed into my Top 5 for that year, I figured I should keep my eye on them for what they do next after the solid Wall of Skulls.  While they do have a new bassist for this one, it's pretty much business as usual as they pound out another enjoyable slab of heavy/power metal.

Based on the album cover, one would expect songs based on the Hindu religion and its lore, and there are a few songs that do that, but this is not a concept album.  As things go on, the songs shift to other themes, like darkness, redemption, and memories.  Still, the handful of songs that do have that Indian theme are interesting, featuring some folky instruments and melodies.  Otherwise, the band sticks to what they do best, which is crunchy riffs from Milan Loncaric and Torsten Ihlenfeld, pounding rhythms from Dieter Bernert, and the gritty, soaring vocals of Andy B. Franck.  

Overall, it's another pretty solid album, though I do think the standout tracks are the faster ones, like "Beyond Enemy Lines," "False Memories," and "Masquerade Conspiracy."  The Indian themes provide a bit of an interesting twist, but it feels underused, as the band gets back to business as usual as the album progresses.  I don't know if this is quite as good as Wall of Skulls, but the consistent quality of Plague of Rats might help it squeeze into my Top 5 once again.  We'll see when I get to that at the end of the year.

IQ - Dominion

After enjoying a handful of their albums, I figured I should check out their latest in melancholic prog.  With the same lineup they've had for the past 14 years, IQ have provided another introspective suite of synth-heavy rock with tons of spacey ambience.

Things start off big with a 22-minute epic titled "The Unknown Door."  It starts off rather somber, with some symphonic elements that add a cinematic tone to things.  However, once the song reaches Part 2, the band really gets going with some interesting transitions between the somber and upbeat sections.  After that, the rest of the album generally maintains the synth-driven sound.  "One of Us" is really the only track without any dynamics, probably because it's so short (relatively speaking).  It's a nice piece of folky introspection before the rest of the album carries the listener on a journey.  While I don't think this is a concept album, the lyrics generally focus on abstract concepts, like dreams, fate, ambition, companionship, choices, and consequences.  I admit the lyrics were a little harder to follow on this one, but they never felt out of place with the music, which the band plays with confidence.

This one is going to take a few listens before I can decide how I really feel about it.  There isn't as much rock as I've heard on previous albums, focusing instead on a lot of synthy atmosphere, and such albums need time to really soak into them.  While I like most of what I heard, with "Far From Here" being the standout, I did wonder if the synths dominated the mix a little too much, giving the songs a bit of a post-rock vibe.  Still, it's definitely more IQ, and their iconic introspective sound continues to drift between low and high energy with ease, perhaps with a softer touch this time around.

Top 5 of 1985!!

Well, this took a lot longer than it should have!  Turns out that there's a lot of rock and metal for this year, most of which was decent, but not amazing, so it took quite a few listens to figure out where to rank things.  While I do have an obvious winner (or two; I'll explain), the rest of the list was not easy, but eventually I decided I couldn't listen to everything and had to cut things off and choose.  I'm not as confident in this list as I am about the previous ones, but I have to move on.  So, for now anyway, here is my Top 5 for this quirky year.

5. Dio - Sacred Heart

It was tough to decide fifth place, as I was considering everything from Ratt and Accept, to Rush, but Dio's grandiosity won out.  It's not as strong as his first two solo efforts, as the band was starting to fall apart at this time, but you wouldn't really know it from the music.  Perhaps cheesy at times, but still a good amount of fun.

4. Asia - Astra

Once again, it's a drop off compared to this band's first two, as the inclusion of Mandy Mayer of Krokus pushed the band in more of an AOR style, but I think they make it work.  It's not as rich or proggy as the earlier albums, but there's enough of the classic Asia sound for me to put it up here.

3. Helloween - Walls of Jericho

As far as I'm concerned, European power metal started here.  Yes, it's a very rough album, mainly in classic speed metal territory, but careful listening shows the first steps of epicness, between the neo-classical riffing and Kai Hansen's wailing vocals.  While the band would definitely do better from here, picking up Michael Kiske, but I still find plenty of this iconic band's charm on their debut.

2. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

If there was an album that really defined 1985, it's this one.  Pushing their roots rock sound toward more commerciality, only to land on MTV's most sarcastic hit with "Money for Nothing," the band was thrown to the forefront of music listeners around the world.  Fortunately, the rest of the album is solid as well, with the somber title track, the easy-going "So Far Away," and my favorite from the album, the nostalgic "Walk of Life."  While the band had succeeded before, this album made them superstars.

1. The Alan Parsons Project - Vulture Culture/Stereotomy

Okay, so maybe I'm cheating here, putting two albums at number 1, but when they're both by one of my favorite bands, I was left with a hard choice?  Do let them take up two slots on a top 5?  Do I drop one in favor of the other?  Or maybe I just insist that it's my list and so I can make my own rules!  Seriously, though, this is some solid songwriting from a talented core of people.  The first carries on the formula of the previous two albums while the second sees them experimenting again a little.  While I do think Vulture Culture is the better of the two, Stereotomy is no slouch and has plenty of catchy melodic rock to enjoy.  Again, nostalgia plays a major role in putting these two albums at number 1, as I grew up on this band, but I can't think of any other album that can overtake either of these two for 1985!

Retro Reviews - June 2025!

Wow, this has been a rough start to summer!  Between all the heat and the pollen, I've had some pretty terrible headaches and a complete drain of energy.  It's taken a while, but I think I've finally wrapped up all I want to try and listen to for my Top 5 of 1985 article, which should be coming soon.  At the very least, here are a few more retro reviews, this time focusing on more straight-ahead rock from that year.

AC/DC - Fly on the Wall

After the lackluster Flick of the Switch, the band were able to carry on through the 80s on their touring prowess.  When it came time to get back into the studio, the brothers Malcolm and Angus took over production duties and wanted to get back to their more iconic roots.  The result is a bit of a mixed bag, as little of it really hits, but it's at least better than the album that came before.

Once again, production is an issue, this time pushing Brian Johnson's vocals to the back, like he's singing from a tunnel.  While he's being buried by the riffs, I do think the writing is a little better this time around.  The band certainly still knows how to get heads bobbing with their bluesy grooves and chunky riffs, and there's a little more energy going around.  Unfortunately, the lyrics do feel like leftovers from their career, often covering the same topics with less wit or creativity.  Still, the band remains pretty consistent with their sound, so there are no major shake-ups naturally, and none should be expected.

As always, reviewing AC/DC is perhaps a moot effort.  Either you already know by now if you like them or not, but as I'm going through their discography, it's fun to find a gem or two.  "Shake Your Foundation" is probably the closest they get to Back in Black anthem territory, and I did like the bluesier groove of "Danger."  Overall, it's a pretty bog-standard effort for them as they tried to find their place among the growing glam metal movement.

Lee Aaron - Call of the Wild

For some reason, I thought Metal Queen was Lee Aaron's first album, but it turns out it was her second.  I guess I should take the time to go back and give that listen, but for now, I'm moving forward and catching this one while I'm focused on 1985.  While the music is still wearing tons of metal clichés on its sleeves, I do think it's a bit of a stronger album than the last one.

It might be difficult to find an album that sounds more 80s than this, though.  Not only does it continue the glam/pop metal style of rockin', synths get added to a handful of songs, giving it a slight Night Ranger/Europe vibe.  Once again, Lee herself is a great singer, though I do think she tries to force a sense of toughness here and there with mixed results.  Otherwise, it's some pretty straight-forward 80s rock music.  The starts well enough with "Rock Me All Over" and "Runnin' From the Fire," and "Line of Fire" has a bit more of a cinematic feel, but the album is pretty consistent across its run time.  Fans of 80 MTV-savvy rock music will probably enjoy it, but again, it's hard to recommend when the music sticks to a formula that's done better elsewhere.  A nice listen, but not much else to it.

Ratt - Invasion of Your Privacy

While Ratt are often consider just part of the 80s glam metal pack, but they actually do have some decent songwriting.  Their debut album Out of the Cellar really is just non-stop rocking from start to finish, and after giving their sophomore effort a listen, they didn't lose a step!  

For what it's worth, there really isn't anything particularly innovative or noteworthy about what the band does here because they are very focused on straight-ahead, mid-tempo rock songs, with great results.  Things start off well with big singles "You're In Love," and "Lay It Down," but there are some decent gems further in, like "Got Me On the Line," and "You Should Know By Now."  Things get a little slower with "Closer to My Heart," but it's not really a ballad and features some interesting overlapping with acoustic and electric guitars.

Ultimately, the album is very consistent, with solid execution, making it quite the standout in a time where pop metal is really thriving.  There's a decent chance this might end up in my Top 5, but I need to listen to a bunch of others to decide.  As it stands, it's a great follow-up of a great debut album, and I kinda wish I had been paying more attention to these guys sooner!  I'll definitely be checking out the rest of their albums in the coming years.

AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video

So this is a few years later than the one I just reviewed at the top of the article, but I figured I should squeeze it in.  As I'm going to be listening to their subsequent three albums over the next few months for their respective Top 5 articles, and I didn't see the point is leaving this one out.  I also listened to Who Made Who, but that was more of a compilation with a few new songs for a Steven King horror movie.  (For what it's worth, those were instrumental except for one, and they're all okay.)  Now, a few years later, and bringing back the producers who helped them with their 70s albums, the band seems to have made some corrections with a solid chunk of new tracks.

The production is fixed, compared to previous albums, and honestly, the streamlined simplicity has taken center stage again, as these songs are actually pretty catchy and groovy.  The album starts well with their two singles "Heatseeker" and "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll," but then follow it up with the funk rock track "Meanstreak."  From there, the album just kinda cruises along as AC/DC always does, without any real surprises, though "This Means War" is a pretty nice and upbeat closer.  Overall, it's definitely an improvement over what they had been doing through most of the decade, probably their best album since For Those About to Rock We Salute You.  Once again, there isn't much to say when AC/DC is good, as you know what to expect.  While it isn't one of their better ones, they've definitely been worse, and it's good to hear a band find their groove again.

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.

Top 5 of 1980!!

I'm certainly having a busy spring, putting out all these articles.  There's just so many different bands and albums I want to get to, partially because of all these Top 5 pieces, and I'm enjoying the ride.  However, let's stay on track with this one, which was not easy to decide, let me tell you.  Even for my Anniversary Article, I talked about how good this year was, and in reviewing this year, that feeling has only gotten stronger!

The first, second, and third came together pretty quickly for me, but for fourth and fifth, it was a struggle.  With Rush, Journey, Ozzy, and Saxon all in the mix, providing solid albums, I had to do a lot of relistening to decide who would make it and who wouldn't!  However, the biggest heartache has to go to Def Leppard's debut album.  So many good, clever songs with catchy leads and choruses, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to squeeze into a very packed Top 5.  So what made it?  Keep reading!

5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell

I remember when I first reviewed this album, I was impressed.  Dio's time with Black Sabbath was pretty unique, blending the iconic singer's flair for the dramatic with Tony Iommi's massive riffing, making for a very memorable album.  Listening to it again, there were all these little moments that really elevate this album beyond the ones that didn't make the cut.  It's just those last few songs that keep it from getting even higher.

4. Judas Priest - British Steel

When I first listened to this album, I was actually not that impressed.  Sure, the two big singles were great, but I felt that the rest of the album was just okay.  Going back to it now for this article, I have no idea what I was thinking.  This is front-to-back solid, classic Priest to a T, with plenty of great, catchy songs and riffs.  

3. AC/DC - Back in Black

Of course this album is up here.  You know it's great, so I won't bother with the details.  As tragic as the passing of Bon Scott was, you can't deny that the band bounced back well.  We all still hear most (if not all) of these songs on the radio, and for good reason.  Catchy, memorable, hard-hitting, no-frills rock and roll by musicians who have mastered their craft.

2. The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card

So here's where the nostalgia kicks in.  I've mentioned before that I grew up on this band, so they were going to rank high, no matter what.  Here, we have them focusing on the themes of gambling and its consequences, while still giving a very solid set of catchy songs that have been ingrained into my DNA.  The basslines in particular are strong, and the album never seems to lose its luster after these years, thanks to the brilliant production of Parsons himself.  The only reason it isn't number 1 is because my favorite band also put an album.

1. Yes - Drama

Drama is certainly an odd album, considering the circumstances.  Bringing the Buggles on board certainly changed up their sound, bringing new wave sensibilities to their classic prog style.  The result is a very crisp album with some fresh new synths from Geoff Downes, and a mind-blowing rhythm performance from Alan White and Chris Squire.  The album wasn't a hit at first, but over the years, Yes fans have come to accept this dark horse in the catalog, and frankly, it's one of my favorites.  I promise Yes won't always come out on top with these lists, but when they release albums like this, I can't help myself!

Retro Reviews - April 2025 Part Two!!

I thought about changing things up with a different article, but I was just such in a mood for more classic releases that I figured I'd just write up another one!  I've also realized that there are a lot of albums from 1985 that I want to talk about, so getting a head start on those seemed like a good idea.  Get out some patches for your denim jacket, because it's time for some classic metal!!

Manilla Road - Invasion

It's hard to talk about the US power metal scene of the 80s without bringing up this band.  Between these guys, Omen, Riot, and Manowar, they created a style that may not have been the biggest during the decade, but certainly cemented a legacy that would inspire others around the world.  However, when Manilla Road got started, they were much more in the vein of heavy space rock.

My immediate thoughts is that this is like a blend of southern-friend rock with some early Rush.  I admit Mark Shelton's gruff vocals help lend the band that southern sound, but it works for the kind of stuff they're doing.  Much of the riffing is on the noodly side, making me think of Alex Lifeson in particular, but the songs focus on jams more than organized sections or transitions.  Scott Park's bass in particular has a tendency to drone on a rhythm or groove, letting Shelton go nuts on guitar, and the atmosphere they create is not bad.  The production can be a bit rough, making the band sound muted at times, but otherwise, this album coasts along pretty well, as I was banging my head through most of it.

While it isn't quite metal, the album does have a lot of good energy, especially on "Cat and Mouse," but there are times where the spacy-ness gets a little carried away, like on "Far Side of the Sun."  Meanwhile, "Centurian War Games" goes completely acoustic with a folky vibe, like something Uriah Heep would record in the early 70s, and "The Empire" is a thirteen-minute closer that goes back and forth between energetic rock and spacy interludes.  It's a rough album, but they clearly had big ideas from the start, so I can see this setting the foundation for the epicness to come.

Saxon - Strong Arm of the Law

Not just content with releasing one great metal album in 1980, these Brits went back to the studio to push out another.  While the first one definitely had a lot of Motörhead influence, with Strong Arm of the Law, they leaned into a bluesier style, making them sound much more like AC/DC.  Still, this is some pretty solid rockin' stuff as Saxon settles into their style more.

The same lineup provides much of the same charm, with Oliver and Quinn providing some chunky riffs and even trading solos at times.  Gill and Dawson remain a decent rhythm section, though I don't know if they're as dynamic this time around.  However, Biff Byford remains a timeless singer, ringing out those notes with style (though I do wish he was a tad louder in the mix).  

"Heavy Metal Thunder" is an immediate standout, and it's followed by "To Hell and Back Again," which keeps things moving forward.  Singing about the plane-flying thrill of "20,000 Feet" adds a bit more aggression on the album.  The rest of the tracks aren't bad, but lack maybe a bit of the punch that Wheels of Steel had, which makes this a bit of a let down.  Overall, it's a decent chunk of classic metal, showing how vibrant the NWOBHM scene had become.

Warlock - Hellbound

Let's start my 1985 pile of reviews with a legend.  Doro Pesch has been the Metal Queen since the 80s (despite what Lee Aaron might claim), and she started with a band called Warlock.  I've listened to their first album Burning the Witches, and it was alright.  The songwriting was a little rough, and the lyrics were pretty cliched, but they played with good energy, and Doro's voice was immediately iconic.  (For what it's worth, I've also listened to Doro's Fear No Evil, which was pretty fun, but otherwise I'm pretty new to this singer's history.)  As for Warlock's second outing, the production gets a very nice boost in quality, but the songwriting remains clunky and filled with 80s metal clichés (which isn't a bad thing). 

Right off, the album starts with a big chord, a cheering crowd, then into some fierce, speedy chugging for "Hellbound."  It's a great, high energy start to the album, and the later track "Time to Die" right there with it.  But the rest of the songs tend to settle into a typical, mid-tempo style.  There's nothing wrong with that, but it gives the album a bit of an identity crisis, as if they couldn't decide to be an 80s glam metal or more of a speed metal band like Running Wild.  "Earthshaker Rock" in particular shifts back and forth between these two styles rather awkwardly, though it ends in a nice speedfest.  For what it's worth, the band is playing their hearts out, full of energetic playing and Doro's soaring voice.

There really is a lot to like on here.  If you don't mind some messy songwriting, it's easy to get lost in the thrill and passion of what they're playing.  I liked the opener "Hellbound," and I thought "Out of Control" had some interesting glam metal storytelling.  The vocal harmonies on "Time to Die" also stood out to me as something pretty cool.  Overall, it's a fun album, but I don't know if it will find its way into my upcoming Top 5 list.

Accept - Metal Heart

Yup, I'm still making my way through this discography as well.  After the breakout success of Balls to the Wall, the band decided to lean in more of a pop metal style for their follow up in order to keep a good thing going.  While they retain much of their iconic sound, the songs do suffer a little in the songwriting department.

As for the lineup, Herman Frank steps out, so the band brings back Jörg Fischer, who sticks around for a good while after.  Nevertheless, some of the songs are business as usual, such as the title track, "Up to the Limit" and "Dogs on Leads."  However, they really lean into a more MTV-savvy, glam metal style for many of the other tracks, with some mixed results.  "Midnight Mover" and "Living for Tonite" aren't bad, as they are, but "Screaming for a Love-Bite" and "Too High to Get It Right" are filler and don't leave much of an impression.  The band then gets a bit jazzy with "Teach Us to Survive."  There's some interesting drumming and a neat swing groove, both otherwise, the track does the album no favors.  Fortunately, things end well enough with "Bound to Fail," with it's triumphant riffing and doomed lyrics.

I can definitely imagine fans feeling a little betrayed with this one, as their previous few had been some pretty solid heavy metal without compromise.  Still, there were certainly worse records to have come out at this time as the glam took over the decade.  As for Accept, perhaps it's just a victim of its circumstances, but this is definitely a step down, despite that excellent, classically-inspired title track.

Retro Reviews - April 2025!

Well, I hope your Spring has been more stable than mine.  I've already had both snow and hail!  In the mean time, I'm still working through some classic releases, partially to check out some albums for my Top 5 articles.  Here's what I've been jamming lately!

Druid - Toward the Sun

I was in some prog rock community when I saw someone mention this band and how Yes-like they were.  Curious, I figured I'd put it on my list of bands to check out, and now that I'm doing these Top 5 lists, I thought I'd listen to their debut from 1975.  While this band didn't last long, they certainly have the pieces of something interesting, though it's much softer than I was expecting.

I want to say that there's a big Canterbury Scene vibe, as this is largely a very mellow album, similar to some of Yes's softer songs, like "To Be Over."  The rhythm section is solid and jazzy, with bassist Neil Brewer throwing in a few Squire-like melodies.  Andrew McCrorie-Shand puts in a ton of work with his Mellotrons, so if you like that sound, it's here in spades.  However, the vocalist, who simply goes by "Dane," seems to be trying a little too hard to sound like Jon Anderson, stretching his falsetto just a tad too far here and there.  Otherwise, they sound pretty cohesive as a unit, with plenty of nice, pastoral melodies.

That being said, I do wish there was just a bit more rock energy on the album.  There are a few uptempo moments, but it's pretty clear they're more interested in creating atmosphere and space.  Perhaps it's because they're not as technical as Yes, so instead of impressive musicality, we get a handful of songs that just drift along.  I did end up liking the two longer songs at the end the most, "Dawn of Evening" and "Shangri-La," with their expressive dynamics and transitions.  Maybe this will grow on me with more listens, but for now, it's mainly a decent album.

Saxon - Wheels of Steel

Shifting ahead five years, this is the first of two albums this legendary NWOBHM band put out this year (I'll get to the other one soon enough).  While their self-titled debut had some decent ideas, the band clearly hadn't matured into their sound quite yet, mainly being 70s hard rock.  Just a year later, and already I'm hearing more of Saxon's iconic blend of rock and metal.

Things kick off with the uptempo "Motorcycle Man," feeling like they took a few cues from Motörhead, who I learned they were touring with at this time.  "See the Light Shining," "Machine Gun," and "Street Fighting Gang" all have a similar style, and keep the album moving forward.  Meanwhile, their other car-driven speedster "Freeway Mad" made me think of Deep Purple, and "Stand Up and Be Counted" had some nice Thin-Lizzy style guitar harmonies as well as a good, catchy chorus.  I will admit that "747 (Strangers in the Night)" and the title track dragged a little, and "Suzie Hold On" was oddly sentimental, but they were still fine.

Already, I hear the improvement, as the songs are tighter and stronger than the first album.  Biff remains an iconic singer, with Paul Quinn and Graham Oliver really uniting as a guitar duo on this album.  Meanwhile, the rhythm section of Pete Gill and Steve Dawson maintain good energy throughout, ensuring that the album never really loses its steam.  Overall, I liked a lot of this one, as it feels like the band is definitely in their groove at this point.

Motörhead - Ace of Spades

Speaking of which, this legendary band would release their best known album in 1980 as well!  I reviewed Bomber last year, and I thought it was fine, if a bit sluggish.  I know that On Parole came out between these two, but it seems to be largely ignored by the band, so I'll just move ahead to this one.  While it may seem like business as usual for this band, I find this album is more consistent in quality than their earlier ones.

The album kicks off with the title track and probably their most iconic song.  I remember first hearing it as the intro music to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (which probably dates me quite a bit!), and its infectious energy makes it absolutely timeless.  The rest of the album is some pretty typical rocking from the trio, with lots of chunky, straight-ahead riffs and Lemmy's iconic crooning.  Other than the title track, the stand-outs for me were "Live to Win," "Fire, Fire," and "The Hammer," but overall I can see why this album is their most successful.  While it's not perfect (as the lyrics do get pretty sleazy at times), it has a lot of drive and power, making it very influential on a lot of other bands and a landmark album in heavy metal history.

Iron Savior - Dark Assault

In between all the classic rock I've been listening to, I figured I'd break things up with catching up on Iron Savior's discography.  The next album in my journey ends up being the last with Kai Hansen, so his influence seems particularly prominent, as many of the songs definitely have a Gamma Ray feel to me.  Still, this is same solid, chunky power metal that I've come to love and expect from these Germans.

While not all the songs stick to the Iron Savior story, they do tell the tale of a new threat called the Shadow, causing the Earthlings and Atlanteans to work together to face them, even if it means taking a suicide mission to close the gate they came from.  In the meantime, the titular super computer star ship works out its philosophical crisis and comes back to help humanity fight them off.  Certainly an epic sci-fi tale worthy of some melodramatic power metal.

The album starts off a little odd, as the opening track "Never Say Die" starts with a muted tone, but things kick into gear soon enough.  The energy continues with highlights like "Seek and Destroy," "I've Been to Hell," "Predators," and "Firing the Guns," the last of which features some laser-heavy special effects.  I will say it does get a little cheesy towards the end, with "Back into the Light" making me think of Queen's theatrics, and "After the War" is a power ballad, leaning pretty hard on some synthesized strings.  Then they have a few decent covers to wrap things up (at least on the Japanese version).  While Hansen's Gamma Ray style is very prominent, I can also hear the band slowly developing their own sound, and the album brings the story to a solid close, at least as a trilogy.  Of course, things may change with the next album, which I'm looking forward to.  While I don't know if I love this one like I do their most recent albums, but I'm definitely enjoying the origins of this band and their storytelling.

Catching Up with The Ferrymen!

After I enjoyed doing my Catching Up article with The Brothers of Metal, I decided to repeat the concept for another modern metal band that has always been on my radar, but haven't spent the time to review any of their work.  Largely pulled together by Frontiers Records, it features Magnus Karlsson (of Primal Fear and various symphonic metal projects), Mike Terrana (formerly of Masterplan and Malmsteen, among others) and the voice himself, Ronnie Romero (who also has plenty of projects as well, but was best known as the singer for Ritchie Blackmore's sudden revival of Rainbow in 2015).  With a strong pedigree and a flair for the dramatic, they've released four albums now, including one from earlier this year!  What better time to catch up with this band than now?

The Ferrymen (2017)

With the introduction out of the way, let's get to the music.  Right off, the group settles into a melodic heavy metal vibe, similar to the likes of Dream Evil, Silver Bullet, and Last in Line.  There are more symphonic flourishes though, which makes them much like other Frontiers supergroup projects, such as Allen/Lande.  In short, it sounds like what would happen to Dio's sound if he kept going and added more strings.

Speaking of which, Ronnie Romero wails his heart out, sometimes sounding like the classic singer, but also with a bit of grit, making me think of Jorn or even Robin McAuley at times.  Nevertheless, he's great here, and the other two members are in top form.  Mike pounds out the rhythm with ease, and Magnus gets to show off both his lush arrangements and guitar prowess, easily going between shreddy and melodic as the song needs.  The songs are pretty solid all the way through, though I do think "Eternal Night" is a bit of a clichéd power ballad.

I'm not quite sure why they're listed as "Power Metal" on the Metal Archives, as they really are more like a symphonic-powered traditional metal band (again, like Allan/Lande).  However, I will say that I like the more uptempo songs, like "Still Standing Up," "Eyes on the Sky," and the excellent closer "Welcome to the Show."  I also liked "One Heart," the other power ballad on the album, as I think it builds well.  Overall, it's a good album to build on, even though they don't really deviate from what they established here.

A New Evil (2019)

So I actually featured two singles from this album back when I was more focused on music videos.  I thought were pretty good, but I guess they weren't enough to get me to check out the rest.  Now that I'm picking up the slack, this album carries on their journey by bringing another solid slab of symphonic-tinged epic metal.

That does make it difficult to find much that's meaningful to say.  The production is still big and powerful, the trio continue to play well, and it's easy to just get lost in the escapism of the sound.  I don't know if this one is better than the first one, but there is still plenty to like.  The opener "Don't Stand in My Way" start things off well, and the two singles I mentioned above, "A New Evil" and "No Matter How Hard We Fall," remain strong pieces.  As for the ending, "You Against the World" has some strong Primal Fear vibes that I liked, and "All We Got" is a nice, upbeat, AOR-style closer.  I do think the symphonic elements are stronger, but honestly, they're sticking with what they have, as it's certainly working for them.

One More River to Cross (2022)

Three years later, and not much has changed.  Magnus shreds, Mike pounds, and Ronnie soars.  So is there anything different?  Well, I do think the symphonic elements have been boosted again, really going for some bombastic sections in a few songs.  I also think the songwriting has slightly shifted in more of an AOR direction, but even then, there's still plenty of chugging riffs and shredding solos to keep this squarely in metal territory.  Honestly, though, this is just me splitting hairs.  The Ferrymen have their sound, and they aren't changing it for anyone.

Once again, I like it when the bring the energy.  "City of Hate" gave me some Karevik-era Kamelot vibes, with the darker tone and aggressive riffing.  The title track (while not a cover of a great Alan Parsons Project song) ends up being a very cinematic song, with the orchestrations really bringing the power.  "Bringers of the Dark" and "The Last Ship" have some tight riffing and solid choruses.  Overall, it's another consistent album that doesn't really have a bad song, which means its about the same as the first two albums.  No need fix what isn't broken, after all.

Iron Will (2025)

I wonder if it isn't a bit of a mistake to have binged these albums.  If I had been listening to them as they came out, I think each one would feel more novel.  While I can detect some small differences, these albums are pretty interchangeable in their sound.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with being consistent, especially in quality.

I think on this album they do a better job of embracing their symphonic metal nature, really making the orchestrations a part of the song rather than just some epic flavor in the back.  Still, this is a minor detail, as the trio still do what they do best.  I will say that, as the albums have gone on, Ronnie isn't trying to sound like Dio quite so much, which is fine.  He's got a great voice that stands on its own quite well.  The songs have become pretty formulaic at this point, with Magnus's solos predictably drifting between melodic and shreddy.  Not that I want each song to be completely different, but it's easy to fall into a single groove with this album (as with the others), so those expecting more variety might be disappointed.

Still, there are some stand out tracks.  The title track and "Dust to Dust" have some traditional metal grit, while the opener "Choke Hold," "Adrenaline," "The Darkness That Divides," and "Mind Games" shows their strong symphonic side, and the sentimental "Dreams and Destiny" adds in some folky flutes for a good power ballad.  However, the best track is "Mother Unholy," with that slow, ominous riffing, making me think of Lamenting of the Innocent by Sorcerer.  With the church bells and choirs singing in Latin, it makes for a very dramatic song and the highlight of the album.  As a whole, I don't know if this will be a Top 5 contender for 2025, but I do consider it another solid offering from a band that clearly knows what they want to do and do it well.

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While that was another fun, short discography to binge through.  One on hand, it's hard not to feel like this is just another side project for the three talented members, but I can't deny that what they've made is some above average melodic metal.  As I was listening through, I did wonder if this hasn't become more of Magnus's thing, as his orchestrations and arrangements got bigger and more epic (not that I think the other two members were slacking at all).  Still, I'm hard pressed to really say anything was particularly bad, and any of the four albums are recommendable to anyone missing the kind of classic 80s metal melodrama that Dio's band used to provide, backed by some well-made symphonic flourishes.