Retro Reviews - September 2025 Part Two!

Once again, my retro reviews are dominated by my next Top 5 article, and with 2000 coming up, I had plenty of albums to consider.  However, in the end, I decided to review these five, as they are mostly continuations of bands I've been reviewing over the years, which means more power metal!  Instead of breaking these up, I've decided to throw them together, so settle in for a long article!

Helloween - The Dark Ride

After enjoying their latest releases, I figured it was time to try and fill in some of the gaps I had with this band's discography.  I've mentioned before that I've listened up through Better than Raw, and most of it is great power metal.  With this one, the band had retroactively mentioned there was more executive meddling this time, and they went with a bit of a darker, gritter tone.

Things start off with some pretty typical power metal, as tracks like "Mr. Torture," and "All Over the Nations" would have fit in well with any other Helloween album.  Then we get "Escalation 666" and "Mirror Mirror" with both have a much darker tone and mid-tempo chugging, and their lead single "If I Could Fly" feels almost like an alternative rock song.  The rest of the album bounces bounces around these two styles.  While the power metal tracks are classic in style, they do feel a bit less inspired than usual, while the slower, grittier tracks are a mixed bag, but feature some neat ideas.  However, to the band's credit, the album never feels uneven or jarring, the different sounds making the album feel kind of diverse.

Personally, I find the later material on the album to be stronger.  "Mirror Mirror" is an interesting take on the classic fairy tale, then "The Departed (Sun Is Going Down)" and "I Live For Your Pain" are the best of the slower, grittier songs.  Meanwhile, "We Damn the Night" is the best of the power metal side, the epic closing title track features all of this and more.  While this isn't the band at their best, they've certainly had worse, and I think there's plenty to like here, making this more like a dark horse than a black sheep.

AC/DC - Stiff Upper Lip

After Ballbreaker, these Aussies seemed to settle into a pattern of putting out an album every 5-8 years, as I'm sure their live show was the more profitable side of their band.  As for this album, they definitely drawn upon the blues rock that dominated their sound in the 70s, making this feel like something of a throw back.

Of course, this is a minor shift, as the band's sound is one of the most unchanging things in the history of rock music, and that's just fine.  Things start of well with the rockin' title track, "Meltdown" and "House of Jazz" have the strongest blues elements on the album, and "Hold Me Back" has this near minimal approach before it builds to its anthemic end.  "Safe in New York City" has some interesting energy, and the blues come back for "Satellite Blues" and "Come and Get It."  I do think the album does lose some steam towards the end, but "Give It Up" is a solid closer.  Overall, it's another AC/DC album, designed to get your headbanging from beginning to end.  I will say, though, that I think this one was better than Ballbreaker, and probably on the upper end of their discography.

For what it's worth, this was the last album I needed to hear to complete my listening of their entire studio discography.  It took many years (long before I started the blog), but I can say with confidence that they've been largely consistent over their entire history. I might at some point create a Retrospective Article, filling in the reviews I need to, but that will probably have to wait until next year sometime.  In the meantime, they remain the band we've always enjoyed, and this album is a good example why.

Rhapsody of Fire - Dawn of Victory

This year was definitely one for power metal, with this one being the third in their Emerald Sword Saga.  In the last album, our hero made it to the tower to find the titular weapon and is now on his way back to face the evil that threatens the land.  Naturally, this means another set of bombastic, high speed power metal!

Musically, nothing has changed at all from the last album.  We get more neo-classical orchestrations to go with all of Luca Turilli's shredding guitars, and Fabio Lione does his best to share the story in his soaring voice.  As for that story, the hero brings the armies together into an alliance against the evil Akron, but when his friend's lover (a princess) gets kidnapped, the vile lord wants the Emerald Sword for himself.  The heroes try to anticipate a trap only to get captured, and the sword falls into the hands of evil, and our main hero is the only one to escape with his life.  I bring up the story here, as the album starts rather triumphant, but the songs get darker and more desperate as it goes (at least for power metal, anyway).  Of course, there are still some strange breaks, like "The Village of the Dwarves" with its folky respite, but most of the time, it's pretty melodramatic theatrics, which the music holds together well enough.

This is one of those albums where the great songs are great, but the rest is pretty forgettable.  I liked the title track and "Holy Thunderforce," as they feature some pretty epic melodies and symphonics, and the massive closer "The Mighty Ride of the Firelord" has a little of everything.  However, the rest of the songs, while not necessarily bad (though "The Bloody Rage of the Titans" was another strange one), they aren't as memorable as those three.  In any case, the band is once again spot on with their orchestrations and arrangements, and certainly sell their operatic pretentions pretty well. 

Iron Maiden - Brave New World

After enduring the two Blaze Bayley albums, it was high time I got back into this band and their reunion with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith.  However, they decide to hang on to Janick Gers, making the first album with three guitarists.  In fact, this lineup has remained ever since!  In any case, this album is pretty much a return to form for the band, calling upon their 80s majesty.

I know I haven't reviewed any Dickinson album before now, so let's get the obvious out of the way: this man is a great vocalist and frontman.  He's one of the greats for good reason, and he sounds great here.  The rest of the band is definitely back to normal after stumbling through the 90s.  The rhythms and hooks are tight again, and the guitar work is exemplary as always.  Essentially, it's Maiden doing what they do best, which is writing solid, melodic heavy metal, and after the last two albums, it's nearly a relief to hear the crew still have it where it matters.  The long songs have return as well, as the band leans more into their proggy side like "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" or "Alexander the Great."

Listening to this album is like putting on an old pair of comfortable shoes.  While long-time Maiden fans will already know how good songs like "The Wicker Man" and "Blood Brothers" are, but I also rather liked "Ghost of the Navigator" and "The Fallen Angel."  There are no surprises and you know what to expect, but at the same time, you can't help but feel good about it anyway, simply because it's executed well.  As a consequence, the album might not stand up well against their classics, but it makes for a solid return to form, and a new baseline for what follows.

Gamma Ray - Blast from the Past

Just to round things out, I decided to throw this collection on and give it a listen.  Technically, it's a compilation for the band, but a majority of it was recorded, letting the fans pick the songs on their website.  While the songs themselves weren't changed much, there are a few major differences that make this more than just a typical Greatest Hits album.

First is the production, making the re-recorded versions feel more rich and layered, so they feel more in-line with what the band had been doing at the time.  It also gives them a welcome extra punch of power metal.  The other major difference is that the vocals of Ralf Scheepers (now happily working in Primal Fear at this point) were now provided by Kai Hansen.  While some of the re-recorded songs were clearly written with Ralf's hefty vocals in mind, but Kai does well enough, especially on the faster songs that call for his soaring style.  Overall, I don't know if this is a particularly vital release, but definitely shows how Gamma Ray has finally established their style.  Enjoyable, but probably not vital outside of diehard fans.

New Releases - September 2025!

After spending so much time on older albums, I figured I should shake things up with some new releases.  This is looking to be another great year for power metal, as not only do we have some of the big names putting out some great albums, but I've got a new band that has it where it matters as well.  Figuring out my Top 5 for the year is going to be tough!

Primal Fear - Domination

When I reviewed their last two albums, I find them to be a little underwhelming compared to earlier releases.  (Though, when I relistened to them recently, I decided Metal Commando was the better album after all.)  Now with new members Thalìa Bellazecca and André Hilgers on guitars and drums respectively, they carry on with their iconic heavy/power metal sound.

Not that I was expecting any kind of major change, of course.  This band really is pretty consistent.  However, I do think this album has stronger melodies and more of an uplifting tone, tapping into a bit more of a Helloween style than usual.  This is very noticeable on their first few tracks, with "Destroyer" and "Far Away" really pushing into a very classic power metal sound.  Things get grittier in a more typical style with songs like "The Hunter," "I Am the Primal Fear," and the weirdly intense "March Boy March."  There's also a few elements of AOR, especially with songs like "Tears of Fire," the instrumental "Hallucinations," "Crossfire," and the seven-minute epic "Eden."  Hearing these makes me think that Magnus Karlsson had a bigger hand in the song-writing this time around, as I'm hearing similar things as the work that he's done with Frontiers Records.  Naturally, the rest of the band hammers out their parts well, with Ralf Scheeper's voice roaring and soaring over everything, getting in some pretty good wails.  Overall, it feels like the band has really gotten their energy and power back.

The main concern I have with it is that the album might be a little too long.  While none of these songs are bad, per se, there are a few that felt like filler, or at least not as strong, such as "Heroes and Gods," and "Scream."  However, these are nitpicks on what is definitely a solid album, probably their best since Apocalypse, and certainly a contender for Top 5 of the year!

Helloween - Giants and Monsters

Speaking of Helloween, these power metal legends finally released a follow up to their great self-titled album from 2021.  When I reviewed that one, I loved it, even if it was a little clunky here and there, and it eventually ended up in my Top 5 for that year at #2!  Now, four years later, the band is still rocking the three vocalists, and we get another great set of power metal tunes!

Naturally, all the staples are here: plenty of noodly riffs and solos, high energy rhythms, and wailing vocals.  If there is one thing that kept coming to mind this time is how much they sound like Gamma Ray.  I know that may seem kind of redundant, as Kai Hansen always has his sound, regardless of what band he's in, but something about these songs have that Queen-like emphasis that Kai likes to use on his Gamma Ray material.  (And it turns out that "Majestic" was a left over Gamma Ray song from 20 years ago that Kai rediscovered when helping to write this album.)  Maybe this is just semantics, but I did notice it multiple times.

Still, there's some great power metal, not that would be a shock, really, as these guys have been doing it well since the 80s.  Thinks start off great with the high-speed tracks "Giants on the Run" and "Savior of the World," but they also get epic with the two eight-minute songs, "Universe (Gravity For Hearts)" and "Majestic."  They do drift into AOR territory with tracks like "A Little Is a Little Too Much," "This Is Tokyo," and "Hand of God," which aren't bad but do bring the energy down a little.  "Under the Moonlight" is probably the weakest track, as it did sound a little strange compared to everything else.  However, what does work here holds the album up well.  I don't know if this is better than their last album (as that was quite good), but this is also a Top 5 album for 2025.  I'm sure I'll have some real trouble deciding between this and Primal Fear's work when it comes to placement!

Dragonknight - Legion

So after listening to two legends of the genre, here's a completely new power metal band from Finland.  While they may not be doing anything new or original, I can't deny that the execution of their work is pretty solid.

For fans of symphonic power metal, there's a lot that's familiar here, with Twilight Force being the most prominent comparison, though fans of Dragonland and Rhapsody of Fire will find plenty to like.  It's hard to know who is responsible for what, as the band relies on stage names, but Metal Archives at least tells me the singer is Mikael Salo, who apparently has been in a number of other power metal bands, and it shows.  He sings with experience, being very theatrical, but he isn't afraid to get a little gritty when it's needed.  While I don't think this is a concept album, it could definitely be interpreted as one, as it flows from song to song pretty well.  The orchestrations are bombastic and well arranged, and the music is tight and powerful, making sure each piece leaves an impact.

It would be very easy to dismiss this band as "more of the same," and I do fear this band might get lost in the cracks, but I can't deny they have something here, as I liked most of the songs.  The ending tracks do get a little weird (especially with the 12/8 rhythm they try on "The Revelation"), but I enjoyed "The Legions of Immortal Dragonlords," "Defender of Dragons," and "Storm Bringer" for having some good energy and epic arrangements, and I rather liked the ballad "Astarte Rise," as it had a strong story that built with the music very well.  Overall, it might not be unique, but there is something to be said for doing things well, and this group might be one to keep an eye on in the future.

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!

Anniversary Series - 1994!

This year is certainly a tough one to write about.  While there was plenty going on in rock and metal, it was mostly in genres I generally don't cover on this blog (like pop punk or death metal).  That being said, I think I've got enough to scrape a few paragraphs together to try and cover the year without resorting to a handful of reviews.

Naturally, grunge was still big.  Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden put out some reelases to their diehard fans, with Soundgarden in particular having a massive hit with "Black Hole Sun."  However, this year would also serve the biggest blow with the death of Kurt Cobain.  Almost acting like a turning point for the genre, more radio friendly bands like Bush and Our Lady Peace would move the genre into the post-grunge era.

Prog would end up having an interesting year as well.  Classic bands like Yes and ELP (among others) would put out albums, showing they still have what it takes, while Pink Floyd released Division Bell, marking the end of an era (as it was the last album for them for many years).  Progressive metal was picking up, however, with Dream Theater leading the charge with Awake, their celebrated follow-up to Images and Words.  With newcomers like Vanden Plas and Symphony X following in their wake, prog metal was clearly on the way up.

Meanwhile, power metal was starting to come together.  Stratovarius would be in a state of transition with Dreamspace, but the big story was the comeback of Helloween.  Picking up new singer Andi Deris, the band returned to their speedy, melodic roots with Master of the Rings, one of my favorite albums of theirs.  Finally getting past their experimental phase, they laid out epic tracks like "Sole Survivor" and "Where the Rain Grows," anticipating the explosion of power metal that would soon follow.

So it's not much, but it's something, and there's certainly more in the playlist below, so check that out.  If I've missed something, let me know in the comments below.  Meanwhile, I'll keep carrying on, putting out articles as often as time permits.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1988!

The middle of the month means it's time for another Anniversary Article!  1988 is an interesting year, as we start to see the rock and metal scene shift and expand, resulting in quite the mix of genres.  While I sure I'm missing some stuff (let me know what you think of down in the comments below), here's a rundown of the big albums and songs that rocked folks 35 years ago!

The year starts off with a rather controversial group, Kingdom Come.  While at first they tried to deny it a little, but it's pretty clear they were intent on doing a glamified approach to the classic sound of Led Zeppelin, and to be honest, they were pretty good at it.  And it's not like they were the first to do so, as both Rush's first album and and some of Whitesnake's material come to mind.  In any case, one could see Kingdom Come as the beginning of the retro-clone style of bands that we see so much today, so maybe they're influential at least in that aspect.

Of course, the pop metal scene in general had plenty of albums going around, continuing to dominate the airwaves.  Scorpions came back after a four year album break with Savage Amusement, Europe went Out of This World, Winger was "Headed for a Heartbreak," Cinderella told us that we "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," and Poison really blew up with Open Up and Say... Ahh!, featuring several big hits like "Nothin' But a Good Time," "Fallen Angel," and "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

Metal's various sub-genres also saw some decent representation this year.  Manowar and Candlemass brought the epicness with Kings of Metal and Ancient Dreams, respectively.  Helloween continued to establish the foundation of power metal with Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2.  Queensrÿche shifted into progressive metal with their concept album Operation: Mindcrime, and Iron Maiden pushed their proggy tendencies further with Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.  

However, the big winner of the year was thrash metal.  While all the big thrash bands put out albums this year (with Testament's probably being my personal favorite), it can't be denied that Metallica really put a spotlight on thrash with ...And Justice For All.  Despite the production problems, the album benefited from the music video for "One" getting plenty of airplay on MTV and the now-infamous snub at the Grammy's.  While some would argue that thrash's best year was 1986, the subgenre clearly started to break into the mainstream in 1988, and Metallica was leading the way.

So that's another year wrapped up.  Be sure to check out the playlist below for more great songs.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1987!

Moving right along with these Anniversary articles it's time for 1987!  To be honest, this year is pretty dominated by glam metal, but that's not a bad thing, as it hadn't quite worn out its welcome yet.  Sure, there were rumblings in the underground, with more extreme metal and college rock getting momentum, but those are outside the scope of this blog.  For now, let's focus on the melodic rock and metal of the year!

Like I said, it was a big year for glam metal.  Whitesnake released their massive self-titled album, featuring a re-recording of "Here I Go Again" and the big ballad "Is This Love?"  Mötley Crüe took things to the "Wild Side" with Girls, Girls, Girls, Great White put out Once Bitten, with the big hit "Rock Me," Dokken came Back for the Attack, and Guns 'n' Roses had their historic debut album.  Would classic rock be the same without "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Sweet Child o' Mine"?

However, in my opinion, the biggest album in the pop metal world is Def Leppard's Hysteria.  After having such a rough hiatus, with their drummer losing an arm, they came back with a titanic record that featured seven hit singles, and even some of the deeper tracks like "Run Riot" and "Excitable" are solid.  The story goes that the album wasn't as big at first, but when "Pour Some Sugar On Me" hit the radio waves, it became one of the best selling albums of the decade, and when I listen to it, I can't deny that it deserves it.  Just massive stadium-ready hooks from front-to-back.

Of course, the decade wasn't all metal.  Rock still had a presence here and there.  The Alan Parsons Project would release their last album, Gaudi, early in this year.  One would expect a concept album about a Spanish architect, but it's a solid release.  Other former prog rockers would put out some decent melodic rock as well.  Rush had the synth-heavy Hold Your Fire, Yes tried for, but largely failed to get big success with Big Generator, and Pink Floyd had their peculiar comeback with A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which as become one of my favorites of theirs in recent years.  Marillion also had a decent year with Clutching at Straws, a concept album about a man who missed out on success and brags about it while drinking in a bar.

Speaking of progressive music, Savatage would finally ditch any attempt at MTV success and rediscover themselves with Hall of the Mountain King, which saw them teaming up with Paul O'Neill and starting their shift into the symphonic, concept-driven metal that would take them to Trans-Siberian Orchestra in the 90s.  Other notable metal release include Manowar's Fighting the World, Dio's Dream Evil, doom metal legends Candlemass's Nightfall, and Running Wild finally finding success with the piratey Under Jolly Roger. 

Finally, I want to bring up Helloween's massive Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I.  While the band had released an album before this one, I feel like Keeper is when they finally found their sound, and as a consequence, established the sound of power metal for many bands to follow.  Between the upbeat "I'm Alive" and the epic "Halloween," it was really the first time melodic leads and aggressive riffing really came together, establishing the genre that wouldn't quite take off until a decade later.

That wraps up this year, clearly one for throwing up fists for some great rock and metal.  As always, my playlist is below with even more great tracks, and if you think I've missed something, let me know in the comments.  I hope you're enjoying these articles as much as I enjoy making them!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Top 5 of 2021!!

After listening to so many albums last year, coming up with a Top 5 was pretty difficult.  I got to listen to a lot of really great stuff, and it's been very difficult to determine what really was the best from this year.  I had to cut some solid albums just to get this down to five.

I do want to give a few honorable mentions, namely Eternal Flame by NorthTale and Mojo Skyline by The Dust Coda.  Both had a lot of great material, but didn't quite have the same level of quality that the following five did.  However, it was certainly close, and I had to find some pretty small reasons to justify why the following albums were better.  It just goes to show how good this past year was for rock and metal music!

Anyway, here's my Top 5 for 2021!

5. Brainstorm - Wall of Skulls

This almost didn't make the list, but I decided that it edged out the other albums out of sheer consistency.  While other bands may have had better individual songs, Brainstorm provided a crunchy power metal album that rocks from start to finish.

4. W.E.T. - Retransmission

It was tough deciding where this one should go, and how it measured up to the competition, not only from classic artists like Robin McAuley, but also from this band's guitarist Magnus Henriksson's main project Eclipse.  Once again, I think it came down to simply having the complete package; an album of songs that really nailed that classic 80s sound while still feeling fresh and powerful.

3. Hammer King - Hammer King

The moment I heard their lead single "Hammerschlag," I know I was in for something special.  Even if they wear their influences on their sleeve, this band evoked my love for classic HammerFall like nothing had before, and I loved every minute it.  It's always a good sign if an album makes you smile the whole time you're listening to it.

2. Helloween - Helloween

I don't suppose you could really call this a comeback, as the band had been pretty busy in the last six years, but it's hard to not to feel like this album isn't a culmination of everything the band has been across its entire history.  Between the classic sounding tracks and the great vocal harmonies between Deris, Kiske, and Hansen, this was a power metal fan's dream.  

1. Antti Martikainen - Carmina Gloria

As the year went on, I had a sneaking suspicion that this might end up as my #1.  It may be a bit of sacrilege to put this over Helloween, but I can't deny that what Antti has done is create an incredibly solid and consistent album of symphonic metal.  For all of its bombast and epicness, it doesn't wear out its welcome, containing clever shifts and changes within the songs, as if representing the ebb and flow of massive battles.  After enjoying Northern Steel for the past four years, I'm glad I was able to catch this one as well.  Who knew a Finnish epic trailer music composer could provide such incredible metal?!

---

I've got one more videos article I'm putting together to wrap up 2021, so keep an eye out for that, as it should be out pretty soon. 

Once that's finally finished, I can look ahead to 2022.  Already, some interesting things are lining up.  Not only do we get new HammerFall and Sabaton albums here pretty soon, but down the road, there's Megadeth, Alter Bridge, and maybe even a new Metallica.  And who knows what new bands I'll discover in the upcoming year as well.  Even if it's not the most popular music anymore, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of melodic rock and metal bands out there making great music!

Until then, let's get into 2022 and rock on!

Last Played - September 2021!

Time for some album reviews!  I'm finally catching up to some new releases, and this time, it's all power metal!!  There's been some solid stuff released this year, and it's great to hear that this style still has a lot going on in it.  Here's what I've listened to lately!

Paladine - Entering the Abyss

Well, I said was going to get this one, and here we are!  Just as a recap, Paladine are a power metal band that focus their songs on the D&D Dragonlance setting, which is what got my attention in first place.  Right off, there really isn't much that's different than the last album, but the production is definitely better, as things are more balanced between the performers.

Once again, we're back into tracks that are kinda crunchy, kinda melodic, kinda epic.  Blind Guardian and classic Dream Evil feel like the main reference points, especially with Protonotarios's grittier vocal delivery.  However, these songs are pretty straight-forward power metal, providing a lot of the same vibes multiple times, I feel.

Overall, it's not bad, as it is all generally solid, but the only real stand-out tracks for me are "Entering the Abyss" and the speedy "Hourglass in the Sky."  Still, fans of the D&D franchise will find plenty to enjoy, and I'm sure power metal fans will dig the solid atmosphere and slick guitar leads.

Helloween - Helloween

I've been a fan of Helloween for a while, but I haven't really caught up with their more recent releases (I've listened to everything up through Better Than Raw).  Combined with the fact that they've brought back both Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, after touring so successfully together, I wasn't sure quite what to expect.  I should have figured that it would feel a lot of classic Helloween, which made me pretty happy.

Sure, some of the songs are on the longer side, due to some intros and prog-lite shifts, but otherwise, anything that one could expect from a Helloween album is all here.  The riffs are catchy and melodic, the solos are absolutely spot on, and the double-kicking makes me think it's late-90s power metal all over again.  As for the vocals, everyone is on point, though Kai doesn't take too many leads, focusing more on his guitar work.  However, they do this one section together on "Fear of the Fallen" where they trade words, and it's amazing!

The album is pretty solid power metal from top to bottom.  "Fear of the Fallen" is an incredible track that goes back and forth between high-tempo shredding and more mellow parts.  "Mass Pollution" is very anthemic.  "Indestructible" has a solid, traditional metal vibe.  And "Skyfall" is a great epic like "Halloween" all over again, with a dash of Bowie's "Space Oddity" for good measure.  The rest of the tracks are decent as well, without ever getting tedious or monotonous.  This might be the best album I've heard this year, so far!

Antti Martikainen - Carmina Gloria

I'm not quite sure when it happened, but I discovered Antti when I came across a track or two of his Northern Steel album on YouTube, I instantly loved it.  Epic folk metal that really felt like it was made for his homeland of Finland.  Nearly 2 hours of solid awesome.  So when I discovered he was busting out his guitars again for another album, I knew I had to give it a listen.

Much of what made Northern Steel so great is here as well, though the folky elements are mostly gone, replaced for a more straight-forward symphonic metal approach, with a few dashes of power metal.  However, given the theme of crusaders, there are a few middle-eastern style sections with exotic ouds to expand the soundscape, allowing for a bit of variety as well giving the music even more lush layers to work with.  Meanwhile, the guitars are on point, with some huge riffs and leads that are very melodic and tasty.  And its hard to go wrong with track names like "Metal Crusade" and "Claymore in the Face"!

If there is a problem is that it insists a certainly level of intensity throughout.  While it does have dynamics from section to section, it maintains its epic tone from beginning to end, so it might be a bit much for some folks, especially with the longer tracks.  However, I enjoy it quite a bit.  I don't know if this will hit my Top 5, but it's a lot of fun to listen to and have on in the background.

Hammer King - Hammer King

When I first heard "Hammerschlag," I knew this would be an album I couldn't ignore.  Featuring solid mix of heavy and power metal, this album actually has more going on than one might assume from the album art and power metal name.

First off, I'm just going to say it: they sound like HammerFall, and I mean that in a good way.  However, it's definitely an older HammerFall style, making me think of albums like Glory to the Brave and Legacy of Kings, where the leads were more noodly and the songwriting more expansive.  Fortunately, these guys are not just a clone, as they bring in a few other influences, like the Iron Maiden-like leads on "Into the Storm," the Manowar-esque epicness on "King of Kings," and the Savatage/TSO vocal rounds at the end "Atlantis (Epilogue)."  There's also a good variety in tempo and tone, helping to break things up.

This stuff is really up my alley, as HammerFall is the band that got me into metal.  I'm not sure of the acoustic outro "Holy" was really necessary, though, as "King of Kings" was a solid closer.  My favorites from this album are the solid opener in "Awaken the Thunder" and of course the memorable, anthemic "Hammerschlag," and the rest of the album keeps it pretty classic.  It's a solid effort, one that makes me think I should dig into their back catalog.  If I do, you'll be sure I'll review it!

---

Well, that gets a few off my plate, but there are certainly others, including a few still to come out this year, like Dream Theater and Yes.  Hopefully, I can get caught up on all the ones that I want to hear before the end.  However, that will make the Top 5 for this year harder to choose!  A good problem to have, I suppose.  Well, until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - August 2021!

This summer hasn't relented, with the heat and the smoke making things miserable.  Lets see if we can blow it all away with some epic metal!

So many new albums to listen to, and this one is near the top of the list.  Dee Snider's solo career has really turned into something nice and crunchy.  Also, a cat gets rescued, which is nice.  Seriously, though, Dee's voice is as powerful as ever, and it's great to hear him bellow it out over heavy riffs like this.

Speaking of albums I need to listen to!  In the meantime, enjoy this mid-tempo rocker from these power metal giants.  They're definitely having fun with this one, going the "Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" theme, and I can't disagree with that!  This is a solid track, for sure!

More Italian Prog Metal!  This one really has a lot in it, despite being just under six minutes.  With the syncopated groove, wild synth runs, and tonal shifts, this is a kind of mini epic.  Kind of a lot to process, but none of it feels disjointed, as it flows pretty well.  

Another great piece of melodic thrash from this classic band.  I clearly need to catch up with these guys if they consistently sound this good.  Nice, crushing riffs, solid vocals, and even some dynamics with a softer section in the middle that then builds back to the thrashing!

Well this is a little different.  After a moody intro, it kicks into gear somewhere between Painkiller-era Priest and Paragon.  The singer has a nice grit to his voice, and the guitars have some nice, noodly leads, all driven by some serious double-kicking rhythms!

Let's finish with something epic!  And Finnish!  Antti Martikainen started off doing cinematic music, like Two Steps from Hell.  However in 2017, he picked up some guitars and released Northern Steel, nearly two hours of epic instrumental folk metal.  I guess he has done a few more albums since then, including this one, which falls more into symphonic power metal territory, but is no less epic!

Anniversary Series - 1996!

Time for another anniversary article, this time for 1996!  Once again, as we get closer to the present, it becomes harder to focus on the year as a whole.  Looking over it, I'm realizing that I actually haven't listened to much from this year that my blog covers.  Still, some really great stuff came out this year.

First of all, there's a lot of solid power metal that came out this year.  Stratovarius finally gets their iconic lineup together and release an iconic album, Episode.  Featuring speedfests like "Speed of Light," "Will the Sun Rise," and "Father Time," as well as epic tracks like "Eternity" and "Babylon," it's an album with plenty of great tracks, full of Tolkki's solid riffing and iconic solos.  Definitely a power metal classic.

Of course, these Finns weren't the only ones providing some epic power metal.  Germans Helloween followed up The Master of the Rings with Time of the Oath, with "Steel Tormentor" and "Power" as standouts.  They would also release a live album this same year called High Live.  Brazilian Angra would also give us Holy Land, a power-prog concept album I reviewed two years ago!  Trans-Siberian Orchestra would round things out with their debut, Christmas Eve and Other Stories, ensuring that the holiday would never sound the same again.  This year also features Apocalyptica's debut, made up of fascinating covers of Metallica songs on nothing but cellos.  While they would go on to write interesting stuff themselves, their debut is still an interesting listen to this day.  

Other records of note include the Flower Kings Retropolis and Nickelback's Curb, both of which I reviewed here on the blog last month.  The first is a solid representation of third-wave prog, while the second is an early step of what would become a giant in the post-grunge scene.

To cap things off, I'll talk about two of my big three (well, sorta).  Alan Parsons solo group released On Air, bringing back the concept album motif, this time focusing on flight for its theme.  Meanwhile, Yes reformed a classic lineup from the 70s and released Keys to Ascension, a strange combination of some solid live material, and a few new studio tracks that have never really stuck with me.

As always, I've got a playlist for they year, featuring all of the above plus a few extras.  However, I make lists to help me with these articles, and I know I've missed a lot of stuff.  Maybe I'll get to more of it in the future.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - May 2021 Part Two!

I admit I'm not a fan of summer, and as the weather starts to warm up, I'm dreading the inevitable heat.  Perhaps some rock and metal will distract me from it!  Here, we have a good mix of genres as well as classic bands and some new ones I've never heard of.  Turn it up!

It's always nice to see good bands still going, and Night Ranger is one of them.  There's nothing particularly new here, as it's classic, 80s-style pop metal with synths to add some extra layers, but it's energetic and well done, with the modern production adding some nice heft to the guitars.

I'm definitely excited for Helloween's next album, and this video really amplifies that.  Nice use of dynamics, between the acoustic guitars, the noodly solos, the double-kicking bass drums, and the great harmonies on the chorus, this is some charged-up power metal from the band that invented the genre!

I guess these guys have been kicking around Norway for a while, but this is the first I've heard of them.  New singer Jørgen Bergersen has got some good vocals, augmented by some solid, mid-tempo rocking.  This has an interesting mix of pop metal with some prog-style layering, making them sound like Winger or Europe.

Yup, some more from Robin.  This one is a little heavier and crunchier, but with the dramatic keyboards and McAuley's vocals, it makes for an anthemic rocker.  I think I've shared every single from this album now.  I should probably give the rest of the album a listen!

It amazes me how many new power metal bands are starting up.  Vandor is a new one for me from Sweden, and they seem to have a good mix of Gamma Ray and Sonata Arctica.  Uptempo stuff that doesn't just rely on guitars, but keeps things rich with keys and other layering.  I will definitely be keeping an eye on this one!

I actually like thrash metal quite a bit, but most of it is outside the scope of this blog.  As for this band, I've known about them, but haven't listened to much.  Here, though, we have a great piece of melodic thrash.  The vocals are huge and the riffs are catchy, making this feel more like traditional metal, and it really works well!

New Videos - April 2021!

I'm starting to catch up on newer releases again, and it's definitely thanks in part to these video articles.  I love finding out new bands or classic bands putting out new material.  This one is a little heavy on the power metal, but I found some great stuff and had to share it!

Let's start with something nice and crunchy!!  Warrior Path straddle the line between traditional heavy metal and power metal, making for something that's epic, but still very grounded.  This song also features a lot of catchy little riffs, kinda making me think of early HammerFall or Dream Evil.

I'll admit my feelings about Greta Van Fleet are complicated (in fact, I'm working on an article dedicated to my thoughts on their music), but I want to wait to the new album first before publish that.  In the meantime, while other singles have left me lukewarm, this one builds quite nicely, actually.  Here's hoping their new album has more solid material like this.

More epic power metal, again like old Dream Evil or Edguy.  However, the fact that all their songs are based on the D&D setting of Dragonlance is what stood out to me, as I remember enjoying those books when I was in high school.  Melodic and crunchy, with great vocals from Nick "The Metalizer" Protonotarios.

Another single from this upcoming Robin McAuley solo album.  This one is more at ease, going for a middling tempo, but still has a decent crunch on top of the acoustic guitars.  It's pretty standard AOR, but Robin's vocals really kick it up a notch, I think.

This just kinda popped up on my YouTube subscriptions, and I didn't know what to expect at first.  However, as I put it on, I was surprised to hear power metal in the vein of classic HammerFall.  Chunky, with a foot in traditional metal, and gang vocals on the chorus, this is some epic stuff!  Hammerschlag indeed!

After touring with their 3 vocalists/3 guitarists lineup for a few years, we finally get to hear some of the new stuff they've been cooking up, and it's pretty classic Helloween.  A bit odd to have a 7 minute "single edit" of a 12 minute epic, but it's fun and a bit proggy, with the calmer, "Space Oddity" moments between all the blast beats.  I'm definitely excited for this album, and this song only makes the wait harder!

Anniversary Series - 1985!

I hope everyone is staying safe.  I know I haven't been as productive as I could be here, but I'm committed to at least get these anniversary articles out.  Going back over 1985 seems to be an odd year, as there doesn't seem to be as much in the way of major releases like my previous articles.  Still, any year is a good year for rock music to come out, and this one isn't any different.

The year starts off with John Fogerty, of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame, getting a big solo hit with "Centerfield."  Dire Straits would find their own massive success with Brothers in Arms, featuring "Walk of Life," the satirical "Money for Nothing," and the epic title track.  Starship would continue it's complicated history with "We Built This City," and Heart would make their big comeback this year with "These Dreams."

As for metal, the genre was slowly expanding, with the subgenres of thrash, death, speed, power, and even doom finding their footing.  Those waving the banner for traditional metal found plenty to enjoy with Accept's Metal Heart, and Dio's Sacred Heart.  Power metal quietly kicked off this year with Helloween's Walls of Jericho, establishing the sound that would inspire epic music for decades to come.

Glam was certainly not sitting back, though as one of the biggest albums would be Theatre of Pain by Mötley Crüe, featuring a cover of "Smokin' in the Boys Room" and "Home Sweet Home," the power ballad that would pave the way for many more to follow the rest of the decade.  Other highlights include Ratt's Invasion of Your Privacy, Dokken's Under Lock and Key featuring "Unchain the Night" and "The Hunter," and Twisted Sister's Come Out and Play, best known these days for a team up with Alice Cooper for "Be Chrool to Your Scuel," the video for which ended up being banned from MTV.

Prog rock would definitely take a backseat at this time as most bands were content with a streamlined sound.  Marillion would end up being big this year as their album Misplaced Childhood would provide the hit "Kayleigh."  Rush continued their synth-heavy sound with Power Windows, Supertramp would recruit David Gilmour for Brother Where You Bound, and Asia would replace Steve Howe for Mandy Meyer for the more stadium-rock savvy Astra.  The Alan Parsons Project, after attaining radio success for for the past five years, would pick up some of their older progressive styles with Stereotomy at the end of the year.  

Hopefully, that covers the year pretty well.  Check out my playlist below, and speak up if you think I've missed something.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - October 2019 Part Two!

Hey, so I was able to pull together another list before the end of the month!  Of course, I kind of cheated and picked a bunch of power metal songs, but when the stuff is this good, why complain!  Here's one last list for October!!

I warned you this would be heavy on the power metal, and we're kicking off with another NorthTale track.  This group really brings it together with all the staples of classic 90s power metal, with some crunchy riffs for good measure!  I really need to listen to this album already!

Now Freedom Call is part of those power metal hey-days of the 90s, and they're still charging ahead with their speedy, uplifting sounds like they haven't aged a day.  This is another band I should listen to more often!

Twilight Force has more power metal for us, though they are more in the DragonForce and Rhapsody of Fire style than the previous two.  However, anyone familiar with this group knows to expect epic lyrics, massive choirs, and a dramatic flair well-suited for their style of story-telling.  That speedy guitar solo doesn't hurt, either!

Alright, let's break up the power metal with something a little bluesier.  Here we have CoreLeoni, which is another group fronted by Ronnie Romero (how many bands is he in?!).  This has that late 80s, bluesy-metal of bands like Whitesnake and Great White, but with Ronnie's big vocals and some very nice shredding!

Sitting at the nexus of hard rock and post-grunge is Those Damn Crows, a band that doesn't sound like they come from Wales at all!  Full of upbeat, crunchy riffs, and a thick, soaring baritone voice, this is some solid stuff!

Let's wrap this up with more power metal, and this one is a classic!  With Helloween now featuring the return of Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, they're really going all out!  Full of soaring vocal harmonies and epic riffage, it's clear to see why these guys are the origin of power metal, and they're still slaying it today!!  Oh, and just in time for the 31st, as well!