Top 5 of 2022!!

Yup, it's that time of year again.  I've been relistening to everything from the past year that I reviewed, and I have to admit that it was a pretty solid year.  However, as I was comparing and sifting these albums, these are the five that stood out the most to me.  Putting them in order from fifth to first was quite the challenge as well, as they're all pretty good.

Of course, some pretty good stuff had to get dropped.  While HammerFall and Hammer King put up good efforts, they didn't quite make the cut, as I think there were better power metal performances this year.  Beriedir was another close one, but it couldn't make its way in.  It's just my opinion, but I really do think these five are the ones that edged out everything else, so here's my Top 5 of 2022!

5. Birth - Born

While this band may have come from the remains of Astra, they have carried on their classic, spacy prog rock sound.  Filled with great 70s atmosphere and neat little guitar noodles, it's a great album for letting music just surround you so that you can soak in it.  

4. Iron Allies - Blood In Blood Out

This is probably the first surprise of my list.  While this list did have some solid competition, I couldn't deny that Herman Frank, David Reece, and company had really put together a solid classic metal album.  With so much classic metal experience on board, perhaps it was inevitable, but it was never a guarantee it would be this good.

3. Borealis - Illusions

In terms of prog metal, there were some splendid music, but I think Borealis stood out more than the others.  Between the songwriting and the production, this album is lush and layered in a way that really brings out the emotions.  Very bombastic and cinematic, I knew this one was going to be in my top 5 when I first heard it.

2. Blind Guardian - The God Machine

I admit I'm still pretty new, relatively speaking, to these German legends of power metal, but with their latest album, it's quite clear that they aren't all just whimsical fantasy ballads.  They really brought the heavy but they didn't lose an ounce of their epicness, making for one of the best power metal albums of the year, and I know I'm not alone in that.

1. New Horizon - Gate of the Gods

Better than HammerFall?  Better than Sabaton?  Better than Blind Guardian?  Yes, I really do think so.  For a debut album, these guys do a lot of things right, making me think of the classic 90s sound of Helloween and Gamma Ray, and as such, it hits all the right notes for me.  While I know the two guys on the project have other bands to work in, if they decide to make a follow up to this, it will definitely get my attention!

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Well, that was certainly not easy, and now that there's a new year upon us, I have to do it all over again!  Seriously, though, it's been fun doing this year after year, giving me an opportunity to check out what's new and to champion what I think is the best!

Looking ahead, things are already feeling pretty stacked.  Twilight Force, Arctic Rain, Lovebites, Rick Wakeman, Kamelot, and of course Metallica, there is plenty more to look forward to.  It's starting to feel like I don't have enough time to really give them all justice!!  However, I plan on continuing to plug along, so I'll get to them when I can.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - December 2022 Part One!

So it looks like this December is going to be very similar to last year, where I blitzed through a bunch of albums in order to catch up on what had been released.  I was kind of hoping to avoid doing that again, but I guess my attention was elsewhere for much of this year, I'm afraid.  Nevertheless, I am glad to keep finding interesting rock and metal albums, and this time, I have a handful that I've been looking forward to all year.  Let's get into it!

Iron Allies - Blood In Blood Out

As if having his own solo project and Victory weren't enough, Herman Frank teamed up with former Accept singer David Reece for this traditional metal project.  Even though these two were never in that classic band at the same time, this project sounds like stereotypical German traditional metal, featuring plenty Frank's iconic guitar work.

So we know what it sounds like going in: big and gritty riffs, wailing vocals, an occasional shift between fast double-kick fests and slower, stompier songs, all buoyed by anthemic pomp.  David Reece brings over his rhythm section, and they're as tight as they need to be for this stuff.  Not having heard anything from David Reece himself before, he fits in well, as his voice carries each melody with confidence and power.  However, I do feel like this album feels quite a bit like Herman Frank's albums.  He definitely leaves his stamp on things with his riffing and solos, which are all quite solid.

It's easy to say "It's more of the same, therefore it's good," but I do think this sounds fresher than either of Herman Frank's efforts from last year.  The title track, "Destroyers of the Night," and "Nightmares in my Mind" are great, mid-tempo anthems, while "Fear No Evil," "Blood of the Land," and "Truth Never Mattered" turn up the speed for some fierce, old-school shredding.  Overall, the songs are consistent in quality all the way through, and fans of classic 80s metal will find plenty to love here.

Disturbed - Divisive

Disturbed is probably the most extreme band I'm willing to cover around here, as I feel like they still have some great melodies among their groove-centric alternative metal style.  While I felt the last album was a little lackluster, this is very much a return to form, as observing the world over the past few years has inspired some pretty angry material.

Of course, these songs are very much in the same vein that they established with Ten Thousand Fists, with plenty of heavy, crushing riffs, David Draiman's off-beat vocal melodies, and anthemic choruses.  However, there is a strong theme of contention and how it makes things worse, as if the cover didn't make that obvious.  Their Believe logo being broken apart on the cover this album seems rather poignant.  Otherwise, it's a lot of the same material they've covered before.  They even do another somber ballad, this time a duet with Ann Wilson of Heart fame, and it's actually pretty decent.

Long time Disturbed fans will be happy with a return to the aggression after the ballad-heavy Evolution, but otherwise, it's a business as usual for the band.  I find this style happens to scratch a particular hard rock itch for me, so I like it well enough.  I don't expect them to be writing masterpieces, so I suppose my expectations were met.  Still, it's good to see that the band still has some power left in them to put out another set of crushing melodic metal.

Dragonland - The Power of the Nightstar

As I have reviewed every single Dragonland album on my blog, it has been interesting to watch them evolve and improve over their discography.  However, after being quiet for so long, I assumed they had broken up, so I was quite surprised to discover they were working on a new album, and the singles were definitely sounded promising.  Now that I'm finally sitting down with the album, I've found that Dragonland hasn't changed at all, continuing their tradition of bombastic, story-driven symphonic power metal.

As expected, the story covers the entire album, though they've gone for a science fiction tale, this time (if the cover didn't make that obvious).  Of course, they've done sci-fi before, most notably on the album Astronomy, but this is their first, full-length concept album in that narrative genre.  Their story starts with a civilization heading for the stars for a new world in an effort to leave behind a destructive past.  However, upon arriving at the Nightstar and igniting it, they summon an enemy fleet eager to wipe them all out.  Under-powered, the protagonist fleet resort to bringing out an ancient destructive technology they had hoped to leave behind them, but find they have to use it, despite the cost it brings.  Lyrically, things haven't really changed much, swapping out the swords and knights for blasters and starships.  Much of what they've done before is brought back here: soaring vocals and power metal riffing and solos, augmented by excellent orchestral arrangements.  Seriously, this album is very lush and rich in how it's weaved together.  The biggest difference I felt was the increase of more spacy synthesizers, not only providing extra ambient layers, but getting in on the noodly solos as well.  However, they don't sound out of place at all with the sci-fi concept they're going with.  I also noticed that many of the guitar solos weren't as shred-heavy as before, often focusing on more melodic phrasing.  

While their story-driven style may not click with everyone, and I admit I sometimes struggle with it myself, they remain a unique band in the genre with their songwriting and orchestral flourishes.  Some of the more narratively-driven songs aren't as catchy, but they don't feel like a waste either, as each song progresses the story, so it is definitely worth listening through from beginning to end.  It goes through a lot of dramatic dynamics, from the hopeful "A Light in the Dark" to the ominous "A Threat from Beyond the Shadows," and the doomy "Journey's End."  However the singles "Flight from Destruction" and "The Power of the Nightstar" are definitely the standouts, as individual songs go.  It's kind of comforting to know that, despite an 11 year gap, Dragonland hasn't missed a beat, carrying on as if they had never left.

SheWolf - SheWolf

Revolving around the voice of Angel Wolf-Black, SheWolf is a new female-fronted symphonic metal project, as if there weren't enough of those.  While I could make easily comparisons to the likes of Nightwish or Xandria, I do think this outfit does set itself apart by having a different set of tones than the typical stuff one gets from the genre, focusing instead on a stronger sense of lightness and freedom.

Right off, the orchestrations are incredible.  Not only are they lush and layered, but they do more than just provide atmosphere.  Quite often, they have the melodies that carry the song forward, and Angel's voice seem like a part of the orchestra, instead of standing in front of it, which helps the songs feel more unified to their benefit.  There were even times when I would get a little frustrated with the distorted guitars getting in the way of things.  It's not like they're bad, but they are very standard, with some solid low chugging, and some noodly solos, but it's honestly nothing symphonic metal fans haven't heard before.  However, Angel's voice fits the material well, shifting between long, dramatic notes and spritely moments with ease.  If you're looking for another great female vocalist, she certainly has her own touch things.

Obviously, there is an emphasis on wolves with songs like "Welcome to the Pack," "Lone Wolf," and "Moonbound," but there are also topics of nature, independence, and love in the lyrics.  While the sound does have some gothic elements, the band is less interested in darkness or epicness and more on romance and a rustic sense of folklore, with the occasional flute melody that brings some folkiness to it.  There are even times where it's rather quite uplifting, with "Home" and "Thrill of the Chase" being examples, and some of the songs even have a bouncy feel, like modern pop music.  However, given how rich the production is, and the cheerful nature of some of the songs, I could see this one growing on me.

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Well, that's the first of many articles for this month.  However, I really shouldn't complain.  Taking the time to listen to all these albums is still quite fun and enjoyable, and I know I'm anticipating more than a few of the albums I have lined up ahead.  That being said, I think I'll spring my Christmas surprise for my next article, which has also been an interesting journey to complete.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - October 2022!

Happy Halloween!  Sorry for the last of articles this past month.  Things have been busy for me, and I haven't had time to catch up on things like I wanted to.  However, I should be ready to get back on track for the next few months.  In the meantime, I've certainly found some new videos for you.  Turn these up!

Speaking of albums to catch up, Allen/Olzon is very much near the top of that list.  While this single isn't as strong as the other singles, I can't deny the symphonic production really elevates the song without detracting from the two singers' talents.  Solid symphonic pop metal.

One Desire continue their track record of catchy, 80s inspired rockers, full of anthemic melodrama.  It sounds like they're carrying over the symphonic elements that they expanded on with their last album, which will certainly make whatever they do next sound huge.  Definitely on the best bands in the 80s retro rock scene.

Herman Frank and his new buddies have got another stomper metal track for us as their album comes out.  Once again, they got the anthem tone and style down pat, and I'm sure the rest of their debut album is going to be more of the same.  Some very headbang-worthy stuff here.

Now here's a throwback!  I remember when this band first showed up, blowing folks away with their NWOBHM-styled retro metal back in the late 2000s.  However, right away, they had a lot of lineup complications, and the band got kinda kicked around.  I wasn't even sure if they were still a thing, but here they are, blasting away like it's 1982!  Clearly inspired by classic Judas Priest, this track has plenty of guitar leads and riffs to satisfy the inner teenage metalhead of just about anyone.

Speaking of comebacks, this second single for Sword's new album is just as good as the first, going for more of a mid-tempo stomper with a slice of menace on the side.  I love that they have the same lineup as they did in the 80s and are carrying on like they haven't missed a step!  I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more from them on their new album.

Seven Kingdoms is a band I had seen around, but never really gotten to.  However, just based on this single, I think I've been missing out.  Between the high speed shredding and Sabrina Valentine's soaring vocals, this is power metal that demands attention!

New Videos - September 2022

Dang, September is over already!  This year is going quick, and there are still plenty of new albums coming up that I'm very excited for!  I've got a good chunk of riffy, heavy metal for you this time, with a few proggy groups for good measure.  Check these out!

After enjoying their last album Let There Be Nothing, I'm certainly interested in what power/prog band Judicator doing next.  This track is definitely out there, though, with some horns, some old hammond organs, and a strange reference to a mid-2000s romance film.  Still, it wasn't boring!  

While there are a few other metal bands with the name Whirlwind, this one is so new, it doesn't even have a page on Metal Archives yet!  US Power Metal is the style here, with its gritty riffing and epic vocals.  It's not doing anything new, but it's doing it well, with some interesting tempo shifts for good measure.  Given the artwork and the album title of "1714," I wonder if this will be a concept album.

Sword are back!  Note that this isn't The Sword, but a different Canadian band that played traditional metal back in the 80s.  I stumbled across them somehow about 10 years ago, and I loved their first album, but I never got to their second one.  However, now that they've got a third one coming out, I suppose it's time to catch up!  Anyways, this single feels like they haven't lost a step, continuing that classic metal sound that made them such a gem.

I wasn't sure if I would hear from this group again, as the first album was kind of a mess, but I guess they had some more ideas they wanted to work out.  At least, right off, the production seems much clearer, while still retaining Sherwood's iconic warmth.  I don't know if I love it, but I'm more optimistic about a follow up than I thought I would be.  It will be interesting to see how it shapes up.

As if his own project and Victory weren't enough, Herman Frank has started another project called Iron Allies.  Bringing over a few folks from Victory, he teams up with vocalist David Reese, who among other things was a singer for Accept for a little while (though not at the same time as Frank was in the band).  In any case, it's another straight-forward dose of mid-tempo metal, with some solid riffing.  Coming in just a few weeks, I know this album is high on my priority list.

After their last album was just okay, Disturbed has come right back to the heaviness for their new album.  Of course, there is no change in their style, but I like their anthemic groove metal sound, and this track shows there is still some gas in the tank for it.

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