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 2024!!

This year as a tough one, as there were a lot of solid albums.  The top three were figured out fairly early on in the past month, but after that, it took some serious consideration to round out the rest.  Judas Priest's Invincible Shield had a decent shot of making it, as well as Nightbound by Find Me, which started to grow on me, despite the production.  I also really enjoyed Lovebites's EP II, but decided that I shouldn't really compare it to a full album.  In the end, I was able to whittle it down to these five albums of 2024 that stood out from the rest!

5. Paragon - Metalation

This was definitely the toughest spot to fill.  As I relistened to this year's albums, I started to wonder if I could pick one from the list at all.  However, I found Paragon's new slab of chunky riffs to be what helped it squeeze in.  It's not as good as Controlled Demolition was, as these songs are a little sillier, but it's a pretty consistent album across the board, and that counts for a lot.

4. Firewind - Stand United

I know there were some power metal albums I never got around to this past year, so it might be a bit cheeky to say Firewind's latest is the best one of 2024, especially as I wasn't expecting too much after their self-titled album from a few years ago.  However, once I recognized that they had slipped into more of a heavy/power blend, I found Stand United to be a solid album, and Herbie Langhans's vocals have really settled in well for the band.

3. Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks - True

It took more than a few listens, but I was finally able to really assess this album on its own.  While it's certainly aping the classic sound of my favorite band, and I do think the songs in the middle drag it down, it can't be denied that Jon has found something pretty magical with these Geeks.  "Once Upon a Dream" alone put this album in the Top Five!

2. DGM - Endless

This year's surprise!  When their last album felt lukewarm, a let down from my winner of 2020, I wasn't sure what to make of this band.  So when I was treated to a pleasant kick-in-the-head in the form of some very 70s prog that was played with energy, I knew this was going to be a contender for the Top 5 list.  "From Ashes" still puts a smile on my face!

1. Monkey3 - Welcome to the Machine

DGM might have taken the year if it weren't for this one.  While I do think that Sphere was a better album, I can't deny this groups infectious tone and energy.  Giving their psychedelic rock a slight mechanical feel helped to shake things up, but otherwise, it was business as usual, as this band continues to impress with their dynamic song-writing and dense atmosphere.  

New Releases - 2024 Wrap-up!

Alright, one last chunk of reviews to wrap things up.  After this, it's time to listen to everything again to figure out what my Top 5 of the year is, and there certainly are some contenders in this article!  I've focused on melodic metal much more for this one, but they're all from bands I've enjoyed before, and they're carrying on without too much to slow them down!  Here's what I've decided to check out for the rest of 2024!

Lovebites - Lovebites EP II

So I admit I'm kinda confused by this title, as this is technically their fourth EP (going by Metal Archives, anyway).  Based on the cover art, it might just be a sequel to their first EP, but what that means, I honestly don't know.  I decided to relisten to their entire discography before getting into this, and it really is amazing to hear just how consistent these girls are in the quality of their songs.  While Electric Pentagram remains my favorite of theirs, all of their albums have highlights, and this remains true for this EP.

Things start high with the opener "Unchained," which is some typical (and by that I mean good) power metal from them.  "Soul Defender" follows up well, leaning into some US power metal feeling with the chuggy riffs.  Then next comes "Where's Identity," which is straight up Bay Area Thrash, and probably the best song on the album, wildly enough.  However, the last two tracks aren't quite as good.  "The Bell in the Jail" has this strange groove going through it, and seems to have been inspired by The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and "Someone's Dream" sounds like their attempt at a Helloween style song.  It's not bad, just not as strong as the earlier tracks.  Overall, though, they maintain their high standard by providing another handful of high energy metal, and as a big fan of this band now, I don't think I could ask for anything more (except maybe a full album next time).

DGM - Endless

Well, this was certainly a pleasant surprise!  While I definitely liked Tragic Separation when I heard it, subsequent listens have shown that it might not be as strong as I first thought, and when Life turned out to be mostly fine, if underwhelming, I was concerned that this band was starting to slip in quality.  So I was pleasantly surprised when they decided to dive deeper into prog!

And when I mean prog, I mean full on hammond organs and flute solos from the 70s.  It's like they decided to go back to their roots and influences, making for a very surprising and satisfying album.  Sonically, the album finds itself close to the melodic side of Dream Theater, with some keys from IQ, and an uplifting tone like Neal Morse's solo work.  While the band's lineup remains the same, they clearly made some changes to their approach compared to their last few records (which largely felt like a fusion of modern prog metal with AOR-style choruses).  This time, it's like they decided to throw out their templates and just explore what they felt good about, filling the album with songs full of energy and excitement!  Seriously, I was smiling through most of this album as I was listening to it for the first time!

Things start of very proggy with "Promises," mostly being an instrumental jam, before going full-on prog with the dynamics on "The Great Unknown."  Even when they bring back their usual sound on "Final Call," it's broken up with a rather moody digression that builds quite well.  "The Wake" brings in some darkness to shake things up, and the 14 minute closer "...Of Endless Echoes" is all of this wrapped together in a wonderful musical journey.  However, the highlight for me was "From Ashes," with it's energetic start and cheerful lyrics.  I couldn't help but smile the entire time it was on!  Overall, this was a delightful surprise, as the band seems to find new life by bringing in some classic prog ideas to freshen up their sound.  Top 5 contender for sure!!

Dream Evil - Metal Gods

After reviewing a few of their albums, I've decided to skip ahead to their newest one, squeezing it in between these other new releases.  However, they haven't changed much, drifting into a style that's more traditional metal than power metal, much like how HammerFall have been for the last decade or more.  While listening to it, I thought of both the Saxon and Judas Priest albums I heard early last year.  Still, for those who don't mind a layer of cheese with their metal will find themselves headbanging through the album.

While the band is solid (and there are some interesting guest guitar solos), most of their strength comes from their vocalist Niklas Isfeldt, who belts out these campy lyrics with authority.  I think he's aging well, sounding a lot like Biff Byford in most of these songs, giving them the right amount of drama to be fun without sounding like a parody.  The lyrics are pretty typical "overcome the challenge" stuff, with equal focus on horror and fantasy.  It may feel like they're sticking to their formula, but they execute it well.

The album starts well with the title track, a tribute to the classic metal that inspires them.  "Chosen Force" is a solid follow up, and things get more power metal with songs like "The Tyrant Dies at Dawn" and "Born in Hell," the latter of which neat riffing that makes me think of classic HammerFall.  The rest of the album is solid, but it's easy to let each track slip by as the album goes on.  As much as I like this band and their brand of fun, this year has some tough competition, so I don't know if will stand out enough to get into my upcoming Top 5 article at the end of the month.

Paragon - Metalation

Good grief, has it really been five years since their last album?  Where does the time go?  Controlled Demolition ended up being a sleeper hit for me back in 2019, and while I doubt they've been resting on their laurels since then, I have had to be patient in waiting to see what Paragon would do to follow up that massive, crushing slab of heavy/power metal.  They've got a new drummer on board, but they've clearly picked up right where they left off.

Because I haven't been doing the Videos articles anymore, I haven't taken the chance to check out any singles, so I went into this pretty blind.  Happily, I found plenty that reminded me of their previous album, but I admit I was looking forward to that.  As usual, the band is full of chunky riffs and rhythms, the solos by Christian and Bertram range all over the place from melodic to shreddy (and include a few from Piet Sielck of Iron Savior, who I guess has been working with this band for a very long time), and vocalist Andreas Babuschkin brings his gritty charm to the songs.  They continue their unique blend of styles, taking the grit and energy from Accept and giving it a bit of a power metal boost in epicness.

The songs themselves are pretty consistent, though "MarioNET" goes by in a blink, and the later songs "My Asylum" and the title track drop the energy for the sake of more anthemic songs.  They're not bad, aren't as strong as where they began, starting with the high energy "Fighting the Fire," which carries on with "Batallions."  Meanwhile, "Beyond the Horizon" goes for more of an epic doom approach, making me think of Sorcerer's work.  Overall, it's another decent chunk of metal, and while I don't know how much this one will grow on me, I know I'll be giving it more listens to see if it lands on my Top 5.

Top 5 Albums of 2019!

Sorry that this took so much time to come out.  I wanted to spend some time relistening to some albums to really determine where they fit.  I admit I didn't listen to as many albums last year as I wanted to, but I figured I had enough to put together a decent Top 5.

Anyways, that's enough excuses!  Let's get started!

5. Crazy Lixx - Forever Wild

Call it a token entry for the retro style, but I can't deny that this really is pure 80s fun.  Taking what made bands like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, and Motley Crue so big and giving it their own spin, this is an album full of anthemic rockers that have plenty of energy.

4. Darkwater - Human

Full of atmosphere and proggy chops, this one really stood out as being very different.  Henrik Båth gives his all to these songs in a way that really reminds me of Roy Khan, and the rest of the band supports him with a wall of sound that's just massive.  Solid, symphonic prog metal.

3. Iron Savior - Kill or Be Killed

No real surprise to see this here.  Classic power metal always get my attention, and Iron Savior have deliver a top-notch album with this one.  While it doesn't really do anything new, it does lay on the epicness thick and does it well.  Full of anthemic choruses and massive riffs, it's a blast from start to finish!

2. Paragon - Controlled Demolition

I'm actually rather surprised this one made it to the list.  While I liked the videos they released, and felt the album was solid after the first listen, I didn't expect this one to grow on me so much.  Just chock-full of great riffs and epic vocals, it's gritty, old-school heavy/power metal that really grabs the ear and doesn't let go!

1. Monkey3 - Sphere

And yet, despite all the metal, this is the album that really blew me away.  Monkey3's unique blend of psychedelic, stoner, and post-rock elements create a wall of sound that feels liberating and yet emotional, and full of moments where the band just gets to jam for a bit.  A complete album, solid from top to bottom, with all kinds of highs and lows, this was my favorite album I heard all year.

---

Now, this list is by no means final.  As I said, I didn't listen to everything I want to last year.  I'd recommend keeping an eye on my "Best of 2019" Spotify playlist, as I'll continue to add songs to it.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to another great year of rock and metal, and I've got some interesting ideas for articles coming soon!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - August 2019!

I think August is going faster than July did!!  Still, I've been trying to catch up on a bunch of the new releases.  Here's what I've been playing lately!

Crazy Lixx - Forever Wild

Taking a look at the cover art, you’d think it would be just chock-full of cheesy 80s anthemic rockers, and while you wouldn’t be wrong, when they’re this good, it just doesn’t matter!  Crazy Lixx is a band dedicated to keeping that classic pop metal sound alive, and they sound great on their latest record, comparable to the best of Def Leppard or Scorpions.

Of course, there are some pretty predictable songs, like “Wicked” being a straight-forward rocker about the wild life, and “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” is the kind of power ballad that dominated the radio in the late 80s.  However, if this kind of stuff was going to bother you, you’re listening to the wrong record.

What really stands out is the heart and passion these guys have for this sound.  This isn’t some half-baked effort to capitalize on a minor trend, but a band who makes the most of what made this kind of music great in the first place.  With so many fist-pumping anthems, especially “Break Out,” “Silent Thunder”, “Terminal Velocity,” and “Never Die (Forever Wild),” it’s hard to not just headbang along with a massive smile on your face.

As far as I’m concerned, there is no such thing as a dead genre, where nothing more worth saying with a certain style of music.  There is always room for high-quality, well executed rock music in my books, and Forever Wild knocks it out of the park. 

Paragon - Controlled Demolition

I was pretty impressed with Paragon’s two videos from earlier, so I figured I’d throw in their new album on and get a full dose of their sound.  What I got was more of the same: crunchy, heavy, thrashy, Accept-inspired German metal!

This being my first experience with a Paragon album, they certainly know how to lay on the riffs.  Whether they’re stomping at a mid-tempo pace and powering ahead with high speed thrashers, it’s non-stop crunching from beginning to end.  And on top of it all is Andreas Babuschkin’s vocals, sounding very Udo-like, full of soaring power and strength. 

Some tracks do stand out, though.  First, you have “Reborn” and “Mean Machine” really blowing things up at the beginning, but later tracks like “The Enemy Within” and “Black Widow” maintain that power.  In the middle is the 8 minute epic “Deathlines,” which starts off with a slower vibe, but eventually kicking into double-speed madness before settling back in that earlier, haunting tone.  Other tracks are not as strong, but don’t drag the album down, making the album feel fairly solid from beginning to end.

Much like it’s cousin “Fight the Fear” by Herman Frank from earlier in the year, it’s straight ahead metal, though Paragon does provide a thrashier vibe.  Definitely a blast to listen to when you want that Teutonic metal sound!

Monkey3 - Sphere

I know I joked about having posted half the album in my video posts, but I really was impressed with what I found.  Finally, I decided to give the whole album a go and listen to the other half.  To be short, it’s just as good!  

On the videos, I made reference to their Pink Floyd influence, but as I’m taking in the whole thing, I’m also hearing bits of Tool, post-rock, doom metal, along with all the psychedelia they’re throwing around.

However, their biggest trademark is their sheer wall-of-sound approach to song-writing.  These guys sound gigantic!  Not a single corner of your headphones will feel empty once they get going.  Even with the beginning of “Ida” starting as something of an acoustic ballad eventually gives way to outright sonic force.

Another thing I liked about the album is how liberating it felt.  As opposed to Tool with their angst-filled brooding, Monkey3 have more of a lighter, flying feel.  It really gives me the impression that these songs would be an absolute blast to play live, as the musicians have all kinds of room to noodle and explore.

If there is a potential flaw, it’s that the album doesn’t really have a lot of diversity in tone.  While each song is memorable in its own way, they all go for the same tone throughout the album.  It’s certainly not a bad thing for a band to stick to their sound, but those looking for more variety in their albums may find this one a little single-minded.

However, for me, this stuff was amazing.  From the explosive “Spirals” to the epic “Ellipsis,” I was completely blown away.  Seriously, I think this is the best album I’ve heard this year so far!  Full of passion and great musicianship, this is clearly a band I need to listen to a lot more!!

Find Me - Angels In Blue

To round things out, I decided to listen to some old-fashioned AOR.  While Journey will likely always be the reference point for this kind of music, Find Me look to build on that foundation by having more emphasis on synths, a sharper production, and putting the drummer right next to the vocals in the mix.

Of course, the singer is always going to be center of this kind of music, but the guitars really do feel like background music and don't really do that much soloing.  While it's not a bad choice, it's definitely something I noticed listening through the album.  The lyrics are also that specific kind of sentimental one expects from this kind of music.  Nothing awful, but nothing really noteworthy.

However, if you're in for some anthemic rockers from the early 80s, it's hard to go wrong with what Find Me is providing here.  While the songs do kind of blend together, it is pretty fun to listen to while it's on.  Like I said earlier, there is no such thing as a dead genre, and as long as we have bands like this providing new, solid AOR, that will remain a fact.

---

It's been fun to finally catch up on some new releases, but I know I'm still struggling to make new articles for this blog.  While I'm not giving up on it, I don't think I can really make any promises regarding the frequency of my output.  I think I can do a videos post before the end of the month, but we'll have to see, as this week is going to be busy for me.

Still, I'm glad to talk about some new stuff, and hopefully even more great rock is around the corner.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - May 2019 Part Three!

More videos!  There's been a lot of great music coming out lately, and I'm glad to share it with you all.  Got quite the mix this time, with some artists coming back and a few news I hadn't heard of before!

I can't help it!  Sabaton makes great power metal, and they always seem to find neat things to sing about!  While the video does get a bit grim (though it is World War I they're talking about), the infectious, epic melodies Sabaton is known for are all on point.  Check it out!

Tanith is back with another single for their new album.  Once again, rocking that 70s prog/metal vibe, this really has that classic touch.  It shifts from mood to mood, and yet, it's never jarring, or feels like it's trying to do too much.  Classic rock to a T!

We're rocking it old school this time, as we have The Rods back with a new album.  I guess they've been rocking since 1980, and it sounds like they haven't changed much.  Despite them being from the US, this has a massive NWOBHM sound with a lot of bass!

More old-school metal!  Got another Paragon video, and this one is pure 80s speed metal, with some very flashy solos and epic riffs.  Just great, break-neck metal that you can't help but headbang to!

More Diviner, more epicness.  Once again, great riffs, huge vocals, and a grand sense of musical scope.  It just sounds huge!  This one has more of a prog metal vibe, like Vanden Plas.  I like it a lot!

Let's finish off with a great piece of driving AOR.  With a big chorus and great riffs, this one really soars, like a good AOR should do.  The lyrics might not be much, but it has great production, and Dino just really let's it out!

New Videos - May 2019!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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