Top 5 of 2005!!

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

5. Nickelback - All the Right Reasons

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

4. DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage

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

3. Stratovarius - Stratovarius

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

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

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

1. Kamelot - The Black Halo

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

Retro Reviews - October 2025!

I know it's technically November, but things got a little hairy and this didn't come out until now.  Just understand that I listened to these last month, alright?  So, carrying on my journey of five-year jumps, I'm checking out a handful from 2005 now, and unsurprisingly, it's a lot of power metal.  At this point, the genre was winding down, but plenty of bands were still putting out some interesting music.  However, before we get to that, let's start off in a completely different genre:

Scott Stapp - The Great Divide

When Creed broke up, their singer Scott decided to shift into a solo career built upon the success of his former band.  I remember when it came out back in the day, and I think I heard a song or two, but for whatever reason, I never got around to the album itself until now.  While I certainly love the band Creed quite a bit, I find this album to be a little lifeless compared to those, despite being some decent hard rock.

To say that this sounds like Creed is pretty moot; it was intended to be a continuation of that sound.  The major difference is how the songs lean more into atmosphere and ambiance, giving them an ethereal quality, often making me think of U2.  Stapp himself sounds great, wailing and yarling as usual, though he does get a little harsher on some songs, like "Reach Out."  The songwriting itself feels kinda of basic, though.  Creed might not have been the most complex band, but there were touches here and there that teased more out of the songs, and I don't get that as much here.  Of course, there are a few curious moments that shake things up, like the talky style on the verses of of "Justify," and the back-and-forth between electric and acoustic guitars on the title track, but most of it is some pretty standard post-grunge or alternative rock.

This is by no means a bad album, just underwhelming.  It could also be that, since I have massive nostalgia for Creed's first three albums, it's hard to measure this against that.  Maybe if I'd listened to this over and over back in the day, I'd feel differently about it.  In any case, this is pretty much exactly what one would expect from such an album.  I liked the title track and "Let Me Go," and the rest was fine enough, but overall, I can understand why this one didn't do quite as well, as it does feel like an emulation of a style rather than a continuation of it, resulting in a lukewarm effort.

Black Majesty - Silent Company

When I checked out this band two years ago, I thought their debut album was decent, if rough around the edges.  Their sound was an interesting blend of European and US power metal styles, but in the two years leading up to their sophomore, they've clearly shifted over to the Europeans, particularly the high speed, double-kicking fury of the likes of Edguy and Gamma Ray. 

Right off, the production is a big improvement, as the band sounds much more unified.  John Cavaliere still has his Tate-like wails, but he sounds much more well-rounded here, Pavel Konvalinka continues to pound the tar out of his drum kit, and the rest of the band provide plenty of riffs and melodies.  The energy remains fairly high, kicking off with "Dragon Reborn," and carries on through with tracks like "Firestorm," "New Horizons," and "Never Surrender."  They do shake it up a little, such as the mid-tempo "Darkened Room," and the folky power ballad cover of "Six Ribbons."  The main portion of the album ends with the seven-minute epic "A Better Way to Die," and the bonus track "Chasing Time" has some good energy.

If there is a problem, it's that there really is nothing new here.  By 2005, the competition in the power metal space was getting pretty intense, and this album feels a few years behind everyone else.  Still, this is definitely an improvement over their debut, so I'm hoping things will continue to improve as I work through the discography.  As for the album itself, it's decent power metal, with solid execution, with no bad tracks, really.

Masterplan - Aeronatics

Oh hey, another follow up from that same article!  While the band does pick up a new keyboardist and bassist, things are business as usual with Masterplan carrying on their straight-ahead power metal style.

The main difference I noticed was with that new keyboardist, though.  Axel Mackenrott is much more prominent than Janne Wirman was on their debut, pushing the band in more of a symphonic direction.  Honestly, this feels like the half-way point between classic Helloween and Sonata Artica, but that's not a bad place to be.  The songs seem to focus more on personal relationships and introspective tones than standard empowering topics.  However, this does allow Jorn to really play up the melodrama, as his crooning style is more prominent on this album (and is honestly better for it).

"Crimson Rider" starts things off well as a burst of high speed, and "Wounds" also carry that energy as well.  They also shake it up with some mid-tempo stompers, with "Back for My Life," and "Dark from the Dying" being the highlights.  However, the song that stood out the most is the massive 9-minute closer "Black in the Burn."  With all the tempo shifts, it felt like a Helloween or Gamma Ray style prog epic, and was quite a delight to hear!  Overall, it's a solid album that might not be a massive step forward but a rather a refinement of the kind of band they want to be, making it a pretty satisfying listen.

Excalion - Primal Exhale

While I've been aware of this band, I've never taken the time to give them a serious listen.  Once again, the Top 5 articles give me the opportunity to check out the debut of a new band that I've heard good things about.  Hailing from Finland, they offer some pretty typical, synth-heavy power metal, like Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica.

Right off, the production is a little packed, giving the songs a slight muddy feel, as the wall of sound blends the instruments a little, and singer Jarmo Pääkkönen gets a little buried from time to time.  However, the band clearly has a very lush sound, as band-leader Jarmo Myllyvirta really works his keyboards and synths to give these songs a lot of atmospheric, with some occasional symphonic vibes.  The rest of the band plays their parts well, but I don't know if they've quite gelled as a band yet.  It also doesn't help that some of the lyrics are clunky, as they don't have a natural English flow (which is common when it's not a band's native tongue), but Jarmo delivers them well.  As for the songwriting, I do think they're leaning a little into Sonata Arctica's progginess and atmosphere, but they haven't quite ironed out the kinks.  However, their solo trade-offs and neo-classical noodling is on point, and none of the songs felt like a slog to get through.

Overall, I liked the faster songs better, such as "Reality Bends," "Stage of Lies," and "My Legacy," as their energy was able to get through the muddy production better.  I look forward to see where the band builds from here, as I think they have the right pieces.  It's not a bad debut album, providing some decent power metal, but there's definitely room for growth.

Top 5 of 2000!!

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

5. Edguy - The Savage Poetry

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

4. Nightwish - Wishmaster

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

3. 3 Doors Down - The Better Life

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

2. HammerFall - Renegade

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

1. Stratovarius - Infinte

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

Retro Reviews - August 2025 Part Two!

Finally moving on from 1990, this is the first of two Retro Review articles I plan on dedicating to 1995, as it turns out there's quite a bit I wanted to catch up on.  This one will feature a quartet of rock bands, one of which I haven't really listened to before (sorta)!  Here's what I've been checking out lately!

Candlebox - Lucy

When I reviewed this band's debut album, I found it to be some pretty decent, if standard, grunge rock for the era, but it was enough to break them out.  This album follows up by going for a bit of a harsher, darker feel, and yet they sound more like Pearl Jam than ever!

Once again, this feels like the right album to come out in 1995, where grunge was becoming much more familiar, so bands needed to really push themselves to stand out.  Here, Candlebox aims for something more atmospheric in their alternative angst, like a series of a short, trance-like journeys.  Once the song starts, it generally locks into that groove and doesn't change much other than adding or taking away layers for verses and choruses.  Kevin Martin's wailing is right in the flow, fitting with the grooves and tones very well, and it's easy to get lost in these songs.  Unfortunately, that also means that the album tends to drone on, especially the two "Butterfly" songs.  As it turns out, this one didn't do as well as their first, and I wonder if this is why.

That doesn't mean there aren't some stand outs.  They made singles out of "Simple Lessons," "Best Friend," and "Understanding," and those were probably the best choices.  "Bothered" did have some chunky riffs though, and it was much more aggressive than the rest.  Otherwise, it feels like more standard grunge again, and with the darker tone, perhaps not as strong as their debut.  While the album is decent for what it is, it's certainly hard to recommend unless you have strong nostalgia for this era of rock music.

AC/DC - Ballbreaker

After the massive success that was The Razors Edge (and a quick little single for a Schwarzenegger film), it took them five years to put together another album, bringing back Phil Rudd on drums.  They decided to bring in Rick Rubin as the producer this time, after working with him on "Big Gun," making sure that this album is business as usual for the band.

I know I've mentioned this before, but reviewing AC/DC albums can be rough.  Their style is so distilled and direct that, unless there's some major mistake, their albums end up being generally fine.  While I don't think this is as good as the one that came before, they continue with their bluesy brand of hard rock.  "Hard as a Rock" kicks things off with some solid, mid-tempo rocking, "Boogieman" has a good 6/8 blues groove, and "Hail Caesar" is an interesting piece of social satire.  Many of these songs often have a build-up in intensity toward the end, making them pretty anthemic.  They're also an uptick in the raunchy lyrics, but with an album title like that, I suppose it's not a surprise.

So once again, we have another decent chunk of hard rock from a band who has long since mastered their craft and were (and still are, honestly) content to keep trucking along, album to album.  This album doesn't have the iconic tracks like their others, but at the same time, it sticks to what works, and that isn't a bad thing.

Spock's Beard - The Light

While I've heard a song or two, most of what I know about Spock's Beard is the one Pattern-Seeking Animals album I reviewed.  (Apparently, they have five albums now!  When did that happen?)  Anyways, this legendary third-wave prog rock band started with the Morse brothers, Alan (guitars) and Neal (vocals, keyboards).  It was originally just supposed to be the two of them, but by the time they got recording, they had picked up Dave Meros on bass and Nick D'Virgilio on drums.  The result is some pretty iconic third-wave prog rock, even if it is maybe trying a little too hard.

The album starts with "The Light," which has been the band's signature song since it came out, and I can see why.  It's a very dramatic piece with a lot of changes, including one that's full-on Latin fusion.  Dream Theater's influence is notable, though Spock's Beard is certainly not metal, but the songwriting of shifting between sections does have that feel.  In fact, these sudden transitions is pretty consistent through the album.  As a result, it does make it a rather unpredictable listen, but at the same time, I do wonder if it isn't too much.  They have plenty of neat little ideas, but instead of giving any of them time to expand, it's off to the next section.  I think I would have liked to hear them explore these ideas more, but I suppose this isn't that kind of band, and they do have some neat little callbacks.  The big epic "The Water" is much the same way, going over 23 minutes and several genres and styles.  However, it does come together like a Pink Floyd song, featuring a small choir of female singers to croon and wail along.  "On the Edge" is probably the most consistent song, but it is also only 6 minutes long, the shortest on this four-song album.

It's definitely an interesting collection of music, taking the prog rock that inspires them and making it relevant in a later decade, and I think they sorta make it work.  Again, I am bugged by the constant transitions (I wonder if this is where Haken gets it from), but that could be a matter of taste.  The material is performed well by all members, and establishes a solid baseline to build on from here for more prog rock adventures.

Glass Hammer - Perelandra

I checked out this band's first album a few years ago, and while it may have had some peculiar synths, it had some decent songs about Aragorn's adventures around Middle-Earth.  Two years later, they come back with another album, now about the works of C.S. Lewis (which I admit I am not as familiar with).  This time, they draw upon a wider prog palette, making them more in line with their third-wave peers like Spock's Beard and The Flower Kings.

Right off, the synths are better, and I think the production, while still not perfect, has improved as well, making these songs sound very lush and Yes-like at times.  This is most apparent in their first full song (after the strange intro track) "Time Marches On."  I felt there was a significant increase in Wakeman-like synth runs and Squire-like basslines compared to the previous album.  Of course, their ELP influence is still around, mainly on the instrumental pieces like "Felix the Cat" and the title track.  The rest of the album is a little all-over-the-place, but it all flows pretty well.  "That Hideous Strength" is probably the biggest jump in style, with it's near-industrial vibes, making me think of Pink Floyd at its darkest.  I have to say the keyboard work is probably the highlight, though I have no idea which parts are by Fred Schendel or Steve Babb, as I understand they're both jamming on the synths along with all the other instruments they play.

This is quite the improvement over Journey of the Dunadan, largely because it feels more consistent, though I do think the shorter tracks are a bit odd.  "Time Marches Out" is a great starter, and "Heaven" serves as a solid closer, getting rather triumphant after the defeat of evil in the previous tracks.  While I don't know if they've reached any kind of peak with this album, I can definitely hear them starting to put the pieces together to become their own thing, and look forward to when I can take the time to listen to more of their work.

Anniversary Series - 1999!

This article should be better than the last one, even if it means I gush about power metal most of the time, but it was great year for that genre.  After HammerFall had opened the gates, tons of new bands got signed, making it a ripe year for fans of the style.  However, I promise I'll talk a little bit about other genres, and we'll kick things off with some hard rock.

The big album of the year was definitely Creed's Human Clay.  Between the Matrix cameras in the music video and the anthemic post-grunge sound, this was when Creed cracked into the mainstream and became a big name.  I remember hearing "Higher" on the radio and thinking I needed more of this band.  I ended up loving them so much, they ended up being my first band retrospective article three years ago (the fact that they had such a small discography certainly helped as well.)

Other rock highlights include a few bands coming back in one form or another.  Def Leppard got back to their classic sound with Euphoria, Styx tried to make another concept album for Brave New World, and Santana teamed-up with Rob Thomas to give us "Smooth."  Classic rock might not have been the charting success it once was, but they still had plenty of good ideas and fun music.

I've delayed it long enough, though.  Power metal was really strong this year, with plenty of options to pick up.  Primal Fear came back with Jaws of Death, Gamma Ray and Iron Savior carried on their space crusade (which I reviewed earlier this month), Kamelot went into their Fourth Legacy now with epic vocalist Roy Khan helping with the songwriting, Edguy criticized the Theater of Salvation., and Helloween pulled out a Metal Jukebox for some interesting covers.

There were some solid debuts.  Freedom Call started their happy style of metal with Stairway to Fairyland, Metalium rang in the year with Millennium Metal, and Sonata Arctica blew everyone away with their debut Ecliptica.  With magnificent songs like "Kingdom for a Heart" and "Unopened," it was clear they were poised to become a champion of the second wave of power metal.

Of course, prog was making good stuff as well.  Dream Theater would reach a creative peak with their psychodrama Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, Alan Parsons would check out The Time Machine, and Yes would blow my teenage mind away with The Ladder.  I've gushed about this album before.  Despite being 25 years old now, I still sing along to every word and note and beat whenever I put it on.  Honestly a modern prog rock masterpiece in my opinion.

So there's my thoughts on a pretty dang good year of rock and metal.  As always, check out the playlist below for more, recommend what I missed in the comments, and try to stay cool out there!  August is looking to be a hot and busy month for me, as I have a lot of album reviews planned, so keep an eye out for those.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Retro Reviews - June 2024!

Unsurprisingly, the Anniversary Articles are dominating my listening lately.  At least, with this one, I'm starting to get ahead again.  I've also got quite the variety here, going from 80s pop rock to grunge to prog and back.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

Steve Perry - Street Talk

I admit I mostly threw this on for a lark.  At a time of Journey's peak success, Steve Perry sought to have a go on his own, ending up with something much more pop than rock.  Still, powered by his iconic voice, it has some nice, nostalgic charm, even if the album came out before I was born!

While the big song "Oh Sherrie" shares a lot with his band's melodic sensibilities, the rest of the album seems to drift between soul and pop, with dashes of funk here and there.  It feels like a 70s album with 80s production, if that makes sense, perhaps as a consequence of bringing some of his pre-Journey work into the mix.  "It's Only Love" was a nice, upbeat tune (even if it did have the James Bond chord progression in parts), and the other tracks flow pretty well.  While I think it's missing the hard rock crunch that Neal Schon provides, it's a nice collection of soft rock tunes that let Steve what he does best.

Rush - Presto

So after nearly a decade of synth-driven rock, the trio takes a break, then comes back together with a more guitar focused album, marking another turn in this historic band's history.  However, as I enjoy a lot of it, I feel like there's still something missing.

While the synthesizers have taken a backseat, Alex Lifeson retains his thin, jangly guitars, making the album feel more like 80s pop rock, like if U2 covered Rush.  Still, it's not like these are bad songs.  Neil Peart gives the album his regular blend of complex lyrics and drum patterns, ensuring the songs never feel flat.  This is also a more sing-songy album, as there are a lot of catchy melodic lines for Geddy to sing.  I also noticed that the choruses on these songs tend to be softer than the verses, making for some strange dynamics.  I guess when I heard this was going to be different that the ones before, I was expecting more than just a shift in which layers get the attention. 

Again, I don't think this is a bad album. (In fact, I'm getting the impression that Rush has no bad albums.)  Taking it as it is, Rush carries on their legacy of interesting songs, full of clever lyrics and interludes, while letting each member shine.  As before, I may need to listen to this a few times to really wrap my head around it, but first impressions leave me a little underwhelmed.

Rush - Sixteen Stone

Starting up just as the grunge wave was peaking, Bush's debut album was definitely the right album at the right time to go big.  While I never listened to it at the time, I remember a lot of kids in school talking about this band, and since then I've always been mildly curious.   Finally getting around to it, it definitely sounds like pretty typical mid-90s alternative rock, and not much more.

At the time, critics bashed the band for sounding too much like Nirvana, and I admit I have to agree.  Not only are the guitar tones, vocal melodies, and song dynamics similar, the angst-filled lyrics on alienation and drug addiction are pretty standard for the genre.  However, I do think there is more going on than just copying a popular band.  Gavin Rossdale is more of a singer, almost crooning at times, and there is more of a musical touch, giving them a bit of a Pearl Jam vibe, especially as many of the songs escalate towards the end.  It's hard to know if they have anything to themselves, though "Alien" feels like it wanders into post-rock or shoegaze.  Still, considering all the songs, I can hear the transition to post-grunge, as I'm hearing ideas I'd hear from later bands, like Nickelback and Our Lady Peace.

Coming out at the end of a rough year for grunge, I guess folks flocked to it, despite it's reputation, as the album sold quite well on release, thanks to a handful of big singles like "Comedown" and the cinematic "Glycerine."  I also liked "Little Things" and "Machine Head." Overall, it's some pretty typical grunge for the time, but I think there are signs of the band's potential, which, as it seems, carrying them well into the future.

New Videos - 2022 Wrap Up!

Hey, sorry for not posting much this month, but things have been a bit rough for the start of the year, but I know there are good things coming!  At the very least, we have one more videos article to wrap up some of the things from 2022!  Some are from last year, some looking ahead to this year, but they're all worth checking out.

Featuring the singer of Pyramaze, this is some anthemic mid-tempo metal.  While the video itself is pretty minimal, I can't deny the song has some decent catchiness.  The Archives describe the band as power metal, but based on just this single, it's more like a melodic traditional metal.  Maybe they had some more uptempo tracks on their album, so I might check it out at some point.

After enjoying their last album Point of No Return, I knew I would be on board with whatever these Brits do next.  This track has some interesting dynamics, starting with a bit of a jangly riff before bringing in the heavy riffs, with Shane Greenhall vocals really sealing the deal.

Okay so this one feels a little closer to the band's general sound (as best as I'm familiar with it).  However, there is still some of that atmospheric tension of the earlier single, and the bridge builds pretty well.  This last album of theirs might be quite the hard rock highlight for this year.

Here's one I simply overlooked.  I'm not sure how I really missed these guys as I was on board with Atomic Fire Records when they started.  Basically, it sounds like if Beast in Black traded in their synths for more of a symphonic vibe.  It's pretty epic sounding, with some solid power metal chops to back it up.  I may have to come back to these guys when I get a chance.

Another one I missed!  These guys, despite being from France, sound like many German power metal bands, making me think of Gamma Ray and Freedom Call in particular.  I really like all the noodly guitar riffs and solos, while still maintaining the epicness.  

Last Played - December 2022 Part Three!

Alright!  I got this in before the end of the year!  I've definitely got a good mix of things for this last review article of the year, going from rock to metal and back again.  Here's what I've been jamming to cap off 2022!

Alter Bridge - Pawns and Kings

While I knew that Alter Bridge had a new album coming out, as I checked out the singles, none of them really impressed me too much.  However, it did show that the album was going to be quite a bit darker than Walk the Sky which I enjoyed quite a bit, though I suppose "Last Rites" did tease this would be happening.  In any case, their new album definitely shifts their sound into some darker and heavier territory, with some mixed results.

It's the production that really gives these guitars their weight as they slug their way through their riffs song after song.  Mark Tremonti must have found some new heavy tones he likes because he certainly gets a lot of use out them.  Sometimes the riffs are pretty catchy and groovy, such as with the first handful of tracks "This Is War," "Dead Among the Living," and "Silver Tongue."  However, other songs have some pretty jarring riffs, like in "Holiday" and "Last Man Standing."  They also include an 8-minute epic with "Fable of the Silent Son," which features all kinds of riffing, some of which feel a bit djenty at times.  I'm sure fans of Tremonti's guitar work will find plenty to chew on, but it does give the album this strange tension.  Sure, there are some lighter songs like "Stay" and "Season of Promise," but they almost feel like an after-thought compared to the heaviness of the rest of the album.

That isn't to say that I think the album is bad, it's just that I didn't immediately connect with it the way I did with their last one.  Of course, given that I haven't really listened to all of Alter Bridge's albums, it is possible that they've been this dark and heavy before.  In any case, there is still plenty to enjoy.  Myles Kennedy is still singing his heart out, and Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips remain a solid rhythm section that isn't afraid to shift gears whenever the song calls for it.  I think I enjoyed "Silver Tongue," "Sin After Sin," and "Fable of the Silent Son" the most from this album, but I do think it may take a few more listens to really unpack everything that the guitars are doing.  This one could be a grower, in the end.

Whirlwind - 1714

Sometimes you just need some straight-ahead metal about an 18th century conflict in Spain, right?  Okay, maybe that's a little specific, but outside of this album's theme, this is some pretty solid traditional metal that's more about the energy and epicness than anything else.  It might not be the cleanest or tightest performances, but the passion and momentum make this album a pretty fun listen.

The band seem to be going for a curious mix of US power metal and more Germanic metal like Accept or Running Wild.  The songs go back and forth mid-song between high speed affairs and slower stompers, and they occasionally bring out some 6/8 to add another layer of epicness.  The production feels a little muddy, sort of like a typical 80s metal release from a smaller band, but it seems to only add to the charm.  The vocals do feel a little buried though, which is a bit of a shame because Héctor Llauradó is really giving his all and I kinda wish I could hear him a little more clearly, especially with those harmonies.  The guitar work is solid, though, often providing some decent riffing and great, Maiden-like melodies, and most everything else is just a bit sloppy in a way that makes the performances feel so classic.

I don't know if much of the album stands out as it's generally pretty solid across the board.  I did like "Rebels Arise!", "Echoes of Time," and "Gallows Tithe" quite a bit, but the opening intro track doesn't really add much.  In any case, if you're looking for something that not only has a lot of the old-school style and energy, but adds an old-school production on top like it was recorded in 1985 (and I mean that in a good way), this album should be a high priority for you.

Fallen Sanctuary - Terranova

Featuring the talents of Temperance and bringing in the vocal giant Georg Neuhauser from Serenity, Fallen Sanctuary's debut album seems to have the pieces in place for some excellent power metal.  While there are some highlights, the album doesn't seem to maintain its momentum very well.

Starting off, the title track kicks right into high gear, giving me a strong classic era Sonata Arctica vibe, and works as a great opener.  Later tracks "Destiny" and "No Rebirth" have some of the same energy.  However, they don't keep that energy, instead shaking it up with some mid-tempo songs that feel more akin to AOR material.  Songs like "Broken Dreams," "To the Top," and "Trail of Destruction" in particular have some of that melodic rock style, though there's enough metal underneath it that it doesn't feel completely out of place.  There are also two tracks "I Can't Stay" and "Wait For Me" that are completely acoustic (though the first does have some piano), making them more like ballads to some extent.  They aren't bad songs by any means, but compared to the high-speed opener, it does feel like they had three styles and couldn't decide which they preferred.  Even if these style changes, the album does sound very samey towards the back half, where it feels like they're reusing a lot of the same vocal and riff rhythms.

For what it's worth, I do think the songs are well performed.  Neuhauser gives a solid vocal performance, and I think the other band members come to provide some good harmonies.  The guitar work from Marco Pastorino is decent as well, playing some good riffs and solos across the board.  I think what happened is that, after being excited by the two singles, I got my hopes up.  So when the album just kinda fizzled on me the more I listened to it, I felt underwhelmed.  It's certainly not a bad effort, but in a genre that has so many talented bands, this one doesn't do as much as it could to stand out from the pack.

Black Swan - Generation Mind

When I finally got to Black Swan's debut album Shake the World, I though it was decent melodic hard rock, but outside of a few songs, it didn't really leave much of an impact on me.  After I saw they were doing a follow-up, I was certainly curious, but when I heard the singles, they didn't feel like anything special.  Still, I wanted to give this a fair shake, and now that I've sat down with the album, I'm surprised to discover just how much I like it!

Right off, I do think the songwriting is better across the board.  The last album did have some weird extended outros and the songs did get a little samey, but here, I think they use their time much better, with some tighter arrangements and ideas.  They also do a pretty good job shaking things up, sometimes pushing the tempo up, and other times letting it settle into a mid-tempo groove.  While Robin McAuley still does a great job belting out the lyrics, I think it's guitarist Reb Beach who really steals the show this time.  His solos are as solid as ever, and he's come up with some pretty interesting riffs, not only drawing upon his Whitesnake experience, but may have been inspired by the likes of Dio's work, as many of the songs lean into those anthemic qualities.  I even thought of Van Halen and Herman Frank a few times!  Just a lot of solid, hard rocking tunes!

While the opening intro track doesn't do much other than provide some ambience, things kick off quite well with "She Hides Behind."  Following up is "Generation Mind" with more of a classic AOR style, and "Eagles Fly," which has a neat 6/8 groove and may be inspired by the classic sci-fi novel The War of the Worlds!  Other stand out tracks include "Miracle" and "Long Way Down."  I especially liked how "Long Way Down" suddenly sped up in the outro!  Overall, this is definitely an improvement, with a lot of great songs that allow this talented group to really shine.

Sword - III

As I mentioned in my review of their second album, Sword is a band I just stumbled across and feel in love with.  Now, after 34 years, Sword are back with their third album.  After enjoying their first two singles, I admit I was eagerly anticipating the rest.  While they still retain their iconic sound, starting off with some solid tracks, the album seems to lose a lot of steam in the back half, unfortunately.

The first three tracks set a very good tone, with "Bad Blood" bringing back all the staples of the band's sound.  There's very punchy riff, backed by some good energy from the rhythm section, and Rick Hughes is just soaring over it all.  "(I Am) In Kommand" carries that energy further, and "Dirty Pig" slows things down for a more stomping, chugging vibe.  The production is solid as well, giving these guitars almost a thrashy feel, letting Mike Plant's guitar work really shine once again.  I seriously think he has to be one of the most underappreciated guitarists still around!

However, at this point, the album loses a lot of its momentum.  "Surfacing" is a curious instrumental track that features 90 seconds of guitar ambience.  It's alright, but doesn't seem to do much, other than set up the next track "Unleashing Hell," which is a decent rocker but doesn't really hit the same level of quality as the earlier tracks.  This is followed up by "Spread the Pain" and "Took My Chances," both of which were pretty underwhelming.  While the riffing was still good and the vocals still soared, something about the songs felt a little empty or jarring, as they didn't really click for me.  Fortunately, the album closes with a "Not Me, No Way," which brings back a lot of the energy from the beginning, using some interesting 7/4 sections to shake things up.

But this also brings me to another point: this album is short!  While I wasn't expecting any kind of prog epics, this album barely gets going, and I kind of wish there were a few more tracks to it, especially now that the band doesn't have to work within the space limitations of vinyl records.  Still, what's here is decent enough, especially those first three tracks, and I'm glad to see the guys are still together all these years and still know how to write a killer metal track or two.  Maybe they can use this album to spur them on to do more work, as I'd love to see what they might do in the future.

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Well, that wraps things up for the year, at least as articles are concerned.  Now I gotta figure out my Top 5 for the year, so I'll be spending next month working that out.  (I might even consider doing a Top 10!  We'll have to see.)

I decided not to do a videos article for this month, as things did get kinda busy for me.  However, I do plan on carrying on into the next year with more of the same things I've been doing, so look forward to that.  Next year is already shaping up to have some pretty fascinating releases, such as a new Lovebites, another Rick Wakeman project, and Metallica of course!  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - November 2022!

I admit it's been a bit of a slow month for me, and I feel like I've gotten behind again on new releases like I did last year, but I'm still trucking along alright on other things like this.  Definitely had some fascinating new videos get released lately that I'm pretty excited to talk about.  Next year looks like it's going to be one busy year for rock and metal, but I suppose that's not a bad thing!  Anyways, here's some new videos for you all!

Despite their popularity, I admit I haven't really heard Godsmack outside of a handful of songs, but I'm always up for some good melodic rock.  This song definitely has more atmosphere than I was expecting, and has a nice little groove here and there.  Given that this may be their last album, they might be trying for something bigger than usual.

Beriedir is a band I've been seeing here and there over the year.  They share a lot of qualities with their fellow Italian prog metal peers, though I think they have a stronger dramatic flair to their songwriting.  I know this is one I have on deck to review, so keep an eye out for more about them!

Well, this is quite the bolt out of the blue!  I knew they were working on new stuff, but I had no idea they were this close to being done with a new album!  I like the song, as I feel like it has a lot of that old-school, Motorhead-inspired energy.  However, I was pretty underwhelmed by Hardwired... despite a punchy lead single, so we'll see how their new album really turns out next year.

After enjoying their debut album a few years ago, I'm glad to see these guys are back with more melodic rock.  While it's pretty standard (if crunchy AOR) stuff, they play it with great energy, and that synth solo is pretty wild.  I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more of these guys!

I mostly learned about Simon Collins through Sound of Contact, and when that band moved on without him as In Continuum, it seemed he disappeared from the prog rock world.  However, now he's back with former Sound of Contact guitarist Kelly Nordstrom on a new project.  The song is definitely spacey, but it shifts well between the heavy riffs and ambient sections.  Certainly worth a look.

After enjoying their last album, it seems Big City is back for more of their curious blend of prog and glam metal.  While the chorus is full of 80s anthemic pomp, the riffing certainly leans closer to proggy or even power metal territory, with double-kicking drums!  They definitely have a unique blend of sounds and its on full display with this new single of theirs.

Anniversary Series - 2002!

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

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

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

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

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

Anniversary Series - 1997!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anniversary Series - 2001!

The middle of the month means another anniversary article!  Once again, I'll mostly be relying one what I've listened to instead of being a comprehensive look at the year.  Fortunately, I have a lot for 2001, so let's get into it!

Once again, power metal comes up big, with some great albums from bands that would go on to do big things.  Let's start with Kamelot and their album Karma, which is a great follow up to their previous album, pushing the band to even bigger heights with songs like "Forever," "Wings of Despair," and the title track.  They even start to push their concept-based songwriting with a three part epic called "Elizabeth."

Speaking of storytelling, 2001 would give us the debut of Tobias Sammet's Avantasia with The Metal Opera.  While only having the first part of the story, it would kick start a run of albums telling all kinds of stories over the years, and their first is an excellent one, featuring tracks like "Breaking Away" and "The Glory of Rome."  We'd also get great power metal from Edguy's Mandrake (highlights include "Tears of the Mandrake," "Golden Dawn" and "Nailed to the Wheel) and from Sonata Arctica's Silence (which has "Weballergy" and "Wolf & Raven").  Just a great year for power metal.

The other big genre would be post-grunge, with two of its biggest acts releasing big albums.  Creed provided Weathered, and album that I think brings their gritting side with their radio-friendly side together very well, something I covered in that retrospective I wrote earlier this year.  The other big release came from Nickelback, with their breakout album Silver Side Up, which provided big hits like "How You Remind Me" and "Too Bad," though I think their deeper cut "Money Bought" is just as good.  Another kind of big album was the debut of Andrew W.K., I Get Wet, ensuring that Parties would always be Hard from then on.

Finally, I just want to bring up Yes's Magnification.  It's an interesting album because instead of having a keyboardist (as is standard for the band), they went with a full-on orchestra.  The songs have some fascinating variety, and it's probably the closest they have come to recapturing the majesty of their 70s material.

So that's 2001.  Kind of dedicated to some specific genres, but it's what I'm familiar with from this year, and definitely worth checking out.  As always, if there's something I've missed let me know.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - July 2021 Part Two!

Squeezing this one in before the month ends!  I've got a few artists coming back, plus some new names, and a new single from my favorite band: Yes!!  Here's the latest videos I've been jamming to.

I don't think I've missed any of the singles from these guys.  Starting off with an acoustic intro, it goes into some aggressive riffing, making me think of the melodic prog from Italy, but the chorus eases up for some anthemic pop metal sounds.  These guys really have an interesting approach to songwriting, but it still results in some awesome rock music!

Here's another band that I've been liking a lot lately!  This is more of a mid-tempo anthemic stomper.  The chorus gets pretty somber, but that only makes the chorus all the more epic.  Sometimes a power metal band player slower song can be a bit of a crapshot, but this is quite solid.

Now this is just plain fun.  Sabaton doing a Manowar cover is not really that surprising, as both bands excel at epic mid-tempo metal, but it's a solid rendering, and a loving homage to a band that is clearly a major inspiration for them.

New Yes will always get my attention, but I wouldn't be posting it here if I didn't think it was also good.  While I don't know if it's amazing, it has been growing on me quite a bit.  It definitely has more energy than the sluggish Heaven & Earth, which is a good sign for this new album.  Hopefully, the rest will be as good.

Mark certainly knows how to make crunch songs!  This is from his solo group Tremonti, and it's a great piece of mid-tempo hard rock.  You'd think that between this, Creed, and Alter Bridge, it would all blend together, but somehow he makes each one sound a little different, and here, it's just straight up post-grunge crunch, and I love it!

Let's finish with some proggy power metal from Costa Rica!  This one is on the dense side, making me think of the styles of Kamelot and Symphony X.  The vocalist sounds more than a little like Russell Allen, actually.  The keyboard runs also make this some pretty epic stuff.  

New Videos - July 2021!

Sorry for the delay on more articles.  I guess the heat (along with a bunch of smoky haze) really ruined my motivation to get these done.  Still, I was eventually able to find some pretty awesome stuff, pulling this collection of great songs together!

Despite being a big post-grunge fan, Tantric isn't a band I'm very familiar with.  However, they seem to be carrying on pretty well, if this solid track is anything to go by.  Kind of standard for the genre, but it crunchy and has a solid chorus.

After listening to their last album, Paradigm, these guys are at the top of my AOR/Hard Rock watchlist now, and it looks like they have a new album coming soon.  This single is more of the same: straight-forward anthemic rock, with tons of energy.  Definitely looking forward to this!

Here's another barn-burner from Brainstorm.  I know I've listened to this band before, but I remember thinking they were just okay, but stuff is great!  Full of epicness and high speed crunch, their upcoming album is starting to sound like a must-hear for 2021!

Vega is just so good!  Their music always seems to have a lot of energy, and this one is no different.  Just another great, stomping straight-ahead rock song.  I mostly can't believe they're putting out another album already.  I feel like I can barely keep up with these guys!

Despite the ridiculous name, this is another side project that involves a few Yes folks, with singer/guitarist Craig Maher (who I've never heard of before).  They released one single before this one, which I found lackluster, but this one is definitely better, featuring a lot of Yes-isms, if you will.  There's certainly some promise here, but we'll have to see if a full album comes out of this (no announcements from them yet).

I admit I don't know anything about Flostam and Jetsam beyond the fact that's where Metallica got Jason Newstead, and I'm wondering if I've missed an interesting band.  This is some melodic thrash, much in the vein of Metal Church, but much more uptempo, as they really tear this one up!

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/

Last Played - June 2021!

Well, the heat only seems to have gotten worse.  I feel like this will be a long summer.  A good time to be indoors and listening to some new rock and metal.  Here's what I've been checking out lately!

Nickelback - Curb

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I do think Nickelback have become over-hated.  They’ve always had a pretty solid, crunchy hard rock sound, in my opinion, and I decided to give their very first album a listen.  While it’s not bad, it’s very much a product of its 1996 release date.

Some things are pretty familiar, such as the thick guitar tones and Chad Kroeger yarling through it all (which I've never minded), but their sound and songwriting haven’t quite developed into their own style yet, certainly leaning into the now-classic Seattle Sound.  Pearl Jam is probably the largest influence, though there are a few moments that make me think of early Foo Fighters as well, and a few tracks lean more into punk rock.  It’s certainly a blend of alternative rock styles from the mid-90s.

There are some good riffs and interesting moments here and there, but not much really stood out.  Some of it is dark and moody, other times it’s more jumpy and energetic, so it's a bit of a messy album, but at least it’s not the same ideas over and over.  It's was fun to hear how the band started early on, with their influences shining through, but as an album, it’s just kinda okay.

Robin McAuley - Standing on the Edge

Robin McAuley is one of those journeymen who wandered through many bands in the 80s, making a name for himself, but never really settling with a single band, and he’s continued that pattern in recent years.  After reconnecting with Michael Schenker for a few albums, then joining Black Swan, he has followed up with his first solo album in more than 20 years.

Unsurprisingly, it’s largely mid-tempo rock songs reminiscent of his time as part of the McAuley-Schenker group in the late 80s.  The riffs are actually pretty chunky, and the synths and organs add some nice layers, all of which work to provide the ideal backdrop for McAuley’s vocals.  Honestly, he sounds great here, his voice giving authority to what might be some pretty standard lyrics.  None of it is awful, just kinda pedestrian, but when they’re sung by someone this good, it’s hard to complain.  It’s almost like he hasn’t aged at all!

The album is pretty by-the-numbers, but that’s to be expected with something like this.  The tracks that stood out to me were the ones I’ve featured before on the New Vidoes articles on this blog: “Thy Will Be Done” (which is a solid opener), “Standing on the Edge,” “Say Goodbye,” and “Wanna Take a Ride” remain good rockers, with “Chosen Few” being rather punchy, kinda like AC/DC, and "Running Out of Time" being a nice, uptempo closer.  A little heavier than most AOR, but as an album, it flows pretty well, and proves that Robin still has it, making for a pretty good listen.

Paladine - Finding Solace

When I came across this band earlier in the year, I figured, as they only have two albums, I'd start with their first one.  It's a bit of a rough listen, as the production has some quirks, but otherwise, it's a solid, if clunky, collection of power metal.

These guys really like their DragonLance lore, as all their songs are drawn from that D&D universe.  I'm only a bit familiar with it, having read the Chronicles trilogy when I was in high school, but it works as a sufficient core to build epic songs around, even if the lyrics don't don't always gel.  Sonically, they sound very much in the heavy/power realm, much like early Dream Evil, Metalium, or Warrior Path, with a dash of Iron Maiden for good measure.  However, it does have some first album drawbacks.  The songs are probably too long for what they are, and the drums sound a bit too forward in the mix and very clicky.

Still, these are minor problems.  Nick Protonotarios is a good vocalist, mostly going for a gritty epicness, not unlike Herbie Langhans or Henning Basse, and there is plenty of solid guitar work and solos.  They also have a folky acoustic ballad or two to mix things up a little.  However, the only tracks that stood out were "Master of Present & Past," and "Metalizer," which has a strong Firepower-era Judas Priest vibe.  Still, they show plenty of promise, and I'll be sure to listen to their second album later this year!

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I don't really have much to add this time around.  I pretty much intend to just keep going, doing my semi-regular articles, listening to more music, and not let the heat of summer get the best of me.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - March 2021!

Well, now that we have our new look, let's get into some more videos!  Got a nice mix of rock and metal again, all of which have me pretty excited to hear all these new albums.  Rock and metal definitely don't slow down!

I mostly know Myles Kennedy from his work in Alter Bridge, but it sounds like his solo stuff is just as solid.  A rather bluesy hard rock song, it's got a lot of kick and crunch to it that I like.  Also, I enjoyed the fun, paper-craft visuals.  Neat video!

No visuals on this other than cover art, but it's their next single in anticipation for their new album.  Much more poppy and mid-tempo, it's not as dense as their other songs, but that may make it a nice breather on the album.  In the meantime, it works as a nice piece of anthemic metal.

Third single, third time I've shared them here!  I have to say, these guys really do have some great prog metal chops.  Percussive riffs with epic melodic sections.  This one feels particularly like Symphony X, but that's a compliment as far as I'm concerned.  I need to get to this album soon!

The Dust Coda are back with another one, and again, I can't deny their hard rocking groove!  I don't know how they do it, but each song they've put out in the last few months has been solid stuff, with catchy riffs and great vocals.  These guys are doing hard rock right!

After doing stuff with Michael Schenker again, and doing Black Swans last year, it sounds like he's bringing his iconic vocals to a new solo album!  Honestly, it's classic 80s rock with an anthemic vibe, buoyed by McAuley's pipes, which really ring out on this one.  

After recording one of the best albums last year, Lovebites is back with a quick EP (and an anime opening).  While we still get the epic, sweeping power metal, this one really has some strong symphonic elements, which they featured on a few songs on Electric Pentagram.  Still, it makes for some great stuff, so it goes on the list!