Just wanted to post a quick article for the new David Gilmour Retrospective Article I put over in my Article Retrospectives section. Again, I've just pulled the reviews I've written over the years together into a single article, with a few tweaks. (I have also since included my Catching Up with The Ferrymen and Styx Retrospective articles in there as well.) That's all for now, but I'm sure to put together more of these sooner rather than later. Until then, rock on! \m/
Showing posts with label Symphonic Metal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Symphonic Metal. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Top 5 of 2025!!
Once again, I'm later than everyone else as I wanted to give everything I could a shot to get into this list. I admit it's been a crazy year for me, as I wasn't as consistent at reviewing new releases as I wanted to be, while getting in over my head with the retrospective Top 5s! Still, I think I was able to check out a solid chunk of what last year had to offer, allowing me to share my Top 5 of 2025 with some confidence! As usual, power metal dominates the year with some very solid releases, but there are a few honorable mentions to throw in. The Ferryman had an outside chance with Iron Will, and Helloween's Giants and Monsters ended up not quite making it, despite some very good songs. With those out of the way, let's get into this thing!
5. Sabaton - Legends
Sabaton have really cemented themselves as a band that does their own thing, and usually does it well. While the World War I themes were starting to wear a little thin on that last album, the band decided to not bother with a big concept album, and I think it has helped them regain some energy and squeeze themselves into this list. It may be churlish of me to put this over the veterans Helloween, but I will take an album that's consistent all the way through than one full of highs and lows.
4. Crazy Lixx - Thrill of the Bite
The odd one out in this list, but this album made me smile all the way through! While they aren't doing anything new or innovative, they definitely know how to make their style of throwback glam metal just dominate your speakers. Sometimes, you just want a good, fun rock 'n' roll album, and Crazy Lixx has that in spades!
3. Primal Fear - Dominiation
Another incredibly consistent band that had a bit of a drop of lately, but seems to be returning with strength in 2025. Perhaps their new rhythm section helped improve their execution, but Scheepers, Karlsson, and Sinner really pulled together a pretty good album this time. Not as good as Rulebreaker, but solid enough to get onto this list.
2. Dragonknight - Legion
Certainly the sleeper of the year, I really can't find much fault with this album. There's certainly plenty of symphonic power metal to compare this debut album to, but these guys have pulled off a well-executed album, being bombastic enough to be fun, but not losing themselves in overly complex or melodramatic songwriting. It's just the right mix that helps it stand out over the others.
1. Majestica - Power Train
It might be silly, but I can't deny that what Tommy and his buddies have done is write probably the greatest love letter to power metal I've ever heard, not only respecting their elders but also finding a decent amount of variety in these tracks to mitigate any repetitive elements. I think it also helps that they clearly just love doing this kind of music, and that passion is what pushes this album above the rest for 2025.
Thursday, January 15, 2026
2025 Wrap Up Part One!
I have to admit that I've been pretty negligent with my New Releases articles, as my Top 5 lists took up a lot more of my time than I anticipated. However, I did want to at least go over some new albums, so I've got this handful plus one more group before I figure out my Top 5 list for 2025. This is much more metal focused (I'll get to rock in the next one), so for now, here's what I've been headbanging to lately!
After completing a pair of albums based on World War I, the band decided to break away from album-long themes in favor of just writing a bunch of songs about various heroes and moments in military history, ranging from ancient Egypt to Napoleonic France, with a few trips to East Asia for good measure. While I did find their last album to be a little lackluster, I think these topics have revived the band a little, as there are quite a few good songs here.
As for their style, it's Sabaton doing what they've been doing for nearly two decades now: bombastic heavy/power metal, though this time I did notice an increase in synthesizers (and not just orchestrations), which was interesting. They rarely take center stage, but do feature on most of the songs, which is a little unusual for them (or maybe I hadn't noticed them before). However, all the sounds you expect are here. Joakim Brodén's baritone voice dominates the album, giving the lyrics plenty of gravitas, and the rest of the band stays tight to the song, as they do little beyond their solid songwriting formula.
This time around, I really enjoyed the faster songs, like "Hordes of Khan," "Maid of Steel," and "The Duelist," though they still have some solid mid-tempo stompers with tracks "A Tiger Among Dragons" and "Crossing the Rubicon." The rest of the tracks are decent as well, if pretty standard fare for the band. In the end, though, it's Sabaton doing what they do best, with a bit of extra flair that I think makes it stronger than some of their other albums.
I checked out their debut album a few years ago and found it to be pleasant, but not an amazing listen. However, their line-up stayed together, and now they've released another bombastic batch of symphonic power metal. Not much has changed in five years, as they still have their blend of shreddy guitars, soaring vocals, and layered keys, providing both orchestrations and 80s synths. Once again, I thought of Rhapsody of Fire, Beast in Black, and Sonata Arctica (especially their excellent first album), and they do a good job of blending those styles together. The lyrics remain as melodramatic as before, being both fantastical and sentimental, and there are a number of longer songs on this one, with four of them going over six minutes in length. However, I do think the songs lean more into AOR territory than they did on the first album, but considering their sound, that isn't much of a stretch, really.
Naturally, I was drawn to the faster songs, like the opener "On the Wings of the Phoenix" and "The Power Stars," though they often had some interesting shifts for the bridge, providing a touch of prog. From the mid-tempo songs, I think "A Flame from the Sky" is the best one, as it has some anthemic qualities. The rest of the songs were fine, largely held together by the consistent, lush production, and the album does a better job than their debut at maintaining its energy to the end. Not amazing, but pleasant.
When I checked their album for 2024, it was really the first time I had given them a shot, finding it to be a solid collection of straight-ahead, no-frills metal. However, their discography seemed to show some pretty large breaks between albums, so I was surprised to see that they'd cranked out another one so quickly! Apparently inspired by one of their albums from the 80s, this one is just business as usual for the old veterans.
Once again, this is cruise control metal, as things mostly stay in the mid-tempo range and rock along without too much to shake things up. There is a few more synths than just the Purple-style organs, especially on the dynamic "Tears of the Innocent," but otherwise, this just plods along, providing decent riffs and hooks to headbang along to. The energy does pick up a little with the title track, "Time to Rock," and "Make Me a Believer," where the band comes alive, at least for a little while. I do enjoy this band, but compared to the likes of Judas Priest, Saxon, and Accept, who are still dominating the traditional metal space these days, this band really struggles to compete. There's nothing wrong with "rocking it old school," but aside from their retro charm and confidence, The Rods aren't really doing a whole lot that helps them stand out.
After Tommy Johansson left Sabaton, he turned his attention back to his own band Majestica. Once known as ReinXeed, this band his been Tommy's personal band since the early 2000s. Five years ago, he orchestrated a rather clever concept album, telling the story of A Christmas Carol with Christmas carols. This time there is no concept, just a set of very fun power metal songs!
While there are obvious comparisons to recent power metal, such as Sabaton, Twilight Force, and Beast in Black, I think what makes this album work is that it draws upon the uplifting attitude and whimsy of Helloween. Things kick off with the title track, which is such a refreshing, high-speed blast of joy. Sure, it's a little cheesy, but the cheerful attitude is pretty infectious, and I found I was smiling through a lot of it, and that feeling carried through the rest of the album. Some of the songs are more story-based, but they never drop the ball, carrying the same energy as the other tracks. All of this is performed with gusto, as Tommy and his buddies are tight and majestic as ever.
I actually feel pretty bad for sleeping on this album for so long, as it came out back in February! This feels like a love letter to power metal in general, with "Megatrue" being full of HammerFall references as the most obvious in that tone. "No Pain, No Gain" is probably the most empowering song I've heard in a while, and "Thunder Power" is a nice blast to the face. However, the closer "Alliance Anthem" had such strong classic-era Stratovarius vibe that I nearly jumped out of my chair listening to it! This is going to give both Helloween and Primal Fear some serious competition when I consider my Top 5 for 2025!
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Retro Reviews - December 2025 Part Two!!
While I've been going through all these albums this year, I have to admit this article is a little different because it features some albums that I considered back in 2020, but never got around to, for one reason or another. In the end, this is turning into a great opportunity to catch up on some stuff that I liked. I don't know of any of these will break into my revised Top 5 (as that was a very good year!), but I won't know until I give them the chance! In any case, here's another chunk of reviews here at the end of the year.
This is largely a project built around Zak Stevens, singer for late-era Savatage and Circle II Circle. While I checked out a few of their videos, for whatever reason, I never got around to this until now. For what it's worth, this is some decently executed symphonic metal, much like other Frontiers Records projects like Allen/Lande and The Ferrymen.
Naturally, there's also a good dose of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, especially on the opener "Fallen" and the overlapping lyrics on "Under the Spell." I think the main difference is that the symphonics, while well arranged, are further back in the mix and in the song-writing, letting the guitars and vocals take center stage. Speaking of guitars, Aldo Lonobile leans more into the melodic style of soloing but also has some pretty chunky riffs throughout, and his fretwork sets this album apart from other bands in this style. Overall, it's some solid symphonic metal, with "Rise" and "Twilight" as the standouts for their uptempo energy, while the epic closer "Return of the Storm" makes the most of their symphonic style into something bombastic and fun. They released another album a few years later, which I will get to sooner or later, as this one was pretty good.
Here's another group who had their debut album in 2020, where I checked out a few songs, and then didn't follow up. Featuring a few members from the melodic metal band Dynazty, Paralydium aim for a very melodic-but-noodly style of prog metal with catchy choruses, much like DGM or Vanden Plas.
One thing that sets this band apart is a greater emphasis on chuggy riffing, giving the band a bit of a heavier feel. Mikael Sehlin's vocals easily slip back-and-forth between soaring and having a touch of grit, giving the songs a bit of range, and the synths feel fresh without necessarily being experimental (and Mikael Blanc gets plenty of keyboard solos along with John Berg's guitars). The production gives the band plenty of space, whether they want to power through or jam around a bit, adding to the metaphysical, sci-fi/fantasy aesthetic they have going. While I don't know if this is a concept album, the lyrics have plenty of epic melodrama that fits the music well.
And yet, I don't feel that the band isn't doing anything to really stand above the pack in the field of melody-heavy, symphonic-driven progressive metal. All the pieces are here, and they have plenty of talent and great atmosphere, but the songs don't really seem to stick with me much after I've heard them, especially since the tracks do feel a rather interchangeable. However, none of it was bad, so maybe I need to give this more spins to really get a feel for it. I see that they have done at least one other album, so I'll be sure to give that a shot as well at some point.
After their first album was a solid blues-rock jam, and their second took them further into spacey atmosphere, their third effort really is just more of the same, but that's not a bad thing. Their tight rhythm section and effects-laden guitar leads put the listener in the right mood for another set of psychedelic rock.
Things start off well with "Vanguard," which has a very Led Zeppelin kind of energy to it (as does "206" and "The Buzzard"), while the title track builds up and breaks down its dynamics quite well, flowing from section to section with ease, making me think of early 70s Pink Floyd. "Great Attractor" was basically a slow build-up revolving around some thick reverb with a pretty satisfying ending. There is no 10 minute epic this time, but there are a few nearly reaching seven minutes, and none of this drags at all, as their repetitions only serve to enhance their atmosphere. With their groovy riffs and spacey soundscape, I just bang my head along and enjoy the ride. As far as I can tell, this is their last album as well. The band may still be going somewhere, and if they decide to record a new one, I will certainly look forward to listening to it. Until then, Explorer is probably their best, though their self-titled album was quite good, and all three are absolutely worth a listen.
A few years ago, I checked out this band's first release, which was a decent little EP full of epic US-style power metal. Now that I'm reviewing a bunch of albums for my Top 5, their debut full-length crossed my radar and I figured I'd check it out. Naturally, I got some pretty epic stuff, built on plenty of 80s tropes and techniques.
The boost in production certainly helps, but the songwriting seems to have eased up as well, making me think of the likes of Dio and Ozzy. The album starts with the high-speed tracks "Frozen Star" and "Drop the Hammer," both of which were good, but then it feels like they then pick up a dose of rock 'n' roll, being very noticable on "Don't Wait for the Wizard" and the 6/8 swing on "Masters of the Sky." Even "The Rising Sign" sounds like a classic 80s glam metal ballad, but the band adds some clever dynamics to turn it into a storytelling song, and it turns out pretty good. And of course there are plenty of guitar solos and harmonized melodies all over the place. While it does get cheesy from time to time, those who don't mind some sincere affection for classic fantasy and old-school metal will find plenty to enjoy here like I did.
After enjoying their latest album, I figured I should go back and check out their debut, which came out the same year as the rest of these. With basically the same lineup, this is another slab of well-made doom metal. The band continues to have great atmosphere, with Melissa Pinion's haunted vocals wailing over it all. While it's easy to point out similarities to other doom bands, such as Candlemass and Sorcerer (to say nothing of Black Sabbath), I do think they create their own space by really leaning into dark, mythological story-telling.
If there is a difference, I'd say that the band isn't quite as experimental as they were on the second album. These songs are relatively straight forward and don't feature much outside of the standard doom template (though it is well-executed). Still, there is plenty to like here, as the melodies feel as morose as the lyrics, and most songs have some playful mixed-meter elements and tempo shifts. If you like epic doom metal, there is little to criticize here, as it's quite a solid chunk of mournful, grandiose tracks.
Here's another situation where I enjoyed the band's recent release, so I figured I'd go back and check out the debut. As it turns out, much of this was written and recorded in the early 2000s, but set aside for some reason. Then, the album was mostly re-recorded much later and finally got released in 2020, though I understand some of the earlier work was reused. While their newer album was a solid (if rather overhyped) power metal concept album, their debut clearly paved the way for it, as much is the same here.
As with Warrior Path, we have Yannis Papadopoulos singing before he was replaced with Daniel Heiman, and he does a great job here, as one would expect. His wails are great, and when the songs has him harmonizing with himself, it sounds very powerful. I'm not sure if this one is a concept album, like the later album was (it's possibly about Elric of Melniboné?), but it follows some similar elements: soft acoustic guitars often give way to epic metal theatrics, a sense of adventure in the tone and lyrics, and a massive, 14-minute epic towards the end of the album. It's all pretty competently performed and nothing feels particularly out of place, but there is a sense that I've heard better elsewhere.
Naturally, I end up liking the faster songs, like "Sacred Outcry" and "Lonely Man," while the title track (the aforementioned 14-epic) goes through some interesting moods, drifting between somber and intense. In comparison, I think this debut album might have some better moments (especially with Yannis's vocals) than the second, but Towers of Gold was definitely supported with a cool, epic story, so they may be even overall. On its own, this album certainly gets quite epic, but I don't know if this band really impresses me as it seems to impress others.
Monday, December 22, 2025
Top 5 of 2015!!
This year's Top 5 was another that came together pretty quickly. However, my obsession with epic styles of metal ensures that there isn't a whole lot of variety on this one (and those who review my "Anniversary" article for this year will see some familiar faces). Still, there was plenty of good stuff to consider, including the album by Final Sign that I reviewed as part of my Divebomb Mystery Box article. As always, I can't listen to everything, and these are just my personal favorites, but here are my Top 5 for 2015!
5. Shadowbane - Facing the Fallout
A few years ago, I bought a stack of CDs from Pure Steel records and reviewed them all. Out of the bunch, this was my favorite, largely because it was the only power metal album I picked up. Nevertheless, it remains a pretty good album, with its post-apocalyptic themes making it stand out. I still think it's a shame the band never did put together a follow up, as I saw a lot of potential. Nevertheless, it finds itself here at #5 for being just a solid chunk of metal.
4. Kamelot - Haven
Back when I reviewed this a few years ago, I thought the album was fine, but not great, as it didn't match how much I loved the Roy Khan albums. Listening to it again, I wonder if my standards were just far too high, as this is some very good symphonic metal. Karevik does a great job providing the voice for the album, and the band still has a knack for the epic, and so it finds a slot here in my Top 5.
3. Sorcerer - In the Shadow of the Inverted Cross
I know I just reviewed this, but I can't deny when Sorcerer is rolling out their style of doom! Melodramatic, epic, and powerful, these guys had it right from the start with their (sorta) debut album. In any case, now that I've heard all their albums, I look forward to whatever they do next. For now, this album's excellence puts it here in my Top 5.
2. Cain's Offering - Stormcrow
I reviewed this five years ago when I was doing my Anniversary Article series, and I found it to be a worthy follow up to their excellent debut album. Since, things have been quiet (likely because both Jani and Timo have been busy with other things), but I still think their particular blend of symphonic power metal is pretty incredible.
1. Visigoth - The Revenant King
Another I reviewed five years ago, I had a hard time deciding to go with Cain's Offering or Visigoth for my #1 album for this year. However, I think the dense, somewhat doomy atmosphere is what gives Visigoth the edge, as well as some fun, epic songs. Drifting between US power metal to Sabbath-like doom, the album has quite a lot to offer, and with Jake Rogers on the mic, this album really soars.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
Retro Reviews - December 2025!
So I'm definitely cutting it fine, but I've had some busy weeks. However, I think I'll be able to squeeze in a few more articles before the end of the year. Let's get things rolling with a handful from 2015 in anticipation of my Top 5 article for that year. I don't know if any of these are guaranteed make it, but I think they all have a decent chance.
After listening to his work in Primal Fear, The Ferryman, and his previous Free Fall album, I'm getting a pretty good idea of what to expect from Magnus now. His follow up here is honestly more of the same symphonic rock and metal, featuring another great line up of guest singers.
As always, the production is the real star here. All of these songs are very lush, layering the guitars and synthesized strings very well to sound like an epic orchestra, with plenty of slick guitar licks and solos throughout. Once again, I feel like the songs are hampered by some generic lyrics, but Magnus and his guests are game, giving good performances, making the songs pleasant to listen to, making the album feel more like a showcase for the singers, most of which are on Frontiers Records as well. There are times where I wish the song would push a little further or shift into some kind of power metal, but most of the time, the songs are often content to stick with mid-tempo rhythms, likely to give the layers and guitars space to breath. "Another Life" does mix things up a little, starting with a nearly folky vibe before shifting into some bluesy metal, but otherwise it's pretty similar stuff across the board.
This is by no means a bad album, but it is kind of a forgettable one. Things start of well with Jorn Lande singing the title track, and I did like "When the Sky Falls" with Tony Martin for being a little more Dio-like. Of the albums more AOR-styled songs, "Never Look Away" stood out, featuring Tony Harnell of TNT. While I enjoyed what I heard, with all the songs getting me to headbang along, but in the end, I can't shake the feeling I've heard all this before. Fans of Karlsson's guitar work (and symphonic metal) will find plenty to like, but don't expect this to blow your mind.
After enjoying their most recent album, I thought I'd dig back into their catalog and check out their debut, as these Top 5 articles gave me the ideal opportunity to do so. Here, the band is definitely more basic in their doom metal style, sticking to sounds like Dio-era Sabbath and early Candlemass, but fortunately the execution makes the difference here.
To be honest, there isn't anything here that hasn't been done before, but like I said, the quality of how they play it is what matters. Once again Brooks Wilson wails and croons, and the rest of the band backs him up with some solid atmosphere. Enrique Sagarnaga pounds the crap out of his drums, even getting a little jazzy here and there with his fills and rhythms. The lyrics are more Biblical in nature, but never feel preachy, instead often going for this haunted, wandering tone, like a journey to seek answers that never really ends.
There are a few shake ups, mostly with tempo changes. "Heavy Riders" really goes back and forth with its tempo, leaning more Dio-Sabbath, while "Into the Holy of Holies" reaches a classic metal tempo and has some very shreddy solos. Otherwise, it's just some well-played doom with solid atmosphere, plenty of decent riffs, and a good, introspective tone that's reaching for more. I don't know if it necessarily stands out in its genre, but remains a good foundation as a debut album and certainly worth the listen.
Once again, I'm filling in another 2015 gap with this one. I've enjoyed this band in the past and this album really is more of the same, solid, slick early 80s melodic rock with modern production. Things start off well with "Nowhere to Hide," bring that slick AOR energy right off the bat, and the album doesn't really deviate from it. Another stand out is "Bleed in the Rain," which has more of a pop vibe, like it came from an 80s movie, and the last two tracks "Did You Feel Any Love" and "I'm Free" close things out with some good upbeat rock. As usual, it's hard to really say much about the music when it's doing exactly what it needs to. I don't know if this will blow anyone's mind, but those looking for another chunk of quality melodic rock will find plenty to like here.
Here's another slab of doom metal! Despite having started in the 80s, this 2015 release would be Sorcerer's first full length album, as the band had recorded a few demos, then went on a massive hiatus. After enjoying their other three albums, I went into this one with some decently high expectations and they were well met!
This is probably the closest album to Lamenting of the Innocent in terms of being more on the doom metal side rather than the classic metal side. Plodding tempos, thick riffs, Kristian Niemann and Peter Hallgren lightning-style shredding, and Anders Engberg's soaring vocals are all here, establishing a solid atmosphere throughout the album. "Sumerian Script" and "Lake of the Lost Souls" are a solid pair of slow-churning doom metal, but then "Exorcise the Demon" and "The Gates of Hell" shake things up with some very NWOBHM-style uptempo energy, full of neat guitar licks and noodles. After that, it's back to some excellent doom, with "Prayers for a King" really standing out!
It's not quite as strong as Lamenting (though it comes quite close), but between the solid, clean production, the excellent songwriting, and the great story-telling in the lyrics, this will place pretty high on the Top 5 article I'm working on after this. While the Crypt Sermon album was decent enough, what Sorcerer does here is my idea of what good epic doom is like. Candlemass may have been doing it longer, but these guys are right up there with them in quality, in my opinion.
For the last one of this article, I'm reaching back once again to a debut album of a band I've enjoyed before. Their two later albums were some pretty impressive, if moody, symphonic prog metal, powered by the iconic alto voice of Jasmin Baggenstos, and it seems their debut is where they started their particular sound.
The first thing I noticed was that the production was a little clunky, but as this was an independent release, that can be forgiven, and it's not really a deal breaker, once you get into the album. The songs themselves have a strong story-telling focus, as each one has a tale to tell. In fact, a reference to Nemesis makes wonder if some of the songs are part of the bigger concept they used for their other two albums (which I never did figure out). There's plenty of proggy elements, which sections featuring some mixed meter or noodly riffs and transitions, but I get the feeling the songs aren't as complex here as they are on other albums. Jasmin sounds great, though, and guitarist Roberto Barlocci really gives his fretboard a work out with plenty of shredding solos and complex neo-classical runs.
It's pretty much the same as their later albums, but with a bit less polish. "Abyss" shows their unique blend of prog and symphonic metal, and "Breathing Rage" really works those neo-classical elements. "Fate of the Gods" is their most chaotic song, the instrumental track "Delusive Dreams" as an interesting jam, mixing in some rockin' energy with their orchestrations and noodling, and the 9-minute "Shattered" makes for a decent closer. I can see more hardcore progheads finding this album a little underwhelming, but overall, I enjoyed most of it, and see it as a solid start to what I think is a pretty unique band in the prog metal space.
Saturday, November 29, 2025
Retro Reviews - November 2025!
This one took a little longer than I wanted, but there's a lot to cover here. I'm still focused on my Top 5 articles, and so here's a bunch from 2010, though it's a little bit of everything, really. I'm still hoping I can get through all these albums and articles before the end of the year, and maybe squeeze in a few more things, but it's looking tight. In the meantime, here's a new handful of albums I've checked out, and I hope you do as well, as there's some great stuff here!
I remember when this came out back in the day, with a lot of metal websites praising it. I listened to it back then, thought it was good, but then never listened to it again! I also feel like this band sorta disappeared off the face of the earth after their debut, but it seems they're still going with nearly the same lineup that recorded this album. In an effort to get back into more epic doom metal (and as research for the upcoming Top 5 article), I figured I'd give this another go, treating it like a new listen as I remember very little of what's on this album.
Based on a book series that discusses mythology and religion, the songs dive deep into those themes as well. The way the tracks transition from one to the next, using some sailing ambiance, gives this the feel of a concept album, like an epic quest. There really isn't much doom and gloom so much as the dealings with magical and esoteric traditions, and the music does a great job of evoking those moods. Many of the songs are long, include the first two both being over 10 minutes, and a 15 minute epic towards the end, but they never become boring or tedious. Instead, they tap into this almost folky, ancient atmosphere that's easy to sink into, making for some very solid doom metal. Markus Becker's vocals soar and harmonize very well, Manuel Trummer and Michael Koch provide great riffs and melodies on their guitars, and the rhythm section of drummer Mario Weiss and bassist Florian Kreuzer make sure things move along at a good pace.
If there is a problem with the album, it's that the production is a bit odd. While it does provide a solid wall of sound, there are moments were it feels off, especially when the guitars stop playing. The distortion effects are fine, but when they stop for a bit, the straight silence with no reverb that follows before they start playing again is so stark, it almost feels like a mistake, but it happens multiple times on the album, so it's a bit strange. Their transitions can also be quite sudden, going from loud to quiet and back to loud with little-to-no build up or anticipation. The drums might be a little too loud in the mix as well, as Becker does get a little buried at times.
Of course, these are just nitpicks. In the end, we have a very engaging album full of mythic awe and wonder as the music epicly plods through its course. I liked most of it, with the opener "Fountain of Nepenthe" setting the stage well, "The Atlantean Kodex" adding a nice dose of energy with more of an anthemic, 80s-metal sound, and the epic "A Prophet in the Forest" rounding out the journey Fans of Candlemass and Sorcerer should find plenty to like, as long as they don't mind lyrics more inspired by Bulfinch's Mythology than the Book of Revelations.
After enjoying their last handful of albums, I figured it was time I went back to their debut and checked out where they started. Unsurprisingly, they have their 80s melodic rock style down right from the start. These are songs full of cinematic touches, making them feel like part of the soundtrack of a melodramatic film from that aforementioned decade.
If there is one thing that stands out, it's the heavy use of 80s synths and keyboards, giving the band a bit more of a pop-band feel. Sure, they rock out well enough, but some songs lean pretty hard into the synths, like "Staring at the Sun." Still, this is some solid retro rock music, using a wall-of-sound-style production to make these songs sound anthemic and huge. The title track and "Headlights" are two great examples of this, as the songs show the band's excellent use of dynamics. Meanwhile, the opener "Into the Wild" and "Hearts of Glass" show the band's hard rock energy. Overall, it's everything I loved about them when I discovered them with Only Human. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in my Top 5 for 2010, as it holds up well and is pretty consistent in quality.
It's been quite a while since I last talked about this curious combo of crooners, but Allen/Lande, despite being a little generic in the songwriting, at least provides some fun symphonic metal. This third album would be the last they would rely on Magnus Karlsson's talents in writing and arranging these songs before moving on to a dozen other projects. Still, this one soars just like the other two albums.
What little experimentation there is mainly focuses on arrangements and instrumentation. The two singers belt out the lyrics in epic fashion, and there is plenty of lush orchestrations and slick guitar melodies, as one would expect from these guys. None of the songs are bad, though the lyrics on "Bloodlines" were a little strange. Standouts include the title track, "Turn All to Gold," and "The Artist" for their symphonic power, while "The Guardian" was one of the better ones in the AOR style. While there were no real surprises, it's still competent melodic metal with a flair for the dramatic, which is good enough for me.
Here's another one that's filling in a gap. I enjoyed their debut album, and this follow up seems to lean even harder into their AC/DC influences. Between the raucous vibe and raunchy lyrics, it's another rock party jam from top to bottom.
As usual, I tend to like the faster songs, though I will say the band does some anthemic stuff pretty well. "Raise the Flag" and "Bottom of the Well" are perfect for fist-pumping self-affirmation, aside from being a pretty good time. Unfortunately, like reviewing AC/DC albums, there really isn't much to say. The production is solid, the riffs are crunchy, and the vibe is fun. Overall, it's a decent time with plenty of headbang-worthy tracks, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily an improvement over their first. However, there's nothing wrong with staying in cruise control sometimes, and these guys were pretty content to stay the course for this one.
I came across this band the same way as I'm sure many others did, with their cover of Mike Oldfield's "Moonlight Shadow." It was bombastic, even operatic at times, and a very energetic version of the song. However, their name sat in the back of my memory like so many other bands, so I'm taking it upon myself to fix this and check out their debut album, which has some very over-the-top symphonic power metal, with all of its tropes.
While I've referenced Rhapsody of Fire many times before when discussion this kind of music, but if you had told me this was one of their albums and not a new band, I might have believed you! While the high speed riffing certainly recalls DragonForce, and the singer Szymon Kostro does lean a little into Hansi Kürsch's style, but in the end, these Poles are clearly inspired by the aforementioned Italian band. The result is some very fast songs, a few interludes, and some very complex arrangements, mixing the guitars and symphonics and choirs quite well (and throwing in Beethoven in for good measure). These songs are often long as well, fitting in all kinds of cinematic sections. While I wasn't able to find a lot of specifics, but I'm pretty sure this is a concept album, telling a high fantasy story involving a hero getting powers from the moon, rescuing his lover from cave dwellers, then facing the hordes of evil, and having a showdown between dragons that gets rather metaphysical. I think.
This is an album that's going to need more than few listens to really unpack everything, as there are so many transitions and sections. While it's done well, it does make the songs a little hard to follow at times. "All the Mornings in the World" was pretty good, as that song felt the most focused, and "Sons of Immortal Fire" was a nice break from all the high-speed melodrama by being just a solid metal song. The rest are enjoyable enough, but I'm not really sure if they're capable of coming out from under Rhapsody of Fire's shadow. I know they have one other album, which I will get to a some point, but for now, it's a curious album that I wish was easier to get into somehow.
Saturday, November 8, 2025
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.
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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.
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Divebomb Records Mystery Box!!
A lot of record labels and online distros like to offer mystery boxes to help clean up some of their stock and provide some surprises for the receiver. I had always been interested in them, but most of them are for more extreme types of metal (which I'm much more picky about). However, I saw Classy Lonnie Metal do one for Divebomb Records, which focuses more on melodic metal styles, and I was intrigued. I threw it on a wishlist and ended up getting it for my birthday last year! It's taken me a while to get through them all, but I got to check out a whole bunch of bands I've never heard before! There are quite a lot of them, though, so these will be pretty short reviews to keep the article from being too long. Buckle in and let's get into it!
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Retro Reviews - September 2025 Part Two!
Once again, my retro reviews are dominated by my next Top 5 article, and with 2000 coming up, I had plenty of albums to consider. However, in the end, I decided to review these five, as they are mostly continuations of bands I've been reviewing over the years, which means more power metal! Instead of breaking these up, I've decided to throw them together, so settle in for a long article!
After enjoying their latest releases, I figured it was time to try and fill in some of the gaps I had with this band's discography. I've mentioned before that I've listened up through Better than Raw, and most of it is great power metal. With this one, the band had retroactively mentioned there was more executive meddling this time, and they went with a bit of a darker, gritter tone.
Things start off with some pretty typical power metal, as tracks like "Mr. Torture," and "All Over the Nations" would have fit in well with any other Helloween album. Then we get "Escalation 666" and "Mirror Mirror" with both have a much darker tone and mid-tempo chugging, and their lead single "If I Could Fly" feels almost like an alternative rock song. The rest of the album bounces bounces around these two styles. While the power metal tracks are classic in style, they do feel a bit less inspired than usual, while the slower, grittier tracks are a mixed bag, but feature some neat ideas. However, to the band's credit, the album never feels uneven or jarring, the different sounds making the album feel kind of diverse.
Personally, I find the later material on the album to be stronger. "Mirror Mirror" is an interesting take on the classic fairy tale, then "The Departed (Sun Is Going Down)" and "I Live For Your Pain" are the best of the slower, grittier songs. Meanwhile, "We Damn the Night" is the best of the power metal side, the epic closing title track features all of this and more. While this isn't the band at their best, they've certainly had worse, and I think there's plenty to like here, making this more like a dark horse than a black sheep.
After Ballbreaker, these Aussies seemed to settle into a pattern of putting out an album every 5-8 years, as I'm sure their live show was the more profitable side of their band. As for this album, they definitely drawn upon the blues rock that dominated their sound in the 70s, making this feel like something of a throw back.
Of course, this is a minor shift, as the band's sound is one of the most unchanging things in the history of rock music, and that's just fine. Things start of well with the rockin' title track, "Meltdown" and "House of Jazz" have the strongest blues elements on the album, and "Hold Me Back" has this near minimal approach before it builds to its anthemic end. "Safe in New York City" has some interesting energy, and the blues come back for "Satellite Blues" and "Come and Get It." I do think the album does lose some steam towards the end, but "Give It Up" is a solid closer. Overall, it's another AC/DC album, designed to get your headbanging from beginning to end. I will say, though, that I think this one was better than Ballbreaker, and probably on the upper end of their discography.
For what it's worth, this was the last album I needed to hear to complete my listening of their entire studio discography. It took many years (long before I started the blog), but I can say with confidence that they've been largely consistent over their entire history. I might at some point create a Retrospective Article, filling in the reviews I need to, but that will probably have to wait until next year sometime. In the meantime, they remain the band we've always enjoyed, and this album is a good example why.
This year was definitely one for power metal, with this one being the third in their Emerald Sword Saga. In the last album, our hero made it to the tower to find the titular weapon and is now on his way back to face the evil that threatens the land. Naturally, this means another set of bombastic, high speed power metal!
Musically, nothing has changed at all from the last album. We get more neo-classical orchestrations to go with all of Luca Turilli's shredding guitars, and Fabio Lione does his best to share the story in his soaring voice. As for that story, the hero brings the armies together into an alliance against the evil Akron, but when his friend's lover (a princess) gets kidnapped, the vile lord wants the Emerald Sword for himself. The heroes try to anticipate a trap only to get captured, and the sword falls into the hands of evil, and our main hero is the only one to escape with his life. I bring up the story here, as the album starts rather triumphant, but the songs get darker and more desperate as it goes (at least for power metal, anyway). Of course, there are still some strange breaks, like "The Village of the Dwarves" with its folky respite, but most of the time, it's pretty melodramatic theatrics, which the music holds together well enough.
This is one of those albums where the great songs are great, but the rest is pretty forgettable. I liked the title track and "Holy Thunderforce," as they feature some pretty epic melodies and symphonics, and the massive closer "The Mighty Ride of the Firelord" has a little of everything. However, the rest of the songs, while not necessarily bad (though "The Bloody Rage of the Titans" was another strange one), they aren't as memorable as those three. In any case, the band is once again spot on with their orchestrations and arrangements, and certainly sell their operatic pretentions pretty well.
After enduring the two Blaze Bayley albums, it was high time I got back into this band and their reunion with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith. However, they decide to hang on to Janick Gers, making the first album with three guitarists. In fact, this lineup has remained ever since! In any case, this album is pretty much a return to form for the band, calling upon their 80s majesty.
I know I haven't reviewed any Dickinson album before now, so let's get the obvious out of the way: this man is a great vocalist and frontman. He's one of the greats for good reason, and he sounds great here. The rest of the band is definitely back to normal after stumbling through the 90s. The rhythms and hooks are tight again, and the guitar work is exemplary as always. Essentially, it's Maiden doing what they do best, which is writing solid, melodic heavy metal, and after the last two albums, it's nearly a relief to hear the crew still have it where it matters. The long songs have return as well, as the band leans more into their proggy side like "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" or "Alexander the Great."
Listening to this album is like putting on an old pair of comfortable shoes. While long-time Maiden fans will already know how good songs like "The Wicker Man" and "Blood Brothers" are, but I also rather liked "Ghost of the Navigator" and "The Fallen Angel." There are no surprises and you know what to expect, but at the same time, you can't help but feel good about it anyway, simply because it's executed well. As a consequence, the album might not stand up well against their classics, but it makes for a solid return to form, and a new baseline for what follows.
Just to round things out, I decided to throw this collection on and give it a listen. Technically, it's a compilation for the band, but a majority of it was recorded, letting the fans pick the songs on their website. While the songs themselves weren't changed much, there are a few major differences that make this more than just a typical Greatest Hits album.
First is the production, making the re-recorded versions feel more rich and layered, so they feel more in-line with what the band had been doing at the time. It also gives them a welcome extra punch of power metal. The other major difference is that the vocals of Ralf Scheepers (now happily working in Primal Fear at this point) were now provided by Kai Hansen. While some of the re-recorded songs were clearly written with Ralf's hefty vocals in mind, but Kai does well enough, especially on the faster songs that call for his soaring style. Overall, I don't know if this is a particularly vital release, but definitely shows how Gamma Ray has finally established their style. Enjoyable, but probably not vital outside of diehard fans.
Monday, September 22, 2025
New Releases - September 2025!
After spending so much time on older albums, I figured I should shake things up with some new releases. This is looking to be another great year for power metal, as not only do we have some of the big names putting out some great albums, but I've got a new band that has it where it matters as well. Figuring out my Top 5 for the year is going to be tough!
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When I reviewed their last two albums, I find them to be a little underwhelming compared to earlier releases. (Though, when I relistened to them recently, I decided Metal Commando was the better album after all.) Now with new members Thalìa Bellazecca and André Hilgers on guitars and drums respectively, they carry on with their iconic heavy/power metal sound.
Not that I was expecting any kind of major change, of course. This band really is pretty consistent. However, I do think this album has stronger melodies and more of an uplifting tone, tapping into a bit more of a Helloween style than usual. This is very noticeable on their first few tracks, with "Destroyer" and "Far Away" really pushing into a very classic power metal sound. Things get grittier in a more typical style with songs like "The Hunter," "I Am the Primal Fear," and the weirdly intense "March Boy March." There's also a few elements of AOR, especially with songs like "Tears of Fire," the instrumental "Hallucinations," "Crossfire," and the seven-minute epic "Eden." Hearing these makes me think that Magnus Karlsson had a bigger hand in the song-writing this time around, as I'm hearing similar things as the work that he's done with Frontiers Records. Naturally, the rest of the band hammers out their parts well, with Ralf Scheeper's voice roaring and soaring over everything, getting in some pretty good wails. Overall, it feels like the band has really gotten their energy and power back.
The main concern I have with it is that the album might be a little too long. While none of these songs are bad, per se, there are a few that felt like filler, or at least not as strong, such as "Heroes and Gods," and "Scream." However, these are nitpicks on what is definitely a solid album, probably their best since Apocalypse, and certainly a contender for Top 5 of the year!
Speaking of Helloween, these power metal legends finally released a follow up to their great self-titled album from 2021. When I reviewed that one, I loved it, even if it was a little clunky here and there, and it eventually ended up in my Top 5 for that year at #2! Now, four years later, the band is still rocking the three vocalists, and we get another great set of power metal tunes!
Naturally, all the staples are here: plenty of noodly riffs and solos, high energy rhythms, and wailing vocals. If there is one thing that kept coming to mind this time is how much they sound like Gamma Ray. I know that may seem kind of redundant, as Kai Hansen always has his sound, regardless of what band he's in, but something about these songs have that Queen-like emphasis that Kai likes to use on his Gamma Ray material. (And it turns out that "Majestic" was a left over Gamma Ray song from 20 years ago that Kai rediscovered when helping to write this album.) Maybe this is just semantics, but I did notice it multiple times.
Still, there's some great power metal, not that would be a shock, really, as these guys have been doing it well since the 80s. Thinks start off great with the high-speed tracks "Giants on the Run" and "Savior of the World," but they also get epic with the two eight-minute songs, "Universe (Gravity For Hearts)" and "Majestic." They do drift into AOR territory with tracks like "A Little Is a Little Too Much," "This Is Tokyo," and "Hand of God," which aren't bad but do bring the energy down a little. "Under the Moonlight" is probably the weakest track, as it did sound a little strange compared to everything else. However, what does work here holds the album up well. I don't know if this is better than their last album (as that was quite good), but this is also a Top 5 album for 2025. I'm sure I'll have some real trouble deciding between this and Primal Fear's work when it comes to placement!
So after listening to two legends of the genre, here's a completely new power metal band from Finland. While they may not be doing anything new or original, I can't deny that the execution of their work is pretty solid.
For fans of symphonic power metal, there's a lot that's familiar here, with Twilight Force being the most prominent comparison, though fans of Dragonland and Rhapsody of Fire will find plenty to like. It's hard to know who is responsible for what, as the band relies on stage names, but Metal Archives at least tells me the singer is Mikael Salo, who apparently has been in a number of other power metal bands, and it shows. He sings with experience, being very theatrical, but he isn't afraid to get a little gritty when it's needed. While I don't think this is a concept album, it could definitely be interpreted as one, as it flows from song to song pretty well. The orchestrations are bombastic and well arranged, and the music is tight and powerful, making sure each piece leaves an impact.
It would be very easy to dismiss this band as "more of the same," and I do fear this band might get lost in the cracks, but I can't deny they have something here, as I liked most of the songs. The ending tracks do get a little weird (especially with the 12/8 rhythm they try on "The Revelation"), but I enjoyed "The Legions of Immortal Dragonlords," "Defender of Dragons," and "Storm Bringer" for having some good energy and epic arrangements, and I rather liked the ballad "Astarte Rise," as it had a strong story that built with the music very well. Overall, it might not be unique, but there is something to be said for doing things well, and this group might be one to keep an eye on in the future.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Catching Up with The Ferrymen!
After I enjoyed doing my Catching Up article with The Brothers of Metal, I decided to repeat the concept for another modern metal band that has always been on my radar, but haven't spent the time to review any of their work. Largely pulled together by Frontiers Records, it features Magnus Karlsson (of Primal Fear and various symphonic metal projects), Mike Terrana (formerly of Masterplan and Malmsteen, among others) and the voice himself, Ronnie Romero (who also has plenty of projects as well, but was best known as the singer for Ritchie Blackmore's sudden revival of Rainbow in 2015). With a strong pedigree and a flair for the dramatic, they've released four albums now, including one from earlier this year! What better time to catch up with this band than now?
With the introduction out of the way, let's get to the music. Right off, the group settles into a melodic heavy metal vibe, similar to the likes of Dream Evil, Silver Bullet, and Last in Line. There are more symphonic flourishes though, which makes them much like other Frontiers supergroup projects, such as Allen/Lande. In short, it sounds like what would happen to Dio's sound if he kept going and added more strings.
Speaking of which, Ronnie Romero wails his heart out, sometimes sounding like the classic singer, but also with a bit of grit, making me think of Jorn or even Robin McAuley at times. Nevertheless, he's great here, and the other two members are in top form. Mike pounds out the rhythm with ease, and Magnus gets to show off both his lush arrangements and guitar prowess, easily going between shreddy and melodic as the song needs. The songs are pretty solid all the way through, though I do think "Eternal Night" is a bit of a clichéd power ballad.
I'm not quite sure why they're listed as "Power Metal" on the Metal Archives, as they really are more like a symphonic-powered traditional metal band (again, like Allan/Lande). However, I will say that I like the more uptempo songs, like "Still Standing Up," "Eyes on the Sky," and the excellent closer "Welcome to the Show." I also liked "One Heart," the other power ballad on the album, as I think it builds well. Overall, it's a good album to build on, even though they don't really deviate from what they established here.
So I actually featured two singles from this album back when I was more focused on music videos. I thought were pretty good, but I guess they weren't enough to get me to check out the rest. Now that I'm picking up the slack, this album carries on their journey by bringing another solid slab of symphonic-tinged epic metal.
That does make it difficult to find much that's meaningful to say. The production is still big and powerful, the trio continue to play well, and it's easy to just get lost in the escapism of the sound. I don't know if this one is better than the first one, but there is still plenty to like. The opener "Don't Stand in My Way" start things off well, and the two singles I mentioned above, "A New Evil" and "No Matter How Hard We Fall," remain strong pieces. As for the ending, "You Against the World" has some strong Primal Fear vibes that I liked, and "All We Got" is a nice, upbeat, AOR-style closer. I do think the symphonic elements are stronger, but honestly, they're sticking with what they have, as it's certainly working for them.
Three years later, and not much has changed. Magnus shreds, Mike pounds, and Ronnie soars. So is there anything different? Well, I do think the symphonic elements have been boosted again, really going for some bombastic sections in a few songs. I also think the songwriting has slightly shifted in more of an AOR direction, but even then, there's still plenty of chugging riffs and shredding solos to keep this squarely in metal territory. Honestly, though, this is just me splitting hairs. The Ferrymen have their sound, and they aren't changing it for anyone.
Once again, I like it when the bring the energy. "City of Hate" gave me some Karevik-era Kamelot vibes, with the darker tone and aggressive riffing. The title track (while not a cover of a great Alan Parsons Project song) ends up being a very cinematic song, with the orchestrations really bringing the power. "Bringers of the Dark" and "The Last Ship" have some tight riffing and solid choruses. Overall, it's another consistent album that doesn't really have a bad song, which means its about the same as the first two albums. No need fix what isn't broken, after all.
I wonder if it isn't a bit of a mistake to have binged these albums. If I had been listening to them as they came out, I think each one would feel more novel. While I can detect some small differences, these albums are pretty interchangeable in their sound. Of course, there's nothing wrong with being consistent, especially in quality.
I think on this album they do a better job of embracing their symphonic metal nature, really making the orchestrations a part of the song rather than just some epic flavor in the back. Still, this is a minor detail, as the trio still do what they do best. I will say that, as the albums have gone on, Ronnie isn't trying to sound like Dio quite so much, which is fine. He's got a great voice that stands on its own quite well. The songs have become pretty formulaic at this point, with Magnus's solos predictably drifting between melodic and shreddy. Not that I want each song to be completely different, but it's easy to fall into a single groove with this album (as with the others), so those expecting more variety might be disappointed.
Still, there are some stand out tracks. The title track and "Dust to Dust" have some traditional metal grit, while the opener "Choke Hold," "Adrenaline," "The Darkness That Divides," and "Mind Games" shows their strong symphonic side, and the sentimental "Dreams and Destiny" adds in some folky flutes for a good power ballad. However, the best track is "Mother Unholy," with that slow, ominous riffing, making me think of Lamenting of the Innocent by Sorcerer. With the church bells and choirs singing in Latin, it makes for a very dramatic song and the highlight of the album. As a whole, I don't know if this will be a Top 5 contender for 2025, but I do consider it another solid offering from a band that clearly knows what they want to do and do it well.
While that was another fun, short discography to binge through. One on hand, it's hard not to feel like this is just another side project for the three talented members, but I can't deny that what they've made is some above average melodic metal. As I was listening through, I did wonder if this hasn't become more of Magnus's thing, as his orchestrations and arrangements got bigger and more epic (not that I think the other two members were slacking at all). Still, I'm hard pressed to really say anything was particularly bad, and any of the four albums are recommendable to anyone missing the kind of classic 80s metal melodrama that Dio's band used to provide, backed by some well-made symphonic flourishes.
Friday, November 29, 2024
Anniversary Series - 2019!
Here we are! The very last Anniversary Article! It's been a long five years, but it's been fun writing them all, even if I ended up just reviewing some albums for some of them. And while this one will be more reviews, this one is a little different. The blog has technically existed since 2017, but I really didn't start in earnest until late 2018, so 2019 is kind of the first major year for reviewing rock and metal. As a consequence, this Anniversary Article will be a bit of a catch up on a handful of albums I didn't have a chance to listen to, or discovered to have come out this year.
I featured a song from this album in one of my video articles, and while I've always liked it, I'm ashamed that it's taken this long to listen to the rest of the album. Heavy/doom metal inspired by classic fantasy fiction is right up my alley, and while the album doesn't do anything original, it rolls along well enough.
Clearly I need to listen to epic doom metal more often, as the style's sense of storytelling and atmosphere really is unique. As for Smoulder, they're par for the course, but they execute their ideas well and know how to mix it up by bringing in some faster tempos here and there. Honestly, this sounds like if Dio-era Sabbath had a female vocalist and leaned more into Candlemass-style epicness. Speaking of which, Sarah Ann's vocals are peak melodrama (in a good way), eager to share stories and battles of yore with a flair of haunted and ancient glory. The production does feel very analog and dry, and I'm not sure if that was deliberate, or just a consequence of what was available to them. Either way, it makes the songs feel like they came straight out of the 80s to be played along-side a classic AD&D campaign.
I don't know if there are any real standout moments, as the album is generally pretty consistent. I do kind of wish the production was a little cleaner, but that's really just a nitpick. While I don't know if this would have cracked the Top 5 for the year, I really should have listened to this back then when I first became aware of them, as it's quite a solid release.
Here's another one I should have listened to back then as I was checking out the videos for this album. Building upon what they established on their first album, Anette Olzon and Jani Liimatainen have worked out the kinks and leaned a little harder into gothic melodrama, making for quite a solid chunk of symphonic metal.
Right off, the songs may not seem all that much different from the previous album, or any other symphonic metal project, but I feel like the songwriting is stronger all around. The trance-like elements are still around, but I think they're used better here, weaving them into the wall of sound as another part of the orchestrations. I admit I'm not able to put my finger on a reason why, maybe it was just the mood I was in when I was listening to it, but I really do think this album is an improvement across the board. The songs have a bit more variety as well, with some drifting into AOR or pop territory, while others get rather dark and somber, but they're all generally a good listen. The only track that feels out of place is the closer "I Have to Go," which has this bluesy noir jazz tone, like a movie from the 1940s. It's not bad on its own, but it is a weird way to end a symphonic metal album.
"Not Your Monster," the title track, and "The Pallbearer Walks Alone" are the best tracks (and coincidentally the ones I linked above), but the rest of the album is solid, telling their tales of failed romance and tragedy well. With such a strong album, I'm surprised they haven't done anything more in the last five years, but I guess Anette and Jani have separately been working on other projects. However, should they decide to come back together for a third album, I'll definitely check it out, especially if it's going to be more of this!
While their last album drifted into some very loose and fun blues rock, their third brings back the 70s metal sound of their debut, channeling Thin Lizzy and early Judas Priest. Naturally, it's another set of solid rock/metal tunes dedicated to themes based on Dungeons & Dragons (in case if the band name didn't tip you off).
Despite the short length of the album, it's chock full of upbeat, rocking songs that feature plenty of tasty guitar solos and harmonies, once again provided by Bryant Throckmorton with newcomer Wes Wilson. Once again, your mileage may vary, considering the overlap of classic rock and fantasy tropes, but fans of both should find something to enjoy on here. Things start well with the opener "Light Bender," "Mirror Image" has more of a 70s rock song with some great guitar work, and "Spell Shaker" rocks with good energy and catchy melodies, but that describes the whole album really. The title track which closes the album also throws in some very tight, epic vocal harmonies.
However, in the time since I last reviewed them, it seems they have broken up (at least according to the Metal Archives), which is a bit of a shame. I understand that what Gygax was doing wasn't particularly original, but they had a fun blend of ideas. I can't decide if I like High Fantasy more than their first album Critical Hits, but all three albums are worth checking out, especially for all the excellent guitar playing, as long as you can respect their tongue-in-cheek approach!
While I enjoyed their second album, I haven't gotten to their self-titled debut until now. When finally listening to it, I was surprised to hear Yannis Papadopoulos (of Beast in Black fame) as the vocalist! I did like most of Daniel Heiman's vocals on the second album, but I think Papadopoulos brings out a more Maiden-style epicness here.
Much of what I heard from their other album I'm hearing here: heavy/power metal melodrama, with occasional shifts in tone and tempo to make the songs more narrative and epic. Many of the melodies, especially the basslines, make me think of Iron Maiden and Yannis is often channeling Bruce Dickinson himself. However, the songs are quite a bit longer on this album, and unfortunately feel kinda repetitive, as sometimes they don't make use of the space well other than to riff around more. That's not always a bad thing, but when it's on every song, it makes the album seem bloated. Ending on two long, acoustic-heavy ballads doesn't really help things, either.
Overall, it's a decent album, but not really great. The stand outs were "A Sinnersworld," which had a very 80s feel, like Pretty Maids, "Fight For Your Life," which is full-on energetic power metal, and the epic "The Path of the Warrior" has some interesting ideas, but is just too long for its own good. I like Papadopoulos's vocals, but I think the songwriting is tighter on The Mad King, making it a slightly better album. It's weird that there hasn't been anything from them since 2021, as this group has a very interesting style. (And it seems they aren't on Spotify anymore, which isn't a good sign.)
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