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.  

Smoulder - Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring

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.

The Dark Element - Songs the Night Sings

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!

Gygax - High Fantasy

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!

Warrior Path - Warrior Path

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.)

Anniversary Series - 2017!

Time for another Anniversary Series article!  Much like 2012, I don't have much for 2017, but I do recommend checking out the playlist below, as it has tracks from Beast in Black's and One Desire's debut albums, as well as Antti Martikainen's Northern Steel, which is just incredible symphonic folk metal.  In the meantime, I've got some more reviews for you, which let me catch up on some big bands!

Lovebites - Awakening from Abyss

After enjoying Electric Pentagram two years ago so much that it ended up in my Top 5 for the year, I knew I had to make time to listen the rest of this band's discography.  However, other albums ended up taking priority, so I decided to include their debut album as part of this retrospective.  Unsurprisingly, it's another sonic blast of high speed melodic metal.

Right off, Midori and Miyako are absolutely shredding through this album.  Not only are the high speed riffs quite melodic and catchy, but their solos are generally quite solid, and often feature them trading off back and forth.  Just excellent guitar work.  Haruna and Miho keep the rhythm section right on time, ensuring there is plenty of thrust underneath the guitar work to really let it soar, and Asami's iconic voice soars over it all.  All the Lovebites staples are here.  However, I will say that the songwriting and lyrics don't have quite the same polish as their later work would have.  I'm sure it's no easy feat to be writing songs in another language, but I do think they've clearly improved from here.  Also the songs seems to veer more towards a shred-heavy speedy j-poppy metal rather than the epic power metal of their later material.  It's not a major shift, but I did notice a general difference across the album.

Still, in all honesty, these are nit picks, and there is plenty I enjoyed.  "The Hammer of Wrath" is a solid opener (after the intro track), "Bravehearted" gets pretty epic, and "Scream for Me" has a great high energy riff that gets the blood pumping.  However, the highlight for me has to be the bridge on "The Apocalypse."  The song has a thrashier vibe, but then they change the tempo on the bridge, busting out a Hammond organ and some heavy riffing, making for an incredible breakdown.  While the album might not be a complete winner, there is plenty for a new Lovebites fan like me to sink my teeth into.

The Dust Coda - The Dust Coda

When I discovered this band last year, and found their album to be an outright blast, I knew The Dust Coda were a band I would need to catch up as well.  They style of blues rock has this energized quality that I don't often find in many other retro rock bands.  Checking out their debut album for this anniversary article, I find that it's just as solid of a rocker as their follow up from 2021.

Once again, I enjoy their energetic songwriting and performances.  The guitars have a good balance of crunchy and catchiness, with plenty of rocking riffs and solos.  Tony Ho and Scott Miller provide all kinds of groove with their bass and drum rhythms, ensuring that your head will be banging to more than a few of these tracks.  And once again, John Drake sings his heart out, giving each song the energy it needs, whether it's anthemic, driven, somber, or soft.  His gritty wails are pure classic rock.  If there is a difference on this album from The Mojo Skyline, it's that it is definitely bluesier, giving the songs a stronger Zeppelin vibe, and a few of the riffs gave me 70s AC/DC vibes.  The album also has a lot of dynamics, willing to bring things down for a bit before building them back up, with many of the songs escalating to some nice jams at the end of them.

I don't know if this album is quite as good as The Mojo Skyline, but it certainly shares plenty of it's style and substance.  I quite liked the opener "The More It Fades," with the nice build into the solo.  I had a smile on my face by the end of that track!  "Down in the Valley" was another good rocker that builds well for it's big ending.  "Rock N Roll," "Save Me," "and "When the Tide Comes In," definitely have some of the juicier grooves.  And I even liked some of the ballads, particularly the melancholy "Sweet Love Is Gone," as it really digs into their somber, bluesier side.  Overall, another solid album of hard rock from these guys.  I'm certainly looking forward to a third one, whenever they get around to that!

Sorcerer - The Crowning of the Fire King

Just as with Lovebites, Sorcerer was a band I feel in love with when I finally took the time check them out two years ago, enjoying with their classic epic doom sound.  I knew I would need to check out their back catalog as well, and this anniversary article provided the opportunity to check out their second album.  While, much of what I loved is here, this album does have a distinctly different tone.

Of course, the album still sounds like Sorcerer, as the lineup is mostly the same.  Anders Engberg provides great, theatrical vocals, soaring over all the heavy, plodding riffs.  Hallgren and Niemann tear it up on their guitars as well, with their solos shredding all over the place.  However, I do think there is an overall difference in tone compared to Lamenting of the Innocent.  While that album had a thick sense of haunting and dread made possible by its lush production, this album feels more like a journey, following the story of a set of doomed voyagers (though I don't think it's a concept album).  It also feels like it has a few more elements of traditional metal, as there were times I was reminded of Grand Magus or some of Saxon's slower songs.  As a result, it feels more epic on a classic, narrative sense, like reading Homer or Beowulf.  Songs like "Sirens," "Ship of Doom," and "Crimson Cross" are good examples of this (and are good tracks in general).  "Unbearable Sorrow" was another stand-out track, as it has an interesting sense of melancholy, rather than dread.

I don't think this album is as strong as Lamenting, though I know that one took a while to grow on me, so maybe this one will as well.  I did feel like the album dragged a little at times, but not often.  In any case, these Swedes are still masters of the 80s doom metal style, while making a name for themselves with their incredible guitar work and great sense of epic songwriting and lyrics.

The Dark Element - The Dark Element

Yup, here's another debut album of a band I've been meaning to catch up on.  Featuring Anette Olzon (formerly of Nightwish) on vocals and Jani Liimatainen (formerly of Sonata Arctica) on guitars and keyboards, and Jani's bandmates from Cain's Offerings on bass and drums, they created a symphonic power metal project that feels like a decent fusion of the aforementioned bands with a few extras.

While much of the production is pretty much right in step with the Olzon era of Nightwish, the new element is a greater amount of trance-like synths on the songs, giving them more of an Amaranthe or Metalite feel, both of which were around by this time.  They show up pretty often, but I think they give the songs a bit more breadth, in a way.  "I Cannot Raise the Dead" almost has an EDM vibe.  I actually don't have a problem with this kind of stuff in metal (see my glowing reviews for Beast in Black, for example), but it can be hit and miss on this album.  On the other hand, songs like "Someone You Used to Know," "Heaven of Your Heart," and "Halo" throw in acoustic piano and guitar, so the album does try to broaden the soundscape of the songs.  However, despite all this variety, the songwriting is some pretty cookie-cutter symphonic metal.  While fans of the genre might find something to like, it probably won't be converting anyone new to the style.

There are a handful of good tracks, though.  "My Sweet Mystery" has some solid riffs and symphonic orchestration, and "Dead to Me" fuses all these elements pretty well with good, energetic riffs, both of the synth and guitar variety.  Overall, it's decent, but not amazing.  However, I know that, just from the singles I've heard, the second album really improves the songwriting.  When I get around to that one, we'll see if the band has places to go in the future.

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Well, that's the last anniversary article for the year!  As always, if there is anything you think I've missed, let me know in the comments below.  As for the rest of the year, I've got some albums to catch up on, plus a bit of a holiday surprise, so keep an eye out for that!  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - January 2020 Part Three!

So between catching up on videos and keeping an eye on the new stuff made filling out another article pretty dang easy!  But when there is so much good stuff to share, I can't hold back!  Check these ones out!

Well this is something!  George Lynch has teamed up with this singer named Dino Jelusick who seems to sound like a cross between Coverdale and Dio.  The song itself has a very 70s metal vibe, like Rainbow, the slow chugging giving Lynch plenty of time to get his licks in, Blackmore-style.

Human Fortress is a power metal band I had never heard of, but this certainly shows promise!  This song just thunders through, and the riffs have a heavier, grittier feel that keeps it grounded.  The solo is a little underwhelming, but otherwise a pretty fun song!

Pretty Maids is an old-school metal band that never really made it big in the US, but was influential in Europe.  Here, they're treading into AOR territory with a solid, romantic rock song.  Ronnie Atkins' voice remains powerful, so here's hoping he'll recover from his lung cancer so he can keep singing!

It's official: this Nightwish/Sonata Arctica hybrid is just blowing my mind!  I need to go back and listen to their albums, I guess, because this kind of epic power metal is checking all the boxes for me.  Loving it!

Zak Stevens of Circle II Circle and Savatage has come forward with a new project keen on carrying on his heritage of progressive/US power metal.  The song is big, but not heavy, keeping things light and free.  Definitely curious about where he'll go with this.

Wow, have some epic melodic rock!  I don't know if I've ever heard an AOR song sound this huge!  I admit I haven't heard of H.E.A.T. before, but I know they've hit the middle of my radar with this one!  Incredible track!!  (Also, I just realized that I have two songs in a row titled "Rise," but who cares!  They're both great!)

New Videos - January 2020!

Ever since I started doing these articles, I've been blown away by how much that gets released!  I'm still catching up on stuff from 2019 while keeping an eye on what's new.  Here's what I've come across lately!

Amberian Dawn has a long tradition of symphonic power metal, but with this track, it seems they've joined other bands in the synth metal wave.  It's pretty good, but I do wonder if maybe too many bands are trying to go in this direction now.

Meanwhile, Brothers of Metal keep chugging ahead with their Norse-drenched metal.  This one seems to venture closer to mid-tempo power metal, but it remains just as epic and cheesy as you would expect from a band like this.  Manowar would be proud!

So this is a team up of former Nightwish vocalist Anette Olzon and Jani Liimatainen, known for his work with Sonata Arctica and Timo Kotipelto of Stratovarius, and frankly, those three bands some up what The Dark Element is up to: Symphonic Power Metal of the highest order, and it's great!

Queensryche keeps the videos coming with their brand of melodic prog metal.  Not a lot of surprises considering the band, but I think it's a pretty solid song.

Here's some more prog metal from the supergroup Sons of Apollo.  This one hits nice and heavy as a tribute to a lost friend, complete with an impressive, noodly synth solo!

Growing up in the US, Magnum isn't a band name that comes up, but I've since become aware Bob Catley due to his appearances on Avantasia albums.  However, this new album looks like a great way to get onboard, as this song is great hard rock!

New Videos - November 2019 Part Two!

As the days get cooler and the dog days of Summer become memory, rock and metal and continues on!  A lot of fun stuff in this list, so turn up the volume and check this stuff out!

When you get a former Nightwish singer and a former Sonata Arctica guitarist teaming up, you know you're getting some very epic, melodic metal!  With the symphonic flourishes being supported by some pulsing synths, this is some anthemic stuff!

Now this is some great AOR!  Work of Art really rocks this one out, bringing a nice balance of synths and guitar to go along with the uplifting tone and lyrics.  A lot of fun!

Another Eclipse track that just sounds huge and rocks right along!  Sitting right in that pop metal sound between Def Leppard and Crazy Lixx, this is some fist-pumping, arena-filling magic here, and blast to listen to!

I think I've since proven that I'm not afraid of getting silly sometimes, and this video is rock silliness personified!  A curious mashup with glam metal band Kissin' Dynamite and the rockabilly outfit The Baseballs, you can tell they had a lot of fun with this one.

Getting back into more dramatic stuff, Diviner just continues to rock my face off!  While this starts off as an acoustic ballad, that just sets up the epicness to come.  Again, Yiannis's vocals are right on point, matching the scale of the huge guitars.  Great stuff!

Another single from Those Damn Crows, and it's more uptempo post-grunge!  I love the energy in this one has, while still being pretty catchy and melodic.  Something tells me I'm gonna like this album once it releases.