Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

With my recent return to The Guardians, I've become more determined to discover more heavy/power metal that's either brand-new or I haven't heard before but wish I had 10 years ago when those two genres were my main focus. This month's Guardians feature release is worth continuing my journey. It's time to check out this band Blazon Rite and listen to them sing their Wild Rites and Ancient Songs!

It's quite a promising album with tough instrumentation and melodic writing. I also love the song titles, even though they all look like those AI-generated song titles with at least 5 words each. Considering the amount of bands who get put down for any alleged usage of AI, I just hope this band doesn't get wrongfully accused.

We already get to a great start that isn't so weird and cheesy with the opening track "Autumn Fear Brings Winter Doom", which made me remember a band I haven't heard of in a few years, Slough Feg. Then "Salvage What You Can of the Night" cranks up the tempo. The chorus is worth singing along to in determination. Next song "The Fall of a Once Great House" slows things down for a bard-sung waltz before speeding up again in the second half.

"Mark of the Stormborn Riders" is more midpaced while driving the riff melodies forward. The title track has an acoustic intro then carries on in a marching pace and ends up in wild speed for a power-ish heavy metal song.

We have blazing speed in "Troubadours of the Final Quarrel". In the modern age of metal, not many people expect epic melodies within the way of classic heavy/power metal, but bands like Blazon Rite still have their exciting glory. And finally, there's the epic wonder of "The Coming Tide of Yule". It's probably the most Christmas-like melodic metal song since some songs by Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Majestica's Christmas Carol. That should be worth listening to in the holiday season!

I enjoy what Blazon Rite has had to offer Wild Rites and Ancient Songs. It's great hearing this band bring more life to a style of metal that has withered decades after its highest peak. This offering shall appeal to listeners wanting more epicness and melody in metal without any cheese or orchestra. It's a Blazon Rite of passage!

Favorites: "Autumn Fear Brings Winter Doom", "Mark of the Stormborn Riders", "Troubadours of the Final Quarrel", "The Coming Tide of Yule"

If there is something that is hard for me to admit, but I still feel the need, it is this: Until now, I couldn't really get what's appealing about one of the most famous metal bands in the world, Metallica. Their debut has made me realize the band's earlier strength! Kill 'Em All (originally titled Metal Up Your A** until their record label manager suggested changing the album title and cover art) combines the more speedy and punky elements of Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest into the ultimate start of thrash!

Kill 'Em All sounds as if they covered the heaviest tracks from different early heavy metal bands and increased the tempo and added more heaviness to the riffs, solos, and vocals, thereby updating the classic formula. Of course, these are all original songs, and very unique ones too.

Already putting the thrash sound in place is the fun opener "Hit the Lights". However, "The Four Horsemen" is a better standout, sounding tighter than Megadeth. Apparently, that band Megadeth has their own version called "Mechanix", for their own debut album two years later. Megadeth's founding frontman Dave Mustaine was originally the lead guitarist for Metallica before he was fired for his abusive behavior and replaced by Kirk Hammett. The band took the "Mechanix" composition Mustaine wrote and rewrote it into the 7-minute riff monster that it became. So Megadeth's version is a re-recording of the original written by Mustaine. "Motorbreath" has more of the potential for the band to kick-start thrash metal, though the phrase "thrash metal" wasn't coined until next year when the late Kerrang! journalist Malcolm Dome was describing an Anthrax song.

Another highlight is worth partying to, "Jump in the Fire", having more of a hard rock groove. The chorus is so unforgettable, you'll be singing it in the shower out loud for the neighbors to hear. The instrumental "(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth" has the best performance here from bassist Cliff Burton (who sadly lost his life 3 years later when, while touring for Master of Puppets, he fell from the band's bus that tipped over and crushed him. RIP). He performs impressive bass soloing for that track. "Whiplash" has more powerful riffing. The excellent verses have clear contrast with the catchy choruses. As a result, that song is quite memorable, and nothing's a waste of time.

"Phantom Lord" bursts through greatness, especially in the innovative drumming. Same with "No Remorse" which, as the title implies, is remorseless. Things get more mid-paced in "Seek & Destroy" while staying destructive. "Metal Militia" can surely bring joy to both longtime and new fans, and the bass can heard quite clearly, compared to what people keep mentioning about the band's 4th album ...And Justice for All.

With all that said, I don't think there's much I can say to criticize, except maybe the bass-driven instrumental can be more of a bonus track, no disrespect to Burton. Kill 'Em All is perhaps the first full-on thrash metal album, so listen before you judge, and...well, have fun!

Favorites: "The Four Horsemen", "Jump in the Fire", "Whiplash", "Phantom Lord", "Metal Militia"

Mnemic has touched the hearts of many modern metalheads, even after their split. The remaining founding member, guitarist Mircea Gabriel Eftemie was a master of polyrhythms, and his clear riffing and melodies that stay together with the mechanical bass and drums are what kept the band in place until things changed. He caused progressiveness from the guitar to switch out of what you hear from Opeth into a hint at a new djenty chapter...

Their debut Mechanical Spin Phenomena is a solid start of the band's futuristic industrial/groove metal journey, though it wouldn't be perfected until The Audio Injected Soul. This storm of modern sounds is something that has changed part of the course of metal in the early 2000s.

"Liquid" represents their melodic side in the chorus after a verse of guitar aggression. "Blood Stained" is a heavy tight mind-blower, often changing tempo. However, the band loses some focus in "Ghost", sounding a bit dull after that opening duo peak. "Db'xx'd" is the band's longest song at exactly 8 minutes, and has mechanical Meshuggah riff power and keyboards, all leading up to a cool ambient outro.

"Tattoos" has a bit of a Mushroomhead vibe while staying industrial. "The Naked And The Dead" is another golden highlight to make even the most serious metalhead smile. "Closed Eyes" takes a distorted drift into melody.

The title track is another highlight of progressive-ish industrial groove metal that would help bands like Sybreed and Divine Heresy find their direction and let bands of other genres like Animals as Leaders borrow their progressiveness. The chaotic electro-metal talent of Strapping Young Lad can definitely be heard. Another one of my favorites is "Zero Gravity", one more spacey 8-minute track with a slow blend of metal riffs and keyboard blasts. There's also a bonus remix of "Blood Stained" by Rhys Fulber.

After his time with Mnemic, vocalist Michael Bøgballe would keep exploring the band's sound in a more djenty level with Scamp. But this album from Mnemic has an almost entirely good metallic mix of brutal industrial attacks and melodic synth depths. If you're up for that, then crank up the volume....

Favorites: "Liquid", "Db'xx'd", "The Naked And The Dead", "Mechanical Spin Phenomenon", "Zero Gravity"

A few people might think Vektor is a Voivod ripoff, but...BOY WERE THEY WRONG!! They just don't see how much of a difference this band makes! First off, the instruments really work well together with precise drumming, tight riffing, and bass with more than one note per bar. The instrumentation is really cool, but what's really amazing is the vocals by David DiSanto. Forget about his domestic violence present for a while and check out his vocal range that's beyond belief. His vocals are in the same kind of level as Destruction's Schmier, but his high soaring screams are near-impossible! I bet he does what Michael Jackson used to do, grabs his own b*lls hard.

The guitars are so unique and really stick out in this album. One unique thing that marks a different approach is the F-tuning (a half-step higher than standard E tuning). I think more bands should start tuning their guitars up to F or F# 6-string, or even C or C# 7-string. When they play a riff that sounds familiar (other than the higher tuning), suddenly a different never-before-heard riff smashes into your face, while keeping constantly high quality. What's also pleasant is, the solos are magically placed in fields where you would never expect. But in the parts where you do expect a solo, they are short and end up coming out anti-climatic. However, the guitarists are really skilled, and despite those solo setbacks, they can master them as super well as DragonForce.

The title opener is probably the best track of the album. They really balance the thrash and progressive styles perfectly without having to copy anything. "This song won't write itself," rushy people say, but it's as if that song did! "Oblivion" is another great song, but it gets a little dull. It's late-Emperor-esque intro is actually the "Spiral Galaxy" intro from their demo Demolition. After that, it's on to the actual old-school speed metal intro before the Destruction-like shrieking comes in. Also, the end is a bit rushy, another good reason why I prefer its Demolition version. "Destroying the Cosmos" is another song that was re-recorded from the Demolition demo, and while I like this one better than the demo version, it doesn't quite reach the standards of the other songs besides "Oblivion". However, that solo-riff combo throughout literally the last minute is one of the most epic song endings I've ever heard! Great strength in an otherwise "meh" song!

"Forests of Legend" is an absolute highlight and the first of three 10+ minute epics. It begins with an eerie acoustic intro that sounds like the progressive thrash "Bard's Song (In the Forest)", before the heaviness begins building up before crashing safely into early-Megadeth-style speedy thrash. After that, it's back to the eerie acoustic section before another glorious outro! "Hunger for Violence" is a Voivod-like composition, opening with strange symmetric chords before heading into Theory in Practice-like violent heaviness. "Deoxyribonucleic Acid" which is what "DNA" stands for, opens with a speedy version of an Iron Maiden riff before its scientific thrash ascension.

"Asteroid" is less technical and more rock-ish in the first few minutes, and while not quite reaching the climax, an incredible charge thunders in with solid bass, sounding like when Lemmy's bands Hawkwind and Motorhead collide and travel into the future. The second 10+ minute epic "Dark Nebula" is probably the least superior of the epic trio, but it's still great. It shows a bit more of a Pink Floyd influence than Voivod while keeping the technical thrash virtuosos. "Accelerating Universe" is the 13 minute true diverse crowning highlight, initially starting with Metallica hammering thrash, it gets more epic and heavier throughout, even developing an amazing psychedelic atmosphere in the halfway point, before building back up into a heavy speedy ending.

Black Future is an almost flawless work of progressive thrash metal art, despite a couple weak points. But those weak points are really tiny flaws and they don't bring down this 5-star rating. With this album, Vektor has reached for the progressive thrash metal stars!

Favorites: Black Future, Forests of Legend, Hunger for Violence, Accelerating Universe

Zaraza is a Canadian band that combines the industrial metal of Godflesh with death-doom. In theory, that would've been acceptable for my taste. Unfortunately, many parts drone on for so long, there's too much f***ing fuzz, and the overuse of samples are too much sh*t to handle. The two tracks I like and don't find disturbing are "Every Day is a Funeral" and "Necessary", the latter having great potential for doom fans. Everything else is just unnecessary sh*t, and that's enough deathly industrial metal for me today....

Favorites (only two tracks I like): "Every Day is a Funeral", "Necessary"

Now this is the death metal I prefer, when its blend has more emphasis on industrial instead of the blackened crust of Deathrite. See, I'm the kind of person who would like to explore at least one thing from different metal genres while I'm still alive and can hear well and even see well. Oh yeah, sight is also important so you know the name of the band and album you're listening to along with the cover art. But you can also close your eyes and focus on the music your ears would witness. The music can range from soothing white noise to thunderous heaviness, the way industrial death metal should.

I think I like Worldly Separation more than their other album Perspectives! Remember, Inner Thought was formed by guitarist Bobby Sadzak, formerly of thrash band Slaughter. At that time, Slaughter went under a name, Strappado. For Inner Thought, Sadzak was in charge of all the instruments, including guitars, keyboards, drum programming, and most of the bass. The only other member was vocalist Kelly Montico. The album was also dedicated to war victims around the world. Worldly Separation has more deathly might than Perspectives while still having that industrial atmosphere. I've mentioned that Perspectives is like a continuation of Fear Factory's Soul of a New Machine. Worldly Separation is like a continuation of Fear Factory's demo album Concrete, more deathly while still industrial, and at times reminding some of Morbid Angel.

The haunting intro "Madness" consists of church organ and prophetic spoken vocals. That may be more suitable for a black metal album or something. The title track reigns supreme with its mid-paced march, soon interrupted by a quick blast-beat/keyboard storm. Female singing by guest Andrea Skewes in "Drowning in Sorrow" alternates with the usual growls by Montico, making things sound more cryptic.

Although there's nothing totally bad about this album, "In Ourselves We Trust" has keys that pop up too quickly. Adding different aspects helps get lyrical messages across in "War", in which war sirens and spoken samples float behind the industrial rhythm. Bobby's wife Susan Sadzak provides a spoken narrative in the perspective of a person who lost her family at war, "My husband and two children have been killed in this war, now I am all alone." The band has done well in detailing the tragic consequences of war in that bleak track. Then there's the straight-up deathly "Diseased Infected Earth" with the only industrial thing being the beat.

"Forever Distant" continues that sound, giving their death metal side more atmosphere. It's slightly annoying but still cool. But if you really want the heaviest this album has to offer, "Disorder of Battles" has it all. The riffing speed goes on and off, and when it goes on, it's WAY on. The serene background keys never reduce the rampage. A different track from the rest is the closing track "Ethnic Cleansing", just drone death-doom until it speeds up a bit, sounding like My Dying Bride's debut from the previous year.

I would say Worldly Separation is a deathly work of art with splashes of industrial that almost cover the canvas. It stands slightly above Perspectives, and throughout these 35 minutes, you can really hear their talent and dedication!

Favorites: "Worldly Separation", "Drowning in Sorrow", "War", "Disorder of Battles"

I've been in quite the heavy/power/melodic progressive metal zone lately ever since I fully restored my interest in those genres. But every once in a while, I feel the need to balance things out with something dark, something violent, something brutal. I don't wanna go too bright and I don't wanna go too dark either. I just feel like making sure I have diversity in my metal palate. This may not be the best release at that, but it's worth a try...

Deathrite is a German band that's all about darkness and violence. They've taken a lot of punk and metal sounds and made them more bludgeoning. The end result is a full-on blast of hardcore/blackened death 'n' roll in the face. Delirium is a short yet savage release that can cut more than a razorblade.

The metallic title opener is filled with underground deathly heaviness. "Repulsive Obsession" continues that sound from the depths, with more of a hardcore death 'n' roll sound similar to Entombed's Wolverine Blues. Amidst the rough raw production are the vocals, guitars, and drums cutting through your eardrums. This is only for the experienced who have already gotten used to such a style, and I'm in that category.

"From the Edge to the Abyss" is the first of two dark synth-laden spoken-word interludes. It segues to the haunting "Someone to Bleed". It's the longest track at only nearly 5 minutes. What makes it a highlight is the tempting noise-filled atmospheric black metal sound while still having some guitar aggression.

"Vortex" continues the usual blackened death 'n' roll, although it's a little too scattered for good listening. "Vicious Nights" is another short track, having just pure industrial there. We get to a solid ending for the EP with "Sepulchral Rapture" having the last of the deathly chaos. Once it's all over, you would feel all refreshed and ready for more of those band. At least the more deathly metalheads and punk rockers would be...

Delirium is a decent EP of hardcore/blackened death 'n' roll. But with that said, I feel like there should've been more cohesion and variation. I would recommend this EP for punk/metal fans wanting some apocalyptic fury....

Favorites: "Repulsive Obsession", "Someone to Bleed", "Sepulchral Rapture"

When I was revisiting the music of Fates Warning, I've realized that I enjoy the earlier heavy/progressive metal era of their first 3 albums more than their subsequent melodic progressive metal era. John Arch is one of the best vocalists of the genre. He may sound annoying at first but then you realize how amazing he is with his unique voice. The vocals aren't the only great thing about this album though.

The Spectre Within is a true progressive/US power metal gem! It even has a slight edge over their next album Awaken the Guardian that other fans prefer. Their second album with they really start to add progressiveness to their US power metal sound. My first full experience with this band's material was 5 years ago. I was more focused on heavier modern metal than the more melodic old-school metal of yore. I enjoyed the music a lot but eventually got tired of it, especially the vocals. Some things need some time away from me to restore the glory, and when I came back just a few days before this review, I can hear it again as the masterpiece I first thought it was. So worth the wait!

The progressive changes begin to shine in the 7-minute opening track "Traveler in Time", one of the best tracks here and the perfect way to start. Then we have the more mid-paced while still sometimes upbeat track, "Orphan Gypsy". One track that has really gotten me excited is "Without a Trace". It sounds like a song Iron Maiden could've written, only made better and more progressive.

"Pirates of the Underground" is another long track, and it levels up the progressiveness with the structure not having a set chorus. "The Apparition" still remains as my favorite track of the album on the US power metal side, with the best vocals from Arch.

There's more of that heavy speed in "Kyrie Eleison" while having some doomy sections. The perfect grand finale is the 12-minute epic "Epitaph". It's Fates Warning's first ever 10+ minute epic that would hint at the ones they would make in later albums. It starts off all atmospheric and doomy, almost like what Katatonia would make a decade later. Then it impresses me with everything from the guitars, bass, drums, and of course, the vocals, all heard loud and clear. Absolutely memorable!

This has to be said: The Spectre Within may just be the true start to the progressive metal genre. Every metalhead should get that offering and listen to this incredible talent, especially from the vocals. It's honestly quite underrated compared to the popular Dream Theater. All praise Fates Warning!

Favorites: "Traveler in Time", "Without a Trace", "The Apparition", "Epitaph"

In 2010, Amorphis decided that they were ready for a live DVD, and there was no better time than on their 20th anniversary. It's a monstrous packed release that should appeal to many fans of the band. Originally a two-disc DVD, it was re-released with an additional two-CD version not released separately until 2017. The DVD is a f***ing impressive journey through a lot of the music the band had made so far. I don't even have to be picky about what I like, I love pretty much all of it in this form!

The main course of this entire meal is a one-and-a-half-long concert at Oulu, Finland in November 2009. While it's good to appreciate the visuals, the meat is in the music. And after the intro, it is time to start the show...

The beautiful blazing "Silver Bride" begins the set, although it is actually the second track of the band's latest album at the time, Skyforger. The album's actual opening track, "Sampo" comes next, filled with enchanting melody. Then "Towards and Against" has nice keyboard atmosphere without any of that Children of Bodom-esque soloing. "The Castaway" is a more unique earlier song with an Egyptian folk vibe.

I think the best tracks here are the medleys, the first of which being "Smithereens / The Smoke". They only play the outro of "Smithereens", but then it leads straight into "The Smoke" which truly represents the Tomi Joutsen era. Both of his cleans and growls really shine alongside the guitar melodies. He really alternates between both styles in the chorus, coming out so wonderful. I love the solo that then leads to a soft break before the climax. That climax being a final passionate chorus that would make you up to giving that anthem another spin. "Majestic Beast" is heavier and throws back to their earlier deathly roots despite being from their at the time new album. The more melancholic "Alone" is pretty much the only song from Am Universum they perform live these days, which is a shame because there are a few other solid songs from that album. Then we have a serene progressive highlight in "Silent Waters".

"Divinity" is the one track from Tuonela that marks a live staple, and the addictive chorus makes it the right choice. Then comes the second medley, the "Elegy Medley". It's perhaps the centerpiece of the entire show and DVD, throwing back to an amazing album with all its diversity, as proven in the "Against Widows" part. It transitions to the second part based on "Cares" which includes some synth experimentation that may seem odd out of context, but when heard with the rest of the medley, it's yet another beautiful thing. The 3rd part, "On Rich and Poor", has cool melodies and occasional key changes, before ending the medley with an epic reprise of the first part. "From the Heaven of my Heart" has nice clean emotion. "Sky is Mine" is another serene track, in which the music and lyrics greatly resonate.

And here's one more medley, "Magic and Mayhem / Black Winter Day". It starts with the enchanting keys and heavy riffing of "Magic and Mayhem" that are then displayed the best in "Black Winter Day", as the heaviness lightens up a bit. "Sign from the North Side" is more mid-paced and the riffing doesn't hook you enough, but it still has a great sense of deathly action. "House of Sleep" has more of a classic heavy metal direction in the rhythm and keys. They really took some old-school metal aspects and blended them with the metal we know today. Then it all ends with the grand finale "My Kantele". The sorrowful lyrics really detail the emotional magic from the Finnish instrument in question ("Its strings gathered from torments, and its pegs from other ills. Truly they lie, they talk utter nonsense... So it will not play, will not rejoice at all. Music will not play to please.") The vocals work well with the guitars and keyboards. The track is basically extended into an epic as the heavy version is combined with the acoustic reprise for a memorable climax of harmonic leads. Beautiful!

Now the second DVD consists of a different shorter show also from 2009, as well as all the band's music videos so far, a couple more separate live tracks, an interview, and a documentary. All I'm going to cover here are the two tracks that weren't in the first disc. The second show, at Summer Breeze Open Air, starts with "Leaves Scar". I just can't put to words how melodic and beautiful it is. Tomi's growls were pack a punch, while the clean chorus is sung with the might of a warrior. Both vocal styles work so greatly together. "Evil Inside" is a highlight from Far From the Sun. I just wish they would've performed that song in one of those shows instead of just adding in its music video.

So yeah, Forging the Land of Thousand Lakes is the ultimate live album for 90s/2000s Amorphis fans. The songs' live forms may just be the best yet. Even though it is a live DVD, it's a fantastic start for any new Amorphis fans, a best representation of their first 9 albums. It is also perfect for longtime fans for the band's most glorious journey of songs. Let's hope for another milestone-celebrating live DVD in 2030, 5 years after the review. In the meantime, let this one bless the heaven of your heart!

Favorites (one track per album, plus the two highlights in disc 2): "Sampo", "Smithereens / The Smoke", "Alone", "Silent Waters", "Divinity", "Elegy Medley", "Magic and Mayhem / Black Winter Day", "Sign from the North Side", "Leaves Scar", "Evil Inside"

You know what, I don't think we have to wait until 2030 for another perfect live album to follow up from Forging the Land of Thousand Lakes. We already have it in 2017's An Evening with Friends at Huvila! It's a shorter live show while still including some of their greatest tracks throughout the two decades prior. If we put all the live tracks from this live album and the other one together, the only album at the time without a song performed live is The Beginning of Times. I should review that album again sometime.

The show took place in the Helsinki Summer Festival the previous year. Guests include jouhikko player Pekko Käppi, flute/saxophone player Sakari Kukko, and a special vocal appearance by Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering). The band really let those non-metal instruments shine in the songs, making them calmer while more diverse.

We already hear these more acoustic tendencies in "Enigma", replacing a lot of the heaviness while still sounding beautiful. "Far from the Sun" is an epic yet relazing highlight with a poetic chorus, "I walk away now from you, and your sun, it goes down from you, as I walk, away now from you, far, from your sun." Then we have another serene progressive highlight in "Silent Waters".

Up next is the grand "My Kantele". The sorrowful lyrics really detail the emotional magic from the Finnish instrument in question ("Its strings gathered from torments, and its pegs from other ills. Truly they lie, they talk utter nonsense... So it will not play, will not rejoice at all. Music will not play to please.") The vocals work well with the guitars and keyboards. The beautiful blazing "Silver Bride" begins the heavier part of set, although it is actually the second track of Skyforger. That album's actual opening track, "Sampo" comes next, filled with enchanting melody.

The more melancholic "Alone" is pretty much the only song from Am Universum they perform live these days, which is a shame because there are a few other solid songs from that album. There's more accessible speed in "The Wanderer", which is one of the best singles from their new era. "Her Alone" ends the set as the most progressive standout here, with the gorgeous singing of the aforementioned Anneke van Giersbergen.

You can either get this glorious live CD on its own or as part of the tour edition of Under the Red Cloud. Apparently, there was an entire performance of that album later that night that didn't make it in. Still this solidifies Amorphis as one of the best live bands. Acoustic folk never sounded this majestic when added to melodic progressive metal!

Favorites (one track per album): "Far From the Sun", "My Kantele", "Sampo", "Alone", "The Wanderer", "Her Alone"

After that massive live DVD and that re-recording album comes their 10th offering, The Beginning of Times, continuing the Tomi Joutsen era. Ever since he joined the band for their 2006 album Eclipse, the lineup has stayed steady with one lineup change later on. While The Beginning of Times isn't as much of a classic as their first 4 albums, they just go with their stylistic evolution, all for some authentic diversity...

The album is longer than their other albums, having 12 tracks instead of the usual 10. It might take some time to digest, but in the end, it will really grow on you. I think now that I've just given the album more actual time to grow, I can really get most of the complexity I've once experienced.

Starting this album is the f***ing kick-A "Battle for Light", one of my favorites from the Tomi Joutsen era. It's the best track to introduce to Amorphis newcomers. A peaceful piano intro paves the way for the rest of the instruments to shine. What makes the song a standout is Joutsen's vocals ranging from cleans to growls, best heard is the mighty chorus. It throws back to Elegy in both the music and the lyrics continuing the Kalevala theme, "The sun no longer shines on us, no silver moon reflects." I honestly think "Mermaid" should've been a single because it's so beauiful with the right amount of catchy accessible melody. One song that continues the melody they've had since Eclipse while having growled verses is "My Enemy". After that is "You I Need", which has a great chorus but everything else is just OK.

Revisiting Elegy's sound further is "Song of the Sage". Even a ballad-ish track like "Three Words" can have heavy variation including more of those harsh vocals. Some choral vocals appear in the background of "Reformation". Then "Soothsayer" has some of my favorite lyrics based on Finnish mythology.

"On a Stranded Shore" tells the story of a man and his wife who's a mermaid, "My maiden's hair, grass on the waters’ edge, now willows on the shore." Throwing back to some of the riffing from Eclipse is "Escape". Then "Crack in a Stone" is more dominant in the growls. The grand title epic has some of the best lyrical imagery. You should definitely get the version of the album with the bonus track, "Heart's Song", which sounds like a Tuonela B-side. It's so memorable in the riffing, soloing, chorus, and lyrics.

So yeah, Amorphis can still go strong at the time of their career when they were 20 years in. And they would continue to sound fresh in more of the releases that would follow. The Beginning of Times is an underrated album for both new and longtime Amorphis fans, and nothing shall disappoint....

Favorites: "Battle for Light", "Mermaid", "Three Words", "Soothsayer", "Crack in a Stone", "Beginning of Time", "Heart's Song"

Yet another new addition to the symphonic deathcore scene, Immortal Disfigurement is a band formed by ex-vocalist of Signs of the Swarm and Lorna Shore, CJ McCreery. And this is more than just a band, but pretty much an epic deathcore supergroup! Members of Lorna Shore, A Wake in Providence, Winds of Plague, and Worm Shepherd have gotten together to make this project. While not a lot of people enjoy this, I certainly do, with more of 96% percentage rating. Their debut King can very much be a sequel to CJ's sole album with Lorna Shore, Immortal, and it's not just the fact that the band's name comes that album title and Signs of the Swarm's The Disfigurement of Existence. The similar aspects can be found in the music, such as the symphonics being used whenever necessary, like in the intros, choruses, and climaxes. The lyrics are filled with the dark rage you would expect from CJ's writing, maybe even more so! As for the guitarwork, it is the kind of guitarwork that should attract both deathcore fans and full-on metalheads, with technical riffs and solos. Also, I'm not kidding about the dark rage from CJ. His vocals sound absolutely devastating, especially his growling in the more slamming breakdowns. People may think this man is a monster is an insulting way, but I say he's monstrous in terms of the vocals.

Yeah, I need to address the few elephants in the room: 1. Yes, this is similar to Lorna Shore's Immortal, but it's not a rip-off. He co-wrote that album, and there are several other epic deathcore bands that sound the same but are still enjoyable. 2. This is another case of me separating the art from artist, as I still find a lot for me to like about this band and album, despite CJ's abuse allegations that got him booted from Lorna Shore. Kinda like how I still love As I Lay Dying and Worm Shepherd's new albums despite certain circumstances. 3. I'm going to give the production a benefit of a doubt. The band has released King independently, and not every band sounds the best in their debut or demo. The low-quality-ish debut albums by Shadow of Intent and Mechina are not something people would sh*t on because those bands were new. So why is this a big deal? Well, compare it to the crystalline sound of their non-album single "Dragged Through the Inferno". In this album, the breakdowns and heavier sections sound muddy and unclear. For me, this is why a few percentage points are knocked off from perfection. A remastering should be done at some point, though it's already awesome despite that.

The opening title track has that blend of heaviness and melody I love, including cinematic symphonics. The breakdowns have some of the sickest growls by CJ, maybe any other deathcore vocalist. I think that's proof that they're not a Lorna Shore rip-off. "Force-Fed" has more brutal lyrics, with scathing callouts not too far off from Winds of Plague, "If you think you're safe, you're f***ing wrong!" The breakdown that has that lyric is brutal as f*** and fits with CJ's "take no sh*t from enemies" attitude. "Crimson Vision" really shows the band's Worm Shepherd tendencies.

Next track "Showcase ov Phlegm" really stands out, as the symphonics stay audible yet behind the heavy energy. The breakdowns may be brief but really come out big. The guitar riffing and soloing absolutely rule, and we have a perfect mind-f***ing breakdown. That may be the best highlight here! Striking more with the strings is "Sacrificial Submission" without ever sounding generic. "Home Out of Hell" is another epic yet brutal track, not too far off from both Winds of Plague and early Bleed from Within.

"Painless Execution" combines the deathcore of early Job for a Cowboy with some guitar/keyboard melody borrowed from 3 Inches of Blood and Mercenary. "Into the Fog (Isolation)" has continues the dark heaviness and symphonics of Carnifex and Bleeding Through. "There is No Light" has more of those symphonic keys from Bleeding Through, bleeding into the deathcore of All Shall Perish, Impending Doom, and to a lesser extent, Burnt by the Sun. The final track has the same title as the finale of Lorna Shore's new album, "Forevermore". I prefer Lorna Shore's song though. While Immortal Disfigurement's song is a great way out, I seem to struggle with the ending breakdown that starts with CJ shouting, "Immortal Disfigurement, don't you f***ing forget it, motherf***er!" That section would've been better as a hidden track.

I have nothing to complain about here except for the production and the very end that cost 4 percentage points away from perfection. The uniqueness of this album is overlooked by how similar some things sound. Lorna Shore may have all the fame in symphonic deathcore, but Immortal Disfigurement have grand potential for what's next!

Favorites: "King", "Showcase ov Phlegm", "Home Out of Hell", "Painless Execution", "There is No Light"

Another new band has joined the epic blackened deathcore league, Ov Sulfur with their debut The Burden of Faith. Unlike their peers such as Shadow of Intent and Lorna Shore, they cranked up the black metal-ish evil irreligious lyrics which I'm not really fond of in other bands, but here, I still love it!

I must point out how strong vocalist Ricky Hoover is. He's quite experienced from his former band Suffokate before he left that band and became a barber until COVID. He's got great vocal variation in his high screams and low growls, and even some cleans in the choruses that sound natural and never too cheesy. I also enjoy the guest vocalists in their respective songs, and I look forward to talking about them all here.

For the opening track, "Stained in Rot", it's filled with blackened slam-deathcore that occasional cools down for melodic moments. However, it seems quite rushed for an album's beginning track. Still it's enjoyable, and the album's perfection isn't affected. The strong "Befouler" is more interesting, charging with its riffs and symphonics. The crushing growls by Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail are actually quite good and brutal. "Unraveling" is more mid-paced, sounding similar to The Breathing Process. Some chaotic vocals can be heard from Left to Suffer vocalist Taylor Barber (not a barber like Ricky Hoover was).

"Death ov Circumstance" is more technical, almost coming into Born of Osiris territory. "Earthen" has more ominous symphonics that sound so beautiful and melancholic. Hoover wrote that song in memory of his nephew who passed away from cancer when he was only 16. Within the darkness, there's some hope in "A Path to Salvation?", the album's midway interlude. Then you fall back into the depths as "I, Apostate" begins. Now this may have a bit of cheese, particularly in the chant of "We are darkness, the forsaken". Well I'm quite used to it considering how much I enjoy "In Darkness" and "Unbreakable" from the new Lorna Shore album, although those tracks work out better. Still the symphonics and heavy breakdown adds to the more serious side.

"Wide Open" is another epic highlight. Still having the epic deathcore of early Betraying the Martyrs, it touches in on the metalcore of While She Sleeps, Burst, and The Ghost Inside, especially in the melodic chorus sung by Howard Jones (Light the Torch, ex-Killswitch Engage). "The Inglorious Archetype" is indeed like a more brutal Becoming the Archetype. The grand title finale is incredible in the guitarwork, as well as guest vocals by Bodysnatcher's Kyle Medina and ex-Cradle of Filth member Lindsay Schoolcraft.

I feel there's one track that could've had slight improvement, but that doesn't stop Ov Sulfur's debut from becoming another glorious experience. My love of epic blackened deathcore has made me enjoy albums like this a lot more than I would have when I was younger. Another true standout in this growing trend!

Favorites: "Befouler", "Unraveling", "Earthen", "Wide Open", "The Burden of Faith"

Until now, the only band to have 4 releases with 5-star ratings from me in a row was Kamelot. And now, another band has joined in from the extreme side of the symphonic metal spectrum, Lorna Shore! 3 years after their previous album Pain Remains, the masters of symphonic deathcore are back with their new album I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, continuing the sound that made them popular while adding in some surprises to keep things exciting.

The new album really is similar to Pain Remains. Elitists can put their hand down though, because as I've said just now, there are some fantastic surprises that not even Pain Remains has, which we'll get to as the review goes on. The album doesn't have a multi-track suite like that of Pain Remains, let alone have it released alongside 3 singles. Less singles, more anticipation, am I right? And guess what, there are more songs that have no breakdowns! As much as I like breakdowns, it's nice to not hear them in nearly every song. Those songs without breakdowns end up sounding closer to straight-up extreme symphonic metal, so I don't mind this album sitting in The Guardians.

For the songs with breakdowns, the track with the best one is the opening "Prison of Flesh", which is a grand rollercoaster ride through stampeding deathcore. A killer way to start this offering! With their next track and first single "Oblivion", I enjoy the music that throws back to 5 years ago in the Immortal era, along with the lyrics growled by Will Ramos. Another epic highlight! The first of the 3 tracks without breakdowns is "In Darkness", which is almost like their attempt at combining the title track of And I Return to Nothingness and one of my favorite Mechina songs "Anagenesis", including the double key-change final chorus of the former but excluding the clean singing and cyber synths of the latter. It still can't beat those two tracks though.

Speaking of the title track of And I Return to Nothingness, "Unbreakable" has the potential to surpass that as my new ultimate favorite Lorna Shore track (a couple other songs later on would take that throne, keep reading). Lots of Parkway Drive-like melody, and the lyrics are so motivational, "And after it all, our hearts are invincible, like diamonds we glow, WE ARE UNBREAKABLE!!!!" However, its throne is stolen by the next track "Glenwood" (again there's another track lurking in the shadows to take that throne). Absolutely epic and emotional, and with the lack of breakdowns, this is really extreme power-ish symphonic metal, enough to make a genuine Guardians track. More of those heartful melodies appear in "Lionheart". The melody and occasional choir adds to its uniqueness, and the breakdown is never out of place. The anthemic "Death Can Take Me" has the blackened vibe of Mental Cruelty's new album Zwielicht, while ending with another one of the most crushing breakdowns in Lorna Shore's career.

"War Machine" is another standout and a different one at that. The tempo is slowed slightly for just full-on deathly groove-thrash that can fit well in a video game like DOOM Eternal and Metal Hellsinger, especially with its "f*** enemies up" attitude. So different yet so wild! Increasing the synth orchestration is "A Nameless Hymn". It's generally Lorna Shore's take on the symphonic black metal of Dimmu Borgir and later Behemoth, though a little too pompous. At least the skillful soloing and breakdown compels me. And now comes the true ultimate best track of this album and possibly by the band, the glorious finale "Forevermore", their longest track at nearly 10 minutes, a tear-jerking atmospheric epic of triumph and emotion. Probably the best symphonic deathcore closing track EVER!!! I'm not gonna put it into words, just listen to it to believe me.

And now this masterpiece album is over, so what can we take away from it? Well, they don't make a complete turn back into their earlier sound, nor did they make an all-out Pain Remains clone. They've just taken the best of those eras and added a few new things like that one different heavier track. In their perfect 2020s melodic symphonic blackened deathcore era, I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me might just be the best of the best. Extreme vocals, drumming machinery, blazing guitars, booming bass, and cinematic orchestration make a recipe of unbreakable epicness. And I'm grateful that something like this can be heard all over the world!

Favorites: "Prison of Flesh", "Oblivion", "Unbreakable", "Glenwood", "Death Can Take Me", "War Machine", "Forevermore"

OK, this is a kind of an odd release. I guess the rather short length for this split EP is one thing, with an average two and a half minute length per song. But when two different sounding bands come together to make this release, it can cause some confusion within the clans.

Cream Abdul Babar is more of an experimental noisecore band, edging in on sludge and add in some keys and horns, as evident in "Mahogany-Walled Executive Officer". The amount of experimentation and discordant rhythm makes them sound like a mix of Dog Fashion Disco and Today is the Day. It's not super bad though, unlike the next track... "Intruder Alert" is a 4-minute waste of time, with nothing but looped synth distortion. That band is certainly not a winner for me with that ear-f***ing sh*t.

Teen Cthulthu is a much better deal here, combining metalcore with symphonic black metal, before early Abigail Williams and Dance Club Massacre made it cool, exemplified greatly in "Astral Black". The following track "Crystal Castles" has more black metal than the previous track, with a melodic ending. "Xcalibr8" is another sh*tter though. It seems way too short at just one minute, and the hard-to-decipher-without-reading lyrics make a cheesy poem that a popstar could write. But I still enjoy those other two kick-A tracks on this side of the EP.

The cover art makes good usage of outer colors despite the image being distorted which brings its quality down to as much as that release itself. I'm really not sure how they made art much lower quality than those low-effort blackgaze album covers these days. And it doesn't change my opinion on this EP. It's an OK try with two great tracks by Teen Cthulhu. But the rest, particularly the Cream Abdul Babar side of the EP, thumbs down....

Favorites (only two tracks I like by Teen Cthulhu): "Astral Black", "Crystal Castles"

Nowadays, what many people have in mind when the phrase "Demon Hunter" is mentioned is that movie KPop Demon Hunters. They can have fun watching a KPop girl group battle demons, but I prefer to listen to this modern metal band...

Demon Hunter were at their best in the first 7 albums, especially The Triptych, Storm the Gates of Hell, and The World is a Thorn. Outlive and War were the transitional albums before the quality was lowered in subsequent albums, reaching its lowest point in Songs of Death and Resurrection and Exile. But now, There Was a Light Here has started their slow climb back up in consistency. And if one or two fillers were taken out, I think it would be the missing link between Extremist and Outlive.

The opening march of "My Place in the Dirt" gets you ready for the action, blasting off into what may be the closest to the band's melodic metalcore roots (one of the only tracks here to qualify for The Revolution) complete with rapid blasts and vocalist Ryan Clark's growls of yester-decade. And that's only my second-favorite track here, with my ultimate favorite being "Sorrow Light the Way". While the heavy aggression of the first track continues, it greatly blends with the catchy melody in the music and vocals. The best part of all is perhaps the most brutal breakdown they've ever done towards the end. Probably the best Demon Hunter track since the grand triptych of albums' highlights! Another amazing highlight to follow that up is "Light Bends". I'm not even Christian and yet I end up getting strong faith, thanks to that solid banger. Sadly, after that tremendous trio of tracks, "The Pain in Me is Gone" loses that direction. The bland music and lyrics really bug me, trying to sound like recent Katatonia but failing at that. However, it's not as much of a failure as the next track...

I'll put down "By a Thread" as one of the worst tracks they've done. The band tries so hard to sound like fellow Christian alt-rock band Skillet, but there isn't enough ambition and it comes out as an incohesive mess. Luckily, we have another perfect standout in "I'm Done". I'm never done with this band! I enjoy the lyrics, and I can add this to my potential funeral song list. Continuing on into the album's second half, "Ouroboros" has more of the band's earlier heavy energy. Then we have another filler track, "Breaking Through Me", which isn't as bad as those two earlier stinkers, but still not up to par.

"Overwhelming Closure" has slower melancholy that I love. There's some more of that heavy-melodic blend in "Hang the Fire". Then "Reflected" has some great moments though not totally the best. And finally, it all comes down to the 6-minute title epic. It's one of my favorite tracks in the "ballad" category of Demon Hunter, and a far better closing track than in Exile. The fact that this was written in memory of Ryan Clark's late mother has made me need to appreciate my own mother more while she's still alive.

All in all, There Was a Light Here is a good work by Demon Hunter. Not the best but still good. It may just be the best of the more alternative era that started with Peace. And let's hope that their next album finally goes back to the higher standards of Outlive and War, maybe even the albums before those. There is a light of hope....

Favorites: "My Place in the Dirt", "Sorrow Light the Way", "Light Bends", "I'm Done", "Overwhelming Closure", "There Was a Light Here"

I'm honestly a little surprised I haven't heard a lot of this band. Lord of the Lost has worked up a catalog of their gothic/industrial metal sound, and somehow that didn't peak my interest. However, things have turned out promising when I checked out their previous two albums Blood & Glitter and Weapons of Mass Seduction. And now I might get even closer with the new adventurous Opvs Noir Vol. 1!

Frontman Chris "The Lord" Harms, guitarists Pi "π" Stoffers and Benjamin "Benji" Mundigler, bassist Klaas "Class Grenayde" Helmecke, keyboardist Gerrit "Gared Dirge" Heinemann, and drummer Niklas Kahl are back at it again. Opvs Noir Vol. 1 is the band 10th album, as well as the start of an exciting new trilogy.

Starting off hard is "Bazaar Bizarre", a majestic opener with Chris' haunting verses. The softness of those verses are in contrast with the chorus of aggression and beauty. Then it switches to "My Sanctuary", which is half the first song's length and has a dancey beat and simplistic riffing. After that is the lovely "Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness". Lord of the Lost and Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation are practically a match made in metal heaven! Her vocals shining in the band's symphonic/industrial metal sound adds a new dimension of dark yet bright serenity. "I Will Die in It" is another well-done piece of gothic/industrial metal. It's quite catchy while staying massive, as the keyboard orchestration adds in all that grandeur.

Breaking boundaries further is "Moonstruck". Chris sings and screams alongside the Stimmgewalt choir, sounding similar to Moonspell's more symphonic works. Next up, "Damage" is all about industrial metal aggression. The guest vocals by Deathstars' Whiplasher Bernadotte makes things sound more extreme. And even without that, it still sounds a lot like Deathstars. "Ghosts" is an amazing piece of beauty and intensity! I love the cello by Tina Guo here. "Lords of Fyre" is up next. Wow, 5th collaboration track and the 4th in a row! This one has good medieval industrial/rock metal, but it sounds cheesy, and bringing in Feuerschwanz is unnecessary. The only slight misstep here.

We then get into the melancholic "The Things We Do For Love". The first verse might make you think it's a calm ballad, but once in a while, it becomes destructive especially at the bridge. "The Sadness in Everything" features Anna Maria Rose, vocalist of symphonic metal newcomers Tales of Time, with her soft singing contradicting the heavy intensity. Finally, "Dreams are Never Alone" is a haunting closing track with the last of their melodic majesty.

Lord of the Lost continue their journey with a new phase starting with Opvs Noir Vol. 1. It's a promising start to this trilogy, and I especially enjoy most of the collaborations. Let's hope for more of that greatness in Vol. 2 coming out at year's end and Vol. 3 appearing next year. Bring it the f*** on!

Favorites: "Bazaar Bizarre", "Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness", "I Will Die in It", "Moonstruck", "Ghosts", "Dreams are Never Alone"

Weapons of Mass Seduction is a massive two-disc cover album by Lord of the Lost, following the previous year's Blood & Glitter. Similarly to that album, different highlights are scattered throughout this one for a dark yet fun experience...

There are 22 cover tracks, 11 per disc, with the second one being part of a deluxe edition. Apparently, there's also super-deluxe edition with a 3rd disc with 10 cover songs, but the original artists for those songs in that disc are long before my time, so let's ignore that for now. For the two main discs, they spread through many different eras and genres, centered around the band's favorite tracks. And many of these songs are great choices!

"Shock to the System", originally by Billy Idol, is a solid start but not totally necessary. Then heading into some of the new songs, Sia's "Unstoppable" is given a total rock makeover. That makes me feel more unstoppable than the original! Next track "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat has been covered by many rock/metal bands, most notably Paradise Lost. This is closer to the original style, which I usually don't like when the original song isn't metal. However, the melancholy sounds absolutely right in the music. The Judas Priest hit "Turbo Lover" has also been covered, again showing the diversity of this release. It can match the energy of those British metal legends, even though vocalist Chris Harms can never reach the highs of Rob Halford. Ultravox's "Hymn" works well as a Lord of the Lost cover with its catchy chorus. The screaming bridge is a nice surprise. I might just like this more than Edguy's cover of that song! The cover of Michael Jackson's "Give in to Me" once again enhances the original by the King of Pop. They even have the guitar solo originally performed by Slash, unlike in Three Days Grace's cover.

The Bishop Briggs cover "River" is quite impressive, when everything including the catchy chorus is metalized. "Somewhere Only We Know" greatly improves the Keane original by making it more than just a piano ballad. I often get confused when I find out a band has covered "(I Just) Died In Your Arms". My Trivium-filled mind makes me think it's that song "Dying in Your Arms". But of course not, it's that Cutting Crew single. Still it's a perfect 80s throwback, with Chris Harms in a duet with Anica Russo, the band's Eurovision competitor. It's like Romeo and Juliet in more ways that one! "High" is a cover of a song by Zella Day, which I've never even heard before. It's a cool cover, and I don't wanna alter my opinion by checking out the original. Now, "House on a Hill"... Is that a Kamelot cover? I would love to hear that! Oh wait, it's a song by The Pretty Reckless. It's an OK track, though a little soft and having too much of the piano.

Disc 2 begins with the last track of Blood & Glitter, a cover of Roxette's "The Look", featuring Jasmin Wagner, also known as German popstar Blümchen. A perfect cover, and arguably this album's true standout! RIP Marie Fredriksson... "Ordinary Town" is another track in which I don't know the original song, performed by Celebrate the Nun. Not so good, but it's fine. "Cha Cha Cha" is a cover of a song by Kaarija that was originally for the Finnish Eurovision. I quite love that one! Lady Gaga's "Judas" is given a cover, and this may confuse some earlier fans who are familiar with the band's double album Judas. "Children of the Damned" is a special Iron Maiden cover, again turning a NWOBHM song into a more gothic track. "Wig in a Box" was originally from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The piano and vocals aren't that great, but it gets better when it's heavy.

And then we get another Lady Gaga cover, "Bad Romance", which I love more than that other one. "The Most Radical Thing to Do" by The Ark has good lyrics, although I never even heard of the original band before. "This Is the Life" takes an Amy Macdonald song and turns it into another catchy track. Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin" may be an overused pop song, but Lord of the Lost made it more epic, even more than Gamma Ray's cover! And finally we end with a beautiful cover of Duran Duran's "Ordinary World". Although they've really done that song justice, even with Chris Harms' bass-baritone vocal range (similar to my own), I still prefer Mechina's cover, which sadly isn't on Spotify.

All in all, Weapons of Mass Seduction is a versatile display of Lord of the Lost's influences, staying true to the sound of both worlds. This should be listened to by anyone who either likes or dislikes the originals. It shall really please any music fan....

Favorites: "Unstoppable", "Smalltown Boy", "Hymn", "River", "(I Just) Died In Your Arms", "The Look", "Cha Cha Cha", "Children of the Damned", "Bad Romance", "It's a Sin", "Ordinary World"

The Ghostlights saga consisting of this album and the previous one The Mystery of Time mark the best balance between complexity and simplicity that I enjoyed when I was listening to Avantasia 10 years before this review. And I still love it! This also makes up for when founder Tobias Sammet transfered pretty much all the power metal from his then-main band Edguy to Avantasia, turning Edguy into more of a hard rock/metal band. Ghostlights can very much brush aside the mistakes from Edguy's last few albums, and it still holds the reign as the best album by Avantasia and any project by Tobias Sammet! There is more lively punch, and the guest vocalists (a typical aspect for the project) add to the theatrical vibe. Sure there might be some simplicity, but it's all balanced out by the large emotion.

Some of the f***ing best writing by Tobi occurs in this offering. There's a lot more of the symphonic power metal you would expect from Avantasia with only slight touches of old-school hard rock/glam metal, making tunes of metallic variation. Besides Tobi and co., a few songs have guitarwork by Bruce Kulick and Oliver Hartmann, totally crushing it with their riffs and leads. And there's some great guitar by Sascha Paeth too. Everything sounds so catchy and powerful, giving the songs more life. If you're listening at home via speakers, it would be like watching a movie, or at least hearing a movie.

Opening track "Mystery of a Blood Red Rose" is filled with soulful majesty in the strings and a catchy chorus. This more hard rock-ish sound is almost like Meat Loaf (RIP). In fact, they were planning on having Meat Loaf guest appear in that song, but that never came through. So it became just a solo song for Tobi. "Let the Storm Descend Upon You" follows, and it's a massive 12-minute epic! There's killer riffing and synths alongside vocals that includes the album's first guest vocalists; Jorn Lande (ex-Masterplan), Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids), and Robert Mason (Warrant). Things starts off brooding before building up gradually to the great climax, all while staying upbeat. So glorious! As part of the band's more ambitious motives, they include a couple slow songs such as "The Haunting", perhaps the best song in that category, sounding theatrical and including guest vocals by Dee Snider (Twisted Sister). Then "Seduction of Decay" is more progressive, even more so with the vocal work by Geoff Tate (ex-Queensryche).

The speed then comes back up with another grand highlight, the title track. It has some of the best melody, and the singing by Michael Kiske (Helloween) rules as he alternates with Lande. Another one of my favorites with nothing weak about it! Next up, "Draconian Love" has some haunting hypnotic verses sung by Herbie Langhans. Those vocals by Herbie remind me of Type O Negative, although he has a greater, more varied vocal range, proven when he later joined Firewind. The chorus explodes into great dynamics. "Master of the Pendulum" is another kick-A track featuring the talented Marco Hietala, formerly of Nightwish. On top of that, both the song and its title have total Nightwish vibes, with the title similar to one of Nightwish's epics, "The Poet and the Pendulum". The next song, "Isle of Evermore" is a strong ballad, better than many of their previous ballads. Within Temptation vocalist Sharon den Adel can sing greatly, but I often wonder why she only sings in the ballads, like in The Metal Opera albums. I just hope in a later album, she can sing in a heavier upbeat track. Such as "Babylon Vampyres", a rifftastic highlight with some more vocals by Mason.

"Lucifer" starts off sounding like a piano ballad with Lande's vocals then rises into great blazing speed in the guitar. Then "Unchain the Light" has an out-of-this-world chorus sung by Atkins and Kiske. "A Restless Heart and Obsidian Skies" closes the main album, sounding quite melodic with vocals by Bob Catley (Magnum) and a great chorus. As f***ing strong as the start of the album! "Wake Up to the Moon" is a bonus track that's more melodic and rock-ish with splendid vocals by many of the vocalists.

Ghostlights is a brilliant masterpiece album with all the emotion it has to offer. If you're up for a metal opera album with various guest vocalists, this is it. This is THE SH*T. I'm still shocked to have forgotten this gem for so long. A gem of ghostly melodic wonders!

Favorites: "Let the Storm Descend Upon You", "The Haunting", "Ghostlights", "Master of the Pendulum", "Babylon Vampyres", "A Restless Heart and Obsidian Skies", "Wake Up to the Moon"

Not gonna lie, this review is one of the hardest ones I've ever done. I had to try to find the complete compilation so I could listen to all it in one go a few times, and Spotify does not have all the songs in the compilation. And whenever I do these compilation reviews, I had to really think about the songs from each of 5 albums rather than just one. This probably would've been easier if I was still into Edenbridge and other symphonic/power metal bands like I was nearly a decade before this review. But it's all worth it!

The Chronicles of Eden is one of the most essential compilation albums for a band. The first disc has mostly bonus tracks for their first 5 albums, and the second disc has two full songs per album; one greatest hit and one 8+ minute epic, mostly longer than each track from the first disc either way.

Starting off the first disc with bonus tracks from The Grand Design (the album with the most bonus tracks by far), "Thin Red Line" has some of the progressive melody of Seventh Wonder. "The Silent Wake" is more mid-tempo, but it's like a blend of Firewind and Visions of Atlantis. "Images in the Sand" is a soft piano/strings instrumental. Then comes their awesome cover of Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only", the theme song for that James Bond film, keeping the relaxed ballad vibe without ever sounding lame. Their name is Bridge... EDENbridge. Interestingly, "Evermore" appears in this disc even though it's already in the original album. It's still a beautiful shining single! "Empire of the Sun" is another instrumental track, this one more guitar-focused and a little long for an instrumental, at over 5 minutes in length.

Before we get to the bonus tracks from Shine, there's a radio edit for its 9-minute opening title epic, reduced to around half its length. It's quite risky reducing a masterpiece epic that's perfect in its original form into a short single, but uitimately it's still the catchy hymn it is. "On Sacred Ground" is softer with more usage of symphonics and flutes that can practically rival Epica's ballads. It's also a nice break from power metal bands like Powerwolf whose ballads and heavier songs rely on organ. Then we have another bonus track that was once a rarity, another uplifting guitar-focused instrumental, "Anthem". Now we heading to the Aphelion bonus tracks, starting with "On the Verge of Infinity" which again has similar vibes to fellow Austrian symphonic power metallers Visions of Atlantis. Same thing with "The Whispering Gallery". Concluding with the Arcana bonus tracks, "The Whisper of the Ages" has gotten me hooked with the exotic sitar and a great chorus. "Velvet Eyes of Dawn" is one more rarity worth discovering.

Now it's time for the second disc, and if you're bummed out that their debut Sunrise in Eden doesn't have any bonus tracks, the two tracks that start the album and this disc shall make up for that, starting with its title epic. The oriental melodies are so majestic in this mid-tempo track, along with the harmonic soloing and one of the most glorious choruses by the band EVER. The original album didn't start with that epic, instead starting with the track before it, "Cheyenne Spirit". It's filled with neoclassical power metal greatness. It stands out with the vocals and the soloing from both the guitars and bass. As much as the track sounds so uplifting and wonderous, the lyrical theme is more serious, concerning the historical tragedies of early American civilization. As awesome as those two previous tracks are, they're nothing compared to the title track of Arcana, which I sh*t you not, is one of the most melodic epics I've heard in my over a decade of listening to metal. Wonderful guitar flow and more of the vocal power of Sabine Edelsbacher. Her singing can range from operatic to full-on siren. And we can't forget the guitarwork by Lanvall and Andreas Eibler often going from melodic to complex. Nothing else I can about that glorious epic can do it justice. The shorter but more progressive "The Palace" has many different stunning ideas. Catchy vocals and guitar/keys interplay never lose steam. Absolutely promising! Aphelion started with "The Undiscovered Land" which is a popular live staple worth mentioning. But it can't beat the album's closing track, "Red Ball in Blue Sky", despite its odd title. Sabine duets with Royal Hunt vocalist D.C. Cooper, making another beautiful epic.

Eastern melodies once again cover "Wild Chase" from the Shine album, and it has great power for a midpaced song. It's nice that they consider the haunting interlude "The Canterville Prophecy" as part of an epic, though it would make sense if they connect together. Still, "The Canterville Ghost" has interesting variation and climatic soloing. Then we get to the longest epic of this compilation, the title track of The Grand Design, soaring through the majestic cosmos for over 10 minutes, and summarizing all the original album has. But it's not the total end of the compilation, until after that album's opening track "Terra Nova", one more beautiful song of hopes and dreams.

If you prefer just a regular album, Shine and The Grand Design are both excellent albums. If the bonus tracks in The Grand Design don't convince you to give that album a try, I don't know what would. And even Aphelion is good despite being the least strong one of Edenbridge's early offerings. Either way, these chronicles are totally essential!

Favorites (one per album per disc, except for Shine/The Grand Design bonus tracks): "The Silent Wake", "For Your Eyes Only", "Evermore", "Shine (radio edit)", "On Sacred Ground", "On the Verge of Infinity", "The Whisper of the Ages", "Sunrise in Eden", "Arcana", "Red Ball in Blue Sky", "Wild Chase", "The Grand Design"

Within a Sunrise in Eden, a Cheyenne Spirit Forever Shines On in Holy Fire. She flies with Wings of the Wind in the Rainy Midnight at Noon, pleading "Take Me Back to My Last Step Beyond!" Ascending in Starlight Reverie from The Palace in a Moment of Time, she will Fly on a Rainbow Dream and Color the Sky with Velvet Eyes of Dawn. The Whisper of the Ages flows into the Light of Suspiria through the Winter Winds of Arcana. The Undiscovered Land can be found Skyward before The Final Curtain of Perennial Dreams. She will Fly at Higher Game As Far as Eyes Can See beyond the Whispering Gallery on the Verge of Infinity. A Deadend Fire can be found Farpoint Anywhere Where Silence Has Lease under the Red Ball in Blue Sky. Maybe she will Shine and Move Along Home as a Centennial Legend. However, after a Wild Chase, the Road Goes On with What she'll Leave Behind Elsewhere. Under the October Sky is the Canterville Prophecy and Ghost on Sacred Anthemic Ground. Terra Nova conjures a Flame of Passion Evermore in the Most Beautiful Place. However, she is Seen Fading Afar from the Top of the World before being Taken Away in the Grand Design. The tale of the Empire of the Sun is for Your Eyes Only as Thin Red Lines make Images in the Sand at the Silent Wake.

Whew! What a story I made, based on all the song titles in the first 5 Edenbridge albums including this one. A solid tale of fantasy to balance out with the boring reality of what really happened. The truth is, Edenbridge formed in 1998 in Austria, named after a Formula 3000 racing team. They made the goal to board the female-fronted metal train alongside their more popular peers in Nightwish, early Dark Moor, and Within Temptation. They made their solid start with their first two albums Sunrise in Eden and Arcana, took a small dip in quality in Aphelion, then went back up high in Shine. In 2006, the band kept up their higher game in The Grand Design. It's a grand near-perfect masterpiece. Recording took place in several different studios across Europe; in their homeland of Austria, the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. A few different studio visits in different countries come with a few guest musicians joining in, including Dennis Ward and Robby Valentine providing background choir vocals. The other guests would each have their own chance to shine in a different singular track. And the beautiful cover art was made by Thomas Ewerhard.

"Terra Nova" is a beautiful opening highlight of hopes and dreams. Karl Groom (founding guitarist of Threshold and known for contributing to bands like DragonForce) adds in his own guitar solo. "Flame of Passion" has more of a gothic-ish symphonic metal sound to remind some of Tristania at that time. Soft acoustic verses with the serene singing of Sabine Edelsbacher come in, as she sings "It never rains, but it pours". The chorus is catchy and pretty in its midtempo pace. I enjoy the melodic soloing. And the song ends with a literal bang of a firework. "Evermore" is another beautiful shining highlight, released as a single. Next track, "The Most Beautiful Place", touches your heart with a beautiful ballad consisting of just piano and Sabine's singing, "You are always inside, wherever I roam". Soft strings enter the second verse before a final chorus and ending literally on a high note from Sabine.

The guitars fade back in for "See You Fading Afar". The drums join in for fast pounding, only slowing down to let Sabine step in with her smooth vocals in the verses. Her harmonies rise over the background male vocals by Dennis Ward, similarly to D.C. Cooper's contribution to the Aphelion album, but never really upfront. The keys sound gothic in the bridge, fitting well with the guitar heaviness. Sabine's singing reaches a high climax in the chorus before everything stops except for the guitars that fade out. The guitars and vocals sound so bright and uplifting in "On Top of the World", which I prefer a lot more than that similarly titled Imagine Dragons (s)hit. The memorable chorus is so out of this world. "You'll be on top of the world!" Her vocals get isolated for a moment before some soloing. I never realized a "gothic" sound can sound so happy! The final chorus unleashes some male/female vocal harmonies, then after singing the song title one last time, the song ends right there. The next track "Taken Away" is another piano ballad, but dark gloom replaces the previous song's bright mood. Again, there's not much besides that piano and Sabine's singing. However, the chorus is quite strong, and we have Robby Valentine's background vocals. Then the soft piano floats by once more. Then we get to the title track, soaring through the majestic cosmos for over 10 minutes, and summarizing all this album has. Also, expect some acoustic strumming by Martin Mayr and violin by Astrid Stockhammer, Lanvall's young sister.

The Grand Design is the album with the most bonus tracks by far for the band, and you don't wanna miss out on the edition that has them all, starting with "Empire of the Sun". It's a guitar-focused instrumental track, a little long for an instrumental, at over 5 minutes in length. Then comes their awesome cover of Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only", the theme song for that James Bond film, keeping the relaxed ballad vibe without ever sounding lame. Their name is Bridge... EDENbridge. "Thin Red Line" has some of the progressive melody of Seventh Wonder. "The Silent Wake" is more mid-tempo, but it's like a blend of Firewind and Visions of Atlantis. "Images in the Sand" is a soft piano and strings outro to end the journey.

All in all, The Grand Design is a celestial melodic work of art. Sometimes it's great to take a break from reality and have a wonderful adventure through fantasy. With many memorable ideas, this album is an amazing well-done gem by these Austrian metal legends!

Favorites: "Terra Nova", "Evermore", "On Top of the World", "The Grand Design", "Empire of the Sun", "For Your Eyes Only", "The Silent Wake"

Well, after a marathon of reviewing Guardians classics, it's time to balance out my palate with something a lot darker and heavier. I encountered this Killwhitneydead album in a video the other day and decided to give it a shot. And compared to the other release I've reviewed, the debut Inhaling the Breath of a Bullet... WHAT THE F*** HAPPENED?!?

Killwhitneydead really went downhill in their second release Never Good Enough for You. The album cover of blood and nudity is bad enough, but for the music itself... There are still many samples used just like Inhaling the Breath of a Bullet. What made that EP acceptable was that release's length, which made the amount of samples still the same yet acceptable. When this music/sample alternation goes on for a half-hour, it gets boring and makes you wonder why the band has never been sued for the samples. The growls and riffing don't sound all that great, particularly when there could've been blasts where there are barely any. A few breakdowns are quite good though...

"You Will Get Exactly What You Deserve (and Not One Bullet Less)" gives me something special, a brutal breakdown similar to early Job for a Cowboy. "She Didn't Look Like She Had a Disease" is only one more track I like, and what a surprise! Several other tracks have melodeath leads, but here they go full-on power metal/grind/deathcore, with some clean falsetto singing! Who knew that was even a thing?! As for the rest, it sounds too flat. This sh*t is never good enough for me or anyone....

Favorites (only tracks I even slightly like): "You Will Get Exactly What You Deserve (and Not One Bullet Less)", "She Didn't Look Like She Had a Disease"

If anyone has tried to convince me a few years ago to give some power metal albums like this another shot, I probably would've said "I'll think about it" and left that request in the dust. But now that I'm back in The Guardians, with the playlists making me feel more confident about the clan than during my break from it, it's time for another spin.

Dark Moor's 3rd album The Gates of Oblivion is still one of the best albums of power metal that isn't DragonForce or Kamelot. Ever since my first time listening to it over a decade away, I've been mind-blown by all those riffs, melodies, choruses, and solos, all sounding so catchy and technical. And with those fantasy lyrics, it's the kind of cheese that I can have in my system. From start to finish, it's an incredible journey to love and appreciate!

Beginning the album is a true kick-A example of power metal, "In the Heart of Stone". Lots of speedy riffing, plus great vocal melody from Elisa C. Martin. She can go from tough to serene and back again in the blink of an eye. The verses sound epic, as does the chorus with its fantastic leads. "A New World" doesn't lose any power from the previous track. It opens with incredible riffing followed by mystical keys that leads to more of the furious verses. The mood stays strong as Martin belts out her highs in the chorus. The soloing by founding guitarist Enrik Garcia is one of the best here. It's an unforgettable journey to remember, just like Christopher Columbus' discovery of America that's detailed in the lyrics. The band's neoclassical influence shines in the title interlude, a f***ing beautiful keyboard instrumental. "Nevermore" is based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. "Starsmaker (Elbereth)" is a heavier gem, though it starts with a lovely acoustic intro and maintains the melodic beauty for another adventure. It's like a mighty battle between vocals, guitars, and keys. Then we have another epic memorable chorus. You can consider the whole song a story of sorts!

"Mist in the Twilight" is another keyboard interlude. It leads to another one of my favorite tracks here, "By the Strange Paths of Destiny". Incredible guitars and keys here! The riffing power is in perfect balance with the keyboard magic. The soloing is filled with versatile energy. And we have beautiful vocal power from Martin in the chorus which has a glimpse of upfliting light in the midst of the dark sorrow. A true hard-hitter! Next, "The Night of the Age" has more atmosphere for Martin to shine in the spotlight. The solos and riffs are quite excellent and don't mess with the brilliance of Martin's vocals. Everything's well-paced! Well, her vocals are a little restrained in the verses but it's made up for by her impressive highs in the chorus. Wonderful speed before the next track that is a ballad... "Your Symphony" is a beautiful ballad. Nothing sappy. Just keys, acoustics, and singing, all that stir up the vibe of a forest fairy's tale. It's a ballad that's meant to be in the album, unlike those other ballads that disrupt the flow of the albums they're in.

The last leg of this album starts with "The Citadel of the Light", one more interlude that sounds like something from the Old School RuneScape soundtrack. It segues to "A Truth for Me" with some of the most anthemic verses of the album. Then at last, we reach the epic climax of this offering, "Dies Irae (Amadeus)", paying tribute to Mozart's works. The most incredible guitar technicality by Garcia is one of the many things that make this Dark Moor's most fascinating epic. As incredible as this is, I feel like there could've been slight trimming to tone down some of the repetition. Still I wouldn't change a thing, and it's all worth it in the end. One tiny miniscule flaw won't weigh anything down. The Russian edition comes with the bonus track "The Shadow of the Nile" which is great but could've been put before the epic instead of after.

All in all, The Gates of Oblivion is Dark Moor's finest hour of power metal reflection. Sadly, they would never replicate the magic, with all members except Garcia leaving the band the following year before the recording their self-titled 4th album, though bassist Anan Kaddouri would stick around for that then leave too. Martin would move on to other bands such as Dreamaker and Fairyland. Her replacement, Alfred Romero is great at singing as well, but just not as magnificent as Martin. The Gates of Oblivion is one of the most essential albums of power metal. If you're a power metal fan who hasn't heard this album, you should. See you at the gates!

Favorites: "In the Heart of Stone", "A New World", "Starsmaker (Elbereth)", "By the Strange Paths of Destiny", "The Night of the Age", "Dies Irae (Amadeus)"

Paradise Lost is known as an epic poem written by 17 century poet John Milton, centered around the fall of man and the fallen angel Lucifer. The dark romanticism of that tale would lyrically influence several metal bands. The British gothic metal band Paradise Lost was named after that epic, and then we have an entire concept album based on the story, Symphony X's epic masterpiece Paradise Lost!

This was another very important album for me over a decade before this review. It was at this point when the band distanced from most of their neoclassical power metal roots and became progressive. The increase in odd time signatures and heavy riffing gives it away while still keeping you hooked with melodic choruses.

The bombastic orchestral overture "Oculus Ex Inferni" starts the album, painting the skies with the flames of a beginning war. Then the first actual song "Set the World on Fire" gets the action rolling in this battle of angels and demons. Attacking hard is "Domination" with top-notch vocals by vocalist Russell Allen, sounding vicious while staying clean. "Serpent's Kiss" has some killer groove, though it's a little more an average song, while not deducting the album's perfect 5-star rating.

The title track is a beautiful ballad. A little subdued, but still great. There's more the catchy fury in "Eve of Seduction". I can practically memorize those lyrics and maybe try to sing them, despite them having some cheesy romance. That's brushed aside by the blend of the album's progressive metal with their earlier speedy power metal. It's also a solid break from their groove-ish tone in the songs before the title track. "The Walls of Babylon" takes their roots even further as some parts into the neoclassical and choral dynamics from The Divine Wings of Tragedy that were last greatly utilized in The Odyssey.

"Seven" is aptly titled in so many ways. It's the 7-minute 7th full song of the band's 7th album with the occasional 7/4 time signature. How symbolic can you get?! Another kick-A track! "The Sacrifice" is another ballad. It's not bad, just a little tame. But that's just the speedy side of me talking. The memorable 9-minute epic "Revelation (Divus Pennae Ex Tragoedia)" has so many cohesive ideas. If you can get hooked by the neoclassical leads and melodic chorus, you'll definitely wanna stick around for the rest.

For those new to the band's material, Paradise Lost is the best place to start, with its blend of complexity and accessibility. Longtime fans can also get a glimpse of many of their past works. 10 years before this review, this would've been my personal best album of 2007. The heavier albums are still fighting for the throne!

Favorites: "Set the World on Fire", "Domination", "Eve of Seduction", "Seven", "Revelation (Divus Pennae Ex Tragoedia)"

In all honesty, I'm glad we have star ratings in this site instead of percentage ratings. I wouldn't have to decide whether a 5-star album deserves a perfect 100% or not. The two other Symphony X albums I've given 5-star ratings to have one slight problem that would knock each one down to say 97% or 98%. But this album, The Odyssey is absolutely perfect, 100%! And although it's not a concept album like their 5th album V was, it captures different themes in each song to get you hooked.

Symphony X is known as a progressive metal band, though not in the same way as a band like Dream Theater. There's more technicality and orchestra, and the band can sound extreme while staying melodic. All this makes a perfect mix that I regret taking a long-a** break from.

We already get a full-on standout in "Inferno (Unleash the Fire)". Both the music and vocals sound so aggressive, heavier than their previous albums and hinting at their later ones. The riffing in the intro and verses really attack and mark the start of a more kick-A path for the band. "Wicked" loses some aggression but it's still quite wicked, with great soloing from both the guitar and keys. "Incantations of the Apprentice" is more eerie, containing some Lovecraft-infused lyrics. The vocals by Russell Allen can remind some of 70s Rainbow, particularly in the verses. Michael Romeo's guitarwork continues to shine, but Michael Pinnella's keys, not so much. But that's OK, because the guitars really help give the track some meat to beat.

Bringing back the keys right away after that previous track is "Accolade II", a soft while still heavy sequel to a track from The Divine Wings of Tragedy. Lots of piano beauty and audible bass in this one! My favorite part is a brief piano section with Allen's singing midway through the song, before the bridge. A couple minutes later, there's excellent soloing by Romeo. Absolutely breathtaking! Up next, "King of Terrors" flips the stylistic palate as the heaviest song by the band at that time. The riffing is simple yet heavier than most of the more melodic metal bands. While the vocals including the verses stay heavy, the piano lets out a slight calm moment then levels up the bass, drums, and vocals in the chorus. The song is based on Edgar Allan Poe's works, and it includes a spoken section from one of his poems. Add some keyboard/guitar complexity and you have what's basically early Queensryche gone Nightwish! "The Turning" is a short fast heavy track, and the riffs and leads throw back to their earlier neoclassical style.

"Awakenings" stands out with its synths and piano that sounds practically like a video game OST, plus beautiful singing by Allen. There's still some speed that DragonForce would later have. It's both the second-longest track of the album and my second favorite here. And only one track would surpass that one on both accounts... The title epic is the longest track the band has ever done, at over 24 minutes. You know how much I love long epics, especially when there's lots of fresh variation. I love those kinds of tracks as much as the less progressive listeners love tracks that are up to 6 minutes long. A true epic should never be so draggy throughout its length (looking at you, funeral doom "epics"!). In these 7 parts of this epic, things can switch from orchestral to acoustic to metal, often going from slow to fast back and forth. And the lyrics do the journey of Odysseus justice! All I have more to say is, it's one of the greatest epics in the metal part of my existence! The limited edition has two bonus tracks, starting with a 1998 re-recording of "Masquerade" from their 1998 debut. As great as the original! The other bonus track "Frontiers" is a standout with intricate soloing from the guitars and bass.

OK, let's look back at my earlier situation. I've considered The Odyssey one of the best albums both now and over a decade ago. If I focused on only this band and album and others in power/progressive metal, I probably would never have switched to modern heavy genres like metalcore/industrial metal. But if I stayed in those latter two genres today without looking back, I would've completely forgotten about masterpieces like this. With that said, I'm grateful for how everything turned out, and I'm grateful to still remember the perfection of this offering. Fans of metal and all music should give it a go. It's an odyssey that shall be remembered for eternity!

Favorites: "Inferno (Unleash the Fire)", "Accolade II", "Awakenings", "The Odyssey", "Frontiers" (bonus track)

The 5th Symphony X album and the second part of their quintessential quadrology isn't as perfect the other 3 albums, but it certainly marks a well-done entryway into their later progressive metal. The neoclassical madness last used prominently in Twilight in Olympus is fading out a bit, while the progressiveness starts to really build up, finalized in The Odyssey. V: The New Mythology Suite stands greatly on that fine line!

V is a concept album that covers different mystical locations such as Atlantis, Egypt, and space. The music and lyrics are quite beautiful, making this solid album almost as much of a masterpiece as the two albums surrounding it for the most part.

The "Prelude" gets you hooked for what this album has to offer. Then it segues to the first full song and highlight "Evolution (The Grand Design)". There's some more beauty within the melodies in "Fallen", fresh from the Egyptian side of the story. That song loses some energy towards the end, but at least we have a moment to relax in the next interlude... "Transcendence" is the second interlude that's strictly just orchestral keys, similar to the interludes in Dark Moor's The Gates of Oblivion.

Seguing from there is the amazing 8-minute "Communion and the Oracle". Then we have the short yet strong "The Bird-Serpent War/Cataclysm" that can be considered the "In the Dragon's Den" of this album. Unfortunately, in the interlude "On the Breath of Poseidon", their attempt at alternating between metal and orchestra just falls apart. While it's the worst part of the album, I wouldn't consider it a stinker and the 4.5-star album rating isn't affected. Similarly with "Egypt", I feel like it could've been better if some parts didn't sound so familar. Still great though. "The Death of Balance/Lacrymosa" is a strange yet awesome insturmental, enough to make a highlight.

"Absence of Light" has some slight weakness while still bearable not making the album rating any lower. "A Fool's Paradise" brings back the awesomeness of the album's first half. The "Rediscovery" segue is a nice build-up to the grand epic... "Rediscovery (Part II) - The New Mythology" is an awesome 12-minute grand finale. It's epics like this that put them in the progressive metal club of Opeth and Dream Theater, and it reminds me that the glory is left unbroken.

I think this album would've been 1000% perfect if they've improved a few songs and segues, and indexed both "Rediscovery" parts as one track. Nonetheless, V: The New Mythology Suite is another excellent album that is practically a long progressive symphony!

Favorites: "Evolution (The Grand Design)", "Communion and the Oracle", "The Bird-Serpent War/Cataclysm", "The Death of Balance/Lacrymosa", "A Fool's Paradise", "Rediscovery (Part II) - The New Mythology"

My grand experience with Symphony X's 7th album Paradise Lost has made me up to revisiting more to this band's albums. One incredible place to start is Twilight in Olympus, which is yet another classic that I've listened to since over a decade ago and still remember its glory. And considering how much I was into the modern classical works of Two Steps From Hell before switching to metal, no wonder I loved bands and albums like this masterpiece back then!

This can be considered the "Thomas" album since it's the last one with former bassist Thomas Miller, and drummer Jason Rullo was temporarily replaced by Thomas Walling (RIP). I say this is the transition album between the neoclassical era of their first 3 albums and the power-ish progressive era of the 3 albums after this one.

Some of the best progressive metal to surpass Dream Theater occurs in the opener "Smoke and Mirrors", one of my favorite tracks by this band. All we have in the structure is the mundane verse-chorus that ends up getting a grand enhancement, displaying the band's skills without having to make a half-hour epic. The neoclassical madness of this band Symphony X may be hard for simple guitar listeners to understand. But there are great guitar solos to learn such as the one around the 4-minute mark, performed by the impressive Michael Romeo. He often duets with keyboardist Michael Pinella, creating a sea of melodies. The riffing is not what you often hear in melodic progressive metal. Also I love the melodic singing by Russell Allen. He never goes as ridiculously high as other power metal vocalists, and sometimes he sounds nicely rough for the thrashy sections. And oh yeah, the awesome bass by Thomas Miller is audible. I'm not sure why "Church of the Machine" started with an industrial noise-ridden intro, but that doesn't matter. The heavy verses are in perfect balance with the chorus that almost turns the song into the band's own "Bohemian Rhapsody". The ending is quite abrupt, but again it doesn't matter. It just leads straight to "Sonata", a short instrumental take on Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8.

"In the Dragon’s Den" shows that the band can kick a** with the progressive neoclassical metal sound. Sometimes, melody doesn't have to be as deathly as Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. You can get it from bands that are meant to sound like Symphony X, Stratovarius, and Nightwish. Short songs balance out against longer epics like this next track... "Through the Looking Glass" is a long melodic track, following the band's trend of having at least one long epic since their debut and carrying on to subsequent albums. It lasts for 13 minutes and follows the "FantasMic" idea of 3 parts with the last being the heaviest. It ends up getting a bit repetitive towards the end, but still great.

Next up is another short fast track "The Relic", complete with a perfect chorus. The riffing aggression carries on into "Orion - The Hunter" alongside amazing vocals in the verses. I'm not too fond of the soloing, but once again, the 5-star album rating stays intact. Similarly to the previous album, this one ends with a haunting ballad, "Lady of the Snow". Nice singing by Russell Allen and guitarwork by Michael Romeo. That's how metal ballads should be. Melancholic, not happy-sappy.

Twilight in Olympus has been quite a progressive journey through fantasy and mythology ala power metal lyrics, all poetic with only a small tasy dash of cheese. Romeo and Miller are two main songwriters in this album, but with Miller gone, Allen would take his place in the songwriting department. That early era ends as a new one begins!

Favorites: "Smoke and Mirrors", "Church of the Machine", "In the Dragon’s Den", "The Relic"

I really need to thank my brother for getting into this band and giving me the spark of massive interest that didn't ignite until just recently. Volbeat was formed by frontman Michael Poulsen in 2001 after disbanding his previous band Dominus, having enough of his former band's death metal sound and wanting to start anew. Volbeat's name comes from Dominus' 3rd album title. When checking out or revisiting some bands/albums, it's good to follow your heart, and you might just find a gem of sheer greatness!

I really love Volbeat's first two albums. But if there's one album that I think would surpass the other by a few percentage points, it's this one, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil. It really seals the rock/metal gone rockabilly deal and would be an awesome recommendation for one of my rock/metal-loving pals.

We roll right into "The Human Instrument", a favorite of mine and my brother's, proving that Elvis metal works like a dream. The kick-A power is still kept up in "Mr. & Mrs. Ness", continuing the story that started in the debut album's "Danny & Lucy". The song hints at the band's heavier side in their next album Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood, in which the story continues again. The next track is the popular half-ballad half-rocker "The Garden’s Tale". I actually love this song! It's probably because I was never in Denmark nor the United States in 2007 when the song was played to f***ing death. It's quite catchy as f***, pretty much breaking down the wall between slow-dancing and moshing. Vocal hooks cover the devilishly fast "Devil or the Blue Cat's Song".

Now if you're looking for a punchy banger, look no further to "Sad Man’s Tongue". It starts with acoustic country that would have Johnny Cash fans swooning, then f***ing speeds up into metal including a kick-A breakdown that you can't resist headbanging to. "River Queen" tops it off as another groove-ish banger. If I wasn't into this kind of metal 10 years ago, I would be listening to that song and the opener a sh*t-ton of times! Up next is "Radio Girl". I don't love it as much as many people do, but it still rules. "A Moment Forever" is fast as a motherf***er!

Next up, "Soulweeper #2" is another sequel to a song from the debut. This one still holds the romantic vibe of the first "Soulsweeper" song. If you thought the first track was the most Elvis-like metal song, it's nothing compared to "You or Them". Something that may seem a little goofy ends up turning godly! Ending track "Boa (JDM)" crushes everything in its path, leaving behind nothing but debris by the time it's over.

All in all, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil has added the cherry on top to Volbeat's beginning one-two punch of albums. The grooves, riffs, bass, drums, vocals, and lyrics are all a f***ing blast to listen to. I highly suggest showing them to your friends for a taste of what real music is like!

Favorites: "The Human Instrument", "The Garden’s Tale", "Sad Man’s Tongue", "River Queen", "A Moment Forever", "You or Them"

If I remember right, I've heard of Volbeat over a decade ago via a few music videos and this band being one of the bands my brother still listens to today. As great as they sounded, their sound that mixes rock, metal, and rockabilly hadn't really stood out for me, since I prefered power/symphonic metal at the time. And wow, I... I've never realized how essential their first two albums were for me. They're so incredible, and I can certainly raise my horns and bang my head to this music.

The Strength/The Sound/The Songs is one of the aptly titled albums I've ever comes across. The sound and the songs all have their strength with this diverse blend of genres. It's practically like late 90s Metallica but way better!

We already get to a h*lla catchy start with "Caroline Leaving". Then "Another Day, Another Way" has a similar pace to Hatebreed's mid-tempo songs in the instrumentation. "Something Else or..." is a softer track similar to Queensryche's ballads. "Rebel Monster" has greater heaviness and speed, perfect for the mosh pit. Then we have "Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza" with its catchy sing-along chorus to make a party rock anthem (none of that LMFAO bullsh*t).

One of the best songs here is "Always Wu". The riffing and vocals really have that metalized rockabilly vibe alongside another chorus worth singing along to. The riffing slows down without sacrificing any heaviness in "Say Your Number". Then "Soulweeper" is a ballad-ish track that you can sing to your romantic partner and have them singing along too. The speed goes back up in "Fire Song", which is filled with heavy fire. Then we have another fast catchy track, "Danny and Lucy (11 PM)", which cranks up the rockabilly side of the band for some rock-on fun.

"Caroline #1" builds up some great momentum as we enter the album's final third. "Alienized" keeps up that pace. The mood changes with their cover of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Wanna Be with You". What makes it so unique is, it can make your raise your horns to the riffing while also singing it to your love. The eerie riff that starts "Everything's Still Fine" is so strong and crushing. "Healing Subconsciously" ends the album with one of the most climatic closing tracks in standard heavy metal.

All in all, Volbeat's debut is an album for all open-minded listeners. Whether you like classic rock n roll, modern rock, metal, and hardcore, you're bound to find something you like, from rifftastic bangers that kick a** to love ballads that don't suck a**. I'm glad to finally get the strength from those songs after all these years!

Favorites: "Caroline Leaving", "Rebel Monster", "Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza", "Always Wu", "Fire Song", "Caroline #1", "I Only Wanna Be with You", "Healing Subconsciously"

Epica is one of the most epic bands around, a symphonic metal band that touches on other genres including gothic, progressive, death, thrash, power, and folk metal. Members have come from other bands such as After Forever and Trail of Tears. You might even think of this band as a more extreme Nightwish, particularly in the growls and deathly riffing. The band has reached their epic height in their 4th album Design Your Universe.

This album follows The Divine Conspiracy with a couple new members. guitarist Isaac Delahaye and drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek (as an official member). The lyrics deal with culture, physics, and the freedom to protect your world and, y'know, design your own universe!

It starts with "Samadhi", a wonderful intro to hint at the epicness to come. "Resign to Surrender" continues the "A New Age Dawns" saga that started in Consign to Oblivion. It's a brilliant way to open up the world of Epica for anyone new. The vocals alternate between the growls of Mark Jansen, the operatic cleans of Simone Simons, and occasional choir. Also the instrumentation is more extreme-sounding than their earlier works, easily blending deathly heaviness with symphonics without going just all-out Fleshgod Apocalypse. Next song "Unleashed" is the first single, a beautiful heavy banger. Then we have another catchy heavy single with a great chorus in "Martyr of the Free Word". Another highlight is "Our Destiny", which is a solid mid-paced track, similarly to Within Temptation. Honestly it's quite underrated.

And then comes the true highlight, "Kingdom of Heaven", a 5-part 13-minute epic that serves as the literal centerpiece of the "A New Age Dawns" saga and would itself spawn a couple sequels in subsequent albums. It has practically everything, all extreme, symphonic, and even some acoustic. It's their own attempt at an Opeth-like progressive epic that ends up paying off well! There's nothing in this masterpiece album that would make it lose its perfection, but one things that comes REALLY close is the interlude "The Price of Freedom". I feel like this one could've been removed or at least attached to the next track. "Burn to a Cinder" burns away that mistake as another one of my favorites here. And it's followed up by ANOTHER one of the best songs here, "Tides of Time", one of the few ballads I truly love. It sounds so beautiful, expecially with the heart-touching vocals of Simone Simons. This is the kind of beauty I prefer to hear instead of this Disney Frozen sh*t.

"Deconstruct" puts an end to the relaxation with its melodeath-ish riffing. Would've been nice to hear some soloing too, but I won't mess with it. "Semblance of Liberty" is the heaviest track here, like really hitting hard and fast. Then we have one more ballad "White Waters", a soft duet between Simone Simons and Sonata Arctica's Tony Kakko, working out almost as well as Nightwish's live duet with Kakko in From Wishes to Eternity. The title finale is another long epic with vocal perfection, all the way up to its glorious ending climax. The "A New Age Dawns" saga would continue in their new album Aspiral.

Design Your Universe is the best you're gonna get from Epica, maybe even the year of 2009. Not too epic for the heavy fans, not too heavy for the epic fans, JUST RIGHT. It's a legendary experience that would surely spawn some universal inspiration!

Favorites: "Resign to Surrender", "Our Destiny", "Kingdom of Heaven", "Burn to a Cinder", "Tides of Time", "Semblance of Liberty", "Design Your Universe"

What makes an album perfect is the amount of creativity, talent, and passion the band has. In my attempt at wanting to focus on more modern and heavier metal genres, I ended up forgetting about the symphonic power metal masterpieces that have all that for a great dose of magic. Power of the Dragonflame, the 5th album by Italian band Rhapsody (of Fire), is one of them. This is an hour-long prime example of the genre and has pleased me as much as many fans and critics.

Power of the Dragonflame is the final part of the band's first conceptual storyline, the Emerald Sword Saga. And what a way to end it! The symphonics of their first two albums and the aggression of the two albums after are in perfect balance. There's more of the shredding guitarwork of Luca Turilli and the orchestral keyboards of Alex Staropoli, sounding excellent as ever. Pretty much all the metal songs have strong talent from each of the members. Not just the guitars and keys but also the drums by Alex Holzwarth, the audible bass by session member Sascha Paeth, and of course, the vocal power of the versatile Fabio Lione.

One of the best symphonic/power metal intros in the apocalyptic "In Tenebris" that strikes you down to the ground like a gigantic fist. Then "Knightrider of Doom" explodes with some of the best aspects of the band. The title track punches with its speedy riffing. "The March of the Swordmaster" is a anthemic march to get you pumped with a mighty chorus and melodic soloing. RISE! DIE!! SACRIFICE!!!

"When Demons Awake" is a total chiller. The horrendous battle is described via more blackened instrumentation and vocals. Who knew Fabio Lione could go blackened growls so well? "Agony is My Name" is a great highlight that continues unleashing the most fantasy-filled power metal without ever sounding cheesy or sh*tty. "Lamento Eroico" (Heroic Cry) marks the band's first fully Italian song. It's a heart-touching ballad that I've been coming across a lot of lately. My return to The Guardians has made me realize that not everything has to be heavy to delight me.

"Steelgods of the Last Apocalypse" has more of the band's usual aspects, this time with some progressive turns to break the conventionality of power metal. "The Pride of the Tyrant" continues displaying the amazing skills of Turilli. Yet another wonderful composition! And it all comes down to the final epic... The greatest conclusion to this 5-album saga is the 19-minute "Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness". It's one of the best songs ever by the band and the epic to end all epics! The complex variation is perfect all the way. It starts with an acoustic intro that's almost like Opeth's softer moments then blasts off into some of the most emotional vocals, most cinematic keys and choir, and the most searing soloing. Then it all ends with a reprise of the intro that then literally explodes and collapses into windy ambience. The perfect ending for this saga!

Power of the Dragonflame is another one of the most impressive symphonic power metal albums that I'm glad to revisit. Believe me, this is for anyone into power metal and any other kind of music. You'll definitely want to get your hands on this emerald gem!

Favorites: "Knightrider of Doom", "The March of the Swordmaster", "Agony is My Name", "The Pride of the Tyrant", "Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness"

The first 3 Nightwish albums are a trio of symphonic power metal classics that I enjoyed to death over a decade before this review. I still love them, but I don't find them as perfect as I thought they were back in those times when my love for power/symphonic metal was in an all-time high. I decided to revisit many of the tracks from those via their first live album, From Wishes to Eternity. And let me tell you, I was blown away by this incredible release!

The concert was recorded in Tampere on December 29, 2000, just a few days away from the technical start of the new millennium. Being part of the Wishmaster tour, the setlist mostly consisted of songs from that album and a few from their first two. I love the serene voice of Tarja along with the masterful work of the instrumentalists.

"The Kinslayer" is a rifftastic way to start the show. The lyrics are based on the Columbine school shooting. The bridge is interesting as Tarja's singing alternates with spoken vocals by Ike Vil to practically recreate a talk between the killer and the victim. "She is My Sin" opens the original Wishmaster album before the previous track. The drumming is some of the heaviest I've heard in that album. Tarja's magical vocals continue to shine, especially in the chorus. I also love the soloing here. "Deep Silent Complete" is nice and catchy, calming things down while staying heavy. Wonderful atmosphere and vocals! Then we come to the song with the darkest heaviness in this earlier era, "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion". It features the deep growls of Tapio Wilska (Sethian, ex-Finntroll), speedy keys, and Egyptian lyrical themes. That's Oceanborn's epic!

"Come Cover Me" starts off calm and mystical then carries on with the usual heaviness. Tarja's vocals can be d*mn heart-touching in this amazing track. "Wanderlust" is a great song, but not the total best. There's nothing bad or skippable about it, but it's outshined by the other songs. Many parts of that track I still enjoy including the chorus and the keyboard soloing. It segues to the exclusive instrumental medley "Crimson Tide/Deep Blue Sea", taking some melody from the soundtrack of those two films and practically making it their own. Awesome! Then it segues to "Swanheart", a perfect ballad for me (a personal rarity). Such slow beauty after all that heavy might.

And now we get one of the tracks from the debut Angels Fall First, that album's opener "Elvenpath". It is a fast heavy power metal song from their most folk-ish beginning album. It segues to the 3rd part of Wishmaster's epic "FantasMic", and the heaviest part of that epic. I kinda wish they would perform the entire song though. "Dead Boy's Poem" is another ballad, and one you can't criticize easily. There a great chorus and superb soloing, the latter after a spoken bridge by a young boy named Sam Hardwick.

"Sacrament of Wilderness" has greatly heavy riffing, slightly different from the melody you'd expect from this band. The 3-track encore starts with "Walking in the Air", a cover of a song from the animated special The Snowman. Another slow ballad, though it gets heavier as the song progresses. "Beauty and the Beast" has nice vocal variation. The original has keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen singing the male vocals, but here they're done by Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica. Then at last, we come to the true finale, the title track of Wishmaster. Epic chorus, beastly guitars... This still reigns as one of my favorite Nightwish songs today. I can hear Dragonlance/Lord of the Rings lyrical influences.

The DVD comes with some bonus content. Not just the video recording of the performance, but also some hilarious off-stage footage, two music videos, two separate live videos, a couple interviews, and a 50-photo gallery. However, the music itself is worth the price of admission. If you're into symphonic power metal and/or Nightwish, I would highly recommend this perfect live offering. The best glimpse of their early discography in their best form. Don't miss out!

Favorites (two per album, plus one new track and one half-track): "She is My Sin", "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion", "Crimson Tide/Deep Blue Sea", "Swanheart", "Elvenpath", "FantasMic (Part 3)", "Beauty and the Beast", "Wishmaster"

After an incredible experience with Nightwish's first live album From Wishes to Eternity, I immediately felt up to making a full revisit of the album the band was touring for, Wishmaster. Seeing how much I enjoy the songs in this album in live form, I thought maybe I would get the same glory in this album that I considered a classic over a decade before this review. And I still enjoy them all! Well, the songs that were performed live. The remaining few, ehh...

I think the slight issue is, this is around the time the band started becoming more pop-ish in their songs. However, most of these are balanced out by the heaviness and bombast. The catchy choruses hold many of them up and lessen the needlessness of repetition.

"She is My Sin" opens the album quite strongly. The drumming is some of the heaviest I've heard in that album. Tarja Turunen's magical vocals really shine, especially in the chorus. I also love the soloing here. It is followed by the rifftastic "The Kinslayer". The lyrics are based on the Columbine school shooting. The bridge is interesting as Tarja's singing alternates with spoken vocals by Ike Vil to practically recreate a talk between the killer and the victim. "Come Cover Me" starts off calm and mystical then carries on with the usual heaviness. Tarja's vocals can be d*mn heart-touching in this amazing track. "Wanderlust" is a great song, but not the total best. Nothing bad or skippable about it, but it's outshined by the better highlights. Many parts of that track I still enjoy including the chorus and the keyboard soloing.

"Two for Tragedy" is a ballad. The fact that it's a ballad is not the problem. I like the nice flute and keys, leading up to when the guitar, bass, and drums enter. The thing is, the lyrics sound a bit forced and it's a little too slow. Those could've been improved so that it's doesn't just sound like a pop ballad with guitars. Luckily it leads to the anthemic title track. Epic chorus, beastly guitars... This still reigns as one of my favorite Nightwish songs today. I can hear Dragonlance/Lord of the Rings lyrical influences. What's preventing from giving this album a rating beyond 4 stars is the next two tracks, starting with "Bare Grace Misery". It tries to bring back the energy of the heavier side of Angels Falls First but doesn't please me enough. "Crownless" is, I hate to say, the worst track here. While having more of the power metal part of the sound seems cool in theory, it sounds too cheesy for me now, especially those 8-bit-ish synths. Pretty much the DragonForce "Ring of Fire" cover of this album, I used to love it, but now, f*** that.

"Deep Silent Complete" is nice and catchy, calming things down while staying heavy. Wonderful atmosphere and vocals! "Dead Boy's Poem" is another ballad, but this one you can't criticize easily. There a great chorus and superb soloing, the latter after a spoken bridge by a young boy named Sam Hardwick. "FantasMic" is a fantastic epic paying tribute to the animated works of Disney. It really packs a powerful punch, especially in the final 3 minutes. Absolutely perfect! The 2007 reissue comes a few bonus tracks including one studio track "Sleepwalker" that's worth that extra mile. The other two bonus tracks are different live renditions of "Wanderlust" and "Deep Silent Complete".

If it was up to me, I would give "Wanderlust" and "Two for Tragedy" some heavier power, replace "Bare Grace Misery" and "Crownless" with "Sleepwalker", and remove those unnecessary bonus live tracks. Still I shouldn't change too much. The rest of Wishmaster has some of the best symphonic power metal hits you could ever wish for....

Favorites: "She is My Sin", "The Kinslayer", "Come Cover Me", "Wishmaster", "Dead Boy's Poem", "FantasMic", "Sleepwalker" (bonus track)

When I was listening to Within Temptation and other symphonic/power metal bands over a decade ago, I thought Mother Earth was their best album. But ever since I've moved out of those metal genres into the more modern/heavy ones, my earlier revisit of that album made me not find the glory it once had. However, with my return to The Guardians, I've once again found my best Within Temptation album, but it's not Mother Earth. It's this one, The Unforgiving!

In my earlier melodic past, I didn't think The Unforgiving was super awesome. A couple tracks were too pop-ish for me back then. Now that I've experienced some time with more alternative bands before moving back to The Guardians, I enjoy them a lot more now! The album makes a perfect balance between epic and mainstream.

The intro "Why Not Me?" consists of just Two Steps From Hell-esque orchestration and narration by Dawn Mastin. That intro sounds like something out of Agatha Christie's Marple, Downton Abbey, or any other British drama series. Already heading into the band's different direction is "Shot in the Dark", including a new aspect that had barely done before by the band; guitar soloing. "In the Middle of the Night" is a catchy banger to get you pumped and jumping. The intro riffing almost made me think of "115" from the Call of Duty: Black Ops - Zombies soundtrack. Absolutely great vocals to enjoy there! Interesting how "Faster" is the name of a more mid-tempo song. When that track was released as a single before the album, it was the first sign of their new direction; the usual symphonic metal but heavier and more poppy than their previous albums like The Heart of Everything. That motive is similar to what Lacuna Coil were doing at that time, but in a better, more focused light. That song has really grown on me more than the other tracks, with its tasteful strength and less of the orchestral bombast bands like Nightwish seem to have relied on.

The exciting energy cools down for the first of a few ballads in the album, "Fire and Ice". Then comes what I still consider one of the best standouts in Within Temptation's career, "Iron". It's so heavy and epic, right from the intro riffing onwards. The song itself reminds me of DragonForce's "Cry Thunder" and it's better at that than those poor rip-offs like Warkings' cover of that song and Sabaton's "Union". Next track "Where is the Edge?" doesn't strike me as much as the highlights, but it's still a nice throwback to what the band had in The Silent Force. "Sinead" brings back the Nightwish level of orchestra while continuing the mainstream direction.

"Lost" is one of the few ballads I would ever truly love, filled with beauty, melancholy, and tearjerking acoustic/electric soloing. "Murder" cranks up the orchestration again, making something eerie and cinematic. "A Demon's Fate" is really fast and complex, making another memorable song. It's like the previous album's "Hand of Sorrow" gone The Phantom of the Opera! "Stairway to the Skies" is the ending ballad like in most of their albums. However, instead of just orchestra and vocals, the whole band is here!

There are many risks Within Temptation have gone through stylistically such as going the concept album route, going more mainstream, and adding in guitar solos. But the changes paid off! The Unforgiving is perhaps truly the most well-written album they've ever done. An unforgivingly fantastic blend of accessibility, epicness, and heaviness!

Favorites: "In the Middle of the Night", "Faster", "Iron", "Lost", "A Demon's Fate", "Stairway to the Skies"

So I've just moved out of The Gateway back into The Guardians, and there's no better time than now to revisit one of the greatest albums in power metal, Blind Guardian's Imaginations From the Other Side. This was one of the most important albums for me when my power metal interest was at its height 10 years before this review. If you enjoy 90s power metal, you've come to the right place!

Power metal allows your imagination to run wild through these themes of fantasy, sci-fi, and sometimes reality. And classics like this one (following the fantasy theme) are no exception. Imaginations From the Other Side marks the beginning of the complex structures from subsequent albums while having some of their earlier speed.

The opening title track is one of the best album openers and power metal songs I've heard in my life. It picks up where things left off from the end of their previous album Somewhere Far Beyond, this time with more atmospheric structure. The vocal density would be further displayed in the next album Nightfall in Middle-Earth, as well as those harmonic guitar leads. EPIC!!!! "I'm Alive" takes the band's earlier sound further alongside occasional acoustics, a strong upgrade from the speed of Follow the Blind. I'm not as much of a ballad lover as I used to be, but another one of the greatest highlights is the short and soft yet epic "A Past and Future Secret". Unlike "The Bard's Song", this sounds like a true bard's song in the acoustics, orchestration, percussion, and Hansi Kürsch's clean singing, with the lyrics based on the legend of King Arthur.

"The Script for My Requiem" is the closest we have to the melodic speed metal of Battalions of Fear. "Mordred’s Song" has a blend of acoustic and electric guitar. The folk-ish vibe maintains the similarities to "The Bard's Song". If "A Past and Future Secret" is this album's "In the Forest", then "Mordred’s Song" is this album's "The Hobbit". Then we have another fast song in "Born in a Mourning Hall". The monstrous riffing gives that track more in common with Tales from the Twilight World while having some melodic leads later used in Nightfall in Middle-Earth and lyrics against televangelism. The music might remind some of a blend of Black Sabbath and 80s Metallica.

"Bright Eyes" has more anthemic triumph within the lurking darkness. There's even some twisted keys appearing in the verses to add to the eerieness. "Another Holy War" is filled with pure riff-wrath, while making way for the usual melodic chorus. The precise drumming by Thomas Stauch is what gave power metal a more speedy light. "And the Story Ends" has a truly epic chorus hinting at the grandeur of their later symphonic era. The guitars and vocals are the stars of this simple yet spectacular show.

I think we can all agree that Imaginations From the Other Side is Blind Guardian at their very best. Such a shame that I broke away from this album and this band when I had that long on-off hiatus from power metal and other Guardians genres. But now I can remember the glory of this masterpiece that is the transition album between the speed era that ended with Somewhere Far Beyond and the symphonic era that started with Nightfall in Middle-Earth. The risks the band face when making this album has paid off. It's an essential recommendation for both longtime power metal fans and the newcomers wanting to explore more of the genre. See you on the other side!

Favorites: "Imaginations From the Other Side", "A Past and Future Secret", "Born in a Mourning Hall", "Bright Eyes", "And the Story Ends"

My first time listening to Sabaton was over a decade ago, and to this day, I'm quite impressed by how different they are to other power metal bands. Besides the powerful soloing and catchy choruses, there's also a bass-baritone vocalist and lyrical themes of historical wars, breaking the power metal rule of epic fantasy lyrics and falsetto singing. Imagine this conversation between a kid listening to this band and their conservative parent: "NO METAL!!!" "I'M LEARNING HISTORY!" "Oh OK."

Heroes is the epitome of Sabaton's heroic power metal deeds! Sabaton's historical war themes concept has been given more emotion than in their previous albums Coat of Arms and Carolus Rex, making this offering their best masterpiece.

Already starting with epic power is "Night Witches". It has the upbeat heaviness best experienced in The Art of War. The rhyming lyrics are also great. A fun start before the more mature seriousness of later tracks. "No Bullets Fly" flies by with some retro-ish vibes. This is followed by another solid track in "Smoking Snakes". Further dominating is the anthemic "Inmate 4859", so simple yet packing a punch.

Another highlight worth mentioning is the single "To Hell and Back". It starts with a flute melody before another epic heavy experience. It's more midpaced while staying strong in the chorus, lyrics, and even synthesized brass. The best part is the short yet sweet guitar solo. There's just so much power in these 3 and a half minutes! I just wish the band would make long epics, not just radio-sized songs. The closest we have to a Sabaton epic is "Rise of Evil" from Attero Dominatus. The aptly titled "The Ballad of Bull" is one of the most emotional Sabaton songs ever. Then we're back to rifftastic action in "Resist and Bite".

We then have "Soldier of 3 Armies" which is more adventurous despite the somewhat restrained formula. Some Black Sabbath-ish stylings appear in "Far From the Fame" in a heavier fashion plus the usual deep vocals. Another favorite of mine, "Hearts of Iron", closes the original album by marching into the horizon.

There are a few bonus tracks, but we'll just tackle the ones available on Spotify, starting with "7734", a D-tuned re-recording of a song from Metalizer. The next bonus track "Man of War" is an homage to Manowar, referencing many of their songs. I like it, but at times it feels like fan-service, albeit if the fan-service involves shirtless metal warriors instead of scantily clad anime girls. At least we have a strong epic Metallica cover, "For Whom The Bell Tolls".

All in all, Heroes shows that Sabaton are indeed power metal heroes. Not as much as my own heroes as DragonForce, but still. They're a great band with their own unique twists in power metal. Learn history or be history!

Favorites: "Night Witches", "Inmate 4859", "To Hell and Back", "Soldier of 3 Armies", "Hearts of Iron", "7734", "For Whom The Bell Tolls"

Today I decided to check out more release by Spitfire. The Slideshow Whiplash is an EP the band made two years after their debut album Dead Next Door and just one year before their first hiatus. I wasn't expecting a short EP to be slightly better than that debut, but that's certainly the case here! Most of the tracks in this album are in the same quality as the better half of the debut...

Well, there are only 4 tracks, and one of them is an instrumental. Still this is for any metalcore/mathcore listener and you may enjoy it once you try it. And if you haven't heard that debut yet, this EP shall make you up for that.

"This Ain't Vegas and You Ain't Elvis" (sounds like what a casino owner outside of Vegas would say to an Elvis impersonator) has awesome strength in the lyrics. "Bulletproof and Tall as Jesus" is the best highlight of this release, and it's too perfect for me to put into words. It segues to the title interlude with is an odd mix of techno and jazz. Then the EP ends with the brutal "Heroin". Vocalist Jon Spencer sounds a little drunk in his attempt at cleans, but the rest of the track is nice and heavy.

I love most of what this band has in this EP. Nothing disappoints me, and this has better pointage than their debut Dead Next Door. The only things I would remove or improve are the title interlude and the weird clean section in the last track. If this was their way of saying farewell before their first hiatus, they've done it well....

Favorites: "This Ain't Vegas and You Ain't Elvis", "Bulletproof and Tall as Jesus"

Exploring different releases in your favorite metal genres is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. Some might be bad, some might be OK, some might be so awesome that you're kicking yourself for not discovering them sooner. That 3rd outcome is certainly the case for me with this early metalcore/hardcore gem!

In the 90s, hardcore and early metalcore weren't always "that emo-fueled genre with breakdowns". Snapcase was formed in 1989 and released their debut Lookinglasself (what's that, an elf character in one of those Alice stories?) in 1993. Their hardcore sound would eventually make its true form in one of the best albums of the genre, Progression Through Unlearning. Straight-on hardcore/metalcore before their switch to post-hardcore/alt-metal in subsequent albums.

"Caboose" is the perfect anthem to start the album. Vocalist Darryl Taberski unleashes his screaming power with full intensity. I appreciate the work the band has put in their songs. The lyrics are clear and empowering, without any incohesive rambling. That's what makes this album the energetic masterpiece it is! That along with the furious "Guilt By Ignorance". It is followed by another great track, "Harrison Bergeron". Then we have another priceless classic in "Priceless". That's what metalcore sounds like before the dance-trancecore of Enter Shikari, the pop-ish melody of A Day to Remember, the heaviness of Fit for a King, and the djent of Periphery.

"Zombie Prescription" is amazing in the vocals, guitars, and drums, along with a well-placed uncommon breakdown. "Killing Yourself To Live" really kicks a**! It greatly exemplifies this early metalcore era. "She Suffocates" punches through frantic riffing and time signature changes, accomplishing a lot in under 3 minutes.

"Weak Tyrant" isn't the strongest track of the album but it still rules and maintains the perfect 5-star rating. The more hardcore listeners would know "Vent" quite well, which can easily get the live crowd rolling. "Breaking and Reaching" is a grand 4-minute standout, with some of the most superb music and lyrics in the album. The "Outro" seems like a nice way out. Apparently, the audio sample is from Pee-Wee Herman. RIP Paul Reubens...

I would probably ask for a little more diversity, but there's practically nothing to change about Progression Through Unlearning. Hardcore's energetic spirit is something that has rarely been replicated in today's scene. Snapcase would drop their earlier roots for subsequent albums. Still if you want true energy entering your mind, listen and learn!

Favorites: "Caboose", "Priceless", "Killing Yourself To Live", "She Suffocates", "Breaking and Reaching"

Madness is what you can expect in any noise-ridden math/metalcore release. Songs can range from short to radio-sized and have at least one long-ish epic. Spitfire's debut Dead Next Door may be at the same quality level as Nora's Loser's Intuition, but the mathcore part of the sound is slightly more...

It's not just pure math/metalcore that I often hear in this album. Occasionally, there's a slight touch of alt-rock/grunge. One might call this band a more hardcore Nirvana. But why should that be what we would know them as? Clearly, noise-fueled metalcore is their goal. Oh, and I just realized that this band isn't related to one of the earliest (and worst) mathcore bands out there, Nineironspitfire. Spitfire's debut is by far better than Nineironspitfire's sole release, so let's check it out.

"Please Don't Go Out Tonight", especially not in my country when it will soon be Hungry Ghost Month as of this review! But seriously, that song is a great start that shouldn't be overlooked. Not as great as the interesting highlight "The Two Forty Eight Lie" with its different tempo changes from fast hardcore to slow sludge. There's plenty of chaos in "Render Quench Create". Unfortunately, it doesn't have much focus and tears apart the album's greatness. "Marasmus" is around to make up for that with some of the more hardcore riffing to occur in this album.

"A Glance at Quintenessence" I consider one of the most quintessential songs in early math/metalcore, with Rosetta-esque sludgy tempo. "Good Cop, Bad Cop" is another one of my favorites, long with fast riffs especially at the end. "All Indentured Lovables" is a beautiful interlude while keeping listeners on their seats with heaviness at the end.

"The Burgundy Room" ends up marking the album's descent back into the sh*tty quality of the 3rd track. The bass and drums ruin the band's intention of bringing together hardcore and metal. "What Ever Happened to the Indie Queen" has some nice mathcore, but that kind of sound is better executed by Ion Dissonance. "DJ Jazzy Steve" is a strange closing track, even for me. Jazzy Steve, whoever you are, cut that sh*t out please.

Dead Next Door isn't your typical hardcore album. It has the noise and chaos of any math-metalcore album. I would enjoy and appreciate this more if not for a couple poor tracks including that d*mn remix-ish track at the end. As much as I like all this beauty and brutality, it would take a little more improvement to make this grab my attention....

Favorites: "The Two Forty Eight Lie", "Marasmus", "A Glance at Quintenessence", "Good Cop, Bad Cop", "All Indentured Lovables"

F***ing h*ll, how did this masterpiece hide under my metalcore radar!? The Opposite of December is the debut album by Poison the Well and has greatly defined the genre! It's a heavy emotional offering of glory that fans of hardcore and metal shouldn't miss out in their lives.

Not often can you find something that can sound so fresh even after over 25 years following its release. As awesome as many other metalcore releases, they would be bowing down to the true groundbreaking developing albums of the genre. The title and release date fit well together, considering it was released in December 1999, one month before the new millennium (unless you wanna be technical). Already there was hope for a promising future for metal and hardcore in this millennium.

Already hitting things hard is the opening track "12-23-93" (I wonder what that date means). After the beginning drum roll by Chris Hornbrook, there's a lot of fury from the guitar and vocals. Jeffrey Moreira has wonderful vocals as he screams well-written lyrics at the top of his lungs. Not a lot of metalcore vocalists have the same rage as Jeffrey, and that's probably good health-wise. That, along with active smoking and when he used his screaming offstage after finding out the band's equipment was stolen, would lead to him suffering a collapsed lung, but he recovered. Anyway, he also does some clean singing that helps the band standout among other early metalcore bands. His vocals also shine greatly in "A Wish for Wings That Work", with a spoken bridge. Closing the next track "Artist's Rendering of Me" is some emotional guitar and bass.

Then the bass becomes audible in the bridge of "Slice Paper Wrists", a melodic standout for many metalcore listeners, and I truly agree. "Nerdy" has more special relatable lyrics about wanting to take a friendship to the next level. Jeffrey's lyrics are truly beyond the kind of scenario I would ever write. "To Mandate Heaven" takes on a more experimental side of things that would increase in later albums. The metallic riffing is covered in raw filth compared to other tracks. The experimentation pays off and naturally, they've made another powerful anthem.

"Not Within Arms Length" marks another dynamic highlight. The bass and drums are more relentless and take the spotlight above the riffing. It sounds quite fresh and never loses any steam. "Mid Air Love Message" plays around with rock riffing for a lighter vibe. The heaviness is still there as a counterweight for the slower emotion. After a hidden section between tracks, "My Mirror No Longer Reflects" closes the album with some of the most emotional guitarwork in late 90s metalcore.

All in all, The Opposite of December is just what every metalcore fan really needs. Something so beautiful and brutal was made by this young talented group that would stand the test of time. This impactful gem is essential for all metal/hardcore fans, one that you can't go your entire life without!

Favorites: "12/23/93", "Slice Paper Wrists", "To Mandate Heaven", "Not Within Arms Length", "My Mirror No Longer Reflects"