Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

Turmion Katilot is still on an ongoing journey with their Finnish industrial metal sound. They started off gloriously with their debut Hoitovirhe and since went on a steady path to keep their greatness going, with the only slight drop in quality being their 4th album Perstechnique. But now it sounds like the band is slowly building back up to the perfection of Hoitovirhe, and this album Dance Panique is get real close!

Finding out info about different bands and albums used to be difficult, but thanks to YouTube and the evolution of the internet, practically everything about them is provided right where anyone can access. 2017 barely arrived when the band already released two singles, one of which ("Itämaan Tietäjä" (Knowledge of the East)) is only a separate single. Dance Panique was released in March, after a one-month delay due to MC Raaka Pee getting sick. Another amazing album! After the electro-dance-y Technodiktator and Diskovibrator, Dance Panique brings back a lot of the earlier metal heaviness, enough to be the missing link between Hoitovirhe and Pirun Nyrkki.

The title track is so mystical! The electro-dance and industrial metal sides are in a perfect blend. With gravelly vocals and driving rhythms, it's an unforgettable experience. "Veren maku" (The Taste of Blood) starts with some heavy drop-C riffing to remind me of Shadows Fall, but the rest of the song is the usual industrial metal. The one pre-release single that made it to this album, "Surutulitus" (Fireworks) has many great details.

Representing a bit of a downside is "Kyynelten tanssi" (Dance of Tears) which is a little more mediocre but doesn't affect the album's high quality. "Uhriveri" (Sacrificial Blood) may seem like an extreme metal song title, but the actual song is nothing like that. Beautiful melodies make "Vihko" (Booklet) another standout.

"Pienet pirut" (Little Devils) continues the dance-y industrial metal sound similar to Deathstars. "Viha" (Anger) is good in some parts, but a bit monotonous in others. If that song and "Kyynelten tanssi" was given some improvement, this album would've been perfect. "Kuoleman marssi" (Death March) has some more industrial experimentation like Motionless in White at the time. "To Be Continued Act 3" is much better than the first two acts, sounding more like a real song or epic. Nothing bad about that one at all!

Dance Panique can very well surpass Technodiktator while still inches behind the perfect glory of Hoitovirhe, though they would actually get there as we roll into the new decade. This really made the band's mark in industrial metal in 2017. Recommended for all fans of the genre!

Favorites: "Dance Panique", "Surutulitus", "Vihko", "Pienet pirut", "To Be Continued Act 3"

The first 3 Turmion Katilot albums, especially their debut Hoitovirhe, already showed the band's sound soaring sky high. Then a bit of the quality dropped in Perstechnique. And after that, Technodiktator made a promising boost back up to the greatness of their starting trilogy. They've proven that metal and techno synths can fit together like a glove. What can be greater than that?

Well, there were some fans fearing the possibility of the band discarding much of their industrial metal for a more electro-dance sound, since Technodiktator had more electro prominence. But once this album Diskovibrator came out in 2015, there's no longer a reason to worry! Their earlier industrial metal roots are put together with the electro-dance aspects that they've had lately. The album managed to reach the top of the Finnish Charts. They are #1! The strengths of their previous album and Hoitovirhe have stirred up a balanced blend of electro-industrial dance-metal, with each side of the sound deserving its place up front.

Kicking things off with an impressive song is "Kirottujen karnevaalit" (The Carnival of the Damned). "Aina arki" (Always Working) has the usual industrial action to expect from the band. "Hyvissä höyryissä" (Good Buzz) is more emotional and experimental. At times you can hear what sounds like dark rockabilly. The idea of borrowing different styles has worked out much better and spawned another standout.

"Sinä saatana" (You B****rd) turns out to be another pleasant hit. "Ranteet auki" (Slit Wrists) has more atmosphere, though it loses a bit of originality. "Lataa ja varmista" (Lock and Load) is another strong track from this band.

"Hiiltynyt runko" (The Charred Trunk) has some lyrics worth hearing, while shining in the keyboards and synthesized choir. My ultimate favorite in this album is "Vastanaineet" (Just Married). It's filled with steady speed that works well for their sound. "Sinulle" (For You) can be considered a love song, though it's not a ballad. "To Be Continued Act 2" is not as bad as Act 1. It's more bearable throughout its nearly 8-minute length, and it doesn't have 4 minutes of Finnish dialogue. Nonetheless, it's still not the best.

Lumpy parts aside, Diskovibrator is another excellent album. The blend of industrial metal and electro-dance is back to evenness after bringing back a bit of the former. Another superb offering for anyone on the search for dance-y electronics in metal!

Favorites: "Kirottujen karnevaalit", "Hyvissä höyryissä", "Lataa ja varmista", "Hiiltynyt runko", "Vastanaineet"

At this point, Turmion Katilot released 4 albums in which each one reached higher into the Finnish charts while losing a slight bit of appeal. The band was determined to keep climbing up to the charts, but their mission and their career was almost cut short by a near-disaster for one of the band members...

December 2012 may not be the end of the world, but it almost was for vocalist Petja Turunen who suffered a stroke that caused the band to take a break for over a month for MC Raaka Pee to recover from that health-scare. Then they went back onboard to record a new album released later on in 2013. Technodiktator hit #4 in the Finnish charts, but is it worse than Perstechnique? Nope! It is stronger than U.S.C.H!, and having the band's best sound since Hoitovirhe. Not reaching the debut's perfection, but very close.

Opener "Silmät sumeat" (Blurry Eyes) is a great track to start, and it's hard not to see its appeal. "Antaa palaa" (Let It Burn) maintains the intensity while in a slower tempo. With that, there's more emotion with the techno-synth-filled instrumentation. Everything's balanced here, except for the odd usage of saxophone that's not used often and it just comes out of the blue near the end. "Nimi kivessä" (Name Engraved in Stone) once again has what the previous song has but slower. The instrumentation focuses less on the techno-synths that only support the heaviness in the drums and guitars. It's a bit overwhelming, but not shocking.

The track that I consider my favorite here is "Pyhä maa" (Holy Land). This is a fantastic track I would revisit quite often as the techno beats are blended well with some of the heaviest riffing by the band. "Jalopiina" (Noble Torment) is a bit strange. It takes on a more Wild Western vibe in the drums and guitars, and sometimes they would teleport to the Eastern Lands within the instrumentation. If there was a music video for that, it would show the band travelling to different edges of the world. "Elävä koneeksi" (Living into a Machine) shows the band make a perfect tribute to 90s dance, combined with fast relentless metal instrumentation. The beat would sweep you away all over the dance-floor like a moshing tornado.

"Rehtori" (Principal) is where things get even stranger. The speed changes happen in bizarre times, going from fast to slow in no time flat. A bit of a hiccup there but still fine. I would say the same about the lyrics that seem to be about school principals. "золото/Beibe" (Gold/Baby) is one of the best examples of the band's industrial metal here. "To Be Continued Act 1" is a bit confusing. Not just in the name, but it's also the band's longest song. Now I like long epics, but I prefer the edition without the 4 minutes of Finnish dialogue in the middle of the song, and even then, they should've shortened the rest to around a length of 6 minutes.

If we're only counting the first 5 Turmion Katilot albums, Technodiktator would be my second-favorite behind Hoitovirhe. They throw back to the best aspects of the debut while having their heaviest work at that point. This would certainly fit well in both a nightclub and a metal concert, and it's guaranteed that you would move to the music. Keep calm and party on!

Favorites: "Silmät sumeat", "Antaa palaa", "Pyhä maa", "Elävä koneeksi", "золото/Beibe"

Turmion Katilot made it big with their earlier fanbase via their first 3 albums. They mark an amazing start to their journey, with their debut being the best of the trio. Alas, things end up getting a bit bumpy when they reach album #4...

Perstechnique was released in early 2011, and it's tied with their previous album U.S.C.H! as their highest album in the Finnish charts. It's strange how the higher charting the band's earlier albums are, the less appealing it is for me. However, there's nothing totally wrong with Perstechnique, it's better than albums by some bands from the alt-side of metal. I just think there isn't as much impressive fury as in their surrounding albums. My least favorite Turmion Katilot album, but still great.

The opening track "Grand Ball" is my favorite here. While the bizarre lyrics from their previous album return, they sound better and add in a better dose of humor. The theatrical vibes of OOMPH!/Rammstein give "IHMISIXSIXSIX" more life with cyber-powered riffs. "Suolainen kapteeni" (Salty Captain) enhances their industrial metal sound with both the symphonic keys of Alestorm and a bit of the 8-bit synths of Sky Eats Airplane. "Hanska" (Glove) has more brutal heaviness and speed that greatly contrast with retro synths like destruction taking over an 80s movie scene.

"Hellbound Earth" unleashes some more of the dance-y industrial metal like a nightclub in Hell. "Lapset ja vanhemmat" (Children and Parents) has more of the cyber wrath of love and fire. The metal is replaced by pure electro-dance in "Herran toinen tuleminen" (The Second Coming of the Lord) for something more festive.

Having more of the stereotypical catchy industrial metal is "Verta sataa" (Raining Blood) that fuels the cyber sounds of The Kovenant and Deathstars. "Rukoukset rattoisat" (Merry Prayers) has pretty much all of the industrial metal you can already hear in bands like PAIN, In This Moment, Motionless in White, and Circle of Dust. Another awesome highlight! Finally, "Vedetäänkö vai ei?" (Should We, or Not?) is a bit anticlimactic and it indeed makes you wonder if they should stay in their path...or not.

As I've said, there's not much about Perstechnique that's bad, though it still remains my least favorite one by Turmion Katilot. I would recommend it for fans of the band and industrial metal, but no one else....

Favorites: "Grand Ball", "IHMISIXSIXSIX", "Lapset ja vanhemmat", "Verta sataa", "Rukoukset rattoisat"

The first two Turmion Katilot albums brought their sound to great heights, but there ended up being some trouble between the band and Spinefarm Records over the income. The band sued Spinefarm and settled the lawsuit, LEGAL END OF STORY. They were then signed to a different label, Raha Records, to make a free downloadable mini-album U.S.C.H! in 2008. The next year, it was released as a full physical edition adding 3 new tracks, and it overtook Pirun Nyrkki in the Finnish charts by a close second.

U.S.C.H! stands for Ultimate Synthetic Corrosion Helter-Skelter. The album is slightly stronger than Pirun Nyrkki, bringing back a bit of the perfect glory of Hoitovirhe as they continue their industrial metal blend. You can never forget the rhythm! This band can do what other modern industrial metal bands can't.

"Vuosi 2008" (Year 2008) is a weird yet interesting intro, filled with distortion in everything. One other band that can go all out experimental like that is Candiria. Now this might shock some of you, but the title track is my least favorite song here. They seem to go the Bohemian Rhapsody route lyrically with nonsensical words, and it seems odd when this song is filled with bizarre darkness and Rammstein-level weirdness. The greatness of the album starts in "Pakanamaan kartta" (Map of Pagan Land).

"Kuolleitten laulu" (The Song of the Dead) is another spooky interlude. A strange assortment of laughing noises start another brilliant highlight, "Paha musta veri" (Evil Black Blood). "Minä määrään" (I Command) is another excellent song that never disappoints.

"Destination Hades" is the third interlude, though it's more of a short song with some distorted vocals. "Kuoleman päivä" is the greatest highlight in the original edition of the album. The industrial metal sound is rightfully balanced. "Arise" continues the Drop C riffing that almost makes me think of melodic metalcore bands like Miss May I, but the sound is still firmly industrial metal. Their cover of the Kikka hit "Shuttle to Venus" blasts along in catchy fun.

The physical edition's extra tracks start with "Hades" which emphasizes 8-bit-style electro-industrial and traditional Finnish singing in the first half for a jaw-dropping good time. "Alternative Ending for Your U.S.C.H!" is a brief synth interlude, but the full album doesn't end there... My favorite song in the entire full album is the closing "Million Dollar Business". The lyrics target Spinefarm Records with a big "scr*w you" to the business that tried to f*** with their signed band. Proud lyrics and aggressive music show that nothing can go wrong with their fired-up rant.

U.S.C.H! wraps up the band's amazing 2000s streak. Anyone who's a fan of industrial metal has to get the starting trilogy of Turmion Katilot. Whether you wanna download it or buy it, this album is all yours!

Favorites: "Pakanamaan kartta", "Paha musta veri", "Minä määrään", "Kuoleman päivä", "Shuttle to Venus", "Million Dollar Business"

Hoitovirhe marked the perfect start for the journey of a Finnish industrial metal band. It showed the band's sound at a promising height that made fans of the genre up for the action. And more of that action awaits...

Following some touring in support of their debut, in 2005, Turmion Katilot were all set to record another album. And in early 2006 came their second album Pirun Nyrkki (Devil's Fist)! The attitude the band had in their debut has become more aggressive and heavier. They put more emphasis on the METAL in industrial metal, though it ended up causing slight unevenness. Strangely, this album went higher up in the Finnish charts than Hoitovirhe.

First track "Maše veri evakei" (Where the Blood Escapes From) sets the dark tone for the album. However, the horror-filled title track is the first true highlight, combining speed with industrial synths, almost like a blend of Strapping Young Lad and Deathstars. "Messu" (Mass) is one of two interludes here.

It segues to "Eläköön!" (Long Live) with an explosive spark to break the monotony. "Tirehtööri" (Ringmaster) has more of a Middle Eastern vibe. Another one of the best tracks here and something worth playing in a nightclub in the Middle Eastern region. "MTV/DNA" breaks free from the metal heaviness to let the industrial machinery shine, but I'm sure it will still cause some positive feedback if it ends up on MTV. "Härkä" (The Bull) is so short yet unpredictable. It also has some of the fastest sections in the album that practically blast through, all while keeping the techno pace.

"Illuusio musiikista" (Illusion of Music) is another short interlude. Seguing into "Irstauden ilosanoma" (The Gospel of Lubricity), the guest vocals by Jessi Frey of Velcra and the chorus are both actually a bit annoying. Making up for that is "Piiloviestien neitietsivä" (Nancy Drew of Hidden Messages), which is a short yet pleasant return to full form. The remix of "Verta ja lihaa" (Blood and Flesh) is a little pointless, but I guess that remix was done so the album wouldn't be an under-half-hour-EP. The original is still better.

None of the tracks here are bad at all, although a couple tracks near the end threaten to be. Not even the interludes that work well to add atmosphere. Pirun Nyrkki has amazing strength, though it can't beat the perfection of the debut. Once again, the band can get you moving at both a rave and a moshpit!

Favorites: "Pirun nyrkki", "Tirehtööri", "MTV/DNA", "Härkä", "Piiloviestien neitietsivä"

And so it begins, an incredible interesting journey through Finnish industrial metal (NOT Neue Deutsche Härte, that's for German bands). Hoitovirhe (Malpractice) is the first album by Turmion Katilot, released in 2004. The band was formed by vocalist MC Raaka Pee (Petja Turunen) (his stage name could gain some laughs) and former guitarist DJ Vastapallo (Lassi Kauppinen). Their debut shows an equal blend of metal riffing fury and industrial beats. This album is for both metalheads and nightclubbers!

No amount of words can do these perfect songs justice, but I can talk about the best ones, starting with the honorable "Teurastaja" (Butcher). Fantastic industrial beats and metal instrumentation are worth taking it to the dancefloor. No matter how much of the Finnish language you can understand (I can't), the great intense vocals of MC Raaka Pee never betray. "Verta ja lihaa" (Blood and Flesh) has a chorus that will be stuck in your head for ages. Ballad "Pimeyden morsian" ("Bride of the Darkness") (yeah, I'm including a ballad in the highlights) sounds both delicate and funny at the same time, and pays off very well.

There's nothing bad here, really. Hoitovirhe is the perfect place to start for the band. If anyone is up for both headbanging and dancing, this is the album for you. There's more of this sound to come, so hold on to your seats!

Favorites: "Teurastaja", "Verta ja lihaa", "Pimeyden morsian"

I felt up to facing one of my worst enemies, the heavier side of death metal. This is the kind of devilish aggression I'm normally in a feud with, and yet I can't help but take it on. The chaotic nature smashes me around and leaves me breathless. It's so horrifying yet so good!

OK, I have to agree that this isn't death metal per se. Imagine blending together the standard death metal that you might find in 90s Hypocrisy and Bolt Thrower with the sludgy side of Neurosis and Will Haven, and a bit of Entombed's Wolverine Blues. You end up getting an excellent extreme death 'n' roll/sludge/groove metal sound, that barely any other band has tried.

The heavy opening track "Misery" has a dynamic groove sound, especially in the chorus. The first verse will let you know what you're in for, "Hey you, place called earth! Let me explain to you who I am! I’m your worst nightmare!" Then "Believer" continues the excellent deathly groove. It's one of the most monstrous songs here! You even get to hear some clean singing at the end that works like a charm. "Survive" is slower, though it rises back to the mighty groove. "All or Nothing" has annihilating bass and drums and inhumane vocals, though enjoyment is slightly futile.

"Denial" is entirely slow and melancholic, showing the album's sludgy side. Wonderful vocals and guitars here! "Assassinate the Scars" brings back the groove, this time in a brutal combo with a more death 'n' roll form. The bass and drums are more deathly, though things get more melodic by the end. "Recession" has killer slow riffing. And just when you think the sludge isn't going further...

"Living Wreck" once again has the slow sludgy melancholy. "Humiliation" reigns with the last bit of the deathly sludge/groove sound. The "Outro" is rather pointless, but it's an ominous end to this satisfyingly pummeling experience.

Disbelief seems like the kind of band to really crank up the heat with dark riffing as destructive as a kaiju monster apocalypse. Worst Enemy is an album with the kind of sound I would love to hear more of after gaining the bravery to start off here. So get ready to face a true powerful beast!

Favorites: "Misery", "Believer", "Denial", "Assassinate the Scars", "Humiliation"

Sabaton was one of the most energetic power metal bands I've heard back when I was a full-time listener of that metal genre. They stand out with their historically themed lyrics as opposed to the fantasy fiction other bands of the genre are known for. However, when I check out one of their albums today, I've realized they're not as memorable now as they were back then. The Last Stand was my last Sabaton album before I made my switch from power metal to heavier modern genres, and I thought it was a great follow-up to the excellent duo of Carolus Rex and Heroes. Today, not so much. Though I do like the concept of "last stand" battles...

That's right, history class students! I, Mr. Andi, will teach you about all the different ancient battles in Greece, Scotland, Japan, and worldwide (haven't forgotten about the World Wars). Your homework is to study for a history test, but not by reading all those boring textbooks, instead by listening to Sabaton's albums. This test covers "last stand" battles, so make sure you memorize all you need to know from this album, all while enjoying the music... Well, half of the music, anyway.

The epic bombastic "Sparta" has all to expect from a historical metal anthem that includes catchy keyboards and an epic chorus filled with chants of "SPARTA! HELLAS!" You definitely wanna become a horse-riding Spartan warrior and charge into a battle, though some of the later songs aren't that exciting... Exhibit A being the horribly cheesy "Last Dying Breath". There's some more cheese in "Blood of Bannockburn" but it's a much better, tastier cheese that makes this one of the best songs here. Adding bagpipes and hammond organ to heavy/power metal and lyrics encouraging you to "rally all the clans" and "join the Scottish Revolution"?! H*ll yes!

"Diary of an Unknown Soldier" is a short interlude about the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, with Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer narrating in the perspective of a soldier in the war. It sounded like a promising buildup to "The Lost Battalion", but that song ends up sounds too much like it was recorded in the Heroes sessions. "Rorke's Drift" is a better highlight, having a couple alternating tempos and energetic momentum to keep things going. That song and the title track have more well-thought lyrics.

"Hill 3234" is just plain bad. For starters, it ends up sounding too much like a Metallica song. Absolutely unfitting! This band seems to have trouble trying something different and the idea ends up sounding weird or forced. However, the catchy "Shiroyama" makes up for these earlier problems with its mighty chorus, "It's the last stand of the Samurai!" I might actually be up to researching samurai battles much further, thanks to that highlight. "Winged Hussars" is a song I remember because of its cool structure, chorus, riffing, keyboards, and lyrics related to Polish history. But then another thing I remember is... It's just like "Uprising" from Coat of Arms! Still pretty solid though. "The Last Battle" has catchy triumph to close the album, showing that simple rhythms can easily prevail.

All in all, The Last Stand is quite decent. However, the ideas seem forced and recycled at times, despite this cool unique concept of historical last stands. There's just so much similar to the 4 albums before this one while blending it all with new aspects. The highlights work well though and are worth traveling through history....

Favorites: "Sparta", "Blood of Bannockburn", "Rorke's Drift", "Shiroyama", "The Last Battle"

Our prayers for the masters of underground deathly thrash metal Sadus to return have been answered! Many fans of the band can deem their beginning trio of Illusions, Swallowed in Black, A Vision of Misery true classics. While they lost their earlier spark in Elements of Anger and Out for Blood, their music has never disappointed me.

After going on hiatus sometime in the 2010s, the band began recording their first album since 2006. However, their trio is down to two. Talented bassist Steve Di Giorgio left to focus on Testament. Vocalist/guitarist Darren Travis is still determined in keeping Sadus alive, taking over bass duties, while still having longtime drummer Jon Allen by his side. The duo continue ripping through their highly praised extreme sound in The Shadow Inside, bringing back their earlier fury while having some technicality.

The headbanging "First Blood" starts ominous in the ambient intro before the feral riffing and tight speedy drumming is unleashed in hellfire. Travis still has his skin-shredding shrieks staying as strong as he had 35 years ago with the band's first two albums. An extreme start for the band's comeback offering! Leveling up the fury is "Scorched and Burnt". That song and "It's the Sickness" greatly display the band's dark thrash riots. The latter is the album's first single and a true gem. This will certainly have the band competing with Kreator for some of the most vicious thrash possible. Insane dark riffing and percussion will get you hooked to the band's talented passion.

Attacking again is "Ride the Knife", another intense single that shall make an instant classic. "Anarchy" is a hellbent two and a half minute blaster with the closest they have here to the death metal of Vader. On the flipside of brutality, "The Devil in Me" explores mid-paced territory with a catchy chorus through Travis' tortured-ish screams.

Slowing down further is "Pain" which has more sinister atmosphere. "No Peace" brings back the speed and tempo changes that continue to show the genius minds of this duo. Travis' guitar lead melodies thunder through in harmonic rage. "New Beginnings" is a mysterious instrumental to set you up for the grand finale... The closing title track builds up in slow doom before letting out the last of their earlier velocity, melodic soloing, and vocal ferocity.

The older fans of Sadus who have heard of this band for over 30 years will have a delightful dose of nostalgia in The Shadow Inside. A new era has begun for the masters of deathly thrash. Maybe the thrash scene too if bands like Coroner, Dark Angel, Demolition Hammer, and Sabbat have their comeback albums ready. For the future of thrash!

Favorites: "First Blood", "It's the Sickness", "Ride the Knife", "No Peace", "The Shadow Inside"

Arcturus' widely-praised debut album Aspera Hiems Symfonia marked a new symphonic ascension for black metal. After that, the band switched gears to a different avant-garde style. I love La Masquerade Infernale (The Infernal Masquerade) as much as their debut, here because they didn't repeat their earlier sound unlike most other symphonic black metal bands. You can still hear the great keyboard melodies and guitar leads that they can play without going too extreme.

As with Garm's other project Ulver, he was starting to move away from the black metal aggression and having more focus on expanding his singing variety. His vocals can range from electronic to operatic. And that's an epic aspect that makes this offering worth your time!

The guitar skills by Knut Magne Valle provide atmosphere for "Master of Disguise". Vocalist Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg can sing well in low beauty. There are some samples here, but I think Garm could've easily sung them. Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnaes (guest vocalist who would later replace Garm full-time) sings in higher contrast with his operatic tenor. All in all, one of my favorite tracks here and the best opener! The neo-classical instrumental "Ad Astra" fits well in the album, but not as early as being the second track.

The more circus-y "The Chaos Path" has excellent vocals by Vortex. The title interlude has mysterious sound effects used as percussion to go alongside the somber piano melody. Blast-beats kick off "Alone" with a great boost.

"The Throne of Tragedy" has melodic bliss before jumping into melodic caverns. "Painting My Horror" is a true highlight, surpassing the opening track by a notch. Garm's vocals are awesome, even sounding eerie towards the end. "Of Nails and Sinners" is a killer closing track. Garm starts off with low operatic vocals, before rising into a nice chorus. A cool way out of the inferno!

All in all, any metalhead who wants to explore a more diverse, clean, classical side of the genre should get this release. It is an infernal carnival show not to be missed. A high recommendation for the open-minded!

Favorites: "Master of Disguise", "The Chaos Path", "The Throne of Tragedy", "Painting My Horror"

14 minutes is a short amount of time, and you can do anything during that amount of time. You can write something, do a small drawing, maybe have a call with someone, OR... Listen to music! See, I can spend 14 minutes of free time listening to music, but it's mostly just a progressive epic that long. I prefer to indulge in a journey rather than one of those grindcore speed-runs. Though I find great enjoyment in the Killwhitneydead debut release Inhaling the Breath of a Bullet, speeding through exactly 833 seconds.

See, I'm not usually a fan of this metalcore/deathgrind kind of sound, nor the grindcore aspect of really short songs. However, this release is an enjoyable exception, along with Daughter's Canada Songs. Something unique here is the amount of film samples they use, which is more of an industrial metal aspect. But d*mn it's quite interesting, and with up to a few samples in each song, that can almost outshine industrial metal bands when it comes to that aspect. Now I have a positive feeling about how well they perform the instrumentation. You can really hear those virtuoso guitar bursts!

"If It Ain't Johnny Cash, It Ain't Country" opens with well-done riffing brutality, complete with catchy speed. "I Already Have Enough Friends" have pretty much the same thing, quickly moving through your skull and brain faster than a bullet. "Hold Me Closer Tony Danza" starts with the same American Psycho quote as the one used by Children of Bodom between "Bodom Beach Terror" and "Angels Don't Kill" in Hate Crew Deathroll a year later.

"Another Tragic Case of the Rock Star Syndrome" strikes with blast-beats, vocals, and riffs, filled with bloody carnage. The structure isn't too complex or too simple but just right. The dark disturbing atmosphere works well for those riffs and samples. And there's a lot more in the two and a half minute highlight "Starring Robert Downey Jr. As 'The Addict'". Also standing out is "It's Like Eating a Little Piece of Jesus (A Murder's Communion)" that continues the crazy riffing/vocal brutality that summarizes the band's sound. Much of their talent appears again in "Is That My Blood or Hers?", with great vocals and guitars not too far off from Psyopus.

Even "Why Smile When I Am Carrying This Gun?" can have a similar amount of complex brutality to Within the Ruins. "Mikey and the Apartment of Misfit Porn" has some slight earlier standard metalcore of Hatebreed and Earth Crisis. "Killwhitneydead vs. The River Bottom Nightmare Band" has great sublime groove. "My Favorite Two Shades on You Are Black and Blue" ends the album with the last bit of crazy blasts and riffs and some last words from Patrick Bateman, "I think my mask of sanity is about to slip."

The sanity of this band has already slipped from the start, as they let their mad metalcore/deathgrind sound run wild and free. This is the kind of the madness worth 14 minutes of your life, if you're truly ready!

Favorites: "If It Ain't Johnny Cash, It Ain't Country", "Another Tragic Case of the Rock Star Syndrome", "Starring Robert Downey Jr. As 'The Addict'", "It's Like Eating a Little Piece of Jesus (A Murder's Communion)", "Is That My Blood or Hers?", "Mikey and the Apartment of Misfit Porn"

In This Moment know how to reinvent the modern metal wheel. Each album is different in sound so their fanbase doesn't get tired of them easily. This alt-metal group, founded by Chris Howorth and Maria Brink, have gone further down the Marilyn Manson/Nine Inch Nails-infused industrial metal rabbit hole with their new album Godmode!

After some slight hints in their 6th album Ritual, their next one Mother began to push the band's industrial side up front, creating strong anthems like their girl-power anthem of a Queen cover plus a few weak links. Although Godmode can have earlier fans cringe in dread, here the band refresh their sound into something simpler and more lively. The songs sound bolder and more organic, and Brink sounds like a true modern metal goddess.

The opening title track already hints at that return to their heavier feel. "The Purge" is another powerful highlight! I can hear quite a similar vibe to the more electronic material of Bring Me the Horizon and Motionless in White. The lyrics are quite eerie and fit well with the demonic-ish music. Maria Brink is quite impressive at making a cover of "Army of Me", a Bjork classic, though I prefer the covers from their previous two albums. Continuing to test out different styles, we have the djent-dance track "Sacrifice" that shows more clarity in the album than their previous few ones.

Brink's singing in "Skyburner" sounds a bit drunken, but there are good driving riffs. However, she can really scream in the verses of "Sanctify Me". Then "Everything Starts and Ends with You" continues to show the band adopting more electronic influences than before. It certainly can work for a video game of heavenly universal connection.

As usual, the album has a duet in "Damaged", with Ice Nine Kills vocalist Spencer Charnas. However, the interplay comes out a bit weird. It just isn't as balanced as that duet with the Ded vocalist in the previous album Mother. "Fate Bringer" has more of the earlier dance beat which, despite being unsettling, flows well. "I Would Die for You" is an epic ballad originally in the soundtrack for John Wick: Chapter 4. It reaches a hysterical climax that has really paid off.

All in all, In This Moment have truly revived what made them spectacular. With solid songs, all having Brink's godly and ungodly singing, Godmode has truly proven what the band has in store as the modern metal legends they are today!

Favorites: "Godmode", "The Purge", "Sanctify Me", "Everything Starts and Ends with You", "I Would Die for You"

With their EP A Certain Innate Suffering released in 1997, Withdrawn started off as dark sludgy metalcore/hardcore. Adding in some death metal elements that had yet to solidify the metal/deathcore sound of their 1999 album, you can consider this band a mix of Asphyx and Earth Crisis. Those were the days when UK hardcore had the slower metallic vibe of Deviated Instinct.

You can hear a stunning difference between this EP and Seeds of Inhumanity. Here you have a simpler yet brutal experience as there's more heaviness than variation. And this can actually be more of a struggle for modern listeners like myself...

First track "Lifeless" fits well in the song title. Apart from the aggression, there's not much exciting as it just plods along. The 7-minute epic "Serenity" is much better despite the lack of hardcore gang vocals and melodic hooks. What makes this song stand out is thick guitar reverb (different from the album) and the loose drumming (just like the album). Interesting despite the repetition! "Oceans of Darkness" greatly adds the doomy progressiveness that later Dodheimsgard and Green Carnation would have to the metallic hardcore of later bands like Vision of Disorder and Demon Hunter. "Embalmed" is a little too anticlimactic.

Intending to make a dark impact on UK metallic hardcore, the end result was a somewhat poor EP. After this, two of the members left to form their own bands, which would explain the more melodic sound the drummer and the guitarist would make in their album. Still this EP is worth hearing hardcore/metalcore at its darkest....

Favorites: "Serenity", "Oceans of Darkness"

Withdrawn was a band in the UK that developed the vegan straight-edge metal/hardcore scene in the UK. Their blend of elements from hardcore and melodic death metal give them an early metalcore/deathcore sound. After their 1999 album Seeds of Inhumanity, they changed their name to Evanesce (not to be confused with the more popular alt-rock/metal band Evanescence). The vocalist for this Withdrawn album is different from that of their EP, hardcore band Voorhees vocalist Ian "Lecky" Leck. His desperate vocals vary with more than just death growls and screams...

The band's influence is quite diverse for their early metal/deathcore sound, mixing elements of American metalcore bands like Earth Crisis and Abnegation, and European death metal bands like Carcass and old-school Anathema. With bits of melodeath and even death-doom in the cauldron, you know you're in for an interesting metal/hardcore dish, though the musicianship might be off at times despite being decent.

"Your Messiah Incomplete" is an ominous intro, but even then, it sounds a bit incomplete. Then "Cries" crashes through with some of the black/death-infused metalcore of Underoath at that time. That sound continues in "Bloodaxe", one of the best of the album. There's a bit of the early Anathema-like melodic death-doom riffing in "Tainted".

"Striation" is my favorite highlight of the album. They lose some speed but in a controlled pace, leading to a mighty breakdown, before getting moody in the end. Perhaps one of the greatest early deathcore songs besides some of the ones from Embodyment's Embrace the Eternal! "Infernal Black Skies" is an early example of adding some melody to deathcore, kinda like what early Abigail Williams and Lorna Shore would do many years later, but without any of the symphonic black metal elements. But then things get thin and filler in "Fueled by Fear".

I also f***ing hate "Hate Reborn", as it really deflates in quality. Fortunately, the title track redeems the album quality, opening with some crawling doom-ish riffing, followed by a Slayer-fueled midsection. "Incinerate" has some of the metallic melody picked up by Unearth. The song is 4 minutes long, but then nearly a half-hour of silence follows, and then a hidden track comes on, a strange demo outtake that doesn't add too much value.

Seeds of Inhumanity was a pretty good addition to the early UK metal/hardcore age, despite moving on as a different band that is Evanesce. Despite the thin guitar and a couple downers, this album has its right position with its violent rage. While not a total winner, I'm glad to listen to this offering, as my metalcore journey continues.....

Favorites: "Cries", "Bloodaxe", "Striation", "Infernal Black Skies", "Seeds of Inhumanity"

Roadrunner Records is one of the most famous and diverse metal/hard rock record labels of all time. Famous and infamous bands signed to the label like Slipknot, Trivium, Fear Factory, and Machine Head have made the label as big as it is. And the then-core members of each of those 4 bands were chosen for ambitious project conceived by ex-vice president of the label Monte Conner...

Mr. Conner wanted to do a special thing for Roadrunner's 25th anniversary. He wanted 4 members of different bands band together to make an album dedicated to the label. But then he decided to upgrade his idea into something more ambitious... The 4 chosen ones, ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison (RIP), Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, and Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn were tasked in each recording 4 songs (though one captain would have a bonus 5th) and choose any member of a Roadrunner-signed band past or present to record with them. The end result is a massive 18-song 77-minute album featuring 57 artists from 45 bands!

The modern thrash/groove/metalcore anthem "The Dagger" opens the album as the first one of Flynn's songs, and it already has a Machine Head gone Killswitch Engage vibe, which makes sense since it features ex-Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones. A godly guitar solo played Canadian thrash master Jeff Waters of Annihilator absolutely tears down the house. An amazing kick-A starter track! The guitar skills of second captain Cazares the guitar/drum chaos of "The Enemy" after an acoustic intro by Sepultura's Andreas Kisser. With Cazares' riffing that is able to bring back that of Demanufacture without any of the industrial aspects, and the sharp vocals of Mark Hunter (Chimaira), you're in for another deathly thrash-metalcore treat. "Annihilation by the Hands of God" is full on death metal that showcases Jordison's stampeding drum blasts and murderous riffing. The song is OK, but a little too deathly for me, and Deicide vocalist Glen Benton's growls aren't that great. The diverse writing of Matt Heafy, back then a 19-year-old aspiring metal star, begins with the song "In the Fire". The sinister and operatic singing of the legendary King Diamond is some of the best vocals I've heard in the album. And we have an awesome guitar solo duel between Matt and Trivium bandmate Corey Beaulieu. An absolutely killer 80s heavy/speed metal standout!

"The End" features Heafy's clean singing in a wonderful hard rock/alt-metal power ballad. An incredible experiment by Cazares and Heafy that has paid off! And I'm glad that one received a single and video, the only one from the entire album to have those. "Tired 'n Lonely" is a much different song written by Jordison, like is this modern bluesy hard rock?!? Likely so, as if it's something Slash and Wednesday 13 would write! Life of Agony's Keith Caputo (now known as Mina Caputo after gender transition) has well-fitting vocals there. Still a highlight, but not beating most of the first 5 tracks. "Independent (Voice of the Voiceless)" has the fast aggression of the thrash/groove metal that can be heard in Sepultura, Soulfly, and a less industrial Nailbomb. And it's no coincidence that Flynn chose the vocalist of those 3 bands, Max Cavalera for that song. It's great hearing this Cavalera-borrowed bridge riff, though the rest of the song is a bit strange. Though not as much as the next one written by Heafy, "Dawn of a Golden Age", pure blasting black metal with the haunting shrieks of Cradle of Filth leader Dani Filth. This is only for those brave enough to explore the Satanic depths of black metal.

The next Flynn-written song is "The Rich Man", with Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor singing as sinister atmosphere builds up along the way. There's decent bass in the soft verses, and then the chorus has usual heavy riffing of metal. A solid nu/alt-metal song made interesting with the clean verses and rough chorus. "No Way Out" is more of a simple alt-pop rock song. However, unlike Jordison's other rock song, there's way more melody than actual heaviness, and the vocals by Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw come out so bad. I'm sorry, but NO. Then "Baptized in the Redemption" has more of Cazares' heaviness, and Dez Fafara of Coal Chamber and Devildriver. You can consider this a Latin-inspired groove/nu metal song, especially in the f***ing headbanging riffing at the start, and another guest appearance by Andreas Kisser in a pulverizing solo. One song that doesn't get mentioned much is "Roads", and that's because it wasn't written by any of the 4 team captains, along with being a much different-sounding song from the rest. Beautiful keyboards are performed by Type O Negative keyboardist Josh Silver and the vocals and acoustic guitar are performed by Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt. That's all the song has, but it's still pretty nice, with a catchy chorus melody. Another incredible song written by Heafy is "Blood and Flames", a sludgy groove metalcore song with powerful vocals by Killswitch Engage current vocalist Jesse Leach. A definite highlight here!

"Constitution Down" has heavier extreme drumming by Jordison. I enjoy it a bit, but that groove/thrash track sung by Kyle Thomas of Exhorder sounds a bit unnecessary in their attempt to tribute to Pantera. Heafy's last song here is "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)", and... What?! I never thought he would write a two-minute Pennywise-esque hardcore punk song featuring ex-Misfits vocalist Michale Graves, let alone make one that's a true anthem to please my ears! Nicely done, Matt! The last one of Flynn's songs "Army of the Sun" is the most different one in that category. That one's more of a melodic heavy/alt-metal power ballad in a similar vein to "The End". The chorus and bridge is so beautiful, sung by Tim Williams from Bloodsimple and Visions of Disorder. Cazares makes one more move in "No Mas Control", which has the most Fear Factory-like vibe in the riffing for a groove/nu metalcore attack, as Ill Nino vocalist Christian Machado rages through. Not bad, though could've been better. Joey got to write a bonus 5th song to end this offering, and that final song "Enemy of the State" starts with the beautiful piano of Josh Silver. Adding more to the calm gothic doom depressiveness of Type O Negative is the deep singing of the late Peter Steele (RIP). The song is OK, but it ends it all in more of a whimper than a bang.

All in all, this impressive Roadrunner United is one of the most ambitious offerings in metal history. Although it is considered alt-metal, you can't deny the metalcore, thrash, groove, and to a lesser extent, death/black metal appearing here. Heafy and Cazares write the best songs here, and how can I say otherwise? They're from two of my favorite bands! No disrespect to Jordison, but he really could've written his songs better. Flynn is somewhere in between. Any musicians from at least one metal band you love and enjoy? They're all in this astonishing offering. Here's to another impressive project like this in the future, hopefully in Roadrunner's 50th year, 2030....

Favorites: "The Dagger", "The Enemy", "In the Fire", "The End", "Tired 'n Lonely", "Baptized in the Redemption", "Blood and Flames", "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)", "Army of the Sun"

You gotta admit, Arjen Lucassen is a true talented space metal genius. He can make a song with just a couple riffs and transform it into something beyond belief. I was once a fan of Ayreon and remembered the mind-blowing status of his albums. I suppose one day I can check out some of his former projects that I missed out on like Stream of Passion, but for now, let's escape into a wonderous dimension of progressive space metal!

Musically, Star One's debut picks up where Ayreon left off in Flight of the Migrator, including that album's heavier D-tuned sound. This time, only one of the two discs is the main album, and there are 4 vocalists in every song; Russell Allen, Floor Jansen, Damien Wilson, and Dan Swano. The music speaks in loud fury while in spacey beauty.

Beginning the album with mellow keyboards is the intro "Lift-Off" which is the perfect title in this space metal album. The upbeat heaviness ignites in "Set Your Controls". The deep synth/guitar momentum adds more heaviness to this song than any other Lucassen has made before then. Allen and Jansen's vocals stand out in "High Moon". With mid-tempo guitar heaviness, that song and the faster previous one are the best way to summarize what's next for the rest of the album. "Songs of the Ocean" is pretty good, though it sounds closer to the earlier hard rock of Deep Purple. Next track "Master of Darkness" is based on Star Wars. Being the Star Wars fan I am, I give the song a thumbs-up for that and the best Stratovarius-like guitar/keyboard soloing battle that greatly alternates with the climax lyrically based on the Skywalker father-son battle.

The ballad-ish 3-part epic "The Eye of Ra" breaks the earlier mid-tempo/fast pace and is so majestic, especially in the epic ending where all 4 vocalists plus background vocalist Robert Soeterboek sing in perfect harmony. "Sandrider" is a bit choppy in the riffing, but the pace is kept steady. Catchy strong vocals are performed by Swano and Jansen. "Perfect Survivor" is another slow track. It's not perfect but still solid. "Intergalactic Space Crusaders" is another brilliant highlight, as the keyboards, guitars, and vocals take you on a d*mn smooth galactic ride. Based on 2001: A Space Odyssey, "Starchild" is another long slow 3-part epic. However, unlike that other epic, the choir sounds a little annoying and pompous. The ballad-ish pace here is just too cheesy, though the song ends better than it began. Probably the weakest track here, but strong enough to maintain the 4.5-star rating for this album, or at least the standard edition...

The limited edition bonus disc starts with the kick-A "Hawkwind Medley" consisting of 9 different Hawkwind sections, with Dave Brock himself leading the vocal pack. "Spaced Out" is just straight-on rock. "Inseparable Enemies" has better guitar/synth harmonies. "Space Oddity" is a delightful cover of the David Bowie hit, sung by Lucassen himself. "Starchild" is given a slightly longer Dolby Pro-Logic remix, but it doesn't really improve much. Then there's a differently vocal-arranged version of "Spaced Out". The humorous hidden track "Intergalactic Laxative" (originally by Donovan) doesn't add much. Still most other limited edition bonus tracks are worth going that extra lightyear.

Having taken a break from my daily dose of metalcore/deathcore to check out a piece of Arjen Lucassen's prolific career, holy sh*t, I can still hear his amazing space magic! This Ayreon spin-off project of progressive metal with the speed of power metal and the cosmic vibe of Hawkwind is something not to miss out on. This man's a true genius!

Favorites: "Set Your Controls", "High Moon", "Master of Darkness", "The Eye of Ra", "Intergalactic Space Crusaders", "Hawkwind Medley", "Inseparable Enemies", "Space Oddity" (David Bowie cover)

Nothing like some dense dark experimentation, eh? Epiphanic Truth is an anonymous trio whose photos only show them masked up and in monk robes, and having come from some former unmentioned bands. You might think of their album Dark Triad: Bitter Psalms to a Sordid Species as a 3-track EP, but those 3 acts cover a total runtime of almost 44 minutes. And there's a lot in their experimental prog-death metal journey with some pieces of ambient black-doom and psychedelic jazz to make this an adventure.

The band guard their anonymity so well, and it makes sense to keep this dark secret away from the social media spotlight. The dark triad is said to consist of psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism to warn us of civilization's bitter future.

"The Truth of the Beast" has an abstract structure for an under-10-minute track. Throughout the first half, they let their brutal frenzy run loose. Then it ends with a few minutes of soft creepy jazz. "An Inescapable Verdict" has a lot put together, as listeners are kept in attention easily as pride collapses. "Our Vile Roots Flourish Beyond Light" is the 22-minute show-stopping epic that covers over half of the album's length as different sounds breeze through this satanic tale.

Imagine hearing complex heaviness blended with intricate atmosphere. Ain't that something to get you hooked! That's the kind of sonic extreme prog-metal you can hear from Enslaved but darker and more deathly. Epiphanic Truth prefer not to relive the past but shape up the future with their strange new realm....

Favorites: All 3, but the best would be "Our Vile Roots Flourish Beyond Light"

You know what? This band is right. Djent is not a genre... It's a subgenre! A progressive metal subgenre originated by Meshuggah (in a happy accident) and developed by Sikth and Textures. Periphery is part of the trio that popularized the subgenre, alongside Animals as Leaders and Tesseract. I haven't really heard a lot of Periphery, but I decided that this will be the best time to explore what this band has to offer. And I just found a glorious prime example of the subgenre! Despite the album title denying it...

People say the pandemic is no more, but I don't think so, at least not in my country. I do have to mention that the virus really impacted the music industry. Having written this album as early as 2021, Periphery was able to persevere through those dark times and release it two years later. I, along with many other djent fans, am thankful for that.

The intense fury of "Wildfire" stampedes with crushing riffing, and the vocal aggression of vocalist Spencer Sotelo. Melody shines in the vibrant chorus, and there's more of that to come in this blessing... "Atropos" shows the band confidently balancing out technical brutality and elegant melody. They can unleash aggressive power at any time. Drummer Matt Halpern can switch from mid-paced drumming to machine-gun-firing blast-beats when the time is right. Those guys know how to do it right, and that's why that track is an ultimate djent highlight. "Wax Wings" continues the captivating creativity. The leads and rhythms keep you in attention, and the soundscape gets more emotional with some clean piano. Heaviness can be beautiful!

"Everything is Fine!" has more of the dissonant hooks. Destruction is unleashed from the complex drums. Not for the faint of heart, but for those who are willing to take on the mosh pit, especially with the riff returns as a slow devastator. "MY BODY IS NOT A HAVEN, IT'S A F***ING PRISON!!!" After that, "Silhouette" is the calm after the storm with nostalgia-inducing 80s synths. "Dying Star" has that similar uplifting vibe, only they return to the impressive intricate heaviness. They can really add warm calm color to an ultra-heavy subgenre like djent.

"Zagreus" kicks the heaviness back to bloodthirsty brutality. This almost has a blackened vibe with the riffing and demonic growling. I haven't heard Sotelo sound so savage since when he guest appeared in Sikth's "Cracks of Light". Then the track closes with a cinematic orchestral ending. After that is the first of two 11+ minute epics (the second album I've reviewed in a row to have that, first being Tool's 10,000 Days), "Dracul Gras". The hammering intro gives you the energy for an epic journey. Lots of cohesive transformation to leave your jaws dropped to the floor. Midway through is a haunting yet beautiful melodic section. Then the monstrous intensity attacks once more before ending with soft ambient synthwave (huh???). The second epic "Thanks Nobuo" has optimistic momentum leading up to ending it all with great energy. Melodies and grooves battle for prominence while Sotelo's vocals continue to soar from high to low and vice versa. Whoever Nobuo is, he says "You're welcome."

Periphery is proud of their innovative career, and they never cease their incredible experimentation in the 5th part of their non-Juggernaut saga. It's not every album or band whose members all form a team of unbreakable passion. The pioneers of modern djent stay strong, whether or not they deny the genre status of the style they popularized!

Favorites: "Atropos", "Wax Wings", "Dying Star", "Zagreus", "Dracul Gras"

Slipknot bassist Paul Gray passed away in 2010. Drummer Joey Jordison was fired from the band 2013, and he also left the world in 2021. RIP... Taking the place of those two fallen members are two new guys who also mask up, Jay Weinberg (drums) and Alessandro "Vman" Venturella (bass).

Although I enjoy a bit nu/alt-metal, I'm never really in the Slipknot fan camp. This collective-like band that also consisted of vocalist Corey Taylor, percussionists Shawn "Clown" Crahan and Chris Fehn, guitarists Jim Root and Mick Thomson, and keyboardists Sid Wilson and Craig "133" Jones can still unleash great rage from their time of grief in .5: The Gray Chapter! It is a dark punishing experience balanced out with clean vocal melodies. They sure know how to put the old and the new in killer contrast.

Synth organ and xylophone add solemnness to the intro "XIX". Corey Taylor yells in his clean voice about being "too busy being called to disappear, I'm in no shape to be alone contrary to the s*** you might hear". That adds a bit of a vibe from his other band Stone Sour. The raging "Sarcastrophe" starts off with slow guitar and percussion before breaking down the walls with heaviness and speed. Killer riffing, growled vocals, and rapid-fire drumming add faster delivery. No disrespect to Joey Jordison, but it marks quite a step from his earlier precision that works well for that thrashy madhouse. "AOV" has much faster thrash, probably the most out of this band, especially in the neck-breaking intro. The growled verses work well together with the clean choruses. Slipknot is already showing their progressive evolution, as they slow down in the bridge and even add sing-along melody towards the end before the last of the brutal riff rhythm. A different addition to the band's journey! "The Devil in I" begins with a sludgy groove intro then quiets down for the verses of morose clean guitar and bass with Taylor's vocal sorrow. The chorus is heavier but modest. There's a massive breakdown leading into a quick bridge as fast as grindcore. Right from there is "Killpop" which Taylor's Stone Sour tendencies blended with the industrial of Nine Inch Nails. The chorus soars with crazed percussion, and the chaos rises until it makes an abrupt stop. Note that the song is the shortest full song at 3:45, but it could've been a bit longer so it wouldn't end abruptly like that.

A tribute to Paul Gray, "Skeptic" has satisfying thrash-groove riffing with a bit of Faith No More-esque experimentation. "Lech" starts with Taylor shouting "I know why Judas wept, motherf***ers!", another total ripper. There are scorching drum patterns ranging from slow brutality in the breakdowns to jackhammering thrash in the faster sections. The more draggy electronic-tinged "Goodbye" has Taylor's cleans in soft echo. Then the heavy rhythm grows into a terrific solo that makes things better, sounding like there might be a return to the thrash, but that doesn't happen in the song when the climax ends prematurely. "Nomadic", however, segues into the band's earlier charging blitz, also having some harmonic choruses. The thrashy solo blows you away like a hurricane. "The One That Kills the Least" is a killer track that leads into the one that kills the most...

The reckless "Custer" has a bit of spoken word before his scathing ranting over crushing speed as he chants, "CUT CUT CUT ME UP AND F*** F*** F*** ME UP!" When my brother was listening to the song this year when the song became a TikTok staple, that was my indirect invitation to listen to the album that included that thrashy highlight. Then there's the spooky interlude "Be Prepared for Hell". It then leads "The Negative One" filled with thrash-grind mayhem. Compelling finale "If Rain Is What You Want" is once again dedicated to Paul Gray, signifying the end of an era and a new beginning. There are a couple hidden tracks, but we'll skip them.

The Gray Chapter works appropriately as a tribute to Gray after Slipknot had all the time to mourn and grieve their fallen member. Anyone who's more likely to be a Slipknot fan than I will ever be can definitely get onboard. Just choose what you like and ignore the haters....

Favorites: "Sarcastrophe", "AOV", "Skeptic", "Lech", "Nomadic", "Custer", "The Negative One"

Until this month, I've never realized how kick-A 70/early 80s metal can be. I know that there are people around here with more metal knowledge who might correct me, but I'm saying this without fear of contradiction; Riot is the first American true heavy metal band to still be popular today, and they've had some metal right from the start. However, Fire Down Under is the album that really baby-sealed their metal sound!

Yeah, my metal history is slightly mixed up, maybe because I'm so young like in my mid-20s, but I know where some bands get their speed from. Speed was a new and fresh idea in the early 1980s, with some metal albums paving the way for other bands kickstarting speed/thrash metal in its full form. Fire Down Under is one of those albums.

First track "Swords and Tequila" is the album's classic heavy metal at its f***ing peak! They know how to pull off a bit of humor while keeping their metal serious. I'm talking about absolutely blazing metal! You can hear Guy Speranza singing about a knight charging into battle after swigging a certain Mexican alcoholic drink, though the band's later vocalist would have greater range. The speed is what bands like Venom and early Running Wild would pick up for their own speed metal styles in the mid-80s. There's glorious fun in the dive-bombing solo by Mark Reale that might remind some of the soloing in Manowar's songs. Not only does the soloing sparkle but also the metal riff rhythm. It's just upsetting that both an amazing vocalist and a master-mindful guitarist are gone from this world. Once again, RIP... The title track is full-on early blazing speed metal. You can't get more electrifying than that in the first couple years of the 80s. However, the band would take a slower turn right after that... "Feel the Same" has more mood and less speed, but I guess it's fair after that massive one-two punch.

"Outlaw" has more Thin Lizzy-esque hard rock, but the guitars really punch through. That's the kind of hard rock that wasn't usually heard in America at that time, but it could shine in the 80s as much as it did in the 70s. The organic sound and production deserves my respect! "Don't Bring Me Down" once again kicks up the pace, with Speranza singing comedic lyrics smack-talking his ex-girlfriend, "You call me a wimp, you say I'm a chump? Well your face is bent, and you smell like gorilla dump". A bit of silly fun without sounding out of place in the seriousness. "Don't Hold Back" really kicks up the speed, though the irony is, the verses and heavy rhythm seem to be held back. It still turns out well with a gang-shouted chorus. Next track "Altar of the King" is my favorite here. The riffing is absolutely memorable, and there are well-crafted leads. None of the songs in the album reach the 5-minute mark, yet that highlight makes things seem pleasantly long and worth it.

"No Lies" can actually be an excellent example of early slower power metal. "Run For Your Life" is also good, but what bugs me is, they used the same song title for an entirely f***ing different song in Thundersteel. "Flashbacks" is, just like the previous album's title track, a 4-minute instrumental. It's quite weird hearing audio samples of concerts and interviews over a screeching guitar solo. But then it fades out a cool song is starting to play. A bit anticlimactic, but a good sign that the band would continue.

I won't keep track of the bonus tracks, but I'll say Fire Down Under is the most famous album of the Guy Speranza era. Other bands boosting up classic heavy metal outside the UK back then include Germany's Accept and Denmark's Mercyful Fate. I still can't believe Speranza is gone from the band and this world. Carry on through the fight!

Favorites: "Swords and Tequila", "Fire Down Under", "Outlaw", "Altar of the King", "No Lies"

Riot is another band in which I hear more metal in the least metal material than other listeners could. Their earlier riffs sound quite metal to me. However, I can't say for the album cover. It's a little strange for me. The baby-seal-faced warrior is dressed up like a sumo wrestler, which I guess makes sense for this album being called Narita.

Odd cover aside, the music is quite interesting. The members of the band continue to impress fans of their sound. The vibrant energy shows their motivation. They continue their hard rock/heavy metal sound with slightly more metal emphasis. There are even songs that hint at the speedier sound that would appear in their next album Fire Down Under. Yep, Narita already has some songs heading there...

Right there is the wicked "Waiting for the Taking", which actually maintains the Rock City tone in the guitars and bass, almost like an outtake from that album. These easy tones fit well with the riffing that's bad-a** as h*ll. You can expect great sass from the soloing of Mark Reale and the vocals of Guy Speranza. RIP those two awesome musicians along with original guitarist L.A. Kouvaris who wrote some lyrics for Narita but passed guitar duties to Rick Ventura who's also quite great. Jimmy Iommi (brother of legendary Tony Iommi) keeps up the bass pumps, while Peter Bitelli stays steady behind the drum kit. One track, "49er" isn't as catchy as the rest. Sounding cool once again is "Kick Down the Wall" which has more of the bluesy hard rock of Foghat. Iommi's bass pumps displays his booming talent.

The band's cover of "Born to Be Wild", the Steppenwolf hit that popularized the phrase "heavy metal" in rock music. Nice execution, but the sh*tty production sounds like it was a last-minute addition. The rapid title instrumental has upbeat riffing and drumming. An explosive piece of early speed metal! It would've been better with Speranza's vocal power, but the track can still do fine without it. And there's more of his expressive singing to come in other catchy tunes. "Here We Come Again" has some casual rock to expect from early Riot. "Do It Up" is respectable while a bit humble compared to the band's more top-notch material.

The constructive "Hot for Love" has a memorable chorus with melodic emotion that's worth radio play. The short rebellious "White Rock" continues the heavy energy the band could present at ease. The soloing is in strong diversity as always. But it doesn't beat "Road Racin'". This one is more remarkable in the vocals and heavy riffing, yet another hint at the more metal direction of their next album.

Riot was a band who wanted to make money. But they weren't doing it for the business, they were doing it for the joy. The American heavy metal scene was starting to form, and Riot was ready to enter it. So if you're up for the challenge in Narita, buckle up! It's gonna be a heavy flight....

Favorites: "Waiting for the Taking", "Kick Down the Wall", "Narita", "Hot for Love", "Road Racin'"

To paraphrase a Honeymooners quote, they're a RIOT! One of the earlier American heavy metal bands, Riot was formed in 1975 in New York City. Their mascot is a buff warrior with a baby seal face, apparently suggested by one of the producers' girlfriend who fought against animal poaching. Riot would then become synonymous with classic heavy metal in America and battle against record labels who don't allow what they want but give them what they don't want.

And holy sh*t, their debut album Rock City already shows the band rolling through. Those guitars rise up high in raging speed of the dynamic duo Mark Reale and Lou A. Kouvaris, in perfect balance with the memorable vocals of Guy Speranza. 3 talented band members, sadly long gone. RIP...

Let's go straight to the opening track "Desperation". Kicking things off is the attention-grabbing bass of Jimmy Iommi (brother of Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi), while the two guitar men strike on with their top-notch skills. And right after the second one of Iommi's bass fills is a kick-A solo by Reale. "Warrior" has glowing energy in the chorus, and the guitar solo stands out yet again. The title track has more in common with Boston's Aerosmith. There's some old-school bluesy riffing, which is somewhat cool. I don't mean to put down a popular band like Aerosmith, but Riot has louder intricacy in Reale's riffs and solos, and Speranza's vocals are more organic and happy. But if anyone reading is a fan of Aerosmith, that's OK. Riot is what I'm in for when it comes to classic hard rock/metal.

"Overdrive" blasts through in speed overdrive within more of the bad-a** guitar. Which leads us into "Angel", in Reale continues the Aerosmith-like heavy rock in the rhythms and solos. The chorus is quite suggestive and PG-13, "You're an angel with a broken wing, you're an angel who was born to...born to swing, oooh yeah I feel like a dog in heat, oooh yeah I got a fire burning under my feet." Playing things out with radiant guitar is "Tokyo Rose", as the fast addictive chorus plays. This is worth listening to in a nice night drive through the streets of Tokyo.

You'll never lose your good mood in "Heart of Fire". Then "Gypsy Queen" continues the catchiness of earlier tracks. "This is What I Get" is a total gem of a highlight. Seriously, it barely flops at all! It's a graceful catchy tune without ever going too far into the mainstream. Over 45 years since this heavy metal/hard rock classic offering was released, and that closing track can still please a young metalhead like me.

The production in a few songs may plant the seed for a couple genres a few years later like biker metal and street punk, but expect classic heavy metal in this release, which would be cranked up in later albums. Rock City proves that the band can light up the world today as they had in the late 70s!

Favorites: "Desperation", "Warrior", "Overdrive", "Tokyo Rose", "This is What I Get"

Avantasia is Edguy vocalist Tobias Sammet's ambitious side-project. The project started off with two Metal Opera albums in the early 2000s. The albums have many guest musicians and artists from bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Virgin Steele, Stratovarius, and Within Temptation. They were, just WERE, an essential part of my power metal discoveries. After reforming with a 2007 two-EP series Lost in Space, the album promoted by those two EPs had arrived... 2008's The Scarecrow was hitting the charts in not just Germany but other European countries also, such as Czech Republic, Greece, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, and Switzerland. The different sound and atmosphere replaced earlier fans with new ones. It's more of a blend of hard rock and power metal, with guests coming from bands of both genres. A great album with monumental vocalists!

Sammet made a new lineup for the album which consists of himself performing bass and vocals, ex-Heaven's Gate members Sascha Paeth and Miro on guitars and keyboards, respectively, and Kiss drummer Eric Singer. Some guitar solos were provided by Gamma Ray guitarists Henjo Richter and Kai Hansen (though I wish Hansen could've also done some vocals) and Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker. As for the guest vocalists, it was because of ex-Kamelot vocalist Roy Khan in the first track that I ended up stumbling upon this band and entering the metal opera world. Other vocalists from big bands include Jorn Lande (ex-Masterplan), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), Bob Catley (Magnum), Amanda Somerville (Aina), Alice Cooper, and Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance). This bombastic hard rock/power metal album also has a bit of classic heavy metal, soft rock, pop rock, and a couple ballads. The guitars range from memorable riffs to dueling solos, and the drums are solid too. And outstanding vocals here!

"Twisted Mind" is the aforementioned opening track, and a strong place to start. The dark Middle-Eastern-esque riffing melody reminds me of Power Quest's "Another World", and that's one of a couple reasons why this song is my entryway to this band, the other reason, of course, being Roy Khan, making a fitting vocal contrast for when he sings with Sammet. The chorus totally blows my mind, though the ending drags a bit. The best song here is the 11-minute title epic. This was, and still is one of my favorite power metal epics when I was still heavily into the power metal genre nearly 10 years ago. It's more of a metallic hard rock track with a Celtic intro and a symphonic bridge. There's also a strong chorus, Sammet's vocal duel with Jorn Lande, and a long solo leading into a majestic climax. Lande has that Whitesnake/Dio edge in his voice. There are also background vocals by Michael Kiske near the end. One of the best highlights of Avantasia! "Shelter from the Rain" is a fast standout similar to early Helloween, featuring the two Gamma Ray guitarists and vocals by Kiske and Bob Catley. From the epic intro to the melodic chorus, along with a Gamma Ray guitar battle, it's just so great!

Then we switch gears to hard/pop rock in the strictly Sammet-sung "Carry Me Over", though the chorus almost reminds me of Dream Theater's "Pull Me Under". The pop rock ballad "What Kind of Love" is a love duet with Amanda Somerville. It's not terrible, but it doesn't really fit right in the album. "Another Angel Down" has the usual power metal, with more of Lande's strong vocals alongside Sammet. The guitars leads and duels are all memorable, as is the perfect chorus. "The Toy Master" has Alice Cooper singing, with not much from Sammet. It starts creepy and atmospheric before some memorable mid-tempo hard rock strength. I enjoy the chorus, plus the great power metal bridge.

"Devil In The Belfry" has some catchy speed. It starts with nice soloing, and Lande's vocals are pretty good. However, the chorus sounds too pompous, like it tries to be impressive but ends up dragging and falling flat. "Cry Just A Little" is an acoustic/soft rock ballad that causes further damage to the flow. "I Don't Believe In Your Love" is mostly mediocre hard rock. "Lost in Space" is one more pop/hard rock track, but the best one of that category. I especially recommend the extended version featuring Kiske.

All in all, The Scarecrow is a strong comeback for the band, the first part of the Wicked Trilogy continuing in their 2010 albums The Wicked Symphony and Angel Of Babylon. The album is a bit uneven with a couple weak tracks and Sammet getting more vocals than one of the guests and vice versa. Nonetheless, a very solid metal opera album....

Favorites: "Twisted Mind", "The Scarecrow", "Shelter from the Rain", "Another Angel Down", "The Toy Master", "Lost in Space"

"The time has come. A chance to make amends for what went wrong. An opportunity to lay to rest. The ghost of all my memories. This time I cannot fail. This time..." That quote is somewhat accurate to my current plan, revisiting power metal albums from the past to let go of the haunting subsequent memories of my regretful desire to let it all fall from my grasp. Wings of Forever is the debut of a band formed by keyboardist Steve Williams who had just left DragonForce when they still had the name DragonHeart. A couple other DragonForce members were also in Power Quest; guitarist Sam Totman in the debut, and ex-vocalist ZP Theart in the demo. This association encouraged me to make my power metal interest a reality. And there is some similarity to DragonForce's Valley of the Damned released next year, though that one is a mountain-sized feat!

Now here's what different from DragonForce's debut. Wings of Forever is a bit humble of a start for Power Quest. I mean, there is the technical speed that is what many power metal bands were doing 20 years before today, but this band does it all without having to expand their resources. The band had trouble find a drummer, so they instead used a drum machine with the nickname "Scott Michaels". It sounds quite realistic, but it gives the album less organic strength. A real drummer would've made this a perfect offering. While DragonForce is known for their fast headbanging songs with the length extended by their solos, Power Quest seems to have more focus on epic-sounding atmosphere to cover that length which can make things slightly uneven, though they would have less of that issue in later albums. The atmosphere is created by Steve Williams who also bring the keys up to the front stage alongside the melodic guitar wizardry by Sam Totman to get you hooked.

The catchy brief "Prelude to Destiny" already gets you onto your seat with Williams' keyboard fiddling, a nice pleasant guitar solo, and a rising scream from vocalist Alessio Garavello to top it off. The title track is a true standout. The pace pretty much mirrors that any one of the songs from Valley of the Damned. Other guitarist Adam Bickers is Sam Totman's soloing buddy for this album, just like Herman Li but without any 8-bit tricks. Just pure electric guitar melody right in the face! Another fast catchy track "Far Away" is one of the band's most popular songs, and Alessio's versatile vocals have great harmony. I guess ZP Theart would've probably made this song sound more like DragonForce, but Alessio is the real star there. The progression is less apparent in another fast track "Glory Tonight", one of the two tracks originally in the Theart-led demo.

The mid-paced epic that acts as the band's theme song "Power Quest (Part I)" displays great impact in Williams' writing. He had assisted in writing some of DragonForce's long songs, and he was able to continue showing the lengthy side of his writing in his own band's ultimate anthem. "Beyond the Stars" is the only song Sam Totman wrote for the album, and it makes sense for that song to be the most DragonForce-esque of the bunch. Anyone who has listened to Valley of the Damned would be amazed by such a rocket-fired speeder. If Williams stayed with DragonForce, would that song end up in a DragonForce album? Likely, though with extension in the soloing. "Immortal Plains" is the album's power ballad, and it shows Alessio taking a break from the Iron Maiden/Helloween highs for a softer baritone closer to my voice, over smooth piano/keyboard. And it's done better than Dragonland's ballads!

"Follow Your Heart" is the other track originally in the Theart-led demo, and the better one of the two. This is pretty much my introductory song to Power Quest upon discovering the ZP Theart demo version on YouTube. The band once again greatly progress through wild soloing. "Freedom of Thought" is the last full song of the album, with astonishing glory once more in another 7-minute epic. The outro "Distant Lands" closes the album as a nice melancholic E-flat tuned guitar outro to end this standard yet ambitious album better than Dragonland's debut. To experience the last of Williams' ambient keyboard majesty, check out the Japanese edition bonus track "Gates of Tomorrow", a grand epic interlude. The soloing is fun despite being buried in the mix. And then it's all over until next time...

All in all, Wings of Forever displayed Power Quest as a different band from their later albums. Williams' writing evolution started out from his time with DragonForce, and when he worked with Sam Totman and ZP Theart (demo only) among other members in Power Quest's debut, and their DragonForce influences show, though not proven until next year with the release of Valley of the Damned. By then, Totman and Bickers had already left the band, and the last thing Totman could do for Power Quest was add in some soloing contributions to their second album Neverworld. As the band's tenure went on, so many different instrumentalists and vocalists took the place of those who were leaving, which further turned the band towards a different path. While it ended up giving the band a more mature identity of their own, the time when they were known as a DragonForce spin-off should be remembered. Whether being original or identical, the quality is what's worth this album being added to your power metal collection!

Favorites: "Wings of Forever", "Power Quest (Part I)", "Beyond the Stars", "Follow Your Heart", "Freedom of Thought", "Gates of Tomorrow"

Power metal cheese is like regular cheese. You loved it a lot when you were younger, but as you get older, you can get sick from having too much shoved down your throat. In saying that, I probably wouldn't have gotten into the more symphonic side of power metal without an accidental discovery via this band. Orchestral keys and guitar fury slam through clay-cracking bass and pounding drums, alongside the sweet vocals of Jonas Heidgert, as if the entire band is a dragon. A Rhapsody (of Fire)-influenced dragon!

Fixing some mistakes from their debut, their second album Holy War has energetic progression that is a d*mn stunner. Heidgert stands out as another amazing vocalist in the power metal league. His unique delivery is out of this world.

The orchestral intro "Hundred Years Have Passed" is a little longer than it should've been, but it reminds me of the different Elder Scrolls theme songs. You end up warping into the medieval fantasy realm that is Dragonland. The fast heavy greatness begins with "Majesty of the Mithril Mountains". I barely have anything to say about the majestic glory of that track. "Through Elven Woods and Dwarven Mines" creeps in with ominous synths then knocks you fine blazing guitar riffing. You'll definitely wanna explore the Elven Woods of Tirannwn and the Dwarven Mines near the Ice Mountain in RuneScape with that crystalline song as your soundtrack. The glorious title track begins with organ paving the way to metal fury and impressive vocals. That's the song that made me discover this band in a video that was wrongly credited to DragonForce as the band.

A slower mid-paced but still epic track "Calm Before the Storm" adds some progressive brilliance that the band would fulfill more in later albums. "The Return to the Ivory Plains" continues the battle-ready power of that other "Ivory Plains" song and has an Iron Maiden-ish galloping beat. "Forever Walking Alone" is the ballad here. Now I'm pretty picky about ballads. And although it is quite beautiful and emotional, I find to be another slow love song that is worth skipping. But just when I was gonna put it down as a stinker, the song speeds up in the drums, the distorted guitars return, and Heidgert's vocal strength is regained. Not the best song, but much better than "A Last Farewell".

"Blazing Hate" has more of that blazing power metal speed. Same with "A Thousand Points of Light" that has the last of the mighty power unleashed for the standard edition. "One With All" is a little too long for an orchestral outro, but it's a nice uplifting way out. The Japanese edition comes with 3 bonus tracks, the first of which is an upbeat cover of Limahl's "The Neverending Story" from that fantasy film. "Allemande" and "So Many Questions" are just useless acoustic interludes with not much to say there.

Dragonland's sophomore album is a more enjoyable improvement from their debut, performing their sound with fantasy pride and not too much cheesiness. I miss out on my youthful days of loving this band to the max, but I need to stay true to my mature evolution. Nonetheless, Dragonland have done well in pleasing fans of power metal!

Favorites: "Majesty of the Mithril Mountains", "Holy War", "Calm Before the Storm", "The Return to the Ivory Plains", "A Thousand Points of Light", "The Neverending Story"

"Look at the sky as the dragon flies by, storming across heaven like fire pierce through ice..." Dragonland was one of my first power metal discoveries AFTER DragonForce. This band introduced me to two things in metal I was already familiar with elsewhere; the orchestral symphonics of Two Steps From Hell and medieval fantasy concepts similar to RuneScape, the Elder Scrolls, and Lord of the Rings. And it all started with an accidental encounter with a song from the album after this one...

Nowadays, while I do enjoy these fantasy concepts, I begin to realize their lack of original inspiration. The Dragonland Chronicles saga has the same ol' "leaving your loved ones to go to a war you end up falling in" idea, which my fantasy-loving teen self thought was epic, but now it's a little too cheesy for me as a heavier more serious adult.

The instrumental synth-orchestral intro "Dragondawn" starts the album with a nice epic vibe. And it's at a decent short length enough to keep you satisfied and prepared for power metal war... "Storming Across Heaven" still reigns as one of my favorite songs from the band, a remarkable power metal tune with a catchy chorus. A song that I now think of as disappointing is "A Last Farewell". It's a slow soft power ballad that would've been in a better place later on in the album. Sure there's catchy melody with nice vocals including female singing, but the cheesy lyrics are too d*mn hard to overlook. And that's before the rest of the album in which, although the songs bring back solid memories, they're not as highly mind-blowing as I once thought they were. "Ride for Glory" has more infamously cheesy moments, but it's still pretty decent.

I prefer when the music and lyrics are more serious and do the story better justice, such as in "The Orcish March" that allows you to comfortably visualize the event described in the name. The title track also has that upside, where you can really imagine the war that occurs in the story, and the subsequent tragic falls. Another true highlight! Next up is a much better ballad than that other one, "Graveheart", hinting at similar symphonics to Xandria while continuing the Braveheart-esque fantasy concept, all in a nice slow bridge song between the faster ones.

Now one notorious song that I shouldn't leave without mentioning is "Rondo ala Turca", a two-minute adaptation of the well-known piece of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11. I'm familiar with power/heavy metal covers of classical compositions, and I used to love them a lot, but what do I think of this now? Well, the speedy keyboard soloing sounds too much like an 8-bit video game soundtrack (which I also liked in metal back then but nowadays not so much). On top of not adding much here, the position doesn't make sense. The hero is dying and right before unveiling a big secret, this classical-covering track comes on! At least it still sounds a bit uplifting. "A Secret Unveiled" sadly shows the band at a humble stage and continues ruining the epic feeling. "World's End" may not be the most original song title in power metal, but it's a great way to unleash the last bit of heavy power. The melancholic outro "Dragondusk" isn't as strong as the album's intro, but it fits well as a way of saying "To be continued..."

Despite the cheesiness and odd positions in a few tracks, The Battle of the Ivory Plains is a 50-minute adventure any power metal fan should check out. And you should read the story within the lyrics for the full Dragonland Chronicles experience. I just don't feel the same amount of epic brilliance from this band and album as I had 10 years ago....

Favorites: "Storming Across Heaven", "The Orcish March", "The Battle of the Ivory Plains", "Graveheart", "World's End"

Empire is a pretty good album, though I liked it much better when I was into the melodic heavy/progressive metal of their first 3 albums. With their 4th album Empire, Queensryche began to take on a more commercial hard rock/metal sound, which was already being hinted in Operation: Mindcrime, and reduced their progressive aspects. Most of the songs are smashing rockers that can easily be remembered.

See, the thing about commercial albums is, it's not about the album itself but about the songs. Many are memorable, but some are not. Any band wanting to have more global appeal can achieve that goal, and Queensryche has certainly done that in Empire...

As the opener "Best I Can" rolls in, you are thrown into a dimension where the prog-rock of Rush and the hard rock of Van Halen collide, guided by vocalist Geoff Tate and his emotional instrumentation crew. Although more of a rock-ish tune, it makes me quite happy. The guitar strength of the mighty duo of Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton is maintained by Mindcrime, but the bridge and lack of drama in the chorus seems to make the song a bit bumpy despite the vocals and guitars being crystal clear. Still a solid start! "The Thin Line" is more metallic with some synths, but rather forgettable. Same with "Jet City Woman", which also has more classy glam, yet the singing isn't so strong.

One other progressive song here is "Della Brown", a great throwback to the more complex side of Mindcrime. It shows how different that album is from Empire. Here, instead of being a concept album spreading through all the songs, the lyrics of crime and drugs are only centered in that hard rock song. A more metallic standout "Another Rainy Night (Without You)" drives through strong guitar and bass, especially in the chorus. The title track is the heaviest song here. The lyrics center around corruption of race, and Tate's wide-ranged vocals in the chorus are worth appreciating. There's a bit of goofiness in the spoken part, but the song is still a majestic metal highlight. "Resistance" also has some metal, though nowhere near as memorable as the previous track.

"Silent Lucidity" is the one Queensryche song that practically everyone knows outside the metal and progressive realms. It's a beautiful rock ballad with notes in perfect harmony. I used to not like this song because of how popular it is for a non-metal song, but after listening to Extreme's "More Than Words" that was released in the same year, I've realized that the beauty of a song for me doesn't always come from metal. I find myself a little more accepting for non-metal songs from metal artists being popular singles. A highlight that's not the best, but I totally understand its appeal. However, "Hand on Heart" isn't all that great. "One and Only" is one more metal track, and while some parts are forgettable, it's still a great standout. "Anybody Listening?" is another power ballad, though much weaker. There's a cool electric chorus, but it's still a poor way to head out, especially when the album closes with a one-minute outro of rain ambience.

Empire is certainly a far different album from metal genres that I'm used to like the more hardcore ones. Heavier Queensryche fans may be disappointed that there's more hard rock added to their earlier heavy metal, but most other hard rock bands can't surpass this band in the heights of memorability....

Favorites: "Best I Can", "Della Brown", "Another Rainy Night (Without You)", "Empire", "Silent Lucidity", "One and Only"

Astral Doors is a band that made it big in the heavy/power metal realms but not quite elsewhere. With their 2003 debut Of the Son and the Father, they set a path that their subsequent albums would take. However, I don't feel the memorable flame of glory that I once had from other power metal bands. Still this takes me lightyears beyond this world into a realm of astral fantasy... Of the Son and the Father is quite a Dio-inspired album. I have listened to some of the late Dio's material including his 3 albums with Rainbow and a few anthems from this solo work, so I'm familiar with the themes of magic and sorcery. There are hooks with lots of power, but the power doesn't last long. Those Dio songs are quite anthemic and more sticky to your mind, something a little hard to achieve in this album.

So what are the things that make this otherwise solid album lack eventfulness? There are melodic chords, but the riffing sounds too traditional. We have well-done leads to enjoy, though could've been more remarkable. The band can make catchy guitar grooves worth headbanging to. The keyboard work doesn't have much power metal cheese, instead closer to the jazz organ used by Deep Purple and Rainbow. The keyboards cover pretty much 99% of the album's length! They fit perfectly well with the guitars in some places, though when they have one of their alternating battles, it's more playful than serious. The drums have standard kicks that also work greatly with the guitar riffing. The bass isn't so audible, but it shines when it's slow and thick. The member who really stands out is vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson who's also in epic progressive power metallers Wuthering Heights. He has a rawer and slightly whiny voice compared to mighty Dio in the verses, whereas the chorus show his energetic delivery.

"Cloudbreaker" is an amazing opening track with catchy hooks, showing the impressive songwriting not too far off from other bands reviving the classic heavy metal of Dio. The album is actually titled Cloudbreaker in Japan, as the band's Japanese label objected to the original album title and cover art that shows crucified priests. However, the reduction of memorability starts with the original album's title track. The chorus tries to sound catchy but ends up forgettable. Same with "Hungry People", enough said. "Slay the Dragon" is quite catchy, like how metalcore bands like Trivium, August Burns Red, and Shai Hulud are catchy for me while in a whole different genre.

"Ocean of Sand" continues that kind of catchiness. However, "In Prison for Life" has too much of a Thin Lizzy-infused hard rock thing going on. It sounds far more miserable than epic throughout those 4 minutes. I suppose despite that and the mundane verse-chorus style, they didn't want to feel too pompous. "The Trojan Horse" isn't that great either. Their attempt at a slow dirge crawls in a painful way.

Approaching greater fury is "Burn Down the Wheel", driving through lead/rhythm intensity. Another cool highlight is "Night on the Witch". My favorite track here in the album is "Rainbow in Your Mind", with mighty strength to love. "Man on the Rock" has grittier power metal riffing to foreshadow that of Amaranthe (ONLY the riffing is similar).

Of the Son and the Father marks the band's solid entrance into the scene with mostly amazing tracks. However, a few of them are a bit dull and iffy and could've been improved to bring the album to perfect glory. This is Dio-inspired classic heavy metal right here! I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys the catchy anthems of Dio's heavy metal sound. Just don't take the lower-quality tracks too seriously....

Favorites: "Cloudbreaker", "Slay the Dragon", "Ocean of Sand", "Burn Down the Wheel", "Night on the Witch", "Rainbow in Your Mind"

Maudlin of the Well has been my favorite avant-garde metal band for a few years, but I think it's time to pass that torch over to its direct successor, Kayo Dot. Their debut Choirs of the Eye was a difficult album to find for me a couple years ago, even on YouTube, but finally it's here! And it's perhaps the most brilliant offering of unpredictable avant-garde metal I've heard today. Why try to achieve it all in so many short songs when it can be done in 5 mostly long tracks?

I'm sure even the more doomy metalheads will be impatient with how slow things go. But the music is atmospheric to keep you transcending before something unexpected happens, like a more diverse Isis.

The opener "Marathon" has ambient saxophone in the two and a half minute intro. Then BOOM!!!! Heaviness comes on with beautiful singing and vicious growls/screams. It keeps switching from ambient to heavy while moving things slowly. Next track "A Pitcher of Summer" is shorter than the other tracks at only 6 minutes long. It's calm without much of a structural setting, in which the buildup seems to teether up and down before having more haunting loudness. There's even some Radiohead-esque singing.

"The Manifold Curiosity" has so much to explore, as more instruments and vocal styles are added to the arsenal. 4 and a half minutes into the track, the soft ambience is broken by a melodic explosion with a huge variety of jazzy instruments that not a lot of metal bands can add without tainting their sound. From the 10-minute mark onwards, there's more intense chaos. How intense?! It's actually in the same level as Strapping Young Lad with Converge-like screaming rage, especially at the very end with a brief moment of grind-ish metalcore. A truly heavy and artsy epic!

Next up, "Wayfarer" is a haunting yet lovely song. The singing drama and Psycho-like violin screeches get the song a bit of a horror vibe. I also like that good solo. The final epic "Antique" starts off with the usual slow ambience then builds up some heaviness, at one point reaching the intensity of The Dillinger Escape Plan, another brief grind-ish metalcore moment! Then it all quiets down for a long piano outro, similar to the end of TDEP's final album Dissociation, but with a more jazzy background.

Well the jazzy side of this album isn't as much as Maudlin of the Well. Choirs of the Eye can be considered a unique brand of doomy post-/avant-garde metal with a few brief moments of grind-ish metalcore and alt-prog rock. Ya like jazz? Ya like rock? Ya like metal? Give this perfect masterpiece a go. Bring more life to music appreciation!

Favorites: "Marathon", "The Manifold Curiosity", "Antique"

Aaannnd the metal is gone. A lot of it. Scorpions had just started making their move to the hard rock/pop rock era that would sadly become more popular than their metallic past. Pretty much the only exact thing in common is the return of the controversial album covers, with the cover photo by erotic photographer Helmut Newton.

That is the problem with several rock/metal bands starting off in the 70s. All their glory in that decade starts fading away in the 80s, and most of those bands have no chance in bringing it back. Scorpions is one of those bands with Love at First Sting. While similar to Blackout in terms of formula, almost all the heavy greatness of that album has been replaced with cheesy glam for the sake of commercial success. There's good music and some more killer riffing/soloing, but except a lot of highs and lows...

Starting things off promising is "Bad Boys Running Wild" that still has a bit of metal riffing and soloing despite the more commercial direction. "Rock You Like a Hurricane" rocks much more like a glam/hard rock hurricane, but I kinda recognize it as a classic. The downers start with "I'm Leaving You" having more lightness than tightness.

"Coming Home" starts calm in the intro verse for a little too long, but then it explodes into the last of their remaining speedy heavy metal to enjoy. "The Same Thrill" also has speed, but the rock is more dominant than metal and sounds terrible. "Big City Nights" is a good anthem of party rock (not that LMFAO sh*t) with Priest-like guitar power.

"As Soon as the Good Times Roll" doesn't have much of the metal madness, with the rhythm clashing with ska, but that kind of crossover works quite well. "Crossfire" has a darker military-esque marching beat. It's a little bad, but not as bad as... The ballad many people know, "Still Loving You". It's just highly unnecessary and unfitting, and it's the unfortunate sign of their softer era to come. Sonata Arctica performed that song much better when they covered it as an upbeat power metal tune.

So this album Love at First Sting is quite overrated. I wouldn't say it's completely bad, but when the band starts losing their metal steam and heading off in a more commercial path, there's not much that can appeal to a metalhead like me. The heavier side of Scorpions has pretty much faded away. That stings....

Favorites: "Bad Boys Running Wild", "Coming Home", "Big City Nights", "As Soon as the Good Times Roll"

Right before Scorpions began losing much of their heaviness in subsequent albums, such as the chart-hitting Crazy World and the painfully experimental Eye II Eye. People who have checked out those albums are gonna regret not hearing their earlier heavier albums. Blackout is quite amazing! A f***ing great offering of 80s hard rock/metal.

This is probably the center of the band's direction in their tenure. The 5 albums before Blackout are filled with twisted hard rock/heavy metal anthems, with only a few commercial-sounding songs and several ballads throughout. In the albums after Blackout, it's almost just commercial hard rock/pop rock with barely any metal. Blackout marked that true balance between those eras. They were able to write catchy hooks strong enough to fit well with the metal that shows the last of its dominance here.

The album starts with a throwback to the catchy heavy insanity of Virgin Killer with the opening title track. This is pure heavy metal, almost having the speed of speed metal, with riffing that's hard to ignore, performed by guitarists Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs. I'm starting to realize that Jab is one of the finest guitarists in classic hard rock/heavy metal, in the same level as the band's previous lead guitarist Uli Jon Roth. A shredding man of steel! Vocalist Klaus Meine performs some of his finest vocal work to date. He's awesome at his singing there, and even sing-screaming, ending with some raven cawing at the end, high enough to literally shatter glass, like in the album cover (odd, but not following any of the controversial aspects of previous album covers). I think his vocal cord surgery really enhanced his range. And I think the original has much more power than its re-recording 3 decades later. "Can't Live Without You" dominates again with speedy rock/metal. You can hear how brilliantly Jabs shreds in the song, and that kind of shredding is hard to find in their subsequent releases. In fact, most of his leads throughout the song are solos! Another spectacular anthem! People know "No One Lies You" as a single. That opening solo will keep you on your seat. It's so cheesy, yet something the more classic metalheads would much rather hear than the band that pushed earlier heavy metal off its reign of popularity (Nirvana and its grunge sound). It's an irresistible mid-paced sing-along. The rhythm section of bassist Francis Buchholz and drummer Herman Rarebell works well with the soloing and singing insanity. It's like AC/DC but far better and more metallic!

"You Give Me All I Need" continues that mid-tempo pace, but it slows down into a generic ballad in the verses. Still we don't get to hear full-on mainstream rock until at least the band's next album. "Now!" has more metal energy to enjoy wish there could've been more of because of the song's short length. "Dynamite" is a bit dull in the riffing but has some great power, like it probably could've worked just as well in their next album. It's a bit generic, but you know how kick-A the band can get. The verses and soloing will certainly "kick your a** to heaven!"

So "Arizona" exists... And I'm talking about it! People seem to overlook this track, but it's quite underrated. It's so emotional, tight, and filled with rock/metal. Just get it ASAP! Still the greatest highlight is coming up next... It's time to really hear what these guys really were as a rock/metal band with the 7-minute epic "China White", the ultimate heavy metal engravement in Scorpions' legacy stone. The heaviness can surely beat what Maiden and Priest put out that year, and even material from earlier thrash bands, with its godly Sabbath-like slow marching pace. This would make you want to raise your fist and tell the catchy pop sh*t to f*** off and let this true metal foundation out and spread to different bands. And don't forget Meine's unique singing! The emotional "When the Smoke Goes Down" is a good ballad, but not the best way out.

I recommend this historical metal greatness to any fan of the genre. This is Scorpions' true heavy metal offering which they sadly f***ing discarded most of from their next albums onwards. Don't back out from the Blackout!

Favorites: "Blackout", "Can't Live Without You", "Now!", "Arizona", "China White"

At this point, I'm starting to wonder, am I really one of the few people who actually thinks the majority of Scorpions' late 70s/early 80s material is metal enough to deserve their right in this site? I mean, the sharp riffing and upbeat tempo just scream metal to my ears! Of course, Scorpions is still the hard rock band they've been known for. And for this album, the cover art is at a more tame level without any need for an alternate, though not without a small bit of controversy over it.

The classic lineup of vocalist Klaus Meine, rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker, lead guitarist Matthias Jabs, bassist Francis Buchholz, and drummer Herman Rarebell are back at it again! Animal Magnetism shows the German hard rock/metal masters continuing their formula that would later propel them into global fame.

The popular opener "Make It Real" already displays the sharp riffing of hard rock/metal. Same with "Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)", this time cranking up the tempo for a good metallic time. Now that's the kind of structure that would make the band big and pave the way for the commercial sound of their next two albums. Then we get to the slower mid-tempo formula of "Hold Me Tight". If you're frustrated about your partner with a straining relationship, tell them to "ALL RIGHT!!! Have it your way!"

Another underrated track for this 21st Century young man (me) is "Twentieth Century Man". Buchholz's bass sound audible there! The powerful beauty of the ballad "Lady Starlight" sounds cliche, but hey, it's the Scorpions! They have to have at least one ballad per album. More of Meine's stellar vocals can be found in "Falling in Love".

"Only a Man" is another track foreshadowing Scorpions' later sound. An anthem dedicated to New York City is the highly popular "The Zoo", which actually has more charm than when I first reviewed it in the October Guardians playlist. The chorus is melodic while having aggressive metal fury in the leads, hard to match in most of the band's other tracks with its bouncy groove. The slow title finale can still pounce like a hyena on a zebra, and that hyena (Klaus) laughs smugly in the end after enjoying his feast.

Hearing albums like this decades after they come out has made me realize the appeal of their pathway to success. Animal Magnetism isn't as successful as the albums that followed it, but it was the spark they needed to make those albums happen. The elements they have for that are right here, so get ready to feel the sting!

Favorites: "Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)", "Twentieth Century Man", "Falling in Love", "The Zoo", "Animal Magnetism"

Scorpions' controversial album cover streak continues in this album Lovedrive. Is it strange or wrong that find this cover art quite funny? Probably. A man was bored in a taxi ride with his wife to a formal ceremony (their own car broke down earlier), and he was chewing gum. He wanted to have a little fun during the long ride, so he spat out the gum to his hand, pulled down one side of his wife's dress, slapped his gum onto her exposed breast, and started stretching it out. That's the best scenario I can think of for that un-P.C. moment. And of course, an alternate cover was used for editions of the album released in other countries like the US. Anyway...

Lovedrive would've surpassed Taken by Force if Uli Jon Roth was still their guitarist instead of Matthias Jabs who's been with the band ever since. Roth was a talented member of Scorpions (except for his horrid vocal contributions). His metallic noise had really blown the roof off in the albums that he was in. But that's not to say Jabs is super bad at all, he's really good too. Lovedrive is another solid album by the band in which hard rock/metal anthems are in great balance with radio-friendly ballads.

"Loving You Sunday Morning" is a catchy hard rock tune. A sign of their later work, but still a pretty cool opener. Sprinting through a more speedy hard rock/heavy metal sound is "Another Piece of Meat". I almost wanna call this album "Loverace"!

Disappointingly, we end up slowing down for the dull power ballad "Always Somewhere", sadly one of the band's most popular non-single songs. "Coast to Coast" is a rock instrumental. I don't know why they chose not to add vocals to that track. That would've given the track a more memorable swing. However, what's really a full-out highlight here is "Can't Get Enough". It's a crushing heavy tune that would have Van Halen, Judas Priest, and Motorhead dropping their jaws, being a speed metal assault leaning into thrash. This is Scorpions at their most metallic. Relentless guitar, bass, and drums attack with punches. And they still bring the house down by performing it live. Awesome!

For the next track "Is There Anybody There?"... Reggae? No thanks. Reggae-infused rock/metal? Yes please! Even when playing a genre that you never usually hear mixed with rock/metal, the song is written quite well. You can even hear Jabs jamming along in the soloing with former member Michael Schenker (Rudolf's brother). The title track comes on as another metal highlight, though not as menacing as Judas Priest. The riffing gallops along like a horse. It probably would've worked well as a live staple, and while it isn't, we shall let "Can't Get Enough" get all the live glory. The effective closing ballad "Holiday" shows Klaus Meine's vocals taking on a fantastic bittersweet mood. A far better ballad than "Always Somewhere" and the closing ballad of Taken by Force!

The whole reason why I'm still listening to and reviewing Scorpions albums is just so I can determine which of their albums are metal or not, especially Blackout which is said to be their most metal album. For now, we have this solid 70s rock/metal cruise in Lovedrive, despite a couple questionable moments leaving me scratching my head....

Favorites: "Another Piece of Meat", "Can't Get Enough", "Lovedrive", "Holiday"

Ask any modern metalhead who likes young bands that mix metal with native influences who their favorite band is, and the common answer would be Alien Weaponry. This New Zealand band shook the world with their Maori brand of thrashy groove/alt-metal. Their work has been praised in countries like the U.S. and Finland. 3 years after their debut Tu, the band has presented a new album, Tangaroa. And it might just come close to surpassing Trivium's In the Court of the Dragon as my best album of 2021!

Alien Weaponry is not just about writing riffs and creating the best music they could make, it's about their local art and culture. They goal is to make sure Maori culture is heard of beyond New Zealand. While some songs are in English, many others take on the Maori language, or as they like to call it, te reo. With lyrical themes of history, colonialism, and the environment, they're almost like a less progressive and more historical Gojira. And the language perfectly matches the metal rhythm. The riff groove is certainly what you gotta look out for that balance.

The opening track "Titokowaru" (18) starts with some Maori warriors chanting while rowing their boat over stormy seas. Then the storm becomes pummeling as fast riff groove comes in. The verses have a simple melody that pushes along like when those warriors push their oars, as the seas have different layers. It also fits well for a gym workout. An excellent boat-rower! "Hatupatu" (Struggle) is where the rhythms get more progressive and the riffing has more aggression, already taking on some Gojira vibes. There's some tribal depth in the drums, and the kit is really handled with care. Lots of interesting rhythm to add to the atmosphere. Next up, "Ahi Ka" (Burning Fires) is the first single of the album, released only under a year after Tu. It seems picks up stylistically where Tu left off. In 1952, while preparing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Auckland, the City Council thought they would make the city look more beautiful by exiling Ngāti Whātua people from their homes and burning down their village. The dark music is in perfect fit with that tragic event. The title track is about how marine wildlife is suffering climate change and fishermen wanting to grab endangered species. The band start adding in some English lyrics, for anglophone fans to follow. Alien Weaponry and Gojira can really raise environmental awareness while staying aggressive.

The slow progressive "Unforgiving" has lyrics of mental health. Frontman Lewis de Jong seems to have written those lyrics in his perspective with his heart-piercing vocals. The song sounds a bit jazzy in some places, but it's all part of the band's interesting direction of different horizons. Then "Blinded" switches gears to the band's groove side, as the crushing riffs and drums drive through. That single came out as early as "Ahi Ka", two months after that single. The te reo lyrics are on again with their next track "Kai Whatu" (People Food) (wait, that's almost the same translation as "Kai Tangata"), which is worth great headbanging. From the long heavy intro with tribal percussion, you know you're in for a killer track. There's even some extreme prog there in terms of the overall sound, with some distance in the vocal range. Next track "Crooked Monsters" has more ambience, starting with a two-minute psychedelic intro. Lots of experimentation here, including complex riffing and the vocals that only appear in the second half.

The ultimate heavy highlight here "Buried Underground", more of a nu-ish groove metal track. You can mosh along to that opening riff in live performances. "Dad" has another one of the best intro riffs. De Jong performs some more of his intriguing vocals in different styles, and he isn't breaking boundaries, he's expanding them! Lots of emotional aggression in his voice, along with the vocals of bassist Ethan Trembath. Then we have another mostly instrumental track, "Ihenga" (Ratio). As the album is reaching its end, the band decided to add as many indigenous vibes as they could with their instruments and songs. And did I say this track is mostly instrumental? Yes, the vocals don't appear until the 3-minute mark is a strong beautiful section of te reo vocal choirs. Just close your eyes and visualize a Maori land with all your knowledge of the culture and region. And finally, "Down the Rabbit Hole" regains some Gojira vibes in the riffing and atmosphere. It's slightly more industrial-sounding and less progressive, but the vibes are still there. For any metalheads wanting Alien Weaponry and Gojira to tour together, their dream has come true with an American tour in support of the album.

Well, there you go! Another perfect addition to the discography of a band that has made up for the lack of desired authenticity from other bands. Alien Weaponry has made their sound big with an organic lookback at their culture. All equally sharing their moments are all the instruments and vocals. Bass groove, drumming aggression, riff melody and vocal power are all keys to the sound. I've already mentioned the sounds of sailing through water at the very start of the album, and they really fit in with the theme. By the time, we reach the next decade, the band will already be close to age 30 and probably reach at last album #5, and they'll remember the strong history they've made with their first two albums. But for now, they continue to rule the modern metal world and will unleash the moshing monsters, with the glory of this perfect offering by their side!

Favorites: "Titokowaru", "Ahi Ka", "Tangaroa", "Kai Whatu", "Buried Underground", "Dad"

In the 5 years between this album and the last, Tesseract have been busy with other projects. Vocalist Daniel Tompkins made a couple solo albums with one of them including a song featuring Trivium's Matt Heafy. Then in the midst of it-that-shall-not-be-named, the band performed a "live cinematic experience" on stream with then-Monuments drummer Mike Malyan, which became a live album Portals. And finally, they released Regrowth, a charity single for people involved in the war in Ukraine.

The time has been used well and the band have their most ambitious album in 10 years, War of Being! It's a concept album that includes its own video game made using Unreal Engine. I think it has really suited fans' expectations and then some.

"Natural Disaster" punches through with no time to waste, unleashing heavy riffing and screaming right from the get-go. The crushing side is balanced out with the melodic side and they both set the album's path. "Echoes" keeps the momentum with some energy in the drum grooves. The rhythm is given a spoonful of grace. "The Grey" throws back to the band's earlier djent, and it's a perfect throwback too. Another technical sound storm!

"Legion" has some mysterious drama to go with the diverse vocals of Tompkins. There's a brief heavy strike to remind you about what they still have. "Tender" is exactly that, so soft and clean, before another heavy storm... HOLY MAMMOTH, the 11-minute title epic has really gotten me excited and on my seat! There are so many intense twists that it's hard to count. And the vocals are so majestic. This is the kind of epic Tesseract has had with "Concealing Fate" from One and the 4 epics that make up Altered State, missing in the two albums that followed. Tesseract is really back!

"Sirens" has more of the electronic softness. Then comes "Burden". "I'm afraid, and I don't know what I am, and I don't know where to turn, but I'll learn", lovely lyrics of hope sung by Daniel Tompkins, almost having similar falsetto-like singing to the late Michael Jackson. Just don't expect any of the "HEE-hee!" Finally, "Sacrifice" is one more nearly 10-minute epic that offers a conclusive summary of this progressive djent adventure.

It's not every band that can grab your attention throughout an hour as much as Tesseract. They continue waving the djent flag as the instrumentation and vocals encourage listeners to fully appreciate this talented bunch. War of Being shall be known as another offering of innovative greatness!

Favorites: "Natural Disaster", "The Grey", "War of Being", "Burden", "Sacrifice"

Tesseract has continued their progressive djent music reign! The different melodic tones make djent more than just about the deep downtuned rhythms. It's the kind of combo that unites heaviness and tranquility together, and it's once exemplified on their 4th album Sonder.

As usual, the vocal work of Daniel Tompkins earns him the spotlight with his clean singing and explosive screams. He can very well stand out in the lineup that still have their talents on display. The heavy drumming by Jay Postones is in good flow. Amos Williams assists in the rhythm section with his bass booms. The guitar duo of Acle Kahney and James Monteith provide both brutal and smooth tones to remember. So hold on to your seats, listeners...

"Luminary" begins the album as a short yet excellent djenty track! The rhythm and drums crash through before getting toned down for delicate cleans. Those smooth verses are in great contrast with the bombastic chorus, stirring up both catchiness and melody. "Maybe you’ll always be bad, maybe you'll always be the same." Next, "King" has intense range in the guitar, going from low djent to high shredding. The bass and drums create some fun rhythms. And the rest of the track can go from frantic to hammering. "Orbital" is a short gentle atmospheric track with serene vocals. Then the loudness rises for the next track...

"Juno"... What's that? More progressive djent?!? You've come to the right place. Enjoy the ride! But not as much of a ride as "Beneath My Skin", connected with the next track to make an epic with as much grandeur as their previous ones. That other track "Mirror Image" continues the idea of starting small in the instrumentation. Then the bass and drums come in, followed by the guitars, setting up the tempo and increasing it before the heavy climax.

"Smile" starts off in an electronic blur but quickly erupts into metal rage. "The Arrow" is the album's melancholic ending, though I find it amusing that they keep dropping the word "d*mn" in that soft opening verse. The bass and drums strike once more, with the guitars having some dreamy lightness.

Oh, if you're wondering what the word Sonder means, Tompkins describes it as "a name given to the seemingly ineffable emotions we experience when realizing that each of us is simultaneously living vivid and complex lives." It has originated as one of the made-up words from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. I think that name fits well with this offering of superb emotion and technical structures. Sonder is a reminder to appreciate the band's hard work and hope they reach greater heights!

Favorites: "Luminary", "Juno", "Beneath My Skin", "Mirror Image"

With Daniel Tompkins' temporary departure from Tesseract, the band had to find a couple other vocalists to fill the void; Elliot Coleman in the Perspective EP and Ashe O'Hara in the Altered State album. Whichever vocalist was in Altered State, that's a perfect offering. Now with Tompkins returning to the band, people were curious about where UK's djent leaders would take them next, and if they would continue to impress.

It seems like Tompkins has taken some of the ambience from his other band at the time, Skyharbor, because that's we're getting more of in the greatness of Polaris! I've also noticed a bit of prog-rock elements as well from late Anathema and The Contortionist at that time, considering those bands share the same record labels, Kscope and eOne.

"Dystopia" has that rock-ish ambience without sacrificing the dynamic aggression, picking up where One left off. The bass, drums, and vocals drift through space in this impressive composition. Martin Grech guest appears in "Hexes", living up to its layered structure and pace. "Survival" is another cohesive melodic track, though the aimless arrangement doesn't make it a highlight.

"Tourniquet" has the softer parts played in perfect harmony. There's more of this sheer poetry in the lyrics of "Utopia", filled with the catharsis of tasting freedom and neglecting Eden. The rap-ish ending is a little strange though. From start to finish, "Phoenix" has identity and character like a few other songs would have.

"Messenger" shows how strong the band is without bragging about it. The rhythms all work out well. As we enter the final leg of the journey, "Cages" is more inventive in the rhythm section. Not just in the bass but also in the drumming with some nice drama that doesn't come out as mechanical. "Seven Names" has the last bit of soft light that doesn't lessen their usual direction.

This 5-member djent quintet stays true to their identity while breaking the mold. That's how unique and talented they are. And if there any flaws at all, they're so trivial and unnoticeable in the flow of things. An excellent album like this deserves at least one full listen, and Polaris has all you can ask for in smoothness and aggression!

Favorites: "Dystopia", "Hexes", "Tourniquet", "Phoenix", "Cages"

Tesseract vocalist Daniel Tompkins temporarily left the band to join Indian/American band Skyharbor for one and a half albums. He was replaced by Elliot Coleman for the Perspective EP, which is mostly an acoustic EP that I won't review, and Ashe O'Hara for Altered State. The latter follows the trend of One's "Concealing Fate" by including multi-track epics. Anyone who enjoyed that nearly half-hour epic like I have was looking forward to this album. Is it the sh*t or just sh*t? Well...

I just knew this would be the perfect album for me! Altered State is the kind of album you really need to pay attention to. And if you can listen without any distractions or interruptions, you'll be able to appreciate this progressive glory and end the journey with great rewards.

"Of Matter" is the first epic, over 14 minutes long and consisting of three parts. The first part "Proxy" already opens up the album's dynamic diversity. Gentle chords leads to riff distortion, just like what you would expect from Tesseract. And clearly there's more maturity in their writing. By the time you get to the second part "Retrospect", it really does sound like it's meant to be a full suite, just like "Concealing Fate". And the guitar tone of that earlier epic shines greatly in the third part "Resist".

"Of Mind" is the second epic, over 14 minutes long and consisting of two parts. The music and lyrics in the first part "Nocturne" are in great form. Between the Buried and Me guitarist Paul Waggoner contributes his own guitar solo. Part 2 "Exiled" can be considered an epic within an epic! Some parts sound too ballad-ish but it's still all good.

"Of Reality" is the third epic, over 10 minutes long and consisting of three parts. Part 1 "Eclipse" has some cool bass and drums. Through the last third of that part, the filthy drumming adds to the serene ambience for beautiful heights. Part 2 "Palingenesis" is a nice track filled with polyrhythmic djent. A saxophone interlude comes on in the third part "Calabi-Yau", which is nice. It's performed by Chris Barretto, Periphery's ex-vocalist who was replaced by Spencer Sotelo while recording that band's debut.

"Of Energy" is the fourth epic, over 12 minutes long and consisting of two parts. The first part "Singularity" has some excessive djent groove, but I still enjoy it, and the perfect 5-star rating isn't affected. Part 2 "Embers" closes the album with the last bit of experimentation, including more of that saxophone at the very end.

With Altered State, Tesseract continues to make progressive music history this century the way bands like King Crimson have done in the last century. Melodies and different time signatures from dynamic epics like the ones in this masterpiece album. There's nothing to fear about blending different ideas together, especially when they succeed in displaying their creativity and innovation. Practically everything is flawless, and it shall be enjoyed all the way up to the next century!

Favorites: All 4 epics, but as for specific tracks, "Proxy", "Resist", "Nocturne", "Eclipse", "Embers"

The evolution of progressive metal is quite, well, progressive. It all began with the classic melodic trio (you can guess which bands I'm referring to), then the genre gradually became heavier in the 90s with Meshuggah, in the 2000s with BTBAM, and finally, in the 2010s with the modern djent wave led by Periphery and Tesseract. The latter's debut, aptly titled One, is a prime example of progressive djent and its balance of technicality and ambience!

One has beautiful emotion served together with metallic heaviness. It's the same kind of blend Periphery has, and just like that band, you're bound to find some stunning melodies and much as all this technical riffing.

The opening track "Lament" begins soft and ambient within the guitarwork and vocals then rises into heavy dynamic riffing that might make you think of a modernized Opeth. In saying that, they're more focused on the rhythm than the melody, and as a result, the dissonant chords sound to repetitive. When you have a 7-string guitar tuned as low as drop A-flat, there should be more than just "how low can you go?" chugging. Fortunately, it gets better in the percussive "Nascent" and stays better!

Half of the album's length is covered by "Concealing Fate" a 27-minute epic split into 6 tracks. It is a solid masterpiece epic of extreme melodic progressive djent that is pretty much the centerpiece of this album, maybe even of this band. Everything's so crushingly beautiful in a journey through power and emotion. The philosophical lyrical concept stands out in the atmospheric space. And helping this entire epic become the standout it is, the ethereal guitarwork by lead guitarist Acle Kahney. Each track in the suite crosses over with a different genre while staying firmly in the band's own. "Acceptance" has the breakdowns and screams of metalcore. "Deception" is more reckless while having the melodies and falsettos of power metal. "The Impossible" carries on in slow drama, then in its last minute morphs into a more progressive Bury Your Dead. "Perfection" gazes into basically progressive djent-doom. "Epiphany" is a brief djent interlude. Finally, "Origin" concludes the journey with the "expect the unexpected" motive of a clean chorus, smooth synths, and percussive bass. With all those elements packed into an emotional prog-metal voyage, you'll be left wanting more!

And you're going to get more in a few more tracks, starting with another percussive track, "Sunrise". Then "April" has some melodies similar to Dead by April in the softer parts. After that is the closing mini-epic "Eden" with its sinister melodies. However, just like the opening track, the interplay with the rhythms cause things to sound repetitive. Anyone who has ordered the album in advance would be lucky to get the bonus track "Hollow", with its short yet massive progressive blitz that one can pick up from Northlane, Within the Ruins, Fallujah, and even Cult of Luna.

OK, before we end this review, I'd like to point out that the lead vocalist Daniel Tompkins is one of the best I've heard in music. His singing can really soar like an angel, giving him greater power than Periphery's Spencer Sotelo (still amazing). Dan's screaming is phenomenal too, alternating with the growls of bassist Amos Williams. All the more reason why I would suggest buying this album quickly. Two of the tracks could've been improved to make this 5-star perfect, but it's still the chosen One all the same!

Favorites: "Nascent", "Concealing Fate" (complete suite), "Sunrise", "April", "Hollow"