Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seeing a review for this album appear in this site made me wonder, "I've reviewed all of my metal milestone bands, but can I review the metal albums of a rock band that would eventually shape my taste into 'true' metal, beyond this nu metal sh*t?" Answer: I CAN!! Linkin Park is probably the most successful 21st century rock band, yet metal fans call them "sellouts for kids". Some say they've expanded on the nu metal atrocity started by Korn and Limp Bizkit, others say they're a boy band with guitars. It's sad to see all this hate towards a super successful band. I might not enjoy this band as much as the metal bands I listen to now, but I won't take them for granted, that's for sure.

Linkin Park released their debut album Hybrid Theory (taken from their earlier band name) in October 2000, just a few months shy of what people think is technically the start of a new millennium (2001), and the technical new millennium started in a bang for this band. Excellent reviews and gigantic sales skyrocketed, hence making this a genuine well-sold platinum album. There may not be a big improvement in the popular music industry but Linkin Park's debut would remain one of the best-selling albums of nu metal and all time. Yep, there are 12 heavy industrial-infused nu metal tracks in this album produced by Don Gilmore. In fact, would you call nu metal "metal"?? It's cleaner and less edgy (in the music anyway)! Well whatever you want them to be called, Linkin Park have their best skills of heavy metal guitars, hip-hop rapping, and pop hooks.

It starts with...the rap rock hit "Papercut", where the rapping verses by Mike Shinoda make a great blend with the melodic vocal chorus by Chester Bennington (RIP). "One Step Closer" is their breakthrough single worth checking out for both metalheads and radio listeners. The riffing is both heavy and kid-friendly, the latter adjective maybe not the killer screaming bridge ("SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! SHUT UP!!"). This is metal for Sesame Street-level beginners and that song is probably the heaviest one allowed in karaoke (I know because I've been there). The low-toned loops in "With You" are performed by the Dust Brothers in a rap metal track where its gravitation center strikes your jaw off. "Points of Authority" sounds as if Bennington and Shinoda are each reading their own poetry written in a lyric sheet, acting as a lyrical exchange. That song is kinda killer though.

The emotional hit "Crawling" is where icy synths and bass crawl through the intro before getting mudded out by the guitar heaviness and Bennington's cries. The more industrial fans might compare the song to Nine Inch Nails. The lyrical subject matter deals with Bennington's teenage years of torture and meth addiction, and he's so upset about it that he needs help from the crowd when performing the song live. More of the band's skyrocketing hooks appear in "Runaway", where the primitive tune's melodies can probably get the song into alternative radio. The fairly appalling "By Myself" is a weak track that is a real example of nu metal's bad side. The hip-hop smash-hit "In the End" has piano performed prominently by Mike Shinoda as he raps along. I don't know if that's what made that song the most popular of the album, but it is what it is.

"A Place for My Head" continues the poetic lyrical exchange between Bennington and Shinoda. This is again used in "Forgotten" but more apparent with the vocal battle between the two vocalists in the pre-chorus. That song is probably another real example of nu metal tainting the second word of the genre's name. The two and a half minute experimental jungle track "Cure for The Itch" is probably the weakest point of the album, but it's where turntablist Joe Hahn really shines. The perfect formula of the singles continue once more in the closing song "Pushing Me Away", which I still like since first listening 9 years ago. Oh how I wish that was a single...

What remains of this review is the conclusion, and that is this; Linkin Park's debut album is excellent, at least compared to what the heavier metalheads think. Surprisingly, the songs I like are perfect choices for all 4 singles and two promo singles, all that's missing is that final song. The only weak songs are the remaining 5. Seems as if my like for Linkin Park before switching to real metal has infected my mind. Sure it's mainstream, but I couldn't skip to where I am today without this band, right?! Thanks a ton, LP....

Favorites: "One Step Closer", "Points of Authority", "Crawling", "Runaway", "In the End", "Pushing Me Away"

Celtic Frost was one of the most diversely stylistic metal bands to start in the 80s. First was their black/death-influencing thrasher To Mega Therion, then they released the avant-garde Into the Pandemonium, followed by the glam-infected Cold Lake. They released a gothic-influenced thrash album Vanity/Nemesis before splitting up, and later reformed for one more extreme doom album Monotheist. Since I'm listening to Mega Therion to settle a DIS vs DAT debate, let's get right into the review!

Heading right to the point, To Mega Therion (The Great Beast) is actually one of the best 80s metal albums I've heard. I'm still not very tolerant to albums that old nor that obscenely extreme, but I can see why people consider this the most fascinating Celtic Frost album. However, there are some things to argue about...

The pompous intro "Innocence and Wrath" starts the album with a doom-ish march with background brass, specifically french horns. Perhaps that part of the inspiration for Therion, the band who got their name from this album. Then kicks off the sinister fast pace of "The Usurper". That song and its aforementioned intro very well beat other openings of albums like Into the Pandemonium. Next track "Jewel Throne" has chord patterns to reflect the balance of primal composition against riffs of thrash energy and muscular drum groove intensity. I'm sure there are many other great thrash examples throughout the decades that followed, but a true thrashy metalhead would bang their head and swing their fists to those interestingly brutal riffs. I'm not even a fan old-school dark thrash metal and I'm already doing that!

With a song title like "Dawn of Megiddo", you know how well Celtic Frost would attack. The song itself once again has the strange french horns. "Eternal Summer" continues the chord balance between primal and despair. "Circle of the Tyrants" pumps you up with apocalyptic heaviness. "(Beyond the) North Winds" needs a little time for you to really see its full potential as mid-tempo-ish piece that's absolutely underrated compared to Metallica. The upbeat ghost-like guitar leads in the bridge give the song its special scent that would inspire later extreme metal bands.

"Fainted Eyes" is an aggressive piece of heavy shock that works as a black metal prototype song, once again having its apocalyptic heaviness. "Tears in a Prophet's Dream" is an extravagant yet incomprehensible sound collage that wouldn't blow any minds. Finally we come to the gigantic closer "Necromantical Screams" complete with horns, timpani, and female vocals without neglecting the morbid heavy black thrash. OK, that has to be what inspired Therion!

Was this review convincing enough for anyone who hasn't listened to this 1985 classic to do so? Either way, you definitely don't wanna miss out on its highlights (see below) for their best extreme delivery. This important album needs more attention! Sadly, Celtic Frost would never reach the brilliance of this album ever again.... AAAARRRGGH!!!!

Favorites: "The Usurper", "Jewel Throne", "(Beyond the) North Winds", "Necromantical Screams"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Neurotech had been built up slowly and steadily at that point. The releases Wulf made for the project are all good though starting off a bit rough in the debut Antagonist. It seemed like he had his own mission to achieve, which was to try to find the right balance for his sound, one that would truly show what his project is all about. And with his second album (3rd if including the Decipher Volumes), he's just about got it!

Infra Versus Ultra greatly defines Wulf's contribution to the futuristic industrial metal subgenre that is cyber metal. It is something so unique, so mesmerizing. Neurotech has perhaps pushed Mechina off the epic cyber metal throne, at least with what the two bands were doing at the time.

The album and its story begins "(Infra) I", a smooth galactic intro that slowly rises. The buildup leads to the kickoff, with "Atlas" hitting the stage hard. The guitarwork sounds like it has practically been taken from 90s Fear Factory. I was almost expecting Wulf to unleash his earlier growling vocals. What's different compared to Fear Factory is, Wulf prefers to make his style more melodic than mechanical. Although he has distance from his earlier growls, his cleans have multiple layers that are like angels transcending from the cyber heavens. No matter which vocal style he goes for, it lets him stand out amongst the cyber/industrial metal crowd. "The Longest Time" is a truly catchy hit. As is "Unleashing the Dead" which is another unique standout.

"The Art of Forgiveness" takes the Fear Factory influences further, this time from one of that band's longer ballads. Only one track has left me stumped, that one being "(Versus) You". That interlude isn't all that uplifting. In saying that, "Sacrifice" isn't much of a metal track either, but it mixes other sounds so beautifully.

Next track "Transcendental" indeed transcends through different dimensions as Wulf guides you through, "Let's go, let's hide away, for a while". Then "When the Night Falls" starts with dramatic symphonic synths that almost made me think it would lead to an Eternal Tears of Sorrow song, before having the usual Neurotech drift. The melancholic closing track "(Ultra) Us" has the perfect music and lyrics to end this cyber metal adventure.

What more can you ask for from Neurotech?! Metal anthems, melancholic ballads, electronic samples, catchy beats... Everything you want from this band! We're in a century where the music realms have much more than in the past, and any open-minded listener should listen to Infra Versus Ultra and add it to their playlist. The future is here!

Favorites: "Atlas", "Unleashing the Dead", "Sacrifice", "Transcendental", "(Ultra) Us"

Would you consider an album compiling 3 EPs with all-new tracks an extensive studio album? I sometimes would. This artistic man from Slovenia, Wulf had made a series of EPs for his project Neurotech throughout 2012 and early 2013, each of them titled Decipher. Vol. 1 came out in April 2012, followed by Vol. 2 in September. Vol 3. came out sometime in early 2013 though it wasn't released as widely as the first two volumes. And finally in June, all 3 EPs were put together as The Decipher Volumes.

I gotta say, it's a great improvement from Neurotech's good but problematic debut Antagonist, and brings it to the same level as Blue Screen Planet... on average. The direct harsh cyber metal is given more variation, and it's balanced out with songs of different styles, ranging from heavy to poppy to atmospheric. Adding to the diversity is the talented female singing by Tanja Ravljen (I almost wrote Tarja, but that's what happens when you've heard of Nightwish longer than Neurotech). The atmosphere shines the most in 3rd volume, finally sealing the deal on the variation cyber metal has to offer.

Each volume starts with a prelude, and the "Vol. 1 - Prelude" is a nice place to start. It segues to "The Cyber Waltz" which greatly picks up where Blue Screen Planet left off. It's a true cyber metal anthem, with everything you can ask for from the symphonics, synths, electronics, pianos, guitars, drums, beats, and vocals. The perfect memorable beginning of this spacey journey, and done much better than the heavier first part of Blue Screen Planet. Next, "Damage is Done" has the cyber metal aggression leftover from Antagonist. "Home" has smooth piano melancholy, with nice lyrical flow, "Where is the price to pay for the life you've thrown away? Could you believe it's gone?!" The more otherworldly "Below These Scars" is a more atmospheric highlight. The first ever exploration of clean singing fits greatly with the serious lyrics of pain and guilt.

"Vol. 2 - Prelude" is nice. But I don't see much of the point of splitting off part of the beginning of "Let the Healing Begin", which is already an intro, and an amazing one at that. Atmospheric synths and Tanja's serene singing take your breath away. She continues her vocals in the beginning of "The Race of Recovery", "Erase me, don't tell me, I'll take you far away from here". The song is the ultimate highlight of the second volume. The beat and synths may bring the sound closer to dance-pop, but who cares?! The vocal duet between Tanja and Wulf stands out here! It departs from the harshness of Antagonist while still having heavy riffing, allowing that masterpiece composition to dominate. We have some nice verses in "A Clouded Mind" with cool industrial beats. Lots of amazing synths and vocals to add more electro-industrial to the metal. "Is the Sunrise Coming" shows that industrial/cyber metal doesn't have to be as heavy as Fear Factory. Departing from Antagonist the most is "Unconditional", heading into early 2000s Theatre of Tragedy. The complex "This is the New Age" adds to the bridge from the first volume. "A Separate Way" is a magical conclusion to this part.

"Vol. 3 - Prelude" is cool but again should've been part of the actual intro... "Closure" is a nice calm before the storm. "No Turning Back" blasts off with amazing melodies, rhythms, and synths, for another soaring cyber/industrial metal experience. That one actually triumphs over "Triumph" which is starting to get predictable at this point when attempt to add background ambience behind guitar riffing. Then we have a different highlight "The Difference" which peaks as an adventure within an adventure. Everything's so mesmerizing in the beats, guitars, and vocals, and the synths and piano add to the gothic melancholy. "A New Tomorrow" leans a little too far into electropop, more fitting for a club hit. The ultimate highlight of this entire playlist is the 7-minute instrumental epic "Decipher". It's surprising because it's just the soft ethereal new age of Enigma and Vangelis. This atmospheric mini-journey is in a similar vein to the softer half of Blue Screen Planet. Beautiful and suitable for the end or near-end of a Sphere playlist.

The Decipher Volumes is for any metalhead who wants both atmospheric and heavy. The structures and production in these dynamic songs are pretty much what the Neurotech sound is all about. This project should really get more attention and bring honor to the cyber metal name....

Favorites: "The Cyber Waltz", "Below These Scars", "Let the Healing Begin", "The Race of Recovery", "A Clouded Mind", "This is the New Age", "A Separate Way", "No Turning Back", "The Difference", "Decipher"

My cyber metal journey is a bit of an odd one when it comes to exploring the most underrated bands in this genre that's also underrated. I've come across impressive blends of guitar, synths, and symphonics that make up the genre, but at the same time ended up encountering some near-failures. Neurotech's 2011 debut Antagonist has that strange phenomenon. Though in Wulf's defense, this was before he started adding more variation in the EPs that followed.

Thinking positively, I'd like to point out how otherworldly the synths are. I'm talking about the epic orchestral programming that has reminded me of what Mechina started doing in their second album Conqueror that year. However, just like Conqueror, not everything is good...

The title opener tries to combine Insomnium-esque mid-paced melodeath with string-infused EDM, but it doesn't come out as well as it should. We get a better deal of cyber orchestra in "Inject Me Now". That and "Nonexistent" have synth melodies taking you through the universe. If The Kovenant and Sybreed made their own cyber metal collab, that's what it would like. "Awaiting Deception" tries a little too hard to cram in the piano/strings of Fleshgod Apocalypse into that gothic cyber metal track.

"The Angst Zeit" has a greater sense of extreme, with more dramatic keys and black metal-ish growls to remind me of Shade Empire. Those vocals are well-delivered but can only please metalheads who have gotten used to Sybreed, variation and all. Still that doesn't mean the strength of Sybreed is present, when it' s more atmosphere-focused. "The Mannequin March" is unlike the other tracks that are all within the 4-minute length, this one being a short two and a half minutes. And it's just a weak failure. "A Hollow Impression" impresses me with the progressiveness of 90s Anacrusis, yet it sounds too hollow for a track from a debut album. First impressions are important, metalheads!

"Towards Tedious Nightmare" sounds too tedious in their attempt to add the electronics of Crossfaith and Sonic Syndicate into the mix. The better side of the album comes back with the best highlight, "We are the Last". The first 45 seconds have a sweet blend of epic orchestration and heavy riffing. "The Sky is Always Open" closes the album greatly to show that there's hope in the later part of Neurotech's career.

It takes talent and creativity to make something wonderful. Wulf certainly has those skills in Antagonist. The production is so smooth and let the guitars and synths shine. The balance between the keys and chords create a mystical sound that anyone should find. On the other hand, it sounds a little too tame in some songs, like you can't listen to them without trying to find something else to do to pass the time. This kind of flaw is problematic when making an album filled with the industrial/symphonic combo that is cyber metal. Antagonist is still good, just needs to be better improved. Neurotech would start building its way up afterwards....

Favorites: "Inject Me Now", "Nonexistent", "The Angst Zeit", "We are the Last", "The Sky is Always Open"

I've seen the name Future Palace float around, especially when my brother was listening to one of their songs and I liked it enough to submit it to a Gateway playlist earlier this year (as of this review). Now I decided to check out and review one of their albums. I think I've gained the incentive after Saxy's review for their new album Distortion appeared on the site. Of course, the album I've chosen isn't that, but the one that starts with that song...

As the 2020s train rolls on, modern metal bands are not afraid to tear down the barrier between metal and mainstream even further. Future Palace has helped out with their metalcore-ish alt-metal style. With clear production and consistent sound, their second album Run is a lot of fun! (cheesy rhyme, I know)

"Paradise" is that song I've hinted at above. Nice glitch-ish effect to go with this female-led alt-metal/rock sound. Once we get into "Dead Inside", I thought it was going to lead into Trivium-esque melodic metalcore of last decade, but then I'm reminded that this is a different band with the charging vocals of Maria Lessing, placed together with the powerful guitarwork of Manuel Kohlert and drumming of Johannes Frenzel. The members have all done their part well and in-sync. "Flames" sounds catchy and exotic at the start before switching into strange electro-trap verses. Fortunately, the strong rock-on chorus makes sure this song is impossible to hate, especially when it gets heavier in the bridge. The heavy punky balance is exemplified further in "Locked". I suspect songs like that are a key influence to the heavier tracks in Linkin Park's From Zero.

Next track "Heads Up" has taken some ideas from the more recent releases of Bring Me the Horizon, plus some of the greatest vocal aggression from Maria. Then things slow down in "Sleep Tight" as Maria sings through a dark dream, allowing listeners a chance to unwind after all that heaviness. "Defeating Gravity" brings the heaviness back in a blend of catchy and vicious. "Roses" can sound so melancholic and malicious, sometimes at the same time. This dynamic track is one of, if not THE, best of the album. However, other songs may fight for that position...

Case in point, the following track "Wounds" has some rawness as the lyrics warn you about internal weak links of a relationship. "A World in Tears" puts forward the band's ideas into a dreamy state while jumping through another strong chorus. With "Loco Loco", the listener is pulled through between melody and heaviness. The finale "Fever" reminds you of how fun modern metal can be. Rather than going all-out heavy, a dance beat leads to upbeat instrumentation for a great catchy ending.

Run is filled with hooky energy that is bound to make you up for more rounds. No matter how much electronica/hip-hop is added to their rock/metal sound, even the classic metalheads can make their turn into the modern scene here. An answer to the question of what a heavier rapping-free take on Linkin Park's From Zero would sound like!

Favorites: "Dead Inside", "Flames", "Heads Up", "Roses", "A World in Tears", "Fever"

Anywhere in the darkest depths of the universe lies a massive vortex of terror and doom. Nothing close to it can escape, and it can even engulf light. It can pull things apart and stretch them thin until they break and scatter particles all around. And when it's all over, the dark void remains. If an offering of progressive death-doom can really work as a soundtrack to this bleak deadly phenomenon, this band knows how to do it right. Welcome...to the Black Hole District!

Two years after their previous album Kosmodrom, this Paris-based doom band, founded by guitarist Sylvain Bégot as a side-project to the defunct Anthemon, released a new album via Hammerheart Records. Black Hole District alternates between one-minute intros and EXACTLY 10-minute epics (a similar aspect to Neurotech's Symphonies II).

In atmospheric mist stands "They Wake Up at Dusk", a soothing intro. "Sentience Amidst the Lights" begins this dark heavy experience, guiding you with spoken vocals before descending into slow rhythms, melodic leads, and vocals ranging from growls to cleans. Next interlude "Elusive Whispers" has melancholic ambient keys. Adding some gentle touches is "To Wander the Labyrinth", then heavy riffs and rhythms touch down alongside the growling delivery, while balanced out with clean harmonies.

The energy is never lost, even when interlude "Suspicion" only consists of spoken vocals over ambience. "Unveiling the Illusion" unleashes guitar aggression in contrast with the string tranquility. Truly one of the greatest standouts here! Calming things down is interlude "Benefit or Hazard", though not without some anxiety-inducing suspense.

"On the Run to Nowhere" is filled with gothic harmony and interesting progressiveness for the more adventurous metalheads' pleasure. One more interlude "Moonfall" opens the entryway to the darkest part of the void. "Those Moments Lost in Time" is the perfect climax of slow doom, as growls and cleans battle it out once more. Sometimes it speeds up slightly while keeping the slow pace. And in the end, all fades away as you hear the spoken voice for the last time.

Black Hole District is for those who want to end the year in the darkest, most melancholic way possible. Sometimes, progressive death-doom can be so intriguing, and just like a black hole, it can grasp every soul it can find. Even the brightest soul!

Favorites: All 5, but the best of them are "Sentience Amidst the Lights", "Unveiling the Illusion", "Those Moments Lost in Time"

The 80s thrash tsunami occurred mostly in the US, the UK, and Germany, but one band from Brazil has propelled that country into the scene. Sepultura brought Brazilian thrash metal forward with albums Beneath the Remains and Arise. Though longtime thrash fans were turned off by their switch to groove metal in Chaos A.D. and the more Korn-ish nu metal of Roots. After that, frontman Max Cavalera quit the band, followed by his brother drummer Igor a decade later. The band has continued to stay active, all the way up to this year (as of my review), when they started a farewell tour that will last until 2026. I actually hadn't experienced an entire Sepultura album, not even during my ultimate Pit test a couple years earlier, until now. Although it's unusual to start with the band's possible final album before retiring, let's hear what they got in Quadra!

More often than not, when a thrash band tries to relive their 80s era of destruction and mayhem, it doesn't reach the same glory as that era. However, the thrash sound in this album has been given more modern depth, and whether or not you've only heard one of Max Cavalera's other projects like Nailbomb or Soulfly beforehand, you can't resist the tribal heaviness of this band now led by top-notch vocalist Derrick Green. Bassist Paulo Jr. and guitarist Andreas Kisser have kept the band going throughout their history, heating things up with the riffing and shredding. And we have the rocket-powered drumming of Eloy Casagrande, who didn't stick around for the farewell tour. Quadra is an album of 4 different 3-track sections that practically pay tribute to their different eras. I'll name them after 4 of the classical elements; the "Thrash Fire", the "Groove Earth", the "Progressive Water", and the "Melodic Air".

The "Thrash Fire" section kicks off with the blazing epic opening track "Isolation", where an orchestral march leads into high-speed chaos. "Means to an End" blasts through with the thrash/groove metal of The Haunted, though the verses remind me of the heavier tracks by Demon Hunter. "Last Time" is filled with relentless shredding.

The "Groove Earth" section starts with "Capital Environment" which can go progressive and deathly without going far into the stylistic territory of, say, Job for a Cowboy. More groove-ish riffing can be found in "Ali". That, along with marching beats and bellowed vocals, brushes aside the shredding leads without losing too much melody. Stomping in again with that groove is "Raging Void", with lots of mid-tempo rage and none of the nu metal tomfoolery.

The "Progressive Water" section begins with "Guardians of Earth", as orchestral/choral sounds rise just like in the opening tracks of the first two sections, evolving into an epic progressive groove/thrash fest. It's only surpassed by the progressive thrash instrumental "The Pentagram", one h*ll of a journey that can be considered the Quadra Crusade. "Autem" is once again as progressive as Waltari, though sometimes it has the more melodic yet deathly verses of Mercenary. The other two tracks in this section still reign in the progressive throne though.

The "Melodic Air" section is introduced with the acoustic title instrumental. The rest of this section has two melodic heavy metal/hard rock tracks that are so unlike the other 3 sections. "Agony of Defeat" is a soft while still heavy power ballad, like a metallic Led Zeppelin. Far From Alaska vocalist Emmily Barreto guest appears in the "Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering", though her vocals don't really sound powerful compared to Derrick Green. The song is a bit underwhelming, and I prefer the other track in that section.

Sepultura's career has made it up to album #15 with Quadra. Anyone who has enjoyed Sepultura since before their move out of thrash 30 years ago will find something to love, and those who came here for progressive energy and/or earthly groove will be in luck. This blend of thrash and groove is similar to Slayer's final album Repentless, only lightyears better and more progressive. I think Quadra can win back earlier Sepultura fans while also bring newcomers who have spent time with music from bands like Machine Head and Gojira. The possible final offering from these Brazilian thrash masters shall be worth it for any metalhead!

Favorites: "Isolation", "Means to an End", "Raging Void", "Guardians of Earth", "The Pentagram", "Agony of Defeat"

Holy sugar honey iced tea! System of a Down's Shavo Odadjian decided to go on a more metalcore route with his new band in which the title is an acronym for his first name, Seven Hours After ViOlet. He has formed a solid lineup that includes American Idol runner-up Alejandro Aranda and members of deathcore bands Left to Suffer and Winds of Plague to create a good album of alt-metalcore, released via Sumerian Records a couple months before this review.

Shavo still has what it takes in the nearly two decades after System of a Down's last duo of albums. His latest entrance into metalcore has given the scene more exciting light. A creative impact has marked this territory...

Kicking things off hard is the heavy "Paradise" in which fast rhythms and grooves stick together with some clean melodies. Then we have "Alive" which marks a wild melodic metalcore standout. After that one-two punch, "Sunrise" doesn't impress me so much when the heaviness and melody lack balance. At least the clean/harsh chorus keeps it interesting. Still it's not really a track to start with on a whim.

Now we really go hard in "Go!" which, f***ing h*ll, is so insane! Lots of speed and destruction from the music and vocals, with a fun anthemic chorus. Then "Float" floats by with forced melody that comes out a little too plain. But I love the short intense beast that is "Glink". Forget "Cry...", it's too much of a dramatic sh*tter.

Stomping through is the mesmerizing "Abandon". The grand "Radiance" can lure any listeners in, and you can't escape its grasp of power. As we reach the album's final leg, "Gloom" sounds compelling though doesn't reach its potential strength. Neither does the finale "Feel" while still having some power to engage listeners. Pretty much a decent ending for this cool offering.

Any fan of System of a Down would be curious enough to discover this band and album. It's a love it or hate it kind of album, but for me it's somewhere in the middle. I'll see you all later, perhaps after Violet....

Favorites: "Paradise", "Alive", "Go!", "Glink", "Radiance"

The talented Novembre know how to please their longtime listeners. Their 1994 debut Wish I Could Dream It Again suffered from poor production and execution and ended up out of print. One year after their 4th album Novembrine Waltz, the band decided to re-record their debut with a new name, Dreams d'Azur. Now this is a much better take on that album! One that has kept those earlier listeners in joy until the band's next album Materia 4 years later...

So what are the differences between this album and the original debut, apart from the more obvious facts? There's more unique atmosphere to let the different parts really shine, whether it's the extreme heaviness in the drums, guitars, and growls, or the smooth melody from the acoustics, keyboards, and cleans that are greatly improved compared to the debut. The structures greatly set up the bridge between extreme and melancholic. There's great flow with some slight choppiness. Beautiful dreamy lyrics cover all the songs, with one of them written in Italian.

Still reigning as one of my favorites is "The Dream of the Old Boats". Ambient keys and guitars roll into drums and vocals that become more climatic in every minute. Perfect! "Novembre" can be considered the band's theme song, not just in the name but also when it shows you all the band really has. The soft long part heads straight into extreme growling and drumming speed. "Nottetempo" sounds close to mid-90s The Gathering instrumentally. Then we have some black metal rage in "Let Me Hate".

Then we have the filthy yet gothic "Sirens in Filth" that gradually grows just like in some of the earlier tracks. I love "Swim Seagull in the Sky" in both the debut and this re-recording, though the version in the latter has more power. The two-minute ending still rules with all of its f***ing glory. "The Music" continues to shine after being revamped. Calm keyboards make way for upbeat riffing melodies and better-flowing clean singing. Soon the drums and guitars jackhammer through alongside growls in heavier parts. "Marea" is a 3-part 12-minute epic that actually combines two tracks originally in the debut. Calm acoustics aside, it's a vast improvement and another awesome track here!

"Old Lighthouse Tale" is fast and extreme while having slight doom. "The White Eyed" is another solid track to love. "Neanderthal Sands" has some slow sinister melody. And some people thought they could only get sinister vibes from fast deathly thrash bands like Demolition Hammer. "Christal" ends the album with soft gothic ambience, like you have just woken up from a dream.

Dreams d'Azur truly is a stronger revamp of Wish I Could Dream It Again, and you can practically all the different styles in the late 90s eras of Opeth and Katatonia. Any fan of those bands should add this album to their collection. The progressive/gothic/black metal dream is real....

Favorites: "The Dream of the Old Boats", "Novembre", "Swim Seagull in the Sky", "The Music", "Marea", "The White Eyed"

I've listened to Novembre for a couple months then turned away from this band. Their 1994 debut is probably why. Re-recorded in 2002 under the name Dreams D’Azur, Wish I Could Dream It Again was produced with prolific Edge of Sanity frontman Dan Swanö, and what do we get?... F***ing poor production and execution, that's what.

Now I have heard early Ulver before via one of their black metal albums a year before this review, so I know lo-fi production when I hear it. But this sh*t makes Nattens Madrigal sounds clean in comparison. While it has some nostalgic vibes, it sounds more like a dream than reality, and I don't mean it in a good way. The instrumentation not having enough emotion does not help with the low mix. The harsh vocals sound a little too breathless, but they aren't as bad as the g****mn awful singing.

Not everything has gone down to sh*t though, as we still have some killer tracks with a stable formula, starting with "The Dream of the Old Boats". 5 tracks later, "Swim Seagull in the Sky" starts with a keyboard intro that's more depressing than depressive, but when the guitars roll in, they actually sound more powerful than the monotone that has dragged through most of the other tracks, though the soloing still slightly annoys me. The two-minute ending is perhaps the best moment of this ill-fated album, with all of its f***ing glory. "The Music" is also filled with nice music.

So yeah, that's pretty much all the highlights there. Really. The heavier black metal sections sound too dirty, the cleaner parts are too weak, and... F*** the more acoustic tracks. The album is passible while not really worth returning to at all. If you're looking for other albums of progressive/gothic/black metal, there are way better ones out there. And this was the same band who would make what I thought was a masterpiece in Arte Novecento a couple years later....

Favorites (only ones I like): "The Dream of the Old Boats", "Swim Seagull in the Sky", "The Music"

A few years ago, I really loved Opeth. I understood the essential status of this band within the progressive metal scene. But my interest faded out when I thought they were never going to return to their heavier deathly roots after 4 albums of 70s folk-ish prog-rock. However, the future I predicted has changed when the first single of their new album The Last Will and Testament came out. The brutal heaviness and growls are back! Though there would still be some of the softness the band has had since Heritage...

In a way, this album can be considered the Linkin Park From Zero of Opeth. After a poor metal-less era, the band takes us through the ages. While the rock-ish sections pick up where In Cauda Venenum left off, the heavier compositions will make you remember Blackwater Park, and the balance is closer to that of Watershed.

The songs are shorter and untitled, just a heads-up as I start talking about the aforementioned first track and single "§1". It kicks things off in a bang as the heaviest the band has gone in over 15 years. There's also some spoken vocals by Mirjam, daughter of Mikael Åkerfeldt. Going further down into Opeth's deathly progressive roots "§2". Some background vocals can be heard by Joey Tempest, the lead vocalist of Europe. "§3" is also heavy while keeping some mystical moments from the previous 4 albums.

"§4" is my favorite track in this album. The riffs and rhythms flow together perfectly. Generally, the folk-prog of Heritage is given a darker heavier treatment complete with growls. Next song "§5" has more of the softer prog from their 2010s era while making space for the heavier parts for another well-balanced highlight.

"§6" is the song that is the most likely In Cauda Venenum outtake, as the vocals, bass, and drums return to that clean jazzy vibe for the most part. "§7" is the last part of the album's main concept, another dramatic journey through darkness and light, leading to a climatic ending with everyone singing Latin vocals before grand violins mark the conclusion. The finale "A Story Never Told" is the only track with an actual title, a beautiful ballad with harmonic vocals and soloing.

The Last Will and Testament is a true comeback for Opeth's metal roots, filled with brutal growls, heavy rhythms, and complex drumming by new member Waltteri Väyrynen. It's a great offering that, while still a little prog rock-ish, is what many metalheads have asked for. Lots more potential for me to resume listening to this band in the future....

Favorites: "§1", "§4", "§5", "§7"

In 2013, one year after this release came out, Sybreed vocalist Benjamin Nominet call it quits before they were supposed to tour with Soilwork. The band had to cancel the tour, and instead of trying to find a new vocalist, they gave up and disbanded. An unfortunate end to this leading band of industrial/cyber metal...

Sybreed was formed in 2003 in Switzerland, a country in Europe surrounded by other countries like Germany, France, and Italy, and sharing the same languages as those countries. This band blends industrial metal with elements of other styles including the groove metal of Devildriver, the djent of Meshuggah, and even a dash of black metal. Their 4th album God is an Automaton is one last trip through this experimental cyber dimension.

Drum roll please, literally, for "Posthuman Manifesto", with a slow buildup into a great riff groove. It is then twisted into the usual blend of drums, synths, and clean/unclean vocals. There's also a clean bridge to get you geared up for the clean final chorus. And if that first song doesn't refresh you enough, "No Wisdom Brings Solace" certainly will, starting with the usual groove-ish industrial metal. Electronics and distorted cleans soar through the verses. Any open-minded listener can appreciate this bridge between industrial and groove. The album starts really hitting highlight status in "The Line of Least Resistance". Holy f***, this cyber metal sound is just too good not to listen! "Red Nova Ignition" has more of that groove-ish industrial metal and the additional of electronics and singing. The riffs, blasts, and time signature changes rule in that one!

The well-composed title track includes colorful soloing. Guitar solos were rare for the band up to that point. The intro and the midsection of "Hightech Versus Lowlife" sound so brutal as part of the cyber/industrial metal greatness. "Downfall Inc." does not have the variation I expect from this band. It's quite a drop in quality compared to the previous track, and the weakest one they've ever done. Disposing of some of that weakness is the catchy mainstream-ish "Challenger", which is heavier while throwing in some keyboards, a balance mastered in Antares. Nominet's vocals sound the best here, with somber cleans going well with his raging growls. So unique!

"A Radiant Daybreak" starts with sludge-ish groove in the riffing and blazing drumming. The mix of heavy riffing and clean singing really adds to the originality. "Into the Blackest Light" is another heavy banger going f***ing hard especially in the midsection breakdown. The 10-minute finale "Destruction and Bliss" is the best track here. It starts djenty as heavy rhythms fill the atmosphere. The best part is the kick-A solo by Travis Montgomery of Threat Signal. The perfect farewell from Sybreed!

One other minor issue to note for this album is the lack of audible bass. Brushing that aside, this revolutionary band made their last attack. They've recently returned with a Slave Design remaster and a new track, but if they can make more than just that, and return to performing live, that's what the cyber metal realm really needs.....

Favorites: "The Line of Least Resistance", "Red Nova Ignition", "Hightech Versus Lowlife", "Challenger", "Into the Blackest Light", "Destruction and Bliss"

Sybreed has proven their worth in the heavily underrated cyber/industrial metal scene with their perfect one-two punch of Slave Design and Antares. Despite staying in the underground, they've had some of the more popular industrial/metal people working with them, such as Dirk Verbeuren (Soilwork) on drums in Antares, and Rhys Fulber (Fear Factory, Front Line Assembly) producing this album, The Pulse of Awakening!

With Fulber on board, Sybreed has maintained their sound while taking it to different horizons. And it seems like a lot of the Fear Factory influence is showing here, maybe even a bit of the djent of Meshuggah. Also the album title was inspired by Ergo Proxy.

We get the first taste of their usual sound in this album with "Nomenklatura", which is quite an amazing track to start with. Though not as much as "A.E.O.N." with incredible cyber-industrial metal genius talent! The synth-ambience really adds some that cyber effect. "Doomsday Party" is quite fun. Not as fun as that DragonForce track from 15 years later, but here, Sybreed have their own way of channeling 80s pop with its catchy chorus while staying metal. This more lively sound was first hinted in Antares, and it sounds like the coldness of Slave Design has been left behind. One track that I consider almost out of shape is "Human Black Box". As great as it is, the vocal distortion is a little too much and mechanical in an attempt to use a vocoder similar to Cynic.

Then there's the good "Killjoy", though far from great. After that, I'm reminded how excellent this album is with the aggressive violent "I Am Ultraviolence", with an explosion of heaviness to make up for those previous two slightly out-of-place tracks. The extreme strength of Strapping Young Lad being added here makes a lot more sense. The chaos is broken up by "Electronegative". The metal riffing over synth pulses should please anyone who likes industrial/cyber metal. For the next track, "In the Cold Light", who knew a depressive power ballad can fit so f***ing well in this genre? It's suitable for suffering in the despair of the bleak pandemic. The heavy final minute is so beautiful.

The more extreme influences shine again in "Lucifer Effect". It gets close to symphonic black metal, to remind some of Dimmu Borgir and Shade Empire. I love their cover of "Love Like Blood" by Killing Joke from that band's early new-wave era, with its cold feeling. The emotion can be expressed through the instrumentation more than the original vocals. The synth sounds mixed with booming guitars can blow you away more than Nine Inch Nails would ever. I like when covers stick to their band's usual style instead of just blindly following the original artist's footsteps, that's kind of the whole point of covers, I think... Props to this band for greatly standing by that rule! "Meridian A.D." has some great guitar grooves and vocals in the chorus. A bonus track before the finale is "Flesh Doll for Sale", which I like for its In Flames-ish sound. The 9-minute closing epic aspects continues in "From Zero to Nothing", sounding a bit like Tiamat's Skeleton Skeletron. In many editions, it ends with 10 minutes of ambience that I can do without.

It took a couple years for several of Sybreed's songs to grow on me, ever since I first discovered them via their Killing Joke cover, and after that, The Pulse of Awakening grew instantly to greatness. Still it can't beat the perfect starting duo. With all that, I'm prepared to take on their next album, their final one before their split. Awaken the machine!

Favorites: "A.E.O.N.", "Doomsday Party", "I Am Ultraviolence", "In the Cold Light", "Lucifer Effect", "Love Like Blood", "Flesh Doll for Sale"

Can you feel the emotion that comes from not just someone but something? Even the art that comes from music made by a band, as well as a successful film. It's essential for anyone with artistic and creative ability to give their work the emotion it needs, and there's a lot of it in this impressive work of art!

Sybreed is a groove-ish industrial/cyber metal band from Switzerland, formed out of the ashes of Rain (those last 6 words can make a good song title). They're so underrated yet painfully overlooked, staying strong for 4 albums until their unfortunate split-up. Antares is their second album, and it's as incredible as their debut Slave Design. It took a couple years for several Sybreed songs to stick in my mind, and when they did recently, albums like this one had left an remarkable impact in my ongoing metal journey.

The starting track "Emma-0" has beats and synths rising from the distorted background before unleashing sinister guitar riffing. Vocalist Benjamin Nominét screams his heart out against life struggles mutilating and hurting him. Soilwork drummer Dirk Verbeuren stops by to deliver some powerful drumming, shining in the progressive "Ego Bypass Generator". I love the amazing "Revive My Wounds". The beat here is so d*mn good. "Isolate" is an epic ballad-ish track to tone down some of the relentless chaos of the other tracks. A bit isolated, while still awesome!

Then we have more of the flaming blasts in the dynamic "Dynamic". Then "Neurodrive" rolls through excellent guitar rhythms and some of the best vocals by Benjamin. That might have leave a huge influential mark on Neurotech, and is one of my favorite tracks here. "Ex-Inferis" is a two-minute interlude that would fit well in a video game. Well now that I think about it, a Sybreed song ending up on the radio or a movie/video game soundtrack would be interesting. Think HALO or Red Alert.

"Permafrost" has more of the riffing soaring through. The vocals end up sounding more spoken in "Orbital" which nicely adds some variation to Benjamin's distorted vocals as he continues to sing about a dark future. "Twelve Megatons Gravity" is a prime example of aggressive deathly electro-industrial metal. It is one of the most rage-filled songs I've heard in the genre that barely any other bands can reach. The closing track "Ethernity" is a polar opposite of that, an ethereal tranquil 9-minute epic. A couple bonus tracks are around in different editions, including the more technological "Technocracy" and the more in-line-with-their-usual-material "Plasmaterial".

Whether or not you're into modern industrial/cyber metal, you can't go your entire lifetime without hearing this legendary offering. It's a shame that not a lot of music listeners have come across such a masterpiece. This underrated band needs more well-deserved attention, d*mn it!

Favorites: "Emma-0", "Revive My Wounds", "Isolate", "Neurodrive", "Twelve Megatons Gravity", "Ethernity", "Plasmaterial"

Shadow of Intent made a couple albums based on their favorite video game franchise Halo. After that, with another new lineup, Ben Duerr and Chris Wiseman have made a separate concept album about mass suicides at the hands of a demonic goddess. So dark, so depressing, yet... so intriguing!

Until at least 5 years ago, I was never really into deathcore. At first I thought it was like standard death metal with metalcore breakdowns. The kind of deathcore I prefer is when the genre goes progressive and symphonic. I only just discovered this band a couple years ago, and eventually it has managed to grow on me. Whether or not you have heard this band before, this symphonic melodic deathcore offering will impress the sh*t out of you and get you headbanging throughout these 52 minutes of darkness.

The title opener shall already get you hooked in the first minute, as epic strings rise into metal heaviness to begin this stylistic journey. The melody is so addictive in this, you guessed it, melancholic might. And more of this heavy speed awaits as the album progresses. The beastly "Gravesinger" is a true highlight. Seems like Shadow of Intent took Betraying the Martyrs' earlier sound to a much darker level alongside some classical elements of Bach and Beethoven mixed with some of the most brutal metal subgenres out there. This might also include some Dimmu Borgir-like symphonic black metal in the middle. And the outro with neoclassical soloing before a symphonic closure is just EPIC. The Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder)-featured "Barren and Breathless Macrocosm" practically surpasses the previous track. Insane drumming and vocals here! The riffing reminds of early Whitechapel, especially during the cinematic ending. RIP Trevor... "Underneath A Sullen Moon" was the first single to drop, a year before the rest of the album. The Dimmu Borgir influences are taken further while throwing back to the technicality of Primordial. So dark and crushing!

Then we have the brooding "Oudenophobia". And after that, "Embracing Nocturnal Damnation". 3 dark 9-letter words that fit so well together. Just like how the sounds of Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and The Browning (without the electronic elements) all fit together like a glove in this track. When you have songs like "Dirge of the Void" that blast through in a short 3 minutes, there's no way you'll ever be consumed by boredom. As always, the harsh vocals by Ben Duerr and the clean vocals of Chris Wiseman duel with each other at ease. Chris' cleanly sung chorus totally brush aside his atrocious attempt at that in the Primordial album.

"Chthonic Odyssey" spices up the band's symphonic melodic deathcore sound with the blackened elements of Chthonic and a bit of djent from Tesseract. "The Dreaded Mystic Abyss" is a long instrumental epic, a mind-blowing monster that has hit me the hardest in my over a decade of listening to metal. I guess this could be what the DOOM soundtrack would sound like if Angel Vivaldi teamed up with Mick Gordon. 10 minutes of atmospheric, epic, and brutal genius! The album doesn't end there though, making way for one more track, "Malediction". It is a monumental gem, one of the best I've heard from this band and genre. I really am torn between whether this is the perfect ending for the album or that long instrumental epic.

Throughout the past 5 years before this review, albums like Make Them Suffer's Neverbloom and Lorna Shore's Pain Remains have been my go-to albums for symphonic deathcore. In comes Shadow of Intent's Melancholy, an epic riff-tastic melodic deathcore album to please any metalhead. I just found a new best album of 2019!

Favorites: "Gravesinger", "Barren and Breathless Macrocosm", "Dirge of the Void", "The Dreaded Mystic Abyss", "Malediction"

Like fire rising from the abyss, metal can ascend from the underground and burn into the ears and minds of listeners. This is especially true for deathcore, despite all the hate the genre has received. I suppose that was around the time when deathcore bands that were active for a decade like Whitechapel were attempting to make their sound more commercial, and the outcome for fans was "What the f***ing h*ll was that?!?" Shadow of Intent, on the other hand, made the genre more interesting with their symphonic technical melodic deathcore style, starting with their solid debut Primordial. This interstellar sound is slowly rising further in Reclaimer, to brutalize the cosmos!

It seems like this band is taking the place of Winds of Plague who was fading out of activity, apart from that band's latest album Blood of My Enemy later that year. What's different is, Shadow of Intent have made the sound more melodic and technical, the latter aspect reminding some of The Faceless (also releasing their latest album that year). Alongside those more melodic moments, we also have the neoclassical brutality of Fleshgod Apocalypse. Just like that band, thrashing blasts and diverse harsh vocals collide with film-score orchestra. And what else do we have in this epic extreme extravaganza? The guitarwork of course! The technicality comes from not just the deathly riffing but also the neoclassical shredding that would make Yngwie Malmsteen proud.

"We Descend..." is the intro and the first track by the band to not start with the word "the". I didn't think this would be the missing spark needed to get me fully interested in the band via a Revolution playlist, but that was the case there. The first 20 seconds consists of beautiful melancholic piano, then the heaviness builds up, reaching it's high point in the breakdown for the last 30 seconds. This is two minutes of my life I wanna repeat! How the f*** have I missed this in my life?! It is followed by the first full song "The Return" in which technical deathcore practically combines with the symphonic power metal guitarwork of Symphony X and Iced Earth. If the clean vocals were higher and more operatic, the band would've beaten Dragoncorpse in that game. Plus there's some medieval harpsichord! Now there's still the more extreme side of the spectrum with the brutal breakdown and the blackened death growls. It's amazing that the vocalist Ben Duerr would still have that power in their next album. "The Horror Within" is a brutal blend of Impending Doom, Pestilence, and the symphonics of Ice Nine Kills. There's even a paraphrased quote from a Spongebob Squarepants episode in the lyrics, "The inner machinations of their minds are an enigma". Next track "The Catacombs" is the first track here with guest vocalists; Jason Evans (Ingested) and Dickie Allen (Infant Annihilator, Nekrogoblikon). Evan's vocals make things as brutal as Pathology in the heavy guitar grooves, while the symphonics still drift by.

"The Mad Tyrant's Betrayal" has some of the melody of Attack Attack! and Phinehas, particularly in the clean singing sections (far better than that one song in Primordial), while staying deathly as ever. The vocals in "The Gathering of All" end up going as intense as deathgrind when Slaughter to Prevail vocalist Alex Terrible steps in, though the speedy riffing is more reminiscent of The Black Dahlia Murder. "The Heretic Prevails" really prevails with this 3-way intersection between Fleshgod Apocalypse, Carnifex, and even the progressiveness of Protest the Hero. Tom Barber, who was at the time still with Lorna Shore and not joining Chelsea Grin until the following year, screams his way through "The Prophet's Beckoning". The melodic guitars and cleans stir up similar vibes to In Mourning and The Gallery-era Dark Tranquillity. Y'know, this isn't the only time I've heard Alex Terrible and Tom Barber in the same album. Listen to "We are the Dead" from As I Lay Dying's new album Through Storms Ahead to know what I mean. But let's not get to that right now. The last third of this album awaits...

"The Forsaken Effigy" is still deathly while having more metalcore-ish riffing from the heavy side of bands like Crystal Lake and Demon Hunter. Meanwhile, the blackened shrieks sound closer to Psyclon Nine. "The Great Schism" is a massive instrumental that has practically everything from bands of similar genres, including the deathcore of Impending Doom and Betraying the Martyrs, the melodeath of Omnium Gatherum and Persefone, and even the melodic metalcore of All That Remains and Unearth. "The Mausoleum of Liars" has some Voivod-ish progressiveness, but nothing else too special. "The Tartarus Impalement" is an epic of symphonic deathcore destruction and despair. It starts a bit mundane in the first 4 minutes, then the epicness rises at over the 4-minute mark with such great music, lyrics, and vocals. "And I'll never see home again, never comfort my wife as she mourns and I'll never hear the cries of my firstborn son, How can I possibly continue on?!" F***ing d*mn, man! Pure beauty and emotion rolls on throughout that minute. Then comes another amazing minute where the band work together to unleash their power in battle. The final climax goes on the last one and a half minute as the hero impales the enemy and rules in victory. Talk about such a finale for this offering! Though it probably would've been better in the first half...

Every song in Reclaimer has its own feel within this epic extreme sound. The band can be in the mood to go brutal, technical, or melodic. Either way, they still stand by their sound, and that and their lyrical concept helps keep the album consistent. The concept is heavily Halo-based, which is no surprise considering how much the band members enjoy that game and possibly any other sci-fi shooter video game. Think they can do a Star Wars Battlefront symphonic melodic deathcore album later on? With all that genuine songwriting and musicianship, Reclaimer comes on top as one of the better albums of this style of deathcore, maybe even all of deathcore. It would've been perfect, except my only complaint is, some additional breakdowns should've been included alongside the speedy guitar sections to bring more balance to the epic technical melodic deathcore universe. Still if you're playing Master Chief and need some killer music, let this amazing album play and fire away!

Favorites: "We Descend...", "The Return", "The Catacombs", "The Heretic Prevails", "The Prophet's Beckoning", "The Great Schism"

There comes a time when a band is starting out with just a vocalist and an instrumentalist, relying on programming for strings, bass, and drums. When Shadow of Intent began their journey like that, they've managed to make it all sound as organic as they would in subsequent albums when human members joined this lineup. Those textures add more flavor to make this symphonic/technical/melodic deathcore dish, with vocals and speed that melodeath fans would crave...

Their debut album Primordial, along with their next one Reclaimer, were inspired by the Halo video games and take you through this interstellar extreme realm. The precise machinery of the deep riffing, rapid drumming, and searing soloing can be associated with Rings of Saturn, while symphonic strings replace all that 8-bit atmospheric jazz.

The rising dramatic strings that begin "The Prelude to Bereavement" might make you think it's an actual prelude, but that all changes when the heavy instrumentation comes in. It's basically a more epic brutal take on the Finnish melodeath of Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum! You can consider "The Shaping Sickness" a blend of the bands Fleshgod Apocalypse and Gravemind. It sounds vocally better than in the demo EP Inferi Sententia (containing demos of half of the amount of songs in the debut). "The Invoking of the Execution of Worlds" takes the Fleshgod Apocalypse influences further. "The Cosmic Inquisitor" has some pieces of the tech-death/thrash of Revocation, from the heavy intro riffing to the sweeping guitar soloing. Brutal guest vocals are done by Dan Watson, former vocalist of Infant Annihilator and Enterprise Earth.

"The Didact's Will" is an 8-minute epic in the middle of the album instead of the end. They basically made a more epic round of 2000s Avatar-like melodeath while also adding in some progressiveness from 90s Anacrusis. Thrashing around further is "The Last Bastion", especially towards the end. "The Battle of the Maginot Sphere" continues to rely on the growls of vocalist Ben Duerr, but it doesn't always work in times when he goes as fast as a rapper or an auctioneer. When he slows down to a more understandable speed though, that's when the vocals and music are in well-engaging interplay.

Then we have some clean verses in "The Twin Revelation" sounding close to Trivium. The big problem is, the clean singing sounds a bit whiny, almost like that guy from The Gathering's Almost a Dance. Luckily, there's none of that in other tracks. The instrumental "The Aftermath in Jat-Krula" pushes forward a symphonic mix of the deathcore of 90s Embodyment and the melodeath of early 2000s Soilwork. For "The Indexing", think of it like a killer blend of Betraying the Martyrs, At the Gates, and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Theatrical symphonic melodic deathcore is what the American metal scene needed in a time when people were getting tired of hearing melodic metalcore bands like Killswitch Engage for over a decade. Actually, both the symphonic deathcore and melodic metalcore scenes are timeless to me. The point is, Primordial shows that Shadow of Intent has potential to help build up the former despite staying an underground band. If you're up for a blend of Fleshgod Apocalypse and Rings of Saturn, this is it right here! Just note that it will take some time to grow on you, as it did for me for 3 years via several of their songs, starting with that killer final track....

Favorites: "The Prelude to Bereavement", "The Shaping Sickness", "The Cosmic Inquisitor", "The Didact's Will", "The Indexing"

When Make Them Suffer started releasing some new singles with their new keyboardist/co-lead vocalist Alex Reade, replacing Booka Nile who left due to abuse allegations, they were some of the best, most kick-A singles I've ever heard from this band's new era. Even my brother likes a couple of those singles. They really made me look forward to their self-titled album, and it has all the greatness I hoped for!

Formed in 2008 in Perth, Australia, Make Them Suffer has had such a powerful evolution that has never worn down. Beginning with pre-Lorna Shore epic deathcore in their glorious debut Neverbloom, they've gotten less deathly and more melodic over the years. With their brand-new self-titled album, their successful journey continues.

The intro "The Warning" has climatic choral vocals leading into industrial synths. Then it blasts into the grinding guitar grooves of "Weaponized". The chorus is where you first get to the beautiful cleans of Alex Reade, greatly balanced with the unclean growls of Sean Harmanis. The sky is the limit, and they made it higher with a lot to expect in this album. "Oscillator" is another kick-A track worth headbanging to. This and "Doomswitch" really make my day, the latter being a f***ing masterpiece of a banger!

As with some of the other tracks here, "Mana God" has Harmanis growling the song title as early as the intro. The modern downtuned metalcore is displayed in reckless abandon, with not many clean melodic moments in this track. The growling power of Harmanis is backed up by some additional screams from Reade. The pause on the usual structure helps cut down on the repetition and makes you remember how enjoyable this album is. "Epitaph" kicks things up h*lla hard. Reade has more of the divine spotlight in "No Hard Feelings". The heaviness is toned down slightly for some lovely melody, while staying fast and killer. Harmanis continues his harsh screams while also offering some gruff singing behind Reade. They both might make the best metal vocal duo of the year alongside Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong!

Then Reade is out and Harmanis is in all the way in "Venusian Blues". His clean singing doesn't catch my attention as much as Reade does, but he easily show his different techniques in more ways than vocalists in other bands. The technical instrumentation will make sure you don't stop listening. "Ghost of Me" is a well-done standout single with amazing lyrics! Sean's incredible vocals help maintain the band's bad-a** single streak. We have more of the band's signature in heaviness in "Tether". Finally, "Small Town Syndrome" ends the album with the best the band has to offer. Not just from the two vocalists, but also the impressive instrumentalists that help run the machine.

Make Them Suffer are at the top of their game once again, helped out by Alex Reade, who has never given up after her previous band Drown This City fell apart. This album is the most incredible one by Make Them Suffer since Neverbloom, and even the mundane verse-chorus structure has some variation. They're back and stronger than ever!

Favorites: "Weaponized", "Doomswitch", "Mana God", "No Hard Feelings", "Ghost of Me", "Small Town Syndrome"

So I've already checked out and reviewed a few albums by Mechina, a band known for its epic symphonic cyber metal sound and expanding conceptual saga throughout albums and singles. But the question is, what were they like before they started adding in those aspects?

The Assembly of Tyrants was recorded and released in 2005, over 5 years before their second album Conqueror in which they started making their sound more cinematic and forming a massive story in the lyrics. I actually love the debut slightly better than the next 4 albums. This simple raw style of cyber metal in a similar vein as Fear Factory and Sybreed is not as overproduced as their bombastic later material. Although the saga was yet to be established, I can hear the story quite well in these lyrics!

Some of the heaviest bits of Fear Factory can be heard in the opening track "Shattered Cry", as early as that band's deathly debut Soul of a New Machine. It's a real shame about drummer Scott Oloier leaving the band, because his pummeling drum-work hits so hard. Drifting through this cosmic vortex is the dark growls of David Holch that enhance the well-thought lyrics. "Reclamation of Mortal Nature" proves that this band can sound killer even at a time before adding a bombastic truckload of symphonics and female vocals to their subsequent releases. Awesome, but I prefer the Tyrannical Resurrection version. That EP is where half the amount of the songs in the debut were re-recorded two years after. Next up, "Clash of Cultures" takes the atmospheric sorrow further. Holch has tried an earlier attempt to give his vocals a clean singing effect.

Attacking in different tempos is the long "Machine God". Then we head into one of two instrumentals, the electronic "Apothica". The next two tracks are from a couple of the band's earlier demos that basically the Fear Factory Concrete of Mechina, starting with "Skin Deep". The riffing by Joe Tiberi can break things apart, alongside Holch's growls, "Draw thy weapon for pain, just for the kill". The other track "After Image" has Scott Oloier has his brother Jon (on bass) battling it out with the other guys' instrumental talents. The keyboards that are later proven to be performed by Tiberi fits smoothly with the aggressive instrumentation.

The second instrumental, "Assembly Intro" (also titled "Warfog") has some ambient serenity. The main part of the album ends with the 8-minute title epic. It's a true masterpiece highlight that greatly foreshadows what's to come later for this band. The bonus track "Clash YSAF mix" is an instrumental remix of "Clash of Cultures".

If there's anyone who, at the time of the debut's release, thought the band would go down the same path as Fear Factory and Sybreed, their second album Conqueror definitely says otherwise. Until then, The Assembly of Tyrants is essential cyber/industrial metal that anyone in The Sphere should get. Though if this dark futuristic sound had guitar solos and better production, it would've been 5-star perfection. Still it already displays Mechina's unique abilities. The best place to start before the bombastic rest!

Favorites: "Shattered Cry", "Reclamation of Mortal Nature", "Clash of Cultures", "Skin Deep", "The Assembly of Tyrants"

Following the good yet messy Empyrean, Xenon rises slightly higher with a better stylistic balance to prove the uniqueness of Mechina. And it can surpass Conqueror as well. Xenon continues to build up from what the band had in the previous two albums. As always, you can expect the djenty rhythms, keyboard melodies, and orchestral majesty, courtesy of Joe Tiberi. Plus some cool vocals, both clean and unclean. As much of a great achievement as this is, again the bombastic epicness tires me out...

It's not just the style that's more balanced, but also the production. The riffing machinery is taken to the front stage. Now you can hear the distorted grooves soar through the cosmos. Also appealing is the drumming by David Gavin. Sadly, he would leave the band after this album, and the drumming in all subsequent albums is programmed.

"Cepheus" is a bonus track in the Compendium edition of the album, and a pummeling 10-minute epic. It's my favorite track of the entire album and makes up for whatever mess the main album would have later, just like Empyrean's Compendium bonus track "Andromeda". It would be better if "Cepheus" was Xenon's ending or near-ending epic though. The title track that opens the main album is filled with f***ing underrated epic cinematic cyber metal to love! You can just imagine travelling through lightyears of space and centuries (even millennia) of time. But it can't work as an individual track when it segues straight to "Alithea". Then "Zoticus" marks another wonderful highlight, having a more upbeat tone compared to the rest of the album.

"Terrea", on the other hand, is rather terrible, going back to the messy side of the previous two albums. It is made up for by the glorious "Tartarus". You can swim through different dimensions ranging from cyber to deathly, as a saga unfolds, almost competing with Marvel, Star Wars, and even The Elder Scrolls. A truly dark ethereal collision! "Phedra" doesn't do much for the album, but I still approve. "Thales" is another brilliant standout. It can actually be enjoyed well as an individual track, with its more direct feel and not having to bleed into another track.

Going through "Erebus", there are female vocals and well-composed symphonics that you can hear in Nightwish. But it is blended with the metal heaviness that brings things closer to Xerath. A true theatrical gift! "Amyntas" is kind of a weak track to segue into, though not really a stinker. Their attempt to go all-out The Amenta in their last full song doesn't work out as much as it should. Then it all ends in dark tranquility (not the band) in the outro "Actaeon", a nice reprise to the title track's piano intro.

Xenon has a lot for you to get used to, but eventually you can embrace this multi-track cyber metal symphony and remember the more impressive moments. Joe Tiberi continues to reign as a master of epic futuristic cyber metal, with more releases appearing throughout the next 10 years, to be heard through space and time....

Favorites: "Cepheus", "Xenon", "Zoticus", "Tartarus", "Thales", "Erebus"

Turmion Kätilöt is an amazing yet strange band of Finnish industrial metal. The lineup consists of talented members with funny stage names; vocalists MC Raaka Pee and Shag-U, guitarist Bobby Undertaker, bassist Master Bates, keyboardist RunQ, and drummer DQ. The lyrics can cover everything from sci-fi to beautiful girls. And the band have been on a roll throughout their tenure that has already reached 20 years! Yet I didn't get turned on by their music until last year.

Standing by in the category of bands that should've been accepted in the Metal Archives but aren't, their disco-fueled industrial metal sound shall please both club dancers and metalheads. Reset brings us back to the Spellgoth era in terms of the quality, not reaching the perfection of the albums afterwards, but still better than Perstechnique.

"Yksi Jumalista" (One of the Gods) begins with an Egyptian-sounding EDM intro before the hammering riffing. The vocals dance around the keyboards and guitars. The chorus maintains both the EDM vibe and that riff. The song is quite a fun bouncer, even with the strange lyrics. "Päästä Irti" (Get Loose) starts off almost deathly, and then it's time to dance again. The catchy energy can really kick things up a notch. D*mn, this can get the metal/dance crowd smiling. The metal guitars fit perfectly with them beats! "Pulssi" (Pulse) sounds a little closer to Mushroomhead at times, but the guitar solo brings it closer to Beast in Black, especially when it's that band's guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen who's performing it. "Sina 2.0" (You 2.0) heads into the electronic side of the band, with some guest vocals by Netta Turunen, daughter of MC Raaka Pee.

"Musta Piste" (Black Dot) brings back the perfect glory of the rest of the Shag-U era, specifically Universal Satan. Same with "Trauma", which has violent bursts of industrial metal to infect the EDM vibes. "Otava" (Big Dipper) once again has a bit of Mushroomhead, while also throwing some Fear Factory, Waltari, and even in the 8-bit synths of HORSE the Band, to make a unique combo. "Se Mitä Et Näe" (What You Don't See) has another brilliant sound from the start, with dark electronic synths that plague the industrial metal sound (in a great way), complete with a Rammstein-ish anthemic chorus. Not much disco, but the heavy riffing and electronics are in great balance.

"Once Dead" is OK, but not that interesting. Ditto with "Puuttuva Naula" (The Missing Nail), which is a little too poppy. It's the weakest song here, though not enough to be a stinker. Following this is "Schlachter" (Butcher), a wonderful remix of the debut's "Teurastaja", featuring Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost. I might just love it more than the original! Finally, we have the 8-minute "Reset 7 (Not to Be Continued)", which has nice dance-y industrial metal, but the Babymetal-like J-pop moments are a bit too much.

Wait a minute... "NOT to Be Continued"?! Is this awesome band going to end after this?!? I sure hope not! Reset has a lot of the band's catchy energy, apart from a couple odd but still good tracks towards the end. The band shall stay alive and continue making even the most serious headbanger dance and smile!

Favorites: "Päästä Irti", "Pulssi", "Musta Piste", "Otava", "Se Mitä Et Näe", "Schlachter"

Mechina is one of the more unique metal bands out there. But I would've loved them more if I discovered them 10 years ago when bombastic symphonic epicness was still my thing. Now it's quite tiring when the Nightwish-esque aspects of symphonics and female singing overpower the guitars. This is actually the first time female vocals are used here, though I'm not sure if those are real or programmed. Still, Empyrean is a well-structured potential soundtrack for Star Wars or any other epic sci-fi film franchise...

The quality would've been higher if there was more variety. That's the main issue when the album is following a conceptual saga with tracks seguing into one another to make a huge-a** suite. If they had more ideas to add to their creativity, some tracks would be better appreciated.

The Compendium edition actually has a few bonus tracks, and the first one right at the start is "Andromeda", a 9-minute epic released shortly after Conqueror. It's not all about headbanging and soloing, but rather a truly epic space journey. You can find a lot more in just 3 minutes instead of just DragonForce guitar soloing (which I still like). Although I love this epic, I think this would fit better in the Conqueror album as its near-end epic. Symphonics float through the drum/guitar attack as David Holch looks up to the cosmos and tears it apart with his brutal growls. All done practically better than in Conqueror! Those heavy climatic moments mixed with pleasant bliss would certainly give the Star Wars soundtrack more impact. And there's also the energy of Fear Factory, a band whom Mechina would cover one of their songs as another bonus track...

But for now, we're at the main part of the Empyrean album, starting with the build-up intro "Aporia". It leads to "Asterion" with some of the best riffing you can find here. Keep that in mind before the atmosphere takes the focus elsewhere. Things continue to sound steady in "Interregnum" as it begins. However, that's where the attempt to stitch tracks together becomes more obvious. "Imperialus" kicks off after building up from the previous track, and you can never hear it as a singular song. Once you're finished with "Anathema", you would think, "Wait, that long song was 3 tracks?!" Luckily, that track has amazing keyboard atmosphere to go with the heavy wrath.

"Catechism" is just a flat sh*tter, basically this album's "Internecion". It leads to this album's skippable midway interlude, "[Cryostasis_simulation__2632_01]", which just has some female dialogue over soft orchestra. But then we have "Eleptheria", which is perhaps the most well-executed highlight here, never as poorly aging as the other tracks. It segues to the title track, keeping up the momentum with incredible keyboards and vocals. Sometimes, simplicity can add to memorability.

"Infineon" is another memorable track that you can listen to at home or anywhere. "Terminus" drives through as a 10-minute epic, but it's too lengthy and complex for its own good. I still enjoy long progressive epics, just to make myself clear. It's just that, well, "Andromeda" had it all better.

Heading back into the Compendium bonus tracks, there are two covers, starting with the one for "Zero Signal" by Fear Factory. While the original song is still amazing, Mechina gave it an epic enhancement, filled with futuristic atmosphere before ending peacefully with a piano outro. But just like the original, it's doesn't quite reach highlight status. The mind-blowing "Ordinary World" is basically that Duran Duran ballad gone epic cyber metal. Of those two covers, I love this one more.

As cinematic and Fear Factory-infused as this album is, it seems the writing is a bit messy in Empyrean. But at least some tracks like most of the second half and the bonus tracks show a promised path towards the better Xenon (review for that later). Empyrean is best experienced in the V.2. remastering or the deluxe Compendium edition....

Favorites: "Andromeda", "Asterion", "Anathema", "Eleptheria", "Empyrean", "Infineon", "Ordinary World" (Duran Duran cover)

Nothing More has been... *ahem* NOTHING MORE than an alt-rock/metal band that's never been afraid to test their limits. They're yet another band in my brother's collection, with a few anthemic feelers that he likes. The band has continued to evolve their sound since first hitting the major label business with their self-titled 4th album. And they've gotten so more stories to tell...

The Stories We Tell Ourselves maintains this Texan band's alt-rock/metal identity that reaches a more mature level. Jonny Hawkins has his usual impressive vocal range while Mark Vollelunga pulls out some sick guitar grooves.

"(Ambition; Destruction)" is the intro that intensely build things up to the opening song... "Do You Really Want It?" stomps through as a mid-paced anthem of lyrical power. The line "So I can shake these American demons" sounds almost fitting for what's going on in America politically, such as the election that will very soon conclude as of this review. The song is stacked on top by the interlude "(Convict; Divide)" with a spoken sample by Alan Watts. "Let 'em Burn" is a heavy punisher. "Ripping Me Apart" rips through metal darkness. "Don't Stop" sounds a little too much like Maroon 5/Green Day gone nu metal. "Funny Little Creatures" starts off with a lo-fi ambient verse that almost made me think this was going to lead to Polaris-ish ambient metalcore, but instead all we get is a more metallic take on Fall Out Boy's brand of pop punk.

"(React; Respond)" is another Alan Watts-led interlude, this one much longer than the first two interludes. Back into action is the blazing "The Great Divorce" that shall give longtime fans something to sink their ears into. The chorus of "Still in Love" explodes with emotion, shortly after the lyrics reach a heartful note, "We were gonna grow old together, but now we're just growing old." Then we have another interlude, "(Alone; Together)", this one without an Alan Watts sample. We then jump into "Go to War" that grows in anthemic heaviness. "Just Say When" is a beautiful soft ballad to mend a romantic fallout.

The interlude "Accept / Disconnect" is a lovely drift into beauty, melancholy, and eventually, more heaviness after another Alan Watts sample. "Who We Are" has a similar vibe to Celldweller, but more uplifting and less electronic. "Tunnels" has some of the most creative lyrics here. "(End; Begin)" is one last Alan Watts-led interlude before the end... "Fadein/Fadeout" is the 6-minute closing epic to touch the hearts of all music listeners.

I wouldn't say The Stories We Tell Ourselves is the best album I've ever heard, but it has the best of Nothing More. Any fan of alt-rock/metal should go get it. And if we want more from this band, all we gotta do is ask....

Favorites: "Do You Really Want It?", "Let 'em Burn", "Ripping Me Apart", "The Great Divorce", "Go to War", "Just Say When", "Who We Are", "Tunnels", "Fadein/Fadeout"

For over a decade, I've considered myself to be a metal nerd. Not to brag, but I know a lot about the different metal bands and genres I've listened to all these years. Even when I seem to distance myself from a genre or at least bands from a genre and have done it for a few years, I can still remember many of my experiences with those bands' material. One of those artists is Devin Townsend, a prolific Canadian mastermind in progressive metal.

30 years before this review, he work for Steve Vai, toured with The Wildhearts, and started his own band Strapping Young Lad. Since then, he has made almost 30 albums. Such amazing creativity he has! And now his new album PowerNerd has arrived, serving up his usual prog-metal blended with the alt-metal of his Project album Addicted.

The title opener blasts open the gates of Devin's usual energetic prog-metal, as Hatebreed vocalist Jamey Jasta yells the title, "POWERNERD!!!" The song certainly has that rock-on metal Motorhead vibe, and the lyrics have gotten me hooked too, "Time for life and rock 'n' roll!" After that, "Falling Apart" relaxes into the beauty of Terria, with serene female vocals by Tanya Ghosh. One of the most surprised-filled tracks here is "Knuckledragger", with 80s 8-bit synths and a fun catchy chorus.

"Gratitude" has softer harmony, in contrast to the Hevy Devy business in other tracks. "Dreams of Light" is a short peaceful spacey interlude. It segues to "Ubelia" that drives on as an uplifting anthem. "Jainism" comes back to the modern progressiveness longtime Devy fans know and love.

Power ballad "Younger Lover" continues the motive of exploring a different style. The dramatic grandeur of "Glacier" is quite massive. This throwback to the Sky Blue album shall level up an arena-sized crowd. 6-minute epic "Goodbye" is a joyful rocker in a similar vein to Van Halen, probably done better! That should've been the end of the album, except... "Ruby Quaker" brings back the "comedic bonus track" aspect as a coffee-themed country hoedown. Interesting, though this album would've been perfect without it.

With PowerNerd, Devin Townsend fans are once again reminded of what a progressive metal superhero he is. While I have my own metal heroes, I don't mind revisiting this musical genius once in a while and checking out amazing offerings like this one. Creativity can be anyone's superpower, but he isn't just anyone!

Favorites: "PowerNerd", "Knuckledragger", "Ubelia", "Jainism", "Glacier", "Goodbye"

Godsmack is still going throughout their Grammy-nominated 3-decade career, though they've retired from making new albums after Lighting Up the Sky. Their first 6 albums had their modern mainstream alt-metal on display, but with When Legends Rise, Sully Erna and the gang decided to turn things around with a more hard rock direction. Sadly, it just doesn't work as much as it would, and not even the songs that go back to their roots can help out.

So yeah, this Massachusetts band consisting of Sully, Tony Rombola (guitars), Robbie Merrill (bass), and drummer Shannon Larkin have some catchy hard rock in their hands. While it's clear where they're going, the album is not without some slight metal heaviness...

The opening title track moves on well in the verses. The chorus, not so much. The kind of chorus that's too radio-focused is the bad kind for full-on metalheads. The next track and first single "Bulletproof" may be too accessible for earlier fans, but it soars much better with its catchy melody. Reminds me of Breaking Benjamin a bit, which must be why my brother likes that one. Also exciting is "Unforgettable", indeed an unforgettable anthem complete with a choir-backed gang chorus.

Then things start falling apart further in "Every Part of Me". That track and "Take It to the Edge" follow the opening track's motive of having promising verses followed then by painfully predictable choruses. That kind of structure can cause weakness to reduce the strength. "Under Your Scars" is an interesting track. It's a power ballad similar to the ones made by Guns n' Roses. And yet I actually find it stronger than those poor previous two tracks. So emotional! "Someday" has better potential with heavy-hitting action, though it's too far out to make highlight status.

"Just One Time" is a repulsive sh*tter. It starts heavy in the first 15 seconds then drops into Johnny Cash-ish country rock. That's rather disappointing. The kind of rock in "Say My Name" is too close to that of Clutch. "Let It Out" take the radio-infused power of the first 3 tracks and makes too much of that for its own good. The closing track "Eye of the Storm" is a heavy anthem like the ones the band made 15 to 20 years prior.

You might think When Legends Rise would be like a rising phoenix, but this phoenix seems more watered down. Erna made his attempt at rebuilding the sound of Godsmack and it seemed like he had fun in the process. Still it doesn't sound like something to please metalheads and longtime Godsmack fans. But would it please my brother? Sure....

Favorites (only songs I enjoy): "Bulletproof", "Unforgettable", "Under Your Scars", "Eye of the Storm"

As I continue to explore some more of the hard rock/alt-metal/post-grunge bands my brother listens to, Godsmack is a similar band to Breaking Benjamin, though my brother likes the latter more. OK, not entirely similar, but they fit in the same genres. My point is, while Godsmack is more of a hard rock band, they have enough heavy metallic instrumentation to qualify as alt-metal, a bit like how I feel about Breaking Benjamin. And this includes the more rock-ish albums from the 2010s...

Godsmack have taken their time with making their albums, allowing them to have some pretty good energy in 1000hp. The "hp" stands for "horsepower", but the video game side of my mind keeps thinking it's "health-points". Sully Erna and co. have been doing their heavy side well to please fans old and new.

The title opener is an anthem of their journey so far, taking us back to the year of their formation, 1995. Listen to that aggressive guitarwork and argue with me about whether or not that's metal, because I might win that debate. The loudness and powerful vocals shall pack some heavy face-punches. "TURN THAT SH*T UP LOUDER!!!" Slower riff rhythms come up in "FML" (F*** My Life) along with some catchy heavy hooks. The heaviness takes a time out for "Something Different". The vibe is much softer and more melodic. The heaviness from the guitar is around yet brushed aside by a simpler drum beat and background strings. What's next is "What's Next" in which the band once again go big on the heavy riffs and impressive bass as they take on lyrics of mortality.

The more advanced "Generation Day" is a 6-minute epic of the dangers of technology for our generation's future. It's a super impressive trip through aggression and beauty, including searing soloing midway through. "Locked & Loaded" is where Sully Erna shows the abrasive side of his lyrics to fight off those against him. It's another one of the strongest of the bunch. "Livin' in the Gray" has some sludgy bass and drums that become more groove-ish when the guitars and vocals come in, though the slight bit of electronic distortion in the bridge is a little off. The high-quality "I Don't Belong" makes sure some of the album's memorability doesn't wither away.

Late into the game is "Nothing Comes Easy" that comes off a bit odd. Guitars rise from the ominous ambience abyss with some rock-on distortion. "Turning to Stone" ends the album with some decent rhythms. However, it's surpassed by "Life is Good!", a bonus track in the Best Buy edition. With a rebellious chorus to engage the live crowd, this perfect anthem is one of the best things Godsmack has ever done. If this was in the actual standard edition of the album, I would give the rating an extra half-star.

With all that said, 1000hp proves Godsmack's ability to add heaviness and melody where they belong. Though with its more rock-ish sound, it's more suitable for my brother than the more serious metalhead. Of course, he can sometimes be as metal as I am. 1000hp is worth it for anyone wanting more hard rock/alt-metal in their life....

Favorites: "1000hp", "What's Next", "Generation Day", "Locked & Loaded", "I Don't Belong", "Life is Good!"

Today I felt up to revisiting Savatage after one of my outside-world friends shared a couple songs from this album. Streets shows the band joining the concept album trend that would carry on in many of their 90s albums. A story filled with different characters and twists centers around a fallen rockstar wandering New York's drug-laden streets. It keeps up the operatic motive of their previous album Gutter Ballet. While it's not entirely awful, it just doesn't appeal to me now as it had a few years ago...

As the band attempted to keep things going from the operatic Gutter Ballet, it sounds like they've gotten farther than they should've had. Streets is almost 70 minutes long, and while I enjoy some long progressive concept albums, it causes some decrease in consistence. Although the band has insisted that this is fiction and autobiographical (that's how I've had to explain the book series that I write), it seems more like a tale of their addiction/success struggles in the pre-Hall of the Mountain King era. Now I don't mind the constant narrations. It's the excessive amount of piano ballads that can be sleep-inducing, better suited for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, no offense.

So, talking only about tracks that I actually like, the title opener impresses me with dark orchestration and vocals. However, it can never surpass "Jesus Saves", introducing the main character DT Jesus and having catchy hooks. "Strange Reality" is another melodic heavy metal highlight to sing along to. After a couple sappy happy tracks, "Sammy and Tex" actually makes me happy with speedy guitarwork by Criss Oliva (RIP). "Ghost in the Ruins" has more of that but with less speed. Along with "Agony and Ecstasy" to get you hooked. As we approach the end, the uplifting ballads become more interesting like "Heal My Soul" which becomes more than just a lullaby. "Believe" is practically a hymn to the rock world, well effective for a radio ballad. I would've loved it slightly more when I was a teen. And I still want more of the earlier speedy heaviness.

Other problems this album seems to have is not enough power in the production. At least the atmosphere allows you to wander through the streets like DT Jesus. I enjoy the guitars and vocals by the Oliva brothers, though Jon seems to have overused the keys despite having some excellent moments. The bass isn't all that audible, and the drums are so f***ing simple with not much of the speed I expect in most metal bands. And the melodies that are often catchy sometimes come out too arena-ish. Perhaps their couple previous albums I should've revisited, maybe even Sirens or Dead Winter Dead. Nonetheless, the band knew what they were doing in the decent Streets....

Favorites (only tracks I like): "Streets", "Jesus Saves", "Strange Reality", "Sammy and Tex", "Ghost in the Ruins", "Agony and Ecstasy", "Heal My Soul", "Believe"

I've already been familiar with Neurotech via a few later songs and several of those long Symphonies. And now it's time for me to explore further back into the discography of one of the most underrated acts of one of the most underrated subgenres of all, cyber metal. Blue Screen Planet is a two-track EP with the first track being a 10-minute epic and the other being a laid-back instrumental of almost the same length.

Similarly to Mechina's Conqueror, Blue Screen Planet marks Neurotech's transition from a standard industrial/cyber metal band to one that's more symphonic and setting up a conceptual universe. Also similarly to that Mechina album, it doesn't entirely pay off as it should...

"Part I - Axiom" is a bombastic journey of symphonic cyber metal... Well, too bombastic. Some parts are overdone, which very much exemplifies the paraphrased adage, "Too many ingredients spoil the broth." While this epic is still solid, his 10-minute explorations are better explored in the later symphonies. Interesting how I like the instrumental "Part II - Revelation" more. Most metalheads and more upbeat music listeners can't go past the first half of this serene Hans Zimmer-like composition, but I can! It's amazing how magical this piece sounds as it transports you out of the harsh reality of Earth into the astral plane. It works well with the video game No Man's Sky. So instead of unleashing metal in maximum power, let the cool ambience move you into this different dimension. By the 5th minute, you'll already be one with the multiverse.

The origin of Wulf expanding the soundscapes within his Neurotech project is all in this EP. Lots of great ideas from calm to blasting, from soothing piano to crushing guitar! Though the instrumental is more balanced than the epic. As beautiful and intriguing as this EP is, it's more of a side-order than a main dish....

Favorites: Both tracks, though I like "Part II - Revelation" more.

From 2011 to 2015, Disturbed was on hiatus. During then, vocalist David Draiman decided to form his own temporary project, Device. If you'd like me to give you a hint at what Device, it's like Disturbed with a more industrial edge...

People already knew Draiman's plan to make more industrial material from some teasers. The industrial side comes from the other member of the project, Geno Lenardo, ex-guitarist of Filter. The heaviness Disturbed fans have expected is blended with electronics for some decent results. It should be noted though that Lenardo was replaced by Will Hunt (Evanescence) and Virus (Dope) for the couple live concerts performed by the band.

Straight into heaviness is "You Think You Know" which rocks out as if Disturbed never had that hiatus, while having a bit of Nine Inch Nails. Draiman's singing is quite strong here, "You think you know but you're horribly blind, you think you know that the story's defined, you think you know, but your heart has gone cold inside." Sounding closer to Disturbed is "Penance". The drumming rhythms and vocal grunts are still around while having some electronic synths. Following this is "Vilify", the best choice for the band's first single. It's a perfect highlight of Draiman's strong vocals.

For their cover of the 80s glam ballad "Close My Eyes Forever", taking the respective places of Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne is Lzzy Hale of Halestorm and Draiman, and the song is given a modern electronic twist. "Out of Line" stands out well as another one of Black Sabbath's members, Geezer Butler performs his audible bass, while Draiman and System of a Down's Serj Tankian both sing their perfect lyrical views of the world. The haunting "Hunted" continues taking on the electronic metal fusion as they've done throughout the album so far, showing that they can do it well without relying on guests. "Opinion" rips through with searing soloing by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, having more of the spotlight than in Linkin Park's "Drawbar".

"War of Lies" has some of the nu metal riffing of early 36 Crazyfists. "Haze", which has Avenged Sevenfold vocalist M. Shadows, is another solid collab. These guest appearances really help boost the quality of the album in most cases. The last guest vocalist is Glenn Hughes, known for his solo material and his time with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, in "Through It All", a nice sentimental rock ballad. I don't really like the bonus tracks enough to mention, except for their cool cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Wish".

You just have to admit how much outer thinking Draiman has with his work. He can really expand his boundaries beyond the band he's usually known for. It works well with some solid standouts, though not so much for a lot else. And the project would stop once Disturbed was revived....

Favorites: "You Think You Know", "Vilify", "Out of Line", "Opinion", "Haze", "Wish"

So... A Loded Diper album exists. If you're familiar with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and films, you know what Loded Diper is. If you're not, let me fill you in without spoiling too much. Loded Diper is a heavy metal band in which the main character Greg Heffley's brother Rodrick plays drums. All members of the band are in high school, except the lead vocalist Bill Walter who is in his 30s and still living with his grandma. The books involving Rodrick and his band, like Rodrick Rules and Diper Overlode, are a couple of my favorite Wimpy Kid books because of how much I like metal band-themed kinds of stories. Of course, I don't tolerate Rodrick's bullying behavior towards Greg.

I got my hopes a little too high when I discovered this album. The thing is, it's not an official Loded Diper album, more like a fan-made compilation. It starts with the two official songs from the live-action Wimpy Kid movies, and then the rest is just fan-made tracks, whether attempts at actual songs or just dialogue-sampled rock/metal instrumentals, similarly to Spongecore where they make metalcore/deathcore songs over Spongebob Squarepants dialogue.

The two official songs are actually quite fun, starting with "Exploded Diper" from the Rodrick Rules movie. This mid-tempo heavy metal/hard rock tune is both comedic and anthemic, and worth headbanging to. The chorus almost reminds me of the pre-chorus of Metallica's "Master of Puppets". The other official song is from the Dog Days film, and is a fun yet goofy-a** cover of Justin Bieber's biggest (s)hit "Baby". It starts off similarly to the original then gets cranked up into punky hard rock. Rodrick performs the song in an attempt to impress Heather Hills (older sister of Greg's crush Holly) at her birthday party, but it ends up going spectacularly wrong.

Then the fan-made tracks begin, starting with "Diper Overlode". It's just a sh*tty slacker rock attempt to make a song out of the official lyrics written in the Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book. I'm pretty sure I can make something a lot better and more metallic using those lyrics. The dialogue-sampled instrumentals cover the rest, and they're all only either OK or poor quality. The only one I really enjoy is "Rodrick Rules", with its kick-A thrashy metalcore instrumentation.

Now I've seen the new animated Wimpy Kid films on Disney+, and the new Rodrick Rules film has an official song called "Can You Smell Us Now?" The song also appears in the Diper Overlode book. Some may be turned off by the odd vocals by Bill Walter (at least compared to Bill in the live-action film) and the ridiculous lyrics (what the h*ll is a "chocolate cow"?!), but it's truly a hard rock/glam/heavy metal tune to get even the most serious metalhead grooving. And while it doesn't appear in the Loded Diper album because it was released a few years before the release of the song and the film it appears in, I wish it was there.

If I were to show you how to make a Loded Diper playlist, take the first 4 songs and replace "Diper Overlode" with "Can You Smell Us Now?". Everything else, throw it into the fire. Now I'm hoping for an album consisting of songs by Enslave the Mollusk, Nate Wright (from Big Nate)'s rock band, whether official or fan-made....

Favorites (only ones I like in the official album): "Exploded Diper", "Baby", "Rodrick Rules"

Ministry have made it big in pioneering the American side of industrial metal, with their 3 albums from 1988 to 1992 being commercially successful. With their 1996 album Filth Pig, the band's sound became darker and heavier than before, almost reaching sludge territory. According to founder Al Jourgensen, people hated the album. They wanted the humor and electronics of Psalm 69, but the album doesn't have much of those. I still like the heaviness though.

Darkness is often what I look for when I want to take a break from the brighter reality. And sometimes, darkness can be a bit intimidating. It can also have a bit of humor, from the literally meat-headed young American politician in the album cover. A whole lot you can find in the dark...

"Reload" is a short violent introductory song practically picking up where Psalm 69 left off. I was hoping for that kind of excitement in the title track, but it goes for a little too long and has almost given me brain damage. "Lava" is equally as long as the previous track, but it flows well in the riffs and vocals, almost like a march to a Southern battle. "Crumbs" is OK, but crumby in some places.

"Useless" fits well with its name, being far too weird for its own good. "Dead Guy" has awesome lyrics and nice groove. "Game Show" is the long 8-minute epic of this album. I wouldn't say it's bad in any way, but it's still a little weird and not something I would listen to on the daily.

"The Fall" seems to fall in quality but can stand back up for some time. Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" has been given the cover treatment here. It has a more alternative edge, a bit like Killing Joke at that time. No wonder it easily became a radio single! Really cool psychedelia there. Finally, "Brick Windows" brings back some earlier experimentation. Fantastic lyrics in this one!

Other things to mention about Filth Pig include the solid production and instrumentation. Those help keep the general quality stable, even in the lower half. There's nothing with switching gears to a heavier sound. A lot of us here are up for something like that. I just think a few of the songs in the album could've had better execution....

Favorites: "Reload", "Lava", "Dead Guy", "Lay Lady Lay", "Brick Windows"

Starting my time with a band's material via their new album isn't always a conventional way to begin, but I'm fine with Veritas being my first P.O.D. full-album experience. At this point, the band has moved quite far from their rap/nu metal roots while throwing back to them every now and then. Veritas is all about heavy aggression and anthemic power to stay true to what they are...

After releasing many albums in 3-year intervals (on average), they left a 6-year gap since their 10th album Circles. Now their true side is back on board in Veritas (Truth). While P.O.D. still have a bit of their earlier rap/reggae, they have some heavier riff fire here to please the fans.

Straight out of the opening "Drop", the drama bomb explodes with the vicious rapping of Sonny Sandoval and aptly used bass drops. Lamb of God's Randy Blythe unleashes his growling thunder, "Set fire to the system, set fire 'til they listen". Then "I Got That" has the swaying guitarwork of Marcos Curiel as Sandoval's vocals alternate between rapping, singing, and screaming, "We got that underground original, nothing to prove". The aggressive anthem "Afraid to Die" includes haunting singing melody by Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk. The vocals by both Sandoval and Shmayluk reach the height of defiance in one of the strongest alt-metal standouts of the year! "Dead Right" is a shorter punk-ish song, alternating between soft and heavy dynamics.

You can definitely recognize what the band is known for in "Breaking". The riffs and rapping stay fresh. The mid-paced "Lay Me Down (Roo's Song)" was written in memory of Roo Bublitz, one of Sandoval's friends. I think anyone who's unaware of that might think this is about that kangaroo kid from Winnie the Pooh. The singing in the chorus has a lot of raw passion, "Live your life, keep the faith, don’t ever cry for me!" Positive lyrics cover "I Won’t Bow Down" that makes another highlight. "This is My Life" sounds like if the post-grunge my brother likes collides with the reggae punk of Bad Brains, complete with guest vocals by Cove Reber of Dead American and Saosin.

Then we have "Lies We Tell Ourselves", another mid-paced anthem. It has a pretty cool guitar solo by Curiel. "We Are One (Our Struggle)" marks a swift return to the earlier heaviness as the band try to tear down the cultural walls holding us back. We then reach the atmospheric conclusion that is "Feeling Strange", as clean guitar and a looped beat lead to a heavy dramatic chorus. A little strange, but I can live with that.

All in all, Veritas has some solid anthems that can please alt-metal listeners and longtime P.O.D. fans. I'm still not up for more of this band though, especially considering the overuse of rap or reggae at times. Still they have their strength, and that is the truth....

Favorites: "Drop", "Afraid to Die", "Lay Me Down (Roo's Song)", "I Won’t Bow Down", "Lies We Tell Ourselves"

Progressive/technical thrash/death metal is something I'm up to exploring more of, but I'm still heavily focused on the genres for my main clans. One of my latest attempts was when I checked out Sadist's 1993 debut album Above the Light. Interestingly, this Hemotoxin album doesn't stand out to me as much as that Sadist album. Perhaps one reason is because it sounds to me more like the tech-death/thrash of Revocation with only some progressiveness here and there...

When Time Becomes Loss is the 4th album from this band from Pittsburg (California, not Pennsylvania). Guitarist/vocalist Michael Chavez has pulled off some deathly riffing and thrashy harmonies with technical firepower. His vocals are pretty cool too.

"Morbid Reflection" opens the album smoothly though the production is a bit muddy. Nonetheless, you can hear the energy coming from the guitar and bass. The tech-death/thrash sound definitely sounds like if Revocation time-traveled to the era of Atheist's debut Piece of Time. "Call from the Abyss" kick the drums and guitars up some notches. This is fast wall-smashing metal! "Malediction" burns you to the ground then resurrects you like a phoenix. The speedy machinery slows down in some sections.

"Abstract Commands" blazes through once again with its firmly heavy fast sound. "Conscious Descent" finally has the progressive variety I was anticipating, starting with clean acoustic melancholy before descending into Vektor-ish chaos. The bass sounds the most audible here.

"Reborn in Tragedy" returns to the tech-death/thrash sound, practically rebirthing a genre that faded out long ago. It's actually more progressive than most of the other tracks here, but again, technicality and aggression continue to reign. The title closer unleashes the last of the technical firepower in this album. And you're left wondering if there will ever be more of that sound in the future.

I think it's clear Hemotoxin has the strength to crash through the gates and show no mercy. They have true tight talent and are good at their blend of old-school and modern. All I'm asking for is clearer production for a new album and giving their sound a little more progressiveness to go a long way....

Favorites: "Call from the Abyss", "Conscious Descent", "Reborn in Tragedy"

At long last... The time has come... The release of one of the longest-awaited albums, Time II! Recording for the album began as early as 2006 when it was recorded together with Time I with the initial intention of being one whole album. While Time I was released in 2012, we had to wait 12 more years for the arrival of Time II. And during that wait, we got a separate album in The Forest Seasons. Now if Time II came out in 2017 instead of The Forest Seasons, it would've blown me away hard, considering how much I loved epicness in metal back then. With my metal heart aiming for modern heaviness nowadays, I'm no longer the Wintersun fan I was 10 years ago. An album like Time I that was an epic masterpiece back then, I don't think the same today. But I have to seize the moment of checking out this highly anticipated offering, so let's get into it.

So what's great is the shredding, vocals, and drums. The epicness that comes from the soloing and melodies is top-notch. The neoclassical soloing is actually quite memorable, and I like the Oriental folk/symphonic orchestration. There's barely any difference in the vocals of Jari Mäenpää in the different times each section is recording, that's how fresh in both the cleans and screams. On the other hand, the production is a bit too much. The otherwise nice drumming ends up messy. The bass can barely be heard. There is a lack of actual metal riffing. And the orchestration is too pompous, which again I would've loved to bits when I was younger, but now, NAH.

"Fields of Snow" is a nice promising start. A pleasant intro filled with Eastern folk music. The only problem is, it goes on for 4 minutes, just like the intro for Time I. If it was shortened to half its length, I would like it more. My favorite song of the album is "The Way of the Fire", the first real song. It's been played live since just a year before Time I even came out, so it's one of the most anticipated songs here. The melody and the drums have made me smile, as if I was an epic metal-loving teen all over again. Lots of excellent soloing, drumming, and melody to headbanging. The epic power shines the most in the chorus with the clean/harsh vocal dynamics that also appear in various other places. This is probably my newfound favorite 10+ minute epic by Wintersun, a glorious journey all the way up to the final orchestral strum.

"One with the Shadows" can be considered the "Land of Snow and Sorrow" of Time II, a short mid-tempo ballad. I really enjoy the soloing, which barely happened in the previous two albums. The leads and the clean/harsh vocal dynamics level things up as always. Truly a 6-minute banger, keep that in mind before the longer epics that will come shortly. "Ominous Clouds" is a better instrumental than the other one. First off, it's only 2 minutes long, the way an interlude should be. Second, the Eastern folk synths and strings have some nice guitar fiddling on top, all for smooth atmosphere.

The final two epics start with "Storm", which reminds me a lot of The Forest Seasons' "Eternal Darkness" with its blackened instrumentation. That definitely makes a highlight, but the problem is, the 3-minute flute outro with sounds of rain and thunder is too overlong. And it segues to "Silver Leaves" which has a 3-minute flute INTRO. The song itself is centered around flute and orchestration with the guitars and drums being more of an afterthought. Again, would the younger me love this? YES. Would I love it now? NO.

I would fully enjoy this album if they could've shortened the longer songs a bit and tone down some orchestration. Time II is pretty great, yet it should've had a few kinks to make it more memorable. Not worth a lot of revisiting, but I'm quite curious about a planned 4-album series and what Jari Mäenpää can do with 5 albums worth of demos....

Favorites: "The Way of the Fire", "One With the Shadows", "Storm"

Before the 90s, there was barely any metal in Italy. The country seemed to be more focused on their own prog-rock scene that was rising in the 70s. There were several Italian metal bands in the 80s, though not as many as later on, two notable bands being Death SS and Bulldozer. It wasn't until extreme metal started to grow in the 90s when the Italian metal scene gained some underground popularity starting with the more extreme bands like black metallers Mortuary Drape and, of course, the progressive/tech-death of Sadist! Their debut Above the Light is like a horror-infused blend of Coroner, Cynic, and Death's albums from that year.

Back then, Italian metal was still far away from the popularity gained in later more symphonic bands like Rhapsody of Fire and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Sadist was able to pull off unique keyboard usage before those bands. This gives Sadist more in common with Nocturnus, one of the earliest death metal bands to use sci-fi keyboard ambience, although Sadist gives it more prominence. And you can hear the keys most clearly in the interludes. Plus some strange seagull noises.

The intro track "Nadir" already lets you hear those haunting horror-ish keys. Then in "Breathin' Cancer", the melody is passed down towards the guitar and bass, and you're ready to take on this creepy yet exciting nightmare. "Enslaver of Lies" has a bit of Slayer-like thrash, but the prog-death is still on, almost as progressive as later Enslaved.

"Sometimes They Come Back" actually sometimes reminds me of the first 3 Trail of Tears albums, obviously without any of that band's operatic female singing. After a melodic soloing intro, the razor-sharp "Hell in Myself" explodes into some more thrash-ish deathly aggression. Solid vocals there, though the drumming could've had better production. "Desert Divinities" has a great unique sound. Almost like if Yngwie Malmsteen joined At the Gates at the time! The neoclassical guitars and keys are performed in nice technicality without being too flashy, and the riffs can go wild with no drastic twists. Wicked!

The band's own theme interlude, "Sadist" creeps in with horror-filled synths. This time, the heavy guitars join in on the spooky action. The band can actually pull off the horror movie vibe better than other death metal bands, enough for the chances of ending up in a film soundtrack to be likely. Probably a Psycho remake! "Happiness 'n' Sorrow" has the last of the dark prog-death sound for this album, until the rest of their discography (except the nu/industrial metal Lego).

Above the Light is a solid start for the Italian prog/tech-death band that is Sadist. Due to how overlooked this band is, it's the kind of album that should be reach more listeners. This shall reward anyone up for some prog-death with hints of Coroner. Within darkness, there's light!

Favorites: "Breathin' Cancer", "Sometimes They Come Back", "Desert Divinities", "Sadist"

Ah, Jeris Johnson... Known for his remixes of popular rock/metal hits "Last Resort" by Papa Roach and "Can You Feel My Heart?" by Bring Me the Horizon. I actually first heard of him from when he collaborated with Plankton AI metal artist BOI WHAT in the song "Battling My Demons". I like his vocal work so much that I decided to check out more of his material, and some of the new singles got me hooked. Those singles would then be part of his new album Dragonborn. I've seen this album get as much hate as Falling in Reverse's new release Popular Monster, which is actually a little more surprising. On the one hand, not everyone is up for a huge diverse cauldron of genres, and they say too many cooks spoil the broth. On the other hand, Jeris Johnson is nowhere near Ronnie Radke levels of infamy, though Johnson has co-written a song for Popular Monster, the country metal single "All My Life". So here's what I have to say about Dragonborn...

Around half of this album is arguably the best work Jeris Johnson has ever done! This is perhaps the first ever album to combine heavy/power/melodic metalcore as main genres, while adding in some alt-metal, Nordic folk, cinematic orchestra, and his earlier trap-core. Yeah, his days of trap-core aren't really strong, but this diverse metal mix of epic and modern can overpower the poor past for a more promising present.

The title track is a nice start. It begins with the acoustic folk strumming of Korpiklaani, then rises into mid-tempo alt-metal not too far off from some of my brother's favorite bands. In the end, the acoustic folk returns, this time with background synth ambience and layered vocals that will definitely plant Skyrim into your mind. "The Story of Our Lives" is a total rocker. Sure there's a bit of the electro-trap in the verses, but it's outshined by the heavy/power metal that makes its entrance in the chorus, along with a brief groove metal breakdown that you might hear from Lamb of God. "When the Darkness Comes" is a spooky track continuing the blend of Avenged Sevenfold-style heavy metal and trap. If you're wondering if that chorus melody sounds familiar, it's that Arabian riff! It also reminds me of Kesha's "Take It Off" which uses the Arabian riff in the chorus as well. "Welcome to Valhalla" is interesting. The Skyrim-esque Nordic folk is combined with trap which is an odd mix that threatens to bring it all down. But then it explodes into an epic blend of power metal and melodic metalcore, "power-core" if you will. Then it ends with the cinematics of Wintersun's Time interludes. Truly a glorious highlight!

"Here's to the Years" continues that epic blend. Last year, Dragoncorpse united deathcore and power metal together. This year, Jeris Johnson showed the world that melodic metalcore, power metal, and Nordic folk can co-exist in that fun tune. More of the epic blend comes in my favorite track here, "Siren Song". You may recognize "Greensleeves" as the main melody, and holy f***, it can definitely compete with August Burns Red's "What Child is This?" cover. Brilliant! "Down with the Dynasty" is the 4th track in a row with the epic blend, this time with some more trap drops. "John" is another alt-rock/metal ballad not too far off from the bands my brother likes such as Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, Three Days Grace, etc. "Not a Person (Freak)" is a trap-metal mess with the closest we have to a deathcore breakdown that comes out as generic.

"Eat Drink War Repeat" is much worse, the weakest track here, making me f***ing cringe over this trap/crunkcore sh*t-fest. It's made up for a lot by "Ode to Metal", more of an ode to modern metal, but still really cool. After starting with a cinematic symphonic intro, we have an alt-metal blend of a Linkin Park-esque rapping verse, a pop punk chorus inspired by A Day To Remember, and a bridge filled with the melodic metalcore of early Avenged Sevenfold and the nu metal of Slipknot, all 4 bands paid lyrical tribute to in said chorus. "Kiss From a Rose" is a nice heavy alt-pop rock take on a Seal classic. "Finish Line" is a beautiful ending ballad of acoustic folk gone 5FDP-style alt-metal.

Dragonborn doesn't reach the perfection of Popular Monster, but it shows how well Jeris Johnson can experiment with different genres to make something diverse. If he makes a follow-up to this, I'm counting on a full-on heavy/power/melodic metalcore album with none of that trap sh*t. Now if only BOI WHAT can make his own full album....

Favorites: "The Story of Our Lives", "Welcome to Valhalla", "Here's to the Years", "Siren Song", "Ode to Metal", "Finish Line"

Falling in Reverse is one of the least liked bands in rock/metal, maybe even the world. All the hate is pointed towards frontman Ronnie Radke. He can be considered, y'know, dangerous, with his multiple arrests for assault (whether physical or sexual) and battery, the mugshot from one of his arrests being used for this album's cover. His first arrest was the most notorious; he was in a fight that resulted in a young man getting shot dead. Although Radke didn't pull the trigger, he was arrested for his involvement in the fight and was sentenced to probation which he violated and subsequently served two and a half years in prison. Around then, he was the lead vocalist for Escape the Fate and was fired from that band. He decided to form his own band while behind bars and write some material to send to a few musicians he was in contact with. It wasn't until Radke was released from prison in late 2010 when the band got together to work on their debut, and the rest is history. CONTROVERSIAL history... Now as I've said before, I'm the kind of person who doesn't put direct association between art and artist. Just because someone is considered a total d*ck doesn't mean their music is automatically dogsh*t. Though exceptions can be made for those known for more serious stuff like murder and Nazism (Burzum's Varg Vikernes would qualify in both categories). Some music you can enjoy without thinking too much about one of the band members and what they've done, but we live in a world where people can easily put you down for something you like, which is what this site is supposed to prevent. With that said, it's time for me to say something that is going to stun a lot of you. So here it goes...

I F***ING LOVE POPULAR MONSTER!!! That's right, I said it! Anyone can hate this album and the band, but personally, I find no reason to give it a thumbs-down, and that's my true opinion. This is the epitome of a modern alt-metal sound blended with metalcore, trap, and other genres. And it's a drastic improvement from their mediocre previous albums that are basically just pop-core. I can witness a lot of talent from Radke and co. with their respective roles. 3 quarters of the album was already pre-released as singles, but they certainly shape it all up, and a good feeling was already made from the millions of streams some of the singles has earned. This proves that no matter how shunned a band can get, they can sweep the globe. A good metaphorical meaning behind the title of this monstrously grand album, Popular Monster.

Starting track "Prequel" introduces you to this dark world with an ominous tribal march, as Ronnie takes on some poetic diary-like rapping that can actually outshine Eminem. As all this is happening, an epic buildup slowly grows, and Ronnie warns the haters to, if they have anything bad to say, let him know directly. Right at the very height, he pulls off some impressive falsetto singing, and the heaviness crashes down on you like a world-destroying missile. His girlfriend Saraya (who guest appears in a song later on in the album) would definitely use that her entrance theme for wrestling tournaments. I understand if anyone wants to skip that track for something more upbeat, but for me, it's a glorious start to this monstrous offering. The title track has definitely deserved topping the charts. That's actually the earliest hint of the album, having been released as a single 5 years prior, and with founding rhythm guitarist Derek Jones before he passed away. RIP... "All My Life" is rather different while not deviating from the album's heavy sound. It's a country metal track featuring country rapper Jelly Roll. Radke seemed quite confident to hop into a different genre, and it paid off quite well. There's great synergy between the vocalists. Now I probably would've hate a song like this if it existed at least a year ago, but my tolerance has greatly grown. Probably because of BOI WHAT's "Rock Bottom" that is a country metal hoedown starring pretty much the entire main cast of Spongebob Squarepants.

"Ronald" is actually the track that made me interested in Falling in Reverse and this album, a massive explosion of deathly metalcore with a rapping verse by Tech N9ne. But the epic climax comes in beyond the two and a half minute mark leading into a brutal breakdown more powerful than anything Lorna Shore has done, for real, growled by Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail. Yeah, I know, that guy is indeed considered terrible for the neo-Nazism he's accused of, and I mentioned that I'm drawing the line on Nazi musicians. Nonetheless, I like a couple tracks with his vocals, such as his "BFG Division" vocal cover. Just don't expect me to listen to a lot of his band. So yeah, on "Ronald", everything is so deathly and melodic all at once! "Voices in My Head" is fast and furious in the guitars and vocals, and the pop rap influences I normally don't want too much of, I approve! Now we head into the new songs with "Bad Guy", with guest vocals by the aforementioned Saraya. Following some rap verses, the song explodes into the usual heaviness in the chorus, and Radke battles against the haters and wears his "bad guy" epithet in pride. Saraya takes over the chorus towards the end. Now that song I like more than the Billie Eilish one! "Watch the World Burn" is another example of rap metal gone epic. The greatness of that song can practically compete with the Trivium one!

"Trigger Warning" is where Ronnie tackles his homeland of America with a blend of metal, rapping, and synths, ala Marilyn Manson. Usually these Manson-esque kinds of tracks irk me, but that one's quite clever, though I know how divisive it might be. "1. Resistance is futile, 2. Comply if you can, 3. Trust in your government, 4. We got blood on our hands. D*mn, this is irrelevant." Next up, "Zombified" is a total anthem of intense energy, standing against the cancel culture Ronnie was suffering in. Love that one! "No Fear" is the best one of the new songs. Again we have some fast Eminem-like rapping and a clean chorus in front of an epic choral background. The heaviness only comes up briefly in the bridge. Still everything's quite excellent! Interesting is the final track, a cover of the Papa Roach hit "Last Resort". Instead of heavy guitars, drums, screams, and rapping, Ronnie sings his heart out in full emotion over strings of despair. Remember Disturbed's piano cover of "The Sound of Silence"? It's like that but more bombastic.

Popular Monster may not be for a lot of music listeners, but it certainly opened my ears to the talent for Falling in Reverse. It's honestly quite a unique release in the metal and hardcore realms. This experimental alt-metal style is something done in different ways by bands like Sleep Token and Bad Omens, yet Falling in Reverse step in with a more diverse mix. If anyone doesn't want anything to do with this album or band, they have their own ways. Just know that one man's sh*t is another man's treasure. One of modern alt-metal gold!

Favorites: "Prequel", "Popular Monster", "Ronald", "Watch the World Burn", "Zombified", "No Fear"