Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

The comic strip Pearls Before Swine has a book collection titled "Rat's Wars", with the cover parodying Star Wars. So I guess that's a good excuse for me find the name of this album amusing. However, the album itself is quite dark and serious...

Rat Wars followed the second part of Health's Disco4 album series from the previous year, and they've been known for their industrial/noise rock sound with influences from electronica and metal. The latter has been put forward more prominently in their new album, along with more cohesive focus from Slaves of Fear. The lyrical themes of trauma and lack of young love flow smoothly through the complex production.

"Demigods" begins the album as vocalist Jake Duzsik sings those lyrics while kicking through drum reverb and riff crunch. "Future of Hell" hammers through the fury of a futile search for a lost soul. The more aggro-technical "Hateful" has swift synth-work by Sierra. "(Of All Else)" segues in with some dance beats.

"Crack Metal" has a sound than can be considered like Nine Inch Nails but with more metallic torment. Still they're not afraid to blend their industrial metal with other genres. "Unloved" comes out almost like a Depeche Mode ballad. "Children of Sorrow" is a powerful jam of dark synthwave metal. It stands out with metallic riffing performed by Willie Adler of Lamb of God. Then "Sicko" follows as another highlight, sampling Godflesh's "Like Rats", specifically its noise-powered bridge ("You breed...like rats!!").

"Ashamed" has more emotional vocals by Duzsik and deep catchy synths. "(Of Being Born)" segues from there as a sweet yet ominous conclusion. "DSM-V" charges through with Rammstein-esque industrial metal rhythm. After using up their last bit of power, it all ends with the soft brooding "Don't Try", striking through intimate perfection.

I wouldn't say Rat Wars would make too high of an impact for the future of industrial rock/metal, but it sounds like they have what it takes. Personally, I think a few of the softer sections could use a little more oomph (NOT the NDH band) so I won't be easily distracted and can stay in attention. Almost two decades into their career, and Health is already branching out further into metal territory while discovering the darkness of one's mental health....

Favorites: "Future of Hell", "Crack Metal", "Children of Sorrow", "Sicko", "DSM-V", "Don't Try"

I didn't feel too bad about severing my ties with heavy/power metal. However, recently this band Beast in Black became popular among some of my metal-loving friends and even my brother who recommended one of their songs to me, so I knew I had to check out their music. I was blown away by the 80s pop-influenced synths, riffs, and solos by founder Anton Kabanen. He was part of a similar band that's more keyboard-focused and female-led, Battle Beast before he left in 2015. Now I can hear his masterful writing again in a different band. His stylistic antics can be heard in the brilliant new Dark Connection!

Ever since Kabanen left Battle Beast, that band ended up descending into a more hard rock-ish direction. Their earlier thunderous 80s-inspired metal would be brought back up by Beast in Black, though here they have a male vocalist named Yannis Papadopoulos with high Halford-like shriek-singing to go with his power metal delivery. The earlier synth prominence now takes on a cyber-electronic vibe, which fits well for the 80s sci-fi themes in many of the songs. You may already know that theme just from the cover art with the cyborg woman in a computer realm. The songs in the album focus a little more on atmosphere and don't force in too much heavy impact, and that's the kind of blend I'm looking for, with elaborate lyrics to match.

Opening this offering is "Blade Runner" (an obvious nod to a certain 80s sci-fi film) punches through with the fury of Kabanen's time with Battle Beast, adding in some Accept influences in the impressive vocals and guitar shredding, in addition to sweet keyboards. Having a little more groove is "Bella Donna", with more of the Accept-infused riffing combined with 80s techno-pop hooks to sing along to. "Highway to Mars" pays tribute to Total Recall with an anthem of rage and rave, as Yannis continues his power metal vocals delivery. The song title "Hardcore" made me think there would be some hardcore/metalcore influences, but NOPE, none of that. Still pretty cool though.

The techno-fueled single "One Night in Tokyo" combines the band's metal heaviness with ABBA-like pop synths that can almost fit well in Mortal Kombat. The slow long keyboard cruiser "Moonlight Rendezvous" has more of a synthwave vibe that sounds fresh out of a 90s sci-fi anime. Killer soloing appears in "Revengeance Machine". The technical speed goes wild in the power metal, enhancing the catchy melody of this band and genre. "Dark New World" continues the headbanging metal.

"To the Last Drop of Blood" is the song my brother recommended to me that finally made me cave in and explore what's all the rage between my metal-loving friends, to fantastic results! The 80s-rock-powered riffs and hooks punch through again with easy 80s action film potential. "Broken Survivors" has more of the 80s synth beauty. The serene symphonic closing ballad "My Dystopia" is actually one of the most memorable songs here. So beautiful! Two bonus tracks appear, starting with a cover of Manowar's "Battle Hymn", maintaining the smooth epic metal march and militant lyrics in a better fashion. Then another cover, this one of Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us". Yannis makes an impressive impression of the King of Pop's falsetto, though I'm a little surprised the original lyrics that were deemed derogatory to Jews were kept in.

What a massive perfect album Dark Connection is! This blend of melody and heaviness complete with 80s sci-fi vibes has made me up for another attempt in reviving my on-off relationship with power metal. Nothing can get more modern and retro simultaneously than this offering!

Favorites: "Blade Runner", "Highway to Mars", "One Night in Tokyo", "Revengeance Machine", "To the Last Drop of Blood", "My Dystopia", "Battle Hymn" (Manowar cover)

As someone who prefers melodic/technical death metal and other metal genres, I don't really consider brutal death metal my thing in most cases. MOST. With that said, I like this album. This is killer brutal death metal right here! Neuropath recorded two demos in 1995 before disappearing into oblivion, though those who have been in this website for a long while would know Daniel's journey in the decades since the band's demise.

Although there were a few recent shout-outs to the band and their music here, it wasn't until this album compiling the two demos was released by Sphere of Apparition Records in late 2023 that their material would finally hit the stores. And how can a more extreme metalhead not like this pure brutal strength!? All of the band's members are talented, though the two who really deserve the spotlight in my honest opinion are Daniel with his massive guitar skills and Mark Wangmann with his vicious death growls. The new mastering by Bjorn is certainly a true enhancement to the production.

This whole compilation works well as a powerful extreme journey, so describing its songs won't do them justice, though I can mention the songs I enjoy the most in the usual favorites section below. I would love it slightly more if I loved brutal death metal more. Still this is a great well-done example of the genre, and I'm not just saying it to be nice. Mandatory for Horde members and death metal fans in general! Great support comes with true rewards....

Favorites: "My Bleeding Mortality", "Copulation of Insanity", "Vulgar Rebirth", "Rectal Pulpation"

On December 15, 2019, Finnish melodeath legends Children of Bodom performed their final concert then split up, with 3 of the members taking the rights to the band name with them. Remaining members Alexi Laiho and Daniel Freyberg formed their own project Bodom After Midnight, which abruptly ended after the tragic passing of Laiho at the end of 2020. He was a rising star in the Finnish metal scene with his vocal fury and guitar wizardry. A Chapter Called Children of Bodom was released exactly 4 years after their final show which was recorded for the release, for fans of the band and melodeath to hear them perform for the last time...

The band really show their roots as they primarily play songs from their first 5 albums plus at least one song from each of their other 5. They know how to add elements of other genres in their Finnish melodeath. They can make things epic or electronic, without soiling the sound they're known for. Those, along with distinct melodies, are what really display the band's innovation.

Opening the show is "Under Grass and Clover" from their final album Hexed, which actually has the best lyrics I've heard from the band. The saddest too, considering the tragic circumstances the lyrics hinted at. Still that's incredible metal from Laiho and co. Heading straight into "Platitudes and Barren Words", you get a catchy chorus with a rare case of true rawness in Laiho's vocals. "In Your Face" doesn't waste any time loading up the riff crunch, slamming hard in your face! The earlier fans will truly headbang through the straight-on heaviness. Amazing metal blasting from the guitars without much of the fancy leads! "Shovel Knockout" seems to have some trouble getting up in the riffing that sounds uninspired. Despite that, there's excellent keyboard work. Don't let the humorous title of "Bodom Beach Terror" trick you. This is a serious fast-paced track that blends upbeat melody and crushing brutality. It really shows the band's sound at their best level.

The crawling atmospheric "Every Time I Die" is a true classic. It kickstarts the band's trend of adding at least one slower song to each release. Mid-tempo songs with distinct melody like that are true highlights, taking a break from the harmonic technicality for atmospheric melodic leads. It is an essential part of the melodic side of extreme metal that wasn't fully explored until Children of Bodom first entered the scene. "Halo of Blood" heads straight into some of the fastest black metal-ish riffing they could perform. The interesting "Are You Dead Yet?" starts off with thundering riffing sounding almost Egyptian, over pummeling drums. The verse riffing zooms through your head like a gunshot. "Blooddrunk" adds more prominence to the keyboards. Janne Wirman shows his amazing key evolution. "I Worship Chaos" is more repetitive, but the hooks are OK.

Getting things up better is "Angels Don't Kill" with thoughtful lyrics, though not too amazing. Still it's another well-placed ballad to break up the speedy intensity. For "Follow the Reaper", the leads in the chorus are definitely worth starting a moshpit. "Deadnight Warrior" jumps out of thunder into fast keyboards and guitars, as the harsh vocals make great contrast with those melodies through this fast pace. You'll definitely enjoy that killer neoclassical solo as much as I do. The more melodic-ish and spoken parts of Laiho's vocals is best exemplified in "Needled 24/7" to add great variety.

Henkka Blacksmith rolls in with some audible bass in "Hate Me". Taking the hate further is "Hate Crew Deathroll" which is so g****mn extreme and vulgar yet a true anthem. "Lake Bodom" has legendary keyboard/guitar dueling intro than is worth practicing anytime. The complexity is so intense, as is the rapid soloing from both instruments. The melodic "Downfall" is the final song performed in the concert. It shall be appreciated as kick-starting the band's atmospheric side that they had displayed ever since.

A Chapter Called Children of Bodom is truly the final chapter for perhaps the most iconic band of Finnish melodeath. They had truly shaped the scene since their inception 30 years ago. Their legacy is something we shall never forget!

RIP Alexi Laiho

Favorites (one track per album): "Under Grass and Clover", "In Your Face", "Shovel Knockout", "Every Time I Die", "Halo of Blood", "Blooddrunk", "I Worship Chaos", "Deadnight Warrior", "Hate Crew Deathroll", "Downfall"

Sum 41... One of the more popular punk bands... In Metal Academy?!? Who would've thought that was coming?! Well they have announced their intentions in spicing up their punk sound in metal, and 13 Voices has it all clear! Their upcoming final album Heaven :x: Hell will balance out their sides of the sound with their pop punk Heaven and metal Hell. The band will retire after a final tour, which almost didn't happen when frontman Deryck Whibley suffered from COVID-related heart failure and subsequently recovered.

Whibley is no stranger to almost reaching Death's door. While in the pre-production stage for this album, he nearly lost his life to liver and kidney failure caused by excessive drinking, ending up in a coma. That really caused his ability to walk and play guitar to take a toll, but he slowly regained those abilities. It was a fall and rise documented in 13 Voices, a comeback album of bleak intensity. If people thought 2004's Chuck was the heaviest the band has gone, the full power of 13 Voices is here to prove them wrong. Whibley, guitarists Dave Baksh and Tom Thacker, bassist Jason McCaslin, and drummer Frank Zummo shall take you on a rollercoaster ride of punk gone alt-metal!

Beginning this offering is the grim "A Murder of Crows", with slow dark punk similar to AFI. The political cynicism fits well for the bleakness of our world. Desperate anger sears through the fantastic "G****mn I'm Dead Again". I saw the music video for this on MTV and it adds to the killer power of the song. My own scenario for this would be an epic battle between punks and metalheads in a mosh pit as the band performs, especially during a whole minute of Bullet for My Valentine gone DragonForce guitar soloing. And there's more of their metal side to come... "Fake My Own Death" has more of the blazing heaviness mixed with beautiful emotion. Other new elements here include symphonic strings in "Breaking the Chain", another true anthem. Fans of the band's earlier punk sound can get a kick out of "There Will Be Blood".

The title track also stands out for fans of their earlier work, albeit their heavier side in Chuck. Yearning for emotion is "War", reaching for anthemic heights as Whibley details his sober fight for his life, and encouraging others having a similar problem to know they're not alone. Next up, "God Save Us All (Death to POP)" adds more atmosphere. Same with "The Fall and the Rise", which you know is about if you know the life-threatening sh*t Whibley went through. "Twisted by Design" is the band's longest song and their only one to surpass 5 minutes. The blend of punk and emotion is something already experienced in Linkin Park's The Hunting Party. Beautiful!

The deluxe edition comes with a few bonus tracks, starting with the short "Better Days". Then "Black Eyes" makes up for some of the losses in the album's quality. I never said the album is perfect, despite having many great tracks, but those two tracks could've actually made it better because of how great they are. Of course, I wouldn't say the same for the acoustic versions of "War" and "Breaking the Chain", which are OK but don't have the anthemic magic of the originals.

It seems like the band can really mix gloom, fun, and chaos in their metal-punk arsenal in 13 Voices. Whibley's battle to save his life has resulted in this album hitting hard with a lot of the drama and sincerity there is to offer....

Favorites: "G****mn I'm Dead Again", "Breaking the Chain", "13 Voices", "War", "Twisted by Design", "Better Days", "Black Eyes"

The Swiss masters of industrial metal have diversified their sound, starting off as black metal in the first 3 albums from the first half of the 90s, up until the style they're known for today. Reign of Light continues the heavy/melodic industrial metal blend first solidified in Passage and Eternal. Their skills are so appealing despite a more pop-ish direction here. They certainly started off their time in the 21st century quite well.

It should be said that most of the highlights in the album make up its first half. It's during the second half when the quality drops more than Eternal, with only a couple songs there being good. So let's begin with those better tunes...

The opening track "Moongate" is a pretty good start. Now as a Muslim, I know that when a relative tells me to say hi to my family for them, I say "Inch'Allah". That song has tense verses, but the chorus it builds up to is a slight letdown. Still it's a strong highlight. "High Above" seems to drag in the rhythm, while the oriental vibe from the female singing is enjoyable. The title track starts with keyboard synths before some heavy riffing. The chorus builds up from the verses and better and leads to a strong bridge.

Then comes "On Earth", having the most melody here, as he rhythm matches with the harmony. While having dreamy lyrics, the rough vocals balance them out. "Telepath" symphonic industrial metal sound bright and clear, in need of more attention than Rammstein. Unfortunately, the oriental elements in "Oriental Dawn" sound too pompous.

Next song "As the Sun" is a f***ing embarrassment. The 80s electro-synths are too cheesy, and Vorph attempts to sound like a rapper in the verses, but it doesn't work at all. We get one more highlight in "Further". Its slow relaxing sound is as great as the heaviness of the other standouts. Things get sinister in "Heliopolis". More of the oriental vibe starts things off before getting heavy. The female vocals once again add to that vibe. Final track "Door of Celestial Peace" isn't too bad, but I don't have much to say about it.

Despite the album's bumpy second half, Reign of Light has great heavy production. Samael knew how to make their atmosphere vary with more than just industrial, with the instruments and vocals dominating together. So come, step into the light....

Favorites: "Inch'Allah", "Reign of Light", "On Earth", "Telepath", "Further"

Hearing a single from the upcoming Madder Mortem album made me excited for that album and up for more of this band. The frontwoman Agnete M. Kirkevaag has a lot of talent within her vocals, and you can almost consider this band a metal resurrection of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Honestly, I would go mad if I don't have this band's music in my life! And their doomy debut brings me to a fantastic beginning of their discography...

The only thing I hate about this album is the fact that I overlooked this overlooked masterpiece. There are some people who aren't fans of female-led metal bands, thinking they're incapable of "real metal" and more focused on commercial success than actual talent. Now that kind of opinion is unfair, not to mention sexist. I don't listen to a lot of the more popular female-led metal bands like Nightwish and Epica as much as I used to, but the fact that those bands' lead vocalists are female is not even close to the reason. For Madder Mortem, their debut Mercury is pure creative heaviness, and Agnete M. Kirkevaag profusely enhances it with her vocal talent and lyrical originality.

From the start, "Undertow" opens the progressive doom gates. The more melodic "Under Another Moon" adds some subtle autumnal folk elements. Same with "He Who Longed for the Stars", as the doom has slower emotion.

Another album highlight is "These Mortal Sins" with its Trail of Tears-like faster gothic metal sound. "The Grinding Silence" sounds more obscure, yet it gives the distant sound a more mysterious atmosphere. It's a great balance between the soft acoustic piano and the heavy electric guitar. Another killer favorite here is "Loss", having catchy heavy rhythm to headbang to.

More of the heavy riffing appears in "Remnants", right in the face, after the rest of the instrumentation lurks around subtly yet sinisterly. "Misty Sleep" has more effective vocals from under the deepest depths, rising in forlorn grace. Agnete's brother guitarist BP provides occasional background vocals that sound deep in contrast to Agnete's vocal harmonies. Ending things eerily is "Convertion". The closing epic perfectly summarizes the desolate Autumn atmosphere of the album and artwork. The distorted guitars, technical doomy drums, soft acoustic guitars, dreamy keyboards, and calm yet powerful vocals are all there. Truly hypnotic!

Before their heavier progressive metal sound, Madder Mortem took on melodic progressive doom. With gentle vocals and ethereal riffing, Mercury would have no trouble being part of the rare progressive doom club that included Atrox, The Foreshadowing, and The 3rd and the Mortal's Tears Laid in Earth. I wouldn't say this album is gothic as some people would consider it, though it has the bombastic drama of the genre at some points. The album is from a time when gothic/doom's pinnacle decade of the 90s was reaching its end, as Paradise Lost and The 3rd and the Mortal already discarded their heavier roots, and Theatre of Tragedy and Type O Negative each made their last doomy album before a more mainstream sound. Madder Mortem ended that era with a bang. With Mercury's influential melancholy, this bleak sound shall never die!

Favorites: "Undertow", "These Mortal Sins", "Loss", "Misty Sleep", "Convertion"

A simple interesting experiment can sometimes lead to great success. Indian nu/rap metal band Bloodywood started as a cover band performing Bollywood hits. Then when Linkin Park released their first single from their pop-rock final album One More Light, "Heavy", the negativity that single received inspired Bloodywood to make a metal cover of it, considered "what Linkin Park's Heavy should have sounded like". Spawning international popularity as a result, Bloodywood recorded some more covers for their first release Anti-Pop Vol. 1. Fast forward 5 years, the band made their first original album Rakshak, a wild blend of revived nu metal with Indian classical music.

Anyone can appreciate any band by going to their live shows, but I can appreciate them as well at home by experiencing the full beauty of their music from the original studio recording. Rakshak certainly grants me that magic. Their formula of heavy groove-ish nu metal can entertain you when they add in their native influences. So if there's ever a Bollywood movie centered around a metal band, you know what you might expect in its soundtrack!

Feast your ears on the explosive "Gaddaar" (Traitor), a 5-minute metal monster of riffing and percussion worth partying to. The dynamic impact will bring life to the crowd in concerts, especially in breakdowns. "Aaj" (Today) follows with some EDM-gone-metal similar to Korn's The Path of Totality, albeit with mystical Indian flutes and more poppy hooks. There's no doubt at all that you'll enjoy "Zanjeero Se" (These Chains) and its Linkin Park-like emotion to break away from their more hardcore side occurring later on... The ravaging "Machi Bhasad" (Expect a Riot) is my favorite here. A friend of mine showed me that song, which got me into checking this album out. I gotta thank him for that!

"Dana Dan" (Give a Beatdown) takes on rap metal's earlier days with a modern technical spin. The band shall not be responsible for anyone getting injured when playing this song in live shows. Having a more traditional melody, "Jee Veerey" (Live Brave One) knocks off the heaviness a bit. Though they bring it back in the anthemic "Endurant".

"BSDK.exe" has more of a slam-deathcore vibe blended with trap beats that turns this party demonic. "Yaad" (In Memory) bites down with excellent emotion, though they're kind of behind on the punch some of the other songs have. Saving the album's grace is the noisy closing track "Chakh Le" (Rise Up). Once again, the modern metal revolution has allowed those Bollywood elements up in the front.

Although Alien Weaponry is my go-to band for blending modern metal with native influences, Bloodywood has displayed their own Indian nu/rap metal sound that shall make great history in the metal community. So how about that? Add your country's sounds to metal and watch the magic happen....

Favorites: "Gaddaar", "Zanjeero Se", "Machi Bhasad", "Endurant", "Chakh Le"

It's a little tough finding a good Sphere band that didn't have a feature release last year, but ultimately I decided on the new album from this underrated band that never really gets talked about here often. Omen X continues the journey Turmion Kätilöt has had for 20 years, starting off on a perfect note with Hoitovirhe, plummeting down in quality in Perstechnique, and in subsequent albums, slowly climbing back up. The ascent continues with Omen X, another album in the perfect height of Universal Satan!

The band, consisting of vocalists MC Raaka Pee and Shag-U, guitarist Bobby Undertaker, bassist Master Bates, keyboardist RunQ, and drummer DQ, continue what MC Raaka Pee started with ex-guitarist DJ Vastapallo. All going according to plan in Omen X, their 10th album and second one released by Nuclear Blast.

"Totuus" (The Truth) kicks off the album hard with its trance-y industrial metal energy, with the vocals and riffs making a festive combo, though it makes me think too much of Electric Callboy. "Gabriel" has more of a marching pace. Aggressive vocals and cinematic keyboards fit together like a glove. "Vie se pois" (Take It Away) has ominous intro that leads to the music soaring through darkness.

The energetic "Pyhä kolminaisuus" (Holy Trinity) can get you excited with its catchy chaos from the electro synths and riff groove alongside background choirs. After that, "Puoli valtakuntaa" (Half the Kingdom) starts with soft melancholy then immediately launches into the usual riff/vocal aggression. "Verestä sokea" (Blood Blind) has some heavy groove to please some metalheads. Still staying effective despite entirely using Finnish lyrics, "Isä meidän" (Our Father) has some eerie children's choirs leading into aggressive insanity. Tell me it's not a dream!

The heavy fun "Sormenjälki" (Fingerprint) bounces through different riffs and keyboards for a great time, though the vicious vocals question its suitability for parties. "Käy tanssiin" (Go Dancing) has massive darkness as the keyboard melodies get their kicks. "Kun kesä kuoli" (When Summer Died) once again blends heavy rhythms with catchy beats that guide you into a spine-chilling chorus. Wrapping things up is "Kuolettavia vammoja" (Fatal Injuries) which, despite its softer vibe, is a perfect way to go out.

Without a "To Be Continued" track, this raises some questions, like is Omen X the last part of the band's saga since Technodiktator? Will there ever be more? I hope so. And I already have that hope since becoming fully ready for this band just a few months ago. There's no doubt Omen X will get you hooked into dance-y industrial metal. Party on!

Favorites: "Gabriel", "Pyhä kolminaisuus", "Verestä sokea", "Sormenjälki", "Käy tanssiin", "Kuolettavia vammoja"

The previous Turmion Katilot album Universal Satan marked their first album with new co-vocalist Shag-U joining the team consisting of Mc Raaka Pee, Master Bates, Bobby Undertaker, RunQ, and DQ who have all banded together since the 2000s. They've toured in different countries and with other bands from their country like Beast in Black and Nightwish. These guys will get you pumped up, that's a warning. A Global Warning! Especially with the unique lyrical blend of philosophical and partying.

Global Warning is an album title that's almost relevant to the world at the time, though the album was written and recorded before the pandemic. Despite the English title, all songs are sung in Finnish. I may have trouble understanding the lyrics without translating, but the music and vocals are highly enjoyable enough to not make that a big issue.

The fantastic "Naitu" (Married) is a fast, catchy, and bad-a** starting highlight with some oriental folk elements. There's some amazing industrial-trance metal to love here! "Kyntövuohi" (A Plow Goat) plows through in heavy darkness and pummeling drumming. "Sylkekää siihen" (Spit on It) starts off sounds like a dark twist to a nursery rhyme as keyboards and drums rise up for you to dance to the beat. The brutal vocals make an astonishing contrast with the cinematic classical strings and choirs. "Viha ja rakkaus" (Hate and Love) has a bit of Rammstein vibe, and would be even more like that if it was sung in German. The dark vocal duo shines well here. And you can hear more of that aspect in "Turvasana" (Safe Word).

"Kuoleman juuret" (The Roots of Death) keeps the vocal strength going further with more brutal energy than Rammstein. Also part of the songwriting team, keyboardist RunQ (Janne Tolsa) performs golden melody in the chorus. "Syvissä vesissä" (In Deep Waters) is a good throwback to the band's earlier material from the 2000s. "Sano kun riittää" (Say Enough) might fool you into thinking this might be a ballad in the first half-minute, but then it descends into darkness in the vocals, guitars, and keyboards, all while maintaining the dance beat. "Jumalauta" (Oh God) has more of the humor of Rammstein while staying catchy.

"Revi minut auki" (Tear Me Open) once again takes you back to the band's beginnings, especially their debut Hoitovirhe with the perfect spark of their earlier sound. Perfect for party rocking, despite the lyrics I don't dare to mention. "Syntisten laulu" (Song of sinners) starts off sounding dark and sinister in the guitars, though the keyboards have more uplifting light. "Ikävä" (Tedious) greatly mixes together dance-y hypnotic keyboards with dark brutal guitars. The rough vocals here make up for the otherwise monotone chorus just chanting the song title. "Mosquito à la carte (To Be Continued 5)" continues the experimental "To Be Continued" closing tracks, this one starting with what sounds like Spanish flamenco before launching into more of the Rammstein-like sound. In terms of the saga, I say this song is in mid-quality between the poor half in Technodiktator and Diskovibrator and the better half in Dance Panique and Universal Satan. It's also the last song of the saga, since their next album Omen X doesn't continue that trend.

The aforementioned warning depicted in Global Warning is more than just a warning. It's a promise that's been rightfully fulfilled. Another commendable recommendation for anyone in the industrial metal Sphere!

Favorites: "Naitu", "Sylkekää siihen", "Kuoleman juuret", "Sano kun riittää", "Revi minut auki", "Ikävä"

Dance Panique continued the phenomenal Finnish industrial metal sound of Turmion Katilot. However, it turned out to be their last one with longtime vocalist Spellgoth (the band's other vocalist besides MC Raaka Pee), who left the band in the time between the 2017 album's recording and release. He wanted to focus on his black metal Horna and general Satanism, but he's still with Turmion Katilot as a graphic designer. Later that year, they found a new singer with the stage name Shag-U (a name as ridiculously entertaining as MC Raaka Pee). With their new co-vocalist, the band got to work on their new album, one that should really hit universal acclaim, Universal Satan!

You know how after my least favorite Turmion Katilot album Perstechnique, they started regaining their earlier strength in subsequent albums, each one stronger than the last? Universal Satan is mighty as h*ll, and they're finally back to perfection of Hoitovirhe! This may have something to do with Shag-U having heavy vocal skill, almost more than that of Spellgoth. He and MC Raaka Pee can certainly team up to guide the instrumentation that's heavier and more violent than ever.

"Verenperintö" (Blood Inheritance) starts off with spooky organ and the first glimpse of Shag-U's vocals, then launches in the band's usual dance-y industrial metal. "Itseensäsekaantuja" (Self-Interfering) is worth letting the crowd dance along. Single "Sikiö" (Fetus) is one of the best songs I've heard from this album and the band's discography. Holy h*ll, what a total gem, and a genuine reason for the album's full 5-star rating! The only track better than that is "Love is Dead", all vicious and out for blood. Like a wolf, the song grab you by the neck and never let go from start to finish. The instrumentation thunders through alongside the excellent vocal duo. With upbeat music and English lyrics to desire, you can't skip it!

"Viimeinen matka" (Last Journey) has some fast melodeath riffing you can almost hear from Omnium Gatherum and Persefone, but the sound is mostly a more melodic take on the industrial metal of Mnemic. Another gem is "Helvetin torvet" (Horns of Hell). You can hear some of the most diverse lyrics from the band, all fitting well with the music they're known for. What "Rangaistus" (Penalty) has is catchy melody that the band can perform without any shame. Also great and powerful is "Suurempi voima" (Greater Power), a strong industrial metal march.

"Saatanan siunaama" (Blessed by Satan) is another true blessing. The second track here with English lyrics is the fun "Faster Than God", which is the first ever track I found from this band when assembling the Sphere playlists. I enjoy it, but it's overthrown by the earlier highlights. A special track, "To Be Continued 4 Je T'aime" (I Love You), experiments with jazz fusion, featuring Finnish actor Heikki Kinnunen. A wonderful work of art, though I like the previous album's "To Be Continued" track slightly better.

Universal Satan has surpassed the previous trilogy of Turmion Katilot albums and is their best album since Hoitovirhe. This highly recommendable offering would certainly make it close to the top in my best metal albums of 2018. Whether buying or downloading, you just gotta get it!

Favorites: "Sikiö", "Love is Dead", "Helvetin torvet", "Suurempi voima", "Saatanan siunaama", "To Be Continued 4 Je T'aime"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Having had a good experience in checking out Limp Bizkit's Significant Other, I thought I would skip ahead to another one of their albums with a song that I'm familiar with. Now before we get to that, let me just say that a lot has happened since between those two albums. The funk/hip-hop/punk/rock/metal cauldron known as nu metal was on the rise during the start of the new millennium. You can mosh through simple song structures and offensive rants (though Linkin Park's lyrics were clean in their two nu metal albums), though metal purists certainly won't. After a few years, the genre faded out, and Limp Bizkit went on hiatus, until they made their return to form in the early 2010s....

Limp Bizkit showed the world that it's never too late to revive what to love or hate about nu metal. With Gold Cobra, they can still strike like that giant cobra behind 3 bikini babes in the cover art, unleashing their loud abrasive violence suitable for my brother to listen to in one of his car drives. Though it's more like a half-baked resurrection that at least never gets highly experimental, unlike the electro-rock of Linkin Park's A Thousand Suns or Korn's dive into dubstep in The Path of Totality released later that year.

"Introbra" is an ominous intro with a distorted siren in the background of Durst announcing the band's return. It's definitely a different start compared to Significant Other and having a similar vibe to Slipknot's album intros. However, things start off anticlimactic with the annoying "Bring It Back" that would work better in a club than a metal concert. The title track is a much better single, having their typical modern nu/rap metal/rock sound. I'm familiar with that one because I've seen its music video on TV when I was younger. "Shark Attack" continues their nu metal attack. The choruses in "Get a Life" has more rage, though the verses have gone back to simple hip-hop.

My favorite track here "Shotgun" attacks with the band's earlier humor and heaviness of Significant Other. Anyone here caught off-guard by the awesome rare guitar soloing? There's more rapping present in "D****e Bag", "I'mma f*** you up! F*** you, f*** you, f*** you up!" Then "Walking Away" has more of a modern rock sound that actually works well. Same with "Loser" that also has some rapping in proper use.

Attempting to parody an aspect often thought atrocious in music, "Autotunage" has Durst singing in autotune, and that never really suits him well at all. "90.2.10" is almost at the brink of being a waste of time similar to the previous track, but the awesome drumming by John Otto's acts as the song's saving grace. "Why Try" displays Durst's lyrics advancing into admirable territory. "Killer in You" shows Wes Borland performing some riffing similarly to Black Sabbath but more grinding. With that and the song's immense kick-A midsection, this track is a total closing highlight.

Gold Cobra is a decent offering with songs to entertain you and make you nostalgic, all in a pleasant comeback. Still it's slightly behind Significant Other in quality, and it doesn't change the fact that they're one of the most hated bands around. It might make you glad that nu metal was dying out. Nonetheless, you can definitely rock out to the highlights. No matter how much the band might f*** things up, Limp Bizkit will have at least several open-minded listeners to please....

Favorites: "Gold Cobra", "Shark Attack", "Shotgun", "Walking Away", "Loser", "Killer in You"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Limp Bizkit is a band that has gained quite some hate over the years. From their name, to their nu/rap metal/rock sound, to the scathing vocal anger of vocalist Fred Durst, to their live performances causing violence in crowds (one show causing the death of a teenage girl)... The band even covered a George Michael single as their entry into fame. Basically they're like an extra-cheese-coated biscuit, and I can bite down on that biscuit more than those who give up after a nibble.

Their debut Three Dollar Bill Y'all first came out as overlooked, but they entered the late 90s nu metal scene after touring with their earlier peers Korn and Deftones. As much as album #2 Significant Other may repel many music listeners, I actually find it pretty good. Almost like a Korn/Eminem collaboration but with more interesting creativity.

In the "Intro", a deep distorted voice says, "You wanted the worst, you got the worst: the one, the only, Limp Bizkit." Then "Just Like This" kicks off with the guitar attack of Wes Borland and the rapping of Fred Durst, alongside melodic groove and harmonic singing. This dynamic range can be listened to in cool excitement. Bouncing in is "Nookie", the album's first single, less mature but still catchy in the mix of beats, guitar, and turntables. Full-on haters can take their hate and stick it up their (yeah!). "It's just one of those days when you don't wanna wake up, everything is f***ed, everything sucks", raps Durst in "Break Stuff", an angry anthem that really shows how rap metal should be done. This song, and the rest of the album, is inspired by Durst ending a longtime relationship with a girlfriend, showing him taking his aggression out on his ex, "I pack a chainsaw, I'll skin your a** raw". A couple more things about that song: 1. It's notorious for being the cause of a violent revolution in Woodstock 1999 when Durst encouraged the crowd to not mellow out, which is "what Alanis Morissette had you motherf***ers do", and even telling them not to let anyone get hurt only caused them to get hurt in the chaos. 2. The song is my brother's new ringtone. Then we switch to the ballad-ish "Rearranged", which almost made me sleepy like a lullaby, but it's still a great highlight.

"I'm Broke" battles against "friends" who borrow money without paying back. "Nobody Like You" is filled with dark nu metal with guest vocals from Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis and Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland (RIP). Weiland sings his pained vocals while Davis creeps in, and the music has a bit of an industrial vibe from Nine Inch Nails. That definitely shows the better side of Limp Bizkit. "Don't Go Off Wandering" seems to wander off a bit despite continuing the darkness and heaviness. "9 Teen 90 Nine" is another killer track, reminding me of the album's release year and my birthyear. Another one of the best here is surprisingly "N2gether Now", a more hip-hop-fueled track. I find the "Shut the f*** up" loop over the harp amusing, and Method Man's rapping is nice and smooth, "It ain't easy being greezy in a world full of cleanliness".

Hypocrisy of "friends" is what "Trust" warns you about. The weird "No Sex", featuring Aaron Lewis of Staind, shows Durst confessing his recreational sex past that he felt ashamed of, "Shoulda left my pants on this time, but instead you had to let me dive right in". After that, "Show Me What You Got" is just a lame attempt at thanking cities, bands, and fans in a rap metal song. "A Lesson Learned" doesn't bring back much metal, but it really strikes me well with its emotion. The "Outro" is just a pointless extension of the intro. The hidden tracks featuring Matt Pinfield and Primus' Les Claypool are a bit interesting, especially the former's ironic rant against chart-toppers.

Significant Other is a bit problematic towards the end, so I can understand the hate. But as obnoxious as this band may seem, some of their rap metal tracks are quite pleasant. Even I hesitated to call this album good, but I have to tell my true opinion. And what can I say? I'm an open-minded person....

Favorites: "Just Like This", "Break Stuff", "Rearranged", "Nobody Like You", "9 Teen 90 Nine", "N2gether Now", "A Lesson Learned"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Favorites: "Serenity", "Oceans of Darkness"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tool is a tough band to decide if I want to keep listening to or not. Their progressive side is really out there, but they also have more of the mainstream side of alt-metal. Alter Bridge made a more pleasing perfect balance for me. However, vocalist Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor and drummer Danny Carey push their sound out of mainstream despite sounding like they're in it, with their long journeys of songs. But then we have the fanbase who expects them to stay in the underground and not go so progressive. Despite those earlier fans staring daggers at them, they know how to please other fans who accept the band as they are...

Tool's innovation and humor scored them high points with fans and critics, but the praise started to fade away. All the different and unconventional time signatures and song structures that were used in their first 3 albums ended up being deemed low quality. This might be due to lack of new ideas the band had at the time, and yet there are fans hoping for a sequel to Lateralus. Now let me just say that the band's success is still on top, and in this album 10,000 Days, nothing is highly different, nor is it highly the same.

The aggressive opener "Vicarious" picks up where Lateralus left off with Chancellor's crashing bass. This menacing 7-minute track has the exciting guitars and drums played alongside Keenan's plain lyrics which seems relate to any TV viewer who enjoys something so fun yet time-wasting, "You all feel the same, so why can’t we just admit it?" Letting loose with the groove is the second track "Jambi", especially the riffing surrounding the guitar solo. Next track "Wings For Marie" is the prelude to one of two epics. Atmosphere goes on for a little long, but it's saved by the clean guitar buildup. The title epic is dedicated to Keenan's mother who, when her son was 11, suffered a brain aneurysm that left her paralyzed until her passing 27 years later. 10,000 Days is a reference to that amount of time along with the orbital period of Saturn. The lyrics have great sentiment, though they're a bit jarring, "Should you see your maker's face tonight, look him in the eye and tell him? I never took a life, but surely saved one."

"The Pot" shows the bass rhythm being less snappy, instead synchronizing with the beat in a groove-powered breakdown perfect for some live moshing. Maybe that Plankton AI cover would level up the mosh pit even more. Yeah, that version of the song is what my brother was listening to that made me interested in checking out this album. "Lipan Conjuring" is a one-minute interlude that breaks the album flow with its ritual chanting. In "Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)", you can hear a nurse and a doctor talking to each other talking as guitar echoes through. It leads to "Rosetta Stoned", in which we enter the mind of the coma victim the doctors are keeping an eye on. Keenan can pull off different vocal styles very well from unclear alien garbles to clear desperate cries. The guitar is also performed well, from rumbling echoes to an intense frenzy.

Electronics enter in "Intension" which is fine despite its lack of heavy progress. The supreme "Right in Two" finishes off the progressive greatness in a breakneck climax. But the moaning outro "Viginti Tres" I find a bit unnecessary.

I can talk about an album's highlights as much as its more critical moments, like when previous album Lateralus attracted newer fans and repelled earlier fans. Although 5 years is a long gap, it's quite short when you think about their next album Fear Inoculum. But at least the more progressive fans had an album to savor in 10,000 Days....

Favorites: "Vicarious", "10,000 Days", "The Pot", "Rosetta Stoned", "Right in Two"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nightwish is one of the most popular symphonic/power metal bands today, and was an essential band for me long ago. Now it's hard to accurately categorize their evolving style when they add elements of gothic, progressive, thrash, doom, etc. The operatic singing of then-vocalist Tarja Turunen was a true standout in the band's first era.

Once I had a dream of what metal would sound like with lots of TSFH-like orchestration, and this was it when I discovered this nearly a decade ago. Today I feel like I had been too optimistic. As varied as this album is, I'm starting to think the orchestra overpowers the metal. But what else is there from a full orchestra? Despite the orchestral overdose, many songs stay heavy, and founding keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen is able to display his own synth work. But let's get over the whole "selling out" nonsense...

Kickstarting the album is the anthemic "Dark Chest of Wonders", having lots of power and atmosphere, with a solid chorus. There's a bit of progressiveness without going too overboard. Then we have the gothic dance-rock/metal single "Wish I Had an Angel". It is followed by "Nemo", a heavy yet beautiful mid-paced highlight. The name is Latin for "Nobody", and the song has nothing to do with Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, which is a shame because that's the first ever movie I've ever remembered watching. The more symphonic yet heavy "Planet Hell" was one of the first songs I discovered from this band, when it was associated with RuneScape and the infamous Falador Massacre.

It seems abrupt switching out of a highly upbeat energetic track into the ballad that is "Creek Mary's Blood". Their attempt to turn an acoustic Native American ballad into an long epic ends up failing and sounding too draggy. The heaviness begins to build up in the Eastern-sounding "The Siren" with mysterious violin and solid Maiden-like riffing. "Dead Gardens" is heavier with a melodic chorus, but it ends too abruptly. "Romanticide" has more focus on metal than orchestra with more riff groove and interesting choir.

"Ghost Love Score" is the album's true epic, and very much everything the album has already offered is blended together greatly. First we have a couple verses with more of the Eastern sitar, then it slows down to a ballad-like section, and after that, we have a lovely orchestral break that is well-executed. Immediately when the metal comes back on, you're hit by one of the most epic moments in symphonic metal, right before Tarja continues singing. And the rest is memorable too. Next up, "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan" (Death Makes an Artist) is a nice orchestral ballad sung in Finnish. "Higher Than Hope" is one more power ballad closer to the band's earlier material. An excellent finale!

All in all, I would consider this album the weakest in my revisit trip, but I would never consider Once or Nightwish super-bad. However, there are some things I might object to. The production and style is a bit over-the-top, but still mostly enjoyable. I would recommend this album for any fan of gothic-infused symphonic power metal. It is different from their earlier material, yet worth trying this bombastic rollercoaster. Though this is Tarja's last ride....

Favorites: "Dark Chest of Wonders", "Nemo", "Planet Hell", "The Siren", "Ghost Love Score", "Higher Than Hope"

Blending metal with symphonics well since 1996, Within Temptation is one of the first 3 bands that made me up for symphonic metal, together with Kamelot and Nightwish. And unlike those other bands that I discovered via their earlier releases, I was hooked to Within Temptation via this album Hydra, only weeks after its release. The music is pretty good here. Vocalist Sharon den Adel sings nice melodies, though she doesn't have her earlier power that other female singers have. As the metal instrumentation stand their ground, the symphonic keys and orchestra lift it up in cinematic atmosphere. Beautiful, right?

I would've selected one of the band's earlier symphonic metal releases, since this one is beginning to show the band's rock side, but I gotta stay true in what I've really discovered. You just gotta admire how well the band can diversify their sound. Here we have a symphonic metal/rock sound that often dives into their earlier gothic metal and their later pop/alt-rock, all while making sure their fans know that it's the same Within Temptation as before.

The excellent opener "Let Us Burn" is a catchy start, with fantastic riffing and chorus, all in pure epic symphonic metal/rock that would surely please the live crowd. Former vocalist of Killswitch Engage Howard Jones guest appears in "Dangerous" which has an edgier modern heavy metal sound. This might qualify as my first ever metalcore association, even though Jones only performs clean vocals. "And We Run" definitely throws me off. Guitarist Robert Westerholt thought it would be a good idea to invite hip-hop star Xzibit to make an appearance in the song. I certainly don't think so. I'm fine with rapping in a few metal genres, but in symphonic metal?! Nope! I'm outta here!

"Paradise (What About Us?)" is an epic upbeat piece of symphonic gothic metal, featuring the operatic soprano singing of ex-Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen. Not only was this one of the first songs I've listened to by Within Temptation, it also made me up for Nightwish! The symphonic metal chain was just beginning for me. Then we switch to a slower pace in "Edge of the World", which has Sharon's beautiful vocals over cinematic symphonics. It's fine, but the slow epic pace I prefer is from DragonForce's epic "Edge of the World". There's some background growling in "Silver Moonlight" by Westerholt, in clear prominence for the first time since the band's gothic doom debut Enter. That song's a faster highlight though. There's some cool vocal melody in "Covered by Roses".

"Dog Days" is a little too poppy, which I find annoying. However, there's still some heavy power to make a bit of the metal still around. The 6-minute epic "Tell Me Why" is a full hodgepodge of different influences to go with their symphonic metal, such as gothic metal, power metal, and even melodic metalcore, the latter covered by the heavier riffing and more of Westerholt's growls. Still it can't beat "Paradise". Dave Pirner, the frontman of the band behind that "Runaway Train" hit Soul Asylum, sings in the alt-/pop rock duet "Whole World is Watching". Intriguing, but not really what I'm looking for. There's a Polish edition with Coma vocalist Piotr Rogucki instead of Pirner.

If we ignore the strange tracks, you might consider Hydra an enjoyable offering. There's solid song construction with strong variety. Some guest singers work nice and well, but others don't. And the atmosphere doesn't greatly catch your attention as it should have. Despite all that, Hydra is an album for new fans and die-hard collectors. Within Temptation could still stand strong and not lose steam, at least until their subsequent albums that would show a highly different era for the band....

Favorites: "Let Us Burn", "Dangerous", "Paradise (What About Us?)", "Silver Moonlight", "Tell Me Why"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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