Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

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"

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"

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"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anacrusis has reached a greater progressive height in their tech-thrash sound. Their two albums before this one showed subtle hints of progressiveness, but with Manic Impressions, they have reached their signature style that has formed the bridge between the thrash of Testament and the prog of Voivod. This album and Coroner and Dark Angel's respective albums that year form the 1991 tech-thrash triptych!

Manic Impressions shows a new vision for Anacrusis, along with a different drummer, Chad Smith (not the guy from Red Hot Chili Peppers, though that would be quite cool), whose skills added to the complexity. Soft breaks and multiple time signatures have become more common than before, as are the mid-paced progressive aspects that would be in full force in their swan song album Screams and Whispers. With the songs and lyrics in cohesive flow, you can almost consider this a concept album when it isn't. Not every album has nothing but strong songs, but this album stands out as that.

"Paint a Picture" opens the prog-thrash gates as the talented voice of Kenn Nardi crashes in. Their cover of "I Love the World" by New World Army is so unique, you might end up thinking it's the band's own original song. The riffing in "Something Real" shows that their influence from bands like Metal Church is real. If music from other bands can enter their minds subconsciously, that's an interesting motive.

Breaking away from any tiredness, "Dream Again" unleashes some brutal death-infused rage in an absolute highlight to stun even fans of hardcore bands like Vicious Circle. "Explained Away" is another masterpiece of progressive thrash, as dark atmosphere and intense heaviness collide in a dramatic mix. The best and most ominous riffing comes in "Still Black", which continues this perfect streak as is my personal favorite here. "What You Became" has more spine-chilling darkness to discover and possibly become with once you're already immersed into the experience.

"Our Reunion" has some of the most memorable thrash here, perfectly balanced with the mid-paced sections surrounding, slowing down to heavier doom in the second half. "Idle Hours" experiments with a more melodic progressive metal sound that there would be more of in Screams and Whispers. The atmospheric riffing works quite well especially in the technical ending. Wrapping things up as an atmospheric heavy ballad is "Far Too Long", with some of the most compelling leads to be heard from the band.

All in all, Manic Impressions is an album any tech-thrash/progressive metal fan should hear. Just brush aside the muddy production and let the dark technical emotion in the music and lyrics show you what progressive tech-thrash is all about!

Favorites: "I Love the World", "Dream Again", "Explained Away", "Still Black", "Our Reunion"

Anacrusis has made another solid prog-ish tech-thrash album that is 1990's Reason! It is another stormy collection of tracks with doomy leads and thrashy riffs blended together. And within the frenzy roam nihilistic lyrics. All of these make this album one of the more diverse albums in the classic thrash era. They've added in more focus than what they had in Suffering Hour, though the soundscape is more narrow while having some variation. The guitar duo can perform godly riffs leaping between speed, prog, and doom, while the bass and drums pound in different times and places. The Slayer-esque leads sound technical and melodic to add to the speed. However, the creepy ambience might come out as confusing when bringing the writing out to sound.

If anyone thought Suffering Hour was crushing, Reason has a more lethal balance of headbanging thrash and occasional doom. Having different variations of speed in the technical riffing is something Coroner has also done. Fast doom, slow thrash, plus a bit of hardcore groove. Vocalist Kenn Nardi has matured in his usual shrieks and shouts. The same can be said for the poetic lyrics. Emotions, fears, and doubts sound more confident without lecturing the listener, and that's what makes the lyrics stand out here. Nardi knows how to phrase them well enough to be taken seriously...

Attracting you right away is "Stop Me", hinting at their later progressive thrash as Nardi's soaring vocals guide you through atmospheric heavy riffing. Without too much repetition, the dark "Terrified" has moments leaning into brutal death in the instrumentation, in a similar technique to their debut, but with more polished frets. "Not Forgotten" starts off with punky bass that then warms up for moshing riffing and vocals in the chorus. "Wrong" has epic madness form Nardi's vocals and riffs.

"Silent Crime" starts off sounding like a serene ballad, but then it immediately takes on their memorable thrash sound, complete with semi-shrieked choruses. "Misshapen Intent" adds more speed in the well-written chorus and intricate time changes for the guitar to breeze through. More of the impressive lyrical writing makes "Afraid to Feel" another fantastic track. "Child Inside" is another track to enjoy for more of the pure thrash of Suffering Hour and 80s Anthrax. It's not the most technical here, but there's much more of the technicality to come...

"Vital" is a bit creepy, while you get to hear melodic riffs speed up by the second half for some essential prog-thrash shredding. "Quick to Doubt" ends things quick without a doubt as a standout finale with fast guitars of moshing anger that sometimes pauses for a breath-catching break. The CD edition has two bonus track, starting with what's actually my favorite in the album overall, "Killing My Mind". I wish this was in the actual album so I can give bump the rating up a half-star. This is an intense track that starts off as a mid-tempo doom march with Nardi's vocals ranging from low to high before suddenly bursting into the usual speedy thrash. Lots of excellent riffing form an insane cauldron thrash that ends with the earlier doom march. The second CD bonus track "Injustice" sounds like a more proper ending for this album.

Reason is an offering of solid greatness from this underrated band. The chemistry within the band is so unique. The destructive intensity of this band was overlooked in a time when alt-metal bands like Alice in Chains and Tool started to appear. The lack of attention the band received is a good reason why they should've been given a chance....

Favorites: "Stop Me", "Wrong", "Silent Crime", "Afraid to Feel", "Quick to Doubt", "Killing My Mind"

Now what is this? A thrashy debut album from a band that would take on a progressive thrash style in 1993 and subsequent tour with Death? Absolutely right! Suffering Hour came out in 1988 when thrash was at its highest peak, and this album is an interesting work of art to enjoy that's ahead of time...

There's just so much stylistic talent going on beyond thrash, but they never go as heavy as death metal. Maybe if Anacrusis didn't split up after their 1993 album and tour with Death, they would follow that band's progressive death metal footsteps? Anyway, Suffering Hour drifts away from the more traditional thrash for more of a tech-thrash sound hinting at their progressive tendencies. The diversity ranges from slow melodic leads to fast thrashy riffs, from booming bass soloing to furious guitar shredding.

First track "Present Tense" has a lot of insane creativity. "Imprisoned" expands on that in perfect wild chaos, especially near the 3-minute mark. However, the vocals get carried around too much in "R.O.T. (Reign of Terror)", in which the screaming gets too tiring. Nonetheless, Kenn Nardi has a unique voice despite how grating it might be.

The rollercoaster ride of the first two songs is not always exhibited, with the slow "Butcher's Block". Then we have the catchy "A World to Gain" that sounds closer to melodic speed metal, maybe even power metal. I should mention "Frigid B***h" that starts off slow before exploding into violent punk-ish speed, with lyrics that sound like Nardi wrote this about his ex-girlfriend. At that point, there should be something like a slow ballad for more of their adventurous diversity, but ultimately they don't have that. But that's OK because... Thrash all the way, baby!

"Fighting Evil" has a nice sing-along chorus which makes me surprised that this song (or any of the other ones here) wasn't converted into a single in classic metal's golden decade. "The Twisted Cross" is a bit restrained for a long epic, with the two-minute intro being a bit draggy. "Annihilation Complete/Disemboweled" doesn't do a lot for me, despite sounding like Annihilator at that time.

Despite the bumpy last couple tracks, Suffering Hour is another original tech-thrash album. It is one of the most extreme albums in thrash, though Dark Angel and Sadus have more strength and fire....

Favorites: "Imprisoned", "A World to Gain", "Frigid B***h", "Fighting Evil"

Scorpion's Uli Jon Roth trilogy marked the beginning of the band's hard rock sound with a metallic side. Roth was the key to the heaviness in the leads. I love his guitar playing, though I hate his singing in a few tracks from the previous two albums. The Roth album trio was also infamous for the controversial album covers. Well this album cover isn't controversial in the sexual/nudity sense, but I'll just say, this is why you shouldn't let kids dress up as cowboy gunmen in a soldiers' graveyard.

Taken by Force is another solid Scorpions album! The dark heaviness continues with a slight step up from their previous album. Roth's lyrics shine as well as his guitarwork, and thank heavens there's none of his god-awful vocals. Vocalist Klaus Meine is the real singing star here.

"Steamrock Fever" is a fast catchy start to this offering. Meine's vocals are rougher than in the previous album, and that I really like. The album's definite highlight is "We’ll Burn the Sky". This perfect rock/metal tune should've had more attention than the band's other popular slow songs. It starts off as a slow ballad than fastens into catchy heaviness, best exhibited in the awesome chorus. One of my favorite Scorpions songs ever, in all its beautiful melancholy! "I've Got To Be Free" has good simple rock.

"The Riot of Your Time" has the band's usual earlier darkness. The first one of the two Roth-written songs "The Sails of Charon" stands out with his good dark lyrical matter. The second Roth-written song "Your Light" even has a satanic vibe. Quite some cool Black Sabbath influence there.

"He’s a Woman, She’s a Man" has some humor while still being a legendary rocker. "Born to Touch Your Feelings" is the closing ballad, as is many Scorpions albums' ending tracks. It's good, but too long for a ballad. The final third of the track has several women from different countries speaking in their native language, from Japan, Suriname, Italy, the U.S. and Tahiti. Honestly though, that part is quite boring and doesn't help the extended length. Without it, this album would've been perfect.

Most people who have heard of Scorpions only know them from their newer ballads. That's a shame because they don't know what they're missing out in Taken by Force. Forget about the band's material from the 80s and beyond for a while and check out their 70s era. This album is a total view-changer!

Favorites: "We’ll Burn the Sky", "The Sails of Charon", "Your Light", "He’s a Woman, She’s a Man"

Rainbow's Dio trilogy were the albums that show the band's metallic side at its best alongside their usual hard rock. In fact, Rising was pretty much the first ever European-style power metal with 3 songs from that exemplifying what that genre is known for. Sadly, the band would never reach those amazing heights again after Dio left. So long live these albums from the colorful metallic kings while they last...

It was after their strong classic Rising and their live album On Stage. The band planned to make one more album that would have the special delivery of Ritchie Blackmore's guitar and Ronnie James Dio's vocals and maintain the magic of Rising. And did they do it? Yes they did! Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll is another amazing addition to the band's discography and Dio's career. They expand their heavy focus in their songs, while at the same time, continuing the versatile experimentation. And most of the songs have come out as f***ing fantastic, further solidifying the band's status as 70s hard rock/metal heroes.

The title opener has way more energy than just rock 'n' roll. The energy of hard rock/heavy metal! The mid-paced riffing allows the riffing and drumming to bounce through. Dio takes the spotlight once again and has lots of g****mn singing passion. Amazing guitar soloing that isn't so bluesy, but instead full-on metal power! And the final chorus keeps going on, which is quite catchy, but before you can get tired of it, it fades out. "Live! Live!! LIVE!!! LIVE!!!!" The mediocre but OK "Lady of the Lake" has rock riffs rather than metal. It still has potential in live shows though. "L.A. Connection" also has a bit of awkwardness despite having more of Dio's vocal spirit. Let the lyrical metaphors relate to sex and drugs, the slow repetitive riff is what my mind is fixated when I don't want it to be. However, it's still fine, never being totally embarrassing.

"Gates of Babylon" is an epic closer to the first half of the album that makes sure this offering remains another 4.5-star classic. It takes you on a journey through the Middle-East, both musically and lyrically, from the keyboard intro, to the mystical riffing, and the vocal power in the chorus. Although keyboardist Tony Carey was still around for a few other tracks in this album, David Stone stepped in with his own keyboard contributions in this track and a few others, here to provide an exotic atmosphere and get you hooked alongside Blackmore's riffs. I just really love that track! "Kill the King" doesn't explore as globally as that track but, having been heard as early as the band's tour, it's one of Rainbow's most well-loved tracks! It would plant the seed for speedy melodic bands like Heathen and Gamma Ray. Searing soloing, intense vocals, devastating drums, and booming bass make the song another one of the best here, and the only true power metal song here, since the power metal aspects from Rising were greatly reduced.

"The Shed (Subtle)" is also f***ing incredible, opening with beautiful guitar leads before the hellbent verses come in as a headbanging riff stomps through. The drumming by the late Cozy Powell drive through in power, while Bob Daisley's deep bass rumbles through as well. Quite unlike the previous two tracks, but another underrated favorite of mine! Throwing back to the band's debut is "Sensitive to Light", which I like for its melodic bridge. That melody makes sure this song isn't entirely boogie rock. Then it all ends with the unique closing track that is "Rainbow Eyes". It's actually a long quiet medieval folk-inspired tune that would foreshadow Blackmore's later project Blackmore's Night. Lots of emotion in the soft guitars and vocals, Renaissance-esque flute. It's quiet as f*** with barely any climax. Enjoyable, but not the best way to conclude a classic album.

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll is the final part of Rainbow's amazing trilogy, and is the second-best of the trilogy, with the band's debut in 3rd place and Rising winning the gold medal. Sadly, Blackmore planned to move to a more commercial sound after their 3rd album, and Dio, disapproving of that idea, left the band and joined Black Sabbath. And thus ended Rainbow's era of promising glory. It was an amazing travel through bluesy hard rock, heavy metal, and even the earliest power metal ever, all summarized in this 3rd and last chapter. And all hopes for Dio to reunite with Rainbow are no longer possible. RIP... Long live their music!

Favorites: "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll", "Gates of Babylon", "Kill the King", "The Shed (Subtle)"

So, this is where it all begins... The rock genre that has since spawned countless subgenres. The main topic of this site. HEAVY METAL. The quartet of guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne are who you gotta thank for starting this awesome genre. I suppose you also gotta thank Iommi's friend, his factory foreman for giving Iommi back his confidence to play guitar after an industrial accident cost him two of his right hand's fingertips, by playing a recording of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt who could still play despite losing the use of two fingers in a fire. On top of that, Iommi tuned his guitar down in some songs as low as D-flat to bend the strings easier, and that help pioneer the heavy aspect of lower tunings in metal. Anyway, there's also the lyrical concept which, unusual for rock bands at that time, was darkness and horror. This came from a horror movie cinema across the street from their studio, with one of the movies shown there, Black Sabbath, inspiring the name of the band (previous known as Earth, name later taken by an American drone metal band 20 years later), their first song, and their first album. The scary atmosphere the band would add to their songs would form the basis of their debut album. This is... BLACK SABBATH!

With the band's vision becoming a great success, it was like the beginning of a new era. Not just a new era... A new GENRE! Earlier bands like Cream, Led Zeppelin (still not metal, SIT DOWN, guys) and The Who may have been known as noisy trailblazers, but Sabbath took the noisiness to a different heavier level. Right from the visual, you know what this band and album is gonna be about. A frightening yet intriguing cover art of a pale woman in a black cloak with a watermill in the bleak background. And when you start playing that record, you'll be entering the most spooky yet pleasant experience of your life, a stormy realm with church bells ringing from afar...

Ladies and gentlemen, the title track of this album and band is heavy metal's big bang moment, with that melodic doomy riff in dark atmosphere being as impactful as the actual Big Bang! That tritone riff is actually inspired by the "Mars" segment of Gustav Holst's The Planets. And the lyrics are based on when Butler had a dream of a strange dark figure standing on the foot of his bed after he read an occult book Ozzy gave him. These lyrics are sung by Ozzy, whose vocal power is expressed from his scared cries of "Oh no! No! Please, God! Help me!" Still he tries some deeper notes which, even though they fail to get low, fits well with the angst. The riffing speeds up into fast hard rock/heavy metal for the last minute and a half, as Iommi shows his vibrato talent. If you're looking for the true beginning of heavy metal, that song is it right there! However, "The Wizard" is a different story. It's a harmonica-filled blues/hard rocker. Harmonicas aren't exactly the most metal instrument, but they make the song decently catchy, as does Ward's excellent drumming behind riffing effects. Ozzy's singing seems to hint at his later higher tone, but other than that, nothing super exciting.

"Behind the Wall of Sleep" is really great, though it has more of a stoner-ish blues rock sound. The title comes from a Lovecraft story and it's fits greatly with the atmosphere. A bass riff rumbles through under Ozzy's usual singing. "N.I.B." (Nativity in Black) continues the lyrical narrative idea they first had in the title opener, this one being more of a fictional devilish love story. Now listen, just because the band mentions the Devil, Satan, or Hell, etc., doesn't mean they worship any of that. They're against that, portraying them like they are bad things. Lucifer is depicted as the dark seductive antagonist he's meant to be. The riffing has that bluesy hard rock vibe of Cream, which is a little mundane, especially when Ozzy sings over it, but is made up for by the rest of the song being heavy metal/proto-stoner metal, especially in the slower sections. A brilliant hint at the genre they would establish! "Evil Woman" is a hard rock cover of a Crow song, which isn't so interesting, but it works well anyway.

"Sleeping Village" is a nice touch. I love the gloomy atmosphere caused by another rare instrument in metal, a Jew's harp. Whether or not it works, it's quite historical. Ozzy continues his deep emotional vocals that make younger vocalists wish they have that kind of sincerity. That I can consider a more prog-ish take on classic hard rock/heavy metal. "Warning" is also progressive in the sense that it's an over 10-minute-long jazzy jam. However, that's way too long and improvisational when covering a short blues song. Ozzy's vocals seem to flop a bit, but Iommi's soloing work well as the best part of the track along with the doomy atmosphere. An OK track, but too lengthy. "Wicked World" replaces "Evil Woman" in the American edition, and is also the bonus track in the 1996 European reissue. And let me tell you, that's an excellent replacement for "Evil Woman"! You can definitely hear "Wicked World" as an underrated stoner-ish hard rock/heavy metal classic. It starts with some fast punchy riffing. The bass drifts under Ozzy's skillful vocals that range from low to high in each verse. Unlike any of the other songs, this one has more political lyrics, albeit more simple than specific, while responding to all those happy hippy bands preceding them. Unfortunately, and you might hate me for this, Iommi's solo goes on for way too long and draggy, which is ironic considering his long solo in "Warning" is the only solid thing about that song. For "Wicked World", his soloing is just too rough. Still there's great power in his riffing as always.

I don't think any other album released in 1970 has ever been as historical as Black Sabbath's first two albums, with only Deep Purple in Rock being close to Black Sabbath's heavy greatness. Their debut is a revolutionary beginning of a new band, a new era, and a new genre. So put this record on and witness the birth of heavy metal!

Favorites: "Black Sabbath", "Behind the Wall of Sleep", "N.I.B.", "Sleeping Village", "Wicked World (bonus track)

You know how much I like when bands are in a transitional phase through albums. This once-metalcore/hardcore band Code Orange is already making their way towards alt-/industrial metal, and although Forever and Underneath will share the reign in that transition, The Above is an amazing continuation!

The band that would go on to perform massive tours and even a WWE concert started off as an underground high school band from Pennsylvania named Code Orange Kids. After releasing their debut Love Is Love/Return to Dust, they dropped "Kids" from their name and showed the world what they're capable of in I Am King and Forever. Then Underneath showed them adding a more industrial/alternative flavor to their metal/hardcore. With The Above, they drop the hardcore violence and let their new form emerge.

Heading right to the eccentric "Never Far Apart", it's like a harsher Massive Attack! Lead vocalist Jami Morgan performs moody whispering while guitarist Reba Meyers adds in her clean singing. The metal doesn't make its entrance until literally the last minute, in which repeated cries of "DO IT" echo before slowing down for the band's usual destructive breakdown. "Theatre of Cruelty" chugs through brutal groove that alternates with soft mesmerizing electronic sections and Morgan making his own attempt at clean vocals. The dirty moshing parts help break up the gloomy mood. A true Gateway anthem, the accessible yet total rocker "Take Shape" is a killer single. The one and only Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins performs his signature nasal singing over an ominous bridge, though the dark melody and harsh rhythm of the chorus really hits the spot for me. Hard yet smart writing! Adding a bit of grunge is "The Mask of Sanity Slips" has heavy yet harmonic chords before strange dark synths towards the end. Next track "Mirror" is an odd semi-acoustic ballad where the clean guitar strumming is in good arrangement with the drums, guitars, and synths. Totally different from I Am King!

The bombastic "A Drone Opting Out of the Hive" is a perfect hip-hop-ish industrial metal track. This crossover idea works so well! Then we have a highly different cut in "I Fly". Same with "Splinter the Soul" with pushes further away from the band's hardcore roots for some 90s-inspired alt-metal. The rhythm section consisting of Max Portnoy (from Tallah, and the son of Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy) and bassist Joe Goldman has that undeniable groove. A 90s-inspired rock fest! The earlier heaviness shines the most in the earlier singles of the album, starting with the headbanging thrash of "The Game". The hardcore "Grooming My Replacement" is the closest the band has been to their savage past roots in a more industrial level. The distortion is Morgan's vocals makes him sound possessed, in this unique heavy production.

There's some electro-dark wave in "Snapshot". Another Smashing Pumpkins-infused track "Circle Through" isn't too surprising for that "Forever" band, if you can get used to the softer art pop section. The beauty reaches its high point in "But a Dream..." Killer chorus in that one! The title finale summarizing all that the band has stated. The exciting ominous crescendo of transcending vocals, chords, and leads shows their loud diversity. The changes in the beat and the dynamics are all in decent calculation and mark a climatic conclusion to this powerful journey.

The Above continues Code Orange's imagination in different eras. They look back at the past, stand by the present, and plan out their future, checking out different styles to add to their own. Their song delivery has always been in great display as they go above and beyond!

Favorites: "Never Far Apart", "Take Shape", "A Drone Opting Out of the Hive", "Splinter the Soul", "Grooming My Replacement", "But a Dream...", "The Above"

Most metalheads who start exploring heavy metal from the very first year begin with the first two Black Sabbath albums, but me? I'm starting with Deep Purple in Rock! Sure this album came out in the middle of the period between those two Black Sabbath albums' release, but you gotta acknowledge the fact that Deep Purple came before Black Sabbath, releasing 3 psychedelic/prog-rock albums in the late 60s. But once their lineup changed, so did everything else...

When vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover stepped in, the band dumped their psychedelic roots in exchange for something heavier. Deep Purple in Rock is a true start to metal alongside those Black Sabbath albums (SIT DOWN, Led Zeppelin). Deep Purple's raw heavy formula is something that is hard to replicate in subsequent albums.

Classic opener "Speed King" starts off the album in a bang with fast distorted shredding before fading into soft ambient organ. Then the hard rock/heavy metal rolls in, and you might not agree with me here, but this is practically proto-speed metal! Maybe close to speed rock? Still the organ shines in some sections. An upbeat way to begin this early example of a heavy metal album! "Bloodsucker" is more firm in catchy hard rock/heavy metal. The rhythm is worth praising, and so is the sweet soloing.

One track that takes a break from the formula is "Child in Time". I didn't say ALL the progressive/psychedelic roots were taken out! As much as some speed is still around in some sections, it mostly just slowly builds up without reaching a specific destination, though I do like the vocals here. While one of their more famous tracks, it's never really the best for me while still great. "Flight of the Rat" marks a solid comeback to the proto-speed metal, or speed rock, I don't know. "Into The Fire" has a more Sabbath-like direction, slower marching hard rock/heavy metal, coming close to proto-doom metal.

"Living Wreck" takes on a great hard rock groove. However, it seems like they keep following that same groove without much proper focus on a chorus, instead just trying to compromise with the same lyrical passage at the end of a verse. That song's still great though. Finally, "Hard Lovin' Man" is more of a Scorpions-like track, crossing through their earlier hard rock/heavy metal era. The riffing/soloing momentum drifts through the technical structure at ease.

Deep Purple in Rock offers a lot of tight heaviness and variety, and is the one Deep Purple album that truly does that. With that, it is an essential hard rock/heavy metal album and one of the true first of the latter genre. Practically any music lover should give this historical offering a listen!

Favorites: "Speed King", "Flight of the Rat", "Into the Fire", "Hard Lovin' Man"

If you wanna be technical, this is truly the first ever industrial metal album, to be recorded anyway. And already it sets the genre's aggressive synthetic tone. From the heart and mind of innovative inventors, listeners who had the chance to hear the sound when it was performed could hear a new modern future. One of humanity's complicated life of what's more moral and what's not. All told within compositions of sonic noise, industrial synths, and metal guitars. The damage done in society is impossible to fix, and this is the kind of music made by people who want to let out their thoughts of desperation in an instant, for people who have those same thoughts. The 80s was a decade when the noise-fueled genre of industrial was spreading over to rock, and later, metal, ready for our minds to be warned of mankind's peril...

1982 was when two Birmingham musicians B. C. Green and Paul Neville first started the band O.P.D. (Officially Pronounced Dead). Then a year later, they changed their band name to Fall of Because, taken from a song by industrial rock developers Killing Joke. Then another year later, Justin Broadrick entered the band as their drummer. The trio recorded a demo in 1986 titled Extirpate. Most of those songs, along with a few live tracks, make up the album Life is Easy, which was not released until 1999. Note that this band was an earlier incarnation of Godflesh, with a few Fall of Because songs later being-re-recorded for Godflesh's debut Streetcleaner and EP Merciless. What makes Fall of Because different from Godflesh is the primal production, Justin Broadrick using live drums instead of a drum machine, and the instrumentation sounding more punky while still having industrial noise. Though the vocals by Broadrick and Neville foreshadow that of Godflesh with their bleak cold shouts and melodies.

Beginning this cold isolated album is the devastating intro "Devastator", showing the best of Neville's guitar nose. That song was re-recorded for Godflesh's Streetcleaner along with the title track, with an approach easily compared to Swans before they moved out of their original industrial-noise sound at that time. Thanks to the dual guitar attack, bands like Pitchshifter would be able to emphasize their discordant lead work and help develop industrial metal. The dirtier side of the album that deviates from Godflesh's later glory is exhibited in the punky "Middle Amerika". Seems like they were more interested in punk than metal back in those days. The industrial rock of early Killing Joke and Swans is combined with a bit of the pre-grind punk of Napalm's Death Scum side A. Ironically, the monstrous "Grind" is a slow crawler.

"Ecstasy of Hate" shows that there's a noise-ridden side of industrial metal that is a polar opposite to the catchy melody of later bands like PAIN. "Malew***eslag" has more mellow yet noisy sludge. "Lifef***er-Sh*tsucker" has too much of the punky grind of early Napalm Death. "Merciless" is so slow and doomy, with powerful riffs crushing your spine and ripping it out from your neck. That's the kind of feeling induced from the sludgy bass and the heaviness brought forward from the 45-second mark onwards. The crushing riff may sound redundant, but the repetition is worth it. Justin's smashing vocals come close to growling. This could be used in a dramatic slow-motion movie fight scene. Midway through is a clean bridge that's also repeated. Everything is memorable here, though still behind the title track as the ultimate highlight. "Survive" is the first of the 3 live tracks, though this one is just a singular song, unlike the next two...

And now for the live shows, the first of which, "Fight Show" is worth a small journey. Although consisting of a few songs ("Empire of Lies", "Whiterock-Blackdeath", "Christian Motherf***er", and "Ecstasy of Hate"), when performed back to back, they actually form a top-notch multi-part 15-minute suite. The concert is infamous for a crowd fight in the middle of the setlist, with one of the members telling someone to go back to their "gothic s***hole in town". For the actual performance, it is one of the most intense live shows I've heard! Ex-Napalm Death members Mick Harris and Nik Napalm appear as guests, thus furthering the hardcore-industrial crossover. Sadly, the "Xmas Special" live recording doesn't sound as nice in quality, only there for the sake of history. The "Life is Easy" segment there is still good, but not "Calling" or "Submit-Suppress".

It's amazing how even when you think Godflesh started off big in their young years, an earlier developing demo from their earlier incarnation was hidden under Godflesh fans' noses for some time. Life is Easy would've made history as the first official industrial metal if it was released in 1987 as initially planned. I guess more extreme metalheads back then weren't too disappointed since Bathory's 3rd album and Mayhem's EP from that year turned out to be black metal's developing miracles. Anyway, while I don't favor this Fall of Because album as much as Godflesh's classics, it's still essential for those who want to hear the earliest industrial metal to ever exist....

Favorites: "Life is Easy", "Middle Amerika", "Ecstasy of Hate", "Merciless", "Fight Show", "Xmas Special" ("Life is Easy" segment only)

Upon finding out about this Oomph! compilation album having songs from their first 4 albums, 3 of which are metal enough for this site and I've reviewed, I knew it was time for one more look into the band's earlier discography. Well, even though NDH isn't really my thing, I can actually find some great highlights making up half of this offering.

The first trio of songs is from the band's self-titled album that has more of an electro-techno sound with sparse guitars. Surprisingly though, two songs actually stand out for me. One of those tracks, "Ich bin Du" (I Am You) is actually one of my favorite Oomph! songs and, yep I'm saying this, it's metal enough to be in a Sphere playlist with some guitars in full prominence at the most needed parts. Then we have a club classic in "Der neue Gott" (The New God) that also foreshadows their subsequent albums' sound.

Only a couple tracks in the Sperm trio stand out for me, one of them being the best here, "Sex". Another good track is "Feiert das Kreuz" (Celebrate the Cross), though the intro sample makes me think of a Hitler-Exorcist crossover.

Not all of the songs in the Defekt trio are any good, so I'll just talk about the ones that are, starting with one of the best here, "Willst Du Hoffnung?" (Do You Want Hope?). The other good song, "Mitten Ins Herz" (Right in the Heart) continues that experimental vibe. What I really wanted to hear in this compilation is the beautiful "Come and Kick Me", which would've kicked my rating for this compilation up at least a half-star. Sadly, it isn't here.

As for the 4th album Wunschkind (Desired Child), the title track for that album has heavy riffing. Guitars and synths are blended together in dark atmosphere. However, it's not something you should be bring to dance parties because of the dark mood and slamming heaviness. The other two songs aren't nearly as great as that track though. Neither are two of the 3 remixes that come after. However, the remix for "Krüppel" (Cripple) is a true enhancement! Dero's vocals sound close to growling as he details a story about getting kicked, punched, crippled... Now this is the Oomph I need in the lyrics and distorted music. The emotion is what makes the song special in its own right.

And there you have it; 15 songs, including 3 from each of the first 4 Oomph! albums plus 3 remixes. I say half of this compilation is quite solid with brilliant highlights from that earlier part of their career. Still the remaining songs I will never revisit any time soon. Once again, Neue Deutsche Härte is just not for my metal heart....

Favorites: "Ich bin Du", "Der neue Gott", "Sex", "Feiert das Kreuz", "Willst Du Hoffnung?", "Mitten Ins Herz", "Wunschkind", "Krüppel" (remix)

As I've said in my previous review, I was following a 3-album industrial rock/metal path as I continued my ongoing early industrial metal rediscovery journey. The first part of this path was Gravity Kills' 1996 debut which, again, is barely metal at all. The second part is the well-done bridge that is Acumen Nation's More Human Heart. And this third part is from a side-project by one of the all-time most famous metal vocalists...

Rob Halford was already in his temporary split from Judas Priest and made a couple albums in his own groove metal band Fight. His second side-project, Two (often spelled "2wo") has disappointed long-time fans with a more electronic metal style. And there's none of the melodic screaming of Judas Priest's Painkiller.

Still the album is pretty decent, starting with the techno-hungry "I am a Pig" that has planted Nine Inch Nails into the minds of listeners, both due to the sound and the word "Pig" in the title. A bit of the alt-prog metal of TOOL can be heard in "Stutter Kiss". The industrial yet melodic "Water's Leaking" can be considered what Judas Priest could've done if they let Halford have more creative freedom. "My Ceiling's Low" bounces through electronic rock and more of Halford's sinister singing.

Next up, "Leave Me Alone" is another example of what Judas Priest would sound like if they go electronic. The following track "If" has more tribal rhythms. Shooting through some more of the cool industrial rock/metal is "Deep in the Ground".

"Hey Sha La La" sounds too awfully close to dance-pop in the rhythm, but at least the catchy chorus makes the song somewhat tolerable. "Wake Up" is far too synth-driven in its attempt to mix synths with guitars. Thumbs down for that one. "Gimp" strikes back with its nice bass punches. Closing the album is "Bed of Rust" which the album's epic-sounding climax. Seriously, you should stick around and be rewarded after all that earlier trouble!

Voyeurs is a decent straight one-time experiment in industrial metal for Rob Halford. After that, he and his project partner guitarist John 5 would go their separate ways. John 5 joined Marilyn Manson, and Halford started a 3rd side-project, his solo band Halford. The album might not be super fun, but I guess two is better than one....

Favorites: "I am a Pig", "My Ceiling's Low", "Deep in the Ground", "Gimp", "Bed of Rust"

I needed an album to balance things out in my ongoing early industrial metal rediscovery journey. That Gravity Kills album caused an unnecessary twist into my journey, as that album and band have more of an industrial/alt-rock sound with only a few songs being metal. However, this band Acumen Nation has a more metallic take on that sound, and a great improvement too. So let's dive into that...

More Human Heart is the band's 3rd album and the first under the band name Acumen Nation. They were previously known as just Acumen until legal issues with a similarly titled prog-rock band caused the name change. The solid industrial metal rage will get you hooked to the grooves.

"Ventilator" starts the album greatly with their usual blend of electro-industrial and metal. "If You Were" has some sections that would foreshadow all those times when The Dillinger Escape Plan deviate from their mathcore sound in their more experimental songs. Staggering a bit is "Unkind" within the rhythm. "Cancerine" is a nice standout that's soft but keeps your attention going.

"Revelations Per Minute" definitely has a similar vibe to early Dir En Grey. "Bleed for You" makes me think of Red Harvest blended with the groove-ish instrumentation of Vision of Disorder at that time. Things get a little more vulnerable in "The Funny Thing is...", but it still has some catchy energy.

"F*** Yer Brains Out" is a more brutal industrial standout. "Ugly on the Inside" is more catchy and upbeat, but it makes me wonder if that's where Code Orange got a bit of their industrial side from. "Punka**" indeed sounds more punky, with a side of Waltari at that time. "Dreamheart/Crush'd" is one last two-part 9-minute epic. Quite a climatic way to end an industrial rock/metal album!

The cool thing about Acumen Nation is, they can mix 80s-style rock/metal with modern industrial at easy grace. It's a well-deserved bridge between Gravity Kills' debut and the one album by Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford's side-project 2wo. In the mainstream industrial metal realm, I'm nicely surprised by how far I've come. RIP Jamie Duffy....

Favorites: "Ventilator", "Cancerine", "Bleed for You", "F*** Yer Brains Out", "Ugly on the Inside", "Dreamheart/Crush'd"

Danzig's 6th album 6:66 Satan's Child was actually the tail end of the band's industrial metal era. The 5th album Blackacidevil is the center of that era. This heavily industrial album was released in 1996, and then reissued 4 years later with a few bonus tracks and better cover art.

So what do I mean by highly industrial? Well instead of the dark heavy metal sound Danzig is known for, electro-industrial techno and experimental noise rock covers the rock/metal tracks. I actually find some tracks interesting, despite the album being unsuccessful and turning away many Danzig fans. A problem that I notice is, vocalist Glenn Danzig sounds too distorted in a few tracks, and that makes me prefer the less experimental parts of the album.

Things starts upbeat with the electronic-powered "7th House". Then the title track has lyrics of drugs. A strange acid trip before the album's later melancholy... "See All You Were" is one of a few tracks here to feature Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell. However, that doesn't make up for the d*mn vocal distortion making the lyrics hard to understand.

"Sacrifice" starts with a Nine Inch Nails-like intro before launching into a perfect industrial metal single that should've ended up in the 1997 Spawn film soundtrack. This is followed by the more sadistic "Hint of Her Blood". One song that's not enjoyable at all and shouldn't have existed is "Serpentia". I don't wish to say more. "Come to Silver" is another Cantrell-featured track, originally written for Johnny Cash. A country-infused ballad I would recommend!

"Hand of Doom" is a Black Sabbath cover, rewritten with more disturbing lyrics. That said, I love it, though Isis' cover is better. "Power of Darkness" is just too plain bad. Why does that sh*t f***ing even exist at all!? "Ashes" is a sweet closing ballad as you drive away into the darkness of who-knows-where...

I think I'll skip out on the bonus tracks in the reissue, mainly because I don't wanna hear anymore of that awful distortion. Despite that flawed aspect though, I don't find Blackacidevil as bad as most other people do. Some songs I find quite enjoyable, and a few others I don't want tainting my ears a second time. Sure it's different, but any open-minded Danzig fan can give this album some more spins. For some fans, once is never enough....

Favorites: "7th House", "Sacrifice", "Come to Silver", "Hand of Doom", "Ashes"

16volt began their discography with their debut Wisdom. It is a solid cold blend of electro-industrial beats and heavy guitars that form another prime example of industrial rock/metal. The band started recording their next album Skin shortly after releasing their debut, and they seem to really picked up where they left off. They even made a sequel to one of the debut's songs, which we'll get to later...

It's been nearly 3 decades since this album Skin came out, and it still appeals to many industrial metal fans who wish to see them live. Although not as well-known and great as Wisdom, Skin will still have you interested in this cold industrial rock/metal sound.

The title opener already sets the stage for the album as smoothly as the opening track of Wisdom. "Perfectly Fake" is a perfect hodgepodge of experimentation, similar to what Candiria was doing at that time, but the hardcore elements are replaced with industrial ones. I wouldn't say "Uplift" is uplifting, but the end of that track is worth it for its somewhat ambient climax. I love that!

"Slow Wreck" is slower, but it comes out as kind of a trainwreck that made me think "Why did I go from listening to the awesome metalcore of Parkway Drive, As I Lay Dying, Every Time I Die, and August Burns Red, to this sh*t!?" Then we have "Skin", the first of few instrumentals, this one a little bland but slightly better. Greatness is present again in "Stitched", with some impressive vocals to love. However, "Built to Last" again threatens to make me want to skip out on the industrial sound and go back to the metalcore of Parkway Drive, Trivium, Winds of Plague, and A Day to Remember.

"Bottle Rockets" is another instrumental that isn't the best but still works. An inspiring mix of guitars and electronics appears in "Downtime 2", which I find awesome and actually surpassing the first part of that song from Wisdom. "Flick" is one more noise-ridden instrumental. After that, there's 6 minutes of silence before a remix of the title track, "Dead Skin" which is OK but I prefer the original. The reissue has a couple more remixes and covers, but I've already said enough.

I think what really caused two of the non-instrumental tracks to go downhill is, the lyrics sound too simplistic and direct. They don't follow the "show don't tell" technique that English teachers recommend using. Take out those two tracks and a couple of the instrumentals, and you have something worthwhile....

Favorites: "Skin", "Perfectly Fake", "Uplift", "Stitched", "Downtime 2"

16volt is another industrial rock/metal band fresh from the early 90s. They are known for blending electro-industrial beats with abrasive electric guitar for a unique blend in the genre. This is unlike that other band Genitorturers that's more well-known for their live aesthetic and imagery. Not wanting to sound like the semi-apathetic young modern metal fan I am, music is a band's true value. But if you wish to explore the visual components of a band or album, that's fine. You do you!

With that said, the first 16volt album Wisdom seems to have a slight notch off compared to Genitorturers' debut. Nonetheless, 16volt's music is quite addictive and will get listeners hooked right from the start...

"Motorskill" is an amazing industrial metal opening track like none other. The coldness of the riffing and beats march on with no fear. Anyone who thought this kind of mix shouldn't exist would be wrong! The industrial apocalypse rolls further in the title track. Same with "Head of Stone", which is another example of what industrial rock/metal should really be about, all in great balance.

Vocalist Eric Powell tests out some erotic-ish whispering vocals in "Filthy Love of Fire" which is a more sludgy track. I think that's the closest the band can get to a similar vibe to Genitorturers. The tricky "Hand Over End" struggles with the marching snare, but the crushing percussion shoves it aside.

"Will" is another heavy crusher that I enjoy. "Dreams of Light" is another one of my favorite tracks in the album. While the beat and guitar are more mid-paced, that's not the main focus here. It's centered around more of the sound's apocalyptic atmosphere. The slow noise-ridden closing track "Downtime (Part One)" hints at their next album Skin, which has a "Part 2" to that track. Conveniently, I'll be reviewing that album next. In the meantime, check out a few remixes in the reissue that don't sound too different...

Wisdom has a lot you can ask for in the cold industrial darkness. A very solid industrial rock/metal release! Though it's slightly limp compared to Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste. Still it's something any fan of industrial, rock, and/or metal should get for some of this band's talent and wisdom....

Favorites: "Motorskill", "Head of Stone", "Will", "Dreams of Light"

Call this album neoclassical or speed metal, but I wouldn't consider them accurate for Helstar's 4th release Nosferatu. Sure you can hear the shredding popularized by Yngwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore, Cacophony, etc., but that's not the main style. Here we have a strong progressive US power metal style that incorporates those technical scales into their own sound. The songs are well-structured with those aspects, thanks to the guitar duo of Larry Branagan and André Corbin. And it fits well for a then-unexpected theme, covering one of the most legendary figures in horror fiction...

OK, I am familiar with the whole "horror metal" concept, but mostly via modern metalcore bands like Ice Nine Kills and Motionless in White, and I remember Iced Earth and Evergrey each making a song based on that evil Transylvanian vampire. Helstar's Nosferatu displays the horror story concept early in classic metal's golden decade. While the atmosphere isn't as chilling or scary as you might expect it to be, the technicality is filled with terrifying majesty and helps the album succeed. Interestingly, the album title and cover art is based on Nosferatu, while the lyrics center around the original Dracula and samples from the 1979 Dracula film can be heard. The Dracula concept only covers the first half of the album. Still, this sinister bloodsucker created by Bram Stoker became part of Helstar's vision of darkness and riffing complexity!

Thundering in is the riff-wrath of the intro "Rhapsody in Black", already hinting at the promising greatness of the album. The bad-a** speedy power metal storm kicks off in "Baptized in Blood", straight from the verse riffing. You can already hear this Texan band's Priest/Maiden/Sabbath-infused response to Mozart and Beethoven. More of the direct yet dexterous verses come in "To Sleep, Per Chance to Scream", with wonderful vocal emotion by James Rivera. Killer choruses appear in "Harker's Tale (Mass of Death)", all while exemplifying the neoclassical technicality.

"Perseverance and Desperation" is a shred-tastic instrumental with lots of acoustic sections and melodic solos that make up the neoclassical side of the band's sound. See, that's the kind of the music I would've loved to bits in my teen years of listening to power/progressive metal. I suspect a lot of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani would enjoy the sh*t out of that piece. Lovely atmosphere too! "The Curse Has Passed Away" has more of those cool acoustics. "Benediction" starts the non-Dracula half of the album, standing out with more gang shouts used than any of the other tracks here. The hammering "Harsh Reality" lyrically feels out of place, singing about how f***ed up the world is, right after travelling the shadowy realm of Count Dracula. Still the song is quite good and killer.

The dominating "Swirling Madness" fits things better, and is one of the best songs here! "Von Am Lebem Desto Strum" is German for "From Alive to Current". The track itself is a bit of a clumsy acoustic/piano instrumental, but it's a nice setup for the finale... "Aieliaria and Everonn" is a good closing track, but the lyrics could've been better aligned.

All in all, Nosferatu is a pretty kick-A album in which the earlier classic sound of progressive US power metal is blended with horror imagery. They can go f***ing heavy while having some wild melodic scales. They can really head forward with their innovation, as they close their 80s era on a well-deserved note, though they would end up absent throughout the first half of the 90s. Anyway, the more melodic metalheads will bloodthirsty for this offering of horror and neoclassicism!

Favorites: "Baptized in Blood", "To Sleep, Per Chance to Scream", "Perseverance and Desperation", "Benediction", "Swirling Madness"

Gojira is strongly iconic for their unique metal style. They can let out their ecological thoughts through deathly progressive metal. Their excellent music that most metalheads love have helped build the stairway between the underground and the mainstream surface. That's something that can lead to close to universal fame!

After blowing away people's minds with From Mars to Sirius, fans had to wait until 2008 for the album The Way of All Flesh to arrive. Since then, there have been 4 or 5-year gaps between albums, with the first album to end that gap being this album, L'Enfant Sauvage (The Wild Child). It's definitely worth revisiting in the present, because then I can bring this 2012 album back to discussion and see if it still appeals to me as it did before my break from this band's material starts a couple years ago.

Screeching in is the explosive "Explosia", having a bit of the heavier groove/tech-death guitar, mixed with the progressive the band is known for. Interesting leads and rhythms plague the title track, which still reigns as one of my favorite Gojira songs, due to a music video I was watching on TV long ago. Then we have the first of a couple formulaic tracks, "The Axe". That one should get the axe for its poor attempt at executing a more melodic groove-oriented The Faceless kind of sound. More effective singing and roaring come around in "Liquid Fire".

The interlude "The Wild Healer" is a mellow break from the action. "Planned Obsolescence" has more complex aggression, but the ambient outro is just way too long to like. "Mouth of Kala" seems lacking of original ideas, but I still like it a little. Excellent variation in "The Gift of Guilt" makes the song's 6-minute length well-filled.

"Pain is a Master" is another song that could've used a bit of improvement. "Born in Winter" is an epic underrated track from this band. They can journey through soft spoken verses before launching into the usual dramatic heaviness, all in just 4 minutes! Closing track "The Fall" sounds kinda diminished in the vocals by frontman Joe Duplantier, which is too bad because he's the elemental force powering up the band.

As with my Mastodon revisit, a few songs in this Gojira album don't strike my metal heart as they did years ago, but that doesn't decrease the album's greatness. L'Enfant Sauvage has much to offer in its songs. The hammering madness just isn't the same as it should've been back in those days....

Favorites: "Explosia", "L'Enfant Sauvage", "Liquid Fire", "The Gift of Guilt", "Born in Winter"

Once again, I'm surprised by how much interest I'm losing in the more popular progressive metal bands like Mastodon. It's just... I don't know, they just seem a bit overpraised with their huge expanding fanbase. But they do have these constant surprises that keep them unique and unpredictable. This progressive quartet from Atlanta, Georgia, has made sure none of their albums or songs are the same as one another. For this album, the band has firmly placed themselves in the atmospheric progressive realm they've always transcended through, discarding their earlier Crowbar-esque sludge roots. Checking this album out again after missing out on it for almost a couple years made me realized that while many songs are still awesome, only a couple of them I would rate lower.

As I've said, the band switched from a progressive sludge band to an atmospheric progressive metal/rock one in this release. Actually, maybe the "rock" part is too much of a face-slap, because it is mostly metal. For some reason, guitarist Brent Hinds once said Mastodon was more of an art rock band than metal, which is a band self-description as wrong as Lemmy insisting on deeming his band Motorhead just rock and roll. Anyway, sure there are some soft progressive rock moments in this Mastodon, but they still have a lot of heaviness. The f***ing big riffing of Hinds and Bill Kelliher, the talented drumming of Brann Dailor, and the distorted bass of Troy Sanders proves it all...

Vocals are performed by all members except Kelliher, albeit not altogether, with opener "Oblivion" being the only track with all 3 vocalists singing. The song shows ambitious elevation in emotion. Next track "Divinations" is a straight hard-hitter, as opposed to the rest of the album's atmospheric side. Great metal bliss in those riffs, though a bit uneasy at times. The amazing "Quintessence" has slower, less direct guitar that allows you to relax and explore further. Then when the heaviness comes, it's more balanced.

There's lots of progressive imagination in the Opeth-sized epic "The Czar". Throughout those 4 movements and 11 minutes, the band can control their emotional structure to allow a stable climax that can end the track shining greater than the end of their earlier 4-minute track. "Ghost of Karelia" has mighty bass thunder.

The title track has a bit of the sludgy doom of Neurosis, whose recently fired vocalist/guitarist Scott Kelly appears here. The song and the album title tribute to Brann's one-year-younger sister Skye who took her own life at age 14. However, that song I struggle with nowadays. "The Last Baron" is another epic with the structural strength of Opeth, though slightly less focused with some steam lost halfway through. The steam is regained in time for a jazzy yet metal finale to make the song another highlight.

With all that I had to say about this album upon my recent revisit, Crack the Skye is a cohesive journey as Mastodon's progressive side takes the place of most of their earlier sludge. The different moods nicely test out their ambitious style when creating this fine album, though a couple songs should've had more concentration for higher quality. It's more thorough and later rounds of listening like this that has made me find some oddities more quickly. Despite that, I've regained a bit of interest in Mastodon. It just goes to show that greater different listens make you find a few things hard to enjoy, while everything else deserves great praise....

Favorites: "Oblivion", "Quintessence", "The Czar", "The Last Baron"

Fatalism is an album Polaris fans have been anticipating. The creative songwriter and performers are at it once again! And they even sealed a schedule of 3-year intervals between albums. Oh, what a solid strategy.

After the perfect one-two punch of The Mortal Coil and The Death of Me, the band continue progressing through their exciting creativity in Fatalism. Hearing the news about this album got my hopes up high. But then the news about guitarist Ryan Siew's passing was heartbreaking. He was one of the most talented modern metal guitarists I had heard, and he was only 26 (same age as my older brother). He had already complete his work before his death, so this album lets you hear his guitar wizardry one last time...

"Harbinger" starts the album with an atmospheric intro as bassist Jake Steinhauser sings his clean vocals over building synths. Soon the drums and guitars come in, and finally the moshing riffs and vocalist Jamie Hails' screams. The perfect opening storm that should work well live! "Nightmare" is the ultimate Polaris anthem! An easy metalcore banger with all of their signature aspects; screamed verses, melodic choruses, heavy riffs, and powerful vocals, all leading up to the mighty end. This is full-on rage you just gotta experience! "Parasites" has more aggressive attitude. And I mean real middle-finger-pointing anger. Full speed ahead for that track! Calming down from that intense ride, "Overflow" greatly display the two vocalists' skills. Jake continues his clean strength, and Jamie adds in some singing too alongside his usual screams.

"With Regards" has strong vocal beauty from Jake which, along with Jamie's kick-A screams, add to the heartful lyrics and soaring riff melody throughout the song. The high-sung final chorus really hits that spot. Heading forward to "Inhumane", bass opens the track, and then Jamie Hails unleashes the fire. Ryan Siew pulled off perhaps the most epic guitar solo he's ever done that barely any other guitarist could do. That song was the only one in the album to come out before his passing. Lots of interesting moments including powerful gang vocals, djenty melodies, and of course, that incredible solo! Finally we drop down to the song's finale that's more of a throwdown than a breakdown. "The Crossfire" is also very interesting. With more metallic guitars, this should really end up in Guitar Hero! It's quite addictive, as those vocal melodies will end up seared into your brain. Get your air guitars up!

Drummer Daniel Furnari gets all the action is "Dissipate", all in blast beat brilliance. D*mn, those blasts are all around, especially behind some wonderful riffing. The drums are front and center while the guitars provide support. And when the guttural vocals, they're filled with deep insanity that greatly contrasts with Jake's soaring cleans. The breakdown is what many of the heavier metalcore fans came for. It's so killer as the drums f***ing devastate, while Rick Schneider performs ravaging rhythm. "Aftertouch" is a slow sweet power ballad that's a rarity in metalcore. There's lightness in the keyboards and drums, but the guitars and vocals slowly gain stronger intensity. Even the most touching song can break down barriers as part of the band's essence. "Fault Line" starts soft in the synths before launching into another easy yet impressive banger. "All in Vain" closes the album, but not as energetic as I was hoping it would be. It starts off promising with some whispers and building riffing before exploding into a heavy verse. Then the intro is reprised before the final chorus which unfortunately makes an abrupt stop. Probably the only truly problematic Polaris song.

Fatalism is a different album from their earlier ones, yet there's a lot of the greatness to expect. Polaris continue to shine with their songwriting creativity that has made this album stay true to their discography. With lots of well-balanced highlights and professional teamwork, this blend of melody and brutality levels up the stories told within the lyrics shall keep listeners alert and wanting more. There's no doubt that Fatalism will please Polaris with this exciting heartful work. A near-perfect swansong for Ryan Siew that shall be engraved in his legacy! RIP

Favorites: "Harbinger", "Nightmare", "With Regards", "Inhumane", "Dissipate", "Fault Line"