![Elvenking – Secrets of the Magick Grimoire [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1000x1000-768x768.jpg)
“Welcome to Bizarro Metal World, where the reviews are made up and the scores are reversed! Just kidding, but seriously, Angry Metal Guy himself was set to review this album. However, time being what it is during the holiday season (and AMG being as angry as he is), he didn’t get around to it. As luck would have it -at least for Elvenking – while I’ve heard tell that AMG was quite disappointed with this album, I am not!” Dodging the AMG bullet.
“To be honest, I have remained only peripherally up to speed with the court proceedings and inter-band politics between the original Queensrÿche and Tate’s new Operation: Mindcrime as relationships (and Tate’s musical sanity) spiraled into decline. Hence, The New Reality is my first concerted exposure to Tate’s post-Queensrÿche work.” Here in the now…of hazing.
As a general rule, metal is just plain better in Sweden. Even half-hearted attempts or poor imitations turn out better when sourced from that otherworldly place, with its spike-studded halls and platters of herring, meatballs, and fruit soups. And speaking of fruit soups, the new generation of HammerFall and Iron Maiden praise has arrived in the form of Stormhold’s second studio album, Salvation.” Sweden takes a holiday.
“Eternal Flight is a more varied creature than most that have been crawling around in the prog/power underground for the last 20 years. Whether as itself or as Dream Child, Eternal Flight has been slowly leaking albums since 1996, with Retrofuture being number six in total and fourth under the new moniker. Certainly better acquainted with a darker lyrical and melodic approach than most of their “power metal” cousins.” If it ain’t retrobroken, don’t retrofix it.
“France’s Silver Wind seems to be a pretty low-profile act, despite having formed (according to the label’s press release) in 2005. Legion Of The Exiled is the band’s first full-length, and an evident stepping stone from 2013’s Fight For Glory EP – which is regurgitated in its entirety (three songs) here. Comparisons of the band’s inceptive sound to Hammerfall and Enforcer incited some mild interest in me, but clones of this style are not exactly hard to find, and in my experience, the doppelgangers are almost invariably somewhat sloppy and/or without much novelty to them.” Something funky in the wind.
“The release of Keldian’s Outbound was a lance of brilliant solar energy that ignited the band’s fan-base and whipped long-timers and newcomers alike into a frenzy. While none of us expected another end-to-end burner, the general vibe that Andresen and Aardalen exude is one of utter consistency and reliability. In this day and age, these are precious commodities!” Consistent quality is not a hobgoblin.
“In 2013, a young German band by the unassuming name of Evertale took the power metal world by storm with an independently-released firestorm of a fantasy power metal debut in Of Dragons And Elves. The band was hurriedly signed to NoiseArt Records and the album re-released, much to the relief of international fans. It’s been nearly a four-year wait, but a follow-up in the German’s signature power metal style is finally here.” Roll out the Orc barrel.
“The label’s press release for Obscurity states ostentatiously that the album will be the band’s ‘definitive consecration to the international scene.’ Sidelining that this is a gross misuse of the word and concept of ‘consecration’ on multiple levels, there’s no way to make me crankier right off the bat than with inane marketing bluster. Tread lightly, My Kingdom.” Dragon-sized PR misses.
“Angel Vivaldi and I have had our brushes in the past, but despite his considerable back catalog, I’ve never found myself with the racing heart and flushed cheeks that many other younger instrumental/shred fans seem to exhibit when his name comes up.” Shred is as shred does.
