Avantasia

Until Rain – Season V Review

By Carcharodon on June 4, 2019 in 2019, Greek Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Rock of Angels Records, Progressive Metal, 18 comments

“Until Rain deal in progressive metal and have been doing so since 2009, with four full-length albums already under their belts prior to Season V. I confess, I am only familiar with their most recent release, 2017’s Inure, which offered up dark, moody prog, featuring heavy bass lines and, at times, even flirting with djent and blastbeats (see, for example, “This Solitude”). I didn’t love it but I certainly liked it and there is no question Until Rain showed some vision and genuine songcraft on it.” Who’ll stop the rain?

Record(s) o’ the Month – February 2019

By Angry Metal Guy on March 17, 2019 in 2019, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 225 comments

A RotM post going up 17 days late? Wow, smells like old times ’round here. What’s going on? And more importantly, how are the n00bs to blame?

Skeletoon – They Never Say Die Review

By Eldritch Elitist on March 13, 2019 in 2019, Italian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, Power Metal, 74 comments

“Considering the prevalence of nostalgia culture in social media, I’m surprised that Richard Donner’s 1985 cult classic The Goonies hasn’t seen a significant surge in popularity. Seeing it today reminds me that the film was a perfect recreation of my wildest childhood fantasies of close-lurking adventure. Yes, there is a pirate ship loaded with treasure hiding underneath your hometown. Yes, you have to go down an extremely fun and extremely dangerous waterslide to get to it. Yes, you can steal a kiss from your older brother’s hot girlfriend, even if your older brother is an even hotter Josh Brolin. If there’s any musical genre in existence that’s all about crafting a similar sense of childlike wonder, it’s power metal; so, as lame as it is, a power metal concept album about The Goonies makes some sense.” Goo-nie-capped.

Avantasia – Moonglow Review

By Steel Druhm on February 13, 2019 in 2019, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 165 comments

“Anything bearing the imprimatur of Tobias Sammet is synonymous with excess, bombast and a superhuman resistance to restraint and modesty. Originally known for his larger-than-life Euro-power albums with Edguy, Sammet’s Avantasia project is something else altogether. It’s his own personal wonderland where he enlists friends, well wishers and contemporary musicians in a never-ending quest to create extravagant, over the top power metal infused with Broadway theatrics, hard rock grit and preening pop. Yes, it’s mega-yacht metal, and no, it definitely isn’t for everyone.” Sammet’s latest moon shot.

Soilwork – Verkligheten Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 11, 2019 in 2019, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 156 comments

“Not long ago, sweating the steely Damocles ax of content output, I considered outing my own Indefensible Position: Soilwork’s most recent two full-lengths, The Living Infinite and The Ride Majestic, are their best. Formulaic? Sure, but riddled with tip-top bangers and speedy sing-alongs stronger than any they’d ever done. That both received 2.0s balled my segmented digits into puny rage nuggets whenever that betrayal came to fore. But then, an oddity: I re-spun the damned things, probably for the first time with my shiny reviewer ears, and found my ire lessened.” Still tilling the same soil.

Six Foot Six – The Six Foot Six Project Review

By Holdeneye on November 17, 2018 in 2018, Heavy Metal, Pride & Joy Music, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, 32 comments

“‘N00b, I have something for you.’ I turn to face the voice, surprised to be spoken to directly as all my assignments have arrived via raven scroll thus far. ‘I want to reward you for how well you’ve handled being the worst n00b.’ Steel Druhm hands me a wrapped package. I stand dumb, just as I always do in the presence of authority figures. ‘I think you’ll like it,’ he says with a straight face before turning to walk away. I hear a sound that might be snickering as he disappears around the corner, but I’m too amazed at surviving a face-to-face encounter with him to notice. I look down at the package and peel back a corner of the wrapping. I find a sticker that reads, ‘For fans of Maiden, Priest, Accept, and Falconer.’ Oh my god! Has Christmas come early? Is Steel Druhm one of those “good” evil overlords?” Apes of wrath.

Eunomia – The Chronicles of Eunomia Part I Review

By Eldritch Elitist on August 24, 2018 in 2018, Norwegian Metal, Power Metal, Pride & Joy Music, Reviews, Power Metal, 101 comments

“Every tepid, derivative power metal act I’ve ever reviewed for this humble blog, pay attention: This is how it’s done. Please, for the love of Turilli, don’t take this to mean that Eunomia’s The Chronicles of Eunomia Part I, the brainchild of one Peter Danielsen, is a sterling example of a refined power metal release; mimicking this record’s technical foibles would be, on all fronts, an objectively bad idea.” War clubbing.

Mob Rules – Beast Reborn Review

By Steel Druhm on August 23, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, SPV Records, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 41 comments

“Once upon a time, Steel Druhm was brought on board the Bad Ship AMG to handle all things traditional and power metal. Since then I’ve branched out and find myself covering much less power-related music, and few albums in the genre get me geeked up these days. Mob Rules are one of the few acts that have restored my faith in the genre in recent years, with a slick, accessible style packed with essential crunch, heaviness and power.” The Mob has spoken.

Ghostbound – All is Phantom Review

By Eldritch Elitist on June 21, 2018 in 2018, Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum, American Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Black Metal, 54 comments

“Average albums are almost never fun to write about; the sheer abundance of ho-hum, inoffensive records is staggering, and writing about them stimulates my brain about as well as popping a couple tabs of Ambien. Ghostbound is the exception to this rule.” Ghosts and gravitas.

Melted Space – Darkening Light Review

By El Cuervo on March 25, 2018 in 2018, French Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Sensory Records, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 28 comments

“Headed up by pianist, keyboardist, and classically-trained composer Pierre Le Pape, Melted Space represents an ambitious attempt to unify heavy metal with an opera, featuring a full orchestra and a cohort of guest vocalists and musicians which would make Arjen Lucassen (of Ayreon) and Tobias Sammet (of Avantasia) think twice.”Go big or go back to the conservatory.