German Metal

Paragon – Hell Beyond Hell Review

Paragon – Hell Beyond Hell Review

By Steel Druhm on March 11, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 12 comments

“Paragon has been nothing but consistent over their 22 year career, releasing album after album of raging Germanic power metal in the same vein as Grave Digger and Iron Savior. Though they’ve had plenty of fun moments, 2012’s Forces of Destruction took a big leap forward in terms of song writing, heaviness and staying power. Coming off their best album to date obviously puts more pressure on the band and perhaps that’s the reason for the 4 year wait for Hell Beyond Hell.” Roll out the Cheese wheel!

Sinbreed – Master Creator Review

Sinbreed – Master Creator Review

By Steel Druhm on February 23, 2016 in 2016, AFM Records, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 30 comments

“Germanic power metal has really become its own little thing over the years, making it a reliably punchy alternative to the overly pompous, fancy-pantsy, chaos wizardy sounds of traditional Euro-power. One of the better purveyors of this muscular brand of Teutonic terror is Sinbreed.” Manly power metal for manly men (and women).

Rogash – Malevolence Review

Rogash – Malevolence Review

By Grymm on February 20, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, German Metal, Groove Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Groove Metal, 9 comments

“It’s been a while since I’ve reached into the Grymm Grab Bag™ to review my next band, and this review doesn’t change that. Y’see, sometimes, like with Tom of… err, TOMB of Finland, the name alone just screams to be reviewed. This case, though, it was AMG himself saying, “Hey, Mr. Dan Swanö produced this.” Dan is a very talented mult-instrumentalist, a gifted songwriter, and the producer of some of my favorite records. So, I like Dan. And Dan produced Malevolence, the second album by German death metal machine, Rogash. When the Boss asks you to check something out, then damnit, you listen!” Grymm is working for the Man.

Obscura – Akróasis Review

Obscura – Akróasis Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 17, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, German Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 148 comments

“What now?” That’s the question Akróasis, unfairly or otherwise, is supposed to answer. Obscura in 2016 is solely within the hands of founder, guitarist, and vocalist Steffen Kummerer. With the core of the band as we knew it between Cosmic Genesis and Omnivium gone—and that’s an impressive list: Hannes Grossman on drums, Jeroen Paul Thesseling on bass, and Christian Münzner on guitars—Akróasis is a moment for a new statement of intent.

Exumer – The Raging Tides Review

Exumer – The Raging Tides Review

By Steel Druhm on January 26, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 34 comments

“One of the bigger musical surprises of 2012 was the rebirth of ’80s cult thrash heroes Exumer. Those thrashards [thrashtards? – AMG] released the minor thrash classic Possessed by Fire way back in ’86 and things went downhill from there, forcing them to go dark for 25 long years before reforming and dropping Fire and Damnation on an unsuspecting metalverse. The nostalgia factor was high on that one and I couldn’t help but enjoy hearing from these old fiends once again. It certainly wasn’t an essential piece of thrash, but it was a good start after a quarter century of inactivity, and now a mere three years later we get The Raging Tides. So what was Exumer up to the past three years?” How can you not click through with an intro like that!?

Ketzer – Starless Review

Ketzer – Starless Review

By Mark Z. on January 20, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, 16 comments

“There are several unassailable truths in heavy metal. A brutal death metal concert will always smell like garbage and unwashed socks. The wait for a new Necrophagist album will always be the metal blogosphere’s running joke. And when a band experiences some commercial and critical success after employing a fresh sound, you can bet your Ghost buttplug there will be a slew of imitators there to jump on the bandwagon and catch whatever stray dollars they can.” And that brings us to the flavor of the day.

Avantasia – Ghostlights Review

Avantasia – Ghostlights Review

By Steel Druhm on January 19, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 68 comments

“If there was ever a “Yacht Metal” band, Tobias Sammet’s aspirational ego project Avantasia is it. Perpetually over-sized, ostentatious, crowded with celebrities and in danger of sinking under the weight of its own pretentious pomposity, the entire catalog is a monument to the man’s inherent lack of restraint.” But is that ship still seaworthy and can they see the Ghostlights from the distant shore?