Helloween

Scanner – The Cosmic Race Review

Scanner – The Cosmic Race Review

By Steel Druhm on January 12, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 38 comments

“It’s an early-year surprise to be graced with a new album by Germanic power/heavy metal semi-legends Scanner. Early adopters of the Euro-power style created by Helloween, Scanner released two seminal albums at the start of their career. 1988s Hypertrace and 1990s Terminal Earth were rough and ready takes on the slick Helloween style and Scanner made their version extra interesting due to their more unhinged, raw edge. After the very good Terminal Earth, however, it took them until 1995 to drop a follow-up and by then much of the metal market had moved on to more extreme sounds or given up metal entirely and gone grunge.” Olde tech.

Iron Savior – Firestar Review

Iron Savior – Firestar Review

By Steel Druhm on October 4, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 21 comments

“As with so many German metal bands, Iron Savior doesn’t have a kill switch. They’ve been rolling out albums regularly since 1997, completely immune to the shifting tastes and trends in metal. Formed as a classic Euro-power act with legacy ties to the genre’s beginning, founder Piet Sielck has kept his vision and direction very consistent over the band’s 25-plus year voyage, delivering sci-fi-themed power with a heavier, more traditional metal punch and crunch.” Savior complex.

Evermore – In Memoriam Review

Evermore – In Memoriam Review

By Holdeneye on April 24, 2023 in Reviews, Power Metal, 30 comments

“I probably picked this promo because the band name is so similar to my favorite band of all time; you can’t spell Nevermore without Evermore! But before I tumble down a tearful slope of despondency over the loss of the great Warrel Dane, let’s talk about Nevermore sans the “N.” Sweden’s Evermore is a relatively fresh face in the European power metal game, having released an extremely promising debut in the form of 2021’s Court of the Tyrant King.” Never, ever, MOAR.

Twilight Force – At the Heart of Wintervale Review

Twilight Force – At the Heart of Wintervale Review

By Eldritch Elitist on January 19, 2023 in Reviews, 70 comments

“Twilight Force’s Dawn of the Dragonstar should have been on my 2019 year-end list. Hell, I should have at least written a Things You Might Have Missed piece on it. Yet in retrospect, at the time, the prospect of fully embracing Twilight Force was borderline embarrassing, even for me.” Return of the GammaStrataWeenie.

Trick or Treat – Creepy Symphonies Review

Trick or Treat – Creepy Symphonies Review

By GardensTale on April 7, 2022 in Reviews, Power Metal, 49 comments

“Even though I have pigeonholed myself as the album art guy around here, when I’m selecting promos, I actually don’t often select an album based on the art. I usually go by one of three methods: completely blind (either random or letting a colleague select), selecting straight from the list (where the only information I have is artist, title, genre and label), or cherry picking (where I listen to singles until I find something I think I’ll like). Trick or Treat is an exception, because just look at this goofy-ass cartoon cover! Either this will be stupid enough to work, like Nanowar of Steel, or it’ll be too stupid to work, like most power metal. So which one is it?” Symphonies of slickness.

Sin Starlett – Solid Source of Steel Review

Sin Starlett – Solid Source of Steel Review

By Crispy Hooligan on February 27, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 20 comments

“Calling something new “NWoBHM” is a tricky proposition. Some bands and labels seem to fall on the description as a lazy synonym for Maiden, but that clearly only captures a slice of the historical scene. Sin Starlett’s tendency to swap out huge sections of the wardrobe between albums only amplifies the confusion in calling them simply “NWoBHM.” 2012’s awfully-named Throat Attack saw Starlett wear through the combined speed and pop sensibilities of Defenders of the Faith-era Judas Priest. 2016’s Digital Overload, meanwhile, saw the Starletts adopt thrashier trappings. The borderline thrash riffs and vocal barks seemed to signal a new direction for follow-up Solid Source of Steel. Wherever steel may roam.

Absolva – Fire in the Sky Review

Absolva – Fire in the Sky Review

By Steel Druhm on February 16, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 28 comments

“Meat n’ taters. It doesn’t get more basic, humble, and satisfying than that. The Manchester-based Brits in Absolva are the musical equivalent of that essential cuisine staple. Having the distinction of being the backing band for Blaze Bayley, the material they create on their own is very much in the Blaze school of classic British heavy metal – familiar, comforting, and satisfying. Fire in the Sky is their sixth album and finds Absolva playing to their strengths while sitting dead center in their comfort zone.” Back to basics.

Helloween – Helloween Review

Helloween – Helloween Review

By Steel Druhm on June 17, 2021 in Reviews, Power Metal, 89 comments

“Helloween gets 97.543% of the credit for creating what we now think of as the Euro-power metal sound. Led by the high-pitched wailing of Kai Hansen, their Walls of Jericho debut was a nonstop rush of speed and irresistible hooks, and Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I was less speedy but far more polished and majestic, featuring the vocal power of a young Michael Kiske. When it was announced that BOTH long absent frontmen would be returning to Helloween to join current frontman Andi Deris for a new album, I felt conflicted.” He should have squashed his expectations.