“If you didn’t listen to the lack of God in the lyrics, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Freedom Call’s newest record, Master of Light, is chock full of so-called Christian metal. It’s a consistently uplifting record, focused on what sounds like good, beauty, and wonder instead of evil and/or nihilism. If the astoundingly good DOOM reboot (easily the best game of the year) showed us anything, it’s that good can easily be an order of magnitude more “metal” than evil.” Power, pecs and pizzazz.
“There’s no doubt about it, in this burgeoning world of myriad metal sub-genres, an unlucky few have been branded as default pejoratives. We’re all guilty of it to some degree: nu metal, metalcore, deathcore… basically anything with a core, all sneered at and vilified down the length of our long, elitist noses. It saddens my iron bones to find that power metal seems to be suffering the same fate. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but there can be no denying the scene’s quality output.” Up with power!
“New the band may be, but the individual members are all seasoned veterans, most notably bassist Mike LePond from Symphony X and drummer Kevin Talley from Suffocation. Markus Ulrich (Lanfear) and Markus Johansson (Sylencer) are on six-string duties and Richie Seibel (also Lanfear) handles the keyboards. Vocalist Troy Norr’s recent experience moonlighting in a King Diamond tribute band informs what Sweet Hollow is all about.” But they do make a good cup of tea….
“Formed at the turn of the millennium and billed in their promo material as “Denmark’s best-selling power metal band,” Iron Fire have consistently put out strong records with distinctive characters. 2014’s Voyage of the Damned was perhaps their darkest album to date, sounding like a cross between Dark Tranquility and Kamelot, but with more balls. Since then the band has seen some personnel changes: original drummer Gunnar Olsen has returned to the fold, and they’re now operating as a three-piece. What does this mean for new record Among the Dead?” Big in Denmark!
“Originally Steel Druhm was going to write this review, but I used my Inception-like powers to convince him I should handle it. I’ve spent the days since, chewing on my nails, wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into – no pressure at all! What to write?” Don’t screw this up, rookie!
“Latin American metal is cruelly under-represented on the world stage, lacking the major label support of their European and North American counterparts. The exception to this seems to be power metal, with figureheads such as Angra and Hibria having emerged from Brazil’s urban jungles. A compatriot to these names, Endless has been limited by a spotty output of only 2 albums in around 20 years but their third full-length is now due and calls itself The Truth, the Chaos, the Insanity. Power metal though it is, drawing on the Europower formula, the riffy rhythm guitars land it somewhere close to Symphony X’s prog-power.” Well, how could this be bad!?
“After a conversation with a friend about power metal, I came to the realization that many of my favorite bands in the genre are cheesy as hell. I’ve come to this slightly ashamed conclusion many times over the years, and as I’ve done before, I pulled out my power metal collection in hopes that all the black, thrash, and death metal hadn’t lessened my love for Tolkien-based nonsense and eight-album concepts about the mighty Metalians.” Cheeses H. Christ, the Doctor is such a Helloweenie!
“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?
“This is quite a surprise, as I never expected to hear from these guys again. Manimal (who’s name I hate because it reminds me of the ultra cheesy 70s sci-fi show) dropped a promising debut in 2009 then proceeded to fall off the edge of the world. I forgot them, life went on and then, BOOM! A new Manimal album arrives in my promo bin.” No one knows when the Manimal may strike!
“Even though I spend a lot of time listening to black metal (and anything and everything King Diamond), I hold a very special place in my heart for power metal. At any given time, you can walk by my office and hear an Iced Earth, Blind Guardian, or Metalium (yep, I said it) song reverberating off the walls and echoing down the hallway.” The good doctor is a power metal weenie.
