Posts Tagged ‘Heavy Metal’
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › S on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022
The new Spellbook album is not as good as their debut. That could be the review. However, it’s not always so easy to explain. You see, there are still several excellent moments, but where the debut felt like a complete album experience, Deadly Charms feels like a collection of songs. That’s not necessarily a bad […]
Tags: 2022, Cruz Del Sur Music, Heavy Metal, J Mays, Review, Spellbook
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › S on Wednesday, October 19th, 2022
Vengeance is a dish best served heavy. And melodic. And epic. OK, I guess I shouldn’t assume “vengeance” as being the first emotion that would come to mind for former Absu guitarist Melissa Moore, who is jumping back into the spotlight after a very ugly and public firing from the band following her coming out […]
Tags: 2022, Cruz Del Sur Music, Heavy Metal, NEOTHM, Sonja, Steve K
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › S on Friday, October 7th, 2022
OK so we’ve got, like, 3 months left of 2022? So who knows what can happen between now and then, but whatever. I’m calling it. Blood Empire is the most fun you’re gonna get out of just 4 songs this year. This thing is a goddamn blast. I need more ASAP. Of course, anyone who’s […]
Tags: 2022, Gates of Hell Records, Heavy Metal, Skelator, Steve K
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › D on Friday, September 30th, 2022
I reviewed UK’s Heavy/Power Metal band Dark Forest’s fifth album Oak, Ash & Thorn a few years ago. I raved about the album and now they have returned with a 5-song ep Ridge & Furrow. Opening with the longest track, “Skylark”, excellent double bass drums with the continued Iron Maiden influences all over the place with some melodic yet excellent power metal […]
Tags: 2022, Cruz Del Sur Music, Dark Forest, Frank Rini, Heavy Metal, Review
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › M on Friday, September 2nd, 2022
I realize that some bands just aren’t for everyone. Japan has always been a solid part of the world of Metal. Loudness and Sigh are the first two that come to mind for me. Metalucifer, not so much. A side project conceived by Gezol (Sabbat), Metalucifer have a body of work that dates to 1996 […]
Tags: 2022, Heavy Metal, Iron Oxide Records, Jeremy Beck, Metalucifer, Review
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › G on Thursday, July 7th, 2022
I’ve always been a Gwar fan. The Brockie albums are classics, the first two, Hell-o and Scumdogs of the Universe are undeniable required listening. Their shows are legendary, copious amounts of blood, piss and sperm being sprayed across the crowd with wild, reckless abandon. They were the last show I saw before the world went […]
Tags: 2022, Gwar, Heavy Metal, Jeremy Beck, Pit Records, Review
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › S on Thursday, June 9th, 2022
UK’s NWOBHM band, Satan, have been around since the late 70’s. During their long career they changed their name a few times (Blind Fury, Pariah) which may have hurt their long-term popularity. Under the Satan name they have released, 5 albums and Earth Infernal their 6th. In 1986 I picked up their new ep on vinyl Into the Future, bypassing their […]
Tags: 2022, Frank Rini, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade Records, NWOBHM, Satan
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › C on Friday, May 6th, 2022
For a couple years now, I’ve been praising the French for their rise to prominence in the Traditional Heavy Metal scene. It’s still not necessarily a numbers game, but the quality in the limited product is undeniable. Obviously, much of this is owed the genre’s continued growth in popularity, but bands like Herzel and Tentation […]
Tags: 2022, Canada, Cauchemar, Doom, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal, Steve K, Temple of Mystery
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › N on Wednesday, April 6th, 2022
The sky is blue. The sun rises in the East. Every “metal subgenre of the moment” is destined to become oversaturated and less exciting by virtue of its own popularity. These are basic and inalienable truths. I’m not arguing that something loses its appeal because it’s “more popular.” That argument is dumb. Popular things are […]
Tags: 2022, Blackened Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal, Nite, NWOTHM, Steve K, Traditional Heavy Metal, Voices of the Kronian moon
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › M on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022
Oh hey – just in time for World War III, AKA “The ACTUAL War to End All Wars” because this time around we’re all packing that doomsday-level heat. Sick. Seriously, for what its worth, who better to ring in the potential end of days, right? We’ve all been looking over at Vladdy-boy saying “Hey. HEY! […]
Tags: 2022, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Let There be Witchery, Metal Blade Records, Midnight, Speed Metal, Steve K
Posted in Frontpage Feature, Reviews, Reviews › G on Monday, March 21st, 2022
I reviewed Ghost’s Meliora when it was released years ago. I did enjoy that album quite a lot, but also felt there was some filler on it. The more I listen to that album, though, I truly appreciate it and love it. It’s part of their first 3 albums, which are excellent as well as […]
Tags: 2022, Frank Rini, Ghost, Heavy Metal, Loma Vista Recordings, Review
Posted in Frontpage Feature, Reviews, Reviews › S on Monday, March 7th, 2022
There’s something that feels a little… I dunno… strange about listening to Sabaton these days. Right? To be fair, it’s not like war hasn’t been a constant part about being on planet Earth. But WORLD War? Jeez, seems sort of… archaic, no? Making bombastic, rousing power metal about heroism and battlefield glory and all that […]
Tags: 2022, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast Records, Power Metal, Sabaton, Steve K, The War To End All Wars
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › G on Friday, February 25th, 2022
A lot is said about the element of surprise when it comes to war tactics. You catch an enemy sleeping, and the impact of your attack is likely to be that much more devastating. Of course, this principal isn’t solely applicable to warfare. Take, for example, Seattle Power/Traditional Heavy Metal outfit Greyhawk and their 2020 […]
Tags: 2022, call of the hawk, Fighter Records, Greyhawk, Heavy Metal, NWOTHM, Power Metal, Steve K, Traditional Heavy Metal
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › D on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022
OK soooooooooooo listen – I’m not exactly what anyone would call an expert in the world of electronic music, or even more metal-leaning industrial music, for that matter. No hate or disrespect or anything like that at all, it’s just not an avenue I’ve gone down much to this point in my life. With that […]
Tags: 2022, Dance With The Dead, Darkwave, Electronic Music, Heavy Metal, industrial, Power Metal, Steve K, Synthwave
Posted in Frontpage Feature, Reviews, Reviews › B on Monday, January 31st, 2022
As I’ve stated many times before in these very pages, I’m very picky about my heavy/power metal. It’s not a genre I generally really enjoy or get into, but I’ve certainly come to appreciate the likes of Blind Guardian, WindRose, Dragony, Fairyland, Thy Majestie, Grail Knights, Pathfinder, Twilight Force, and the 23 Rhapsody related bands, […]
Tags: 2022, Battle Beast, Erik T, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast Records, Power Metal, Review
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › M on Tuesday, January 18th, 2022
My first 2022 release review is the self-released and self-titled album from Canada’s Maule. This four-piece act plays straight up balls to the wall heavy metal. 9 songs just shy of the 40 minute mark. “Evil Eye” opening up the album and Iron Maiden are a true inspiration for this band – think vintage Maiden, […]
Tags: 2022, Frank Rini, Heavy Metal, Maule, Review, Self-Released
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › L on Friday, December 24th, 2021
On top of Frank’s favorite new metal bands in 2020 was Lady Beast when I reviewed their fourth album, The Vulture’s Amulet. A complete banger of an album incorporating traditional Heavy Metal in the form of early Maiden/Priest/Manilla Road/Dio. So the early Power Metal influences were there as the band galloped along with quicker speeds […]
Tags: 2021, Frank Rini, Heavy Metal, Lady Beast, Reaper Metal Productions, Review
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › S on Friday, December 24th, 2021
When my metal comrade, multi-instrumentalist from Seeking Obscure and owner/founder of Metalbolic Records, Rob Luckie, recently got in touch with me to see if I would be interested in checking out Samarian and their four track EP, Awaken, released on Metalbolic with Rob contributing his bass talents, I tented my fingers with pure Mr. Burns […]
Tags: Heavy Metal, Kristofor Allred, Metalbolic Records, Power/Progressive Metal, Samarian
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › U on Friday, December 10th, 2021
OK, hands raised, who here predicted that the 2021 metal album of the year would come from a speed/power metal band called Ültra Raptör? Anyone? *crickets* Anyone?… No one?… Well I’ve got just one thing to say to all you doubters out there! THIS… is not the 2021 metal album of the year. You’re right. […]
Tags: 2021, Dinosaurs, Fighter Records, Heavy Metal, NWOTHM, Speed Metal, Steve K, Traditional Heavy Metal, Ültra Raptör
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › B on Thursday, December 2nd, 2021
At the risk of discrediting the review right from the get-go, I’m just gonna come right out and say this: I’m a Black Soul Horde fan. I fucking love these guys. To my ears, last year’s Land of Demise was a sleeper pick for Traditional Metal album of the year, going toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with […]
Tags: 2021, Black Soul Horde, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Steve K, Traditional Heavy Metal
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › E on Friday, November 26th, 2021
Eternity’s End contains Christian Munzner, Hannes Grossman, and Linus Klausenitzer in its ranks. Before assuming this is a killer technical death metal band, let me inform you that it’s not. They are, however, described as “technical power metal,” so take that for what it is. Most power metal bands have a tech aspect with their […]
Tags: 2021. Review, Eternity's End, Heavy Metal, J Mays, Power Metal, Prosthetic Records
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › T on Friday, November 19th, 2021
This is hardly any kind of hot take, but I’m a friggin’ sucker for heavy metal with big, booming, powerful voices. The kind of voices that can slam you to the floor, take your lunch money and probably smear some dog poop or something in your face. A real dick move, but that voice owns […]
Tags: 2021, Cruz Del Sur Music, Heavy Metal, NWOTHM, Shock To The System, Steve K, Tower, Traditional Heavy Metal
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › D on Friday, November 12th, 2021
One of the things I love most about music, and this especially applies to the wide-ranging world of metal, is that there are all kinds of ways a band can grab you by the throat and force you to give them your attention. It’s not a one-size-fits-all, one-formula-for-all situation. You can dazzle with an all-out […]
Tags: 2021, Blackened Speed Metal, Dungeon Steel, Heavy Metal, Signal Rex, Speed Metal, Steve K, Traditional Metal
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › B on Friday, October 8th, 2021
Chicago’s Black Sites make a welcome return with third LP Untrue, the follow-up to 2019’s impressive sophomore album, Exile. Since their inception in 2016, Black Sites have been on a steady upward trajectory, bringing their old school trad metal sound into the here and now, adding modern crunch and progressive elements into the mix. Now […]
Tags: 2021, Black Sites, Heavy Metal, Luke Saunders, Review, Self-Released
Posted in Reviews, Reviews › T on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021
France may well be known by most as being the land of wine, cheese and romance. But those of us in the world of all things metal also know it’s home to some of the finest, most forward-thinking and respected metal acts in the world. Gojira, Deathspell Omega, Alcest, Blut Aus Nord – the list […]
Tags: 2021, Cruz Del Sur, France, French Metal, Gates of Hell, Heavy Metal, Steve K, Tentation, Traditional Heavy Metal