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 […]

I rather enjoyed the debut from Israel’s Scardust, The Sands of Time.  It was a more progressive, Dream Theater tinged, complex take on the standard Delain/Epica style of female-fronted symphonic metal. It was highlighted by guitarist Yadin Moyal, vocalist Noa Gruman and young keyboardist/orchestral arranger, Alex Nichola. And once again on another concept/story themed metal […]

Russell Allen’s vocals have always been one of the elements I’ve loved best about Symphony X: he’s powerful and stunning in big choruses, rousing in the verses, and never so goopy or overcooked that my enthusiasm turns to embarrassment (as is the case with a lot of power metal bands, hence my very picky attitude towards […]