metal

The Fear of Fear Spiritbox Review

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The Fear of Fear Spiritbox album 2023

Spiritbox are one of the most talked about bands of the 2020s with breakout hit “Holy Roller” dominating the charts and looping on the radio into a dizzily huge successful album “Eternal Blue”. Love them or hate them, this band is a force of nature in Progressive Metalcore. Guitarist/Composer/Produce Mike Stringer stands out in a crowd of copy/paste guitarists of the genre. To say he is brilliant would be a vast understatement. His counterpart and huge ranged powerhouse, Courtney LaPlante has also been a unique diamond in the rough of radio saturated Metalcore. She is one of my most favorite vocalists, and also the most surprising dichotomous voices. Her ability to switch voicings is rare, because you’re hard pressed to find anyone smoother and more emotive. Spiritbox is a brutal barreling train derailment of sound with a massive wall of sound, Mike occasionally maxing out the stored memory in Pro Tools. If you came to Spiritbox with Eternal Blue, you know the complexity and ginormous layers they can produce. But, don’t expect The Fear of Fear to be a follow-up to Eternal Blue… This band is set on busting expectations, genres, and complacency.

The Fear of Fear is a lyrical journey through battles with mental health, isolation, and dissociation. It is not like Eternal Blue as it doesn’t flow or necessarily fit together. There is no two tracks that sound alike, but it is reminiscent of very early Spiritbox demos and Singles. There are melodic tones that seem so familiar and imperative to the identity of Spiritbox, but very new and fresh. If you’re not familiar with pre-Eternal Blue singles, this may be a complete surprise to you. “Cellar Door” may be their heaviest track yet, an absolute sonic assault on the senses that hits you wave after wave. Courtney’s range on this is unbelievably low and sure to impress the most brutal of Death Metal fans. “Jaded” is a rhythmic complex track with catchy vocal and bass lines with a very Metalcore feel to it. It is so nice to hear bass in Progressive Metalcore again. “Too Close/ Too Late” is extremely atmospheric and haunting with basic structure and even pacing, a breath of fresh air after two pummeling tracks. “Angel Eyes” is such an interesting track that reminds me of the intensity of “The Beauty of Suffering” from the self titled. “Ultraviolet” is a electronic undertones, groovy drum back beats, and high pitched sweet vocals, and it is unlike anything the band has done before. “The Void” is one of my favorite tracks of the year with an extremely catchy chorus and difficult long held notes. They really used the whole band’s collective range on these six tracks and I feel like they challenged themselves as well as the fans’ ideas of the band.

The Fear of Fear is as if they went back to the beginning of the band, took what they liked from the Singles and Self Titled and remixed them fit their current mental state and then threw in new out-of-the-box ideas to reinvent themselves. It’s a pretty large contrast from Eternal Blue, which I like that they didn’t just recycle those feelings and sounds. I like the throwback to the original haunting sounds we got in the Self-Titled. People who didn’t like Eternal Blue but like Spiritbox are going to love this record. I love most of the tracks and it’ll definitely take more listens to take it all in. I think a couple tracks might be a little weak on their own and also don’t fit together, but there are standouts that you could repeat for days on end. The band certainly didn’t lose the addictive quality to their sound and have really rooted themselves in the aspects you expect; Atmosphere, layers, and airy vocals on top of brutality. Overall, it’s a great release and I think a very smart progression for them to draw in so many kinds of fans. I wish it was as long as Eternal Blue, so I had something to really sink in to. It feels like another Singles Collection rather than an album, but it definitely won’t get stale after many listens due to the variety of styles and familiar sounds. Spiritbox continue to surprise, amaze, and captivate me with every release, and this might be their most advantageous release yet.

Spiritbox group photo 2023

Links:

The Fear of Fear Merch

https://spiritbox.com/

Spiritbox are a Progressive Metalcore band from Victoria, BC, Canada formed in 2016

The band is:

Courtney LaPlante: Vocals

Mike Stringer: Producer, Guitarist, Programmer, Backing Vocals, Writer

Zev Rose: Drums

Josh Gilbert: Bass, Backing vocals

Serenity Nemesis AD Review 2023

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Releases November 3rd via Napalm Records

Austrian Symphonic Metal band Serenity have been an underrated cornerstone of their genre for nearly two decades. They’ve crafted beautiful melodies, catchy battle tunes, bombastic rhythmic sections, and historical Metal and reached new heights with previous album “The Last Knight” which hit #25 on German album charts. I have loved every release since, but the expectations for this album are extremely high with the addition of Marco Pastorino of Temperance, Fallen Sanctuary, and his solo work, it seems like this guy is everywhere right now. Pastorino is known for elevating music to its maximum potential and Serenity working with him and Ancient Bards’ orchestral composer, Daniele Mazza, this album can’t be anything but incredible.

Nemesis AD is a history lesson once again, this time heavily focusing on Albrecht Durer, the great German Painter and Theologian. This topic seems to bring the most passion out of this band, as Nemesis AD is emotionally and musically profound throughout each track. Don’t let the soft choirs and chamber orchestration on opener “Memoriae Alberti Dureri” fool you, this album is huge in sound and heavy as ever. “The Fall of Man” features ex-Kamelot Tenor extraordinaire, Roy Khan, and the harmonies with the piercing voice of Georg Neuhauser is sure to send chills up your spine. A lot of songs stand out as well with “Ritter, Tod, and Teufel” based on the Durer painting, “Sun of Justice” which is fast and heart-pounding as well as catchy, and “The End of Babylon” which is a lyrical and chorus triumph. Overall, the album has a lot of gems and the usual Serenity feel and it’s a very good record, but one track stands out far above the rest for me. “Reflections (of AD)” is a masterpiece, maybe the greatest song the band has ever produced. This song is a grand, orchestral, and airy tribute to Durer and his legacy. This song is one of the most beautiful compositions I have ever heard, lyrically, emotionally, orchestral, and vocally. The ability to emote from Neuhauser and Pastorino is a diamond in today’s music. The grand level of emotions and yet so much space in the music does not appear in most modern music. This space occurs in the symphonic sound and the breakdown part that works so well with the video. This is a track that may stay with me the rest of my life and certainly the rest of the year.

Nemesis AD is a more melodious and symphonic album than past albums, but it has heavy guitars from Pastorino and Hermsdoerfer and excellent solos. It definitely strays from the path of being formulaic or too Pop sounding. It may not be their best overall album, but it will cater to the older Serenity fans as well as original Kamelot fans. If you’re not a fan of recent Kamelot offerings, Serenity could be a classic stand in. All the songs have a Khan era feel, especially “Nemesis”, which has some Eastern influence that adds a completely different feel and breaks up the soaring-Symphonic sound from being repetitive. The whole album is worth a listen all the way through and a couple of the tracks will stick in your head.

Rating 7/10 Overall, a good Symphonic Metal Album but lacked some power and awe factor that previous albums had. Reflections (of AD) is one of my tracks of the year, however, and is a modern classic of the genre.

Links:

SERENITY

Serenity 2023 by Matthias Schwaighofer
Photo by Matthias Schwaighofer

The Templars Are Back! Serenity Lives On

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Serenity Small group photo 2023

One of my all time favorite bands is coming back in 2023 with more historical excellence and a new writer/guitarist/vocalist to round out this Power Metal band. Serenity is lesser known than its brother band Warkings, but still as bombastic and catchy. The band began in 2004 with Georg Neuhauser leading the charge and honestly they’ve had a rocky road for nearly two decades. There’s something about this band’s melodies and unique storytelling that just engraves in your heart, and now more than even with this new lineup. The talent in this band exceeds its previous renditions and the songwriting is as haunting as ever. Everything Marco Pastorino touches turns into something profoundly greater than gold. Based on the singles, this album is a fresh start for the band and may ignite the forge fires once again. Review coming in November! What do you think of the new singles?

Temperance Hermitage: Daruma’s Eyes Hermitage Part 2 Review 2023

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Release date 10/20/2023

A band I have been listening to for a decade is back in 2023 with half a new lineup and new sound that has utterly stunned me. With the departure of two key components of the band in early 2023, I thought Temperance were doomed. This Italian Symphonic Power Metal outfit that has been a dark horse for too long has pulled through the trials and reinvented themselves with the most powerful lineup I’ve heard in a long time. I am a huge Power Metal fan, and no stranger to the majority of the new characters in the band, and I can say this record will bring them to the top of the game. Original founder and bassist Luca Negro has leveled up with clinical powerful drummer Marco Sacchetto and the smooth vocals of Michele Guaitoli since 2018 (Visions of Atlantis) and guitarist and epic vocalist Marco Pastorino (Serenity). Though, the newest member was a complete surprise to me. Kristin Starkey, an American Professional Opera and Metal dual vocalist has redefined the female vocal role of the band. Her vocals have brought a smokey darkness and smooth contralto vocals with staggering Power Metal screams. Based upon the singles, I knew this might be my album of the year. Temperance has delivered amazing music over the years, but Daruma’s Eyes PT 2 is just exalted beyond all expectations. I am a sucker for concept albums, and this storytelling delight delivers. It is also narrated and features chuggy punching rhythm guitars by the Dutch Wizard of Prog, Arjen Lucassen of Ayreon and Star One.

Daruma’s Eyes PT 2 is a massive wall of sound with melodies swirling through and emotively telling the story. I’m honestly in disbelief of how much they have tastefully crammed into one record. Each vocalist plays a different part, but comes together perfectly and expertly. Daruma opener is an assault of range and operatic vocals the band is known for delivering, but this is just explosive on a whole other level. On slow song, In “Search of Gold”, the range of these vocalists really shines and delivers emotionally profound music. “Welcome to Hermitage” contains many vocalists with Celtic and glaringly high vocalist Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie, Illumishade) and Laura Fella of Faun who brings elvish smooth vocals and a classic folk sound. Fabienne fits the explosive talent so well and brings another octave of vocals that balances everything out so well. The ladies of Switzerland also feature on Join Me, which is just a beautiful melodic track with heavy instrumentation. Epic track after track continues with No Return, Into the Void, and Darkness is Just a Drawing. No Return brings a sea-shanty sing along beat that is excellently catchy and just solid group vocals on the choruses. “Where We Belong” is a piano, vocal, string ballad that has a Meatloaf Rock Opera sound of tear-jerk nature, and it’s simply brilliant. The orchestration on this record is flawless, expertly highlighting each theme of every track and easy on the ears providing melody and a epic vibe throughout. The attention to detail on this record is virtuoso quality. I just can’t find anything wrong with it. I put Power Metal under high scrutiny, and Daruma PT 2 is at the highest level you can go in the genre.

Daruma PT 2 album is one of those Power Metal albums that make you want to get up off your ass and get you working out or just achieving your goals. Temperance have always been about empowerment and self fulfillment, but following Viktor’s journey is a whole other level of beauty and awestruck emotion. I don’t want to spoil too much about the story for those who ordered the book, but it’s incredibly well done. This record is absolutely clinical from start to finish. Each instrument reflects that Italian Classical refinement and the talent is truly unbelievable. I think their sound has bloomed overall into something huge and incomparably. I think the addition of Starkey is a huge attribute to what makes this record a new cornerstone in Power Metal. Her gorgeous tone, her perfect delivery, and style is so unique and stand out through the entire album. I’m hard pressed to find a vocalist at this level and caliber of raw talent. She has brought this band new life and profoundness that it has so long deserved. She works so well with Michel and Marco, every singer really compliments each other and there’s not a single gap or weakness. 2023 is not over, but this is a huge contender for album of the year for me. I seriously cannot wait to see this band continue with Kristin and Marco, because if they continue on like this, Temperance will no longer be a dark horse and become legendary to the likes of Unleash the Archers, Nightwish, and Helloween.

Rating 10/10

https://www.temperanceband.com/

https://temperanceofficial.bigcartel.com/

https://www.instagram.com/temperanceofficial

Crypta Shades of Sorrow 2023 Review

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Crypta Full Band 2023

Brazillian Death Metal band Crypta has been a hot topic of 2023 with their unbelievably good festival sets and playthroughs for the new album “Shades of Sorrow”. Crypta is a happy accident, formed by two ex members of famed Nervosa, Fernanda Lira (bass, vocals) and bombastic drummer Luana Dametto. The two parted from Nervosa due to creative differences, and I think it was ultimately for the best. Fernanda really deserved more creative license, and she has proved it in their new album tenfold. As you may know, I am not a Death Metal or Thrash Metal fan, so I normally steer clear of anything that combines the two. However, Crypta goes beyond the ideologies of elitism and have forged their own deeper, darker, more interesting sound that really converted me to be a fan. I am late to the party on reviewing it, because at first, I had no idea where to start. This is way out of my wheelhouse music-wise and I didn’t think there would be a point to me reviewing it, but the lack of coverage of this album has absolutely stunned me. I have not seen this album get half the recognition it deserves, Whether it is Elitism, Sexism, our just bad promotion, this album has fallen in the background in Metal press.

“Shades of Sorrow” is my pick for most surprising album of the year. This album is absolutely fantastic, maybe one of the greatest of the Death Thrash genre in years. Crypta have insane technicality and unique progression in their flavor of this genre. The depth of talent knows no bounds in each member, and they come together and blend different influences to create something truly like nothing else on the planet. The depth of their music and darkness throws me back to Death’s Chuck Shuldiner, which is one of the highest compliments you can receive in Death Metal. The sinking darkness, the despair, the overall ambience to this record just envelopes you entirely. When you listen to it, you can’t think about anything else, and that is a great thing. “Shades of Sorrow” is catharsis at the ultimate heaviest and aggressive level. It is laden with aggression and reflection, completely anger personified. This album will get you up and arm you with mauls of thorns. There’s nothing hooky, cheesy, or over produced about this album. It is a true Death Metal record with riffs and vocals that will sink into you for months. It is chest-pounding and addictive song after song.

“The Other Side of Anger” is just absolutely fantastic and searing. Luana is at the top of her game with blast beats, groove, and ride rhythms for days that highlight every single note on the guitar. Her aggression and rhythmic savvy remind me of a young Gene Hoglan. This is clinical Death Metal drumming with just the best snare sound on “Trial of Traitors”. Luana kills it on this album and might be my drummer of the year. Fernanda is a powerhouse of ranged growls and screams with diction and clarity. It’s somehow catchy, without too much repetitiveness. It’s Progressive, but Thrashy. It encompasses so many influences and new sounds I have never heard before, even almost a tribal rhythm on some tracks. It is truly hard to explain the depth of this record. But, to get a scope of it, the track “Stronghold” is sure to blow you away. This track is one of the best to come this year, in my opinion. It is just a bull through a crowd of people that pummels and wrecks everything in its wake. You have to listen to this song, even if this music isn’t your thing.

Another aspect of the album I massively appreciate is the guitar solos. For a while now, guitar solos are few and far between in Modern Metal, but good god these guitarists have brought solos back to Thrash. They are blistering tapping melodic solos that sound so sinister. The guitars capture the mood so well and blend with the vocals expertly. They’re clean but not processed. This is just raw blistering talent that I rarely ever hear in this genre. Taina and Jessica play so well off of each other, intertwining solos and melodic lines of dual guitars that hit you right in the gut. They play fast, but you can hear every single note in the chord. It’s as if everyone in the band has been playing together for twenty years. No amount of production can create that level of audible chemistry.

“Shades of Sorrow” is a 10/10 album for me, and I don’t typically love this kind of music, but I LOVE this record and everything about it. This band is immensely talented and you’re truly not going to believe how good they are live. This album deserves way more credit than it has received and I hope overtime people will find the brilliance of Crypta.

Shades of Sorrow by Crypta 2023

https://www.instagram.com/cryptadeath/

https://www.cryptaofficial.com/

Melodeath Supergroup BERZERKER LEGION Review 2023

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Berzerker Legion 2023

The Swedish Melodeath Supergroup presents to be a new force to be reckoned with in 2023 with new hard hitting record “Chaos Will Reign”. This may be the heaviest album I’ve reviewed so far this year and vastly impressed me. I hadn’t listened to these guys but a couple times so I came in to this review pretty much blind. The lead songwriter sent comments and an introduction to the album that intrigued me.

BERZERKER LEGION was founded in 2016 by guitarists Tomas Elofsson (Hypocrisy) and Alwin Zuur (Asphyx) with a vision to create death metal of the most belligerent quality, they recruited a line-up of solid well-known musicians consisting of James Stewart (Vader) on drums, Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath) on vocals and Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral) on bass to complete the Legion.

Alwin Zuur (guitars/songwriter) comments: “During the recent years Tomas and I met each other at shows and festivals regularly. Much of our conversations were about music and styles. During these meetings we found out that we really had a lot of common musical interests.”

“Music wise our debut album ‘Obliterate the Weak’ displays the perfect balance between brutality, melody and harmony. Being a fan of the early 90’s Swedish Gothenburg style, with bands like At The Gates, Eucharist, A Canorous Quintet, as well as being a die-hard fan of brutal old school death metal style with bands like Bolt Thrower, Obituary, I have always wanted to write songs showing a mix of such different death metal genres.

With our new album “Chaos Will Reign” we have further developed ourselves in our typical musical mix of melody and brutality. “Chaos Will Reign” sounds more professional, complete, massive and powerful thanks to Jonas Kjellgren’s production . It has become the logical successor, a huge step forward compared to our debut album “Obliterate the Weak”.”

“Chaos Will Reign” is a sonic blast of 90’s Death Metal and Extreme elements that settle into a speedy groove. This album is an assault on the senses and delivers pounding tracks time after time with clinical beats and extended range Death Growls. This album vastly foreshadows the last album in production quality and modernity that falls in line with more popular sounds in Death Metal today. It is as if Amon Amarth, At the Gates, and Devildriver had a speedy baby. The riffs are chuggy, fast, and groovy switching it up from track to track to add flair and variation. The aggression and desperation of battle drip through this record. My favorite track “Choirs of Anguish” is 90’s Metal to the T with modern speed and pummeling instrumentation. There is a great at least 8 second vocal fry scream on this that stunned me. Pettersson’s range is staggeringly good and can go toe to toe with the young guns in Extreme vocals. The solo is surprisingly melodic and just tasty. There’s also Fleshgod-like orchestration underneath that I absolutely love. Any music that makes me feel like the Gates of Hell are opening for celestial war is going to stick with me, and this whole album just has that feel. The whole album is just really well composed and flows expertly. These guys know what they are doing with this genre. As a drummer, I find the drums to be absolute perfection to the highest level of technicality and speed without losing the raw sound of Death Metal drums. They just do not stop and are a force of nature on “Chaos Will Reign”. There is something so nostalgic throughout this record. Some of the songs have groovier parts in the guitars while keeping complete aggression that reminds me of Pantera. It’s just a great sound that keeps you coming back for more.

This is one of my favorite Death Metal albums of the year by far, and I can’t wait for everyone to positively experience this album as I have. I am not the biggest Death Metal fan, but this album has inspired me to seek out more bands like Berzerker Legion. I am super impressed by this band and would love to experience this music live. I highly recommend this album for fans of Cattle Decapitation, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, and Melodeath in general.

Rating: 9/10

Comes out October 27., 2023 via Listenable Records

SONATA ARCTICA ARE BACK! New Single “First In Line”

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Sonata Arctica 2023 group photo

It has been four years since Finnish Symphonic Power Metal band Sonata Arctica have graced our ears with Metal. They’d been on an acoustic tear for awhile, but are coming back with a “Power Metal laden album” in early 2024. I will have that review of the album ASAP, but for now here’s a promising new single to whet your appetite. Listen down below and let me know what you think in the comments!

Frontman Tony Kakko explains: “This is the first power metal song I wrote for the forthcoming album which is laden with them. Its demo title was ‘First In Line’ and I managed to stick with it. The song handles the worry about raising a new generation of people with or rather letting an electronic screen – namely tv, pad or some such – do a big part of raising this generation of human beings. We think that we buy ourselves time with these gadgets, but are these devices the right “nanny” for our kids or should we maybe slow down a bit, read books, teach that happiness can be and often is something we reach by stopping and letting go of constant stimulation of all our audiovisual senses? In ways, we are flying blindly with these things. Things are advancing too fast in many ways…”

I love this concept and totally reflect the sentiment of needing to slow down time in this modern world. I love this band and this song just cements everything I love about them.

Information provided by friends at https://bravewords.com/news/sonata-arctica-return-with-new-single-first-in-line-european-tour-kicks-off-this-week

Power Metal Isn’t Cheesy, The Riffs Are Just Better Than Yours

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Mad With Power Fest Badge Cress

One huge problem I have had with the Metal community for the past fifteen years is the disparagement against Power Metal and the wonderful people behind this immensely talented genre. I keep seeing the haters referring Power Metal as “cheesy”, “lame”, “boring”, and “derivative”, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s one thing to dislike certain sounds or a vocalist’s tone, but undermining an entire genre is sacrilegious and immature. Metal is supposed to be about community, acceptance, and rebelling against any kind of authority. In a society where everything divides us, Metal can unite us. Letting one basement dweller alter your view of a sub-genre that goes back four decades is the equivalent of letting some snobby reviewer keep you from watching the new Star Trek. You’re only giving into suggestion, instead of educating yourself and forming your own opinions. There is a niche Power Metal band for everyone, and my mission is to promote these bands until they get the credit in the community that they deserve.

The Power Metal genre is attributed to Ronnie James Dio and his brilliantly written fantasy lyrics and the whole new universe with Rainbow and solo projects. To disparage Power Metal is ignorant because Dio is a founding father of Metal. He invented the symbol of “the Horn” and united us all with emotive and powerful lyrics that would charge tens of thousands into battle. This world of Fantasy combined with the screams, fast music, and dual guitars of Judas Priest promoted Power Metal. Manowar brought this whole new universe of Metal to America in 1980 when they were inspired by Canadian act Thor. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal also inspired Power Metallers like Accept, Blind Guardian, and the almighty Helloween Power Metal IS original Metal along with Black Sabbath. And, the new wave of Power Metal hasn’t fallen far from the original tree that Dio planted so long ago. Whether you like it or not, Power Metal is quintessential to all Metal. To disparage it is to discount Dio’s influence on Metal, which would get you your ass kicked in any mosh pit in the world.

Power Metal has come back with a vengeance and more talent than ever with bands like Battle Beast, Beast In Black, Lords of the Trident, Seven Kingdoms, and the band who inspired this article, Unleash the Archers. These bands have worked tooth and nail to give this genre and an awakening too prove it is the best genre of Metal. It is a place where media distractions and inspiration meet to create an all inviting community. This unity is ever present at North American festivals like Mad With Power, curated by “nice Metal bud” Ty Christian of Lords of the Trident, and the hugely successful Prog Power in Atlanta. These festivals are huge meet ups for the all accepting “nerds” of Power Metal. Unleash the Archers, one of the most successful and highly regarded bands of the genre, have created and inspired this absolutely incredible community of nerds who wish to return Metal to the forefront. Brittney Slayes, who is considered a Dio successor, has created an entirely new fantasy world inspired by Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and Mad Max. She is an eloquent direct writer, has nearly a four octave range, and embraces where Metal and nerdom/geekdom meet. Her brothers in arms, Andrew Kingsley on Guitar, Grant Truesdell on guitar, Nick Miller on Bass, and husband and drummer Scott Buchanan have created a unique blend of Power Metal, Prog, Death Metal, and Neo Classicism that has stunned audiences all over the world. There is a magic quality to this band that mirrors Iron Maiden, especially in a live setting, and their brother bands are no different. Unleash the Archers is unarguably one of the best bands of the century and the company they keep mirrors this brilliance and exalts the talent within the genre.

Unleash the Archers at Mad With Power, Photo by Kyle Finlan Photography
Unleash the Archers at Mad With Power 2023. Photo by Kyle Finlan Photography

Watching Mad With Power, which Unleash the Archers headlined for their first show in nearly two years, on stream this year reminded me of the scope and the importance of Power Metal. These bands are the best talents you can ever see live. The music is brave, technical, emotional, and provides an escape from a difficult time in society. Powerglove brought the nerdom to life as well as newer Symphonic Power Metal outfit Shield of Wings. They debuted a cover of “The Final Battle” from Elden Ring that stunned the video gamers in the crowd. Bostonian Death/Prog/Power Pirates Seven Spires absolutely dominated the first night bringing Neo Classicism and utterly devastating riffs. You just have to experience this band live to understand the unending talent. The second night, Floridian Power Metal band Seven Kingdoms took the stage and brought a work horse speed metal vibe with singer Sabrina Cruz belting into the rafters. The speed of this band is unbelievable. They are undoubtedly one of my top five live bands and just the nicest most inspirational people you will ever meet. Lords of the Trident come humble but completely destroy the stage with song after song emotive Neo Classicism that screams of Yngwie and Van Halen. Headliners Unleash the Archers, I mean I’ve already exalted and honestly drooled over this band, but their set at MWP Fest this year was truly something to behold. I can’t believe the talent we have in North America, and UTA is the finest example of that talent. If you have never heard or seen this band, go see them live, and I promise you will leave with your jaw dropped, tears in your eyes, a smile, and a sore neck.

NWONMB New Wave of Nice Metal Buds Patch Lords of the Trident


Mad With Power is built around Ty Christian’s ideology, “New Wave of Nice Metal Buds” of trying to build an all accepting community. It’s where everyone can like Metal, Games, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, 80’s Music, and Synthwave all in one amazing festival and all the bands inspire each other to be authentic. Being a part of this community myself has utterly changed my dingy view of American Metal and an all too hateful society. I found like minded people who want to keep echoes from the past alive. This is why Power Metal is so pertinent to the Metal Community, it provides an absolute escape from daily stresses and trials and brings people together while keeping the music to the highest standard. This festival is the event of the year. If you like Power Metal, you cannot miss this festival. Ty Christian and friends have created the best festival in North America but also brought a new family style feel to Metal that we have needed all along. Mad With Power proves we are in the second wave of Power Metal, and it gives me hope that people will once again return to original Metal and honor where it came from.

Whether you like it or not Power Metal has the best riffs, the best solos, the best vocal lines, the best screams, the best lyrical content, the best fans, and the best merchandise. This genre combines everything that made us love Metal in the 80s and the media that has combined new fan groups. There is nothing cheesy or derivative about inspired music and immense musical proficiency. There are infinite possibilities and you are bound to like something in this vast technical prowess filled genre. So, here’s 20 essential Power Metal Bands you must hear. Maybe these awesome picks will expand some feeble minds and cast out the ignorance to this supreme genre.

This list is not in any order of best or age, it’s merely a sampler playlist you can use to check out some of the GOATS in Power Metal

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New Video Out Featuring Killer Femme Metal Singers

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Man, is it just me or are women in Metal absolutely dominating the vocal world right now? With bands like Spiritbox, Entheos, and Crypta all coming out and conjuring the most brutal music right now, it’s hard not to feel like we are in the New Renaissance of Music right now. I love foaming about female singers in Metal, so a couple of years ago I started making compilation videos of them hitting absolutely insane high notes. You can watch all three below from the links. But, I need help for the next episodes! Please send me videos containing super high notes hit by any singer in Metal LIVE and I will feature them!

Send me the videos or clips to Metalvalkyrie@yahoo.com or comment links below on this post!

Part One:




Part Two:

Part Three:

The Surprising New Album By Saturnus

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Danish Death Doom band, Saturnus, has done something incredible this year.  They have put out an album that has left me speechless, which is a feat since I never shut up about music.  My reviews have been sparse lately, as I think reviews are becoming more and more trivial.  This is not a formal review, but a write-up to honor one of the year’s best albums.  I don’t listen to a lot of Death-Doom, but Saturnus is one of my exceptions.  I decided to write about this band and album as I don’t see many posts about them and I have no clue as to why they don’t have more listeners.  

Saturnus began in Copenhagen as Asesino in 1991 by vocalist Thomas A.G. Jensen and bassist, Brian Hansen as a typical Black Metal band.  In 1993, their sound changed and their name became Saturnus to match their switch to Gothic Doom Metal with a Melodeath twist.  This sound has been marinating with classic albums like Veronika Decides to Die and Saturn in Ascension.  Their records have solidified their sound and made them incredibly underrated in the Death Doom genre which has exploded with hundreds of new bands since Paradise Lost blazed a new trail.  Now, we have bands like Saturnus mixing old Death Metal, Doom, and Melodeath like Insomnium creating a whole new sound.  They have come a long way since 1991, 32 years ago, believe it or not, and their latest short but epic record, The Storm Within, is a testament to their growth and building legacy. 

The Storm Within is a fifty-nine-minute journey through the human condition or psyche.  It is a provocative, emotional, and daring feat that is all-consuming.  Those fifty-nine minutes will either seem to last mere minutes or a lifetime.  It is not just an album, but a Doom movement.  I say this because of the reflective breakdowns of spoken word, emotive, piano, and gorgeous melodic guitar lines right before crushing guttural growls.  It is poetry in Doom.  The title track opens and sets the entire mood, but you never know what to expect next.  You can settle into it as a mood, but the music can throw you off and surprise you in an instant.  It builds, crashes, and plummets into the depth of despair, and then lifts you into a higher consciousness.  It changes but effortlessly flows together.  This is the exact sound that any new and upcoming Death Doom band should strive for.  

Truth is the final track of the album, marking the end of the journey, but showing more growth than ever.  Whoever played the piano on this record is simply genial.  It fits Death Doom perfectly while sounding so classical on Truth.  There is something very Draconian about this track and the acoustics building into this guttural chest-rattling growl with arpeggios on keys is a shocking moment in music I may never forget.  I don’t know much about this band and their influences or history, but this song tells me everything I need to know about how brilliant they are.  

If you listen to this record all the way through, you will come out of it a changed person.  Genres be damned, this album is perfection.  I love everything they did with it.  I love the departures and the classic Saturnus sounds.  I love the drum sounds, they remind me of Summoning’s folk style with massive reverb.  I love the different influences, almost some Bardcore in there which is unexpected.  I love the guttural aspects and distortion but the refinement of it.  It is a Death Doom record that is a must-hear this year.  

For fans of Paradise Lost, Agalloch, Insomnium, and Swallow the Sun.

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