My most anticipated release of the year has finally graced my inbox: Bleed Out by Dutch Modern Symphonic Metal band Within Temptation is here after four years since the trailblazing “Resist”, and it is here to ravage you audibly. Some background for those not familiar with Symphonic Metal or this band has somehow evaded their Youtube feeds: Within Temptation is a Dutch Symphonic Metal band with Gothic and Pagan themes forming in 1996 with couple Sharon Den Adel and Robert Westerholt. This band is a mainstay of the genre with repeated hit albums and bombastic melodic singles. They weave complex orchestrals with Operatic vocals and Pop hooks with staggering emotion and deep lyrics. WT has a song for everyone from classics like “Mother Earth”, “Faster”, “Angels”, and “Paradise (What About Us) featuring Tarja”. They’re one of the most successful Symphonic Metal bands of all time. They have several Platinum selling records and continue to sell out big arenas such as Wembley Stadium. This band has nothing to prove to anyone, but continue to shape shift and surprise. They are uncompromising. They are incomparable. “Bleed Out” is a perfect follow up to the modernization of “Resist”. Regardless of numerous lineup and sound changes, this band is a cornerstone of Modern Metal and I find it a travesty how often they are overlooked.
When I first heard the singles from “Bleed Out”, I was severely underwhelmed and disappointed with the recording quality. The guitars were incredibly muddy and over compressed. The singles had promise, but were overshadowed with modern overproduction, a common problem with Metal albums these days. But, upon first listen of the whole album in Ultra High Definition, I was immediately proven wrong and absolutely blown away. This album is insanely well mastered and balanced. While this is the lowest tuned album, it is the absolute heaviest and raw album this band has ever put out. It is very politically charged, which I am not necessarily a fan of, but it reflects the state of the world in a very dark way and it is something not a lot of bands will do. I disagree that politics should have a place in music and media in general, because politics are personal, but whatever fuels creativity can’t be all that bad as long as it is done tastefully and respectfully. I am vastly impressed with the blending of genres, “Djenty” guitar goodness while keeping beautiful and clear vocals, it is something I never expected to hear. And ultimately, the genre bending works very well for them. While it is far from being my favorite album from them, it has some fantastic moments. “Don’t Pray For Me” is just a fantastically well written track with interesting layers of vocals and booming guitars. The slow buildup of vocal power is brilliant. The title track is one of my favorite songs of the year and dumbfounded me with how heavy it is. I never would’ve guessed Within Temptation would go this heavy. It is a new sound for them, as if Resist was taken to the absolute extreme and found Progressive Metalcore. They pull off this sound and sometimes simplistic song structure, because Sharon Den Adel’s vocals continue to dominate 90% of anything else that is out there and in any genre. You simply cannot find a more well-rounded versatile vocalist that can make anything sound special. “Bleed Out” is absolutely worth a listen, because while it is short, it’ll definitely stick in your head for weeks after.
Swedish Power Metallers, Bloodbound have cemented themselves in the realm of Classic Power Metal exhibiting heavy riffs, huge hooks, and powerful vocals. This band holds steadfast out to prove Power Metal is not dead, and I am a firm believer in this notion. Power Metal is the single handed most under rated sub genre in the Rock and Metal word; It’s almost criminal how talented these bands are, and yet they are overlooked constantly. Power Metal is considered cheesy and repetitive to stubborn elitists, but the genre shield walls and prevails with albums like Tales of The North.
Tales of The North is a Viking Folk inspired Power Metal album that infuses speedy riffs that would make Amon Amarth proud. This album piles up on double bass, melodic leads, and catchy hooks that remind me of classic Gamma Ray and Helloween. The vocals from Patrik Selleby are cleanly sublime with a soothing pitch and perfectly clear diction. This album is bound to stick in your head and fuel you to battle that 5:00 rush hour traffic. It sends you back in time, but keeps with the modern Power Metal sound. From drinking songs, to pillaging songs, to tributes to Odin this album holds true to the Viking theme without being pretentious or cheesy. Odin’s Prayer is a perfect track for those big arena or festival shows, along with sing along songs like Drink With The Gods and The Raven’s Cry. Tales of The North is and was set out to be a classic Heavy Metal brought to Modern Power Metal and refined for a full listening experience, and they’ve achieved an epic album. Is this the Power Metal album of the year? Time will tell.
Rating: 8/10
Tales From The North track listing: 01. Tales From The North 02. Drink with the Gods 03. Odin´s Prayer 04. The Raven´s Cry 05. Mimir`s Crystal Eye 06. Between The Enemy Lines 07. Land Of Heroes 08. Sail Among The Dead 09. Stake My Claims 10.Sword And Axe 11. 1066
BLOODBOUND is: Tomas Olsson – lead guitar Fredrik Bergh – keyboards Patrik Selleby – vocals Henrik Olsson – rhythm guitar Anders Broman – bass Daniel Hansfeldt – drums
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.
Newly signed to Frontiers Records, Hard Rock band Demons Down is bringing back old 1980’s hooks and Arena sized reverb with brand new album “I Stand” (out March 10th). Frontiers Records strives to bring back the catchiness and epic sounds of 1980s Hard Rock and Metal one band at a time. Demons Down is a sign that this wide stereo sound is here to stay forever. Fronted by Chilean born multi faceted vocalist, James Robledo, the band has planted into its roots with Iron Maiden, Queensryche, and Quiet Riot. He has the vibrato of Bruce, the heavy and aggressiveness of Kevin Dubrow, and the clean soars of Jeff Scott Soto. The band has its influences coming from former Quiet Riot bassist, Chuck Wright, who was partially responsible for Bang Your Head in the 1980s. This band maybe new, but their chemistry is ancient history.
“I Stand” sounds like its right of the 1980s and early 1990s with uncompromising heavy metal themes made to pump you up. It is simplistic yet massive in sound. The solos, vocals, bass guitar, and ringing rhythms fill up the space without playing musical masturbation. As far as Debut Albums go, Demons Down has made an enormous statement of who they are and what they plan to accomplish with their music. Songs like I Stand, Disappear, and Follow Me come in hot and hard with Arena sound that is making its way back to popularity. This album is very Melodic, which is not what I expected. I would’ve liked some more crunch in the guitars and some bigger drum fills to break up that nostalgia and stay modern. If you’re looking for grit or chuggy guitars, this album is not for you. But, if you want straight up Hard Rock to sing along to, these guys really deliver. I am interested to see what their live performances bring and what they do with follow up albums.
The Melodic Death Metal titans hailing from Joensuu, Finland have been putting out heavy poetry since 1997 now; So you’d think we would know what to expect, but every album turns out to be more surprising than the last. Generally, if you haven’t heard Insomnium before, you can expect the Nihilistic Finnish downtrodden Death Metal sound but with a modern twist. Insomnium added melody to this classic angry and sad boy sound, converting experienced Death Metal fans and new to the ways of melodeath. Guitarist Markus Vanhala and Bassist/Vocalist Niilo Sevanen along with founder Ville Friman put out brutally epic music that’s a storyboard of Finland throughout the ages. We had ancient Viking history with Winter’s Gate, which is one of the most successful Death Metal concept records I’ve ever seen. We had modern to futuristic trials with Shadows of the Dying Sun. And now, we have a historical journey of Christianity making its way to Finland with Anno 1696, mixing with the local Mythology Insomnium has always kept true to, and it truly feels older.
This album blends classic Insomnium sounds that Friman and Sevanen built with melodeath touches from Markus, and then reverberated modern drumming. It feels like a 1990s Death Metal record in a nostalgic yet not derivative way, but with echoey pounding drums. I didn’t expect such a huge modern drum tone from Insomnium, but it works. Insomnium’s DNA of their sound is fine-tuned on this record. It is tighter, more well-composed, and a whole thought than 2019’s Heart Like A Grave. This album is a perfect example of the quintessential Insomnium sound with some new sounds. Anno 1696 is a mastery of melodeath and shows what Insomnium is truly capable of when they take their time. The tracks White Christ, the opening track, and The Witch Hunter blend their acoustic guitar breaks, melodic on-the-nose leads, distorted vocals, and beautiful folky-clean singing in the tightest and interwoven ways I have ever heard. This album may not be their best, but it is Insomnium straight through the vein.
Sven de CaluwePhil LanzonRoel van HeldenNiilo SevänenJørgen MunkebyBjorn StridMyrkurAsim SearahHenri SattlerFrank SchiphorstFleshgod ApocalypseTommy KarevikCharlotte Wessels
Here are all the announced guests on the upcoming Epica collaboration album! I am pleasantly surprised by the familiar faces and know this will be an absolutely incredible record. According to lead singer Simone Simons, the album is expected to be released this December. This concept is a complete surprise to me, because it’s a very modern approach. It seems to be a more mainstream venture from the band, just based on the guests and new song performed on the 20th Anniversary show with singer and Saxophonist, Jørgen Munkeby from Shining. I listed all the guests in the captions on the photos. Below is a comprehensive list with songs so you can see what each guest sounds like!
Seven Kingdoms is an independently funded and run Metal band from Deland, Florida that has virtually come out of nowhere. Being a band for fifteen years, this band has fought and conquered its way through some hard times, working day jobs and trying to navigate record deals that seemed to be unfavorable. Napalm Records, a record company I often despise, dropped this brilliant fresh Power Metal band. Only just having been signed to small Distortion Music Group, this band has gained its success through an avid fan group, funding any releases by fan-backed Kickstarters. This has allowed the band to explore and shine through their immense creativity and stunning American Power Metal. Seven Kingdoms is not just a band or a business venture, it’s really a community supporting four great musicians and even better people. This band has worked their fingers and nerves to the very edge through blood, sweat, and tears to put out music that people need to hear; And “Zenith” is the pinnacle of that hard work.
The evolution of Seven Kingdoms, from changing singers and being a Fantasy-based band, to “Zenith” is a staggering advancement. Zenith is a Heavy Metal 80’s fusion record with modern Power Metal synths and dirty riffs and vocals so expertly and powerfully delivered by Sabrina Valentine Cruz. The riffs from Kevin and Camden echo those of Iron Maiden, Dokken, and Unleash The Archers with immense speed. I consider SK to be the more heartfelt and accessible sister of Unleash The Archers. Zenith is an emotional roller coaster, full of emotion and gratitude. They took their hardships and compressed them all into a diamond of a record. “Diamond Handed” is a soaring battle anthem with dreamy synths and vocals, mixed with unbelievable speed. When starting this track, my whole family thought they had Youtube on 2x speed. It’s a perfect jaw-dropping start to this record and is maybe one of my favorite songs of all time. And, it only gets better from there.
“A Silent Remedy” is a perfect mix of old SK sound and the refinement they’ve achieved. The sheer melodic sense of this track is impressive; layers upon layers of technically perfect vocal lines contrast the heaviness. This song has some insanely high notes that you’ve just got to hear to believe. This song has a darker feel to it, and it’s a welcome contrast. It’s interesting and takes time to indulge upon. Oh man, but “Love Dagger” is a highlight of epic throwback 70s/80s sound that I can’t get enough of. This song’s quality, rhythmic sense, vocals, and tone just screams 38 Special to me, which is one of my favorite bands of all time. I love every aspect of this song and could see it hitting the radio. It sounds old, but there’s nothing like Sabrina’s voice in any decade. This song is so accessible and relatable, but so high quality and not derivative radio-friendly trash. “Chasing the Mirage” turns up the speed again with a more Thrash riff and dueling stereo guitar melodies. The range Sabrina shows on this record is a span I rarely hear in modern music. Her lower range ins strength and tonal quality remind me of Noa Gruman from Scardust, who is arguably one of the greatest singers of all time. This track is guitar-heavy compared to the others, letting the two guitarists, Byrd and Cruz, do their thing by killing it. The chugging riff is grabbing and crunchy, gets your attention, and then the song just goes off. It’s so progressive and all over the place. It’s such a different track for them, and I love this new sound.
The band pays homage to their infinitely dedicated fan base by including newly mastered favorites. “Valonqar” is an epic Game of Thrones ballad that has impressively long notes and epic thematics. The melodic dueling guitars pull you in, on top of booming bass, and stunning vocals that float over this melancholy feel. The long notes held by Mrs. Valentine Cruz are seemingly endless and pitch-perfect on record and also live. The power of this vocalist is awe-inspiring. “Empty Eyes” is yet another radio-friendly bombastic riff-heavy track that I admittedly have listened to on repeat for hours. The lead riff is a perfect hook into this Heavy Metal throwback. I cannot get enough of this band’s riff sense. These guitarists are some of the best I’ve heard in a long time, without committing musical masturbation. The drums on this track feel so forward and heavy, like a march into battle or just down the street to kick someone’s ass.
“Magic in the Mist” is a cool melodic power track that throwbacks to SK’s fantasy-based days. It’s dreamy, thematic, complex, and strong. Zenith doesn’t seem to quit with the epic soaring solos and perfectly executed rhythmic drums. It bangs right into the Progressive Metal track “Universal Terrestrial” which defines the spacy theme of the album. This song is staggeringly fast and epic, introducing choirs and a melodic. This is not my favorite SK song but has a lot of good things going for it. The backing vocals and vocal runs on some of the outros feel unrefined, almost like an afterthought, which is not up to par with the quality of the song. I feel like a remaster on the vocals would do wonders for this track. The Water Dance is a throwback track and another fan favorite. This is a very strong track with a great groove to it and more juicy Game of Thrones lore. This song is more Thrash based, reminding me of old Blind Guardian or Man O War in the best of ways. The breakdown is cool on this song with some delicious solo work. Life Signs is another brand new track that is full-on Power Metal. It’s a surprising new sound, building on the evolution of Universal Terrestrial. I enjoy Sabrina’s lower range on the verses. This song is well written and epic, the choirs hint at some Devin Townsend influence as well as the guitar work. It’s one of the more musically diverse songs on the record with a fast chord progression. I feel like they pulled out all the stops on this record with progression and using their diverse range of influences and writing techniques.
“I Hate Myself For Loving You” is a song with a long history. Originally written by Desmond Child and Runaways guitarist Joan Jett, it was released in 1988 and became the biggest anti-love song of all time. It was also rewritten for NFL’s Sunday Night Football anthem and covered by Carrie Underwood. Regardless of this song’s history and prowess, I have always had a strong dislike for this song. The key it’s in plus the original vocals make me want to drill any part of my auditory senses right out of my head. When Seven Kingdoms announced they were covering this song, I cringed. However, upon listening to it the first time, I was hooked. The band refreshed this dirty old track and turned it into a complete jam. I love the cover and find it to be the biggest improvement of a song I’ve ever heard.
The only two issues I have with this album are mix and length. I would’ve liked a double album: The first disc should have all-new tracks focusing on the Zenith extraterrestrial theme and the new SK sound. The second disc could be remasters of old SK fan-favorite songs and maybe a couple live versions. I understand budgeting would limit this greatly and probably why it’s reduced to a single album. I just find it jarring and disjointed, because I expected an overall alien theme, and it was GoT references thrown in with older songs. I understand the purpose of the album is to sate fans’ appetites and put out new music to put themselves on the map in US-born Power Metal, but I find it confusing for the direction it’s supposed to go in. Maybe I’m missing information in promotion packets or missed something in the Kickstarter information, but it’s just a strange album to me as far as wondering what it’s supposed to be. Maybe I misunderstood the purpose of the record because I thought it was some kind of concept album, but I would’ve liked a more succinct record. Each individual track is good on its own, but none of them go together perse.
The other problem I have with the record is in the mix. On streaming and Disc format through studio speakers and headphones, I find the mix to be boomingly bass-heavy. Normally, I love a lot of bass in the mix, but there are some parts in the record where the bass is overpowering. It’s as if someone’s using a super low-frequency bass drop sample and randomly placing them in songs like Diamond Handed and Chasing the Mirage. It’s an odd phenomenon, but not uncommon in modern mixes with compression where inconsistencies like this happen when a 5.1 mix is transferred to CD MP3s. I like dynamics, but I don’t think the weird low bass drops are purposeful. The mix on Universal Terrestrial is not my favorite; It sounds rushed and there are some really high frequencies that I would’ve leveled out, but maybe this only appears on certain formats. These issues are easily looked over, however and I am able to enjoy the record regardless.
Zenith is a hell of a unique record, and I hope it skyrockets Seven Kingdoms in popularity. There’s nothing quite like them in America right now, and I feel lucky to have them in my home country.
Highlights: A Silent Remedy, Love Dagger, Diamond Handed
So, 2022 is looking like a feast of tasty Metal fit for the Vikings of Iceland. 2020 was immense with some of the best Metal releases of all time, and 2021 was no slouch either, with too many special albums to name in one article. The past two years have been a testament of strength for any band. We lost many greats during and post-Covid. It’s been the most tumultuous time since the Cold War, and we had amazing releases in music during that time as well. These trials prove that the worst of times can cultivate the most beautiful and complex art.
I consider Metal one of the purest art forms. It has a Classical approach that requires discipline. These musicians in the genre have studies in Music and an appreciation for the highest technicality. The standards of the genre are set extremely high. These musicians, having backgrounds or interests that nurture a high technicality, can tap into a deeper emotion and even rich subject matters that show a vulnerability that Bach may even appreciate. This vulnerability and rawness of the music captivate even those who never expected to like Metal, in the first place. I have seen a great conversion of music fans to the genre of Metal just through the phenomenon of Reaction videos.
The first reaction to come from great tracks like Awakening by Unleash the Archers, Ghost Love Score by Nightwish with Floor Jansen, and Kingdom by Devin Townsend is pure emotion. Whether it is just pure shock, tears of greatness, or speechlessness from the sure speed, Metal is the best genre to grab people by their hearts. And, I believe this reaction is starting to become more common because Metal is continually raising the bar of quality and depth of content. Below is a list of songs released this year that prove there’s so much Metal to be excited about
Arch Enemy
After a long wait, the classic Melodic Death Metal band is releasing a brand new record July 29th. I am a huge fan of all things Arch Enemy, since the days Angela ruled the Legions, but the addition of Alissa White-Gluz and legendary Jeff Loomis has only amped me up. The band has already released four incredibly diverse singles. Sunset Over the Empire is a heavy throwback to long before War Eternal in the beginning with blast beats and chugging bass lines. It showcases Alissa’s signature amazingly low growls and perfect annunciation. Micheal and Jeff really have the guitars dialed in on this record and this track is a great sample of what’s to come on “Deceivers”. The lyrical content has gone back to the apocalypse, and I am living for it. Handshake With Hell is a crazy new catchy track with driving rhythms, but a surprising twist with absolutely brilliant power belting for Alissa. It’s one of the most dynamically interesting tracks they have ever released. I am obsessed with this particular song. It took me a while to warm up to it, “Clean vocals in Arch Enemy? This is just weird.”. Deceiver, Deceiver is another classic Arch Enemy track that’s got that Hardcore Punk rhythm that you find in classic Death and Thrash. Also, House of Mirrors is another incredible track that is a perfect mix of Modern Melodeath and classic. It is reminiscent of Nemesis, but screams Alissa’s usual dynamics. This album, based on three tracks, is going to be the quintessential Arch Enemy. It is one of my most anticipated albums of the year as I think it’ll be way more successful and interesting than the last album.
Full disclosure: I have been a massive Eluveitie fan for twelve years now. I am Scot-Irish and German, so I’m a sucker for Celtic-style music, but Eluveitie is my favorite Celtic band. They flawlessly mix Death Metal and Celtic folk based on ancient Gaulish stories. The music is truly as crazy as it sounds if you’ve never heard it, but it 100% works. It feels like forever since the release of my favorite Eluveitie record “Ategnatos” in 2019, and Aidus is definitely my most anticipated album of the year. Eluveitie is a band of multi-instrument virtuosos. There’s a mix of Metal with blast beats and Thrashy guitars, and a medieval Hurdy Gurdy, impossibly fast Celtic violin from Nicole Asperger, Celtic Harp, and anywhere from Alpine yodeling vocals to fry screams to belts from immensely talented Fabienne Erni, and tin whistles and mandola and eclectic bagpipes. Everything you hear in Eluveitie is played live. The arranging by harsh vocalist, writer, arranger, composer, and pretty much Gaulish all-father Chrigel Glanzmann is spectacular. The new single, Aidus (Gaulish for Fire), is a feat that Eluveitie has never done before. It is a new era of charged dynamics. It is as if Heilung, Myrkur, and Arch Enemy had a very heavy Gaulish baby. It has every aspect of classic Eluveitie, but on utter steroids. I won’t spoil the surprise for you, but check out the vocals from Fabienne Erni. It is unbelievably amazing. It has quickly become one of my favorite tracks by them. If Aidus is any indication of what this record has in store, we’re all going to need time off to be crushed by this record.
Xandria
As you already saw on this page, Xandria is back in the world with a new single Reborn, and a new singer Ambre Vourvahis. It was a complete surprise to fans a week ago, and a great surprise at that. Xandria has been one of the most consistent Symphonic Metal bands for two decades now. Due to poor management and a constant scheduling battle with singers being reportedly overworked, the band went into hiding and lost five members including Dianne Van Giersbergen. Now, Xandria has seemingly figured out their issues after a much-needed break. Reborn is an addictive rhythmic track that throwback to the Middle Eastern timbre of Xandria’s music. It is stunningly rhythmic, layered with choirs and echoing orchestral, and then beautiful vocals that range from sweet and sultry to growls to soaring operatic. Ambre has so much range and style dynamics. From what I’ve heard, she may be the most fitting singer the band has ever had. I hope Ambre is treated with the immense respect she deserves, as previous singers have received the utmost pressure to the point of health issues. If not, Ambre no doubt has the talent to go far beyond Xandria. I am hopeful that Xandria will have this lineup for many years to come, and that another ego in Symphonic Metal doesn’t squelch the talent of a female singer.
I am a huge Power Metal fan, so loving Helloween and anything they release is no surprise. Getting a chance to hear two of the best male vocalists of the past forty years on the same record; It’s impossible not to be excited about. Michael Kiske and Andi Deris have created these mesmerizing dual male vocals, mixing raspy and soaring screams. So far, it’s sounding like a classic late 80’s NWOBHM album mixed with a mainstream catchiness like that of Priest’s Turbo Lover. I have no clue what to expect from the rest of the record, but being Power Metal, it’ll probably be consistent in style. This brand has been pretty consistent since 1984 and the classic release of Keeper of the Seven Keys in 1987. Check out the latest single below, and let me know what you think of this decade of Helloween.
Lorna Shore
Lorna Shore has become one of the biggest and most talked-about Metal bands in the last two years. I never expected a Deathcore band to be on the charts in America, let alone most of the planet. Lorna Shore’s EP And I Return To Nothingness bore the epic and bombastic track To The Hellfire in 2021 that showcases singer Will Ramos’ insane grunt range. This song took the world by wildfire, converting millions into Deathcore fans. While I believe tracks like this only arrive once in a career, that doesn’t mean new tracks will disappoint. No specific word on a new album yet, but they releases Sun Eater last month. The new track showcases more epicness from guitarist Adam De Nicco, possibly this decade’s virtuoso.
One of my favorite bands of all time and great people, Seven Kingdoms, spent their spring killing it on Kickstarter to fund the print and release of 2022’s Zenith. This band has come farther than 99% of the bands out there. It’s a complete evolution from 2007 from a small Power Metal Fantasy act, to an absolutely thrilling Speed Power Metal band with one of the best singers I’ve heard since Ann Wilson. Sabrina Valentine joined the band in 2009, and I think the band has really found its sound since then. The EP Empty Eyes released in 2019 really showed this evolution flawlessly and skyrocketed the band to open for titans Unleash the Archers and Beast In Black. The band has a blue-collar shredding and down-to-business attitude with absolutely gorgeous vocals and 1980’s vibes, working their way into every crowd’s hearts they play to. “Zenith” is my most anticipated album of the year. Tracks like Empty Eyes, Diamond Handed, and Universal Terrestrial is heart-pounding and full of juicy layers (just like a good cheeseburger). It’s shocking how good this band is, and yet even more shocking that no one has ever heard of them. I hope this record skyrockets this band of genuine and talented human beings to the success they deserve. This will undoubtedly be the independent album of the year.
Swedish Melodic Death Metal Vikings have been pounding out incredible albums since 1992. But, the rise in Viking and Lord of the Rings popularity has served this band well in this new millennia. These guys play hard, fast, and with a passion beyond anything, I have ever seen. If there’s ever been battle-ready music, it’s written by Amon Amarth. Berserker in 2019 is possibly one of my top twenty albums (trust me, that’s a big deal). Listening to Amon Amarth’s music is a ritual for me and for the fans out there. It is not unlike Wardruna or Heilung, and yet the music is the complete opposite. It’s transcendent music that takes you to another place, maybe the shores of Iceland with Erik The Red screaming to row your ass off as crows sit upon the boat’s edge. The new track “Put Your Back Into the Oar” is a perfect example of this sound. But, this time we’re rowing our journey to the shores of Great Britain to invade the powerful catholic Englund. I imagine you could watch Vikings whilst listening to this record and have the Viking experience in your own home. “Get in the Ring” is an absolutely sinister track with a more classic Amon Amarth sound than Berserker. The dueling guitars chime in, and I am transported to the 90s where Thrash still reigned supreme. “The Great Heathen Army” is sounding to be an eclectic mix of everything Amon Amarth. It is out on August 5th with Metal Blade Records. It’s a long wait, but always worth it for these guys.
Texas Doom Metal band, Oceans of Slumber have made a unique cornerstone in this Avant-Garde Soul aspect that the world has simply never heard before. It’s old-school Doom and old soul Blues, but such a new take on Metal. Once I heard the first album, Winter, with Cammie Gilbert I was swallowed in this gloomy and moody aesthetic. She is a poet, a songstress, and one of the most unique voices I have ever heard. She captures you like a siren wading up on the shore. Underneath her sultry, emotional, and even belting vocals is a million layers of sound from an eclectic mix of influences. There are blast beats, Death Metal finger bass, howling guitars with delay, intense and passionate piano composition, and driving rhythm guitars. It’s incredibly difficult to put this band in a genre box, and they refuse to be pigeonholed. The New album, Starlight and Ash (out July 22nd), is even different than Oceans of Slumber (self-titled) in 2020. It’s even more Doom-centric with Texas Rock and Soul-laden throughout. It’s an album of a lifetime. Check out the two new singles below.
Dark Sarah
The symphonic Gothic Metal band led by genre veteran Heidi Parviainen is coming back in 2022 with another bombastic album Attack of Orym. The group has put out concept albums that may even make Tuomas Holopainen of Nightwish cry. Every Record this band puts out is a brilliant Symphonic Rock album in the making. This band begs for a full orchestra, choir, and theatrics in a live setting. It’s certainly not for your average Metal listener, but its quality outweighs the ridiculous stigma against Rock Operas. Heidi’s voice is incredibly smooth and light, dancing upon the melodies and the rhythmic chugging guitars. Attack of Orym is a “cinematic Metal” album crowd-funded to 108% on indiegogo.com. It combines orchestral with a horror-themed story. There’s not much more on the album yet, but I bet my ass it’s going to be epic.
Devin Townsend, the creative Progressive Metal madman from Canada, has been working on a project called Lightwork for nearly two years. And when Devin has too much time to think about a project, you know it’s going to take longer than he anticipates. Though, his projects are always worth the wait and reading convoluted descriptions of said projects. I love Devin; He’s undoubtedly my favorite artist of all time. He is a genius and a virtuoso far beyond any normal standard. Empath, released in 2019, was a proving ground of soloist measures for Devin after disbanding DTP. Empath was a concept that was larger than life, big picture themes, along with enormous layers of sound. It is one of the craziest albums I have ever heard and I love everything about it. It was 100% unfiltered and untamed Wild Canadian Boy on speed. But, I truly believe Devin is at his best when he is challenged and dialed back by a producer. This second voice shunts Devin’s perfectionism and musical neurosis, allowing him to relax into the music and not overcomplicate the sound to live up to his unrealistic expectations. Transcendence, produced by the incomparable Nolly Getgood, was an exemplary example of this. However, I expect an even greater example of Devin’s music.
Lightwork, from what I gather, is going to be a mix of Epicloud, Dark Matters (disc 2 of Z2), and Empath. It is going to be heavy, but more friendly and entry-level than Empath. It sounds interesting. I have yet to hear any clips from it or get any succinct descriptions, but I expect it’ll be pretty Riffy and Vocal-centric based on the information Devin has given out. We shall see what he conjures up this time. Out in September
I used to be an avid fan of the newer genre, Symphonic Metal. I foamed over bands like Epica, Delain, Within Temptation, After Forever, Stream of Passion, and the older catalog of Visions of Atlantis and Amberian Dawn. I truly believed that this was the world’s best music. I thought that these bands contained the best musicians since Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. I grew up listening to classical music, even taking classes and studying music theory. Symphonic Metal piqued these roots and moved me more than most music ever had before. I saw Epica live in 2012 and it led me to start this blog and explore Metal in depth. I’ve seen Nightwish, Delain, Xandria, Epica, and Within Temptation and it was an absolute blast to experience. Symphonic Metal didn’t keep my interest much longer, however. I became entranced by the sheer raw power, speeds, and lack of backing tracks of vocals of Power Metal.
I gave up on a lot of Symphonic Metal, finding that new bands were contrived and new releases formulaic or boring. I love the classics still, but my attention and admiration have gone to other genres. You can imagine my surprise when hearing the first single from “Pirates” by Visions of Atlantis. Legion of the Seas blew me away. I had written this band off originally due to vocalist changes that disheartened me, and I quickly learned I made a mistake. Visions of Atlantis bring Symphonic and Power Metal together with gooey cheesiness that I love. Pirates convinced me Symphonic Metal isn’t dead. This is the best record of the genre since Dark Sarah’s “Grim”.
Visions of Atlantis pulls out all the classic Symphonic aspects, mixing with Clémentine Delauney’s Classic Soprano vocals, and Michele Guaitoli’s Power Metal belts and perfect vibrato. “Pirates” is straight out of the realms of Nightwish and Blind Guardian. While not a groundbreaking or immensely innovative album (Pirates and Metal go together like green chili and burritos), is it a fresh new take on an inundated genre. It is epic and exciting beyond the usual keyboardist egoist-ridden records with long pointless interludes. “Pirates” melds rhythmic driving riffs and drums with all-consuming melodies. It flows effortlessly between power and airy piano. Catchiness is also a huge factor with tracks like Melancholy Angels, Legion of the Seas, Clocks, and Master of the Hurricane. Interesting Folk touches like flutes and horns come into play, breaking up the Power Metal instrumentation. But, it is not over-saturated with layers, leaving room for two brilliant vocalists to thrive. The harmonization is spectacular, some of the best I’ve heard. This album has everything the Symphonic Metal fan desires, but can also cross over into the Power Metal head’s realm of battle music. There’s something so reminiscent of Hans Zimmer, which is ironic because he wrote the soundtrack to the brilliant Pirates of the Caribbean. This album ticks so many boxes for good Metal.
“Pirates” surprised the hell out of me. It has restored my faith in the Symphonic Metal genre and even brought me back to listening to it again. It’s unpretentious, playable live, and brings a new dual vocal style that I haven’t heard since Floor Jansen first joined Nightwish. It’s a familiar sound, but so refreshing to me. I’ve liked newer Epica releases, Illumishade’s debut, Dark Sarah, and Ad Infinitum, but “Pirates” from VoA is a marriage of sound I’ve been dying for. They delivered on every aspect I critique albums on; Emotion, execution, instrumentation, repetitiveness, movement, lyrical themes, and notation. It deserves an even more positive reception.
Wolfheart is a project by Tuomas Saukkonen, the mastermind behind Melodic Death Metal bands Before the Dawn and Black Sun Aeon. This insanely talented musician from Finland has a reputation for creating the darkest, heaviest, and blackest of Metal bands. Many fans were saddened when he disbanded all other projects, but it wasn’t all in vain. Tuomas is back with Black Metal band Wolfheart and has released a bone chilling new album “Winterborn”. As far as Melodic Death Metal goes, Tuomas is one of the best at what he does, because of his innovative creativity with such a heavy genre. The album was previously released in 2013, but was recently reissued by Spinefarm Records. I am lucky enough to be able to review this album in its entirety.
“Winterborn” is exactly what you would expect from Tuomas; Dark, Melodic, chest pounding, and atmospheric in a greatly depressing way. The guitars are shredding and technical with ease. The vocals are full and grinding and loud, full of emotion and outright power. The bass is dropped super low and drones through each song, adding depth as the instrument was intended for. The drums are technical and dynamic, varying from a slow 90 bpm to 130 bpm. The use of other instruments from acoustic guitars to strings, piano, and synths is also very well executed. Isolation is a brilliant example of the diversity and vision of Tuomas. It is uncommon to hear slower and more soft instrumentation in Death Metal, obviously. But that being said, the album is not lacking in pounding and guttural tracks like The Hunt,Strength and Valour, and Gale of Winter. The Viking feel to this album is also quite present, meaning this would be one of the many great fitting soundtracks to History Channels Vikings and even Game Of Thrones.
Death Metal is a huge genre, every band seems to have their own style and equation to creating heavy music. Don’t let genre labels fool you however, most Metal is so deep with different influences and styles. “Winterborn” is definitely an album that defies labels and expectations in a fantastic way. I enjoyed the drastically different feel and way of going about writing Metal that Tuomas definitely took with this album. It’s unique and new, yet familiar and very commendable. Overall, I think the reissue of “Winterborn” is a good way for fans to get interested in a pretty mysteriously released album. It’s worth enough for a reissue and a larger audience, because of its immense quality and idiosyncratic sound.
Overall Album Rating 9/10
Similar Artists: Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, Dark Tranquility, Wintersun, Amon Amarth, Ghost Brigade
Metal Valkyrie 