power metal

New Music Friday from Seven Kingdoms

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Seven Kingdoms in Canada










Power Metal band from DeLand, Florida has been on fire since last fall and their successful tour with Unleash the Archers and Aether Realm, and this year’s Power Metal tour with Beast in Black and Striker.  I knew once I witnessed Seven Kingdoms live in person, I was witnessing the greatest Power Metal band in America.  We don’t get bands like this here.  But to be frank, their quality and consistency are unmatched anywhere.  With tracks like After the Fall, Empty Eyes, Monster, and epic ballad Valonqar this band knows how to deliver impactful songs.  Every member is vastly talented and the chemistry is that of a band that’s been playing for two decades.  I have never been more impressed with an opener (well, not since System Divide).





Now, the wait for the crowdfunded album “Zenith” has begun.  With the debut original track, Universal Terrestrial, we got absolute speed, dynamic vocals, and amazing melodic solos.  The track is simply addictive with unique qualities that I am not hearing anywhere else.  The unique tonal quality of Sabrina Valentine Cruz’s voice is divine and surprising:  I’ve never heard anything like it, and I can’t seem to get enough of it.  I foresee a lot more Reaction videos coming their way soon.  The first release from Zenith was insanely surprising: A Power Metal rendition of Joan Jett’s classic “I Hate Myself For Loving You” that screamed.  It is one of the best covers I have ever heard, with musical and vocal perfection.  It’s a huge upgrade to the original, which in my opinion long outlived its usefulness.  The soaring screams and high notes elicit a jaw-dropping experience and “WOWs”.  It’s one of those times when you think “why isn’t this going viral?”  “Zenith” may be just what this band needs to skyrocket into a bigger fandom that they unequivocally deserve. 










Today, Seven Kingdoms dropped the emotional powerhouse of a track “Diamond Handed”.  I am forever impressed by this band, but this song brought it to a new level.  I love every aspect of this track.  It’s classic Power Metal mixed with modern touches in this beautiful emotionally heavy and inspiring track.  I am a sucker for dueling guitar solos and Cam and Kevin delivered perfectly fast, technical, melodic solos over Keith’s pocket-perfect metronome double bass.  It’s very different from any song they’ve done before, to me, but keeps within the typical Speedy-riffing soaring Power Metal that SK always delivers on.  Sabrina’s range on this track is unbelievable, in that I believe she uses a lower section we haven’t heard before.  And then, she roars into harmonic screams that seem to resonate forever.  It’s vastly impressive.  There’s nothing quite like this track, and you really have to play it multiple times to get every tidbit of deliciousness.  





For fans of Blind Guardian, Beast In Black, Unleash the Archers, Halestorm, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Heart















			

	


			
				


	

							
Florida Power Metal Band Launches Kickstarter
						

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Power Metallers Seven Kingdoms have just come off of their high on the Unleash The Archers and Aether Realm NA tour.  The band have been around since 2007 and have released four highly underrated records.  They were signed to Napalm Records, but for some reason they haven’t received much support for a new release.  The band mixes 80’s arena rock hooks, Game of Thrones lyrical themes, and modern speedy Power Metal for a truly unique experience.  Seeing them in 2021 with UTA was the highlight of my year.  I never expected such a high quality band from America that pull out speedy riffs and soaring vocals.










With a new found following and a lack of interest from bloated record companies, the four piece have decided to take matters into their own hands.  The married couple,  Camden and Sabrina, and brothers, Kevin and Keith launched a Kickstarter to fund the releasing and printing of their fifth studio album “Zenith”.  They whetted our appetites with a bombastic cover of Joan Jett’s “I Hate Myself For Loving You”, which is a perfect subject for those ready-to-be-shocked reactor’s on Youtube.  The Kickstarter already has $40k in backings and 20 days to go.  Check out the project and this crazy fit cheeseburger loving band.




















			

	


			
				


	

							
“Abyss” Unleash The Archers Review
						

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unleash-the-archers-2019-1000x600


Spoiler: This is already my “Album of the Year”


    In 2019, it was revealed that Candian Power Metal Band Unleash the Archers were releasing a new EP. “Explorers” was a bombastic two-track EP featuring a totally different sound from the previous release “Apex”. With Awakening and Northwest Passage going almost viral on Youtube Reactors’ channels, it was no doubt this band is continually growing in more ways than one. Apex is arguably one of the best Metal Records of the past decade. The writing of this band and collective creativity seems to progress exponentially with every record. “Apex” was mountains ahead in quality of “Time Stands Still”.  Northwest Passage showed immense composure and maturity. For a band with terrible luck in bassists and the tough road of being a vastly underrated opening band, these guys don’t seem to give up. It is no wonder why their ever-growing fan base is salivating at the anticipation of “Abyss”. I know I was.


    “Abyss” is a heart-pounding journey from “Apex” through a mysterious path to outer space. It begins with the tame opener Waking Dream, again showing a different side to the band. There’s something more relaxed and comfortable about this entire record, making the slow builder intro Waking Dream a perfect opening to the wormhole. As we descend into the first single Abyss, we hear the effortless blend of Speedy Power Metal, 80’s synthesizers, and effortless soaring vocals from Brittney. This track is one of my top ten tracks of 2020, and maybe even of all time. Its catchiness is addictive in a rhythmic sense, but also lyrically. Power Metal is one of those genres that strives in sing-along choruses, and this album is packed with them.  Abyss is a track deep with meaning and is reminiscent of the popular Awakening. I find the parallels between their records so fascinating and seamless. It’s not short of Brittney’s insane high notes and contrasted low Alto-centric epics, melodic guitars, and powerful driving drums from veteran Scott Buchanan. It’s just an absolutely solid track that I could put on repeat and drift into a dream.


    Through Stars is a track I never expected from UTA, but one I desperately needed in their catalog. It is one of the slowest and smoothest tracks I have heard from the band. It builds, drives, breaks down and is overall super mellow. There is something about the emotion on this track that just hits me right in the gut. It’s reminiscent of Heart’s harmonies and melodies while keeping a rhythmic Queensryche feel. Brittney nails this song in her lower range and shows of nearly perfect diction. This song is a slow burner, and it’s just a perfect change of pace. The guitar solo enunciates the emotions in this one, a throwback to the 1970s and 1980s melodic guitar playing. I expect nothing less from Andrew and Grant, but this surpasses expectations and floats so smoothly. It’s a staggering contrast from the next track that you just have to hear to believe.


    Onto Track Four; Legacy. I have witnessed brilliant tracks from Metal over twenty-seven years of existence. Tracks like Devin Townsend’s Deadhead and Kingdom, Iron Maiden’s Wasted Years, Dream Theater’s Pull Me Under, and many more come to mind that have just blown me away. I find epic masterpieces like this when I least expect it,  Legacy is one of those songs that made every hair on my body pretty much rise in applause. The use of arpeggios and sweeps and general notation in this song is shockingly good. Drummer Scott Buchanan truly shines on this track from blast beats to swing beats and masterful fills. This song doesn’t build, it explodes. Dare I say it’s the most epic track of the year. Where it lacks in catchiness, it picks up in immense emotion as they search in the vastness of space for the Shadow Guide. However, upon first listen, this song strikes me as a power ballad in disguise, and god knows there’s nothing wrong with that. This song shows the dynamite of talent coming from every member of this dark horse Power Metal band. Andrew is shockingly fast and accurate on this track with dueling brother Grant. The guitars beat the hell out of anything I’ve heard since Devin Townsend’s “Empath”. As for the vocals, I am a complete vocal nerd, and this song is a requiem of multi-layering of vocals. Brittney mentioned exploring “the Brittney choir”, and you get a taste of it on this perfect song. The mastery of vocal lines and harmonies in Legacy beats any female vocalist of the decade. It is sure to encapsulate every fiber of your senses, sending complete chills through my body upon first listen. The use of notes picked from the arpeggios into a smooth behind-the-beat powerful vocal is one of the most virtuosic talents I have ever heard. I didn’t expect a Prog Metal track with blast beats from them, but it is everything I have ever wished for in a song.


    It is hard to follow up such a table-turning bombastic song like Legacy, in my opinion. But, the band continues to awe with Return to Me, aptly named. It returns, ironically to their Extreme days with always amazing multi-harmonic growls from Grant, in contrast with ever-soaring vocals. This track is epic, even by Power Metal standards. The speed of this band is ungodly. It’s a huge departure from the rest of the album in a big way as it lacks synths. It’s just so raw and angry and driving as they face the “Space Matriarch?”. Then, there’s the jaw-dropping single of Soulbound. This track, in my opinion, is unlike anything we’ve heard from this band yet. It is eloquent and so floaty, almost painting a dreamscape with the brilliant vocals alone. The high note, in the shocking harmonic range, just proves Brittney has absolutely no limits with her voice. I have never heard anything like this. It’s just such a powerful Single with some of the catchiest lines from the band. The tightness of this band is always staggering, but Soulbound is a whole new level. Scott’s fills on this song cemented him as one of my top three drummers. This track is just effortless, passionate, and mesmerizing. I cannot get enough of the melodic guitar lines on this one.


    Faster Than Light awes with more pounding and driving speed with Dragonforce riffs, the classic opening scream, and composition that proves Malmsteen was always overrated. This song is going to be a favorite of the fans, with a catchy “escapist” chorus, and absolutely epic verses. In typical Unleash the Archers fashion, it breaks down and showcases the neoclassical brilliance of this band. It’s just heart pounding and so solid.  The Wind That Shapes the Land signals an ending of the battle between the Brothers and the Matriarch, signaling a victory is imminent. It’s a back and forth battle, a true throwback to the epic thriller General of the Dark Army. Again, the range of this vocalist is just head-shakingly large. The classification of Alto is hardly appropriate. They should make a new class for Slayes. This song uses so many voices and octaves. The changes, the timing, the building into a less catchy but epic chorus is so well composed. The bridge is one of my favorite parts of this record as well, almost a breathing section into insane guitar solos. It’s a song that feels as though it could go on forever, but also ends much too soon. This is one of the most interesting and unique songs I have ever heard.


    I am all in for a damn good sing-along, especially in Power Metal, and Carry The Flame, is such an 80’s jam in the best way. It starts out super catchy and slow-building, maybe even modestly holding back. The soothing voice of Brittney is jolted away as Andrew comes in with immense power and tone on the second verse. His vocals are a nice edition, but I desperately hope this is just a single feature track. The harmonizing is brilliant on this track, but I find the live harmonization of Brittney and Andrew to be lacking live. As it should be, she is an impossible act to follow. This is the most fun track on the album, and pretty sentimental, but it’s not my favorite UTA track. I feel like it’s more of a bonus track than a final product number. But, I am sure those who were lucky enough to score the Earbook find out how this song ties into the concept.


    The worst part of the album is that it inevitably ends. But, it ends perfectly with the closing track Afterlife.  The track begins uncharacteristically with an orchestral suite done by one of Slayes’ favorite composers. It moves beautifully into a typical Archers sing along with epic booming drums. It’s a sad track but also uplifting, knowing that the Immortal is finally put to rest after centuries. I really like this track overall and find it such a soothing Fantastical track, touching on the Fantasy themes so wonderfully. It’s a closing track, but we are still left with so many questions and wondering if this is truly the end of the story. According to the band, it is. But, where will we go next?


There is no ego on this record. There is nothing pretentious or overreaching. It’s just amazing, clean, heavy, balanced, Power Metal with nostalgia. However, to some long time fans and listeners Abyss is a very world spinning change, but it’s a change we needed for one of the worst years this planet has ever seen. The light and positivity as well as the themes of togetherness and joining to conquer something are very appreciated. I feel like this is a Legacy of a record to be passed on from generation to generation. It is a quintessential Power Metal album. It signifies the stamp of uniquity Unleash the Archers has imprinted upon this century of metal. I can’t wait to hear more.


 


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Battle Beast Unholy Savior Review
						

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Finnish Power Metal band, Battle Beast, is back in 2015 with the most epic album of the year so far, “Unholy Savior”.  The incredibly energetic and anthemic band has a reputation for creating fantastic Traditional Metal sounds.  Their previous self titled album was a hit, containing several gems like Out of Control and Black Ninja.  That album set high expectations, because of the start to finish quality and excellent Power Metal tracks back to back.  It wasn’t the best album of 2013, but more of an unsung hero.  After that album, you expected something of similar caliber, but “Unholy Savior” is a step above.  If you like dragon slaying, battle, and epic soundtracking music, this album is definitely to your liking.  The first time I heard Battle Beast, I was instantly blown away by the immense power from every area of the band.  The vocals are insanely powerful and diverse along with melodic and speedy guitars and perfectly executed speed drumming.  The new album is all of that and more.


 


“Unholy Savior” is an all out epic Power Metal album with everything a fan could want.  The guitars are all over the place, technical, fast, and squealing, adding so much dynamic to the music.  The vocals are powerful and very well executed, each word is easily heard and sang with a true passion.  The drums are a good base and add a controlled chaos sound to the music, making it very dynamic.  I have trouble hearing the bass in the faster parts however, meaning the music lacks that nice bottom end.  And with most Power Metal albums in the 2010s and even 2000s, a lot of the tracks sound very similar and you tend to mistake one for another.


 


Lionheart, Unholy Savior, Sea of Dreams, and Angel Cry are my main highlights of the album.  Lion Heart opens the album fast and furious, with an incredibly catchy vocal line and awesome guitar work.  Unholy Savior fits the whole theme of the album perfectly with mind blowing instrumentation and a great anthemic theme.  Sea of Dreams is more melodic and more ballad-like than other tracks, containing other instruments like a flute and acoustic guitar.  Angel Cry is a moving epic end gamer to the album, summing up the power of the album perfectly.  Speed and Danger is also a fantastic track and one of the fastest tracks Battle Beast has put out for awhile.  These are just some of the great tracks on the album to give you an insight of what to expect.


 


“Unholy Savior” is a spectacular Power Metal album all the way through.  I really enjoyed the subtle 80’s vibe throughout the album as well.  The evocative 80’s sound reminded me of Journey’s use of synths and lead guitar in a good way.  Battle Beast know how to take sounds from an older generation of Metal and Rock and transplant it into modern times, so that these talents can be accessed by a newer generation.  I dare to say that “Unholy Savior” impressed me more than the previous two Hammerfall albums, even though that is blasphemy to my own ears.  Battle Beast is newer and has a whole new sound, not yet stale and watered down yet.  I expect this album and Battle Beast as a whole to be revered and respected across the seas and genres.  Battle Beast could be around for quite awhile.


 


Overall Album Rating 8/10

			

	


			
				


	

							
Discover Your Next New Metal Band
						

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Here’s a list of bands I’ve recently come acrossed in my research of metal around the world.  Not all of these bands are new, but maybe you haven’t heard of them yet.  If you’re looking for new metal to listen to, this list is for you.  If you’re absolutely fed up with generic rock and the older bands constantly resurfacing, this is a more diverse group of really great bands to listen to.  Finding the perfect band for an individual is nearly impossible, but the search through the epicly diverse genre of Metal can be an eye opener.  This list could help you find your next perfect band.






While She Sleeps


 


England has been breeding quality metal for almost a decade now.  Bands like Sylosis and Tesseract are great examples of what British Metal has to offer.  While She Sleeps is another prime example of British Metal’s diversity and unique sound.  The band is a Melodic Hardcore Metal band famous for chanting vocals and melodic guitar riffs.  I haven’t heard anything quite like them yet and enjoyed their latest track New World Torture.  Check them out below.


 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPS91tc4AZY


 


http://wssofficial.com/






Mad Architect


 


Swedish band Mad Architect is surprisingly unique and brilliant, featuring Magnus Daun, Sven Lindsten, and Snowy Shaw (Sabaton, Dimmu Borgir, Therion), and Jorgen Oscarsson.  Their music is a mix between Power Metal and Black Metal, with dark and Gothic influences.  It’s very interesting Metal and will appeal to someone with a diverse set of tastes.  The vocals range from growls reminiscent of Dimmu Borgir and clean power vocals similar to Russell Allen’s style.


 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1UyVCNGafk


 


http://www.madarchitectofficial.com/biography.html






Barren Earth


 


If you just can’t get enough of Melodic Death Metal and are looking for a new band of great quality, Barren Earth could be a great addition to your list.  The band specializes in their own take on a classic genre, adding a Progressive vibe to the music much like Mastodon and Opeth have achieved.  The music is technical, fast, dark, and enchanting with many layers.  This band makes good use of clean vocals as a contract to the guttural growls.  This band is not for the average Metal fan, because of the intensity of the growls, but they are absolutely amazing at what they do.  I expect nothing less than powerful Death Metal from Finland.


 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcFpXSTbHrI


 


http://www.barrenearth.com/


 


A Breach of Silence


 


A new wave of metal bands from Australia has recently submerged, introducing a new style of metal.  A Breach of Silence is one of the best Metal bands I’ve recently discovered.  They have this blend of typical screaming with powerful vocals.  I was honestly expecting your typical Metalcore band, but instead heard something much more unique.  The vocal range of the bassist is borderlining on the range of Miljenko from Steelheart.  I am vastly impressed by A Breach of Silence and their single There Will Be Blood.


 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WnCmiYzkBU


 


https://www.facebook.com/abreachofsilenceband


 


Wolverine


 


Swedish metal is just spectacular, but Wolverine has to be one of my favorite bands from the region.  The band is a wonderful Progressive Metal band, with sounds like Sonata Arctica and Ayreon.  This band utilizes two different vocalists very well, mixing clean vocals and growls with a Doom Metal feel to the instruments.  It’s just a really interesting and well executed unique style.  They put out solid and diverse albums.   I highly suggest them if you’re into Prog Metal.


 


http://www.wolverine-overdose.com/


 


More Bands To Look Into


 


Krokodil


Morbus Chron


Voyager


Amorphis


Flowing Tears


While Heaven Wept


Exmortus


Lyriel


Serenity


Amoral


Ancient Bards


Angra

Myrath


Anthriel


Arkona


Keldian


Mindmaze


Pain


Persefone


Sybreed


Prototype


Summoning


Swallow the Sun


White Skull


Words of Farewell

			

	


			
				


	

							
Power Metal Band From Allentown PA Releases Amazing New Album
						

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Mindmaze, a Traditional Metal and Power Metal band from Allentown PA, released their 2nd album this October.  As far as Power Metal goes, America is lacking in numbers, so discovering a quality band here is a big deal.  Mindmaze is a meld of Ancient Bards, Iron Maiden, and Dream Theater.  Their music has characteristics of European Power Metal that most American bands do not strive to achieve, causing American Metal’s downfall in my eyes.  This band restores my hope for American Metal. With Female Fronted Metal on the rise, more and more extremely talented Metal bands are coming out with a woman at the front.  No doubt there is something different about the music when a woman leads the band, causing a superior power to male lead metal bands.


 


With their new album Back From the Edge, Mindmaze proves their underrated qualities and shows immense maturity.  Every song on this album is different and unique, containing subtleties as well as huge powerful sound.  The guitars are technical, gritty, and fast with perfect rhythm from guitarist Jeff Teets.  The bass is incredibly audible and quick, demonstrating a rare technical ability from bassist Mike LePond.  The drums are dynamic and hit with precision, reminiscing of the days of Mike Portnoy.  Kalin Schweizerhof is just a great quality drummer and holds the music together.  Last but not least, Sarah Teets is a powerhouse of emotive and technical vocal ability.  She brings an explosive quality to the music, fitting inspiring lyrics in a perfectly placed pocket.  Her abilities are that of Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica, having a theatrical quality that makes the music so relatable.  All of these amazing musicians put their all into Back From the Edge, making it a well executed metal album that sounds like a blast from the past.


 


Tracks like “Dreamwalker” and “The Machine Stops” remind me of the times of Dio and Iron Maiden, when true Power Metal prevailed over the Hair Metal.  Then there’s tracks like the title track and “The Machine Stops” that bring a more modern metal song.  “The Machine Stops” is actually a ten minute long track featuring brilliant instrumental sections as well as slow building vocals.  It is one of the best tracks I’ve heard of this year.  “Consequent of Choice” is another great song, showing a progressive off-beat rhythm that is reminiscent of Dream Theater and Hammerfall.  With songs like that, I could easily Mindmaze touring with bands like Kobra and the Lotus and Halestorm.  There is no song on this new album that disappoints.


 


Back From the Edge is an incredible Power Metal album that brings reincarnates a classic edge that American metal has strayed from.  Mindmaze truly surprised me with how solid their sound is for being a smaller American band.  I absolutely loved this album.  Every aspect of it blew me away, but especially the throwback sounds that they executed so well.  It’s so rare to find Metal like this in America and it’s something I hope gets much popular here. With bands like Mindmaze being overlooked here, it makes me wonder if the music industry is just as greedy as the government.


 


Rating 8/10- I highly suggest purchasing this album.


 


https://www.facebook.com/mindmazeband


 


http://www.mindmazeband.com/


 


http://www.reverbnation.com/mindmazeband





			

	


			
				


	

							
Sonata Arctica, Delain, Xandria Denver October 4th, 2014
						

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In 2014, I discovered three bands that would forever change my perception of music.  I have been an obsessive fan of Symphonic Metal for about three years now, but discovering Xandria and especially Delain opened my world to new music.  So of course I jumped on the chance to see the two charismatic female fronted bands live, and get a chance to discover Sonata Arctica.  I was extremely excited for this show, because I knew all three bands put on a spectacular show in concert, but they blew my expectations out of the water.  This is now my favorite concert I have ever been to, topping an Epica headliner and many Halestorm shows.  Every band lit The BlueBird up and continually raised the intensity in a way I have never experienced before.  Discovering these three bands prior to the concert, I knew what to expect, but this was a greatness I could have never anticipated.


 


Regardless of my personal preference of Delain and Xandria, these two bands are absolutely flawless in concert.  Xandria came on and played a very short explosive set.  They opened with Nightfall, their heavy operatic single off of their latest album, Sacrificium.  Dianne’s delivery of soprano operatic vocals on this track blew my mind.  Her technique, control, and projection match a perfection few singers achieve today.  “Blood on my Hands” was a heavier jam, keeping up with the intensity Nightfall had started.  Every member had energy and intensity as well as excellent and engaging stage presence.  “Forevermore” was seamless in the set and allowed Dianne and guitarists to show off a little more than earlier songs.  “Stardust” was well played and executed in a live setting and proved Xandria are up to par with the best live Symphonic Metal experience.  Dianne Van Giersbergen was absolutely the right choice for the new era, as she blew away all expectations with their final song, “Valentine”.  This is one of my favorite songs they’ve ever put out and their execution of it live made it even greater of a track.  The only complaint I have about Xandria’s set is that it was entirely too short for their quality of live play.


 


I have the utmost genuine respect for Delain and this concert made that respect turn into love.   Delain is possibly the best band I have ever seen live, because of the fun, tight, interactive set they produced at this concert.  Their set was absolutely spectacular and awing.  The mix and volume of each member, the lights, their overall live sound is absolutely perfect.  Most songs sounded like an album version turned up on high and injected with fierce energy.  The set was diverse as well, playing songs from almost every album except April Rain.  They opened with the heavy track “Mother Machine” off of We Are the Others and instantly stunned the crowd with their tight sound.  They followed the heavy opener with the fun and jamming track, “Get the Devil Out of Me”, giving Charlotte the chance to show off her flawless falsetto.  “Army of Dolls” swoons and ebs with intricate melodies and a unique beat easy to dance to and rock out to.  Next they mesmerized the crowd with their impressive hit, “Stardust”, off of The Human Contradiction.  This song was absolutely flawless live, containing a breakdown that centered around Charlotte’s enchanting vocals.  Delain continued to heat things up with emotive and powerful track, “Electricity”, a song that had the crowd belting lyrics out and head banging all the way through.  They also played the slower more haunting track, “Milk and Honey”, that was smooth and delivered well.


 


Delain continued their dynamic set with an old track off Lucidity “Sleepwalker’s Dream”, a more symphonic track that contains mind blowing vocals.  The delivery of operatic soaring vocals by lead vocalist, Charlotte Wessels, is indescribable.  The pure power of her voice on this song was distorting the sound system of the venue.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  They also played heavy hitting song, Pristine with bassist Otto on grunts, classic symphonic duet The Gathering with Timo on the male vocals, and closed with powerful hit “We Are the Others”.  I cannot say enough good things about this band live.  Delain really set the bar high for Symphonic Metal performances.  I will never forget their set, and can’t wait to see them again with Nightwish in April 2015.  I highly suggest seeing this band live.


 


Sonata Arctica are a legendary Power Metal band hailing from Finland.  They are still one of the most unique and cherished bands from Scandinavia.  They integrate Folk, Theatrical, and Symphonic aspects into their music.  Sadly, I didn’t hear of this band until I discovered this concert date with them as headliner.  The good thing is, this concert developed a love and immensely impressed me.  Lead vocalist, Tony Kakko, is one of the best male vocalists of all time in my opinion.  His performance throughout their nearly two hour set was flawless and eye catching.  The whole band matched Tony’s theatrical enthusiasm and made for a show that pulled you in.


 


The new songs they performed from Pariah’s Child were even better live than on the album.  “The Wolves Die Young” was dynamic and fast, a perfect live jam with an incredibly well executed bass part.  “Love” was a ballady change up in the set, allowing for an easy sing along.  “Cloud Factory” is possibly their catchiest song ever and was really fun and exciting to experience live.  They also performed older tracks without missing a beat.  “Letter to Dana” was a beautiful power ballad.  Tony captivated the audience with softer building vocals on this song.  Sadly, I am not familiar with a lot of the songs they played that night.  Regardless, Sonata’s set was absolutely incredible.  Their sound is infinitely energetic and hooks you right from the beginning.  I was vastly impressed with them and would love to see them again soon.

			

	


			
				


	

							
Finnish Power Metal Band Battle Beast Announce New Album
						

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Battle Beast, an epic battle sound tracking band with sounds paralleling Dio and Iron Maiden, are releasing a brand new in January 2015.  This band is unlike any power metal band out there.   The sounds they create compare to metal that has existed for two decades, but with a modern Female twist.  The guitars are screaming and tight, the drums are fast and precise, the synth is a perfect melodic addition, the vocals are powerful and shockingly good.  With each album they get louder and more aggressive, so this 2015 album is one to buy immediately.


Get your battle on!








”Unholy Savior” track list:


1. Lionheart

2. Unholy Savior

3. I Want The World….And Everything In It

4. Madness

5. Sea Of Dreams

6. Speed And Danger

7. Touch In The Night

8. The Black Swordsman

9. Hero’s Quest

10. Far Far Away

11. Angel Cry


”Unholy Savior” by BATTLE BEAST out on Nuclear Blast January 9 (EU), January 12. and January 13. (US).









			

	


			
				


	

							
Review of New DragonForce Album Maximum Overload
						

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The English Power Speed Metal band, DragonForce are back in 2014 with an absolute overload of sound. Maximum Overload is the sixth studio album from the famous Speed Metallers.  The band has been around for a solid 15 years, with at least a dozen of member changes.  DragonForce is still alive and well in 2014, topping charts as they always do, with new album Maximum Overload.  Guitarist Herman Li says that the album is inspired by the overwhelming amount of information and technology we try to absorb.  The album describes how we obsess over unnecessary stuff through phones and digital technology.  It is DragonForce at its best, everything turned up to 11 with faster guitars, drums, bass, and much higher vocals.  They went for a drastically more different and dynamic album in 2014, and I think Maximum Overload succeeds very well.  The message of the album is solidly carried out as well and a message all of humanity could use to take seriously.


 


I haven’t been the biggest fan of DragonForce,  but I decided to give this album a chance.  I find Maximum Overload to be a typical Speed Metal album.  I found it enjoyable and easier to listen to than past DragonForce albums.  The Game opens the album with technicality through every instrument and vocal tracks, keeping the bar high for the band.  The vocals are dynamic and interesting, having the same powerful sound I expect in Power Metal.  Tomorrow’s Kings is incredibly fast and beautifully melodic.  It has an epic anthemic sound proving DragonForce can still create a full sound after 15 years.  No More is a little different than the past two tracks, keeping the album flowingly interesting and pleasing to listen to.  This song throws back to an 80’s Metal sound with excellent modern qualities.  Three Hammers makes the two guitarists, Herman Li and Sam Totman, shine perfectly in a gem of a Power Metal song.  It is a melodic battle anthem with incredible male vocals that are unparalleled in 2014.  Marc Hudson has a huge range, and he certainly uses it on this “war cry”.


 


Symphony of the Night is a darker track, but still has blazing fast track that does Maximum Overload’s name justice.  It is an audible assault of group vocals, impossibly fast guitar scales, and building sound.  It is a perfect change up in the album.  The Sun is Dead is the most aggressive and heavy song on the album.  This song has more of a Thrash sound than any track on the album, until the chorus where it opens back up to the melodic anthemic sound.  Extraction Zone is another blazing fast song with rhythmic lyrics, almost performed too fast to understand clearly.  The name of the song is somewhat cheesy, however.  The way it’s said throughout the song makes it hard to be taken seriously.  This track sounds more like a demo than a final release and I find some of the “squeaky” guitar effects to be annoying.  Maximum Overload  still continues to surprise me with City of Gold, picking the album back up to a high quality sound.  This song is more radio friendly, similar to the anthemic sound of Three Hammers.  I also like that the bassist, Frederic Leclercq, is more audible on this track.  The album closes with a cover of Johnny Cash’s Ring Of Fire, completely redone in a way you’ve never heard.  It is a well executed cover that continues to make DragonForce famous for their signature Power/Speed metal song.


I am now a DragonForce fan because of how good this new album is and will be researching more albums.


 


Rating: 8/10

			

	


			
				


	

							
Review of the New Hammerfall Album Revolution
						

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I’ve been talking about Gothenburg metal a lot lately with new At The Gates and In Flames albums coming out this year as well as Amaranthe.  Being a huge fan of what Gothenburg has to offer in the metal scene, I surely cannot look over Hammerfall.  The Swedish Power Metal band has been creating anthemic metal since 1993.  Hammerfall began a new era in Power Metal and began my crusade for European in America.  Hammerfall is one of the most influential Power Metal bands ever, Glory To the Brave and Legacy of Kings attribute to their powerful reign of metal all over the world.  Those are two of my favorite albums of all time.  Hammerfall is certainly not Swedecore, but their own genre alone.


 


After an almost two year long hiatus, Hammerfall are back in 2014 with (r)Evolution, their brand new album.  Their ninth album is a huge departure from their last, Infected (2011).  It is a throwback album to Hammerfall’s roots and their best characteristics.  The album is a perfect cross between Glory To the Brave, Legacy of Kings, and heavier guitars from Nikas and Pontus.  The guitar solos are screaming, fast, and placed perfectly in the pocket.  (r)Evolution just has that powerful sound that takes you back to the days of sword battles and the fantasy world of conquest and dragons.  It has every ingredient that the fans wish for in the typical Hammerfall album.  Joacim Cans is of course the biggest contributor to the band’s sound, with his mighty and powerful lead vocals, perfectly executed on every song.  (r)Evolution is the best album from Hammerfall we may ever get.


 


The album opens with the epic anthem, Hector’s Hymn, with a powerful viking edge to it that their last album was absent of.  The trackhas absolutely amazing vocals, epic Speed Metal guitars, and perfectly executed technical drums.  The title track, (r)Evolution, is spot on with Hammerfall’s anthemic sound.  The second track starts out slowly building, then a great powerful high note, and then building faster and heavier into another amazing fist pounding anthem.  The softer verses on this song are what makes this song perfect, giving a great dynamic to the album.  Bushido is reminiscent of their first album, but so much cleaner and well produced.  This song has the typical dynamic and does tend to fall flat after the first two songs.  However, Bushido is true to the story of the warrior.  Live Life Loud is yet another slow building power anthem, but the guitars are harder hitting and more interesting on this song than Hector’s Hymn.  Live Life Loud sounds like a tip of the hat to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.


 


Ex Inferis is a darker, more intense, harder hitting song and breaks the album up from the typical anthemic song.  This song specifically shows Hammerfall went for a lyrical and vocal based album than Infected.  We Won’t Back Down speeds things up and finally turns the bass up more.  The song features vocals from the brilliant and powerful James Michael from American rock band, Sixx Am.  He is featured throughout the album singing the lower parts, adding contrast to Joacim’s soaring high vocals.  James was also featured on Infected.  In true Hammerfall style, (r)Evolution has it’s well executed beautiful ballad, Winter Is Coming.  This song takes me back to Legacy of Kings in such a vivid way.  Winter Is Coming is one of the best written songs on this album, however I expected it to be a little more long and epic.  Origins is a very interesting Celtic Speed Metal song that I absolutely love on this album, having a more rhythmic feel to it than other tracks.  Tainted Metal is a stomping track, having guitars a bit more in the forefront to keep the vocals from being too repetitive throughout the album.  The snare however gets repetitive on the verses and drowns out the other instruments too much.  Evil Incarnate is a dragging, technical heavy song, that delivers adequately with typical Hammerfall sound.  The album closes with a bang at the track Wildfire, a fast intense ride that brings (r)Evolution to life, giving every musician their final say  It is a perfect epic jam to close a well produced Hammerfall album to an end.


 


Overall (r)Evolution is a well executed and well performed album from Hammerfall, however it lacks the typical energy the band  usually attributes to their albums.  The dynamic truly falls flat and the vocals tend to be at one level throughout most songs, making for a boring listening experience.  Although this isn’t Hammerfall’s best album, it is everything I love about the band and makes for a reminiscent experience.  I liked everything they put into this album and I am glad to hear them go back to their roots.  Their root sound is what makes them truly great and is the biggest factor  to why this album is overall perfect.


 


Rating; 7/10


 


Also Listen To: High Priestess by Kobra and the Lotus, Maximum Overload by Dragonforce, The Human Contradiction by Delain, Heroes by Sabaton, Fallen Leaves & Dead Heroes by Amoral