symphonic metal

20 Great Singers That Aren’t Floor Jansen

/ metalvalkyrie2014 / 2 Comments

    Being on Youtube and social media, I feel like I am constantly overloaded with one singer and one singer only.  I am continually seeing people say “G.O.A.T.” “She’s better than every singer” and “Nobody can touch her”.  Her band graces every headline of nearly every European Metal festival and every Metal coverage site in the world.  She’s invading all my feeds, my mind, and even my dreams. Floor Jansen has gone viral, crossing over into multiple genres and going worldwide with “Ghost Love Score”, her performances on Dutch Television, and her operatic covers with Henk Poort.  She has been a gateway into the world of Symphonic Metal for thousands of people, myself included.  I love Floor Jansen, but the elitism people have created discounts the hundreds of other great vocalists.  She may be one of the most technical and dynamic vocalists of all time, but that doesn’t mean there are not others doing new and exciting things in the Metal industry.  While music may be subjective, I find the elitism and self-righteousness in a cult following to be tiresome.  Metal is an umbrella term for a wide range of music, leaving room for so much individuality.

    This is a list of singers that I believe can stand up to Floor Jansen or Tarja.  Because, ultimately music is subjective, and the technical ability of one doesn’t discount the talent of others.  These singers are all amazing and unique in their own right, including Floor.  Keep an open mind and check out this massive range of shockingly good vocalists.  Most of them are in the realm of Metal, but a couple might surprise you in versatility.  I didn’t include singers like Courtney LaPlante and Tatiana Shymaluk, because they’re enormously popular right now and would be obvious choices for any list.  And don’t worry, I’ll be doing a Male vocal version of this list soon!  The reason that I separate Male and Female is that they sing in completely different ranges and scales of music.  Neither is better than the other, just utterly incomparable in a musical sense.

This article intends to honor female vocalists of this new excellent generation.

  1. Brittney Slayes- Unleash the Archers

I’ve mentioned Brittney on this page before (probably obsessively), so it’s no surprise that I would include her.  Her vocal range is a three-octave Mezzo Soprano, occasionally dipping into smooth alto drones, a powerhouse of insane high notes delivered expertly.  Some of the notes I’ve heard her hit live are so far into the stratosphere, I don’t think I’ve heard anything higher but it would take measuring to find out.  It’s not just her range, but her vocal stamina to do an hour and a half long sets of seemingly impossible high notes and long controlled notes.  She effortlessly controls her notes, keeping perfect pitch over six second long sustains. It’s shockingly good. She also has an addictive quality to her voice that immerses you into the concept albums.  Once you’re hooked, you can’t stop listening to the emotive yet so effortless technicality of Brittney and the whole band.

For me, “Legacy” is a song that her voice captivates on.  Her harmonies, range, and smooth delivery hit hard.  But, there are many mind-blowing songs of UTA and her feature on Arjen Lucassen’s Star One “Fate of Man” that will surprise new listeners and even drop some jaws.  “Frozen Steel” has one of the highest notes I’ve ever heard.  No matter where you start in Brittney’s catalog, she is a must-hear singer for all music fans.

  1. Sabrina Valentine Cruz- Seven Kingdoms

Sabrina is one of the most surprising vocalists I’ve ever seen live.  I had heard a couple of Seven Kingdoms’ songs before seeing them open for Unleash the Archers. But, I had no idea what I was in for in the live setting.  Sabrina’s voice is unbelievably strong live.  There’s no thinning, no drop-offs, very few effects, and no backing tracks.  She is smooth and gargantuan in the delivery of soaring Power Metal notes.  I think I was in honest disbelief for their entire set because I had no idea what to expect.  She covers so many styles and techniques in one set; Switching from operatic open notes to soaring high Power Metal wails to Twang to extremely long-held notes, it’s a whirlwind.    It’s surprising because she’s this 4”9 or so burger slipper-wearing badass that just blows the roof off any venue.  She’s now one of my favorite vocalists because of her emotive and unpretentious approach to vocals.  She’s incredibly easy to connect with on and off the stage.   Every song of theirs is amazing, but the one that grabbed me the most vocally is “Valonqar”.  I truly believe this song is a masterpiece and a thematic track you’d never expect from a Power Metal band.  SK is not huge yet by any means, but I foresee many others connecting with this incredible band very soon.

  1. Noa Gruman- Scardust

Scardust is a band that came out of nowhere for me.  I try to keep up with everything happening with women in Metal, but I somehow slept on this absolute dynamo of a vocalist.  Noa Gruman is a Classically trained Soprano from the beautiful and unassuming Metal land of Israel.  I’ve been following Patty Gurdy for a while, so when the video for “Concrete Cages” came out it popped up on my Youtube feed.  I had never heard Noa sing, so this song was an overwhelming blast of new sounds and uniqueness.  It took four whole watches of this video for the immensity to settle in, and when it did, it hit me like a revelation.  Noa Gruman is, in my opinion, one of the greatest vocalists of all time.  She shows such versatility, switching from operatic to absolutely insane gutturals in a millisecond, and then scatting a vocal solo, to monophonic style indigenous to the Middle East.  All that can happen in one track, even just a verse.  I have never heard anything like her vocal style(s).  It’s refreshing and a completely new take on Metal vocals.  Scardust’s tribute to Nightwish live videos is also something magnificent to behold.

  1. Cammie Gilbert-  Oceans of Slumber

    I may be extremely biased in writing a piece about Cammie Gilbert, but I’m going to anyway because I find her underrated and not talked about enough.  Cammie Gilbert is the biggest influence on me in female vocals of all time.  Her emotive and tonal quality is simply divine in every way.  She has a voice that transcends Metal, dipping into classic Doom Metal, Operatic, Blues, and Jazz.  It’s an effortless powerful croon that moves the soul, whether it’s into the darkness or the light.  Her voice dances upon the melody and is smooth yet unpredictable.  You never know what direction it’s going to go in.   I strongly dislike comparing vocalists, and Cammie Gilbert is incomparable.  My first introduction to Oceans of Slumber was “Winter” and it was unlike anything I’ve ever heard in Metal.  It’s a Melodic moving song where Cammiei uses rhythmic singing to dance on top of the melody in almost a spoken word or Rapping sense.  It’s just a beautiful heart-wrenching track with her vocals as the centerpiece.  The cover of “House of the Rising Sun” is also a sensational track that showcases the undeniable talent of Cammie as a cornerstone vocalist.

  1. Chibi- The Birthday Massacre

    The Birthday Massacre isn’t Metal, but the band has some hefty tracks that will surprise you.  TBM is an eclectic mix of Gothic Rock, Darkwave, Synth Wave, and Atmospheric themes and they are brilliant.  There’s nothing out there quite like them right now   They’ve created their own genre of music.  A big attributing factor is Chib’s approach to vocals.  Her pitch control, melodic intelligence, and easy delivery of crystal clear vocals are the cornerstone of the band.  She’s a deceptively incredible vocalist; The melodies sound so simple and easy, but their phrasing is so long and varied, that it takes immense breath and pitch control to deliver.  Her dynamics range from soft whispers, belting, sweet vocals, and insane demon-like growls.  Yes, Chibi growls on many tracks like Destroyer, No Tomorrow, and one of their classic Blue.  seeing her perform all three in person this spring was an otherworldly experience.  You won’t believe the power of her voice live.  I was jaw-droppingly floored by her live vocals, but also the sound this band creates.  I’m a sucker for the “Wall of Sound” style production, and this band delivers it perfectly live.

  1. Charlotte Wessels

    Being a long-time fan of Delain, I had to include this unique and powerhouse of an ArtPop Gothic vocalist.  Charlotte Wessels received some ClassIc and Pop traIning during her early schooling, but ultimately took her love of Kate Bush, Thom Yorke, and Nick Cave into her vocal style.  All of these amazing influences combined and taken into a Metal theme were transformative in Symphonic Metal and in her new solo ventures.  She’s a singer you can pick out of any crowd.  She has this sweet and softness switching from head voice to a slightly nasal twang indicative of Alternative Music, powerful belting, beautiful effortless falsetto, and Soprano Operatic, and then surprisingly deep clear growls.  I have never heard anything quite like Charlotte’s voice and I don’t think we ever will.  Her leaving Delain was heartbreaking, but her solo music is a whole new world of Art and expression with all aspects of her amazing voice.  I don’t think there’s anything she can’t do with her range of exquisiteness, and I can’t wait to hear what she does next.

  1. Heidi Parviainen- Dark Sarah

Heidi is a hidden gem among this newfound wave of female vocalists in Metal, but she’s been singing for two decades with great bands like Amberian Dawn.  Heidi has truly come into her own as a distinctive Operatic Soprano and thematic singer with Finnish Dark Sarah.  One of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard is undoubtedly “Melancholy”.  Heidi’s vocals are all-enveloping, sucking you into whatever theme or emotion there is to convey and Melancholia is indicative of everything she has to offer.  She is so clear and has perfect diction no matter how high she sings.  She has some of the smoothest and cleanest vibratos in the world of Metal and even Opera.  Dark Sarah is a whole audible world you can get lost in, and Heidi is the rabbit you follow into the hole.

  1. Fabienne Erni- Eluveitie

One of my top vocalists on this list is Eluveitie’s newest addition and founder of Illumashade.  Fabienne is originally a Folk Singer and Celtic Harpist, but her introduction into Metal has been the catalyst for her speedy growth.  She is unafraid of trying a wide range of styles and vocal tones, making her an ultimate experimentalist.  Her Soprano range blasts into Harmonics and Whistle Tones, making Mariah Carey sound quite amateur.  Fabienne’s range and pitch are truly unbelievable, even rising to Alpina Yodels at stratosphere notes.  She never fails to surprise, take your breath away,  inspire in Battle, and emote into tears.  Her vocal mastery of the classic seemingly impossible Eluveitie track “A Rose For Epona” is what sold me into fandom.  But, as far as Metal vocals go, the new song “Aidus” is one of her most impressive feats. She is yet another singer on this list with no limits to her voice.  I am always impressed by anything she does, even Disney covers that easily top the originals.

  1. Lena Scissorhands- Infected Rain

If you’re looking for a band throwing back to the Nu-Metal Industrial era with a female lead singer, there is simply no better band than Infected Rain.  This band is an absolutely brutal mix of Melodeth and industrial music, not unlike Fear Factory, Korn, Slipknot, and Static X.  Lena Scissorhands is a relentless guttural growler and harmonic screamer is a complete assault of sound and emotion.  As far as growlers go, she’s easily one of the best I have heard, reminding me so much of the growling rap-like lines of Corey Taylor.  I have always preferred her gutturals to that of Tatiana and Diva Satanica, but it’s just a personal preference of tone and delivery.  She brings something different to cleans as well.  It’s the switch between complete all-out gutturals and screams to insanely smooth melodic vocals that shocks me.  Not a lot of singers can do this, and Lena does it so well and expertly.  She’s one of the most unique vocalists on this list, I think.

  1. Alessia Scoletti of Temperance

    Despite having three incredible vocalists, I don’t see Temperance listed or talked about much.  It’s a shame because Temperance is an incredible band of immense talent.  Maybe they came about at the same time as Amaranthe are were unfortunately overlooked.  Sometimes when you have multiple bands come out with a similar sound or shtick, like three vocalists, one of them suffers.  People get turned off by market saturation, but comparing bands is a ridiculous part of music culture, especially in Metal.  Alessia has an insanely good Soprano range and power behind very fast sung notes, ranging from Symphonic Metal and Power Metal and also Folk.  Alessia blew me away the first time I heard her sing.  It was not what I expected.  I was expecting more of a Pop vocal with a lot of Electronic rendering, but her vocals are clean and clear as can be.  “Gaia” is one of my favorite songs of all time and features Alessia’s wonderful voice in its purest form.  If you like a lot of different influences and catchy Modern Metal with insane vocals, Temperance is perfect for you.

  1. Clémentine Delauney- Visions of Atlantis

I have listened to VoA for a long time through many band changes, which is oddly common in Symphonic Metal, and I’ve dug the progression of this band.  I was also a huge fan of Serenity when they hit the scene and opened for Delain.  So, I’m not sure why it took me so long to get into VoA of Clementine as I loved her with Serenity, but I made up for it.  “Pirates” the latest offering has been one of my most played albums of the year.  I reviewed this album a couple of months back and truly fell in love with it.  Clementine’s performance on this record and everything she’s sung on is brilliant but so smooth and understated.  She has a powerful voice, but shows amazing restraint and floats upon the melody.  When it calls for it she belts with accurate Soprano vibrato.  She sounds like an Elf, whether she’s lullabying or battle crying, it sounds otherwordly.  She is truly an amazing vocalist with an immense range.  Every project she’s on is so different, too.  Exit Eden is a quadruple threat of Symphonic singers covering Pop songs in Metal formats.  Serenity is a Symphonic Gothic Theatrical band.  Whyzdom was a French philharmonic Heavy Metal band.  Now, VoA is a powerhouse of Symphonic Metal and keeping this classic genre alive.  She can truly sing in just about any format.  So, It’s difficult to just pick one song to showcase her vocals, but I have to go with my favorite off of “Pirates”

  1. Alissa White-Gluz- Arch Enemy

This list is mostly a showcase of Clean Vocals and switching between growling and cleans, so maybe it’s odd to include Alissa.   But if you’ve heard any of the new Arch Enemy tracks you’d understand.  Alissa is arguably one of the greatest growlers of all time, but she has evolved her vocal range as AE progresses into an amazing new era.  I have always loved both her cleans and gutturals from the days of The Agonist.  I feel like AE has only raised her to become the frontwoman she always had in her, though.  Her breath control and range in her screams are unprecedented.  She can switch from low chest rattling gutturals to harmonic-held screams without losing clarity, diction, or breath control.  I dare say her vocal cords are a modern marvel.  Her voice seems to get better and better which age, only growing more powerful with each year.  

     Alissa’s cleans are no exception to the new progression.  They are exponentially powerful on the new AE singles.  It took me by surprise when she started belting.  AE rarely includes a lot of cleans.  But, when you have a singer that can do a wide range of techniques clinically, it’s hard not to showcase how talented your bandmembers are.  Her powerful belting is unlike anything I’ve ever heard.  It’s a power belt from the chest but sounds raspy with a hint of fast vibrato.  It’s almost dual vocal harmonic and it’s mindblowing how much sound she can produce.  Many fans think this addition puts AE in danger of becoming like any other band with female vocals, but that’s the misogynistic mind talking and assuming all bands with a girl at the mic sound the same.  Allissa’s vocals, clean or heavy stand out in any format.  I think this is the strongest era of AE yet and can’t wait to hear what they do next.

  1. Cristina Scabbia- Lacuna Coil

    No great frontwoman list is complete without the Italian legend Soprano.  Cristina Scabbia has one of the most remarkable voices of the century.  You know instantly who it is upon the first note she sings.  She has built a unique vocal experience that diversifies with the emotion of each song.  She tells a story with every piece and captivates the listener.  She has one of the clearest dictions I have ever heard, causing you to hang on to every word she says.  Her voice has become an iconic mainstay in Metal with hits like Heaven’s a Lie. Our Truth, Within Me, Reckless, Swamped, and Layers of Time her impact on the genre is undeniable.  She’s the first female singer in Metal I ever heard.  I’ve been hooked ever since.  She never fails to amaze me on records or perfect live recordings.

  1. Sharon Den Adel- Within Temptation

    Being the first Symphonic Metal singer I’d ever heard, Sharon exceeded all expectations.  I didn’t even know the genre existed at the time.  She opened a new world for me, and it turned out to be a Narnia-scale experience.  Even after fifteen years, this band is still unmatched for me.  Sharon is an untrained Operatic Soprano that has no high range limits.  She sings up into the stratosphere with perfect pitch and clarity, all while retaining incredible emotion beyond most other bands in the genre.  Sharon’s style is so unique and fluid between tracks, but always recognizable.  You always know it is her by the depth of tone and ease of her singing, but it can be poppy, heavy, sweet,  or soaringly operatic depending on the theme.  When I say heavy I don’t mean growling of course, but short and stabby notes full of anger or pain.  She is one of the consistently high singers I’ve ever heard and it’s truly astounding.  After twenty years, she still sounds the same as well during classics like Jillian.  It’s difficult to describe the captivating qualities of her voice, but upon your first listen, you’ll know what I mean right away.

  1. Simone Simons- Epica

    Simone Simons is a Classically trained and Pop trained vocalist from the Symphonic Metal headquarters of the Netherlands.  As you may or may not know, I am a diehard Epica fan.  Epica is the first Metal headlining band I saw.  I had been to Paramore concerts, but never a Metal show, and this show is still one of my favorites after ten years.  Epica is one of those bands that converts many to Symphonic Metal because of their unique blend of Death Metal, Speed Metal, Neoclassical, and Opera.  I truly believe they are one of the greatest bands of all time because every member is a virtuoso in some way.  A huge reason for the perfectionist quality, especially in a live setting, is lead vocalist Simone Simons.  She is the most flawless live vocalist in Metal today.  She is pitch-perfect, always has clear diction, is always rhythmically perfect, and truly defies the normal box of a Metal vocalist.  I think Simone is unique because she combines different styles showing technical perfection but also keeps the storytelling of Epica as well as her own emotions in the music.  It’s a truly astoundingly beautiful combination that is common in the Symphonic Metal genre, but Simone has perfected it.  She has taken the idea of Operatic vocals In Metal and taken it to the absolute pinnacle. She typically sings in a range that is the most difficult of all the ranges in female voice.  I will include a technical reaction explaining her prowess below as well.  I am always blown away by her vocals no matter what technique or how much vibrato she applies.  She is one of my favorites undoubtedly, so I am very biased, but my opinion is seated on her sheer technical ability.  Not to compare singers, because that’s ridiculous.  I could truly write about this singer and many great vocal moments in Epica, but I will save it for another article.  I will let the video below speak for me.

  1. Erica Ohlson- Melalite

One of the biggest surprises of the year for me was stumbling upon Metalite’s cover of Full Moon by the great Sonata Arctica.  I often frequent Metal covers to see how bad startup bands butcher songs, and this was a cover I expected to laugh at.  To my surprise, this cover is absolute perfection in every way, but Erica blew me away vocally.  This is an extremely difficult song as are all Sonata Arctica tracks.  Erica brought her own Pop/Power vocal style to the track and it’s an intriguing rendition.  I don’t know much about this band or Metalite yet, but from listening to their latest album, A Virtual World (2021), there’s a lot to take in besides this amazing cover.  Erica has a unique voice, a lower range than a lot of others on this list, and can yet belt into a higher range as well.  I am so far very impressed by her voice.

  1. Noora Louhimo- Battle Beast

Yet another amazing singer in Power Metal, Noora from the heavy Power Metal band has her very own style that defies the female voice box.  I have never heard a female vocalist dip in and out of a distorted vocal quite like Noora.  It’s intense on tracks like “Black Ninja” and “Out of Control”.  The newer albums of Battle Beast have less of this fast vibrato almost vocal fry from Noora and more of a Power belt which is equally surprising.  She has so many different vocal approaches, especially when you factor in softer ballad-esque singing like “Angle Cry” and “Endless Summer”.  I think Noora is one of the best vocalists I have ever seen.  She is always flawless live no matter the vocal technique.  She uses so much rasp, some twang, alto belting, and high screams all in one song.  It’s almost overwhelming in a good way.  I love a wall of sound, and Noora’s voice is a huge punch of sound.

  1. Melissa Bonny- Ad Infinitum 

    One of the newest debut singers on this list, Melissa Bonny of Swiss origins is a diverse warm vocalist.  Her vocals are a perfect example of “beauty and the beast” style but in one human being.  This style became very sought after when Lacuna Coil hit the scene, and many bands after have leaned into that (Within Temptation, Epica, Amaranthe).  She has a warmer tone that most singers on this list, often a softer approach.  It’s not a typical Metal approach to cleans.  Often I associate Metal vocals as short, stabby, distorted, loud, and aggressive.  The umbrella of Metal vocals has grown drastically from the days of Black Sabbath and Metallica.  It’s inviting in some incredible new vocalists like Melissa, whilst exposing the elitist fans that have an outdated idea of genre parameters.  A genre that doesn’t grow or change will die, and we need singers like Floor and Melissas and the rest of this list to keep Metal alive.

I went on a tangent there, sorry.  But, Melissa’s vocals are just that surprising and epic to inspire such a passionate response.  The first time I heard her with Rage of Light, I honestly couldn’t believe the dynamics in her vocals.  Ad Infinitum and Feuerschwanz also highlight her incredible range of vocals.  Anything this singer does seems to turn to gold.  So I included a track from the supergroup she leads with a feature from the wonderful Charlotte Wessels.  There is truly brilliant harmony in this song and just stunning vocals from both vocalists.  Obviously, Ad Infinitum features more of Melissa’s dynamics, but anyone who can nail an Enya cover is vastly impressive to me.

  1. Elize Ryd- Amaranthe

    Elize Ryd is kind of a dark horse on the list.  She is not typically included in these lists, because Amaranthe is a trio and sadly it seems like sometimes her vocals are more of a feature than a key role.  I find this to be a mistake in the writing, but glad to see the latest albums to have her soloing on songs.  Because I truly believe Elize is one of the best vocalists, her voice could stand alone in a band.  But Amaranthe has a shtick with having a trio of vocalists, a growler, a Pop style vocalist, and a Power Metal male vocalist.  This has drastically worked in their favor and made them highly successful.  Elize Ryd is a key ingredient to that success.   She is a singer deeply rooted in Pop and Theatrical style vocals and inserts effortlessly into the Power Metal, Electronic, and Hard Rock style of Amaranthe.  Her upper range is absolutely spectacular.  This is a vocalist that can do incredible scales that would put Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey to shame, fill in for Nightwish expertly on two hours’ notice, and belt some of the highest notes I have ever heard live without working up to them.  The highest I’ve heard her go is on the live versions of “Dynamite” in the intro and the bridge of “Dream” live, which I have featured on my compilation videos.  

My first encounter with Elize’s incredibly powerful vocals was on Sacrimony by Kamelot, however.  I was absolutely addicted to this song, very much because of her prowess and ability to harmonize with the great Tommy Karevik.  She surprised me because I had no idea what to expect.  Kamelot always features great singers, but this song is my favorite with a featured vocalist.

  1. Jennifer Haben- Beyond the Black

    One of my favorite vocalists on this list, Jennifer Haben has been delivering Power Metal Theatrical vocals for ten years now, and yet I rarely meet anyone else that has heard of her.  I think this is a crime.  With amazing vocals on tracks like “Horizons”, “Through the Mirror”, “Hallelujah”, and “Shine and Shade” she is vastly underrated.  She has one of the best falsetto vocals I’ve ever heard without dipping into an Operatic head voice.  She’s a singer that belts from the chest while adding a very American twang.  Her tonal quality is so rich and heavy with emotion, that it becomes addictive very quickly.  She is so unique because she pulls from so many different influences. She has so far mentioned Miley Cyrus, Corey Taylor, Amy Lee, and Within Temptation as musical and vocal influences.  This is an eclectic mix to me but works so well in this Power Symphonic-infused Metal and Hard Rock band.  It’s hard to describe all the ways Jennifer is great as a vocalist because there’s so much emotion behind this feature.  Beyond the Black and her voice are what got me through Covid and a mystery illness that left me bedridden for three months.  This band means a lot to me, but it doesn’t even cover how truly amazing this band is and the quality of every single track.  I think the song below is a perfect way to close out this article.  

Honorable Mentions:  These singers below are also incredible beyond belief and so unique, but didn’t fit my prompt for the article.  They may not be Metal singers, ranging more into the Hard Rock category or maybe not one of my favorites, but still amazing.  I won’t go into full depth on each singer as this article is probably already longer than it needs to be.

Laura Guldemond of Burning Witches

Moriah Formica of Plush

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBJEkMoTnU0

Lzzy Hale of Halestorm

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Angel Wolf Black

Adrienne Cowan

Thank you so much for reading!  Who did I miss?  Who are your favorites?  Let me know below!

New Metal To Be Excited About 2022

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June 2022

Fabienne Erni of Eluveitie in Aidus

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.

https://rebellionrepublic.com/products/brands/arch-enemy/

Eluveitie

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.

https://www.xandria.de/

Helloween

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK8mw2X-4ug

Seven Kingdoms

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.

Out June 17th-

https://sevenkingdoms.bigcartel.com/?fbclid=IwAR13KSlVzZOxRghWNoQLg64a53ohiIfGN-M8F4w4zkh8vGfmwmMVcS2OybI

Amon Amarth

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.

https://www.amonamarth.com/

Oceans of Slumber

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.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dark-sarah-attack-of-orym#/

Devin Townsend

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

https://www.loudersound.com/features/devin-townsends-new-album-lightwork-is-about-hope-and-strength-dont-give-up

Honorable Mentions

Polyphia

The Halo Effect

BAM! Xandria Are Back

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Xandria 2022

Symphonic Metal Juggernauts are back! We hadn’t heard much from the German band since Dianne Van Giersbergen’s exit after “Theater of Dimensions” in 2017, and I was beginning to worry. The titans led by guitarist, founder, and writer Marco Heubaum was founded in 1994 and has been formidable ever since despite much drama and lineup changes. The band is known for beautiful melodies, heavy riffs, soaring operatic vocals, and epic tales of battle and mental delirium. I’ve been a fan of this band since my European Metal crusade began. I’ve found them to be underrated and unjustly overshadowed by “biguns” like Nightwish. Xandria is one of the best Symphonic Metal bands I have ever seen live (opening for Sonata Arctica in 2014). I fell in love with the music during the Manuela Kraller era, and it broke my heart to see her go, but faith has been restored with “Reborn”.

Xandria’s Marco Release Statement:

Dear Xandria fans, Xandria is finally reborn. It has been quite a journey so far, and a new journey is about to begin right now. There will be a lot to come still, and “Reborn” is just the first sign of life for all of you amazing fans out there. Thank you so much for your patience and support, in this time needed to be coming back to life! We cannot even begin to tell you how much we appreciate the warm welcoming words of many of you in the last days! Thank you all! We truly hope you will be enjoying this new song! It tells you about the time when you feel that something very precious in your life, the passion that you give all your heart into, is about to die – and that you need all your strength for going through a hard time in which you have to painfully sacrifice and leave behind things, to let it be reborn. There definitely was a lot of passion and heart going into this song, too. “Reborn” also introduces our new singer Ambre Vourvahis, who for us is the perfect match for the new Xandria you are going to experience! You will hear something more about her very soon! In this song you can hear already a few of her diverse voice facettes, but she will show you quite some more still, so be prepared for some surprises… As you can see there are also a few other new faces. Their names are: Dimitrios Gatsios (drums), Tim Schwarz (bass) and Rob Klawonn (guitar). You will soon learn more about these both great people and musicians, too! Our former members went on to new musical endevours, and we wish all of them the best for the future, in gratefulness and respect for the times we shared and everything that they have done for Xandria. We want to share a statement of the long time members Philip, Gerit and Marco with you all: “After a long journey together, during which we were sharing great experiences, but as well have developed in different directions, we have decided that it is time for each of us to go our own way. We would like to thank the fans for the many wonderful memories, and wish each other all the best for the future. See all of you soon out there with our new or old projects. The music will be connecting us all still! Philip, Gerit and Marco”

Review of Pirates by Visions of Atlantis

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5/23/2022

10 minute read

    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.

https://www.visionsofatlantis.at/

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















			

	


			
				


	

							
“Not Just Tits In a Corset” by Jillian Hughes Kirtland Review
						

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As a fan of female vocals, I am always interested in learning more about how women contribute to Metal.  Not Just Tits In a Corset should be revered as a “game changing” book, as so many front women in the book strive to utterly destroy stereotypes about women in metal.  Doro Pesch and author Jillian Hughes Kirtland went to great lengths to create this book, that’s obvious from the great quality.  The book is truly a celebration of how far Metal as come with gender equality, but also how much it still needs to be progressed.  The book features the best vocalists and instrumentalists from all over the world, candidly discussing their personal accounts and stories about being in Metal as a woman.  It features vocalists and instrumentalists Cristina Scabbia, Charlotte Wessels, Morgan Lander, Alissa White Gluz, Angela Gossow, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Maria Brink, Lzzy Hale, Elize Ryd, Floor Jansen, Tarja Turunen, Simone Simons, Lita Ford, and so many more incredible talents.  Each account in the book from the contributing musicians is inspiring, intelligent, and honest.  The words written in this book are incredibly powerful and reflect the power these incredible artists have on and off the stage.




Not Just Tits In a Corset deserves to be globally revered and a multi targeted book, as a guide and as a testament to how society is still not handling gender equality correctly.  This book’s message is so perfectly clear and accessible to anyone, not just Metal fans or aspiring young women.  This book has changed the way I will go about reviews on this website.  “Female Metal” is not a genre and I honestly feel mislead by other review sites and record companies.  Women in Metal are still a minority, but the amount is rapidly growing as the trailblazers in this book have inspired so many.  One day, I hope the message of this book is spread throughout all areas of society and not just music.  If you want this change or even don’t want this change, read Not Just Tits In a Corset.  It will inspire you, no matter who you are.

			

	


			
				


	

							
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

			

	


			
				


	

							
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.

			

	


			
				


	

							
Within Temptation Premier New Trailer For “Let Us Burn”
						

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Dutch Symphonic Metal band, Within Temptation, release a new insight video to their live DVD “Let Us Burn”.  The video features tour and live footage, as well as live audio of Covered By Roses.  The DVD/CD release comes out November 14th, you can preorder the release on the website below.  The DVD features 2 concerts, one celebrating their first release Elements, and the other celebrating their new compilation Hydra.  It’s a very unique DVD, because of how much content it has on it.   I think it’s absolutely worth the money.


Watch Covered By Roses Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3id2LQGeYk&index=1&list=PLB4brr7vf-P6tw-xEeIFqRWeNWd21oeeO


Preoder Let Us Burn: http://www.within-temptation.com/orderletusburn/

			

	


			
				


	

							
Epica Premier New Video for Victims of Contingency
						

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Symphonic Metallers hailing from The Netherlands premier a smashing and medieval new video for their new song “Victims of Contingency” off of their latest album The Quantum Enigma. They once again create a gorgeous video for a brilliantly written track.  I absolutely love their videos and agree that “Victims of Contingency” was a great choice for a new video.


Watch here now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7IIYIFljZM