Author Andy Barker
2020 was a difficult year for most people and given the time, musicians in particular had to find their own different ways to deal with it. Many were very active on social media, posting blogs, lockdown videos, acoustic tracks and… Continue Reading →
It’s been a pleasure to watch and enjoy the musical path that Power Metallers Orden Ogan have been following since their impressive if slightly raw debut back in 2004. Whether it be the heavily Running Wild influenced early releases, and… Continue Reading →
Although Pagan Metal band :Nodfyr: (yes, that’s how they like their name to be written) have been around for a few years, honing and sculpting their already distinctive sound, this is actually their debut full length release. Hailing from Gelderland… Continue Reading →
It was back in 2014 when I last heard Geramany’s own soundtrack to the beautiful Rhön Mountains, Empyrium’s last full-length outing “The Turn Of The Tides”. An Empyrium album is always an immersive and emotive display, and this latest offering… Continue Reading →
Immediately, there’s a sense that Evergrey aren’t messing around. A bit of a drum fill, the main riff of ‘Forever Outsider’ starts pummelling you, the instantly recognisable enigmatic vocals wash in and Evergrey’s 12th full length offering of their illustrious… Continue Reading →
Label-defying, genre-mashing Metal band Lake Of Tears have been quiet since “Illwill” way back in 2011 – but then 9 albums over a period of almost 30 years isn’t the most hastened of workloads. But in that time over those… Continue Reading →
Fans of Symphonic Metal band Midnight Eternal are possibly by now wondering where the hell the follow up to that impressive 2016 debut has got to. Well, basically this is it. After rather acrimoniously falling out with their previous vocalist… Continue Reading →
Marco Garau will be a familiar name to some of you as keyboardist for Italian Symphonic Metallers Derdian. On this side project he uses the vocal talents of Anton Darusso (Wings Of Destiny), guitarists Gabriel Tuxen (Seven Thorns) and Matt… Continue Reading →
January 2021, trapped once more in lockdown, short days, cold wet weather, surely one way to try to raise the spirits would be with a new Korpiklaani album? A bit of unbridled up-tempo folk metal to raise the January mood,… Continue Reading →
Well, here’s me thinking I’ve stumbled across a previously unreleased German Metal album from the 80’s that’s been remixed and remastered for 2021 and it turns out that it’s the debut release from a brand new German Metal band! Are… Continue Reading →
Surely with a name like that we’re in for a cross between Firewind and Dragonforce? Well…not really, there’s a bit of Firewind in the music but thankfully Belgian Metallers Fireforce stop well short of the fast-as-you-can theatrics of Dragonforce. Actually,… Continue Reading →
I don’t think it’s derogatory to say that there are a number of Power Metal bands which fans of the genre tend to rely on for not only turning out quality product on a regular basis, but also for being… Continue Reading →