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Tag Helloween

Blind Guardian – Beyond the Red Mirror (Nuclear Blast)

There are times when a band’s own distinctiveness can become a millstone around their neck – when the unique path that they forged can, as the years progress, begin to resemble something of a creative straitjacket compelling them to continue… Continue Reading →

Orden Ogan – Ravenhead (AFM)

German Power Metal has a history, a tradition. If you are going to step up and be the future of German Power Metal then you have to make damn sure you have it’s past covered. You can’t cover it all… Continue Reading →

Bloodbound – Stormborn (AFM)

Power Metal. Mocked by many, revered by some – but what exactly is it? For me it has encompassed so many bands that the actual genre is HUGE. In the 80’s it included acts as diverse as Running Wild, Savatage,… Continue Reading →

Derdian – Human Reset (S/R)

  I had the pleasure of reviewing Derdian’s last release, 2013’s self released “Limbo” for Ave Noctum, and the biggest surprise that 2014 holds (other than that the band have trusted me to review them again!) is that they still… Continue Reading →

The Dagger – S/T (Century Media)

“Born from Blues, raised on rock and forged in steel” are the nine words which open the press bio of The Dagger, a four piece Stockholm based hard rock band who generously take from both the blues and classic heavy… Continue Reading →

Falconer – Black Moon Rising (Metal Blade)

There are few power metal bands with a signature sound quite like Falconer. The unholy spiritual union of black metal, European speed metal and folk melodies all rolled tightly around the honeyed tones of Mathias Blad. Ok there are plenty… Continue Reading →

Sinbreed – Shadows (AFM)

Listening to this latest offering from Sinbreed is like being in a Power Metal wind tunnel! A relentless, galloping double-kick onslaught that when turned up loud feels like it’s blowing your hair back a-la Gromit’s ears. One after another, like… Continue Reading →

Freedom Call – Beyond (SPV)

It’s hard to know what to say about Freedom Call that hasn’t already been said in the many reviews written over the years. Self-confessed purveyors of ‘Happy Metal’, they are excellent at what they do. They don’t veer too far… Continue Reading →

Vanishing Point – Distant is the Sun (AFM)

With lashings of bombast, this album races off into fantasy-filled progressively power metal territory. There’s plenty of punch in the drumming, the vocals are heading towards epic lands and the chorus adds to the pomposity. It’s everything you’ve heard before… Continue Reading →

Black Messiah – Heimweh (AFM)

Unless my one school-year of German fails me, “Heimweh” means Homesickness. Or maybe Nostalgia…actually, I’m sorry, it did fail me – I Googled it like everyone else will! No surprise though – in a whole year of study, all I… Continue Reading →

Baden Metal Compilation Vol 2 – Flight Of The Griffin (Baden Metal)

Baden Metal’ (it sez ‘ere) is a German local scene support platform that has been on the go since 2002. It released it’s first compilation – an unsigned local Metal band compilation, back in 2008 called “Rise Of The Griffin”… Continue Reading →

Overtures – Entering the Maze (Sleaszy Rider)

I like Italian metal in general and of the prog-power fraternity I particularly like DGM and Kingcrow. There’s such an energy and creativity about them. I didn’t know Overtures but they’ve been going since 2003 and this is their third… Continue Reading →

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