Tag Stratovarius
OK, so as this is the band’s debut, maybe I should just mention how Northtale (NorthTale or North Tale whichever you prefer) came to be. U.D.O. guitarist Bill Hudson decided upon his departure from that band that what he really… Continue Reading →
A Symphonic Power Metal band…from Sweden…on Nuclear Blast…called Majestica? And right now the readership has split straight into two camps – the first who read that and went “Oh bloody hell, I know exactly what THAT will be like” and… Continue Reading →
It’s almost 4 years to the day that I had the unreserved pleasure of reviewing Divine Ascension’s previous release “Liberator”, and damn fine piece of Symphonic Metal it was too. Four years is a long time between releases and although… Continue Reading →
Sometimes association with past experiences can be misleading. A friend of mine lent me a CD by Dynazty a few years back when they were on Spinefarm – “I love this lot…and they sound like Dokken” he raved (not sure… Continue Reading →
American Metal band Halcyon Way have been defying categorization and side-stepping musical labels for over 10 years now and this 4th full-length offering continues to challenge critic’s carefully laid out boundaries. If Metal genres were neat wooden fences, Halcyon Way… Continue Reading →
We all know this bunch. Sonata Arctica are one of the big names in the Euro-Power metal scene, known for their bright nature, their technical chops, dramatic atmospheric ambience and most of all, the expressive and dynamic vocal delivery with… Continue Reading →
Day Two As we were walking into the amphitheatre it was clear that this was going to be a swelteringly hot day, and with some gems on the line up it promised to be a good day. Opening things were… Continue Reading →
Fifteen years ago Finnish Symphonic Power Metallers Thunderstone hit the ground running. Well, galloping actually, with a debut that got them straight into the top table of the genre. Full of speedy drums, catchy melodies and intricate guitar and keyboards,… Continue Reading →
I recognised the band name and remembered that I had heard this band’s first album “For Aeons Past”. I couldn’t remember anything else about it, which wasn’t a very promising start, but I did remember that Solution. 45 are from… Continue Reading →
I’ve had quite a few Israeli bands in my review pile this month from various quarters as this sextet releases a debut of ambitious power metal complete with soaring operatic vocals. I have a penchant for this scene that started… Continue Reading →
Back in 2007 I bought Powerwolf’s second album called “Lupus Dei” an unremarkable heavy cum power metal album that I listened to and largely ignored. Fast forward to 2013 and I decided to give them another try with “Preachers Of… Continue Reading →
I’m torn. Torn between championing the cause of a massively underrated and under-exposed Metal band, and the pride I feel when chatting about Progressive Metal to like minded people and playing them Silent Call – who invariably they have never… Continue Reading →