Tag Archives: symphonic rock

Album review: LEAVES EYES – The Last Viking, Midsummer Version

Posted on September 14, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 17.09.21] Leaves Eyes’ latest release, The Last Viking, Midsummer Version, is a multi media concept album, a high impact audiovisual story. The “Last Viking” was Harald III of Norway, known as Harald Hardrada (Harald the Hard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1066, AFM Records, album, Audiovisual, Celtic, DVD, England, folk metal, Harold Hardrada, Norway, review, symphonic rock, YouTube | Leave a comment

Album review: ANETTE OLZON – Strong

Posted on September 1, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [release date 10.09.21] A Symphonic Rock album for the ABBA generation, Anette (Dark Element/ Nightwish) Olzon’s collaboration with maestro, Magnus Karlsson, titled Strong, is huge, confident and full of heartstopping hooks. It has a lovely gloss to it… … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Allen/Lande/Hearthealer//Freefall, Anette Olzon, Dark Element, Frontiers Records, Magnus Karlsson, Nightwish, review, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: INNER STREAM – Stain The Sea

Posted on July 14, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 16.07.21] Produced by talented Argentinian producer, Guillermo De Medio, Inner Stream’s debut album, Stain The Sea is a minor delight of Symphonic Metal, programmed sounds and Gothic Rock. The band is primarily singer/songwriter, Inez Vera Ortiz, who … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Evanescence, Frontiers, gothic rock, Guillermo De Medio, Inner Stream, Rata Blanca, review, symphonic rock, Tarja Turunen, Vera Ortiz, Within Temptation | Leave a comment

Album review: NERGARD – Eternal White

Posted on June 5, 2021 by brianmc

Pride & Joy Music [release date 21.04.21] Norwegian musician/songwriter/producer, Andreas Nergard creates symphonic experiences which enthrall audiences. The fact that he uses “Metal” as his chosen vehicle is almost incidental. You could add that the fact he uses voices is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Eternal White, Finland, Nergard, Norway, pop metal, power metal, Pride & Joy Music, review, Sweden, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ARION – Vultures Die Alone

Posted on April 2, 2021 by brianmc

AFM [release date: 9.04.21] Over the 10 years since their debut, Arion have swapped teenage Eurovision notoriety for cutting edge symphonic rock. Like other Power Metal bands, their music is emphatic, and heavy on the drama. They know how to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album review, Arion, AVANTASIA, Kamelot, power metal, Stratovarius, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: METALITE – A Virtual World

Posted on March 23, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date 26.03.21] Coming soon to a Melodic Metal dancefloor near you, Metalite and their third album, A Virtual World. Afficionados will already know the band incorporate elements of trance and electronica into their streamlined melodic metal variant. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged A Virtual World, AFM Records, Amaranthe, dance, Jacob Hansen, Metalite, power metal, symphonic rock, Within Temptation | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACK ROSE MAZE

Posted on August 16, 2020 by jason

Frontiers Records [Release date 07.08.20] Black Rose Maze is Quebecois singer, Rosa Larichiutta. She comes to us via a major Canadian song contest, by way of The Trans Siberian Orchestra. So if you’re immediately imagining rock opera, and you’d be … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Black Rose Maze, melodic, review, rock, Rosa Larichiutta, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Singles review: DREAMS OF AVALON – Under the Gun & Young Wild Hearts

Posted on August 16, 2020 by jason

Two teaser tracks released over the last month by Joachim (Astral Doors) Nordlund’s Melodic Rock band, Dreams Of Avalon. The full album “Beyond The Dream” is due for release at the end of August, by the Metalville label. It’s unadulterated … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged AOR, Astral Doors, Dreams Of Avalon, Joachim Nordlund, melodic rock, review, singles, symphonic rock, Under the Gun, Young Wild Hearts | Leave a comment

Book review: THE MOODY BLUES – Every Album, Every Song (On Track) by Geoffrey Feakes

Posted on October 10, 2019 by jason

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 22.08.19] The format follows the tried and tested Every Album, Every Song formula by tackling each album in chronological order. In this book though Feakes adds in piece about the album cover – the Moody Blues … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, classic rock, Every Album, Every Song, Geoffrey Feakes, Graeme Edge, John Lodge, JUSTIN HAYWARD, On Track, orchestral rock, pop, Ray Thomas, review, rock, Sonic Bond Publishing, symphonic rock, The Moody Blues | Leave a comment

Album review: RENAISSANCE – A Symphonic Journey (CD/DVD)

Posted on October 19, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Annie Haslam chatted to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio shortly before Renaissance’s UK dates in April 2015. This hour special includes tracks from the band’s albums. Symphonic Rock Recordings [Release date: 14.09.18] Bands to have hurdled a half century’s performing … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged A Symphonic Journey, album, Annie Haslam, DVD, interview, prog, Progressive Rock, radio, Renaissance, review, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: THE DARK ELEMENT (featuring Anette Olzon & Jani Liimatainen)

Posted on January 16, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Frontiers Records [Release date 10.11.17] After Anette Olzon’s unceremonious departure from Nightwish in 2012 she took stock, brushed herself down, and fashioned the beginnings of a solo career. ‘Shine’ was released in 2014 and was one of my favourite albums, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anette Olzon, Jani Liimatainen, Nightwish, pop metal, review, Sonata Arctica, symphonic metal, symphonic rock, The Dark Element | Leave a comment

Album review: VON HERTZEN BROTHERS – War Is Over

Posted on November 21, 2017 by petefeenstra

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 03.11.17] ‘War Is Over’ isn’t so much a concept album as a dramatic prog rock album with associated musical influences, ranging from classic, hard and symphonic rock, to more poppy and synth influences. There’s plenty … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anathema, Caravan, classic rock, Eric Norlander, Grateful Dead, hard rock, Jethro Tull, Kie Von Hertzen, King Crimson, Lana Lane, Paul Buckmaster, pop, prog rock, Pye Hastings, review, Robert Engstrand, symphonic rock, synth, Von Hertzen Brothers, War Is Over, Wishbone Ash, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: KOTEBEL – Cosmology

Posted on August 14, 2017 by petefeenstra

Musea [Release date 06.07.17] Kotebel is a Venezualan/Spanish prog rock band with classical and fusion influences. ‘Cosmology’ derives its title from the study of the universe and it’s an exploratory, quasi- conceptual prog album, that draws on composer and keyboard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adriana Plaza Engelke, album, Camel, Carlos Franco Vivas, Carlos Plaza Vegas, Cesar Garcia Forero, Cosmology, fusion, Genesis, Jaime Pascual Summers, Jethro Tull, Jorge Luis Borges, keyboards, King Crimson, Kotebel, Omar Acosta, prog rock, review, Robert Fripp, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ROYAL QUEST – The Tale Of Man

Posted on August 16, 2015 by david.wilson

Self Release ( Release date 22.05.15) This concept album is the brain child of guitarist and vocalist Yiannis Androulakakis and bass player Dennis Bekatoros and has been many years in the making. The two got together in 1999 and planned … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Angeliki Frangos, Eternal Champion Dennis Bekatoros, metal, Michael Moorcroft, rock, Royal Quest, symphonic rock, The Tale Of Man, Yiannis Androulakakis | Leave a comment

Album review: CHAOS MAGIC – Chaos Magic

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Phil Berisford

Frontiers Records [Release date 03.07.15] Chaos Magic is the band created by Frontiers as a showcase for Chilean vocalist Caterina Nix (Aghonya anyone?) with all song writing duties being supplied by that man Timo Tolkki…does he ever stop? First we … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aghonya, album, Caterina Nix, Chaos Magic, Jami Huovinen, review, Stratovarius, symphonic rock, Timo Tolkki | Leave a comment

Album review: KISKE SOMERVILLE – City of Heroes

Posted on April 9, 2015 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 17.04.15] Despite the rather unimaginative name, some of rock’s most respected names are behind this project. The singers are former Helloween and more recently Place Vendome singer Michael Kiske and Trillium singer and vocal coach Amanda … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Amanda Somerville, AOR, city of heroes, Helloween, Kiske Somerville, Magnus Karlsson, Mat Sinner, melodic rock, Michael Kiske, power metal, review, symphonic rock, Trillium | Leave a comment

Album review: NIGHTWISH – Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Posted on April 5, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Nuclear Blast [Release date 30.01.15] Delain’s April Rain (2009) was my introduction to symphonic rock/metal, and Within Temptation The Unforgiving (2011) completed my education. I’ve subsequently discovered that a little ‘symph’ goes a long, long way. Metal meets Eurovision is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Floor Jansen, metal, Nightwish, review, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE ENID – Union Chapel, London, 31 March 2015

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Davoski

Union chapel is already brim full of fans sat on the lines of wooden pews, making polite conversation when I arrive half an hour before the gig. Such is the anticipation of The Enid’s dedicated crowd of followers. I only … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Barclay James Harvest, gig, prog rock, review, Robert John Gregory, symphonic rock, The Bridge tour, The Enid, Union Chapel | Leave a comment

News: Prog Rockers Renaissance return with UK tour in April

Posted on March 21, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Annie Haslam chats to David Randall about Renaissance and the forthcoming tour. This is an un-broadcast extract from a longer interview that will form the basis of an hour special on Sunday 29 March at 22:00 on Get Ready to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged Annie Haslam, April 2015, classical rock, gigs, prog, Progressive Rock, Renaissance, symphonic rock, Tour, uk | Leave a comment

Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Court Of Conscience

Posted on August 24, 2014 by jason

[Released 08.09.14] This is the third album by UK based symphonic metal band Winter In Eden and they have upped the ante for this one, recording it in the Netherlands and it’s been produced by Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation). The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Court Of Conscience, Damian Wilson, Steve Johnson, symphonic metal, symphonic rock, Threshold, Vicky Johnson, Winter In Eden, Within Temptation | Leave a comment

Album review: THE LIVING – The Jungle Is Dark But Full Of Diamonds

Posted on April 16, 2013 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date: 01.12.12] In their own words,Vancouver band The Living try to: ‘bridge the gap between Western art music and popular styles, mixing traditional rock instrumentation with classical instruments’. Their challenging music and adventurous goals are … Continue reading →