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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL- Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
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Tag Archives: symphonic metal
Album review : RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Challenge The Wind
AFM Records [Release date : 31.05.24] Fans of the Symphonic Metal genre will know ROF is a band big on concept. This new album, Challenge The Wind, is the third in their “Nephilim Empire Saga”. The second, Glory For Salvation, … Continue reading
Single review : RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Brave New Hope
AFM Records [out now] Rhapsody Of Fire’s vocalist, Giacomo Voli sounds more like Brother Firetribe’s Pekka Heino every day. Or maybe it’s the other way round. Those expressive vocals, bringing a lyric to life, are hard to match. ‘Brave New … Continue reading
Album review : LEAVES’ EYES – Myths Of Fate
AFM Records [Release date : 22.03.24] Fans of the band, or even just the genre, will know that German Symphonic Metal band, Leaves’ Eyes are totally immersed in Nordic and Celtic mythology. Pipes, fiddles, choirs, growls, all spin up through … Continue reading
Album review: EXIT EDEN – Femme Fatales
Napalm Records [Release date 12.01.24] Exit Eden are down to the trio of Clémentine Delauney (Visions Of Atlantis), Anna Brunner (League Of Distortion) and Marina La Torraca (Phantom Elite), for this, their second album, after Amanda Somerville left the band … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged Amanda Somerville, Anna Brunner, Clémentine Delauney, Exit Eden, Femme Fatales, Heart, League Of Distortion, Marillion, Marina La Torraca, melodic metal, Napalm Records, Nightwish, Pet Shop Boys, Phantom Elite, symphonic metal, Visions Of Atlantis
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Album review : EVERDAWN – Venera
Frontiers [Release date 08.12.23] Classy and classic symphonic metal from Everdawn. Who could ask for more? This US band made a few waves with their debut, (when they were known as Midnight Eternal), only to have internal disputes lead to … Continue reading
Album review : EDGE OF PARADISE – Hologram
Frontiers [Release date: 14.07.23] Fresh off a ten date US tour with Lacuna Coil, Edge Of Paradise release Hologram, their fifth album, their third on Frontiers. The band is a duo comprising of Armenian/ Russian/ American singer, Margarita Monet, and … Continue reading
Album review : FALSE MEMORIES – Hybrid Ego System
Frontiers [Release date: 09.06.23] Guitarist, Francesco Savino founded False Memories in 2015, but it was only when he recruited vocalist, Rossella Moscatelli in 2018 that the band’s career gained some momentum. We reviewed the debut, The Last Night Of Fall … Continue reading
Album title: BEYOND THE BLACK – Beyond The Black
Nuclear Blast [Release date 13.01.23] Fifth album from Beyond The Black and the third since the 2014 revamped line-up which left vocalist Jenifer Haben as the sole original member. Beyond The Black is completed by lead guitarist Chris Hermsdörfer, rhythm … Continue reading
Album review: AVANTASIA – A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society
Nuclear Blast [Release date 21.10.22] The ninth studio album from Avantasia, the musical concept created by Tobias Sammet. Vocal wise the list is as impressive as ever with Bob Catley, Floor Jansen, Geoff Tate, Ronnie Atkins and Eric Martin amongst … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society, album, AVANTASIA, Bob Catley, Eric Martin, Floor Jansen, Jorn, metal, progressive metal, Ralph Scheepers, review, symphonic metal, theatrical, Tobias Sammet
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Album review: DRAGONLAND – The Power Of The Nightstar
AFM Records [Release date: 14.10.22] First album in ten years from Swedish Power/Melodic Metal band, Dragonland. A lot can change in ten years. A lot can stay the same. This is Dragonland expanded, more ambitious, with a finely developed movie … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Anders Hammer, Elias Holmlid, Hans Zimmer, Jacob Hansen, Jesse Lindskog, Johan Nunez, John Williams, Jonas Heidgert, melodic metal, Olof Mörck), power metal, review, symphonic metal
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Single review: DYNAZTY – Natural Born Killer
AFM Records [Release date: 26.08.22] Always underrated, Dynazty is one of the best metal bands around right now. On this single teaser, ‘Natural Born Killers’, they create a keyboard heavy, symphonic/melodic metal concoction that just bursts with energy and invention. … Continue reading
Album review: CHAOS MAGIC – Emerge
Frontiers [Release date 17.06.22] Underwhelming Symphonic Metal from Timo Tolkki “discovery”, Caterina Nix. This new release,Emerge, is a second collaboration between Nix and one of Frontiers’ South American songwriter/producer wunderkind, Nasson. The first, Furyborn, was released in 2019. Nasson’s production … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Caterina Nix, Chaos Magic, Emerge, Frontiers, Nasson, review, Stratovarius, symphonic metal, Timo Tolkki
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Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Social Fake
Firestreak Media [Release date 25.03.22] This is Winter In Eden’s fourth studio album and you may well be thinking: “I’ve never heard of them before”. You’re not alone. Although to be fair we were aware of their previous release ‘Court … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, progressive, review, rock, Social Fake, symphonic metal, symphonic rock, Winter In Eden
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Album review: BRIDEAR – Aegis Of Athena
Setsuzoku Records [Release date 13.05.22] All girl band, Bridear, from Fukuoka, Japan has created a global fanbase since its inception in 2014. Aegis of Athena is its third album. The band’s skilful merge of Melodic Metal and J-Pop might not … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Amaranthe. Operatic, Epica, Evanescence, heavy metal, J-Pop, melodic metal, progrock, review, rock, symphonic metal, Within Temptation
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Album review: JANI LIIMATEINAN – My Father’s Son
Frontiers [Release date: 06.05.22] “Solo” album from Sonata Arctica/ Insomnium/ Dark Element guitar man/ composer, Jani Liimateinen. Considering that he’s put this album together with a host of guest vocalists, the finished article is a strongly cohesive whole, with barely … Continue reading
Album review – SEMBLANT – Vermillion Eclipse
Frontiers [release date: 15.04.22] Semblant’s second album on the Frontiers label sees this Brazilian Melodic (Death) Metal band confidently cement its leading position in the “one to watch” category. The “Death” description is misleading, and only gets used in the … Continue reading
Album review: NEW HORIZON – Gate Of The Gods
Frontiers [Release date: 11.02.22] New Horizon is a H.E.A.T. splinter group, or splinter duo, to be precise. Being almost famous gives you room to try other things, and so Jonah Tee and Erik Gronwall have been given the opportunity to … Continue reading
Quick plays: BLACKLITE DISTRICT, NORTHTALE
BLACKLITE DISTRICT – 1990 AK19 Entertainment, LLC [Release date 31.12.21] Kyle Pfeiffer is better known by the name Blacklite District and has been releasing music since 2011. The album title gives a little clue to the sounds contained within, as the … Continue reading
Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Glory For Salvation
AFM Records [Release date 26.11.21] Italian symphonic metal legends Rhapsody (for that is what they were originally called) return with their 13th studio album and is the second in the The Nephilim’s Empire Saga concept series, and follows on from … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (July 2021 – September 2021)
EDGE OF PARADISE The Universe (Frontiers) It’s passionate, articulate symphonic metal, occasionally conducting lightning raids onto hard rock terrain… ****1/2 Review by Brian McGowan AMANDA LEHMANN Innocence And Illusion (indie) Lehmann is not afraid to explore different moods on this … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged albums, Amanda Lehmann., August 2021, blues rock, classic rock, Edge Of Paradise, heavy rock, Iron Maiden, July 2021, melodic rock, metal, Progressive Rock, review, September 2021, Steve Hackett, symphonic metal, the Petal Falls, Tommy Castro
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Album review: IAN PARRY’s ROCK EMPORIUM – Brute Force
Metal Mind [release date 14.07.21] Singer/songwriter, Ian Parry has always been master of his own destiny, moving from project to project and label to label over the course of his 30 year career. He counts Hammerhead, Elegy, Ayreon and Vengeance … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Allan Sorensen, Ayreon, Elegy, Hammerhead, Ian Parry, Kris Gildenlow, Lucas Sillito, Metal Mind, Neo Classical, Patrick Johansen, Patrick Rondat, review, Rock Emporium, symphonic metal, Vengeance
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News: Albums of the Month (April 2021 – June 2021)
SMITH KOTZEN (BMG) Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr Big, Winery Dogs) have pitted their combined guitaring and songwriting skills to fashion nine tracks of pure unadulterated hard rock heaven. ****1/2 Review by David Randall THE DUST … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, alt rock, April 2021, classic rock, hard rock, Ian McNabb, indie rock, June 2021, May 2021, metal, review, Smith Kotzen, symphonic metal, The Dust Coda, The John Williams Syndicate, Timo Tolkki's Avalon, Trucker Diablo
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Album review: BLOODBOUND – Creatures Of The Dark Realm
AFM Records [release date: 28.05.21] When Bloodbound’s principal songwriters, Fredrik Bergh and Tomas Olsson rerouted their musical artistry from the AOR of Street Talk to the land of Power Metal, they brought the underlying principles of hooky melodic rock with … Continue reading
Album review: SECRET SPHERE – Lifeblood
Frontiers Records [Release date 12.03.21] If Italy’s Secret Sphere aren’t the EU’s Power Metal poster boys, then they should be. They are a relatively unsung band who’ve battled through multiple line up changes, and come up smelling of roses every … Continue reading
Album review: EDENBRIDGE – The Chronicles of Eden Part 2
SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 15.01.21] Second best of from symphonic metal band Edenbridge, with this volume drawn from their studio albums 5-10. Edenbridge, who have been around now for over twenty years, revolve around original members vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher and songwriter/multi-instrumentalist … Continue reading
