Photo by Gaui H.For their ninth full-length studio release, Battle Ballads (Metal Blade), Faroe Islanders Týr bring more of their brand of Viking themed folk metal to the banqueting hall but this time come armed with an orchestra. Sort of.Continue reading
To be fair, I love Copenhagen and everything about it. When I grow up, I want to retire there. It’s that boss level. So I’m well chuffed to present The Interbeing and their second album Among the Amorphous (Longbranch) It’s bitchin’ on a whole ‘nother level! No lie. Among the Amorphous is industrial metal. It’s brutal and loud and oh so deliciously heavy. You can’t help but headband while you listen to it.Continue reading
The first part of a double album – the second half of which is set to be released within the next year – Prevail I (Napalm) finds Kobra and the Lotus at not only their most ambitious, but also in their strongest form to date. Formed in Calgary, Alberta in 2009 by lead vocalist and songwriter Kobra Paige, the Canadian quartet have gone through a number of changes in sound and personnel, but this latest release could very possibly be the one to give the band that big push towards the next level.Continue reading
Symphonic metallers Kamelot is streaming their lyric video for “Veil Of Elysium” off of their forthcoming album Haven, out May 4, 2015 in North America via Napalm Records/ADA/Warner and May 8, 2015 for the rest of the world via Napalm Records/Universal. View it below.
The album was produced by acclaimed music producer Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen. Additional guests include Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Troy Donockley (Nightwish) and Charlotte Wessels (Delain). The cover and artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann and additional art/layout was done by Gustavo Sazes.
Haven Track Listing:
01: Fallen Star
02: Insomnia
03: Citizen Zero
04: Veil of Elysium
05: Under Grey Skies
06: My Therapy
07: Ecclesia
08: End of Innocence
09: Beautiful Apocalypse
10: Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
11: Here’s To The Fall
12: Revolution
13: Haven
Kamelot North American Tour With Special Guest Dragonforce:
Apr 27: Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
Apr 28: Trocadero Theater – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 29: Webster Hall – New York, NY
May 01: The Palladium – Worcester, MA
May 02: Metropolis – Montreal, QC
May 03: Phoenix Concert Theater – Toronto, ON
May 05: Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH
May 06: Mojoes – Joliet, IL
May 07: Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN
May 09: Garrick Centre – Winnipeg, MB
May 10: Louis Pub – Saskatoon, SK
May 11: MacEwan Hall – Calgary, AB
May 12: Union Hall – Edmonton, AB
May 14: Regency Center – San Francisco, CA
May 15: City National Grove – Anaheim, CA
May 16: The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
May 18: Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
May 20: Emo’s – Austin, TX
May 21: New Orleans Civic Theater – New Orleans, LA
May 22: Iron City Live – Birmingham, IL
May 23: House of Blues – Orlando, FL
Kamelot on Facebook
Kamelot on Twitter
Napalm Records on Facebook
Symphonic metallers Kamelot will be releasing their new album Haven on May 5, 2015 in North America and May 8, 2015 in Europe via Kamelot Music LLCon (Napalm Records/Universal and Napalm Records/ADA/Warner).
Produced by acclaimed music producer Sascha Paeth and mastered by Jacob Hansen, Haven is a massive album that is sure to please critics and fans alike. Additional guests include Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Troy Donockley (Nightwish) and Charlotte Wessels (Delain). The breath-taking cover and artwork was created by Stefan Heilemann and additional art/layout was done by Gustavo Sazes.
Cover Artwork by Stefan Heilemann
HAVEN Track Listing:
1. Fallen Star
2. Insomnia
3. Citizen Zero
4. Veil of Elysium
5. Under Grey Skies
6. My Therapy
7. Ecclesia
8. End of Innocence
9. Beautiful Apocalypse
10. Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
11. Here’s To The Fall
12. Revolution
13. Haven
EXCLUSIVE BONUS CD Track List:
Available only with the LTD Mediabook and Deluxe Earbook!
1. End Of Innocence Piano Version
2. Veil of Elysium Acoustic Version
3. Fallen Star Orchestral Version
4. Here’s To The Fall Orchestral Version
5. My Therapy Orchestral Version
6. Fallen Star Instrumental
7. Insomnia Instrumental
8. Citizen Zero Instrumental
9. Veil of Elysium Instrumental
10. Under Grey Skies Instrumental
11. My Therapy Instrumental
12. End of Innocence Instrumental
13. Beautiful Apocalypse Instrumental
14. Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy) Instrumental
15. Revolution Instrumental
Catch KAMELOT live on their upcoming shows:
Mar 12: Button Factory – IRL – Dublin (IR)
Mar 13: HammerFest VII Festival – Pwllheli (UK)
Mar 14: O2 Academy Islington – London (UK)
Apr 25: José Cuervo Salón – Mexico D.F (MX)
Jul 09: Masters Of Rock Festival – Vizovice (CZ)
KAMELOT North American Tour With Special Guest Dragonforce:
Apr 27: Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
Apr 28: Trocadero Theater – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 29: Webster Hall – New York, NY
May 01: The Palladium – Worcester, MA
May 02: Metropolis – Montreal, QC
May 03: Phoenix Concert Theater – Toronto, ON
May 05: Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH
May 06: Mojoes – Joliet, IL
May 07: Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN
May 09: Garrick Centre – Winnipeg, MB
May 10: Louis Pub – Saskatoon, SK
May 11: MacEwan Hall – Calgary, AL
May 12: Union Hall – Edmonton, AB
May 14: Regency Center – San Francisco, CA
May 15: City National Grove – Anaheim, CA
May 16: The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
May 18: Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
May 20: Emo’s – Austin, TX
May 21: New Orleans Civic Theater – New Orleans, LA
May 22: Iron City Live – Birmingham, IL
May 23: House of Blues – Orlando, FL
Kamelot on Facebook
Kamelot on Twitter
Napalm Records on Facebook
Not content with plying his trade with one major label band, guitarist Niclas Engelin, who stepped into the Jesper Strömblad sized hole in the In Flames line up on a permanent basis in 2011, teams up with long-standing partner in crime Marcus Sunesson (ex-The Crown) for Raven Kings (Gain/Sony), the fourth installment of his near-eponymous band Engel, and his stamp, and that of his day job, is all over this new release.
Engel are keen to show that the metal does indeed flow in their veins, and the decision to kick the album off with two ragers works from a dynamic point of view, particularly considering the exemplary production job undertaken by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat), although the decision to utilize new vocalist Mikael Sehlin’s harsher tones at the onset of the album instantly draw comparisons with Anders Friden, which for a side project that are not a million miles away from the furrows being ploughed by his other band, is potentially too thin an ice to be stomping army boots on.
Where they do come into their own, though, is as the album progresses and the bands’ keen ear for a hook is accentuated and highlighted, be it riff, groove, vocal melody or chorus that provides it, this is an album full of catchy moments and Soilwork-ed passages, with Sehlin operating much more effectively in the melodic ranges, sounding not too dissimilar to Sebastian Bach’s more Slave-ish moments, and with a power and tone reminiscent of Chris Jericho.
While the band have termed themselves Melodic Death Metal there is no escaping that the core sound of Engel is intrinsically close to that of In Flames, particularly as electronic and “industrial” nuances fleck both the Jester’s and this ancillary outfits’ sound these days, or that the term “Death” in that descriptor is a bit of a red herring. Yes, their hooky song-based modern metal (I’m loathe to add the word core on the end as it almost by default detracts from what they produce) is heavy without resorting to ultra beatdowns to bring the weight, but it is in the melodic and the catchy where they thrive, as, ultimately, Raven Kings is a worthy release of contemporary, commercial metal.
7.0/10
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STEVE TOVEY