Formed in 2012, Swedish true metal warriors Brothers of Metal return with all the riffs on third full-length studio release Fimbulvinter (AFM Records). Consisting of eight members, four of whom share two surnames without actually being related, does seem to confuse some people for some reason. Although to be fair, eight-piece bands aren’t exactly common in metal, and one with three vocalists and three guitarists even less so.Continue reading
Tag Archives: Manowar
DragonForce – Warp Speed Warriors
Before we start, go back and take another look at the cover art.
Go on, I’ll wait.
See, while some bands go for a subtle or even abstract “don’t judge a book by its cover” approach, other bands are Dragonforce. Everything emblazoned on the cover to ninth full length studio release Warp Speed Warriors (Napalm Records) is represented here through the medium of eardrum destroying sound. No room for understatement, metaphor or artifice – just a bold, blinding explosion of light, colour and comic book action.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Doro – Conqueress – Forever Strong And Proud
Doro Pesch is the epitome of a metal repping lifer. Not just one of the nicest people in metal who regularly remembers everyone’s birthday and a constant genre cheerleader, but also one of the greatest front-people to ever hype up a crowd. Her heartfelt and classic albums have stood the test of time and embodies “True Heavy Metal” just as much as a masculine landmark like Manowar‘s ‘Louder Than Hell’.
ALBUM REVIEW: Immortal – War Against All
No matter the time of year, it’s always winter for Norwegian black metal legends Immortal. Feeling nice and warm and looking forward to summer? Don’t be silly. Just one listen to the latest album War Against All (Nuclear Blast) will have you pining for the fjords and wishing the world was a dark, grim, and frostbitten kingdom of cryptic winter storms.
ALBUM REVIEW: Gatekeeper – From Western Shores
To be a gatekeeper in metal is generally frowned upon as elitist these days, to the point where my favorite Awenden / Feminazgul shirt has the phrase “impale the gatekeepers on spears and leave them posted alongside your path as a warning to others” on the back.
ALBUM REVIEW: Nanowar of Steel – Dislike To False Metal
Once upon a time in a faraway land called The Eighties, heavy metal fans had long hair, wore denim and leather, possessed a fierce aversion to all forms of hygiene products, and had absolutely no sense of humour whatsoever. So what? if your favourite bands wore assless chaps, furry loincloths, or looked like an explosion in a clown factory. That was fine. It was metal and metal was serious.
ALBUM REVIEW: Feuerschwanz – Todsünden
Exactly a year on from the release of Memento Mori (Napalm Records), German medieval folk metallers Feuerschwanz return with a collection of previously recorded cover versions. Releasing material lifted from bonus discs might seem a little superfluous to anyone without a tendency towards rampant completism but Todsünden is filled with surprising choices and no lack of creativity.
ALBUM REVIEW: High Command – Eclipse of the Dual Moons
Swords, epic battles and metal. It’s a combination that has been there since their beginning. And for good reason. It just works so well. It’s an escape to a highly visual and epic escape from reality where everything is dialed up way past eleven.
ALBUM REVIEW: Rhapsody Of Fire – Glory For Salvation
Ready to wage bloody battle against the drudgery of everyday life once more, Italian power metallers and emerald sword aficionados Rhapsody of Fire return with all dragons blazing on their latest album Glory For Salvation (AFM Records). Driven by escapism and pure fantasy, there’s simply no room or requirement for conventional subjects like relationships, politics or social commentary in this hour or so of questing and wizard worship.
ALBUM REVIEW: Beast In Black – Dark Connection
Replacing axe-wielding lions and scantily clad, big-haired warrior maidens with vivid, futuristic imagery, it only takes a quick glance at the cover art of Dark Connection (Nuclear Blast), the new album by multinational power metal act Beast in Black, to see that science fiction and anime have played an integral role in its, er… inception.