Bizarrely named Long Island quartet Moon Tooth’s new record Phototroph (Pure Noise Records) is a wonderfully eclectic one that mixes many disparate influences into one cohesive, and thoroughly absorbing, whole. From prog, rock, NWOBHM, and grunge to name but a few, Phototroph is a sprawling, unique and engaging offeringContinue reading
In the new “post-covid” era I have been hearing some awesome cuts coming from all kinds of artists. It makes me wonder how many took advantage of the downtime to hone skills and really dig into some songwriting.
October 9th, 2009. That was the last time I saw Dragonforce live, with Sonata Arctica and Taking Dawn so needless to say, I was very excited for this show… in the same venue as last time, no less! Added only to the fact that this tour has been on the minds of everyone that originally planned to see it last year when Unleash The Archers were on the bill, but we now have Firewind, Visions of Atlantis, and New England based titans Seven Spires to look forward to. Let’s stop wasting time and get into this symphonic and power-metal night of fun.
Maule – Maule (Gates of Hell)
What you see is certainly what you get when it comes to Maule‘s self-titled debut. The Vancouver quartet secures themselves in the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal style, echoing the twin guitars, clanky bass, and street aesthetic of groups like White Wizzard, Traveler, and Pounder. The playing is tight, the pacing is energetic, and one can even detect hints of heavier influence with the vocals’ more thrash-leaning demeanor.Continue reading
Sabaton is a group that has applied their singular, surefire sound to all their works while still making each release entertainingly compelling and special. For over twenty years, this Swedish Power Metal quintet has affected the scene with their fierce vibrato and hard-hitting intensity. They have become well-known storytellers who bring history to life through their knowledgeable lyrics and grandiose style of playing. Their capacity to carry historic war themes through their skillful writing has allowed them to carve into the new genre of Military Metal. They released an album in 2019 called The Great War where they shared tales from World War One. They knew they couldn’t fit all the war’s remarkable events on just one album so now they are getting ready to release a full-length follow up stocked with more stories. The War to End all Wars (both Nuclear Blast) continues the band’s narrative on WW1 and does so with exceptionally exhilarating enthusiasm. Continue reading
While Embrace The Unknown (Frontiers srl) sees Spirits of Fire continue down the path of classic metal emulation last seen on their 2019 debut, its presentation sees more polish this time around. The production job courtesy of Aldo Lonobile, is considerably cleaner than before, giving the performances much better clarity. Guitarist Chris Caffery continues to lead the charge with an array of Savatage-inspired acrobatics while bass legend Steve DiGiorgio and drummer Mark Zonder make for a hard-hitting rhythm section without getting too flashy.
It’s been twelve years since composer Arjen Lucassen released 2010’s Victims Of The Modern Age under the Star One banner, which in itself was eight years removed from 2002’s Space Metal. Fortunately, the project’s vision remains intact despite its sporadic output with all the tropes that fans have come to expect out in full force on Revel In Time (InsideOut Music). There’s plenty of cheesy Prog goodness to go around informed by Power Metal tempos, crunchy guitars, bombastic keyboards, and a slew of vocalists delivering pop culture Sci-Fi lyrics in over-the-top fashion.
Kontact’s debut EP is rather tricky to pin down in terms of style. Voivod makes the most immediate comparison with an aesthetic immersed in similar cosmic theming and the vocals channeling Snake in a similarly manic yet almost robotic sneer. However, the guitar work draws more on Speed Metal gallops and doomy riffs than the high-pitched dissonance that would come with such an association. King Gizzard at their heaviest might also be an applicable reference point though there isn’t quite as much psychedelic fuzz wafting about.Continue reading
With seventeen years on the clock and five albums already in the bag, Finnish sextet Battle Beast are back once again with another head-shaking, neck-breaking slab of electrifying European power metal. For those already familiar with the band then their sixth full length release, Circus of Doom (Nuclear Blast), will be like slipping into an old pair of comfortable, sparkly metal boots. For everyone else who may be interested, just strap on the nearest air guitar and prepare to grin stupidly for the next forty gloriously cheesy minutes or so.
I haven’t been to a show downstairs at The Middle East since 2014 when Septicflesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse tour together for the Conquerors of the World Tour, so needless to say, this was both an exciting and nostalgic night. Dragon plated shoulder armor, Dungeons and Dragons lore discussions, and a theory about a giant tortoise God that will take over the universe alongside Cthulhu fill the air with anticipation for the first band to take the stage.