Do you adore the classic hard rock sound and are KISS and THIN LIZZY amongst your favourite bands? Then the London-based Tokyo Dragons will blow your minds away with their sophomore studio release, titled "Hot Nuts". The album contains some of the best hard rock songs I've listened to lately and all the compositions are filled with catchy riffs, sing along choruses, themes that stick to your mind and tonnes of groove! The musicianship of all the band members is top notch and is accompanied by a fitting production! "Hot Nuts" is a classic groovy hard rock album with a few blues touches and some really nice and elaborate solos. Last but not least an important factor that makes this album so great and appealing to all the hard rockers, is the vocalist who sings with a lot of passion and rhythm! Iit's obvious that the music runs in this band's blood!

Christine  Parastatidou

New album for Germany's one of the most aknowledged power metal bands, Gamma Ray, who after an absence of two years are back active again in the metal scene and with a sequel to an album which is considered to be a monument and a must have in every metal discography. "Land Of The Free II" unfortunately is not what I expected from such a band and is definitely not a very good continuation of its predeccessor. There are of course the same heavy guitars with the fast tunes, the raging melodies and the killing drums which will make your ears go crazy but all these are known to us and we've listened to them over and over again and Gamma Ray start to sound as if they have lost their freshness. Neverthless there are some kick ass tracks such as "To Mother Earth", "Rain", "When The World" and the amazing eleven minute "Insurrection" which reminded me the majestic "Rebellion In Dreamland" from the first Land Of The Free. However apart from those few moments it's the same and the same. I believe that the fire still burns and that Gamma Ray will reward their fans (including me) in the future. 

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Engel may seem as a newcoming band, but the actual history and past of its band members go back many years, since they have all written important chapters in the Swedish death metal scene, being in bands like IN FLAMES, GARDENIAN, EVERGREY, THE CROWN, RUNEMAGICK and LORD BELIAL, just to name the most famous ones. So, Engel which is the vision of the mastermind Niclas Engelin (see how the moniker was created?) are here to offer us fresh and modern melodic death metal with a great deal of hardcore elements and a slight industrial twist. Their songs are catchy with pure head banger riffs and they balance between the deathcore extremity and the refined melodies. Same goes with the vocals which are either pissed off growls or emotive, clean interpretations. The choice between those two is based on each song's context and the meaning or feeling it wants to convey. The production is top notch and those to be held responsible are IN FLAMES' vocalist Anders Friden and their producer, Daniel Bergstrand, so this debut is a full, delectable treat for all the melodic death/hardcore maniacs. To be honest with you I adored some of the songs, mainly the most aggressive ones, since I'm not so in favor of the bittersweet melodies that seem to be so trendy nowadays and my mark would have been even higher if it weren't for the fact that the melodic death metal scene is over-saturated and is almost burned...

Christine  Parastatidou

One year has passed since their previous production and Elvenking have returned with a brand new album. "The Scythe" could be considered as a concept album referring mainly to death and how it is dealt with by people. Remaining loyal and having the same elements that have made them well known in the power metal scene like the guitars that range and from time to time become more aggressive or vocals that alternate from normal and melodic to harsh and brutal, giving a thrashy and sometimes hardcore attitude guarantee this album's success. And of course we shouldn't forget the folky tunes created by a string quartet which flow all over the album taking every listener to a journey in medieval time, Elvenking should really be proud of themselves for producing an equal follow up to their previous release. Be warned cause "The Scythe" of Death will soon be after you!

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

This is a one man band that through this debut, which was originally released in 2003 and is now being re-released by Mache Funebre Productions, tries to explore the introspective part of humans by casting light to the melancholic and sorrowful dimension of our inner selves. As you can realize by jsut reading the band's moniker and album title we are dealing here with an ambient funeral doom release. The three songs present here are huge and the album reaches approximately one hour of running time, an hour which will be filled with minimalistic sounds of nihilistic/ drone doom metal with long echoing leads, some occasional keyboards that create an eerie atmosphere and a subtle grunt that can be heard at the background. This music indeed fills your soul with a cold feeling of despair and desolation. If you find such soundscapes appealing then this is definitely one of the finest samples you'll ever hear. However, if you are people like me who prefer more straightforward music, then "Desolate" will sound boring and pointless to you. This is why I've decided not to put a mark on this release...

Ioannis Anastasakis is a virtuoso guitar player from Greece and this is his new album which I must really say is a true masterpiece! Having as tutors many well known masters such as John Petrucci, Vinnie Moore, Steve Lukather, Steve Morse and others, this guy has a unique technique in his guitar playing style, which really stands for the word virtuoso. Moreover the fact that he can so easily play so different kinds of music is outstanding! I was amazed by the two songs where he shows his talent in the Flamengo guitar technique, but I was also stunned by the changes in his songs where we have power metal combined with rock and jazz tunes, all creating an album not only worth listening but worth loving as well! But the thing that struck me most is that his guitar playing is producing such melodies which flow all over the album and will travel every listener far far away. The album will include eight songs with three bonus tracks and of course guest solos by Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND), Theodore Ziras and many others. Nothing more to say except that you shouldn't miss this kick ass album!
Email: [email protected]
Site: http://www.wildroseangelproductions.comORhttp://www.ioannis.orgORhttp://www.myspace.com/ioannisanastassakis

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

The band describe their sound as pagan doom metal and though this tag is close to the truth, it's only one part of it. The pagan element is based on many natural sounds like birds chirping or heavy winds blowing. Furthermore the band has added some folk instruments that enrich the texture of the songs and yet offer a fresh and modern touch to the overall aesthetics of this album. The next level of their music lies within the genre of doom/death metal with powerful harmonies, beautiful and sorrowful melodies and a really great guitar work that fills the air with melancholy, accompanied by a thick wall of sounds and a dynamic rhythm section. This is top notch doom/death metal in the path paved by MY DYING BRIDE, LAKE OF TEARS and ANATHEMA, with a really strange and introspective character. The vocalist does an exceptional work with his deep growls that convey all the sorrow of the world, but all the lyrics are sung in the band's mother tongue, which is Russian. I really didn't mind or feel weird. In fact I think it's so natural and homogeneous that it might have sounded strange to me if they had sung in English. However, I think I should mention it, because some might not be convenient with other languages besides English. Their lyrics now are, from what the info sheet informs us, dark and atmospheric dealing with nature and human experiences. "Revelation Of Renounced" is definitely one of the best doom/death metal albums I've listened to lately!

Christine  Parastatidou

New album for the U.S. rockers Monster Magnet and they have come to show us that after three years of absence they are back to rock around the world. Heavier and more mature with twelve new compositions by master Dave Wyndorf, the quartet from U.S.A have produced a very good follow up to the "Monolithic Baby" album. What struck me most and I believe is that special something in the sound of Monster Magnet is the guitars which although they are heavy and harsh, they have a slight tune of melody giving each track a psycho rock character. On this album there will also be a cover of THE ROLLING STONE's "2000 Lightyears From Home" in which Monster Magnet have given their own unique style. All rockers and heavy metallers should invest without doubt.

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Sea Of Desperation is I think an ideal moniker for this one man band from Russia, since it conveys all the essence and feelings this music is going to create and impose onto you. So, the sophomore release of this band, which was released a year ago, is an interesting example of gloomy, dark and atmospheric music with vocals that are influenced and located in the death metal genre. If you like bands like KATATONIA or old OPETH, then this is a band that will have an impact on you, since we are dealing here with 8 melancholic compositions that reek of despair, isolation and contempt. "Spiritual Lonely Pattern" is excatly the kind of music which you listen to on your own, when you want to think and reflect on what's going on around you. It's introspective music and it has the ability to communicate its sadness in the best possible way. All in all this is an interesting work and the only drawback I found was the fact that sometimes the ideas are being repeated over and over again and it gets pretty tiring at moments.

Christine  Parastatidou

Michael Lee Firkins is a virtuoso guitar player from U.S.A for whom I didn't know much, but this album has made a great impression on me. Moving in the hard rock and jazz blues genre this guy can really take you high with his playing as in every song there is a very good mood and generally a love for playing and creating music. Together with him are Thomas Pridgen (MARS VOLTA) behind the drums, Kai Eckhardt on the bass and many other great musicians who put their personality in every part of the album. The album consists of nine songs featuring two covers "Black Betty" from RAM JAM and "The Theme" from SANFORD AND SON which was composed by Quincy Jones. Nothing more to say than take a sip of your finest southern whisky and leave yourself to the music of this great guitar player. 

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Dodsferd isn't a band, but there is actually only one man behind it and this is no other than my compatriot Wrath. Now that I come to think about it Greece has given birth to a lot of high class extreme metal bands, be them in the black or the death metal genre. Dodsferd have definitely got a place amongst them! "Fucking Your Creation" was released this year and it's pure, monolithic, ice-cold black metal taking influences from the Norwegian scene and more specifically from bands like DARK THRONE, MAYHEM, GORGOROTH and so on. However, this album isn't only primitive, old school black metal, but it also contains a great deal of dirty, filthy rock 'n' roll grooves and a punk-ish undertone. The production is low quality, but it allows you to understand all the instruments and subtle melodies that lie underneath the grim and frozen layer of black metal. The only drawback I found in the compositions is the huge running time they have that sometimes made me feel tired and lose focus. The main point though is that this is a really great obscure release that will please all the die hard black metal maniacs out there. "Fucking Your Creation" also includes a bonus CD that consists of 19 tracks from bands that belong to Moribund's roster. A good treat I dare say!!!!

Christine  Parastatidou

New album for The Flower Kings and the Swedish prog-rockers have come to impress us once again. After a year from their latest release Roine Stolt and the rest of the band have produced yet an amazing album. Where to begin and where to end? From the melodies which flow all over the album creating amazing sounds? The constant changes in the playing and the incredibly long songs where one can lose himself in with their unique creativity? Or the amazing performances from all the members who really give their best and everyone will truly realize that from the first listening? Songs like "The Sum Of No Reason", "Life In Motion" and the astonishing twenty-two minutes long "Love Is The Only Answer" are only mere examples of what this record is all about. The Swedish have done it one more time and everyone will understand why they are a great name in the progressive - rock genre. Be sure not to miss it!!

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Nastrandir is a German based band with only two years of existence and they are not presenting us their debut work that moves in the genre of pagan metal. It's truly amazing and weird how many German bands deal with pagan music and Viking mythology, so I suppose it must be quite famous in their country. These guys here offer us 7 songs plus an intro, all of which move in the epic Viking metal with quite many black metal elements especially based on the blastbeats and the violent and rasping screams of the vocalist. The atmosphere of this release is epic and war-like, with sharp guitars, fast tempos and riffs that can stick to your mind, but there are also many melodic passages mainly created by the keyboards and the violin. The thing though is that most of the songs sounded quite flat and ordinary to my ears. They didn't have this extra amount of rage, but they were rather moderately aggressive. They made me think that the band hasn't given their best, as if they haven't put their soul into the songs. So, the songs on "Zwischen Horizonten" are good and you can listen to them pleasantly, but they are nothing special that will make you want to listen to this album again.

Christine  Parastatidou

Compos Mentis is a Danish quintet that plays a melodic and yet aggressive death metal in the vein of Swedish bands mixed with atmospheric/melodic black metal and this album has its feet and boasts in both genres. "Gehennesis" is the follow up, to their debut full length "Fragments Of A Withered Dream" from 2003 and under the professional hands of producer Ziggy and mastering master Tue Madsen, it comes out  with a unique result, featuring loads of incontrovertible energy, magnificent atmosphere and eerie melodies by the keyboards that keep only a background role. The presence of a choir with 45 singers that participates on a couple of the tracks on the album is really well incorporated granting the album with a bombastic feeling to it. All ten songs maintain a perfect mixture between melodic parts with aggressive and powerful ones and you can find influences from IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY and DIMMU BORGIR but through their own personal sound. The twin guitars are heavy and melodic, most of the time harmonious but with some really crunchy grooves as well, highly interesting uses of tempo changes and while it is mostly mid–paced, blast beats are used sparingly, but effectively sounding like old DIMMU BORGIR or OLD MAN'S CHILD's more symphonic moments. The melodies on the other hand are haunting and epic at the same time under a creative synth layering and a massive, effective sound. The vocals are powerful with the typical Swedish death metal growlings yet with a black metal tendency, raw, melancholic and brutal. Overall, "Gehennesis" is an excellent job maybe not original but intelligent and strongly engaging. 

Vaso  "Necromass"  Prassa

One more black metal release for this month, from Austria this time and what I like is the fact that more and more countries have started releasing interesting bands from all genres of metal music. Bluteszorn is a duet that specializes in the atmospheric black metal genre with Njord being responsible for all the guitars and vocals and Dominus Noctis for the keyboards, bass and drums. Their black metal is really interesting with some catchy riffs that stick to your mind and a cold atmosphere surrounding their compositions. At the same time the symphonic elements that are based on the keyboards offer more depth to the compositions with their melody and their eerie scent. So, what will strike you on this CD is the fact that the sharp and uptempo black metal elements are confronted with the melodies and the dark medieval passages present here and the end result sounds grim and imposing. The only drawback I found here is that the tracks have an uneven quality with some being really great and some other being rather insignificant or ordinary. However "Victory Of Dead" has revealed to me a great band and I'll make sure to keep them in mind and follow them in their future steps.

Christine  Parastatidou

Autumn is a Russian sextet founded in 1993 that released thus far 1 demo, 2 MCs and two CDs. “And We Are Falling Leaves” was initially released in 1997 on cassette only, but this year it has been re-released by Stygian Crypt Productions, re-mastered and including two bonus rehearsal songs. Autumn plays melancholic doom metal full of mournful melodies and a continuous grief and sadness. The music moves constantly between deep emotions and a tragic atmosphere based on the keyboards and  the acoustic guitars while also there are some viola passages on the album. The riffs are heavy and slow, the sound overflows with dark emotions and nihilistic attitude in the vein of IN THE WOODS, the melodies are fully made of an oppressive passion while the vocals change from deep and guttural to a tormentful style of singing reminding at some points TYPE O NEGATIVE’s Pete Steele and at others Fernando Ribeiro from MOONSPELL. Every now and then, there is a female singer that adds a romantic feeling and an ethereal depth to the album and her voice is really impressive. Other than that after a while of hearing it, I get the annoying feeling that I keep listening to the same song all over again since the structure for all tracks seems so unvaried and one dimensional. The production also is mediocre since the guitars seem to have been placed too low in the mix often buried underneath the vocals layer. Well, I guess this kind of music requires lots of innate talent and inspiration not to end up boring and in my opinion Autumn has a long way ahead of them despite their generous endeavors. Yet overall, if ANATHEMA or IN THE WOODS are some of your favorite bands, check this one too.

Vaso  "Necromass"  Prassa

The band's moniker and the album's title speak for themselves and what do they say? That Dark The Suns deliver dark and atmospheric gothic music. However we're not talking about the ordinary, boring stuff, but we are presented here with a rather interesting and promising band. "In Darkness Comes Beauty" is a highly addictive album and the more you listen to it the more you realize its beauty and the more you find yourself lost in their bitter melodies and melancholic aura. The vocals are deep and come straight from the death metal genre, however they have a tormented and acrimonious hue. The keyboards create really melancholic soundscapes upon which the whole music is built and communicate their melancholy without ever becoming tiring or catatonic. Dark The Suns have definitely offered us a great debut work and have set the standards really high. I expect even greater things from this band in the future. Well done!

Christine  Parastatidou

Fuoriuso is a a band from Italy which palys heavy metal and this is their second album. "Black Signs" is a record which someone may describe as a good heavy metal release and I would truly agree. Eleven compositions with nice heavy guitars, good vocals that sometimes turn into a bit of growling and generally speaking songs which will keep good company to every listener. It is an album that combines heavy metal with hard rock and sometimes with a little poser style which is obvious from the lyrics which refer to love, sex and erotic emotions. It is obvious that Fuoriuso has much more to give in the future but it is a band which I believe can be loved by many heavy metal fans.

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

One of the most controversial bands in heavy metal music is back again with a brand new killer album and I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that it's perhaps their most extreme release in recent years. Many things have been said and tonnes of ink have been shed in favor or against this band. What I've come to understand after keeping track of their releases for so many years, is that Impaled Nazarene are totally psycho and deranged and they don't want us to take them so seriously. I'm talking about their lyrics in particular that have a twisted, black sense of humour that annoys many people... I really can't see why all this fuss is created simply because I know that Impaled Nazarene are here to offer us some great headbanging moments and hours of pleasure with all these deriving from their love for the extreme. They are maniacs and this is their new manifest! They are here to declare that black metal is still alive and strong and that this band is destined to remain in the premier league for years to come! The album has a total running time that exceeds 50 minutes and it consists of 16 songs, most of which are hyper brutal and hyper fast. However some more atmospheric and even mid tempo moments are also present, something that adds to the variety of this album along with some classic heavy metal riffs and a dirty rock 'n' roll approach. Mika is once again superb with his ferocious, shrieking and stinking with hatred vocals, the rhythm section is a concrete wall and upon it some classic heavy and even power metal themes and solos are added that elevate the end result. All hail the Impaled Nazarene!!!!

Christine  Parastatidou

Blinded Colony is a band from Sweden formed under the name of STIGMATA early in 2000 and changing their moniker to Blinded Colony in 2002. Since then they have released a few demos and 2 full length albums. Their somophore effort titled "Bedtime Prayers" is released by Pivotal Rockordings while the band chose once again as it did in their debut to work without a producer and to record the album themselves. Blinded Colony’s music features as we could say the next generation of aggressive metal. Although the band is labeled as melodic death and melody grasps undoubtedly a great part in its sound yet from the way I see it they are more like an extreme/metalcore band that blends brutality with melody. Bringing in mind acts like IN FLAMES and SOILWORK as well as THE HAUNTED, they give a big emphasis on leads and riffs with some thrash oriented incorporations, plenty of atmospheric and harmonic keyboard integrations and vocals that oscillate between raspy screams and clean vocal choruses. There are some great guitar riffs and the rhythm section is really tight and they carve the keyboards onto their aggressive wall of sound in a really interesting way but the clean vocals really ruin my general opinion. They always seem to me overly mellow and unconnected and such attempts leave me totally indifferent. It should be really astonishing to drag my attention and this is not one of those cases.

Vaso  "Necromass"  Prassa

As you can see this is a split release of two new black metal bands, Ganzmord that hail us from the U.S. and Dodsferd who are from Greece. Let me say a few things seperately for each band. Ganzmord contribute here 5 songs, all of which move on the spirit of unholy black metal with a really monolithic sound and lyrics that deal with misanthropy, blasphemy and genocide. I think there are some good moments somewhere within the songs, but unfortunately the noise and the horrible production didn't allow me to understand anything. To be frank not only had these two given me a hard time, but they've also pissed me off and tired me to death with their meaningless extremity. The last song "Grim To The Grave" is definitely the best, cause it has some frozen epic moments, but the overall sensation I got from Ganzmord is noise, noise and some more noise. Now it's time for me to introduce to you my compatriots, Dodsferd, who offer us 3 songs and an intro. Things are much better here and I'm glad to say we are dealing with a very promising one man band and some great black metal tracks. What I liked here was the versatility and catchiness of the compositions. The production is decent, allowing you to understand the songs whilst at the same time offering the necessary tone of dirt and evilness. The blastbeats are here, but many slow and mid tempo parts are also present. This is according to me high quality frozen black metal in the Norwegian standards which, at the same time, is enriched with many catchy tunes, sharp cuts and a dirty rock 'n' roll vibe.

Christine  Parastatidou

for Ganzmord for Dodsferd

"School Of The Arts" is a record which features TLavitz, an extremely great piano player who, together with many other amazing musicians, has created a very good instrumental fusion album. Eleven compositions which will really blow your mind away with their amazing tunes, the incredible changes from rock to pop to jazz and the really great performances by all the members. Joining TLavitz in this journey are Frank Gambale in the acoustic guitars (CHICK COREA), Jerry Goodman offering melodies with his violin, John Patitucci in the electric bass (CHICK COREA) and the well known virtuoso Steve Morse (DIXIE DREGS, KANSAS, DEEP PURPLE). What can I say more other than listen to songs such as "On Fire", "Portrait" and "High Falutin' Blues" to take just a little taste of what this album is all about .If you have missed the school days this is a good chance to go back in  this school and enjoy some really great tunes.

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Drunk Earth... now that's a moniker that demands hours of deep thought analysis as to what it really means and what the messages it conveys are... The answer, however, can come quite easily and all it requires is to listen to this 3-song EP. The band is young, counting only two years of existence and this is their first work that was released a couple of years ago through an independent, underground label in 300 hand numbered copies, if I'm not mistaken. So, why am I dealing with this EP almost a year after its release date? Because the band was finally able to surpass all their problems and they are now preparing their debut full length work. If we take these 3 songs as a sample of what will be in store for us, then we are talking about a heavily drunk album with a twisted sense of humour. These guys deliver music that is close to the dirty heavy metal sound with a few thrash tinges, a doom hue, sharp-edged guitars and a great deal of retro black metal. If I had to mention some bands that come to my mind, then I'd definitely say MOTORHEAD, BLACK SABBATH and ANAL CUNT. However I'm more that certain that these guys also admire bands like BRAND NEW SIN, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, HELLYEAH and PANTERA. It's something obvious in their overall sound and aesthetics, but it's not something you can trace in the songs themselves. So to sum it all up this band is here to offer us drunken rock 'n' roll with an extreme twist and explicit, alcohol praising lyrics!
Email: [email protected]
Site: http://www.myspace.com/thedrunkearth

Mike Dimareli is a guitar virtuoso from Greece and this is his second solo album. After receiving several credits from his debut "Fantasy", he is back with a new fresh heavy metal album. "Horizon" has come to strike me like a thunder from above and you know why? Because it has everything! Melodic guitars with raging heavy riffs, keys creating beautiful and amazing melodies throughout the whole album and vocals by someone who knows how to give his best self in every song. With co-musicians like Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) and Bill Aksiotis (PHANTOM LORD), Mike Dimareli has produced an album which has nothing to envy from other power metal albums and has shown us that the Greek metal scene is here and alive. Recommended to fans of Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore and REIGN OF FEAR, who will trully find a jewel in this record. So gaze into the Horizon and keep your ears open cause virtuoso - metal is about to begin.

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Now that's what I call 80s fucking metal!!! Zwartketterij come from the Netherlands and it's a band that consists of members from the great bands GRIMM and CIRITH GORGOR. In the year 2007 they decided it was about time to unleash upon us their brand new holocaust, so be prepared to be blown away by the sheer ferocity and blistering violence of this album. The band specializes in the blackened heavy metal genre or to be more precise and explanative I should better say that they mix the 80s classic heavy metal sound with the old fashioned thrash and with the old school, dirty black metal. This is how they create one of the best examples of what retro black/thrash metal really is, with scraping guitars, sharp riffs, catchy tunes, hoarse, rasping vocals and a dirty rock 'n' roll party mood. However, "Cult Of The Necro-Thrasher" besides having this superb balance between the old fashioned and the fresh sound, they also have some really interesting additions mainly on the vocals, so you'll have the chance to enjoy some really nice clean, classic heavy metal vocals and some female, ethereal ones. Having a superb production to support these great compositions and an eerie and obscure artwork, we can only describe this album as kick-ass!

Christine  Parastatidou

The masters of majestic black metal make their come back and in fact they make it in the best possible and most formidable way! Their new work is boisterous contrary to their previous album, which, according to my personal view, was mediocre, without the symphonic melodies that characterize their style. So we find here Limbonic Art in their best possible shape! Stormful rhythms, amazing piano and keyboard works that move on a majestic style, unbelievable vocals which allow you to understand many of the lyrics and a flawless production with no omissions. Their sound will remind you of NECROMANTIA's album "Scarlet Evil Witching Black". The guitars are a bit "sapeless", but the drums have a bombastic and grandiose sound that support the majestic feeling of the keyboards exceptionally... This is an album that moves instantly to the pantheon of the best black metal releases!!!

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

Most countries in the North have a thing for dark and doom music, something obvious from the fact that many great and interesting bands come from over there. Here we have a new band from Finland that only counts a year of existence and they deliver through their debut work six tracks of funeral doom metal. Naturally the compositions have a long playing time and the whole album exceeds an hour of total running time. Now, since I don't listen to much doom metal I'm not an expert to objectively and fully judge this release, but based on my personal experience and knowledge, I'd say that this band treads on the right path and they can surely offer quality works in the funeral doom metal branch. However, there were occasions and moments when I felt tired and exhausted from the repetition of some ideas or from the huge, never-ending tracks, simply because some of the riffs sounded too ordinary, worn out and uninspired. To sum it all up though the general impression I got from "Chapter I: Delirium" is that Colosseum can have a bright future in the funeral doom metal genre.

Christine  Parastatidou

Folkearth is a project with 31 musicians, their biggest lineup so far, from eight countries and “Drakkars In The Mist” is their third album with almost a completely new line-up and only after a year since 2006’s "By The Sword Of My Father". It’s no secret that I really like their style and that I find their epic folk/Viking atmosphere more than engaging and beautiful. Once more the band/project features epicness along with catchy, traditional melodies and a diverse selection of folk instruments, such as the lute, bagpipes, violins, flutes and many others, all delivered with a coherent and unique sound. The vocals vary among harsh, clean, female, spoken etc, the different amount of  harmonies is so convincing, the instrumental interludes interesting and all the songs are totally different from one another while some of them are quite close to a slight black metal approach. The sound comes out with a multifarious vibe, organic and with a top-notch instrumentation. Seventeen songs of folk and Viking metal that deliver the majesty and grandeur of the traditional auditory and of an ancient atmosphere. My only objection is the fact that the raw, aggressive parts hold a very small piece of the whole picture. Other than that “Drakkars In The Mist” gave me some really pleasant hearing moments.

Vaso  "Necromass"  Prassa

Denmark is a country that belongs to Scandinavia... In fact it's the country that ruled the whole region in the past by giving birth the some of the most important, cunning and frightful leaders. So, being the country that established the Viking behaviour and image, we all know, it was "mandatory" for them to have a decent Viking metal band... Based on the above, Svartsot isn't just a decent or ordinary Viking metal band, but it's the pure term in flesh and bones! From now on whenever Viking metal or epic music comes to my mind I can only think of and relate it to two bands... one is Svartsot and the other one is ENSIFERUM. You can't even start imagining how stunned or enthralled I feel with this debut album, "Ravnenes Saga" which actually means “Saga of the Ravens”. In fact I can't even realize what an impact this diamond had on me... Lyric-wise it deals of course as you may have already figured out with Odin’s two ravens, Hugin and Munin (Thought and Memory), who according to the myth would fly out over the world each day to return every evening and tell what they had seen. As for the music I think you can get the clue of Svartsot's direction but you'll never understand the beauty and depth of it unless you buy the CD and listen to the album. So, what "Ravnenes Saga" is all about is high class and top quality epic folk/Viking death metal with death metal being defined mainly by Claus' vocals, which are deep and really guttural growls, giving a rawer and more brutal hue to the end result. The flute and the bodhrand are here to enrich the Viking aspect of their music and the rest of the instruments create an unbelievable classic and yet epic metal foundation upon which everything else is laid. Top notch compositions with a superb production, amazing musicianship and two bonus tracks, "Drekar" and "Hævnen" are the last elements that make this release a state of the art!!! Need I say more? I don't this so... This is definitely for me one of the best releases for this year!!!!

Christine  Parastatidou

This material is highly recommended for endless hours of push-ups, abdominal exercises and weight-lifting!!! We are talking here for dynamic thrash-hardcore with many death metal music parts and very interesting guitar melodies and solos that are perfectly tied in with the rest of the music set. The vocals move on a hardcore style with a hoarseness I usually don't like, but these nevertheless sound very cool, cause the band's vocalist really feels what he sings and he is full of passion and devotion!! The songs are full of energy and liveliness, the band is perfectly bonded and for the next 32 minutes they have you galloping at full speed and ready for war!!! I'm leaving you now... I'm dead tired from all these push-ups!!!

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

I've been listening to this album for more than a month now and not only haven't I got bored with it, but the more I listen to it, the more I grow to love it. I think it's a masterpiece that follows the lead of its successful predecessors and I strongly believe that Astral Doors is one of the finest contemporary examples of classic and catchy heavy metal treading the path paved mainly by bands like RAINBOW, DIO and BLACK SABBATH (the Dio and Tony Martin era). So "New Revelation" was indeed a revelation to me with its catchy, sing along choruses, with its heavy riffs, its powerful rhythm section and of course the magnificent vocals of Nils, one of the best new singers I've come across! This album has it all, from uptempo, dynamic tracks to mid tempo passages and even a couple of ballads. I'm not a ballad type, but I think you should definitely check "Bastard Son" out, cause it's one of the best songs on the album and because it's not the typical lame and mellow ballad, but it's full of life and passion. All hail Astral Doors and their new dark heavy metal masterpiece!!!

Christine  Parastatidou

Ted Poley is a well known musician having taken part in mainy bands such as PROPHET, where he played the drums and did some vocals but mostly as a lead singer for the melodic rock band DANGER DANGER. Now after following a solo career and with a debut album released, called "Collateral Damage", he is back with a brand new record. "Smile" is an album which has all the things that a good rock album should have. An amazing guitar work by a master called Jk Northrup, nice melodies in the keys and of course gret vocals by Ted Poley which really give the right style in every song. The album includes twelve songs, both fast and mid-tempo, and of course some great love ballads which will really keep you good company. So, even if you are alone, don't cry because Ted Poley is here to make you SMILE!

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Few are the albums I can recall that had such an intensely magnetising effect on me like "First", the debut release of a band that is destined to rule the contemporary metal scene. It's no wonder why Germany is considered to be the capital of heavy metal, since it's the cradle, the womb that has given birth to some of the best heavy metal bands... allow me to say that amongst them are Cast In Silence! I know you might think I'm rushing into assumptions and conclusions and you might feel that the way I'm expressing for this band is hasty, but once you dive into this band's world there's no turning back... The thing with this album is that the more you listen to it, the more you feel absorbed by its beauty and it soundscapes... the more appealing and addictive the songs become to you and before you can even realize it, the vibe and the atmosphere of this album have penetrated your defence system and run through your blood! This is the only way I can describe what "First" made me think... As for the music? It's rather tough to describe clearly... They have this amazing ability to "marry" in their sound the old and classic with the new. So, if you ask me I'd say that this is a classic heavy metal band with a progressive twist and a modern, slightly core approach. Add to this special mixture a dark, melancholic atmosphere with a bittersweet scent and you will be quite close... The musicianship of all the band members is superb, their performance great and they create some really catchy riffs, sing along choruses and a concrete and powerful rhythm wall. All these are enriched with a unique and talented singer who offers us passionate interpretations through his emotive voice. A state of the art!
Email: [email protected]
Site: http://www.cast-in-silence.de
Label Site: http://www.emptyriver-records.de

Christine  Parastatidou

Death metal with a brutal sound, but also with many groovy elements is what we are offered here by Welkin and the final result unfortunately ends up being rather boring. There is no imagination in the music themes, the riffs and ideas here have already been played a thousand times and can only arouse the interest of the die hard fans of the groovy death metal. The production is fine without any omissions or mistakes, but it doesn't save the day... when imagination is lacking and the boring triviality reigns, there isn't much it can do...

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

The Seventh is a band that has waited quite some time and has been through many difficulties and line up changes, before having the chance to release their debut work. I think that the waiting and all the experiences gained in the meantime have helped the band build a solid sound and have a clear view of their musical identity. Originating from Belgium, a country that has one of the most important, active and powerful extreme scenes in the underground, The Seventh have everything necessary to allow them become widely known. Their songs dwell in the melodic death/black genre, with death taking up the main body of the compositions and black metal mainly "enclosed" in the sharp, tremolo riffs and some of the more shrieking and raspy vocals. One other thing I liked a lot is that they have a great deal of melodies, but not the mellow, cheesy stuff we listen to in most of the recent releases and they also have a progressive and technical approach to their songs, something that makes "Cursed Earth Wasteland" sound more complex and multi-layered. The musicianship and performance of all the band members is something that is worth to be noticed and a big dose of variety is based on the very talented singer, who uses dual interpretations... The raspier ones I mentioned earlier and some deeper growls that create a beautiful antithesis and depth. If you want to listen to well produced and catchy melodic death/black metal that isn't cheesy or too predictable, then The Seventh is a good recommendation!

Christine  Parastatidou

Saga is a band whose music history goes back a long way in the 80's and after several albums, singles, compilations and so on which have made them well known to the prog-rock scene, they are back with a new album. "10,000 Days" is an album with everything needed... rock tunes, progressive elements, great melodies that travel you to another place, vocals that really come from heaven, guitars both melodic and heavy creating a unique atmosphere in all the songs and generally everything necessary to make this an amazing record. A must for fans of IQ, PENDRAGON and PALLAS, as those bands seem to have grown up with Saga and even RUSH, with which all listeners will find many similarities. Need I say more? Only that every prog-metaller shouldn't miss it.

Sotos  "D.T Ace"  Koukidis

Several years ago Barzin, a Canadian act, released this self titled debut album, which was only available in a few countries, something that made things difficult if you wanted to get the album. So, the British label Monotreme Records decided to re-release it and offer it to the rest of the world again with a new artwork. So far, so good... However things get bad when you push the play button, cause to be frank I don't think I've ever before listened to such boring, catatonic and tiring music. All the songs sound the same, so you can't easily realize where a song ends and where another one begins. This is the least though, since the most annoying thing for me was the fact that all compositions are nerveless. OK! I know and I can perfectly understand that Barzin deliver pop - alternative rock oriented, melancholic music with a great deal of ambience in it, but this doesn't mean that everything must sound flat, typical and lame. Some might find these slow, dark tunes and the mellow, nerveless vocals interesting, but not me!!! Some might think it's rich in texture and poetry and this is what art really is, but I think this is the epitome of uninspired, nerve-breaking and rather manneristic music. Will I listen to it again? No, even if my life depends upon it!!!

Christine  Parastatidou