Operation: Mindcrime - The New Reality (2017)

So after only two short years, we have finally reached the end of Operation: Mindcrime's album trilogy, and the end of a story that centers around stock trading and virtual currencies. Man, when I first got into the story, I thought it was fairly decent and that it had an opportunity to evolve into something spectacular, but then I remembered, it is stock trading we are talking about. Kind of hard to make an exciting story out of that, don't you think? Anyway, good old Geoff has done his fair share to make it as good as possible, wish I could say the same about the music.

To my surprise though, "The New Reality" is a big step forward in the music department. Okay, it is not a revolution or anything close to that, but you can say good bye to the boring and uninspired bland rock that "highlighted" "Resurrection". The entirety of "The New Reality" just have a completely different aura to it, an amount of energy that I have not seen since the provoking "Frequency Unknown", but this energy is not directed to Queensrÿche, it is instead used for more sensible reasons. Huh, maybe Geoff has moved on after all.

The other members get more room to shine too, showing off some of their skills. The drums flows really nicely, while also having some nice technicality to them (although they are a tad bit loud in the mix). The guitars are actually memorable this time around, not being demoted to background noise to the vocals. And yes, the vocals are of course as well versed as you would expect from a Tate release, but they do not take too much space, they take just enough to run the show, but not overtake it. The balance between the band members is surprisingly even, something I certainly did not expect from this release.

But while "The New Reality" feels more balanced and more passionate, it still does not feel like the epic finish of a conceptual trilogy that one would expect. It is still a fairly slow effort that takes its time, never rushing anything, and it is both an advantage and disadvantage. Especially the ending of the record is very slow and dull, it never feels like the band is reaching the climax of the story, so you would think that they would gear up for a fourth release. That ain't happening though, in fact, this is the last release we will see from Operation: Mindcrime, period. Apparently, this was just a short lived project, and Geoff wants to move on to other things. Not a big loss, but a curious decision nonetheless.

The first half of the record is strong though, and it is certainly some of the best material we have seen from the band. I really love the energy in "Wake Me Up", and the instrumentation in "It Was Always You!" and "Under Control" are simply fantastic. And while the "wut wut wut wut wut wut wut wut" part in "The Fear" makes me laugh hysterically, it is quite a serious song, and a staple in the story, another good piece in the first half. Once again, not anything spectacular or anything, but still, pretty enjoyable.

So yeah, Operation: Mindcrime ends on a high note, even if that note is not too high. "The New Reality" is without a shadow of a doubt the best album of the trilogy, but it is not saying that much, because while this album is fairly good, it still has some blind spots that drags out for too long, and the music is not all too inventive. It is a fine record that does not stir up any rash emotions, but lots of kudos to the guys for finishing this massive project. Now we will wait and see where Geoff Tate will take his voice next.

Songs worthy of recognition: Wake Me Up, It Was Always You!, Under Control

Rating: 7/10 Tidal Changes

operationmindcrime.com/wordpress/
twitter.com/geofftate

More reviews of Operation: Mindcrime
The Key
Resurrection

Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper (2017)

We are officially in December, so that means it is time for me to do two things. One is to begin working on my "best of" lists, and another is to catch up on music that I might have missed over the year, albums that a lot of people would consider to be the best of the best. One of those albums that got such a buzz was the third album by the funeral doom band Bell Witch, entitled "Mirror Reaper". While I did get the word on them quite early (mostly because of that Dark Souls inspired cover, one of my favourites of the year), I was not sure if I would really enjoy the record, this genre is not exactly my wheel house.

So why was I so hesitant with "Mirror Reaper"? The first clue is in the line up, which consists of Dylan Desmond on bass and vocals, and Jesse Shreibman on drums and vocals. Yep, no guitars on this band, and the vocals are kind of a side thing too, which means this is basically a big rhythm album. And I really mean big, because another thing that made me uneasy is the length of the album, which is 1 hour and 23 minutes, all "divided" into one song. Yes, it is one of those albums, a single, long ass song, without any guitars and very little vocals, all in a style that is very dark and dense. Jesus Christ, we are in for a special experience folks.

Like all of this was not enough, the album has even more meaning to it with the fact that one half of the original band died in between albums. The death of Adrian Guerra was untimely for sure, but it does add an extra layer of emotion to "Mirror Reaper" that simply would not be there otherwise. It is like he still is a part of the album, in every possible way. It is a great homage to a fallen brother.

A warning first to anyone who wants to try this album out, make sure that you have no other disturbances outside, because this is an album that demands its listener to be in a very calm and collected mood so that everything can be taken in. Also make sure that you have time, this is not an album that you just plug in and swallow quickly. To make it justice, you have to give it respect, sit down, and just relax. Once you do that, every carefully placed note, every drum hit, every line of vocals will hit you just right. It is an album that really deserves every bit of attention.

At the same time though, it is pretty difficult to keep your attention on this album. The whole album consists of long, slow notes that do create an amazing atmosphere, but because the entire album is more or less around the same wave length, it does become very tiring after a while. The struggle to keep your concentration levels in check is certainly real here, and for some, this album could just be outright boring. It does pick up some momentum towards the final 20 minutes, but that might be too little too late for most, and the change is not that significant either.

Unfortunately, I will most likely not listen to this album ever again. It is not that "Mirror Reaper" is a bad album, it is an emotional album that has an amazing atmosphere and well thought out writing that goes beyond the boundries of what metal can be. However, this is simply not an album for me, it is not an album that you can enjoy all that often, it requires certain specific moments to do so, and those moments are few and far between in my world. The length is excruciating, making it incredibly difficult to get through in one sitting. In the end though, I highly recommend this album to everyone, experience it at least once, it is most certainly one of the highlights of the year. Maybe not "best of" worthy, but it is a special one.

Songs worthy of recognition: Mirror Reaper (obviously)

Rating: 7,5/10 Mirror Reapers

bellwitch.bandcamp.com/
twitter.com/BellWitchdoom

The Dark Element - S/T (2017)

I kind of feel bad for Anette Olzon, she never really got a fighting chance when she replaced Tarja in Nightwish. Her time in the band was anything but pleasant, despite doing an alright job on two full length records. Sure, she was not a good fit (Nightwish needs a strong female vocalist, and Anette is more delicate), but I always hoped that she would bounce back into the metal scene some day to get her redemption.

Well, seems like she is getting an opportunity this year, because together with former Sonata Arctica guitarist (and co-founder) Jani Liimatainen, they have created The Dark Element, a new symphonic power metal band that tries to squeeze their way in to a genre that already has tons of talent. Looking from the outside, it is a project that certainly sounds interesting. Jani is a great songwriter and seems to know how to utilize those around him to make the product as good as possible, just look at the latest Cain's Offering album "Stormcrow" for proof.

Sure enough, this album definitely uses Anette's vocals better than Nightwish did, even if a lot of the music here is directly borrowed from the legendary Finnish band. "The Dark Element" is an incredibly melodic record with tons of catchy melodies and choruses, sure to leave an impact on you whether you like it or not. But for a band that is called The Dark Element, there is very little darkness in this record. We get some heavy riffs and some gloomy atmospheres, but this is a fairly jolly album, and that is honestly not a bad thing, just think it is false advertisement that your band have a name like The Dark Element (and an album cover as gruesome and disturbing as the one that is fronting said album), but play music that is pretty harmless in its nature.

As said before, this album has a good amount of Nightwish in it, like just listen to "My Sweet Mystery", that opening with the haunting keys and bone crushing riffs is literally stolen from "Dark Passion Play". Fortunately, I do not think it overshadows the whole album, because it does have more in common with Cain's Offering, but with some more symphonic moments sprinkled around. It feels very natural in a way, taking Jani's preferred style and incorporating Anette into it all, creating a nice fusion between the musicians.

And there are some really good music in here. The previously mentioned "My Sweet Mystery" is a fantastic, powerful song that certainly gets you going, "Here's To You" is simply loud and proud, "Dead To Me" have a really nice rhythm and a very satisfying chorus (even if it does steal from Nightwish again), "The Ghost And The Reaper" is nice and heavy, and even some of the calmer moments are really nice, giving some nice variety (although, I gotta say, the lyrics in "Someone You Used To Know" give off creepy stalker vibes, when I think it is supposed to be a lost love story).

Overall, I do not think The Dark Element will wow anyone with its simplicity, but it has enough good content to go around. This debut record is certainly very enjoyable despite it borrowing from other bands within the genre, the strength of the songs helps you get through the record with ease, and there is enough chemistry in here to really make this project last for some time. So if you are a fan of any of the two main contributors, you should definitely check this release out, even if it is a little brighter than the name and artwork suggests.

Songs worthy of recognition: My Sweet Mystery, Here's To You, The Ghost And The Reaper

Rating: 7/10 Halos

www.facebook.com/TheDarkElement/

Amberian Dawn - Darkness of Eternity (2017)

I am not the last to admit that I miss the good old days, at least when it comes to the Finnish power metal group Amberian Dawn. Ever since they changed lead singer, the band has lost an edge in both originality and energy, making two fairly decent records in "Magic Forest" and "Innuendo", but they did not stay in my mind for very long. I still like the band, a single member change does not affect me that much, but it does feel like that their best work is behind them.

Which leads me to "Darkness of Eternity", an album that is very close to literally piss me off. You see, it opens up really nicely with "I'm The One", a more or less classic Amberian Dawn song that has power, drive, and a sense of wonder that you can only get from some kind of fairy forest. Yes, this is a track that breathes Amberian Dawn from start to finish, and so does the aggressive "Dragonflies" a little later in the album, another very good track with some crunchy riffing.

Unfortunately, it goes pretty much downhill from there, with almost the rest of the material being head scratchingly weird. No seriously, I am fine with the band and what they have done in the last couple of albums, but this is just awkward. Several of the songs in "Darkness of Eternity" sounds like, and I kid you not, ABBA songs. Yes, freaking Sweden's first international super star group, that is what Amberian Dawn sounds like today. Jesus Christ...

So what exactly is it with the music that makes me claim this statement. Well, a lot of the songs, like "Maybe", "Sky Is Falling", and "Breathe Again", are very bright and jolly, drenching in 70's glory. Add to the fact that the fantasy vibes that is the personality of the band is very toned down, almost missing completely. You can just take any famous ABBA song to compare with, then try to tell me with a straight face that Päivi "Capri" Selo would not fit in as the fifth member of the group. It drives me nuts, I may like ABBA, and I respect everything they have done for Swedish music, but a Finnish symphonic power metal group should not sound like them.

Okay, I am being a little too harsh, I do still think that "Darkness of Eternity" has some redeeming qualities. Production is nice, several songs are memorable, and we also get some really nice instrumental performances here and there, but this album is hurt badly by its incredibly uneven nature, it goes back and forth without settling for something to latch on to. I want more of "Dragonflies, "Luna My Darling", "Abyss", and "I'm The One", that is the Amberian Dawn I know and love, but we do not get enough of it in this record.

So this leaves me with this question, do I prefer "Innuendo", which is a solid, but easily forgettable album, or do I like the more memorable "Darkness of Eternity" better despite its inconsistencies? It is kind of a coin flip, but I do at least get a couple of songs here that will stick with me for some time. It does not mean I like the album as a whole, it is a very bumpy ride with strange decisions, but it is kind of interesting to see this band take this path, hearing them dive deep into their inspirational banks. So yeah, while "Darkness of Eternity" can be frustrating, it is still an intriguing listen, even if it does sound like 70's pop at times.

Songs worthy of recognition: Luna My Darling, I'm The One, Dragonflies

Rating: 6,5/10 Golden Coins

http://amberiandawn.com/
https://twitter.com/amberiandawn

More reviews of Amberian Dawn
Magic Forest
Innuendo

VUUR - In This Moment We Are Free - Cities (2017)

Ever since leaving The Gathering in 2007, vocalist Anneke Van Giersbergen has been hard at work, showing off the different styles that she can perform. She has done a good job of displaying herself to the world, being a part of The Gentle Storm, Lights Off, her own solo project of course, and also appear in various albums of the effervescent Devin Townsend Project. But with her new band, the entirely Dutch ensemble VUUR (Dutch for fire), she has a goal to really solidify and narrow down her musical directions when it comes to metal.

With "In This Moment We Are Free - Cities", Anneke has created a progressive metal record that does have a lot of similarities with The Gentle Storm, but instead of recapturing the spirit of the 17th century, VUUR is firmly planted in present day, while still having the delicate emotions that "The Diary" presented. It is some of the heaviest stuff that we have heard from Anneke, but that is not really saying much, this album is still fairly soft, focusing more on beautiful melodies than crushing riffs.

Each of the 11 tracks in this record is inspired by a city that has left Anneke with some kind of impact during all the years she has been on the road, and while it is a neat idea, I do not really see much of a point with it, because I do not think the songs represent their cities particularly well. There is no song in here that you can easily connect with its city, like what does "Sail Away" have to do with Santiago, or how much of Rio De Janeiro is in "Freedom"? Maybe there is a deeper meaning to the songs that I am missing, but it does not come out strong either way.

Actually, the entire album was kind of underwhelming at first. The songs where nice and all, but through the first few spins, it did feel a little sluggish and not dynamic enough to grab my attention. It was about as grey as the cover. But just like the cover, there was something shiny that was waiting to burst out into the darkness, and yes, this album did grow eventually and became more and more interesting for each new listen. It is still not a super original album, but it kept my interest.

The first couple tracks are pretty meh, nothing ear catching. It is by the third track, "The Martyr And The Saint - Beirut", things are starting to get interesting, with some nifty riffing and clean melodies that fits Anneke's voice like a glove. The songs keeps on coming, all in different shapes, from haunting opera and beautiful ballads, to quick hitters and oriental influences. It is a solid mix of songs that together make a very solid record, but while most of the focus is obviously on Anneke, I would like to lift up guitarists Ferry Duijsens and Jord Otto for delivering some great guitar work all throughout the album, taking it one step higher.

In the end, VUUR might have something interesting going for it, but it is clear that it might take an album or two for this band to really get going. This debut record is nice and has several neat ideas, but it is an underwhelming record. It does not jump out at you, making a statement that it is here to entertain. No, it instead quietly and politely informs you that it is available now. Fans of Anneke will definitely enjoy this record, but as said, their true "vuur" might not show up until the next release.

Songs worthy of recognition: Days Go By - London, The Martyr And The Saint - Beirut, Sail Away - Santiago

Rating: 7/10 Valleys of Diamonds in Mexico City

www.vuur.band/
twitter.com/vuur_band

Ne Obliviscaris - Urn (2017)

I do not mind when band keeps it minimalistic when it comes to naming new releases, but Ne Obliviscaris please, this is close to ridiculous. Three letters, that's all? I swear to god, when I first read about this album, all I saw was that it was named "Um". Then I saw that itty bitty tiny space between the r and the n, and it all made sense... but it still felt strange with such a small title. That is Ne Obliviscaris in a nutshell, simplistic in titles, complex in sound.

So this is the Australian band's third release, and at this point in their career, you kind of know what you are going to get from them. It is just what you would expect, it is six tightly packed songs that are filled to the brim with extreme technicality, a healthy mix of soaring clean vocals and brutal harsh vocals, and let us also not forget the generous use of violins, a registered trademark for the band. It is a style that does not suit everyone, but I have been down for the ride ever since their debut "Portal of I".

So we got a collection of 6 songs at our disposal... well, technically there are only 4 songs, but two of them are split into two parts each. Still, they are certainly meaty songs that fill up some time (45 minutes to be exact). During that time, the band flex their muscles and show off all of their abilities, from the intense drumming of Daniel "Mortuary" Presland, to the beautiful strokes of Tim Charles' violin. They once again show that they are among the elite when it comes to pure playing ability, creating such fantastic melodies with both the simple and difficult techniques.

But there is a big problem with "Urn". No matter how much I rave about the technicality of the record, and how much work and effort has been put into it, I just do not get the same angelic feelings that I received from "Citadel". Why? Because "Urn" is not showing that the band has evolved, they are still in the same spot as they were last time we heard from them. You can easily hear the same patterns as in their predecessors, which makes "Urn" very predictable. You know when they are going soft, or when they are turning up the tempo, it is so god damn predictable, and it annoys the hell out of me.

With that said though, it is hard not to get enchanted by the music, because it is still made with some really good precision. When the album reaches the most epic bits, you can just feel your skin crawl from how good it sounds. And while I do not really think there are any songs here that matches the level of the best Ne Obliviscaris songs has to offer, I still get a lot of enjoyment from such epic pieces as "Eyrie" and both parts of the title track.

So even if "Urn" is same same, but different, it is still another proof that Ne Obliviscaris is a true elite band. There are no other band out there like them, with a sound that really stands out in the metal sphere. These guys are too talented to be stuck in one place, and I hope that they can see that. I do not want to see this band becoming the technical extreme progressive symphonic death metal answer to Motörhead. So yeah, "Urn" is no revolution for the band, but it is still a damn good record that fans of the band will absolutely love.

Songs worthy of recognition: Eyrie, Urn (part 1 and 2)

Rating: 7,5/10 Saturnine Spheres

neobliviscarissom.bandcamp.com/
twitter.com/NeObliviscaris3

More reviews of Ne Obliviscaris
Citadel

Keldian - Darkness And Light (2017)

The Norweigan duo Keldian blew me away like a supernova in 2013 with the record "Outbound", an album that quickly became one of my favourites of the year with its infectious and nostalgic power metal that had a clear sci-fi theme going with it. But this band is more than a single genre can explain. The love child of Arild Aardalen and Christer Andresen taps in to a lot of 80's rock, as well as that decade's synth movement. It is a strange combo, but when all comes together, it becomes a very uplifting experience.

So "Darkness And Light" is their fourth release, and it is not too far off from their previous efforts, it is unmistakeably Keldian in this album. The way that they can take such simple components and still make such compelling music is just astounding, it never gets tired or stale. You will never hear this band steer out into complex solos or perform any impressive drum fills, it is basic music at its finest.

With that said, "Darkness And Light" might be one of the more underwhelming albums of the band's discography. Do not get me wrong, this is an enjoyable album, but I do not feel like the magic that their previous releases had is here. It is hard to pin point why, but it might be that they rely a little too much on the 80's sound here, and that the space vibe does not get enough room to shine. There are several parts of the album that just feels too nostalgic, too dated to be released in this millennium, and that is normally a line they have balanced pretty well, but does not do that quite as well this time around.

There are also some songs in here that just feels off, not coming out as bright stars. The giant epic in the middle, the close to 13 minute long "I'm The Last of Us", has some neat ideas, but it is just way too long for its own good. I love long songs, but they have to have a purpose to be long, and I do not see any reasons for this track to be this long. Then we have both "Broadside!" and "The Haunting", two songs that are just drenched in 80's AOR goop, and it just becomes too much for me to handle. Maybe my mother will like this tracks, she absolutely loves 80's music.

Still, we do get several fantastic moments and songs that makes the album worth its staying. The typical ultra catchy, single worthy tracks are here, like the ultra epic "Life And Death Under Strange New Suns" and the very joyful opener "Nightfall". Both are easily likeable and very addictive sing along songs that gets you going. And then we have "Crown of Starlight" that is just pure magic in a bottle, relying on simple, but effective, riffing, together with a steadfast tempo that keeps the blood of the song pumping to a scream worthy chorus that keeps going on and on in the end. It ends the album in a fantastic way, leaving you with an ear to ear grin on your face.

So while "Darkness And Light" has its share of problems, and it could even be considered the weakest album Keldian has put out to this date, it is still a very enjoyable experience that fans of the band are gonna love. The usual Keldian magic is here, and they have not lost their ability to create something magnificent and epic from simple ingredients. This album has some dark moments, and some light moments, but it is still Keldian, it is sci-fi music that Starlord should be considering when he creates his third "Awesome mix", just in time for that infinity war.

Songs worthy of recognition: Crown of Starlight, Blood Red Dawn, Life And Death Under Strange New Suns, Change The World

Rating: 7,5/10 Nightfalls

www.keldian.com/
www.facebook.com/Keldian-133028643515879/

Cyhra - Letters To Myself (2017)

When it comes to super groups (aka newly formed bands that has experienced musicians involved), I tend to have some expectations to how they should tackle their new project. I never expect anything that can top the work of the previous bands, all I really want is something original, something that shows the artists range. I still try to keep my cool and not get overly excited, but my interest was certainly caught when I heard that one of the founders of In Flames, guitarist Jesper Strömblad, was putting together a new group that would make lovers of Swedish mainstream metal drool.

Besides from Strömblad, we got one of his former companions in In Flames Peter Iwers on bass, vocalist Jake E (who recently left Amaranthe), fellow guitarist Euge Valovirta (most known from Shining), and drummer Alex Landenburg, who has quite a resume, being in bands such as Annihilator, At Vance, and a whole other bunch of bands, both as a a real member and just on live performances. It is a well merited quintet indeed.

So the album is centered around the time when Strömblad's drug addiction got the better of him, keeping him away from living a sustainable life, like not being able to even play the guitar for a prolonged time. It is a personal album in many ways, and I really do appreciate that the man shows his feelings in this disc, but I do not feel like the music reflects that really well, at least not as good as the lyrics does.

It does start off pretty strong with the first single "Karma", a song that circles around a good main riff, a nice drive, and a powerful chorus, displaying a mix between In Flames and Amaranthe that is quite intriguing. The following song "Heartrage" is nice too, having the most memorable chorus and the most power in the album, but it is from here on out we all realize that Cyhra is more of an Amaranthe clone, which is fine for fans of the band, but it just lacks the dynamic vocal range when Jake E has to carry the burden himself without the other two vocalists.

The most disappointing part with "Letters To Myself" though is that Strömblad is hiding in the wings, rarely taking the center stage. Besides the main riff of "Karma" and a solo here or there, there is very little memorable guitarwork in this record. I do not mind if the band wants to focus more on Jake's vocals, but if you are going to do that, at least write some songs that can back him up and make him justice. Close to all 12 songs here are very accessible, but few have any memorable elements to them, which makes it really easy to get confused over which song is playing, because they all sound the same. It never gets exhausting to listen to the album (it is only 45 minutes long), but it is certainly easy to be bored.

After hearing their debut, I think I am going to compare Cyhra to a glass of milk. In the right time and place, it can be really refreshing, but most of the time it is kind of meh. I certainly expected more from the group than just a clone band that does not really take any risks, and while I do like that Strömblad gets so personal in the lyrics, it just fades away when it is accompanied with such bland music. If you like Amaranthe and can stand it without Elize Ryd and a harsh vocalist, then Cyhra is definitely for you, but if you really want any quality from this band, just search for the songs listed here under, and pray that if the band releases a new album, it will go more outside the box.

Songs worthy of recognition: Heartrage, Karma, Dark Clarity

Rating: 5,5/10 Black Wings

cyhra.com/
twitter.com/Cyhra_official

GWAR - The Blood of Gods (2017)

It has been a while since we heard from the alien war masters of GWAR, and it is totally understandable. After all, they did lose their great leader Oderus Urungus to a tragic, non war related death, so there was no surprise to find that mad, over sexualized aliens also needs time to mourn their loved ones (the few they have). However, the plans for world domination cannot simply stop when one man falls, it is just like Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots always say, "It is next man up". The band did not seem to find the right replacement though, so they called in their old friend, The Berserker Blothar, to see if he could rejoin the group, and thus, a new era of GWAR was born.

Now, I never expect pure brilliance from this band, because while I absolutely love their image and style, GWAR has never really been famous for their keen sense of prolific song writing. They have always been good, but none of their previous 13 records are any classics, and "The Blood of Gods" is no different. No really, it is just another GWAR record, with groovy punk/thrash that has some great funny concepts thrown in. They have certainly not lost their touch, despite the gap between this album and 2013's "Battle Maximus" is the longest album-to-album gap in the band's history.

I do have to say though that there are several parts of this record that sounds more like other bands made it, and GWAR is vomiting their vile mucus all over it. The opening track "War On GWAR" opens up with clear cut early Black Sabbath riffs, riffs that Iommi himself would be proud of. It is surprising as hell, but it is pretty cool at the same time. I do have more doubt over the final song on the record, "If You Want Blood (You Got It)", a dumb AC/DC knock off that does not feel even the least bit like GWAR. I mean come on, this is your grand finale? It is boring and dated as hell, and it is a song that not even a magnificent Angus Young live solo could work its magic around. We also get touches of Motörhead, Dio, and Lordi too in this record, making "The Blood of Gods" a very divided record that does not seem to have a straight direction.

Despite some evidence of stolen goods, there are still some great songs in here, most of them residing on the first half of this 12 songs album. The opening third is really strong, with the previously mentioned "War On GWAR", the groovy "Viking Death Machine", the hard hitting "El Presidente", and the rocking "I'll Be Your Monster. It is a quartet of songs that is almost as good as any connecting quartet in any GWAR album. Later on we also have "Swarm" and its fantastic head banging aura, blasting out great riffs with a catchy chorus and your typical GWAR attitude (GWARtitude?). Also, who cannot love songs that are titled "The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo" and "Death to Dickie Duncan", two of the funnest songs when it comes to theme. Not the best songs overall, but fun nonetheless.

And that is exactly what a GWAR album is supposed to be, fun. You know that you are not gonna get wowed by this band's amazing instrumental skills or impactful song writing, you are here for a good head banging and a laugh or two, and "The Blood of Gods" certainly delivers on that. Sure, it is a slightly uneven record with some black spots here and there, but there is enough quality to go around. The only real disappointment I had with the album is that I expected the band to honor Oderus in some way or another (like they did with Flattus Maximus in the last album), but I guess the band wanted to move on, keep doing what GWAR does best. Deliver good metal, and crushing enemies.

Songs worthy of recognition: Swarm, War On GWAR, Viking Death Machine, El Presidente

Rating: 7/10 Phantom Limbs

www.gwar.net/
twitter.com/GWARofficial

More reviews of GWAR
Battle Maximus

Enslaved - E (2017)

Enslaved is back with another record, entitled... "E"? What does it mean? It can't be a new hipster way of self-titling your albums, that would just be silly. So what does it stand for? Ecstacy? Elk? Egonometry? I do not know, and I should not really care, but somehow I still do. Anyway, Enslaved is one of the most consistent bands out there, so let us put that short, but baffling, name aside, and find out if the band continue their streak of really good records.

Now, it has been only two years since the Norwegians released the last record, the excellent "In Times" from 2015, so maybe it is fair to not expect a double album or so, but we do only get 6 songs on "E". Sure, those songs amass to a play time of around 50 minutes, but 6 songs is still the bare minimum to what I think is the amount of songs an album should have. The band could have easily put in one or two more tracks, but it is ultimately the fact that these 6 songs do not have enough meat in them to justify a full release, something I think Dream Theater did a lot better with their own 6 track album, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

Even so, we do still get what we would expect from Enslaved in this part of their career, a deep progressive record with tons of atmosphere and of course some call backs to their early career. The band is taking steps to become more and more like their country neighbours Opeth (which I think is most notable in "Axis of The Worlds"), but they are not quite there yet, they still do their own thing and does so really well. It is the sound that you would expect from Enslaved, but  exactly how it sounds and what path it takes you is still a mystery, keeping your interest level at an high close to all the time. So it is not a surprising album, but it still has surprises in it.

Its biggest strength could be that it is a long lasting album, that grows with every listen. All the sweeping melodies and little details takes some time to fully understand and appreciate. A song like "Hiindsiight" did not really grab a hold of me in the beginning, but its beautiful mood and looming saxophone (by Kjetil Møster) does enhance the feelings quite a bit, making it the perfect final song of the record. And the overall quality and consistency of "E" is really impressive, with no loose threads anywhere to be seen. Even a slightly different song like "The River's Mouth", the most up tempo song on "E", feels like it belongs in the family

But as said before, it is kind of short, and the two bonus tracks ("Djupet" and a Röyksopp cover of "What Else Is There") just does not add anything special, so I do not feel fully satisfied in the end. There is no question about the quality of "E", there is a lot of it, and it is another great progressive metal release from this year, but I do not think that I will look back at this album as one of the band's strongest efforts. There is a chance that a lot of people will enjoy this one more than "In Times", but I would take "In Times" any day, just because it is more memorable and had some killer tracks (still love the hell out of "One Thousand Years of Rain"). "E" is most certainly more consistent, but to me, it lacks something special. It is still a good record that I highly recommend, but I do think there are better Enslaved records out there, records that need more than a single letter for a name.

Songs worthy of recognition: The River's Mouth, Feathers of Eolh, Hiindsiight

Rating: 7,5/10 Storm Sons

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twitter.com/enslavedband

More reviews of Enslaved:
In Times

Act of Defiance - Old Scars, New Wounds (2017)

When guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover left Megadeth, it did not really take long until they got back up on the horse, creating a new band where their musical freedom was not interrupted by Mr. Mustaine. They added bassist Matthew Bachand (Shadows Fall) and vocalist Henry Derek Bonner (ex-Scar The Martyr) to the fold, and Act of Defiance was complete, quickly releasing their debut album "Birth And The Burial" about a year later. It is a nice debut with several cool songs, it is just not completely brilliant in its entirety.

So now they have released their sophomore effort "Old Scars, New Wounds", and it is more or less a natural follow up to the debut, where the band continue to build their sound of melodic heavy/thrash metal further and clearer. It was obvious that the band had not been together for long, because the sound was a little all over the place, and while this album is not fully cohesive, it is much more so than its predecessor. It is not the most original sound you will ever hear, but it has some nice bits and pieces that should please those who do not have too high expectations.

It is clear that these are talented people we are dealing with, because it all feels professional. The guitars are crunchy and strong, beefed up with some sweet solos, the drumming is incredibly solid, not missing a single beat, and the bass just smacks you down time and time again with its determined power. Just like with the short lived Scar The Martyr though, I do feel like vocalist Henry is one of those guys that some people just cannot get along with. His clean vocals are pretty monotone and boring, which does kind of work with this type of genre, but it is not something you can easily get used too. Fortunately, he uses more of his harsh vocals here, and they fit very well.

So the performances are solid, something I wish I could say the same about in the song writing. Most of the songs here are basic run of the mill metal, they are nice to listen to, but you forget them as soon as they end, and with eleven songs in total, it can become pretty tiresome to get through them all. I just wish there were something to grab onto, something memorable in the songs that can stick to your brain.

Most of the memorable stuff in this record is at the first half, starting with "M.I.A." that catches your attention instantly with its fast tempo and technical riffing, and the speed continues on in the excellent thrash anthem "Molten Core", an energetic song that gets you pumping. It does become more metalcore after that though with "Overexposure", a song that is sure to split opinions, because while it is the catchiest song on the record, it is a strange one just for how lame it is in its approach. After that though, it is fairly smooth sailing towards the end with some of the highlights being the technical "Lullaby of Vengeance" and the dark duo "Conspiracy of The Gods" and "Another Killing Spree".

I am not giving up the hope for this super group, but it is clear that they need even more time to figure out what they want to accomplish with this band. At times, they are a very dark thrash metal band with death metal elements, but other times, they are very melodic and more accessible in its approach, so it is not easy to fully enjoy their music. There are some parts in "Old Scars, New Wounds" that are great, even interesting, but it ultimately falls pretty flat because it lacks a clear cut personality. The guys will find their way sooner or later, but for now, they are shrouded in mystery, so I suggest that you take a spin and take out your own selection of favourites, that is all you need from this record.

Songs worthy of recognition: Molten Core, M.I.A., Conspiracy of The Gods

Rating: 6/10 Broken Dialects

metalblade.com/actofdefiance/
twitter.com/actofdefiance1

Anubis Gate - Covered In Black (2017)

It has been a really good year for progressive metal, with several big bands delivering high quality records, and more unknown challengers coming in for a slice of that cake of success. It has truly been a big smorgasbord for us fans, waiting for us to feast on tasty records from bands such as Persefone, Threshold, Pain of Salvation, and Prospekt. Honestly, so far I have not come across a prog metal release that have left me wanting more... until this album came along.

I first encountered Anubis Gate a couple of years ago with their release "Horizons", and man was that a fantastic record, containing several kick ass songs with a sound that was fresh and original. It was love at first listen. So when the Danes announced its follow up, I was excited, hoping for more of the same high quality that we got before. And while I technically got what I wished for, it still felt like "Covered In Black" was different, not as exciting.

Do not get me wrong, this is a fine record, but just because it is so different from its predecessor, it took me some time to even appreciate what it is. "Covered In Black" is a very fitting title, because Anubis Gate has taken their style and done like the Rolling Stones does to doors, painted it black. This album is much darker and moodier, which is a far step away from the catchy and bright "Horizons". I do like the idea of giving this album a whole new personality, making it stand out, but it might be too big of a change too quickly, going too fast for us to comprehend.

This is also pretty evident in the music, where close to all the songs are fairly slow and heavy, even close to sluggish. There is little power to be found here, which makes the album denser than what it really needs to be. It should not really be this way since none of the songs are overly long (longest is just over 9 minutes), but they feel like they could have benefited of being shorter, and while 55 minutes for an entire album is not too bad for this genre, it just does not sit well with this one. It does ease up a bit after some time, but the overwhelming darkness is still there, hindering your senses.

But if you can get through this tough outer barrier that "Covered In Black" has built up, there is some good quality to be found. The band has some nice performances all around, with singer Henrik Fevre putting out some great emotional vocals that sticks with you (like in the opener "Psychotopia"), and guitar duo Kim Olesen and Michael Bodin lays some really nice solos here and there, also mixing in some oriental vibes that work really well. The biggest shining moment for the band though is in the triple attack "Black", "Blacker", and "Blackest", three connecting songs that displays most of the band's abilities, from speeding things up and laying in cool effects, to slowing things down and letting the atmosphere take over. If the rest of the album had sounded like these three songs (and the excellent "Too Much Time"), I would have enjoyed it way more.

So I might be ticked off about "Covered In Black" sounding so drastically different from "Horizons", but the fact of the matter is that it is still an interesting effort from the Danes. Sure, it is a sluggish black blob that could have used some more variety so that it was not too difficult to listen to in one sitting, but it is certainly a grower... a slow grower. It is not a masterpiece by any means, it does its job and has a clear cut personality to work from, and it delivers some good songs too in the process. Will I come back to this record? Probably not. Will I come back to some of the songs? Absolutely. So take a shot in the dark and give this a try, and be patient, let it sink in for some time. Sooner or later, something will appear into the light.

Songs worthy of recognition: Too Much Time, Psychotopia, Black

Rating: 6,5/10 Journies To Nowhere

anubisgate.com/
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Prospekt - The Illuminated Sky (2017)

In the evolution of progressive metal, most would probably put Dream Theater and Symphony X as the two bands that has been in the front of the charge, with Dream Theater more or less creating the genre, and Symphony X infusing more power and symphonic elements into the music. So whenever a new prog metal band pops up, it is pretty safe to say that it is gonna borrow some influences from one of the bands, maybe even both. Enter the British band Prospekt, a band that formed in 2010 who seem to have created the perfect mix between the two legends, taking the epic nature of DT's early works, and adding more power into it.

So it is not a small task these guys are taking on, and they probably know that the picky fans of those bands are listening closely to every note, riff, and beat to see if they can match up to their idols. The Brits do man up, delivering a powerful record that has ton of passion behind it. Each member does their part in making their sophomore effort "The Illuminated Sky" as good as possible, and you can immidiately hear it in the opening intro "Ex Nihilo" where the angelic keys of Rox Capriotti sets the mood, with Lee Luland on guitar and Blake Richardson on drums (no, it is not the drummer from Between The Buried And Me) takes it further and builds up the tension into the opening self titled track.

This title track is just proggy goodness, it is playful in its approach, but determined in its execution, delivering an excellent start to this record. The first half does stutter though with a couple of smaller songs that does not really come together in the end, but it hold up the fort quite nicely, setting up for a strong second half that shows some good range, from long and epic songs to more slower and emotional tunes, while still keeping all of the song within the same sound realm to make a very strong and cohesive experience.

The only thing I can get slightly annoyed by with this record are the vocals, because just like Dream Theater, those just do not match up with the quality of the instrumentation. Michael Morris has a pretty high pitch that can really rub the wrong way in some moments, and I can feel that he is trying his all to keep it together, maybe even too hard in some places. It is still a flaw that I think some can look past, especially since he does have moments where he truly shines, like in the slow keyboard based song "Akaibara" where the mood is perfect, so beautiful and fragile to really enhance it further. A real hair raiser.

And what would a prog record be without an epic closer? Prospekt sure delivers one in "Where Masters Fall", and also gets a little help from DragonForce singer Marc Hudson to amp up the power. I have definitely heard better 10+ minute songs, but "Where Masters Fall" does its job really well, creating some epic tension to finish off an overall fantastic record. It also has some of the best soloing in the record, something I would have loved to see more of, and both Michael and Marc does a great job cooperating, giving each other enough space to shine.

So with a rock solid line up of great songs, some nice performances all around, and a sleek production that amplifies the music further, Prospekt has really created a progressive gem that should not be overlooked. Sure, the similarities to other great progressive metal bands are there, but it does not overshadow the effort that this band puts out, and besides, this is only their second album, so they are still evolving as a band, not done perfecting their musical recipe. If "The Illuminated Sky" is any indication, this band is most likely going places where most bands would only dream of reaching, and this record is just one step towards that destination.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Illuminated Sky, Beneath Enryia, Alien Makers of Discord, Akaibara

Rating: 8,5/10 Titans

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Prophets of Rage - S/T (2017)

To most metal heads, the 90's was a strange, and even awful era for the music. Bands that killed it in the 80's were either made obsolete or shifted to weird places that really did not do them anything good. On top of this, two genres were rising to stardom, grunge and nu-metal, two genres that are quite controversial still to this day for most lovers of metal. With that said though, there were still some great inventive metal coming out of this era, pushing the boundaries of our beloved music style. Now some of these 90's pioneers have gone together for sort of a mini comeback, taking bits and pieces from famous groups to make the ultimate early nu-metal super group.

Prophets of Rage is most certainly the 90's lover's wet dream, with members from Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, Public Enemy, and even Cypress Hill. It is an interesting super group, mostly because the style is almost dead and gone, which ultimately leaves me with the question "why now?". It is not like the band has had nothing to do all of these years, but it still feels strange that they would be trying to get back that rap-metal groove that was so successful in the 90's.

Well, after some touring in 2016 and 2017, the band has now unleashed their self titled debut record, and yes, it sounds just as you would expect. We get tons of rapping from Chuck D and B-Real, some record scratches from DJ Lord and his turntables, lyrics about taking down the establishment and so. It is so 90's that the album should really come with some baggy pants and a cap that is put on backwards. It is almost like the guys have been frozen in time, and not been defrosted until now, and they still seem pretty pissed (which I should probably have guessed knowing the band name).

So you are obviously wondering, is this even considered metal? Well, the only thing that makes Prophets of Rage metal is in the instrumental section, where we have the former Rage Against The Machine buddies Tim Commerford on bass, Brad Wilk on drums, and Tom Morello on guitar. Just like the rest of the band, these guys does not really anything different from what we could expect from them. They do offer some of the more impressive parts of this record, especially Morello's signature playing style that is so recognizable, but as said, it is nothing that I did not expect.

This ultimately leaves us with the question if this music still have a place in 2017, and it sort of does. The themes of this record are social problems that we still have today, and it is always nice to see someone step up and bring it up to our attention. Musically however, it is kind of dated, not really holding up against the rest of the competition. Some enjoyment can be found when the band goes full Hulk mode in "Unfuck The World", and we get some nice epic moments in "Strength In Numbers", but most of "Prophets of Rage" is just aged noise that is trying to be bold and tough, without any rock solid ground to stand on. It is definitely safe to say that most of us would rather just put on an old RATM record instead of this.

Prophets of Rage does not really impress with their debut record, and the only group of people I can really recommend this record to is for those who wants to feel nostalgic over a decade that most of us do not want to remember. Not to say that this album is bad, it is just a very safe effort that does not have enough power to make an impact. Could be some neat background music when you play an old "Tony Hawk pro skater" game, but other than that, I do not see any real use for this record in this day and age. So in conclusion, it is a nostalgic trip to the past that just does not match what the guys did in their previous bands. At least the rage is still alive and well.

Songs worthy of recognition: Unfuck The World, Strength In Numbers, Who Owns Who

Rating: 6/10 Shots Fired

prophetsofrage.com/
twitter.com/prophetsofrage

Threshold - Legends of The Shires (2017)

Every time a progressive metal band decides to tackle a massive concept album, I try to go in a little cautious so that the hype surrounding the impending release does not get under my skin. It is very easy for an album like this to get unrealistic expectations that will never be met, just because it is supposed to be so grand and epic. Even if Threshold are seasoned prog veterans, it still can happen to the best, and the fact that the band had to change vocalists after the album was fully written and recorded probably did not help either. So let us dive into this monster, by first, once again saying goodbye to Damian Wilson, and welcoming back Glynn Morgan (who was with the band in 1994 to 1996, appearing in the sophomore effort "Psychedelicatessen").

The story itself is not the most obvious one, and it is quite hard to understand without knowing the lyrics, but from what I can tell, we get to follow a man's journey from a young and hopeful guy who is generally happy with life, but as the album goes along, we get to follow his adventures and various ups and downs. The different acts of the story arc are shown really well with the three parts of "The Shire", especially the first two parts which are basically the same song, but with completely different tones. Maybe it does have something to do with Bilbo Baggins and the rest of J. R. Tolkien's epic tales, but I seriously doubt it (although, the title and album cover does suggest it).

Anyway, while this is a concept album, I feel like the concept is not the main focus, the songs are, and good lord what songs we have here. Most of it can be best described as Threshold putting their own original touch to 80's rock, which certainly suits new vocalist Glynn Morgan well, but we do get a lot of more metal moments in here, so this is basically Threshold in XL version. The sound is no surprise, but the variety of different songs we get here is simply astounding. This whole album is filled to the brim with songs that varies in styles, tones, and lengths, but they all fit together seamlessly, so the transitions are as fluid as they should be in this big of a record.

With over one hour and twenty minutes of music, it is easy to cut corners, not keeping focus all the way through. Somehow though, Threshold has put out 14 songs that all have a purpose, that all feels well thought of. No part of "Legends of The Shires" feels unnecessary, and it certainly does not feel like a double album when you are just casually listening to it. Sure, it takes its time to develop, but it does not overstay its welcome, entertain you throughout its runtime in a very effective manor that is incredibly hard to pull off.

And unlike most other magnum opuses, "Legends of The Shires" has a magnificent roster of songs that not only work well together, but are strong enough to stand on their own. Just the fact that the first song Threshold released was the 10 minute giant "Lost In Translation" is a strong testament on how good the quality of the songs are. An epic monster that is pure progressive candy. And while some of the 80's rock influences can take over a little too much sometimes (looking at you "Stars And Satellites"), the band still hold the tone just right, which ultimately keeps the magic alive and well.

Man, this is an incredibly strong album by Threshold, an achievement that surely will stand the test of time. Close to everything with this double disc is brilliant, from the great variety of awesome songs, to the multi layered performances that makes you wanna listen to this record again and again, this is definitely Threshold's strongest effort in some time, and that says a lot. It is progressive metal at its finest, and it is just another amazing piece to add among other fantastic releases from other bands within the genre. Damn, I am gonna go listen to it again, I just can't get enough.

Songs worthy of recognition: Lost In Translation, Small Dark Lines, The Man Who Saw Through Time, Trust The Process, Snowblind

Rating: 9,5/10 Superior Machines

www.thresh.net/
twitter.com/Threshold

More reviews of Threshold
For The Journey

Arch Enemy - Will To Power (2017)

It seems like most fans of Arch Enemy has taken the vocalist change from the close to legendary Angela Gossow to former The Agonist singer Alissa White-Gluz pretty good so far. The first album with her in charge, "War Eternal", was a nice start, displaying some good energy and interesting ideas. But it is with this album, their 11th one entitled "Will To Power", where the new era of Arch Enemy will show whether they will sink or float, if they continue with these interesting new ideas, or just goes back to old habits.

Well, the band actually goes both ways, but unfortunately, it is the newer ideas that are kind of hidden in the shadows, and even if they are new to the band itself, they are far from original in the grand scheme of things. The most "experimental" bit of "Will To Power" is that we get to hear a good amount of Alissa's clean vocals, which is really surprising. It certainly gives the album more variety, and it works to some extent, but at times, it ends up being a big knock off of Alissa's time in The Agonist, which really does not suit Arch Enemy very well. It might be a direct effect of Alissa being more of a factor in the song writing, but they could definitely have done this differently.

Otherwise, it is just basic Arch Enemy music we get in "Will To Power", melodic death metal where the guitars of Michael Amott and Jeff Loomis are in the center, with some strong female vocals of course. This will definitely please the hard core fans, but I cannot help but feeling that they are just going in neutral mode, not putting in the effort to take the band to the next level. I mean, there is so much talent in this group, guys that are killing it in their side projects, such as Spiritual Beggars, The Night Flight Orchestra, and Conquering Dystopia, but when they turn their focus to Arch Enemy, they seem to not care all too much.

This is obviously a shame, because I do appreciate the performances here. Michael and Jeff does spit out some great riffs and solos here and there, Alissa nails both the harsh and clean vocals, and the drums, by long time member Daniel Erlandsson, got that same hard hitting feeling that we would expect from this band, but all of these performances are used in songs that lacks punch and ingenuity, and the few songs that do feel different are so for the wrong reasons. The intro "Set Flame To The Night" is fantastic, but it is just a one minute intro, so it does not really add anything, which also goes for the cover of the GBH song "City Baby Attacked By Rats" (although it being fantastic is kind of wrong, it is at most okay).

It is actually kind of ironic that one of the best songs of the record is a rip off of the very song that defines the Arch Enemy formula, "Nemesis". The lead single "The World Is Yours" has all of the familiar tricks, a speedy intro, an incredible catchy main riff and chorus, and an epic finisher that includes a magnificent solo. Once again, a great song, but because it is so similar to "Nemesis", it just ticks me off quite a lot, and summarizes "Will To Power" in general pretty accurately, an album that tries to be something great, but ends up being an uninspired meh of an album. Speaking of ticking me off, "Murder Scene" does so too, being one of the more energetic songs of the record, but having the guitar work that fits more with In Flames. I love In Flames, so I definitely like the song, but it is weird that Arch Enemy came up with this one, because besides from being Swedish and a melo death band, the two bands have nothing in common.

So technically, I cannot call "Will To Power" a bad album, because it has some moments where the band tries to bring something new to the table, but it all goes unnoticed for material that is more safe in its approach. The guitar work is really nice, and the other performances are professional, but that is probably the only brilliant aspects of the album, the songs are mediocre, the lyrics are either cheesy or forgettable, and the overall tone of the album is nothing special at all. That second wind the band got from "War Eternal" did not last very long, now did it?

Songs worthy of recognition: The World Is Yours, The Race, Dreams of Retribution

Rating: 5,5/10 Murder Scenes

http://www.archenemy.net/en/
https://twitter.com/archenemymetal

More reviews of Arch Enemy
War Eternal

Leprous - Malina (2017)

There is a new generation of progressive metal acts taking over the world, and doing so with damn impressive music. Acts like Between The Buried And Me, Haken, Ne Obliviscaris and Persefone is taking the genre to new grounds, expanding it to a whole new level. Norwegian Leprous is also in this group, delivering unique and imaginative music ever since their debut, the 2009 record "Tall Poppy Syndrome". While they do have a core sound that they base their music around, every new album sounds different, having a new personality that stands out among the rest.

Their fifth album "Malina" is nothing different, but its personality is not something truly unique unfortunately. With this album, Leprous has obviously looked backwards in time to the 80's and infused its influences with their music. Sounds familiar? It should if you are a prog fan, because Haken did almost the exact same thing with last year's release "Affinity". I do not think that Leprous meant to copy Haken in that sense, but it is easy to just scream "Copy Cat" just for them being one year later, which also makes it hard not to compare the two albums to each other. So to not do that all too much, I will just say this, "Affinity" is definitely a better album, no competition really.

This does of course not mean that "Malina" is a bad record, but it might be one that fans could find it hard to swallow. It is the band's lightest record to date, really balancing the edge on if it should be considered a metal album or not. Their last album, "The Congregation", was a divider, with some loving its dark and melancholic nature, while others (like me) just found it boring, and I am afraid that "Malina" might be one too, but for other reasons (the double review on Angry Metal Guy is a pretty good proof of that).

So where do I stand in all of this? I definitely enjoy the album and its more straight forward nature, but I see some flaws too. My biggest issue is that it feels like the band is building and building up to a climax that is gonna be epic as hell, but they never get around to it. When the sad violin music in "The Last Milestone" ends the album, I am sitting here, wondering why this boxing match went to the judges and not in a knock out victory. The title track is the closest one to reach that epic climax, but it just does not reach all the way, even if it is still a great and fragile tune.

But when you have an album filled with different emotions, styles, contrasts, and technical tricks, it is pretty hard to hate on it. "Malina" definitely feels more engaging than what "The Congregation" was, experimenting more to create a more diverse experience, and it works. There are several songs in here that are great, but for unique reasons, whether it be heavy ("Coma"), relying on the drum beat by Baard Kolstad ("Captive"), being hauntingly beautiful ("Bonneville"), or when singer Tor Oddmund Suhrke just dominates with his amazing vocals ("Mirage", "From The Flame", "Malina", just to name a few).

So in the end, I am sure that this album will be just like "The Congregation", that some will love it, and others will not. The more poppy nature of "Malina" is definitely gonna scare off some people, making them go back to previous work. To me though, I feel more connected to this album than "The Congregation", it feels more honest, and it is not just a one trick pony, producing several similar songs. There is a lot of quality in this record, and it is one I will get back to multiple times, because it is definitely a grower. With a finish as strong as the start and some more memorable songs, it could have been a killer record, but it works really well for what it is.

Songs worthy of recognition: From The Flame, Bonneville, Mirage, Malina

Rating: 8/10 Captives

http://www.leprous.net/
https://twitter.com/leprousband

More reviews of Leprous
The Congregation

Unleash The Archers - Apex (2017)

Power metal can be tricky sometimes. A lot of bands are balancing on the edge  with their music, trying to keep it fun, while also staying focused and professional, not ending up being too cheesy. Reading on various other reviews and such, it seems like the Canadians in Unleash The Archers have had a hard time finding the balance in the full decade they have been active. While having an interesting sound with a good female vocalist in Brittney Slayes, and blending in some death metal elements too, they have had the pieces to succeed, but it seems like it is not until now they have fulfilled those expectations.

"Apex" is album number 4 for the band, and it is a record that is jam packed with pure quality. It does not take long until you get stricken by the grand production that perfectly captures the "Lord of The Ring" esque album cover, but it never goes all the way over the top, staying epic in just the right level. It certainly lifts the band up quite a lot, and they really deliver with some great performances. Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley delivers a wide range of great riffs and solos, while Slayes is just killing it with her vocals, reaching those high notes cleanly and building up the tension even further. Drummer Scott Buchanan and bassist Nikko Whitworth (his first album as a member) both do a great job as well, keeping the rhythm in check.

But it is the setlist that truly makes "Apex" stand tall, a wide variety of epic tunes that are both slow and fast, light and heavy, memorable and memorable. Even if not all of the songs hits you right in the gut, they are all bringing something to this album to make it great. The standard in here is incredibly high, never letting you go without giving you a good shake and goosebumps.

It all starts with "Awakening", a late morning sleeper that takes its time to rev up, but bursts out into classic power metal grounds once it gets going. A great start that gets even better with "Shadow Guide" and its great main riff and sing along friendly chorus. And the awesome songs just keeps on hitting you one by one. The epic "The Matriarch", the chugging "Cleanse The Bloodlines", and the melodic "The Coward's Way" all close out the first half in a remarkable way, completing one of the strongest openings of this year.

The second half is not half bad either, even if the two least good songs are here ("False Walls" and "Earth And Ashes"). I really love the simplicity of "Ten Thousand Against One", with its great build up and different style it captures you and makes your head bang along to the slow, heavy beat. It might be the cheesiest songs in the album, but it still kicks ass. The final two songs should not be forgotten either, with the title track closing the album nicely with a more complex structure, and "Call Me Immortal" bringing out a Holy Grail like sound that at least hits my nerves just right.

All in all, "Apex" is just an incredible power metal record with tons of depth and energy. The band just hits everything out of the park here, from the song writing and performance to the production and tone, it all fits neatly into place. It definitely feels like the band has finally found their groove, and that this might just be the beginning of a series of great albums being released by these guys. Power metal lovers, this is a must listen for you, and the rest of you should give it a chance too, because the archers are truly unleashed.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Coward's Way, Shadow Guide, The Matriarch, Ten Thousand Against One, Call Me Immortal

Rating: 9/10 False Walls

unleashthearchers.com/
twitter.com/UnleashArchers

Pentakill - Grasp of The Undying (2017)

The thought of a fictional band sounds kind of wacky, maybe even outright dumb, but it is a phenomenon that is not too uncommon these days. Hell, the first record I ever bought was a fictional band, the self titled debut record of Gorillaz (still a fantastic record and band). For us metalheads, we have a couple of these types of bands. The most well known is definitely Dethklok from the animated series "Metalocalypse", but we also have a little band known as L70ETC (Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain), a band created in the realms of the video game "World of Warcraft", and they had some decent hits like "Rogues Do It From Behind" and "I Am Murloc" (a song that made it in as DLC to "Guitar Hero III").

Now, we can add another video game inspired band to the mix. From the ever so popular MOBA game "League of Legends" comes Pentakill, a six piece band... wait, why are they called Pentakill if they are 6 members? Shouldn't they be called Hexakill instead? Screw it, all of them are taken from the video game, and have some pretty fun back stories too, all of which you can read on in their homepage. However, they do not mention who is behind the characters, doing all of the real work, but believe me, there are some impressive musicians behind this.

Just the vocal roster is pretty impressive. We got Per Johansson from what I think is Ureas and Thrid Eye (not sure though, the information is not easy to find, correct me if I am wrong please), Noora Louhimo from Battle Beast (doing a lot of clean vocal work for a change, instead of screaming her lungs out), and the all mighty Jørn Lande, who not surprisingly steals most of the show. It is not only that this is weird to hear a guy like him in a project like this, but also the fact that the music Pentakill plays seems to fit Jørn's vocals better than his own stuff, just because he gets to release more power. He just owns all of the five songs he performs in.

But there are a lot of other people behind this album, almost far too many to mention in a sentence or two. Just the fact that a symphonic orchestra from Macedonia is involved in this is awesome. Actually, there is a lot of orchestration in this album, making it extremely grand and powerful, elevating the music to new levels. Add a guitar that creates a lot of awesome solos and memorable riffs (that main riff on "Mortal Reminder" is so infectious), and you get a band that goes full force in its effort to dominate the battlefield.

While there obviously is a lot of passion and energy in the band, they seem to have these moments of trying to build up a mood, ending in songs that stomps without progressing any further. Seriously, why is a song like "The Hex Core M 2" doing here? Not only does the title not make any sense (unless it has something to do with LoL, but it is still dumb), the song itself is a slow Rob Zombie and 2wo hybrid that is murdering the momentum in one of the most efficient ways imaginable. It stands out for all the wrong reasons, and while there are other songs in "Grasp of The Undying" that does not seem to have a purpose, this one is just an ear sore.

Fortunately, there is a lot of awesome stuff in here to quickly forget the bad times. The energetic power the band produces is at times astounding, even down right mesmerizing. There is a lot of passion behind this project, and all of the people that stands behind should really feel proud of their accomplishments. So even if I never will understand why the game League of Legends is as big as it is, I sense greatness in this band that originates from its universe. It is far from a perfect effort, but it certainly leaves a well lasting mark in your ear drums.

Songs worthy of recognition: Mortal Reminder, Cull, Frozen Heart, Rapid Firecannon

Rating: 7,5/10 Bloodthirsters

http://pentakill.leagueoflegends.com/en_US/

Accept - The Rise of Chaos (2017)

We are now into the fourth album of the Accept rebirth, and it definitely feels like the band is not gonna let go of the grip of your interest any time soon. The three previous records have all been stellar outings, delivering tons of great riffs and nice sing along moments, so there is no real surprise that "The Rise of Chaos" offers more of the same, even if the title might have hinted otherwise.

The only thing that actually is different from the other three records ("Blood of The Nations", "Stalingrad", and "Blind Rage") is the line-up. We got two newcomers in drummer Christopher Williams and guitarist Uwe Lulis, and they both do a solid days of work here. It is still Wolf Hoffmann who runs the show though, with his endless supply of magnificent riffs and kick ass solos. Almost fifty year into his career, and he still delivers such quality, it is god damn impressive.

Musically, there is no revolution here, it is just classic German heavy metal at its finest. It is straight forward, and simple in its approach, but still very easily likeable, even if you have heard it a hundred times before. It is hard to explain why this still works, but one reason could be the quality behind it, both in production and execution. I have already talked about the guitars, but Mark Tornillo and his fantastic vocals deserves a shout out too, just because of his unique delivery. There simply is no one like him, and to be honest, I could not imagine the band without him now.

The album feels almost a little too perfect, like it is too nice to get gritty. We do not get any true mauler in this album, a "Hung, Drawn And Quartered" or "Stampede" that picks up the pace and rattles your bones. Even the opener "Die By The Sword" is surprisingly calm and collected, and while it is a really great track, it is not the start that I would like. And once again, with a title like "The Rise of Chaos", you would almost expect some real chaos in here (to be fair, the title track does have the most adrenaline). Instead, we get more light hearted songs with more comedic meanings, like who in their right mind would think that "Koolaid" would be a good serious title? The comedy is not all bad though, like in "Analog Man" (or the alternative title "We Are Old"), a song that might have my favourite lyric line of the year in "My cellphone is smarter than me".

Ultimately, I do not find many wrongs with "The Rise of Chaos". It is good heavy metal, just what we would expect from the seasoned veterans. The production is great, the riffs are many and of high quality, and close to all songs are enjoyable. However, I do not get a spark with this album, it is a little too monotone for its own good. The band does not really play it safe or anything like that, but it is such a solid creation that its density is its own weakness. Out of all the four albums of the new Accept era, "The Rise of Chaos" is definitely the weakest of the bunch, but it is still a very good record that has some to offer. Simply put, it is Accept, you know it is good.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Rise of Chaos, Die By The Sword, Analog Man, Race To Extinction

Rating: 7/10 Koolaids

http://acceptworldwide.com/
https://twitter.com/accepttheband

More reviews of Accept
Blind Rage