InnerWish - some videos from the 2024 album Ash of Eternal Flame

I missed the boat on this album. I was listening to the music and was thinking that the songwriting quality and production is good. I do not remember being too familiar with their music. It turns out that their album Ash of Eternal Flame released on November 8th, 2024 is their sixth album. According to Metal Archives, they actually began in 1995 in Greece! They have released albums in 1998, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2016 and 2024. Therefore, I am wondering if other supporters of melodic bands might enjoy this band. In my opinion, the songs are memorable. I think audiences that like singing and rocking songs may like it, too, but of course you never know. If that is the case, maybe start with these videos and see what you think. Perhaps you might be pleasantly surprised!

INNERWISH - Higher (Official Music Video)

INNERWISH - Sea of Lies (feat. Hansi Kürsch) (Official Music Video)

INNERWISH - Soul Asunder (Official Lyric Video)

INNERWISH - Cult Of The Blind (Official Visualizer Video)

https://www.facebook.com/innerwishofficial/

Ex Deo - Roman Empire-themed neosymphonic extreme metal

Ex Deo

Year of the Four Emperors

Reigning Phoenix Music

10 January 2025

In their early days the Canadian band Kataklysm (1991-present) was impossibly fast, brutal death grind with the deranged growling of Sylvain Houde (from 1991 to 1998), like on their 1992 demo or their blazing 1993 EP, which are unhinged exercises in the extremity of the time. After three demos, two EPs and four albums, album number five, in 2001 Epic (The Poetry of War) saw them keeping the speed and heaviness, but by that time they had hit upon a more melodic approach, while still retaining extreme drumming, blasting, heavy riffing, and vocals, now done by bassist Maurizio Iacono. That particular album also had Roman Empire-themed lyrics, probably influenced by the tremendously successful 2000 movie Gladiator. Striking while the iron was hot, the band had another album in 2002 called Shadows & Dust, which begins with a speech from the movie Gladiator. This was a productive period for the band, as they also had albums in 2004 and 2006. They have continued putting out albums in regularly throughout their history, even nowadays, but it does seem like around that time they were making albums at a faster pace.

Anyway, in 2009 Kataklysm vocalist Maurizio Iacono came out with a new solo project called Ex Deo, a Roman Empire-themed neosymphonic, melodic extreme sound, as if to say that, for him, the topics of the Roman Empire had not been exhausted and wanted to do more in that direction. Fast forward to 2025 and this EP right here. The EP comes after four previous albums, continuing their established sound. Nowadays the solo project has become a second band for the members of Kataklysm, given that all the members of Kataklysm also work on Ex Deo. Lyrically, the title "Year of the Four Emperors" is a reference to the year 69 AD, with governors and military commanders seeking to become the top-dog dictator, only to be overthrown by an equally violent, greedy and corrupt top-dog in succession (hence the name of the four songs): Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian. The EP continues with the formula of Ex Deo: neosymphonic, catchy, groove-oriented pompous extreme metal.

If you are a student of history or if you have an interest in the history of the early Roman Empire, maybe read this brief Wikipedia summary for the context of the power struggles between these aspiring dictators to be recognized as all-powerful emperors.

"The Year of the Four Emperors, AD 69, was the first civil war of the Roman Empire, during which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. It is considered an important interval, marking the transition from the Julio-Claudians, the first imperial dynasty, to the Flavian dynasty. The period witnessed several rebellions and claimants, with shifting allegiances and widespread turmoil in Rome and the provinces.

In 68, Vindex, legate of Gallia Lugdunensis, revolted against Nero and encouraged Galba, governor of Hispania, to claim the Empire. The latter was proclaimed emperor by his legion in early April. He was notably supported by Otho, legate of Lusitania. Soon after, the legate of a legion in Africa, Clodius Macer, also rebelled against Nero. Vindex was defeated by the Rhine legions at the Battle of Vesontio, but they too rebelled against Nero. Finally, on 9 June 68, Nero took his own life after being declared a public enemy by the Senate, which made Galba the new emperor. However, Galba was unable to establish his authority over the Empire, as several of his supporters were disappointed by his lack of gratitude. He especially adopted Piso Licinianus as heir (Galba was childless and elderly), instead of Otho, who, it had widely been assumed, would be chosen. Angered by this disgrace, Otho murdered Galba on 15 January with the help of the Praetorian Guard, and became emperor instead. Unlike Galba, he rapidly earned considerable popularity, notably by bestowing favours and emulating Nero's successful early years.

Otho still had to face another claimant, Vitellius, who had been acclaimed by the legions of the Rhine on 1 January 69. Vitellius won the First Battle of Bedriacum on 14 April, defeating the emperor. Otho took his own life the next day, and Vitellius was appointed emperor by the Senate on 19 April. The new emperor had little support outside of his veterans from the German legions, though. When Vespasian, legate of Syria, made his bid known, he received the allegiance of the legions of the Danube as well as many former supporters of Galba and Otho. After his acclamation in Alexandria on 1 July, Vespasian sent his friend Mucianus with a part of his army to fight Vitellius, but the Danubian legions commanded by Antonius Primus had not waited for Mucianus and defeated Vitellius' legions at the Second Battle of Bedriacum on 24 October. Vitellius was subsequently killed by a mob on 20 December. Mucianus arrived several days after and swiftly secured Vespasian's position in Rome (Primus had acted independently from him).

The death of Vitellius did not end the civil war, as the Rhine legions still rejected the rule of Vespasian and the new Flavian dynasty. Some Batavi provincials led by Civilis had fought them since Vitellius' acclamation. In 70, the new regime finally won the legions' surrender after negotiations, mainly because they lacked an alternative to Vespasian. Later, the new regime distorted the events—especially through the writings of the historian Tacitus—in order to remove the embarrassment of having relied on the Batavi to fight Roman legions. The Batavi were therefore said to have revolted against Rome, and the events dubbed the Revolt of the Batavi."

EX DEO - Vespasian (Official Lyric Video)

https://www.facebook.com/exdeo

Metal of Honor Worship - lyric video from new Christian metal project

Here is a lyric video that I came across the other day. I do not have any additional information, besides the following information that is available on their website. I don't remember ever hearing about this project before. Apparently, this is their first song. Fans of melodic metal with Christian-themed lyrics may find this project very interesting. Check it out and see if you like it.

Launched in 2024, Metal Of Honor is a passionate Worship Metal Project initiated by Maurice Lefeu, also known as Mauce. Our mission is to deliver high-quality worship songs to the Christian metal community, infused with the heavy metal style we all love.

We understand the diverse preferences within the heavy metal scene—whether you enjoy fast, brutal, melodic, or technically complex sounds. Our goal is to create arrangements that are not only engaging and singable but above all inspire listeners to worship God. At its core, this project is all about glorifying Him.

Mauce is crafting these arrangements, primarily featuring fresh takes on well-known Christian songs and hymns reimagined in a heavy metal context. We’re also excited to collaborate with guest vocalists to enhance our songs even more. No AI generated music, this is the real thing.

Our first song will be released soon, featuring one of the top Christian metal vocalists, so stay tuned for updates on that!

As this project is both time-consuming and costly—especially for our debut song—we are seeking support from the community to help cover expenses for hiring vocalists, a producer, and a lyric videomaker. To assist with this, we’ve set up a GoFundMe fundraiser (link at the bottom of this page).

Your support—whether through prayer or donations—is greatly appreciated. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and God bless!

Metal Of Honor - YAHWEH Will Manifest Himself, feat Michael Drive (Barren Cross) - Lyric Video

https://metalofhonorworship.com

Moonlight Haze - Italian melodic band announces new album "Beyond" for 2025

Italian melodic metal band Moonlight Haze has announced a new album scheduled for 2025. Below is the announcement. In the meantime, check out some of their previous music and see if you like their energy!

Moonlight Haze will release the new record “Beyond” in springtime 2025 through Scarlet Records.

Lead by sensational frontwoman Chiara Tricarico (currently live member of Avantasia and special guest on the “Highlights From The Revenge Of Odysseus” 2022 Manowar EP), Moonlight Haze has joined forces with extraordinary producer Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Kamelot, Beyond The Black) for their upcoming fourth studio album – expect nothing but sheer metal excellence.

Moonlight Haze has also renewed the contract with Scarlet Records, the record label that launched their career in 2019 – with over 5 million streams accumulated so far, a firm partnership forged in the stars and destined to the moon!

«We’re very looking forward to showing you what we’ve been working on during the last couple of years! We were beyond excited to be working with the legendary Sascha Paeth on the production of our fourth album and now we’re very happy to reveal we'll be joining forces with Scarlet Records once more… It's gonna be huge!»

(Chiara Tricarico - Moonlight Haze)

MOONLIGHT HAZE - It's Insane (Official Video)

MOONLIGHT HAZE - The Rabbit Of The Moon (Official Video)

Druparia - classic-sound melodic death metal from Ohio, U.S.

Druparia

The River Above

27 December 2024

Right quick here, this album will be out in the next day or so. I have been listening to it, and I think perhaps fans of classic-sound melodic death metal may really like this band. This will be their debut album of 11 songs in 52 minutes. Right now on Bandcamp they have only one song available, but I’ve been listening to the entire album, and the songwriting and sound quality is worthy of your time, in particular for fans of melodic death metal. This band is from the Cleveland, Ohio area, and it looks like the musicians have been or are in other bands in that region of the United States. I don’t remember for sure, but it looks like none of those bands are familiar to me. Perhaps their experience explains the higher caliber of their debut album: the growling and the guitar riffs are classic-style melodeath, with an abundance of guitar melodies, while the rhythm section stands out as being creative and active. You can hear a bunch of little details happening with the bass and drums. Nice work. Anyway, this entire thing will be available very soon to hear for yourself. Maybe put it now on your agenda for Friday?!

Seven Kingdoms - Can you resist singing along?!

Seven Kingdoms

The Square

Reigning Phoenix Music

8 November 2024

1. The Square 04:12

2. Through These Waves 03:32

3. Wilted Pieces 03:44

4. The Serpent and the Lotus 04:03

5. Kyrie (Mr. Mister cover) 04:15

This five-song, 19-minute EP should be the most fun if you enjoy feel-good melodic songwriting. In my experience, the time of duration works to maximum benefit because you get the sense that there is no filler and the five songs go by in a jiffy. The guitars and keyboards make the songs attractive to the ear immediately. It makes one want to go back and "hear this part over here" and "that segment there" repeatedly, which is entirely possible without any difficulty or worry, given the manageable duration. The icing on the cake is the singing. Wow. The singing and the music together make this EP such a worthy enterprise. I have heard this EP so many times that I cannot count at this point. Never once have I gotten bored with any of the songs, whether it is the four originals or the cover. Fans of sing-along classic rock, heavy metal and power metal may be shocked at how good Seven Kingdoms (Florida, U.S.) sounds.

SEVEN KINGDOMS - The Square (Official Video)

SEVEN KINGDOMS - Wilted Pieces (Official Video)

SEVEN KINGDOMS - Through These Waves (Official Music Video)

SEVEN KINGDOMS - Kyrie (Mr. Mister Cover)

seven kingdoms album the square (ep) full 2024

https://www.facebook.com/SevenKingdomsOfficial

[For your information, here is the video of the 1985 original version of "Kyrie."]

Mr. Mister - Kyrie

Athena XIX - prog metal featuring Fabio Lione (Rhapsody of Fire, Angra, Labÿrinth, Vision Divine)

Athena XIX

Everflow Part 1: Frames of Humanity

Reigning Phoenix Music

6 December 2024

Fabio Lione, who for two decades fronted Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody, began his metal music career with this band in 1991 and left in 1993. In 2024 the new album, I would say, is traditional prog, with groove and experimental elements, an interplay between musicianship with contemporary songwriting and uses of technology. The album begins with "Frames of Humanity," which sounds catchy, but the techno-dance music at the start of the second song, "Legacy of the World" seems like a different genre altogether: a hybrid of prog, groove, robot metal and techno while still melodic. The third song, “The Day We Obscured the Sun,” confirms the hunch: there is quite a bit of groove, chunky songwriting. Or, take song number six as an example: "The Calm before the Storm" almost seems like it will launch into an industrial groove; it’s a semi-industrial rhythm topped with melodic singing. This song could have easily been turned into something much weirder, but the band is careful to keep things within reason.

Of course, there is melody here with Fabio on vocals. The vocals remain melodic throughout. There is a ton of experience within this band. They could have made a normal prog album and it would have been just fine. Instead, they have taken some chances trying out some elements from outside of metal, and in the process have made something less typical, a bit more difficult, but still melodic, for audiences that look for albums that are a bit more adventurous. Will one listen be enough for the songs to be understood? No, but prog audiences sometimes like a bit of challenge anyway. Ok, well, here’s a challenge.

ATHENA XIX - Frames of Humanity (Official Music Video)

https://www.facebook.com/Athena.Band.Italy/

Marrowomb - new extreme metal from Chicago primed for 2025

Although the full album Phisenomie does not come out until February 21st, 2025, Marrowomb is not waiting around, sitting on their rocking chairs on the front porch, holding on until the new year arrives before getting the ball rolling. They have one song ready right now for your examination and it is called "Vicarious Visage.” The track is a no-intro, headbanging rocket of energy. The speed and style of the drumming is black metal, while the heaviness and growling point to death metal for 3:35 seconds, when a slow heaviness shows up to create some major midtempo rhythms that could make a crowd move in unison, shaking the security barrier or the walls. Marrowomb is extreme metal from the Chicago area, mostly informed by black and death, by multi-instrumentalist Frank Lato, who, according to Metal Archives, has worked with Polyptych, Endmember and Headshrinker. Frank does guitars, bass, vocals, synths/programming, enlisting Kevin Paradis on drums.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558761150437

Impellitteri - for fans of shred guitar

Long-running shred artist Impellitteri (U.S.) put out a new album on November 8th, 2024. The name of the album is War Machine and it features the combination of heavy metal and guitar wizardry for fans of the traditional and classic styles. The discography and history goes all the way back to the 1980s, and then continued actively through 1990s and into the new century. Especially for fans of serious guitar in the style of traditional/classic heavy metal, the new Impellitteri album is a good place to start. Here are some videos from the new album. Hear for yourself and see if you enjoy the shredding!

Impellitteri - "Out Of My Mind (Heavy Metal)" - Official Music Video

Impellitteri - "Power Grab" - Official Video

Impellitteri - "Wrath Child" - Official Video

Impellitteri - "Hell On Earth" - Official Video

Tungsten (melodic metal from Sweden) - official music videos

Check out these videos from Swedish melodic band Tungsten. In 2024 their fourth album The Grand Inferno came out on November 8th. These videos are generally accurate as representations of their feel-good style of music. The band features former HammerFall drummer Anders Johansson and his two sons Karl and Nick, with Michael Andersson on vocals. Andersson was the singer for prog power band Cloudscape (1992-2017). Tungsten is not a prog band, but the singing style fits the music of Tungsten, which is based on heavy metal, classic rock and power metal, and just generally melodic metal.

TUNGSTEN - Blood Of The Kings (Official Music Video)

TUNGSTEN - Vantablack (Official Music Video)

TUNGSTEN - Walborg (Official Music Video)

https://www.facebook.com/tungstenband/

Liminal Shroud - a call going out to a particular audience

Liminal Shroud

Visions of Collapse

Willowtip Records

5 July 2024

Expect a challenging listen in the genre of progressive extreme metal, mostly within the parameters of black metal. I'm not going to lie to you, this is an album (five songs in 44 minutes) that takes time. I have heard it enough times that most recordings start to make fuller sense, but not this one. Yet, this is on purpose by the band. Four of the songs range from nine to eleven minutes. Especially if you enjoy black and prog metal, the songwriting may really appeal to you if you are looking for music that requires extra focus to be understood. Thoughtful audiences that are looking for music based on skill and vision, and not instant gratification, are the ideal listeners. The band wrote this music for themselves, but they also wrote it for you, and they are looking for you, the thoughtful audience. It is not experimental music. It is black metal, but the type that emphasizes the music itself, without the commercial or attention-getting clichés. Astronomy and existentialism are probably the most important concerns in the lyrics, which are largely impersonal or devoid of egocentric declarations. While some may interpret the lyrics are depressing and the music as too complex, uncommercial, aloof or unmemorable, with this third album the band is completely aware of those criticisms, but they do not care because this is not music for the masses, anyway. It is not ear-friendly music, but that does not mean that it is not skilled or crafted with attention to detail. Quite the contrary.

https://www.facebook.com/liminalshroudofficial

Misanthropy - things are about to get ugly

Misanthropy

The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance

Transcending Obscurity Records

13 December 2024

This particular Misanthropy from the Chicago area (as opposed to a handful of other U.S. bands with the same name, according to Metal Archives) has come a long way. If one listens to their debut album from 2015, it does not sound like the same band, when they were something like a thrash growl punk band obsessed with sharks and nachos. Here are some ideas for listening to the new music of their third album. First, don't let the cacophony distract you, which is difficult to do. This is technical, dissonant, brutal death metal. It's noisy, chaotic, ear-splitting horrific sounds from beginning to end. Second, try to hear the music beyond the noise of farm animal jazz from Mars.

If you are able to make it past the noise, then the fog will lift, and you will hear music hiding behind the hideous barrage. It's jolting, horrid music for sickos. It is unmelodic, self-indulgent, brutal tech-prog metal. It is a fun, engaging listen if you like challenging crossword puzzle extreme metal with many fun details behind the wall of brutality. The first song features warped Frankenstein funky jazz metal chops in a cloud of growling and blasting. The second track throws down some dissonant grooves, while the third track hits on some all-out blasting bursts of speed with some downtuned thrashy riffs to get a mosh pit going. The fourth song busts out some slamming riffs with some sideways math and pinch harmonics (?!). The fifth song explores something like dissonant doom math groove (what.exactly?). The sixth song has some subtle monk-like chanting with high shrieking with guitar work for which I needed to open my algebra book to look up some of these equations. Before I know it, I am on the last song, for a total of 44 minutes of string bending capriciousness. On the seventh song, one guitar is effectively attacking the other, and the two guitars are orchestrating a collision of notes spiraling into each other. Just like that, the puzzle ends. Did the album even make sense? Not at all, but sit up, chin up, shoulders back, pay closer attention. Run it back. This time, try to focus harder. The headache that the album has caused shall be cured with repeated listens. Keep going. This yellow brick road is pretty wobbly, but the dizziness can be fun.

Among These Ashes - The Undertow (Official Music Video)

Among These Ashes is a band from Michigan, United States. Their sound is mostly is a groove-based, thicker brand of heavy metal with melodic singing and lots of melodic guitar, too. They may be as heavy as thrash, but do not limit themselves to that style. They have melodic guitars like traditional heavy metal, but use the chunky grooves a lot more. Their second album is called Embers of Elysium and it was released on December 6th, 2024. On drums they have Kyle Wagner [Boreworm, Carnis Immortalis, Nethergate, Pyrrhic, ex-Fortress, Immaterium, Stank, Introvert (PA) (live)]. On guitars they have Richard Clark (Abboud, Clark Country Drifters) and Dylan Hamann (Variform). Their bassist is Kane Bochatyn (ex-At Death's Behest, ex-Salvation's End). Jean-Pierre Abboud [Syrinx, Traveler, ex-Borrowed Time, ex-Funeral Circle, ex-Shadow Self, Abboud, Torn From Stone, ex-Finality, ex-Gatekeeper, ex-Crimson Shadows (live)] takes care of the vocals.

Among These Ashes - The Undertow (Official Music Video)

https://amongtheseashes.bandcamp.com/album/embers-of-elysium

Violet Eternal - things are about to get pretty

Violet Eternal

Reload the Violet

Rockshots Records

3 May 2024

This power metal album features the voice of Italian singer Ivan Giannini [Artaban's Redemption, Derdian, Heavy Generation, Ivan Giannini, ex-DarCloud, ex-Elegacy, ex-Ivory, ex-Airforce (live)]. The instrumentation is the work of Jien Takahashi (Heaven's Tragedy, Majustice, Stormheart), a Japanese guitarist with whose work I am not familiar and whose entities have demos and/or a debut album, but no sophomore albums yet, which is also the case for this project here, Violet Eternal. The singing is traditional power metal high-note vocals throughout and has no growling or extreme screaming. It is meant to be beautiful singing, which also turns out to be the case for the guitar work: very melodic, catchy and lots of shredding. These elements, the singing and guitar playing, really shine together on here. Then, when considered with the good songwriting, it all makes for a beautiful and pleasant listening experience for fans of melodic music based on classic rock and heavy metal. Metal Archives shows that there are several guests contributing some keyboards, guitars, bass and drums on the recording. The drumming sounds programmed and it contributes nothing in particular to the enjoyment of the music, but I do not know the actual details of it, I’m just going by what it sounds like to the ears. On the other hand, the songwriting itself should be provide plenty of entertainment to fans of this genre.

VIOLET ETERNAL - Under the Violet Sun (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555241974232

Shadows Fall - In The Grey (Official Music Video)

U.S. metalcore band Shadows Fall (1995-2015, 2021-present) has a new video. Some people on their team (video producer? video director? the band?) decided that they would make a video in which you are unable to see much of what's going on in the video. What a strange choice: to make the video difficult to see and render it unwatchable. This is a good example of metal bands sabotaging themselves so that the music will have as little success as possible and make it unattractive to potential listeners and viewers. Here is another metal band working hard to make their music not fun.

Shadows Fall - In The Grey (Official Music Video)

Letallis - mesmerized lullabies of the crescent moon nights

Letallis (2005-present) is prog death from New York-New Jersey, U.S. Their 2024 EP is called A Thousand and One Nights - Chapter 1. It is five tracks in 26 minutes. The quality of the songwriting makes it clear that prog is an important foundation of the music, but there is plenty of melody to keep listeners interested. The prog elements are not the only interesting aspect, as there is a certain Middle Eastern vibe going on, in a proportional way, not overdone. It sounds like prog death with a bit of a different vibe. For instance, this is not folk metal nor is this anything like Middle Eastern/Mesopotamian or ancient Egyptian-styled metal. There is growling and singing. There are heavy parts and softer moments. There are extended, slower guitar melodies, in addition to faster riffing and pounding drumming.

It looks like the band may have had some trouble because, according to Metal Archives, there was an album in 2008 and another one in 2014, but nothing else between 2014 and 2024. I have not studied the history of the band. I am not sure that I have even heard their older music. Nevertheless, as far as the 2024 music goes, I feel like fans of prog-extreme styles may find quite a bit of satisfaction in the approach to the songwriting and the skill level of the musicianship. You don't need a calculator to enjoy this music, but you need to listen in a more attentive way. There is enough going on that the “autopilot listen” mode might not be enough to hear the music for what it is.

Thalia - When you're stubborn, and French, and play melodic metal

Thalia

The River Of Books

Rockshots Records

26 April 2024

The hippopotamus groans and squeals. The dog barks and howls. The bear growls. It's not the zoo, kids. It's metal music. No wonder people don't like this genre, right?! It's loud and obnoxious and nobody wants to sing, only make farm animal noises. Going to a metal music show is like going to the Washington State fair: you'll see horses, you'll hear dogs, you'll smell pigs. It's fun, but it's not an event for people wanting something pretty, nice and fragrant.

Then, there's Thalia. Oh, my goodness, do my ears deceive me? Is that singing that I hear? Am I dreaming or am I hallucinating? The voice is full, melodic and strong. If you like good singing, perhaps more on the soulful side, then this voice may make you a fan. It sounds like a human man, but not an angry man yelling or hollering, but rather simply singing, and even when he does higher parts, it is melodic. If you would like to hear some singing (no growling, just singing!), or if you would like to sing along, then you've arrived at the right place. Naturally, if you are partial to melodic singing, then it is very likely that you will find pleasure in this music.

It also helps that the songwriting and the singing go very well together. Melodic, midpaced guitar work, anchored by a stout rhythm section, makes the songs a good listen. At times the music moves and sounds like prog heavy metal-classic rock, a bit more on the rocking side of the equation, although it goes to mellower, pensive and very melodic moments as well. The songwriting shows a lot of effort to keep the listener entertained and returning for repeated listens, without having the songs meander or launch into left-field tangents or show-off parts. The songs last anywhere from three to five minutes, with a few closer to six minutes, for some 12 songs in 51 minutes. When you hear them repeatedly, they do not feel like they wear out their welcome.

Maybe the album is so good because the band has a history. Apparently, they began in 1985 in France. In 1987 they had a six-song, 32-minute demo, with additional demos in 1990 and 1991, an EP in 1998 and the debut full-length in 2000 and broke up in 2001. They had tried to get it going again, but could not, until 2021 when they reactivated the band. This 2024 album seems to feature the exact same line-up as the 2000 album. In general, you'll want to turn to Thalia for some good, soulful singing within the context of adult contemporary melodic metal music. I have heard this album a whole bunch of times. It's always been good, and it never feels boring or redundant or like I have exhausted everything there is to be enjoyed on this album.

Thalia “Vision Empire“ - OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063830147716

Redgauntlet's dungeon synth: black metal's stepbrother won't stay quiet anymore

Redgauntlet

Mad Wizard's Keep

Often relegated to the back of the line, frequently told to remember that he has no first-born privileges, in black metal dungeon synth has been called upon countless times, many times as a groomsman, plenty of times as an usher. Never the groom. In black metal dungeon synth has been employed as introductions, contracted out as interludes and temporarily hired as outros, to lay out the road to be traversed, to welcome visitors to the castle. But told to remain outside. Such pieces often are not actually black metal or even rock, for that matter.

Redgauntlet is not black metal, but rather an all-out dungeon synth project. Have you ever listened to the beginning of a black metal album with an introduction? Does it sound ominous, gothic or atmospheric? Alright, well, this recording is that, but now as an entirely separate concept, taking the idea all the way to its logical conclusion. Redgauntlet is dungeon synth finding its own path and refusing to only be a greeter to the festivities. There is a kingdom that Redgauntlet is already building!

Warning: Just in case that it is not clear, there is no rock music whatsoever here. Rather, you will encounter a landscape of sounds for the battles ahead, of the worlds of the goblins, orcs, mountain trolls, gremlins, and of the dragon, the stingy, vengeful dragon unwilling to part with a single ounce of his gold.

Somber and heavy, epic and frightful, contemplative and abstruse, perhaps you won't mosh or bench press 290 pounds to this music because it is not abrasive like black metal, but it is heavy in a different way. It is meant to take you on a journey, sometimes marching, oftentimes running, perhaps crawling, maybe looking for cover or searching out the roads, ravines, old bridges and crevices where the day and the night run up against the beckoning horizon. The time of Redgauntlet is here, making dungeon synth great again by giving you what you don't know you want.

Helloween - Pumpkins Living Their Best Live

Helloween

Live At Budokan

Reigning Phoenix Music

13 December 2024

The godfathers of power metal have been making albums and touring for more than 40 years since starting out in Hamburg, Germany as a band influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and turning those influences into a faster, leaner form of metal, then making a turn towards adding more melody, both with the guitars and through the addition of perfected air-raid singing to their sound. Throughout their history there have been line-up changes, not-so-friendly splits, and anticipated reunions, as well as exciting albums, landmark works, successful songs, disappointing albums and great comebacks that have achieved much towards restoring their place and shoring up their legacy.

As with any prosperous band with a long discography, it is a daunting task to think how they could do justice to their catalogue. It is impossible, but with their most recent tours, as documented here with this live recording in Japan, they have attempted to cover as many highlights as possible, and for that they deserve credit. In this case, they really do make a serious effort to show their various phases. For example, the band has had three singers. All three are members of the band once again, and took the show on the road like that, with all three. All three eras get represented, including the early days when they were a younger boisterous bunch playing faster than the previous generation of British, American and German bands. Now equipped with three guitarists onstage, they are able pull off rather faithful renditions of their songs.

While it is not possible to please completely all the fans' preferences for this or that particular era, they are to be commended for remembering to honor their most important eras. At this point they have all three of the original surviving members in the band once more, plus the "newer" members that joined later on. What a fun, fun album!

1. Orbit

2. Skyfall

3. Eagle Fly Free

4. Mass Pollution

5. Future World

6. Power

7. Save Us

8. Kai's Medley

9. Forever and One (Neverland)

10. Best Time

11. Dr. Stein

12. How Many Tears

13. Keeper of the Seven Keys

14. Perfect Gentleman

15. I Want Out

total time: 2 hours and 1 minute

Markus Grosskopf - bass (1983-present)

Michael Weikath - guitars (1983-present)

Kai Hansen - guitars, vocals (1983-1989, 2017-present)

Michael Kiske - vocals (1986-1993, 2017-present)

Andi Deris - vocals (1994-present)

Sascha Gerstner - guitars (2002-present)

Dani Löble - drums (2005-present)

https://www.facebook.com/ReigningPhoenixMusicOfficial

https://www.facebook.com/helloweenofficial

HELLOWEEN - Best Time [Live At Budokan] (Official Music Video)

HELLOWEEN - Eagle Fly Free [Live At Budokan] (Official Music Video)

Disillusion - "I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet, but your kids are gonna love it"

Disillusion

Back to Times of Splendor (20th Anniversary Edition)

Metal Blade Records

26 April 2024

Take a look at this gem by the long-running prog melodic extreme metal band Disillusion (1994-present; Saxony, Germany). Earlier in 2024 Metal Blade Records reissued a 20th-anniversary edition remastered version of the 2004 debut album, a highly-regarded work that has continued to impress throughout the previous 20 years. This reissue includes two additional songs from the 2002 single “The Porter” and live renditions of two songs from the album.

1. ...and the Mirror Cracked 08:27

2. Fall 04:54

3. Alone I Stand in Fires 06:53

4. Back to Times of Splendor 14:39

5. A Day by the Lake 04:54

6. The Sleep of Restless Hours 17:03

original album playing time 56:50

Two songs from the single “The Porter” (2002)

7. The Porter 04:17

8. Eternal Duality 05:05

Two live songs from the original album:

9. And the Mirror Cracked (live) 06:24

10. Alone I Stand in Fires (live) 06:27

Of course, the extra material is nice to hear. However, it is the album itself that is the centerpiece of this reissue. As you can see above, there are two songs that are very long. Is this a problem? No, it's not. Why? Well, the album is undoubtedly in the category of melodic death metal, with both growling and singing, and riff-focused thrashy guitar work, and the other side of the coin is that it is not only melodic death metal. There is a prog component to the music giving it a different sound, more personality, if you will. The music bundles melodeath and prog into one smooth sound. If given a couple of proper listens, the album works well overall and the long songs turn out to be indispensable. Given the 20 years that have passed, the album still sounds fun. Plus, today's metal listeners often are much smarter when it comes to understanding albums that blur the lines between genres. If anything, nowadays the album sounds more acceptable, and less a novelty, as perhaps it did for some people in 2004. It's not an instant-gratification album, but over the years it has gained a certain following and it's because the music possesses traits that keeps people coming back for more.

https://www.facebook.com/disillusionBand

Legend Revisited - bringing a 1979 album to the present day

Legend Revisited

From the Lord

Sonic Age Records / Cult Rock Classics

21. June 2024 (CD / LP); 6. Sep. 2024 (Digital)

If you have an interest in the history of metal music, Legend (a trio from New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.) may spark your curiosity due to the 1979 album Fröm the Fjörds. Said work has drawn interest from a small group of devoted listeners searching for more music than just whatever the official media promotes. Over the course of decades, some audiences have learned that there are bands and albums that may never get an abundance of coverage by the popular writers, reviewers or websites. That is certainly the case with Legend. So, what is Legend Revisited and what is the new album then? To put it simply, the 2024 album is a re-recording of the 1979 album by a new line-up and with new lyrics.

The new recording features the original drummer Raymond E. Frigon, without the bass player Fred Melillo and without the vocalist/guitarist Kevin Nugent, who died in 1983. Raymond enlisted Swedish bassist Janne Stark (Constancia, Overdrive, Locomotive Breath, ex-Overheat, ex-Planet Alliance) and Danish guitarist Martin Jepsen Andersen (Anchorite, Chalice of Sin, Meridian, ex-Legend (live), ex-David Reece). According to the information on Metal Archives, Raymond takes care of the drums and also the vocals on this re-recording. The idea of the new recording is to give the old album a better production while following rather closely the music. Another important objective of the new recording is to give the album new lyrics, given that Raymond has been dis-satisfied with the old lyrics for a long time.

Musically, it is pretty much the same but with a better sound quality. The music sounds like 1970s heavy and prog rock. The original album was released in 1979, but the music in a way looked towards the early and mid 1970s, and not so much to the fashions at the end of the 1970s like low-skill, low-IQ punk rock or the influence of disco. Thus, the music has the general heaviness of Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath while also incorporating the influence of prog rock from the 1970s, making the album seem to be in the same family as Rush or Uriah Heep in some ways. The singing is not super loud, like, say Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple, but rather a bit more like earlier heavy rock, perhaps closer to Cream, Blue Cheer or Iron Butterfly: it’s not wailing, air-raid siren, full-on Led Zeppelin singing-screaming. The rhythm section is very important because the music is not totally controlled by the guitar. The guitar does its job, but it is not trying to steal the thunder from the songs. Interestingly, the album is a drumming tour de force. There is no doubt that the drummer is overplaying, including segments that seem like mini solos on drums and an actual drum solo in the middle of the song.

It is an excellent re-recording that gives new life to an old recording and a new chance for audiences to hear the music of Legend. Lyrically, the old album referenced Norse mythology in various ways, whereas the new version features Biblical themes and stories. The drummer Raymond has explained in various interviews that he was a vehement atheist by the age of 13, but by the time the album came out he was 24 years old and he was no longer attracted to the atheist, hippy, drug-addict and alcoholic way of life that he saw around the band. The atheist way of life seemed empty to him, so by time the album came out he had one foot out the door and he wanted to live his life in a more meaningful, purposeful way, and for him, it meant living life as a practicing Christian. Below is a list of the songs from the original album and the new version. The music is mostly the same, although there are some changes, like for the old song “R.A.R.Z.,” and the song in its place (“Gideon”) sounds nothing like the old song. Whereas there used to be two instrumentals, there are now no instrumentals. Anyway, take a look at this list below to get a glimpse of the lyrical changes.

1.The Destroyer 05:15 1.The Creator 05:04

2.The Wizard's Vengeance 03:21 2.The Lord's Vengeance 03:25

3.The Golden Bell 07:10 3.The Golden Crown 07:15

4.The Confrontation 03:23 instrumental 4.Confrontation 03:31

5.R.A.R.Z. 05:12 5.Gideon 04:42

6.Against the Gods 03:43 6.Against the Beast 03:46

7.The Iron Horse 06:29 instrumental 7.The Gospel Train 06:16

8.From the Fjords 08:01 8.Armageddon 08:01

total time 42:34 total time 42:00

By the way, in 2019 there was a 40th anniversary edition of the original album released, a project that the drummer Raymond supported, approved and collaborated with. That version is the original album, the original recording (plus some demo songs), whereas the re-recording represents a new, updated version of the music with lyrics that are not a glorification of pagan and heathen themes. Raymond has stated that they did not think of themselves as a “heavy metal band” because they were too much into jazz, fusion and prog, even though the album did come out sounding pretty heavy. Raymond has been surprised that it is metal fans that have taken an interest in Legend. At the same time, Raymond has explained in interviews that he is not a fan of what he sees as metal music’s promotion of drugs, alcoholism, promiscuity, violence, sexual assault, murder, war and all the things that he sees as metal music’s repertoire and toolbox of lyrical topics. Regardless of how a person may feel about the lyrics, at this point, audiences can listen to the original album and/or the new version! Legend clearly is an interesting story for students of metal music history that are curious about bands that seem to have been forgotten. Legend is one of the those that is almost to-tally forgotten, but certain audiences simply refuse to let the name die. Maybe there is a good reason for the interest in the band decades after they released their one and only album.

LEGEND REVISITED "Gideon" taken from "From the Lord" LP/CD

Legend - From The Fjords 1979 (FULL ALBUM)

https://www.facebook.com/cultmetalclassics

Vision Divine - Italian prog power band is streaming two new songs

Long-running prog power band Vision Divine (Italy) is now streaming two songs from their upcoming album Blood And Angels' Tears, scheduled to be released on the 20th of September, 2024. Active since 1997, the new album will be their ninth full-length. I have been listening to the new work, and it sounds like an album that emphasizes quality in the songwriting, balancing the prog while keeping the music melodic heavy metal, very often uptempo and catchy. The singing is on the higher end of the spectrum, but it's smooth and it's not banshee screaming for its own sake. The album is a good combination of intelligent musicianship and rocking songs. In addition, this is riff-based music, and it's not lazy, groove-based string plucking relying on chugging to be "prog." The guitar soloing is exquisite and memorable, with a bit of that shredding legacy, too. Credit to the band for not forgetting to balance all the various elements, despite the fact that this is a concept album. Apparently the band will be continuing the story on the next album, too. A summary of the idea of the lyrics is the following from the Book of Revelation: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:7-9). The album feels like the soundtrack of an opera or an epic movie, if such work used melodic metal. It sounds like a pretty big production. If you like trivia, you may like to know that they have some guests on vocals: Ray Alder (Fates Warning), Alle Conti (Twilight Force, Trick Or Treat) and AC Wild (Bulldozer). At any rate, the album should be a delight for fans of melodic singing and melodic prog metal.

https://www.facebook.com/visiondivineofficial

Blighted Eye - Washington State prog extreme band streaming three songs from upcoming album

The Washington State, U.S. prog extreme band Blighted Eye is already streaming three songs from the upcoming album Agony's Bespoke, scheduled to be released on the 20th of September, 2024. Metal Archives shows that they began in 2019 and in 2020 released an EP. The album will be eight full songs, ranging from about six minutes to some eight minutes or more, and one track goes over the 11-minute mark. Fans of Opeth and Dark Tranquillity may want to hear this particular sound, as the music embraces those influences. Of course, keep in mind that this album will be the band's debut full-length. It is, by any stretch of the imagination, an album has been put together very well and with a professional sound quality. In that sense, the level of the album is tremendous. I do not have access to the lyrics, so I am unable to say as to how intelligent or skilled the lyrics are. I hope that a song like "A Feast for Worms" is not as moronic as a band like Cannibal Corpse or Deicide, although the album artwork does seem to be a brutal album cover fulfilling all the stereotypes of metal music as being music for imbeciles with a penchant for celebrating violence, murder and torture. Fortunately, the music does not sound like a typical brutal band. Despite these reservations, fans of prog extreme metal should give the band a chance because the musicianship is top notch. They sound way better than a song title like "A Feast for Worms" and that awful artwork would suggest.

https://www.facebook.com/BlightedEye/

Wolfheart - melodic extreme metal from Finland

Wolfheart

Draconian Darkness

September 6th, 2024

Reigning Phoenix Music

Although this particular entity Wolfheart has been active for over ten years, the head honcho, multi-instrumentalist Tuomas Saukkonen, who was born in 1980, has been making music for a long time with bands active, officially, if we go by the information on Metal Archives, since 1996, and who knows how many years before that. The seventh album (nine songs in 39 minutes) is a type of coherent pastiche of melodic death, but given the extensive experience in music the various components do not come across as disparate or haphazard. A likely explanation for the smooth sound of variety, besides the studio magic, could be that the band utilizes eclecticism but never fully commits ten-toes-down to any particular genre, thereby allowing transitioning in and out adjacent turns. The songs tend to have the expected parts of melodeath, like the semi-thrashy riffs, melodies and the growling. However, there are also surprises along the way to make things more interesting: some neosymphonic elements, a clean guitar here and there, a proggy segment, some melodic singing, some djent rhythms, some metalcore vibes, some black metal bits, so on and so forth, but without making it sound like a crazy salad of styles.

https://www.facebook.com/WolfheartRealm

Nocturna - melodic power pop from Italy

Nocturna

Of Sorcery And Darkness

Scarlet Records

19 April 2024

The central premise of Nocturna is to take the elements of Europower metal and pair it all up with gothic-pop sensibilitis and let's see what happens! The sound is very upbeat, danceable, very melodic, catchy and with operatic singing. On paper, the idea may seem crazy or perhaps even unworkable, but when you hear the music there is no doubt that power metal is the driving force. The singing is a duo of one high voice, which perhaps sounds like it fits power metal in a way that fans would expect: melodic, clear and pleasant on the ears. Then, there is a higher voice that sounds like it comes from opera. The combination, the contrast, the unity, the duality, it's all very easy to get into, in particular for fans of power metal. The lyrics are warnings of what happens when people choose a life of deceit, manipulation and greed for power. Those actions will cause a reaction and when it comes back around it's not a pretty sight.

https://www.facebook.com/officialnocturna/

Oxygen Destroyer - relentless underground volcanic metal of monstrous aberrations for seismic fractures

Oxygen Destroyer

Guardian of the Universe

August 9th, 2024

Redefining Darkness Records

For ten years Oxygen Destroyer has been churning out unrelenting intensity in the form of death/thrash/black obsessed with the Godzilla movies. Come and enter the realm of no-nonsense headbanging underground metal. Song after song is an exposition in the art of fast and blasting metal, something like a virulent combination of Kreator-Vader exercises in making the human move into a frenzy of energy. For about 33 minutes Oxygen Destroyer seeks to awaken the metal fanatic to get up and join the mosh pit. The riffs launch from the left and from the right, the solos jump out from all sorts of angles, the drumming speeds up and then speeds up some more, all the while the vocals go into black and death tales of all things related to the monster movies that occupy the imagination and fanaticism of this band. If you want 100% headbanging metal that takes the best elements of thrash, death and black metal, then play this album until the cows come home. Just make sure that you have a neck brace handy, just in case that you get out of control and you feel some pain in the morning. Take your medica-tion. You’ll be fine. Your medicine is called Oxygen Destroyer.

https://www.facebook.com/KaijuConjuringDeathMetal