Reviews
\r\nWho believes Queen were the beginning and end of symphonic hard rock? Well I am sure that whoever states that, hasn’t heard of Magnum and the masterpieces, such as, the legendary "On a Storyteller’s Night", they have released. So here we deal with their vocalist, Bob Catley, whose solo career has also offered some great moments, including, the monumental "Middle Earth". At this point I would like to mention his past cooperation with another superb vocalist, Garry Hughes of a great band called TEN, who has composed his first three albums.
\r\nTwilight Of The Thunder God is the title of the long awaited album of the super power from Sweded called Amon Amarth. I’ll try and make this brief as talk is cheap and cheap has nothing to do with a band such as Amon Amarth. I follow Amon Amarth for many years and it’s obvious that with each release they progressed a step more. As a result they gain more and more fans and they became more and more famous.
\r\n This Irish quintet started as Nemesis in 2005 but they changed later their monicker into Darkest Era and in 2008 they release their debut EP "The Journey Through Damnation". They describe their own music as Celtic Metal, but their music sounds more of a traditional heavy metal band although there are audible Celtic influences. Primordial’s Alan A.
\r\nIf Randy Piper sounds familiar to some of you, then go check the first two WASP albums "WASP" and "The Last Command". Since then Andy joined Alice Cooper and after that he formed his own band called Animal. This is his third try and let’s see what 2008 keeps for him. If you think you are going to listen to an oldman playing old stuff then you are wrong and this album will be a pleasant surprise for you. In fact, this album is quite multidimensional. Despite the fact that It compines many different styles and moods, the overall outcome sounds complete.
THE BIRMINGHAM VETERANS ARE BACK The British-based death metal band- Benediction- has returned after 7 years of silence. The result is powerful enough to knock you down and remind you those first years of death metal(just before the 90’s).Because when you hear Benediction’s new album -Killing Music- you will remember this old-school -Benediction way- of death metal at the very first riff!! These veterans never changed their personal attitude and style and still shredding with their own personal death taste with a little more punk and crust influences.
\r\nTOXIC THRASH ATTACK There are 666 reasons to check on Toxic Holocaust’s third official album named -An overdose of death- but i am only going to mention a few but strong. The last 2 years you can see a reborn in thrash metal while bands all over the world are following the steps of the Thrash Fathers.Bands like Slayer,Anthrax,Sepultura,Exodus,Metallica,Megadeth,Sodom,Kreator are a big influence to these new bands.As the fathers still touring, recording and releasing killer albums the battle of these young bands gets stronger.
The Pain is back!! The Pro-Pain machine is back with another killer album! After spreading NYHC(New York Hardcore) for about 16 years all over the world
\r\n Brocken Moon comes from Germany and this album "Das Mδrchen Vom Schnee" was initially self-released by their own label Black Metal Mafia Records in 2008 and after it sold out immediately, is being re-released on CD and Vinyl by Northern Silence.
\r\n Keep Of Kalessin exist for 15 years now and even though they were known in the underground, they managed to breakthrough with their previous release, 2006’s "Armada". Although the band was still playing black metal there was unmistakably a conscious divergence to a more open minded approach and an experimental disposal beyond the limits of the black metal scene.
My first contact with the outfit from Ohio, Catch 22, was on a King Diamond tribute CD when the band did a really very good cover of King’s "Arrival". The band was formed back in the early 90’s (1992) and from that time till now had three albums plus the self financed release of "Soulreaper Vol. 1" (2007), that was actually a promo CD that in the first place was meant to be a 22 tracks album but they didnʼt manage it and the release came with only 11 tracks.