This is the second album from Greek power metallers The Silent Rage.
Nuances of Life contains 58 minutes, (with bonus tracks), of melodic power metal. It’s an album that should find favour with fans of the heavier, grittier side of the style. For a starting point for The Silent Rage’s music, imagine a mix of Nevermore, Iced Earth, Angel Dust, Judas Priest, and Testament. Continue reading “The Silent Rage – Nuances of Life (Review)”
Gomorra are a heavy metal band from Switzerland and this is their second album.
Featuring members of Comaniac and Destruction, Gomorra combine heavy, thrash, and power metal into 49 minutes of well-executed music. Continue reading “Gomorra – Dealer of Souls (Review)”
Judicator are a power metal band from the US and this is their fifth album.
Let There Be Nothing is a 60-minute concept album, one that’s epic on scope and ambition. Will this be 2020’s best power metal release? Well, it’s certainly the best one I’ve heard so far, for whatever that’s worth. Continue reading “Judicator – Let There Be Nothing (Review)”
Hexenhammer are a heavy metal band from Switzerland and this is their second album.
Featuring a member of Ursinne, here we have 48 minutes of old-school heavy metal spiced up with elements of speed/thrash and power metal here and there. Continue reading “Burning Witches – Hexenhammer – (Review)”
This is the third album from Sonic Prophecy, a power metal band from the US.
I really enjoyed 2015’s Apocalyptic Promenade, so now that Savage Gods is ready to be unleashed, I’m very happy to reacquaint myself with their work. Continue reading “Sonic Prophecy – Savage Gods (Review)”
Iced Earth are a US power/heavy metal band and this is their 12th album.
A new Iced Earth album is always an event. After being around for almost 30 years at this point, this is a band that know what they’re doing. Continue reading “Iced Earth – Incorruptible (Review)”
Burning Shadows are a power metal band from the US and this is their third album.
Burning Shadows made a lasting impression on me with their 2012 release Gather, Darkness!, which demonstrated a band that had a strong sound, good tunes, and a very capable singer; all essential components for power metal success. Continue reading “Burning Shadows – Truth in Legend (Review)”
This is the second album from Distant Sun, a Russian power/thrash metal band.
2015’s Dark Matter was an enjoyable slab of metal, in which Distant Sun, (featuring members of Shadow Host and Starsoup), showed the world what they had to offer. Continue reading “Distant Sun – Into the Nebula (Review)”
This is the third album by Canadian Heavy Metallers Iron Kingdom.
After enjoying their second album Gates of Eternity, Ride for Glory promised much. Once again we’re treated to Iron Maiden/Iced Earth-style Heavy/Power Metal that’s epic and embraces fully everything about True Metal.
The solos and leads are shred-tastic and everything is flashy, ostentatious and overblown. Although they don’t reach the totally over-the-top heights of a band like Freedom Call, (one of the best), it doesn’t seem to be for the want of trying.
The vocals are just as histrionic as the previous album and work just as well with the music.
Iron Kingdom know their style very well and Ride for Glory is the complete Heavy Metal care package. Loving attention has been lavished on this release and the songs may not be perfect but what they sometimes lack in creativity is more than made up for with passion and zeal.
Unless you’re completely allergic to fantasy/mythology-inspired Heavy Metal it’s hard not to like this. The band have an enthusiasm for their subject and genre that is positively infectious.
Give them a try.
Distant Sun are a Russian Power/Speed Metal band and this is their début album.
This is Power Metal played in the European style with a nice influence from US Thrash/Speed Metal felt throughout.
The vocals are a little grittier than most European-influenced bands and this falls in line with the Thrash influence. The singer does have a good voice though and is reminiscent of the singer of Metallica in some ways, but thankfully not overly so.
The band are comfortable playing chuggy, Thrashy riffs as well as more stirring, melodic ones. Overall the album is quite riff-heavy and the guitars have a nice bite to them.
Distant Sun’s style is kind of late-90s, combining the Power, Heavy and Thrash Metal styles of the time into a kind of Blind Guardian/Testament/Iced Earth/Annihilator melting pot. Add to this a bit of an 80s Thrash influence too and you have Dark Matter.
The songs are a good combination of these styles and frequently result in tracks that are both high-octane and catchy.
The band members in Distant Sun are also active in Shadow Host and Starsoup; both are top-notch bands and Distant Sun is another great outing from them.
I firmly recommend this and suggest you check them out.
Wonderbox Metal 