This is the third album from Russian doom metal band Mare Infinitum.
Cryosleep contains 47 minutes of epic symphonic doom metal, although these simple words don’t really do the music here sufficient justice. Mare Infinitum’s style takes a base of death/doom and then builds on this with lavish orchestration and operatic depth. Continue reading “Mare Infinitum – Cryosleep (Review)”
This is the second album from Danish melodic death metallers Sylvatica.
The core of Ashes and Snow‘s 43 minutes is that of melodic death metal. This is then augmented by folk and symphonic metal influences. If you think you’d enjoy a band that mixes together aspects of groups such as Continue reading “Sylvatica – Ashes and Snow (Review)”
This is the debut album from US metal band Aversed.
Containing 57 minutes of material, the album’s style is one that takes melodic death metal as a base, and then builds on this with elements of progressive metal, melodic black metal, melodic thrash metal, and orchestral power metal. The end result is Continue reading “Aversed – Impermanent (Review)”
Inhuman are a Belgian symphonic metal band and this is their debut album.
Inhuman mix together symphonic metal’s epic flamboyance with death metal’s bark and bite. The end result is an album that’s heavier and more aggressive than the norm for many bands who play in this arena, and all the better for it. Continue reading “Inhuman – Inhuman (Review)”
Iotunn are a progressive metal band from Denmark, and this is their debut album.
Full disclosure – when I saw that this band is fronted by the singer of Barren Earth and Hamferð, I got quite excited and it immediately made me hungry to listen to their album. The man has one of my favourite voices in metal, and on Access All Worlds, he puts it to damn fine use. Continue reading “Iotunn – Access All Worlds (Review)”
Therion are a Swedish symphonic/operatic metal band and this is their seventeenth album.
Where do you go after a three-hour metal opera marathon such as 2018’s Beloved Antichrist? Well, in Therion’s case, you condense, you prioritise arena-friendly catchiness, and you produce 46 minutes of thoroughly enjoyable material. Continue reading “Therion – Leviathan (Review)”
Follow the Cipher are a power metal band from Sweden and this is their debut album.
Here we have 45 minutes of slick, charismatic power metal. It’s professionally produced, delivered, and performed, and has a huge sound as you would want for something of this ilk. Continue reading “Follow the Cipher – Follow the Cipher (Review)”
Sympuls-E are a Russian melodic death metal band and this is their third album.
Apparently a rerecording of the band’s 2011 demo Зеркало Города, Mirror City is bright and shiny metal, but not without bite. Continue reading “Sympuls-E – Mirror City (Review)”
Epica are a symphonic metal band and this is their latest EP.
One of the things I like about Epica is that although they play Symphonic metal with luscious female vocals, early on in their career they managed to carve out their own path and identity in this well-worn genre. Continue reading “Epica – The Solace System (Review)”
Ruins of Elysium are an international symphonic metal band and this is their debut album.
The music on this release is bold, bombastic, and grand, with many different feelings and emotions explored; all of them epic, over-the-top, and quite infectious. It’s an ambitious release that hits more than it misses.
If you think of the comprehensive and Continue reading “Ruins of Elysium – Seeds of Chaos and Serenity (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 