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)”
This is the fourth album from Spanish death metallers Legacy of Brutality.
Legacy of Brutality play death metal that is backed up by melodic might. Theirs is a recipe that takes many well-used ingredients, but deploys them in ways that end up very tasty and satisfying indeed. Continue reading “Legacy of Brutality – Travellers to Nowhere (Review)”
This is the debut album from Swedish metal band Curse of Cain.
Now here’s an interesting and unexpected release. Curse of Cain‘s 42 minutes weaves a compelling post-apocalyptic story that cooks together a bunch of different ingredients that probably shouldn’t work, but actually does. The end result is tasty and satisfying. Continue reading “Curse of Cain – Curse of Cain (Review)”
This is the debut album from UK power metallers Battle Born.
Following on from their 2020 self-titled debut EP, Battle Born have returned to bring TRVE METAL back into our hearts. Blood, Fire, Magic and Steel brings us 45 minutes of the stuff, and it is glorious. Continue reading “Battle Born – Blood, Fire, Magic and Steel (Review)”
This is the second album from Canadian/Finnish heavy metallers Smoulder.
Featuring seven tracks running 42 minutes in length, Violent Creed of Vengeance is a thoroughly enjoyable slab of epic heavy metal. Break out the swords and get ready for adventure! Continue reading “Smoulder – Violent Creed of Vengeance (Review)”
Frozen Crown are an Italian power metal band and this is their fourth album.
With promo blurb that states Call of the North is for fans of Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Dragonforce, and Unleash the Archers, it would be churlish not to check this out. I’m glad I did. Continue reading “Frozen Crown – Call of the North (Review)”
This is the eighth album from Redemption, a progressive metal band from the US.
Following up 2016’s The Art of Loss and 2018’s Long Night’s Journey into Day, Redemption now return with 55 minutes of new material, (71 minutes including a remix and covers of Genesis and Peter Gabriel songs), on I Am the Storm. Continue reading “Redemption – I Am the Storm (Review)”
Megaton Sword are a heavy metal band from Switzerland and this is their second album.
Containing a member of Forlet Sires, Might & Power is a 39-minute romp into true heavy metal waters. Break out the weaponry, as it’s time to go rampaging. Continue reading “Megaton Sword – Might & Power (Review)”
Twilight Force are a power metal band from Sweden and this is their fourth album.
I enjoyed how gloriously over the top 2019’s Dawn of the Dragonstar was, so it’s great to hear some new material from Twilight Force. Bursting at the seams with 45 minutes of epic symphonic power metal, At the Heart of Wintervale delivers an ostentatious and lavish fantasy tale. Continue reading “Twilight Force – At the Heart of Wintervale (Review)”
So here we are again. It’s December, and year end lists are flying around like shrapnel. Due to the inherent subjectivity of music it’s always interesting to see what people have made of the preceding year.
For me, I made a concerted effort to drag myself away from the depths of black metal’s always-enticing abyss to spend some more time with other genres and styles that I also love. I said something similar last year, but I feel this year I was more successful in achieving that end. Of course, I still love black metal, still listen to it constantly, and you’ll still find some great examples of the blackened arts in the list below.
2022 was a strong year for death metal for me, and I enjoyed more death metal bands in a deeper way than I have done for some time. In every year there are standout releases, but I felt this year the standard was raised throughout. Possibly I was simply more receptive to it. Either way, you’ll find more death metal-related acts, and in higher spots, in this selection than you’ll have seen in my lists for a while.
As with last year, grindcore was largely absent from my year, disappointingly, as was hardcore. Additionally, the sort of lengthy, ugly, abyssal doom that I love so much has been largely lacking too. It’s all probably out there somewhere, but I didn’t catch it.
The top two spots this year are both claimed by albums/bands/styles that I simply could not have predicted would be at the pinnacle of my list by the year’s end, (one of the bands I hadn’t even heard of in January). I hope you enjoy these excellent records even half as much as I do.
Lastly I just want to say a big thank you to any and all that might read this site. It’s only a small endeavour, and I do it purely for the love of all things METAL and to support bands that I enjoy in whatever minor way I can, but if this is you, a heartfelt thank you for enduring my scribblings.
On to it! Continue reading “Wonderbox Metal End of Year List – Best Metal of 2022”
Wonderbox Metal 