Burning Shadows – Truth in Legend (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)”

Battle Beast – Bringer of Pain (Review)

Battle BeastThis is the fourth album from Finnish heavy/power metallers Battle Beast.

Well, this is unexpected. I assumed, for some reason, that upon pressing play I was going to be listening to the latest Nightwish clone. I was wrong. Battle Beast are a different proposition, one which is extremely special too. Continue reading “Battle Beast – Bringer of Pain (Review)”

Demonic Resurrection – Dashavatar (Review)

Demonic ResurrectionThis is the fifth album from Demonic Resurrection, a symphonic black/death metal band from India.

First impression – the album art is amazing.

Featuring members of Demonstealer and Albatross, Demonic Resurrection play epic blackened death metal with flair and style, influenced by Hindu mythology in both theme and sound. Continue reading “Demonic Resurrection – Dashavatar (Review)”

Xandria – Theater of Dimensions (Review)

XandriaXandria are a symphonic metal band from Germany. This is their seventh album.

This is grand, orchestral, operatic metal with lofty ambitions and high aims. It’s been a while since I’ve caught up with Xandria, and it seems they’re hungrier than ever for big things. Continue reading “Xandria – Theater of Dimensions (Review)”

Interview with Distant Sun

Distant Sun Logo

Distant Sun have returned with their latest full-length release Into the Nebula. If you’re not yet familiar with the band, I urge you to check them out as their combination of power and thrash metal is quite catchy and infectious. The band know how to write a decent tune and Into the Nebula is full of them.

So have a read of what guitarist/vocalist Alexey Markov has to say and get to know the band a bit better. They’re a band worth getting to know…

Introduce us to Distant Sun!

Hey! We’re a power/thrash metal band from Moscow, Russia, but our drummer Eric comes from Ukraine. This style used to be called “speed metal” 20 years ago, so we might be a bit late with our music. But we play it because we love it, and not because somebody else wants to hear it (although of course we are glad when someone likes it!). We have 3 releases: Sunless Citadel (5-song EP) from 2012, Dark Matter (2015). Our new 2016 full-length is called “Into the Nebula”. We also recorded more than 10 covers, some of them are available on your YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/distantsun Continue reading “Interview with Distant Sun”

Distant Sun – Into the Nebula (Review)

Distant SunThis 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)”

Hammerfall – Built to Last (Review)

HammerfallHammerfall are a Swedish heavy/power metal band and this is their tenth album.

Since forming in 1993 and developing into one of the bigger names in heavy/power metal, the title of their tenth album is quite aptly named.

It pleases me that the first song starts right into the action, rather than having any faffing around. It’s a small thing really, but it immediately endears me to the music. Continue reading “Hammerfall – Built to Last (Review)”

Lost Opera – Hidden Sides (Review)

Lost OperaThis is the second album by French symphonic metal band Lost Opera.

Lost Opera are a symphonic metal band specialising in a modern take on the genre, heavily accentuated with orchestral keyboards and with a side-order of extremity. This manifests via heavier-than-average guitars, (for this kind of thing), and the Continue reading “Lost Opera – Hidden Sides (Review)”

Unearthed Elf – Into the Catacomb Abyss (Review)

Unearthed ElfUnearthed Elf is a one man doom/heavy/power metal project from the US. This is his debut album.

Having a sightly unusual mix of doom, heavy and power metal, Into the Catacomb Abyss is an unexpected listen in a few different ways. Continue reading “Unearthed Elf – Into the Catacomb Abyss (Review)”

Shokran – Exodus (Review)

ShokranThis is the second album from Russian groove metal band Shokran.

Shokran play modern groove metal with a hearty djent influence, as well as having neo-classical, progressive, technical and Egyptian-themed aspects to their sound. They have a lot going on across these 35 minutes, and it’s all Continue reading “Shokran – Exodus (Review)”