This is the seventh album from German Gothic metal band The Vision Bleak.
Weird Tales consists of a single 41-minute song, which is made up of twelve separate movements. It looks like on Bandcamp this will be divided into actual tracks, but thankfully the review version consists of just one track, as this is definitely a release to experience in its entirety, without interruption. Continue reading “The Vision Bleak – Weird Tales (Review)”
This is the second album from Greek symphonic modern metallers Project Renegade.
Ultra Terra is a 57-minute expression of contemporary metallic heaviness that takes in a range of old and new influences to produce an album of catchy, accessible songs. In other words, they play stadium-friendly heavy music with big choruses and symphonic enrichments. Continue reading “Project Renegade – Ultra Terra (Review)”
Eleine are a Swedish symphonic metal band and this is their fourth album.
This is my first encounter with Eleine, and it’s a very favourable one. Playing a form of symphonic heavy metal with a distinctly high quality flavour and more metallic might than you might expect, We Shall Remain delivers 37 minutes of engaging music. Continue reading “Eleine – We Shall Remain (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 third album from Canadian progressive metallers Osyron.
Osyron play a form of progressive metal that takes influence from both old and new. There are elements of classic power and heavy metal, alongside newer, heavier, modern metal influences, Continue reading “Osyron – Momentous (Review)”
This is the fourth album from German progressive metal band Disillusion.
Ayam offers 59 minutes of idiosyncratic progressive metal. Highly melodic, with atmospheric, symphonic, and avant-garde touches, Disillusion have created a big, epic album, in more ways than one. Continue reading “Disillusion – Ayam (Review)”
Therion are a Swedish symphonic/operatic metal band and this is their eighteenth album.
2021’s Leviathan was one of my favourite records from that year. How it didn’t end up on my end of year list I’ll never know, and it remains a massive oversight on my part. Suffice to say it’s an absolute killer record, and I love its ostentatious charms. In all honesty I don’t think I’ll have the same long-term reaction to Leviathan II, but that doesn’t stop it from being a damn fine record in its own right. Continue reading “Therion – Leviathan II (Review)”
This is the fifth album from French progressive black/death metallers.
Helioss play a hybrid style of black and death metal that has progressive influences and symphonic aspects. Across 62 minutes Contre ma Lumière delivers a multifaceted album of atmosphere, aggression, and majestic grandeur. Continue reading “Helioss – Contre ma Lumière (Review)”
This is the debut album from Greek heavy metal band Battle Symphony.
War on Earth gives us a whopping 69 minutes of music to absorb, (including the bonus track). Described as a conceptual metal opera with a sci-fi theme, it’s the result of one man’s vision, who then brought a plethora of people together to realise it. It combines symphonic, folk, power, and classical styles into a meaty heavy metal feast, and contains contributions from Continue reading “Battle Symphony – War on Earth (Review)”
This is the sixth album from Finnish heavy/power metallers Battle Beast.
Battle Beast play a symphonic mix of heavy and power metal, and they do so with skill and character. I haven’t caught up with Battle Beast since 2017’s enjoyable Bringer of Pain, so Circus of Doom seemed a good time to check in with their brand of stadium metal once more. Continue reading “Battle Beast – Circus of Doom (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 