HEAVY modern symphonic metal with killer melodies and fabulous song writing! I didn’t know who Flowerleaf was until late last year when they released a single called “Silksong” that came to my attention via an Instagram ad. If you are a video game aficionado or just happen to be familiar with the Hollow Knight series, […]
FlowerLeaf / Dreamerie – Album Review Read More »
Guitars and keys for the win as traditional and power metal collide! I always enjoy discovering new bands, particularly ones that are not on my radar. I listen to a lot of music but can’t review everything, whether due to lack of time or simply following my rule of not reviewing things I dislike. Sadly,
Unchosen Ones – Divine Power Flowing – Album Review Read More »
Melody, power, and speed collide to tell an epic hero’s story! Greek power / speed metal band Valiant Sentinel was a new band to me, and though they have been around since 2018, they just recently released their second album, “Neverealm.” The themes are mythical and medieval, transporting you to a fantasy world where heroes
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Impressive power doom that is crushing and bombastic! I don’t often consume doom, but when I do, I prefer…. Wait, this isn’t a beer commercial, and “the most interesting man in the world” doesn’t strike me as a doom connoisseur. However, it is true that I don’t gravitate toward doom as much as other genres,
Exxûl – Sealed into None – Album Review Read More »
Melodic and catchy symphonic metal with pop and hard rock sensibility! I felt like 2025 delivered a number of great symphonic metal releases, and 2026 appears to be promising with quite a few on the horizon already. Germany’s Beyond the Black has the honor of kicking off this trend with their 6th full length album,
Beyond the Black / Break the Silence – Album Review Read More »
Power and traditional metal collide with soaring melodies and a lot of speed and heft! Let’s face it, vocalist changes can easily be the hardest for a band to weather. A good vocalist generally functions as the face and identity of a band, and a change almost certainly means a different sound and dynamic. Seattle
Greyhawk / Warriors of Greyhawk – Album Review Read More »
Escape reality with Italian prog power goodness! Italy is synonomous with a lot of things, and one of those is power and progressive metal. It never ceases to amaze me the sheer number of quality bands and releases that have their roots in Italy. Such is the case with Italian progressive/power metal band Walls of
Walls of Babylon / Aeons Apart – Album Review Read More »
Symphonic power metal with amazing melodies and plenty of shred! Back in July (2024), I got an early preview of Florida power metallers Seven Kingdoms new EP “The Square,” which officially dropped a couple of weeks ago. I wrote an immediate response mini-review then, but here is an update now that I have both had
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Notable metal albums from 2025 that are required listening I love seeing end of year lists and am always fascinated to see how different they are from person to person, molded by what they gravitate to and what resonates. I have definitely broadened the genres and bands I listen to, but I still bias toward
My Top Metal albums for 2025: Top 25 full lengths, Top 2 EPs, 16 more to check out Read More »
My 2024 metal album of the year. Absolutely stunning symphonic metal that cannot be confined! I have been anticipating the new release from Boston area symphonic metal band Seven Spires for quite some time. “A Fortress Called Home” dropped this past Friday, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, even after reviewing the first 2
Seven Spires / A Fortress Called Home – Album Review Read More »
