Being monumentally busy this past month I managed to not listen to a whole lot of albums... Most of the albums from last month I wanted to get properly into were left in the dust as a pile of new promos arrived and took my cd player hostage with demands of "Comment on us now Steen!". I saw no other option but to oblige.
Allen Lande - The Revenge
Ahh, highly anticipated. My first impression is very good, but where are the truly standout tracks which were fighting for attention on the debut? I haven't found them yet.
Kamelot - Ghost Opera
Shorter songs, more compact, but definitely Kamelot. Needs more time to sink in but sounds excellent three times through.
Knight Area - Under a new sign
Highly promising progressive rock with a really wonderful, relaxing atmosphere.
Cage - Hell Destroyer
Ahh... an absolutely supreme Metal Attack. About time I discovered this band. Lead singer Sean Peck reminds me of a mutant Rob Halford/Tim Owens/Harry Conklin on steroids. Great stuff.
Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands
Exit Messiah, Enter Robert Lowe of Solitude Aeturnus. The album is not as immediately impressive as the previous self titled effort which introduced me to the band, but there is definitely something here waiting to be discovered.
Kotipelto - Serenity
Nothing new here, just straight ahead Euro-power-pop-metal with everything it implies. This one feels uninspired and generic. "Sleep Well" became annoying after 4 listens.
Sonata Arctica - Unia
The past two Sonata Arctica releases somehow slipped by me unnoticed. This one is very melodic and inviting to many listens, but also a bit too mellow. I miss the madness of my favorite of theirs, Ecliptica.
Freedom Call - Dimensions
Put an axe in the head of the narrator and decapitate the children's choir and you're left with a happy-power-pop-metal album, lacking balls but exploding in catchy melodies and sing-a-long choruses. A song called "Mr. Evil" has never sounded this cute. "Far away" may have one of the funniest chorus rhymes ever.
Sometimes I feel quite embarrassed while listening to this one, but at the same time it is strangely charming. It sure is Freedom Call. I feel a strange urge to listen to it again right now.
Annihilator - Metal
Not as immediately impressive as I'd hoped. Solid Metal, but a little too much "Been there, done that" pervades this release. Total Annihilation = Set the world on Fire pt. II.
Iced Earth - Overture of the wicked
The new song sounds highly promising but they sadly fucked up with the re-recorded version of the classic "Something Wicked"-trilogy. The production is way off. The drum sound is lacking depth and the guitar sound is inexplicably devoid of power, making the songs sound very flat. I pray that the production on the forthcoming album is better than this. What on Earth were they thinking? The stirring original version had more atmosphere, more feeling and much more power than this clinical imitation. Though the performances leave nothing to be desired (okay Tim lacks the deep atmospheric voice of Matthew Barlow but man, he can scream) the production completely kills it for me. And this was something I was looking so much forward to. A damn shame.
Freedom Call - Eternity
Dug out this superb happy-power metal album and got in a great mood. I believe "Land of the Light" is the ultimate jump song.
Saviour Machine - II
Chilling. Nothing compares to this album. It is unique.
CD purchases of the month
Bryan Adams - On a day like today
Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World
Freak Kitchen - Freak Kitchen
Heed - The Call
Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Tage Mahal
Leaves Eyes - Into your light (Single)
Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura
Pride Of Lions - Pride Of Lions
Pride Of Lions - The Destiny Stone
Redemption - The Origins Of Ruin
Stiltskin - Live 2006
Stiltskin - She
Street Talk - Restoration (Japanese Edition)
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