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All reviews written by Nina
| 1. Accept - Restless & Wild | Rating: 10/10
Restless & Wild was Accept's fourth album, follow-up to the magnificent Breaker, which more or less defined their style. These two albums are very closely related, being released with only one year in between.
Drowning in many interesting and influential releases, such as Number Of The Beast (Iron Maiden),....
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| 2. Piledriver - Metal Inquisition | Rating: 8.5/10
Piledriver's Metal Inquisition from 1985 provides a perfect balance of humorous lyrics, powerful riffing, old school attitude and just overall kick ass Metal!
The Canadian act only released two records, then vanished into oblivion, and to this day there's quite a bit of confusion as to who these guys were exactly. The trut....
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| 3. Destruction - Metal Discharge | Rating: 8.5/10
After seeing this amazing band deliver an outburst of aggressive Thrash Metal live some years ago, I got into the first album since the infamous reunion of Destruction, called All Hell Breaks Loose. With this album, I started to see what the big deal concerning Thrash was all about. The follow up album, The Antichrist<....
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| 4. Sister Sin - True Sound Of The Underground | Rating: 8/10
I was blown away by the Swedish rockers' sophomore album, Switchblade Serenades, and had high hopes for this release, despite the departure of bassplayer and songwriter Benton. It's always tough to lose a songwriting member of any band and the scenario of fading quality after a few great releases and line up changes is far too we....
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| 5. Sacred Steel - Carnage Victory | Rating: 8/10
I have been following the sword-wielding, poser-slaying True Metal warriors since their debut, and I admit, I thought Sacred Steel's best albums were behind them. So it is with pleasure, I can announce that Carnage Victory is a wicked beast of an album!Fastpaced and brutal, Sacred Steel puts the Heavy back into Metal on Carnage ....
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| 6. Sabaton - Primo Victoria | Rating: 8/10
Sabaton is a relatively new band from Sweden, and Primo Victoria offers plenty of fascinating melodies, blistering guitar work, and an epic and dramatic atmosphere.
Primo Victoria starts out strong with one of this years best songs so far, the amazing titletrack.
Describing the splendor of this masterpiece is difficult, this is truly spe....
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| 7. Persuader - Evolution Purgatory | Rating: 8/10
Persuader is a young, but not completely new band (formed in 1997). They were initially signed to Loud'N'Proud records, which released one album with the band, The Hunter, which is practically impossible to find this day, after the demise of LNP. In 2002 the band won the contest Young Me....
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| 8. Nightrage - Sweet Vengeance | Rating: 8/10
The debut album of supergroup Nightrage is a catchy, aggressive and extremely well crafted outburst of melodic Death Metal, taking the listener on a journey into extremity, outlined with harmonic elements.
The band consist of talented and experienced musicians, on guitars we have the young talent, Gus G. (Firewind, Mystic Prophecy, ex-Dream E....
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| 9. Katana - Heads Will Roll | Rating: 8/10
Sweden keeps spawning new exciting traditional Metal acts, and the newest hope for the revival of true steel is called Katana. Their debut offers lots of exciting, well played old school Metal!Hailing from Gothenburg, Katana released their first EP, Heart Of Tokyo in 2006. After some line up changed, the current line up was esta....
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| 10. Freedom Call - The Circle Of Life | Rating: 8/10
Since their glorious debut Stairway To Fairyland, I have been totally hooked on Freedom Call, so needless to say that yours truly have awaited this album with huge excitement!
The last album Eternity is my "least favorite" of theirs, not that I think it is bad at all, just a little less excit....
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| 11. Enforcer - Diamonds | Rating: 8/10
The Swedes are back To Enforce Heavy Metal on all of us!Being in love with Enforcer's debut Into The Night, I was excited to see, what the band would come up with next. You have years to write a debut, but usually only from a few months to a year to write the follow up, so it's always a little nerve wrecking to put album ....
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| 12. Enforcer - Into The Night | Rating: 8/10
Enforcer offers a thrilling rollercoaster ride back to the 80's on their enjoyable debut! Enforcer consists of a bunch of young Swedish guys, who have chosen the old school way of Metal, completely ignoring any musical trend that happened after the 80's. Firmly rooted in the NWOBHM-style....
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| 13. Wizard - Thor | Rating: 7.5/10
I remember listening to a lot of new bands in the late 90's, when Power Metal enjoyed a newfound popularity, and great bands seemed to be popping up out of nowhere all the time. Today, a lot of these bands are gone. Some released a magnificent debut, and then seemed to vanish. Some quickly ran out of ideas and released more and more mediocre a....
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| 14. Withering Surface - Force The Pace | Rating: 7.5/10
Here it is: The fourth full-length album from Danish melodic Death Metallers Withering Surface, and what a great addition to their back catalogue!
The band has been around for about ten years, and after the success of the two previous albums The Nude Ballet and Walking On Phantom Ice, Withering Surface have taken their sound to an even higher....
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| 15. Stratovarius - Stratovarius | Rating: 7.5/10
The last year has been difficult for Stratovarius. Main man Timo Tolkki went through a lot of stuff, including a severe depression and alcohol problems, which he choose to share with everyone through the press and the band's website.
The band went through internal struggles, including name calling in the public press, all in....
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| 16. Steel Attack - Enslaved | Rating: 7.5/10
Steel Attack have come a long way since their early days as a standard Power Metal band, featuring a singer who didn't really sing but more "spoke" the lyrics.and I don't mean on purpose, that was his way of singing. I liked the music a lot back then, and even found a certain charm in the singer. But now, with a new astonishing singer and some....
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| 17. Raise Hell - Wicked is my game | Rating: 7.5/10
After having listened intensely to Raise Hell's previous album, Not Dead Yet, I was very exited about what this Swedish kick ass Thrash band had to offer this time. And I must say right away, that not only did they live up to the aforementioned release, they even surpassed it!
Wicked Is My Game</stron....
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| 18. Hammerfall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken | Rating: 7.5/10
If the cold and dark winter is getting it's hold on you, and everything seems just a little more gray, I have found the perfect cure: It is called something as cheesy as Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken and it can provide tons of quality riffs, blistering guitarwork, divine vocals and catchy hooks, guaranteed to put a smil....
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| 19. Black Abyss - Angels Wear Black | Rating: 7.5/10
The name Black Abyss didn't ring a bell, and when I heard the term "German Power Metal band" used to describe them, my first thought was, oh no, not another hopeless Helloween clone! But boy, I was surprised! A Hard and Heavy, dark and mystical mixture of various influences, done in an original way is what the....
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| 20. Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors | Rating: 7.5/10
"The Sham Mirrors" is my first meeting with this interesting band, and this is one of those records that might take a while to fully appreciate. But what Arcturus offer the listener with this release is an amazing journey into melodic complex soundscapes, mixing old and new sorts of music.
The album's strong force is to provide a mixture that....
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| 21. Skull Fist - Heavier Than Metal (EP) | Rating: 7/10
What a great EP the Canadian old schoolers have to offer!Skull Fist finds themselves a spot in the wave of newer bands, playing solid 80's Metal. Compared to many of their peers, the band has a more American style, leaning towards early Power Metal bands like Riot and mixing in more Sleaze oriented elements, alá Mötley Crüe</....
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| 22. Sacred Steel - Iron Blessings | Rating: 7/10
Is it possible to be a real "True Metal" band, honoring the old Metal virtues and develop an own style at the same time? Yes, indeed! And on their new opus Iron Blessings, Sacred Steel even adds new elements to an already well-developed sound!
On the last record (Slaughter Prophecy) singer Gerrit P. M....
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| 23. Raise Hell - Not Dead Yet | Rating: 7/10
Well, here we have the second album from this young Swedish four-piece, and a cool, pretty melodic version of Thrash Metal with lots of attitude, is what is this release gives us.
Let it be said right away: if you don't like bands that live up to the old school, traditional (cliché) images of a Heavy Metal band, with rather simple lyrics, o....
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| 24. Ironware - Break Out | Rating: 7/10
I've been waiting for this album for about five years! Not literally, but from the first time I heard Ironware's first demo Tales From A Twisted World, I thought they were going to be signed very quickly. That finally happened in 2002, and now LMp is sending out their first full length Break Out. I know most o....
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| 25. Iron Fire - The Underworld (Demo) | Rating: 7/10
Iron Fire refuse to give up; starting out as a promising young True Metal band, getting signed by Noise Records and putting out two more or less successful albums, the band was fired by their label, and suffered various line-up changes, leaving singer and composer Martin Steene as only original member.
Now, h....
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| 26. Iron Fire - Demo 2003 | Rating: 7/10
Iron Fire is a Danish Heavy Metal band, and I have been following them from the first demo, which was made in '98. In 2000 the official debut album, Thunderstorm (out on Noise Rec., produced by Tommy Hansen) gained the young talents a good amount of followers around in Europe. The style was very catchy and melodic, not far fro....
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| 27. Highland Glory - Forever Endeavour | Rating: 7/10
Despite an album cover and band name that sets my "run-of-the-mill Power Metal band" alarm clocks ringing out loud, Norway's Highland Glory have crafted a rock-solid, energy-packed album. This is really good stuff!
The music here is melodic in the same way as bands like Gamma Ray or Stratovarius, by which ....
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| 28. Falconer - The Sceptre Of Deception | Rating: 7/10
As a big fan of Falconer's first selftitled album, which was my album of the year 2001, the departure of original singer Mathias Blad was a huge disappointment to me. Somehow, it was his special voice and excellent feeling for melodies with a background as musical singer, that added the extra dimension and freshness, and compl....
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| 29. Bathory - Nordland pt. One | Rating: 7/10
This is the first chapter in Bathory's saga about the viking shores. And I must say right away that they have succeeded in capturing the spirit of "True Viking Metal", as it was supposed to be done in my ears!
The short intro leads us into the titletrack. The repeating bass riff becomes a focus point in an interesting song,....
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| 30. Taraxacum - Rainmaker | Rating: 6.5/10
I got interested in this record, because of the musicians involved; Tobias Exxel (bass/guitar) from Edguy, Felix Bönkhe (Drums), also in Edguy, Fredy Dörnberg (keybords), who has played in Rough Silk, Axel Rudi Pell and many others and singer Rick Mythiasin, ex-Steel Prophet, now in New Eden. In Other words a handful of talented musicians, but....
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| 31. Mystic Prophecy - Regressus | Rating: 6.5/10
This is a very interesting line up, consisting of very good and well experienced musicians. The singer, Roberto Dimitri Liapakis, is also fronting Valley's Eve, bassplayer Martin Albrecht is also in Valley's Eve and used to play in Stormwitch, drummer Dennis Ekdahl also plays with Raise Hell, and Gus G. is in both Dream Evil, Nightrage and Fir....
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| 32. Lordi - The Monster Show | Rating: 6.5/10
Hailing from Finland, Lordi consist of five persons dressed up in full monster costumes á la Gwar, playing their own brand of Kiss styled Hard Rock. The Monster Show, being their third album, is a cross between the first two, with no new songs on it, which to me seems pretty pointless, especially since the band says on their h....
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| 33. Freedom Call - Legend Of The Shadowking. | Rating: 6.5/10
I've been a Freedom Call fan since the debut, and though the band have delivered albums of varying quality, I never felt like they had lost their initial talent for crafting powerful tunes or their ear for great melodies.Out Of The Ruins opens the album and take us straight to Freedom Call land. Operatic vocals, semi-symphonic a....
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| 34. Feinstein - Third Wish | Rating: 6.5/10
This is the first solo album from the man behind Elf and The Rods, an experienced gentleman by the name of David "Rock" Feinstein, the title of the album referring to, that this is his third musical endeavour.
That the music springs from the same fountain as that of his cousin and co-founder of Elf, Ronnie Ja....
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| 35. Elvenking - Red Silent Tides | Rating: 6.5/10
In 2001 a new amazing band unleashed their new amazing debut album upon the world: Elvenking's Heathereel was a fantastic release that perfectly married Power Metal and cheery folk music in a way that spirited the listener away to distant worlds.For the next album, singer Damna had left the band, leaving a huge gap....
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| 36. Dragonforce - Sonic Firestorm | Rating: 6.5/10
Sonic Firestorm seems an appropriate title! This is high octane, guitarpowered melodic Metal, where the melodies reminds me of bands like Freedom Call, Gamma Ray and Stratovarius, just speeded up a whole lot. Harmony meets rage.
The guitarduo of Sam Totman and Herman ....
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| 37. Delany - Blaze And Ashes. | Rating: 6.5/10
Yet another Metal opera project sees the light of day. Wizard bassist and mastermind Volker Leson and Vain frontman Davy Vain have teamed up to give us a dramatic and emotional rendition of fantasy book "Chronicle Of The Immortal", written by famed German writer Wolfgang Hohlbein. That's the same guy that doe....
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| 38. Compos Mentis - Fragments Of A Withered Dream | Rating: 6.5/10
A new talented Danish band has seen the light in the shape of Compos Mentis. The musical style can briefly be described as Melodeath with some Black Metal influences, blending elements from In Flames, Dark Tranquillity and Dimmu Borgir to their own personal sound.
This is Compos Mentis' debut album, and has already gained the....
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| 39. Blinded by fear - En Route To Pain (Demo) | Rating: 6.5/10
Blinded By Fear is a new band from Denmark, all consisting of ex-members from Power Metal act Iron Fire, except for singer Niels Toft, who have a background in the Death Metal band Morfeus. An interesting combination of talented musicians and as the name suggests (taken from a song title of pi....
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| 40. Timeless Miracle - Into The Enchanted Chamber | Rating: 6/10
Timeless Miracle deliver Power Metal in the vain of Gamma Ray, Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius mixed with folk music and classically influenced keyboards on their fairly good debut album.
Points are given for being fairly diverse, compared to many bands doing the same thing. A song like Curse Of The Werewolf holds many s....
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| 41. Opus Atlantica - Opus Atlantica | Rating: 6/10
This Swedish act offers Euro Power Metal of the happiest kind, with semi bombastic elements, fast drums, screaming guitars and choir arrangements, all wrapped up in symphonic keyboard tones. Certainly not that original, but rather enjoyable anyway.
An easygoing, uplifting, cosy experience, that won't write music history, is what this record h....
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| 42. Morifade - Imaginarium | Rating: 6/10
I discovered Morifade for the first time when I witnessed them doing a great live performance at the small Motala Metal festival in Sweden, and their Power Metal caught my attention from the beginning.
Though their first mcd (Across The Starlit Sky) left a bit to wish for concerning songwri....
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| 43. Metalium - Grounded - Chapter Eight | Rating: 6/10
Germany's own Metalium are ready with their 8'th output, and once again invite us to sing along to tales of freedom, slavery, loyalty and the love of Metal in typical melodic-but-fast-paced manner. If you are unfamiliar with Metalium, they sound very typical of the style, with double kick drums, melodic guitars, catch....
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| 44. Seventh Avenue - Eternals | Rating: 5.5/10
German Metallers Seventh Avenue are ready with their fifth album, this being my first meeting with the band. The guys play classic Metal, topped off with a bit of happy-go-lucky Power Metal, as so many do it today, with happy melodies, fast drumming, screaming guitars and so on and so forth.
Songs like Remission with it's c....
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| 45. Dungeon - One Step Beyond | Rating: 5.5/10
A little bit of Gamma Ray, a few Iron Maiden riffs, some choir parts and a tad of Thrash. That seems to be the recipe for success for a lot of Power Metal bands, and nothing is necessarily wrong with that. It's just that we've heard it all before, so it needs to be good. Really good!
When the Power Metal wave first swept the nati....
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| 46. StormHammer - Lord Of Darkness | Rating: 5/10
If you feel like you've read this review before, it's probably because I feel like I've heard this album before. No news under the sun, with this piece of oldschool 80's Metal with a bit of modern Power Metal thrown in the mix. So, is it a good album? Well, yeah, decent to say the least, but not outstanding in any way.
The melodies don't flow....
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| 47. Galloglass - Heavenseeker | Rating: 5/10
Out of Germany comes another Power Metal band, drawing on influences from acts such as Helloween, Blind Guardian and Rhapsody. Galloglass' second album, Heavenseeker offers some quite fine melodies and refrains that stick to your brain. At least I have found myself humming a f....
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| 48. Dream Evil - The Book Of Heavy Metal | Rating: 4/10
Being a big worshipper of the first Dream Evil album, Dragonslayer, I thought the second album was a bit too rockish for my taste, but not bad at all, displaying good melodies and skillful playing, enduring the impression of a promising young band.
So, with one album I love and one I like, the third album seemed like a "make....
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| 49. Celesty - Vendetta | Rating: 4/10
Today's Heavy Metal scene is, for better and for worse, influenced heavily by the past. Lots of bands are mixing the sound of older acts, maybe even borrowing a little riff here and there. I have no problem with that. Being against it would make me quite a hypocrite, as I myself love a lot of these bands. It can, however, be done in a bad way ....
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| 50. Olympos Mons - Conquistador | Rating: 3/10
Well, here we have another record that helps to hollow out a great genre, the half-symphonic Power Metal, trying to ride along the already starved-out wave of bands playing this style.
In terms of quality, I put Olympos Mons in the same category as Dragonhammer, Majesty and countless other acts, all bands th....
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| 51. Majesty - Reign In Glory | Rating: 3/10
Well I used to laugh and roll my eyes over bands like Wizard and Sacred Steel, delivering the typical cliché sort of "True Metal" lyrics, a bit recycled music and just being a little over the top. Nevertheless both these bands made a fool out of me by releasing great albums later in their career, and made me r....
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| 52. Dragonhammer - Time For Expiation | Rating: 3/10
The band with the strange name Dragonhammer is a newcomer on the Italian scene, Time For Expiation being their second effort.
According to the promotional information, this band is different from the rest of the Italian scene, offering operatic vocals, classically inspired keyboard work and fast drums. Well, in a world where ....
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Daily Spotlight
Los Angeles - Los Angeles
 The voice behind Los Angeles may be frighteningly familiar to those who keep a keen eye trained on the world of power metal a....
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Retro Reviews
(Steen)
Manowar - Battle Hymns
 Powerful!
That would be one way to describe this album.
Magnificent, Essential, Classic, Majestic would be others.
But enough of the superlatives. Here's another, more lengthy description...
....
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(Tommy)
Iron Maiden - The X Factor
 This is one of the most interesting and most controversial records ever made. The mighty Iron Maiden in what you could call a different costume. The X Factor is clearly their most dark and personal re....
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