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All reviews written by Steen
| 1. Savatage - Streets - A Rock Opera | Rating: 10/10
Let me say right from the start that this is my favorite album of all time, so there will be no holds barred in this review. I'm a man on a mission, and that is to explain to you exactly why I think this album deserves to be labeled a timeless masterpiece.
Streets was released in 1991 and as you probably gathered from the title, this is a c....
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| 2. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane | Rating: 10/10
I honestly think that the music on this album has to be some of the greatest music ever created. Not since "Streets: A rock opera" by Savatage has music touched my soul like this.
I guess you can call Pain of salvation a progressive metal band. I don't care about the style they are labelled with as long as the music is good. And with each ....
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| 3. Enuff Z'nuff - Strength | Rating: 10/10
If I had to describe Enuff Z'nuff with one sentence then I would say: Enuff Z'nuff play the best Melodic Hard Rock out there, and they are the only band, I feel I can justly compare to The Beatles.
That is a bold statement, and one that may need a little clarification... What I mean is that I hold Enuff Z'nuff in as much awe as The Beatles.....
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| 4. Sieges Even - Sophisticated | Rating: 9.5/10
If I had to use one word to describe this album, it would be "Melancholic". This album has that feeling written all over it.This is Sieges Even's fourth album and my favourite. It takes a lot of time and concentration to fully appreciate this album. Even after listening to it several hundred times I still discover new things ev....
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| 5. Saviour Machine - II | Rating: 9.5/10
Once upon a time when I started my long journey into the world of Heavy Metal I often found bands that gave me a really special feeling inside when I listened to their music for the first time. It was a feeling of awe and amazement that music was able to create such vivid emotions and atmospheres. Nowadays I don't get this feeling very often. ....
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| 6. Savatage - Gutter Ballet | Rating: 9.5/10
Discovered by chance between some Ozzy LP's I had borrowed from a friend back in 1991, Gutter Ballet from Savatage made a great impact. I had never heard anything quite like it and was at once captivated by Jon Oliva's powerful and gritty, yet still extremely emotional voice and Criss Oliva's heavenly guitar playing. One listen to Gutter Balle....
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| 7. Psychotic Waltz - A social grace | Rating: 9.5/10
The music on this album was ingenius when it was released back in 1990 and in my mind that status has not changed to the day. Psychotic Waltz play superior progressive metal with a rawness that is at times numbingly beautiful. Does that sound weird? I guess you just have to listen to it then :) Psychotic Waltz created four albums before they s....
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| 8. Psychotic Waltz - Into the Everflow | Rating: 9.5/10
Here is a review I put of for a long time because I didn't feel I could do the album justice at all. Words still won't be able to capture the essence of what this album has, it has to be experienced in all its weirdness. But I will try to give you an idea if this is something for you or not.
Making a definite change since their mind-blowin....
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| 9. Manowar - Into glory ride | Rating: 9.5/10
It's very hard for me to say that one Manowar album is my favourite because they all have a special meaning to me, each in it's own way. But when I'm in the mood for epic music Into glory ride takes the crown... Damn, even the title of the album sounds epic...
The album feels really fresh and the whole band sound like they....
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| 10. Lost Horizon - A flame to the ground beneath | Rating: 9.5/10
They have done it again. Lost Horizon have delivered a magnificent feast of powerful, agressive and melodic music, overflowing with emotion and positive spirits. After listening to A flame to the ground beneath for the past couple of months, I'm finally convinced. They have done the near-impossible and surpassed their ....
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| 11. Judas Priest - Painkiller | Rating: 9.5/10
What can I say that hasn't already been said about Judas Priest? Not a lot I guess, but as Painkiller is my all time favorite Judas Priest album and as close as you come to a pure metallic masterpiece, it certainly deserves a mention here...
Back in time when I first listened to the album I was completely blown away by its speed and power. ....
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| 12. Fates Warning - Awaken The Guardian | Rating: 9.5/10
Some albums never grow old.
Awaken the Guardian is the evolutionary peak of Fates Warning's John Arch era, an album that is unique on every level and cannot be compared to anything else I have ever heard. To my ears it is the perfect marriage of heavy and progressive metal and it makes no compromise. It builds on their previous two albums,....
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| 13. Vicious Rumors - Welcome to the ball | Rating: 9/10
Going through my cd collection to find this month's classic I came upon this long lost gem and it brought back a lot of great memories. The very overlooked Vicious Rumors first reared their head back in 1985 with their fantastic debut Soldiers of the night. They continued to put out classic albums through the 80'ies and start of the 90'ies. Un....
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| 14. Ten - The Name of The Rose | Rating: 9/10
Imagine a wide open vista of land. You're standing beneath a tree, its green leaves rustling, as a gust of wind blows your hair to the side. Looking ahead you gaze upon a desert, sand dunes rising and falling as far as the eye can see. The sky is blue, sunny, specked with white puffs of clouds. In the distance remnants of a rainbow disappear ....
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| 15. Shadow Gallery - Tyranny | Rating: 9/10
Few albums have the strength to endure regular listens for more than ten years. Even fewer have a concept where music, story and performance unite into something completely convincing. Most concept fail in some way on one or more levels. Tyranny is one of the rare concept albums where everything works 100%. The experience lingers on long after....
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| 16. Saviour Machine - Legend - Part I | Rating: 9/10
Dubbed as "The unofficial soundtrack to the end of the world" the Legend project gives new meaning to the term concept album. This ultimate study of end-times Biblical prophecy was originally planned as a concept told through three separate releases, but here, 10 years and three releases down the road, I am still anxiously awaiting the conclus....
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| 17. Saviour Machine - I | Rating: 9/10
I have found Saviour Machine to be a very special band.
To me, Saviour Machine is one of the truly original bands to walk this earth. They are able to convey massive amounts of emotion through their brilliant music like no other band I know. Unfortunately they are also one of the most overlooked bands in history. Through time I will review....
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| 18. Savatage - Hall of the mountain king | Rating: 9/10
Those who thought that Savatage had gone soft with Fight for the rock only needed to listen to the first few seconds of 24 hrs. ago before that illusion is shattered. After Producer and Sava-saviour Paul O'Neill discovered the band, Savatage were quick to avenge their slight detour with this classic Heavy Metal album. Powerful....
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| 19. Sanctuary - Into the mirror black | Rating: 9/10
My first encounter with Sanctuary was a music video on MTV's Headbangers Ball in the early nineties where I was fascinated by their incredibly long hair... The image burned itself into my mind and I made a note to check this band out. Fast forward a couple of months and I was lucky enough to find "Into the mirror black" in an obscure record st....
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| 20. Redemption - Redemption | Rating: 9/10
The first time I put on this album, and listened to the opening two minutes of Desperation Part I, I knew this was going to be good. Then I looked at the promo material and noticed the members of Redemption, and I started getting very excited. Listening to the whole album for the first time only intensified that feeling. Refreshing and excitin....
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| 21. Redemption - Snowfall On Judgment Day | Rating: 9/10
Redemption is back with their fourth album, the third in a row voiced by Fates Warning's Ray Alder. Let me tell you right away: There are some real gems on this one. On the first listen more than half the songs stood out and made an instant impression. That is highly unusual with a progressive metal release. Usually my reaction t....
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| 22. Rage - Soundchaser | Rating: 9/10
The three-piece band Rage is back! With Soundchaser the band continues the style from the excellent Unity and perfects it here. This is some of the best Heavy Metal I have heard in a very long time. I remember thinking the same when I first listened to Masterplan's fantastic debut earlier this year, and this is the same exciting sensation, tha....
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| 23. Queensrÿche - Rage for order | Rating: 9/10
Ahh good old Queensrÿche... Rage for order was released back in 1986 and of all their albums this one is my favorite along with Operation Mindcrime. Which one I prefer all depends on my mood. This is their most experimental work to date and it will take some time to get used to the songs and the somewhat convoluted production, which in turn he....
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| 24. Orphaned Land - Mabool: The story of the Three Sons of Seven | Rating: 9/10
Wow, what a great adventure!
Orphaned Land play the most original and intriguing music I have heard in a long time. They succeed in mixing the best from many musical genres into something very unique. Okay, so I have not heard any of their other albums, but if this is anything to go by, then I must get them as soon as possible. The band wa....
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| 25. Manowar - Battle Hymns | Rating: 9/10
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...
Battle hymns is Manowar's debut album and it established them right away as something special. It is a classic and one of the great and importan....
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| 26. Forbidden - Twisted into form | Rating: 9/10
This is one of my all-time favorite Thrash Metal albums. It was the first Forbidden album I heard and it just blew me away many years ago. Today it is still a great example of technicality, tightness, speed and melody taken to a higher level. The songs are very well composed. Creative riffs, guitar solos, wild breaks and intense vocal....
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| 27. Fates Warning - The Spectre within (Re-release) | Rating: 9/10
It was a cold and rainy Tuesday afternoon when I found this re-release in a local cd store. I had a ton of work to do that day when I got home... Still, I couldn't resist taking a quick listen to Traveller in time just to see if the sound was that much better than the original, and of course I ended up listening to the whole a....
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| 28. Damian Wilson - Disciple | Rating: 9/10
I bought this album after the Star One show in Hamburg earlier this year. Listening to Damian Wilson singing live got me interested in his solo work. I had no idea what the music would sound like and I have to say right from the start: This is not metal music with heavy guitars or pounding drums. This music draws its power from other sources, ....
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| 29. Ayreon - The Human Equation | Rating: 9/10
If you're looking for an album that has everything, then Ayreon's The Human Equation may be as close as you get. I sat there with my mouth gaping open in stunned silence for a few seconds after my first listen and then burst out laughing. Somehow it all fits perfectly.
The human equation is the most complex and varied album Ayreon has creat....
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| 30. Avantasia - The Metal Opera (Part II) | Rating: 9/10
I was really looking forward to this release. I loved "Avantasia Part I" with its awesome melodic songs, great atmosphere and quite exciting story. It would be interesting to hear if Tobias Sammet could continue the high standard set by that album.
Part II has the best start I could have imagined. Starting out with the 14 minute epic <stro....
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| 31. Armored Saint - Symbol of Salvation | Rating: 9/10
Symbol of salvation was released back in 1991, and it has become a timeless classic in my musical universe.
As I remember, it was around my 15'th listen when I realised, that I would never grow tired of this album. It has that special vibe that just sucks you in, and doesn't let go, before the final chord is struck. This was Armored Saint's....
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| 32. Virgin Steele - The Black Light Bacchanalia | Rating: 8.5/10
This review is overdue due to a handful of different reasons, of which I will only bore you with one, incidentally the best one: The Black Light Bacchanalia keeps growing! Just when you think you have nailed the album down suddenly a new path opens and following it, new musical detail adds to the overall impression. Virgin Steele ....
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| 33. To/Die/For - Jaded | Rating: 8.5/10
After listening to the first couple of songs on this CD, I put it back in the bottom stack of the promos I had to review, as it just didn't catch my attention. What a huge mistake! After giving it a thorough listen or two, I started seeing its true beauty. I don't want to put this band in any specific genre, as I haven't really heard anything ....
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| 34. Threshold - Critical mass | Rating: 8.5/10
This is the sixth studio album from Threshold and it has quickly become my favourite. I still need to listen to their older albums though, as the only other album I have gotten really into is Hypothetical.
Critical Mass has a very warm atmosphere, in no small part due to the vocals of Andrew McDermott. The production is excellent throughout....
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| 35. Sieges Even - A Sense of Change | Rating: 8.5/10
Exploration and discovery. Two themes which are essential for your enjoyment of this album. Even after 13 years and several hundred listens I have still not reached a journey's end when it comes to "A Sense of Change". The music found here feels like it has no boundaries and thus can be explored endlessly, along a myriad of paths. The patient ....
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| 36. Shadow Gallery - Room V | Rating: 8.5/10
Room V is a concept album which continues the story from the album Tyranny, released in 1997. Tyranny is high on my list of favorite concept albums ever. It is one of those albums that succeeds in making me feel something every time I listen to it. A timeless album. When I first heard that Shadow Gallery were going to continue the story I got ....
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| 37. Rhapsody (of Fire) - Symphony Of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret | Rating: 8.5/10
After listening intensely to Rhapsody's new album for the past month it is slowly establishing itself as their best and most accomplished so far. Yes, Rhapsody are back, and this time they have taken a big leap forward by adding a real orchestra and a professional narrator, as well as a huge and masterful production, finally giving the band th....
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| 38. Redemption - The Origins of Ruin | Rating: 8.5/10
Line up:
Ray Alder - Vocals
Nicolas van Dyk - Guitar, Keys
Bernie Versailles - Guitar
Sean Andrews - Bass
Chris Quirarte - Drums
Redemption is a band that so far equals the most consistent and high quality music I have come across in recent memory. With "The Origins of Ruin" they complete a trilogy of near-perfect albums. Nicolas van D....
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| 39. Ray Wilson - Change | Rating: 8.5/10
Wow!
That was my first thought when Ray Wilson started singing. He has a fantastic voice filled with radiance and emotion. Deep with feeling and a lot of soul. Having previously sung in Genesis and Stiltskin, I can only feel happy that I've finally discovered him with this solo release.
The music on Change is very laid back with a focus....
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| 40. Queensrÿche - The Warning | Rating: 8.5/10
Warning: This album is addictive!
Queensrÿche's debut album has always been a favorite of mine and it has a place among their very best, coming in close behind Rage for Order and Operation: Mindcrime. The album doesn't conform to a single norm, but mixes various genres and ideas ....
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| 41. Nuclear Valdez - I am I | Rating: 8.5/10
This is one album that has blown me away. I got it as a birthday present almost a year ago and soon discovered it to be very special. I am I is the debut of Nuclear Valdez and man, what a debut! Being a completely unknown band to me until recently I must assume that a lot of other people have never heard of them either, which is too sad. The b....
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| 42. Neal Morse - Testimony 2 | Rating: 8.5/10
How can a dream so far away become a place in reality?Prog Rock maestro Neal Morse is back with close to two hours of music, spanning two CD's. Disc One is a concept album based on Neal's own biography, which is also released in book form right about now and Disc two has three stand alone....
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| 43. Mike Tramp - Capricorn | Rating: 8.5/10
This is the first solo album by Mike Tramp, the singer and founder of White Lion and Freak of Nature. On this album he sings and plays guitar on all songs. All solos are played by Kenny Korade, who also played in Freak of Nature.
I had owned this album some time before it really hit me how great it was. After seeing Mike Tramp play live i....
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| 44. Manowar - Gods of War | Rating: 8.5/10
Introduction
What was foreshadowed on the Sons of Odin EP has now become a full reality. Manowar have created their most ambitious and innovative work yet. This will be the first installment in their Gods of War saga. No one quite knows what path the future will take but each chapter is supposed to deal w....
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| 45. King Diamond - The Puppet Master | Rating: 8.5/10
It is with great pleasure I announce that The King is back! ...again... After two weeks of non-stop listening to this promo, The Puppet Master has taken its place alongside of my favorite King Diamond albums (Them, Conspiracy, The Eye & House of God) I had a hard time getting into Abigail Pt. II and was hoping for something a little more captu....
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| 46. John Arch - A twist of fate | Rating: 8.5/10
After a 16 year absence from the music scene, the original Fates Warning singer, John Arch has returned. And that is in a way that makes me feel like he was never really gone. His voice has developed but it still sounds unmistakeably like John Arch. Before the first minute of the first song, Relentless was over, I felt like I ....
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| 47. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free | Rating: 8.5/10
Line up
Kai Hansen - Vocals/Guitars
Dirk Schlächter - Guitars/Keys
Jan Rubach - Bass
Thomas Nack - Drums
Searching for the ultimate power metal album? Gamma Ray's Land of the free is a necessary, and perhaps final, stop on that quest. It is my favorite Gamma Ray album without a doubt. High speed, heavy riffs and soaring vocals all unite....
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| 48. Fates Warning - Parallels | Rating: 8.5/10
Line-up:
Ray Alder: Vocals
Jim Matheos: Guitar
Frank Aresti: Guitar
Joe Dibiase: Bass
Mark Zonder: Drums
With the recruitment of their new singer Ray Alder Fates Warning started moving towards a more accessible sound. At this point in their career every album had been significantly different from the last one and Parallels lives up to ....
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| 49. Enuff Z'nuff - 1985 | Rating: 8.5/10
After their third release, Animals with human intelligence, Enuff Z'nuff found themselves in various degrees of trouble. Read the official Biography for more info. The band did not give up but instead they dug into their extensive archive and released an album....
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| 50. Enuff Z'nuff - Dissonance (Limited Edition) | Rating: 8.5/10
Dissonance is the exact opposite of what this album brings. Enuff Z'nuff is back with an album that is real aural bliss. This is the limited edition of the album which was only available at the US festival Rocklahoma back in July. It is not the official release, it doesn't come with any lyrics and it will be interesting to see if these songs a....
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| 51. Cage - Science of Annihilation | Rating: 8.5/10
American Power Metal Kings... So the Science of Annihilation cover states and I am not one to argue, in fact I am more than inclined to agree after having experienced this, their latest full frontal assault on the senses. Since the magnificent 2007 release, and my album of the year, Hell Destroyer, Cage have become even more intense and uncomp....
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| 52. Cage - Hell Destroyer | Rating: 8.5/10
Line-up:
Sean Peck (Vocals)
Dave Garcia (Lead Guitars)
Anthony Wayne McGinnis (Lead Guitars)
Mike Giordano (Bass Guitars)
Mike Nielsen (Drums)
Hell Yeah!
It is a gratifying feeling to discover music such as this in this day and age. Cage play Heavy Metal with so much spirit it makes me think of the glory days of Judas Priest, Savat....
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| 53. Archetype - Dawning | Rating: 8.5/10
Archetype is a relatively new band hailing from America, and they are one of those cool discoveries that doesn't come along too often. Chris Matyus (Guitars), Greg Wagner (Vocals), Keith Zeigler (Drums) and Jamie Still (Bass) have created a unique debut album with Dawning. The....
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| 54. Threshold - Subsurface | Rating: 8/10
Threshold have returned (or should I say surfaced?) with another excellent progressive metal album. That should be enough for any fans to buy this at once. Those who don't know Threshold probably need a bit more convincing...
Threshold is one of those bands that have been able to create their own distinct sound. While they are instantly re....
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| 55. Thine - In therapy | Rating: 8/10
Listening to this album has been a nice surprise. I'd never heard of Thine before and judging by the cover I didn't really know what to expect...
What is offered here is excellent melodic moody rock music with an atmosphere that reminds me of movies like Cruel Intentions and Dead Poets Society. Thine are able to create music with a very mel....
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| 56. The Last Things - Circles and Butterflies | Rating: 8/10
Line-up:
Richard Elliot IV - Vocals, Guitar, Violin, Bagpipes, Flute, Percussion and keyboards
Lou Buffo - Drums and percussion
Darren McFarland - Bass and fretless bass
Now this is something of an oddity. The Last Things only made this one album and then disappeared into oblivion. Sad, because it is a debut that feels mature and shows....
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| 57. Sun Caged - Sun Caged | Rating: 8/10
Mark my words, Sun Caged are going to be huge. The best debut of 2003? To me it is very close, competing for the first place alongside Masterplan & Redemption at the moment... Sun Caged play their own kind of Metal with a great element of surprise. Through the nine tracks the challenging and well written music twists and turns through a huge m....
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| 58. Star One - Victims Of The Modern Age | Rating: 8/10
A day may come when a mediocre album is released form the hands of Arjen Lucassen, but it is not this day. Victims of the Modern Age reunites the original Star One cast in anoher musical Sci-fi adventure. Solely judging by the music the album has a sort of Firefly/The Matrix feel to it. Meaning a relaxed, friendly, slightly dark a....
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| 59. Sieges Even - The Art Of Navigating By The Stars | Rating: 8/10
After an 8 year hiatus Sieges Even are back with a new album. I remember being pretty devastated when I spoke to drummer Alex Holzwarth after a Rhapsody concert in Denmark in 1999 where he told me that Sieges Even had broken up. Fortunately it seems that they were just on a long break and have now decided to band together again. After going th....
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| 60. Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape | Rating: 8/10
The Great Escape is a progressive metal delight! Seventh Wonder have outdone themselves here. Their last album, Mercy Falls, was filled with excellent music but hampered by unnecessary narration. No missteps of any kind mar the album this time around, the listener is "simply" presented with music that is technically adept and uncomprom....
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| 61. Saviour Machine - Legend - Part II | Rating: 8/10
Chaos reigns free on this second part of Saviour Machine's Legend project, also known as "The unofficial soundtrack for the end of the world". There is little chance of the geniality of this album hitting you within the first 100 hours of listening time. Dwell on that for a bit... Saviour Machine have created ....
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| 62. Robby Valentine - The Magic Infinity (Japanese Edition) | Rating: 8/10
As much as I relish in heavy metal with all its glory of powerful guitars, fast drumming and high pitched vocals, I am also in love with certain flavors of melodic rock where a passionate voice, piano and personal lyrics, in a usually very soft way make a special connection. Similar for both, vastly different approaches, is that without a conv....
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| 63. Rhapsody (of Fire) - Legendary Tales | Rating: 8/10
Back in 1997 Rhapsody married the symphonic nature of classical music with heavy metal in a way that felt fresh and new. It resulted in a magnificent debut album that blew yours truly away. Legendary Tales is filled with powerful, energized music that is both complex and memorable but most of all still enjoyable after 11 years. I loathe the mu....
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| 64. Ray Wilson - Propaganda Man | Rating: 8/10
"Propaganda Man" combines the sombre atmosphere from the latest Stiltskin album, She, with the acoustic leanings of his two solo albums, "Change" and "The next best thing", to great effect. It doesn't have the same immediately embracing nature of "Change" but warms up with time. The darker atmosphere makes it a harder listen but it's worth the....
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| 65. Pain of Salvation - Road Salt One | Rating: 8/10
Pain of Salvation have returned with an album that is surprising in every way. I was disappointed with Scarsick but Road Salt One has rekindled my love for the band. It is an album that only Pain of Salvation could have made and one of those albums that should be discovered without knowing too much about it. In that way all its surprises will ....
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| 66. Overkill - Horrorscope | Rating: 8/10
Overkill's Horrorscope was one of my first introductions to thrash metal back in 1991. The others were Exodus' Impact is Imminent, Slayer's Decade of Aggression and Forbidden's Twisted into Form. It was a pretty good year as I remember. Horrorscope has haunted my memory since. From the captivating opening notes to the final brilliantly me....
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| 67. Nelson - Because They Can | Rating: 8/10
"Because They Can" is the Nelson brothers' second album and my favorite. It is a melodic rock gem that successfully overflows with melody and passion. These songs wear their heart on their sleeves and combined with the soft, half-acoustic approach they hit just the right tone. The production gives the album special warmth and besides the usual....
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| 68. Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura | Rating: 8/10
Line-up:
Neal Morse - Vocals, Keyboard/Piano, Guitar
Randy George - Bass
Paul Gilbert - Guitar
Mike Portnoy - Drums
Neal Morse is a man of passion.
Passion really is a keyword on this, his fourth solo album. On the surface the album looks rather intimidating, with only 4 songs, comprising 76 minutes of music. Beneat....
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| 69. Neal Morse - Lifeline | Rating: 8/10
Neal Morse is back with his latest solo album, a non-conceptual piece titled Lifeline. The music is progressive rock of high technical caliber with Neal's passionate voice as the emotional center. Mike Portnoy still inhabits the drum kit with flair and inventiveness, Randy George returns on bass while Neal handles keyboard and gu....
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| 70. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade | Rating: 8/10
My Chemical Romance is a recent discovery of mine. The black parade is their third album and it has made quite an impression. Musically this is punk-flavored rock that comes at you like a freight train loaded with melodic goodness. Everything about the album is catchy as hell and after a few listens every single song has taken turns playing in....
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| 71. Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell | Rating: 8/10
My first encounter with Meat Loaf was back in 1993 when I'd Do Anything For Love was at it's peak. Everybody I knew hated that song but I thought there was something intriguing about it so I bought the Bat Out of Hell II album and got hooked on the atmosphere and the extensive, if somewhat sprawling songs. I then managed to fi....
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| 72. Manowar - Hail to England | Rating: 8/10
After the immensely epic second album, Into Glory Ride, Hail to England takes a more direct approach. The songs are shorter and the album comes in at only 33 minutes. The length of an album doesn't always matter but here the album falls a little short because it only has 6 real songs. Still those songs are all classics in my book, jam-packed w....
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| 73. Manowar - Warriors of the world | Rating: 8/10
I can happily report that Manowar are back and they're in fine form. The new album is an awesome piece of work. After listening to it too many times to count it has pretty much reached the same status as their other albums. There are a couple of things keeping it from reaching the true classic status though.
Some of the songs on the album h....
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| 74. Lanfear - The Art Effect | Rating: 8/10
The Art Effect is the third album by Germany's Lanfear. Never having heard anything by them before, I was pretty much blown away by this effort. Complex Power Metal of high quality, with many progressive elements. They go beyond your standard German Power Metal band and manage to sound really fresh.
Powerful is the right word to describe t....
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| 75. King Diamond - The Eye | Rating: 8/10
The Eye is one of my favorite King Diamond albums and since it was released back in 1990 King has only recently surpassed it with The Puppet Master (and only by a very slight margin). The Eye is one of King Diamond's simpler albums and a perfect introduction to his work. The songs are very catchy and don't take long before they stick in your m....
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| 76. King Diamond - Conspiracy | Rating: 8/10
There really shouldn't be any need to point this out, but Conspiracy is up there with my favorite King Diamond albums. The heinous front cover aside, Conspiracy is a classic that has a handful of the best songs the King has ever written. There is a vigor to the music that gets the blood pumping. The band feels sparkling and it really comes out....
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| 77. Kamelot - The Black Halo | Rating: 8/10
Since their first album, Eternity, Kamelot have evolved greatly. From a more or less basic approach with a strong reliance on the guitar work to a full-blown symphonic experience with everything it implies. Of course the band's success has given them acces to greater production values, but it feels like Kamelot has been slowly but surely, fine....
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| 78. Kamelot - Dominion | Rating: 8/10
Dominion is the second Kamelot album and the last with their original singer Mark Vanderbilt and co-founding drummer Richard Warner. The Kamelot of yore was a rawer and less polished musical entity than they are today. I discovered Kamelot with this album and it has remained my favorite alongside "Karma" and "The Black Halo". The....
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| 79. Jon Oliva´s Pain - ´Tage Mahal | Rating: 8/10
Jon Oliva has released his first solo album and it is a killer! It is one of those albums that doesn't grab you right away but slowly creeps up on you and suddenly smacks you right in the face with it's diversity and emotion, much like Oliva's voice itself. Jon is using all the former musicians of Circle II Circle and they do a very good job, ....
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| 80. Evergrey - The Inner Circle | Rating: 8/10
Evergrey are back with another album worthy of their name. Like In search of truth, The Inner Circle is a concept album. This time dealing with religion. As a promo copy equals no lyrics and I am still waiting for my Limited Edition to arrive, I won't go into further detail on the concept. If you have not heard Evergrey before then The inner c....
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| 81. Eternity X - Mind Games | Rating: 8/10
It's a mind game... The second full length album from Eternity X is a varied and challenging affair. The American band had delivered a highly ambitious project in the form of their debut "Zodiac", a concept album revolving around the star signs. Mind Games is more accessible and easier digested. It is a small gem in the world of p....
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| 82. Enuff Z'nuff - Animals with human intelligence | Rating: 8/10
About two hours after I had decided to review "Animals with human intelligence" as this month's classic I got a message from a friend saying that guitarist Derek Frigo had died. It was a freaky and chilling feeling and sadly this later turned out to be true. Anyway, this will not be a mourning session, rather a celebration of one of the finest....
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| 83. Elegy - Lost | Rating: 8/10
With Lost Elegy created a stand-out record that is instantly recognizable and inhabited by a very special atmosphere. It settled itself in the back of my brain back in 1995 and has never really left. Progressive Metal is the order of the day with sublime guitar work, strong melodies and a vocalist that sometimes reminds me of John Arch (Fates ....
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| 84. Edenbridge - Aphelion | Rating: 8/10
This is the third album from Austria's Edenbridge. I got their debut Sunrise in Eden when it came out and thought it was quite excellent, but along the way I lost some of my initial interest in it. That and time was why I never caught up with their second release Arcana. Now I have in my hand, a promo of their....
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| 85. Dead Soul Tribe - A murder of crows | Rating: 8/10
A murder of crows takes the listener on a dark journey through the strange mind of Devon Graves. It is the second album from Dead Soul Tribe and both continues and evolves the style from the debut. Compared to the debut this effort overall has a more complete feeling. The music is still what you can call Progressive Metal, but it has been a lo....
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| 86. D:A:D - Riskin' It All | Rating: 8/10
This was my first D:A:D album and in fact the first time I really started taking notice of Rock music back in the day. 1991 to be more exact. This album along with Metallica's black one was my introduction. From there things developed quickly. There are some strong feelings tied to this album and taking it down from the shelf is l....
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| 87. Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory | Rating: 8/10
Crimson Glory released two classic albums back in the eighties. This is their debut, simply titled Crimson Glory. A monster debut that shows a band with absolutely huge potential. Crimson Glory play their own Powerful and Melodic Heavy Metal with a some progressive tendencies. With a fantastic sense of melody, sharp solos, brilliant compositio....
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| 88. CrashDïet - Rest in Sleaze | Rating: 8/10
A chance listen to "Queen Obscene/69 Shots" on the way home from this years Sweden Rock Festival was enough for me to make a mental note to get this album as soon as I got home. It arrived a week later and since then I've been addicted to CrashDïet. The music is bursting with positive energy and I have to listen to the album several times a da....
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| 89. Circle II Circle - Watching In Silence | Rating: 8/10
Circle II Circle is the new band of Zak Stevens, also known as the former singer of my favourite US Metal band, Savatage. I am one of those, who have always thought that Jon Oliva is the perfect voice for Savatage. When Zak took over the vocals in that band, I was naturally quite skeptical at the beginning, but through time he....
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| 90. Bob Catley - Middle Earth | Rating: 8/10
With the recent release of the extended DVD version of "Lord of the Rings - Return of the king", what better way to celebrate it than to dig deep into this captivating journey through Tolkien's world. The perfect setting for this very special kind of Epic Rock music. Bob Catley's last collaboration with Ten singer/songwriter Gary Hughes also r....
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| 91. Ayreon - 01011001 | Rating: 8/10
A new Ayreon album is always an exciting acquaintance. Hailing from Holland, Anthony Arjen Lucassen, the Ayreon mastermind, is known for assembling an impressive assortment of singers and instrumentalists for each of his rock operas. His previous, The Human Equation, was a small masterpiece of progressive rock and metal fused together in an or....
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| 92. Annihilator - Set The World On Fire - Re-release | Rating: 8/10
Back in 1993, Set the world on fire was my first aquaintance with Annihilator and it captured me at once. This is Heavy Metal of the best kind. It marries heaviness, melody, humor and cool solos into ten enjoyable pieces of music that just feel right and very well put together. Guitar wizard Jeff Waters conjures intricate and surprising riffs ....
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| 93. Angra - Holy Land | Rating: 8/10
Angra's Holy land was their second album and it's still my favorite. After the impressive debut the band developed big time and here they have expanded their sound, the songwriting is more focused and they bring in new native elements which give the album a unique atmosphere. Beside guitar, bass and drums a whole host of Brazillian percuss....
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| 94. Aina (The Metal Opera) - Days of rising doom | Rating: 8/10
'Aina - Days of rising doom' is a fantasy metal opera of the best kind. Epic, melodic and powerful are a few keywords to describe the album. Along with a long list of singers the music brings life to a story of love, hate and sibling rivalry. Okay, so it may not be the most original concept in the world, but the story is good and it is execute....
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| 95. Wolf - Ravenous | Rating: 7.5/10
Discovery of the year!Until now Wolf had always been a band I heard of but never really heard. Ravenous is an excellent collection of songs rooted deeply in Heavy Metal of the no-keyboard variety. It's classic metal with bite! Wolf's approach is powerful and heavy with a gleam in the eye. It's easy to hear that these guys enjoy ....
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| 96. Vicious Rumors - Soldiers of the Night | Rating: 7.5/10
Vicious Rumors' debut album from 1985 shows a band with huge potential. The album is filled with energized and melodic Heavy Metal from start to finish. While the band would go on to release even better and more acomplished albums this was the beginning, and it is definitely one that deserves to be heard.
By 1985 standards and all things co....
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| 97. White Lion - Big Game | Rating: 7.5/10
In preparation for the upcoming White Lion concert at Pumpehuset I am continuing my trip down White Lion Lane.
After the multi platinum success of Pride and a long world tour the pressure was on and the band headed straight into the studio where they wrote and recorded Big Game in a very short time. The album still sparkles with creativity ....
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| 98. Wastefall - Self Exile | Rating: 7.5/10
Unpredictable. That is one word that clings to Wastefall. Fans of technical progressive metal should take notice of this one. Wastefall come from Greece and they display some serious talent on this, their third release. Their first two releases are well worth your time as well. All you really need to know is that the compositions the band make....
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| 99. To/Die/For - Wounds Wide Open | Rating: 7.5/10
You may run from sorrow, but sorrow will find you...So begins the the latest output from Finland's To/Die/For. "Wounds Wide Open" is an album filled with feelings of regret, loss and. sorrow. Though many of the lyrics have a bleak outlook, they are carried out with a bittersweet beauty and with the music being extremely infectious....
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| 100. To/Die/For - IV | Rating: 7.5/10
After some internal turmoil the Finns are back with their fourth album. As with their last album Jaded you will find song upon song of highly catchy and heavy rock music with slight gothic undertones. The gothic touch comes singlehandedly from lead singer Jape's unique voice. Once his voice gets under your skin you will get addicted, trust me.....
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| 101. Ten - X | Rating: 7.5/10
Ten's debut is a superior hard rock album. After a couple of solo albums lead singer and main songwriter Gary Hughes formed Ten along with the sublime guitarist Vinny Burns. Drummer Greg Morgan joined soon after.
Gary and Vinny have always been the heart and soul of Ten.
Gary's absolutely huge voice is not comparable to anyone else I have....
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| 102. Street Talk - Restoration | Rating: 7.5/10
This is the third release from the Swedish Melodic Rock band Street Talk. I haven't heard their first two releases, but this one, along with the "Thine - In therapy" release has been another nice surprise discovery this month.
This is true Melodic Rock with a big M. Restoration has some quite fantastic melodi....
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| 103. Stream of Passion - Embrace The Storm | Rating: 7.5/10
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's... Arjen Lucassen! Ok, so maybe the guy isn't Superman, but he sure has put out a lot of high quality releases in the recent years. He now continues this steady flow of quality releases with his current project, Stream of Passion. This time he has assembled an entire band, handpicked from around the globe.....
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| 104. Sabaton - Coat Of Arms | Rating: 7.5/10
The Swedish historians are back with new accounts of bravery and warfare. It's an album that will kick the collective dust off their colleagues and show just how fresh a power metal album can sound in this day and age. The only thing I disliked about the previous Sabaton album, The Art of War, was the dominance of the keyboard an....
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| 105. Ricochet - Among The Elements | Rating: 7.5/10
This album is a small gem that should be snatched up at once if you're lucky enough to find it somewhere. Highly melodic, overflowing with emotion and a technical prowess that is highly impressive are key elements. Ricochet is a band from Germany and this was their debut. Now, 11 years later they have recently released their second album (Zara....
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| 106. Rhapsody (of Fire) - The Frozen Tears of Angels | Rating: 7.5/10
Rhapsody are finally back! Free of Magic Circle Music after a legal case which effectively shut down the band for several years. The details of what has happened will likely be kept under wraps but the important thing is that Rhapsody have created an excellent comeback album. The inspirational fire that I found sorely lacking on Triumph or Ago....
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| 107. Ray Wilson & Stiltskin - She | Rating: 7.5/10
"She" was released in 2007 and was one of my favorites of last year. Since the current releases are rather low on Album of the month aspirants, I decided it was time to pull this one out again. It sounds like Ray Wilson had some heavier songs up his sleeve after completing his second solo album, The Next Best Thing, and subsequently decided to....
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| 108. Pyramaze - Immortal | Rating: 7.5/10
When I first read the news that Matthew Barlow had returned to Metal music and joined Pyramaze I was ecstatic. This combination could only result in something spectacular. Though he left the band and re-joined Iced Earth a few short months later it doesn't chan....
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| 109. Pyramaze - Melancholy beast | Rating: 7.5/10
And so Pyramaze blast onto the scene with their impressive debut... Easily the best Heavy-Power Metal debut I have heard in a long time. This one equals the latest Edguy as well as several other well known bands in terms of high quality music.
Danes Michael Kammeyer (guitar), Nils Kvist (Bass) and Morten Gade (Drums) have teamed up with Ame....
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| 110. Primal Fear - Seven Seals | Rating: 7.5/10
Primal Fear strike hard with their latest release. I recently discovered this one, which should have made it to my top 10 albums of 2005.
Heavy and powerful are keywords when it comes down to summing up the album with a few words. Six albums down the road, you more or less know what you get with Primal Fear. No big surprises this time, jus....
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| 111. Pretty Maids - Pandemonium | Rating: 7.5/10
Pandemonium is closing in on "Spooked" and "Carpe Diem" as one of my favorite newer Pretty Maids releases. I always expect a new Pretty Maids release with an optimistic excitedness and I am seldom disappointed. Pandemonium is like a pleasure cruise in the vast ocean of music that Pretty Maids have released over the past 30 years. The m....
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| 112. Overkill - Ironbound | Rating: 7.5/10
Overkill is back with their best album in a long while, at least that's the general consensus from the reviews I've glanced through. I wouldn't know since I kind of lost track with them since I discovered the band back in 1991 with the fantastic Horrorscope album. Not quite sure why but most importantly, here I am in 2010 listening to their ne....
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| 113. Nevermore - Nevermore | Rating: 7.5/10
After a 4 year hiatus following Sanctuary's "Into the Mirror Black" and the band's demise, Warrel Dane and Co. were back! With a vengeance... The Nevermore debut has been among my favorites of theirs since it was released. Nevermore have never made an average album, each has its strength, but this debut has a vo....
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| 114. Nevermore - Enemies of reality | Rating: 7.5/10
This is some heavy shit!
Well, nothing new there then... :) But this one ranks up there with the heaviest and most aggressive Nevermore albums ever. It even manages to sidestep "The Politics of ecstasy" in terms of pure energy driven anger. While this is an extremely aggressive album it still oozes that special Nevermore feel. It is anothe....
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| 115. Narnia - The Great Fall | Rating: 7.5/10
Narnia has always been a band I read about, but never really discovered. Now I have the promo of their new album, The Great Fall, so I guess their time has finally come. Luckily this is an album filled with high quality music, a mix of power and melodic Metal with some symphonic and even a few progressive elements. Right from the start I was r....
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| 116. Manowar - Fighting The World | Rating: 7.5/10
That I often refer to Fighting the World as my least favorite Manowar album and then rate it as I have done is a testament to the general quality of their albums. This is Manowar's fifth studio album and the first on the Atlantic label.
The band is still the same. Eric Adams on vocals, Ross The Boss on guitar, Joey DeMaio on Bass and Scott....
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| 117. Lanfear - aNother gOlden rAge | Rating: 7.5/10
The fourth Lanfear album is here and it continues down the impressive path of their previous outing, The Art Effect. Fast paced, powerful and complex Heavy Metal is served with a lot of intensity on the side. The thick wall of sound is back and the well-arranged music doesn't pull any punches.
Sole guitarist Markus Ullrich comes up with so....
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| 118. Jon Oliva´s Pain - Global Warning | Rating: 7.5/10
A new album from singer and songwriter Jon Oliva is always an anticipated event for an old Savatage fan like myself. This third solo album feels like a continuation of Maniacal Renderings and improves on that one in several ways. If you are a newcomer to the world of Jon Oliva then I r....
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| 119. John West - Earth Maker | Rating: 7.5/10
This is an album that really needed time to grow on me. This promo has been in my cd player for the almost two months now. At first I was pretty disappointed, but listening closer I began to hear many small touches and new melodies began to show themselves. By now the album has grown to become pretty damn great.
I think the production is wh....
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| 120. Ill Niño - One Nation Underground | Rating: 7.5/10
Listening to this album for the first time, something struck me as different. Ill Niño have married Nu-metal, thrash and salsa! The band pulls this off in a remarkable way, making it sound natural, and it is only when you start to really listen closely that you will discover a whole different side to the album.
The music is aggressive, yet....
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| 121. Hello Madness - Light and Life After Dusk | Rating: 7.5/10
Alejandro Milán, probably best known from his time as keyboardist in Stream of Passion has created a fascinating album with his new band Hello Madness. He is the sole songwriter, singer and also plays piano and keyboard on the album. Pablo González helps out on bass and Enrique González handles drums. Yes, there is an absence of ....
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| 122. Heavenly - Dust to dust | Rating: 7.5/10
If you know and like Heavenly then all you need to know is that this is their heaviest and best release so far and you should be running for the record store. All others should know that Heavenly play Power Metal with a lot of melody and many symphonic elements. This is their third album and it finds them evolving into a heavier and more bomba....
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| 123. Guilt Machine - On This Perfect Day | Rating: 7.5/10
Guilt Machine is the latest creation of the musical genius (I kid you not) Arjen Lucassen. On This Perfect Day continues his streak of making consistent, enjoyable and challenging albums. Guilt Machine is not Ayreon. It takes a path through a different musical landscape but sometimes treads on familiar ground. The familiar touch is mostly due ....
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| 124. Gary Hughes - Once and future king - Part I | Rating: 7.5/10
This is the long awaited multi-singer project from Ten songwriter and singer, Gary Hughes. Once and future king is his take on the Arthurian legend and my expectations were extremely high for this one. I can't say that they have been completely fulfilled yet, I still have to listen to the second part to make my overall judgement. But this firs....
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| 125. Gary Hughes - Once and future king - Part II | Rating: 7.5/10
The second and final part of Gary Hughes' Arthurian Rock opera dives even deeper into the world of Epic Hard Rock. Personally I feel this one has a little edge over Part I, as it is a little more diverse and experimenting. It is still a mystery to me that this release was split into two, when they clearly belong together. So my advice is to ge....
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| 126. Falconer - Among Beggars and Thieves | Rating: 7.5/10
Since the beginning of this century Falconer have carved their own niche in the power metal realm. Now, six albums down the road, including a two album detour with a different singer, the band sounds fresh and inspired on "Among Beggars and Thieves". Falconer's music has matured. Fast paced and charging straight ahead on seve....
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| 127. Fairyland - Score To A New Beginning | Rating: 7.5/10
After the release of Fairyland's second album, Fall of an Empire, Fairyland's main composer Philippe Giordana was left without any band members as they all parted ways. To some degree this also happened after the release of the band's debut, Of Wars in Osyrhia. As this new album shows, Philippe continues undeterred. Instead of pursuing new ban....
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| 128. Enuff Z'nuff - Tweaked | Rating: 7.5/10
After the 1985 album, which was more or less a collection of old but amazing demos, Tweaked provided the next step in the evolution of Enuff Z'nuff. This time the troublesome times the band was going through clearly shone through in the lyrics, making for a moodier and altogether darker affair. The band's amazing hooks and ear for melodies is ....
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| 129. Doro - Fight | Rating: 7.5/10
I must admit that this is the first time I've ever listened to anything by Doro. I have never heard any of her solo albums or songs from her time with Warlock. I wasn't sure what to expect, so this album came as a pleasant surprise to me. Lots of heavy songs sung straight from the heart by a singer with a very powerful voice.
First song <s....
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| 130. Donnie Vie - Just Enough (Digital version) | Rating: 7.5/10
Don E. Vie, also known as Donnie Vie, the former singer of Enuff Z'nuff, has put together his first solo release. A very strong effort that will surely please all fans of the aforementioned band along with everyone with a soft spot for The Beatles and melodic music in general. The music is very relaxed, laid back Rock with infatuating melodies....
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| 131. Dogpound - A Night In The Gutter | Rating: 7.5/10
The Swedish doggers, sorry, rockers are back with their second album, where they prove that their great debut was not just a one time fling. The members of the band are still the same and the music is still rooted in hard rock. Dogpound have managed to keep their own sound intact, making this album instantly recogniseable as... Dogpound. The c....
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| 132. Dogpound - III | Rating: 7.5/10
The Swedes are back with their third album. For those who like their previous two records, rest assured that you will dog, sorry dig, this as well. III is another step up their evolutionary ladder. The music is still hard rock with reliance on heavy riffs, short solos, effective melodies and strong vocals. There is a special crunch to the guit....
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| 133. Cirrha Niva - For Moments Never Done | Rating: 7.5/10
Eight years after the weird and wonderful "Liaison de la Morte", the Dutch progressive metal band is back with something quite different. They have changed their sound considerably and they have a new vocalist. The result is progressive metal of the intense kind. The opening song is proof of the new direction as the song opens in a dramatic wa....
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| 134. Chris Caffery - Faces | Rating: 7.5/10
Joining the legendary Savatage on their Dio/Megadeth tour in 1987 at the age of 20, Chris Caffery was first relegated to a spot behind the stage curtain playing rythm guitar to spice up the sound. Much has happened since then and today he has grown to be a full blown singer, songwriter and highly proficient guitarist. Faces is his debut solo a....
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| 135. Candlemass - Candlemass | Rating: 7.5/10
I remember a time long ago when I had just discovered Heavy Metal music. Every good album I discovered seemed to bring on a special feeling or vibe. Nowadays that doesn't happen very often and to quote Freak Kitchen "We've heard it all before...", but when I listened to this new Candlemass album for the first time I recognised that old feeling....
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| 136. Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands | Rating: 7.5/10
The Candlemass re-reunion with vocalist Messiah Marcolin didn't last for more than one album, some live shows and half an album recording. Robert Lowe of Solitude Aeturnus sings on "King of the Grey Islands" and he does an outstanding job here.
Doom Metal is the agonizing order of the day. The music has been perfectly roasted over a burnin....
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| 137. Bob Catley - When Empires burn | Rating: 7.5/10
When Empires burn is the fourth solo release from Bob Catley, and the much anticipated follow up to the masterful Middle Earth. After three collaborations with Ten singer and songwriter Gary Hughes, it was time for a change. This time all songs have been written by Catley's keyboard player Paul Hodson (also Hard Rain), and he certainly knows w....
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| 138. Amaran´s Plight - Voice In The Light | Rating: 7.5/10
Line-up
D.C. Cooper - Vocals (Silent Force, ex-Royal Hunt)
Gary Wehrkamp - Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals (Shadow Gallery)
Nick D'Virgillo - Drums (Spock's Beard)
Kurt Barabas - Bass (Under the sun)
Amaran's Plight is a new project with Gary Wehrkamp, known for his outstanding work in Shadow Gallery, as the main songwriter. The music is pre....
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| 139. Vicious Rumors - Warball | Rating: 7/10
Vicious Rumors are back and they are Screaming for vengeance.
Anyone who likes Heavy Metal, especially Painkiller-era Judas Priest, should give this album a chance. I'm certain most will embrace it. Vicious Rumors' music is aggressive, powerful and fueled with a fire and a passion that is overwhelming on several occasions.
Band leader G....
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| 140. White Lion - Mane Attraction | Rating: 7/10
White Lion's last studio album opens with a certain dark atmosphere that is shared by several songs on the album. Going through difficult times and moving on are themes that run through many songs and it gives the album a slightly melancholic atmosphere at times. As shrill notes flow from Vito's guitar Lights and Thunder prove....
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| 141. Turisas - The Varangian Way | Rating: 7/10
Turisas' The Varangian Way captures a grand atmosphere and should appeal to most fans of Symphonic Metal, that is if you can stomach the occasional rough vocal delivery. An over-the-top bombastic marriage of Nightwish, Doomsword, Falconer and some unnamed extreme metal band gives the whole album a movie-like blockbuster quality that is captiva....
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| 142. Stratovarius - Dreamspace | Rating: 7/10
Since Timo Tolkki recently announced the 'Project Strato: Return To Dreamspace' album, to be released later in 2009, I felt it was time to dig out this little piece of metal history from my archives. Dreamspace is a very interesting album. It is varied and easy to get into yet it holds a special atmosphere that has made me listen....
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| 143. Stan Bush - Dial 818 888-8638 | Rating: 7/10
Dial 818 888-8638 was one of those chance purchases at the Wacken Open Air Metal Market that has turned out to be a lucky strike. Mostly known for either his songs for the Transformers cartoon movie back in 1986 ("The Touch" and "Dare") or the ones for the Jean Claude Van Damme action movies Bloodsport ("Fight to survive") and Kickboxer ("Neve....
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| 144. Sieges Even - Playgrounds | Rating: 7/10
Sieges Even split up back in September 2008. Fortunately they managed to release this, their first live album ever. Since the 1980'ies the band has been through at least three incarnations, each having their own sound and level of heaviness and each with their unique take on musical brilliance. The album naturally focuses on the last two album....
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| 145. Savatage - Sirens - Silver Anniversay Edition | Rating: 7/10
Back in 1983 an American band called Avatar made their first three-track EP, City Beneath the Surface. Soon after they were forced to change their name and guitarist Criss Oliva's girlfriend came up with Savatage. Thus a legend was born. The same year they released their debut album Sirens, a Heavy Metal album filled with intensity and primal ....
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| 146. RPWL - World Through My Eyes | Rating: 7/10
RPWL has been a very pleasant discovery. "World through my eyes" should please those with an urge for melancholic and soothing progressive rock that can transport the listener to a far away exotic place. The album is a long, but entertaining journey where you will discover a new twist with each listen. If you have seen the movie "Garden State"....
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| 147. On the Rise - On the rise | Rating: 7/10
The two guys behind On the rise, Terje Eide (Vocals, guitar) and Bennech Lyngboe (Vocals) have created a consistent album filled with catchy Rock songs. They both sing lead and backing vocals and are able to create some excellent harmonies, much in the same vein as Nelson.
Terje handles all guitars on the album, both elect....
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| 148. MyLand - No Man's Land | Rating: 7/10
A somewhat confounding band name is not always to be dismissed. Myland is one of those cases where the music turns out to be inconceivably better than the impression I got when I went through the promo pile. Lush keyboard arrangements and massive choruses with layered vocals provide a very welcoming first....
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| 149. Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell III - The Monster Is Loose | Rating: 7/10
Meat Loaf is running free again. Good news for all those longing for the passionate, overblown and rather sentimental approach that has been delivered on the past two Bats out of hell.
This time only 7 of the 14 tracks come from the treasure chest of Jim Steinman. The rest are written by Desmond Child and his many little helpers. Desmond ....
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| 150. Luca Turilli - Prophet of the last eclipse | Rating: 7/10
The first thing that struck me when I put this eagerly awaited CD in my player was "Hhmmm, this sounds like Ayreon or Star One" Then the choir kicks in and all similarities with Ayreon and Star One are shattered. Luca Turilli is back with his second solo album!
I'd been looking forward to this one for a long time and my expectations were ru....
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| 151. King Diamond - Give Me Your Soul.... Please | Rating: 7/10
King Diamond's latest release finds itself struggling to reach the heights of many of his best albums. That said it is still a great album and a testament to the quality of his past works, most of which are classics. A King Diamond album usually delivers a truckload of brilliant guitar work, strong melodic hooks, a horror story and one of the ....
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| 152. Helloween - Gambling With The Devil | Rating: 7/10
Helloween have accomplished a new album that is focused, energized and highly enjoyable. It delivers an hour of power metal and is more consistent than their last Keepers Legacy album. In the vein of "Better than raw" and several others the album starts off with a high energy, powerfuelled song. Kill it<....
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| 153. Empty Tremor - The alien inside | Rating: 7/10
With "The alien inside" Empty Tremor are back with their third album. Since their last one, "Eros and Thanatos" the Italian band lost their singer but gained a stronger new one when Oliver Hartman decided to take the lead. According to the band's website he is not a full member yet though.
Empty Tr....
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| 154. Dyecrest - The way of pain | Rating: 7/10
Dyecrest from Finland was one of the three winners of the Young Metal Gods contest and it got them a record deal with Sanctuary Records. Judging by this debut, produced by Piet Sielck (Iron Saviour), that was very well deserved. The band plays Heavy Metal with a few influenc....
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| 155. Dreamtone & Iris Mavraki´s Neverland - Reversing Time | Rating: 7/10
Neverland successfully marry Heavy Metal and orchestra in a special harmony. A collaboration between the Turkish band Dreamtone and Greek vocalist Iris Mavraki has resulted in this new band and an impressive debut. The music is an interesting blend of styles where elements from Power, Heavy and Progressive metal are combined with....
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| 156. Doro - Fear No Evil | Rating: 7/10
Aside from the hopeless opening narration, the way too familiar "Manowar - Warriors of the world"-feel that pervades Running from the Devil and the terribly bad production on Caught in a Battle Doro's latest album is pure joy. After 25 years in Heavy Metal,....
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| 157. Dogpound - The Hellbum | Rating: 7/10
Dogpound a is not a band without humor. I mean, who in their right mind would call their first band Frozen Miffo? Well, these four guys are from Sweden, so maybe that explains it. Anyway, the former band name alone made me keep this promo for myself. A not quite ordinary cover, a somewhat unfortunate album title and a strange fascination with ....
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| 158. DGM - FrAme | Rating: 7/10
DGM released their seventh album, FrAme earlier this year and it's the first time I've given their music a proper chance. Not something I've regretted. DGM play their own kind of progressive power metal. Their music is very compact as the band manage to cram a ton of details into the, for the genre, pretty short and well arranged songs. The re....
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| 159. Communic - Conspiracy In Mind | Rating: 7/10
Here is a band that is set for a great future. The 3-piece Norwegian band Communic has unleashed their debut album and it is very impressive. Conspiracy in Mind is filled with heaviness, energy and power and even comes close to matching Nevermore in terms of intensity. The band still has some way to go before they can match their level but Nev....
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| 160. Cans - Beyond the gates | Rating: 7/10
Joacim Cans, the singer from Hammerfall has recorded his first solo effort and it has resulted in a surprisingly fresh and very enjoyable album. Easily surpassing the last two Hammerfall albums, Beyond the gates is heavier and darker than Joacim's main band. So even if you don't like Hammerfall that is no reason not to check this one out.
A....
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| 161. Andre Andersen - Black on Black | Rating: 7/10
This is the second album from Andre Andersen, the keyboard player of Royal Hunt.
It probably won't come as a surprise to many that this album contains lots of great keyboard playing. The sound is very similar to the new Royal Hunt album, The Mission. That means a very good and clear production dominated by the keyboard and guitar.
The mo....
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| 162. Unitopia - The Garden | Rating: 6.5/10
I've spent a lot of time with this album in the past couple of months, first gazing at this picture of the cover artwork and then listening intently to the music. Two discs spanning one hour and 40 minutes of music can be a lot to take in and sometimes t....
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| 163. Sister Sin - Smash The Silence (EP) | Rating: 6.5/10
Sister Sin is an up and coming Hard rock band out of Gothenburg, Sweden. They formed in 2003 and this EP airs some serious potential. Their music is high on energy and attitude while the melodic element is kept in focus by strong hooks and memorable choruses. The band is fronted by a female vocalist. Mind you, this is not your average dos....
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| 164. Primal Fear - 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead) | Rating: 6.5/10
The new Primal Fear album has been anxiously awaited and on the first listen it doesn't disappoint. It's varied, powerful, melodic and soars above their last album, New Religion. Primal Fear used to play fast and furious power metal but have slowed down over the recent years and now the speed explosions witnessed on albums like their ....
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| 165. Metal Church - A Light In The Dark | Rating: 6.5/10
Metal Church have a long history behind them and somehow I found myself stumbling headfirst into it with this release. So I'm 22 years late... Better late than never I say. Metal Church play vintage Heavy Metal. The songs are guitar driven and rely on a tight rythm section, gut-wrenching riffs and Ronny Munroe's rough voice. No keyboards are n....
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| 166. Jon Oliva´s Pain - Maniacal Renderings | Rating: 6.5/10
Line up:
Jon Oliva (Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Guitars)
Christopher Kinder (Drums)
John Zahner (Keyboards, Organ, Piano)
Kevin Rothney (Bass)
Matt Laporte (Guitar)
Shane French (Guitar)
Jon Oliva's Pain released their second album back in September. Yes, it has taken me THAT long to get this review out the door. Asid....
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| 167. Jon Oliva´s Pain - Festival | Rating: 6.5/10
Jon Oliva's Pain return with their fourth album in 6 years. It's very impressive that the main man is still going strong after more than 30 years on the music scene. Judging the album solely by Jon Oliva's voice it is clear that he has aged but hasn't lost his heart. Jon Oliva is backed by excellent musicians and though the music is built arou....
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| 168. Gaia Epicus - Victory | Rating: 6.5/10
Gaia Epicus... No it's not a yogurt.
According to "The Metal Dictionary of Steen", Gaia Epicus roughly translates to "well played power metal derived from the old days of Metallica and Megadeth". Metallica because some riffs sound inspired from the Kill 'em all era and Megadeth because of a certain riff (try to find it) as well as the lead....
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| 169. Firewind - The Premonition | Rating: 6.5/10
"The Premonition" is my first real listen to the Greek band Firewind. I first saw them play at last years Progpower Festival in Copenhagen where they were roaring drunk since it was the last show on their tour but I still got the impression that they had some high quality elements. The Premonition (their fifth release) proves that. Filled with....
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| 170. Eyefear - A World Full Of Grey | Rating: 6.5/10
The Australia-based Eyefear was formed in 1994 and this is their fourth album. They play solid, well crafted progressive power metal, both melodic and challenging, but lacking a definite edge to really set them apart. My first impression was great and highly promising, but after a while the album has settled in the "Solid and good" area. I mis....
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| 171. Enuff Z'nuff - ? | Rating: 6.5/10
After the amazing and seriously rocking "Welcome to Blue Island" album "?" is, as the title might suggest, a somewhat more confused affair. The album has some songs that go right onto my favorites list, but it also has a few duds including the absolute worst song Enuff Z'nuff have ever put on a record, I'll get back to that. The production var....
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| 172. Dragonforce - Valley of the damned | Rating: 6.5/10
I first discovered this band when they were called Dragonheart and I listened to Valley of the damned (the song) from mp3.com. It was part of their first demo and the grabbed hold of me at once. The brilliant guitar playing combined with some very fast drumming was very impressive. I was looking forward to this release with mu....
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| 173. Avantasia - The Scarecrow | Rating: 6.5/10
The new Avantasia album is finally here and I'm sure it is going to receive a mixed reception. If you are looking for "Avantasia - The Metal Opera Part III" then you are bound to be disappointed. Tobias Sammet has taken his pet project in a new direction and there is little or no direct connection with the two previous Power Metal pearls.....
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| 174. Arwen - Memories of a dream | Rating: 6.5/10
Memories of a dream is the debut album from Arwen, a band from Spain with eight members! Yes, 8! Two keyboard players, two vocalists (One male and one female), two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer. That makes for a pretty big band with some interesting potential. On this album they deliver some consistent and well played melodic power metal....
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| 175. WildeStarr - Arrival | Rating: 6/10
Wildestarr is the metal incarnation of vocalist/keyboard player London Wilde and Vicious Rumors bassist Dave Starr. Dave also handles guitar and Jim Hawthorne is behind the drums. The music is a flashback to the eighties. Vicious Rumors, Crimson Glory and early Queensrÿche are not too far off when trying to describe Wildestarr's music, ho....
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| 176. The Oliver Wakeman Band - Mother´s Ruin | Rating: 6/10
This is Oliver Wakeman's first solo effort with a full band as far as I know. He has written all music and lyrics and plays keyboard, piano and acoustic guitar on the album. The result lies in sort of a grey zone genre-wise. Symphonic Rock probably comes closest, but the music is flavored with many different elements, all woven together very w....
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| 177. Rhapsody (of Fire) - From Chaos To Eternity | Rating: 6/10
Can one outgrow Rhapsody? With From Chaos To Eternity, Rhapsody have reached the final chapter of their Symphony of the Enchanted Lands saga. I dare to underline that with a jubilant cry of Hooray! I think the decision to embark on Part 2 of the SOEL saga may just have been the biggest mistake the band ever made. More on that....
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| 178. Queensrÿche - Tribe | Rating: 6/10
Queensrÿche have created a quite interesting album with Tribe. It is not a return to their earlier sound, I would rather say it's an evolution of the sound of their last two albums, but with a good amount of that distinct atmosphere that pervaded Promised land. The music in many of the songs is quite laid back, underlining the atmosphere. This....
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| 179. Primal Fear - New Religion | Rating: 6/10
Mighty power drumming, a heavy guitar riff and a wild wailing scream sets off the new Primal Fear album in the metal way. Primal Fear is back with an album that doesn't quite meet my high expectations. New Religion is a good album with many interesting songs, sure to satisfy the immediate hunger of most fans, but it neither surpasses nor reach....
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| 180. Place Vendome - Place Vendome | Rating: 6/10
The former Helloween singer, Michael Kiske, makes a welcome appearance in this new project band. Place Vendome (named after the French landmark?) features the following members:
Vocals: Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Supared)
Bass: Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69)
Guitars: Uwe Reitenauer (Pink Cream 69)
Drums: Kosta Zafiriou (Pink Cream 69)
Ke....
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| 181. Mister Kite - Box of fear | Rating: 6/10
I remember being pleasantly surprised by Mister Kite's single, The hunger which I found quite intriguing. After having listened to the full album for the past month I'm still intrigued, but not quite as strongly. Box of fear is a good (concept?) album that as far as I can tell deals with a person suffering from some severe social problems, but....
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| 182. Mikael Erlandsson - The gift | Rating: 6/10
How old is this guy? Three?
That was my first thought when I heard the keyboard melody in the opening song. Luckily it only got better from there.
In fact, this a strong Melodic Rock album with a couple of fantastic songs, many good ones and a few of standard quality. After the first listen I thought it was nothing special, but having th....
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| 183. Masterplan - MK II | Rating: 6/10
Masterplan is back with a new album and a new line up. The maestro vocalist Jorn Lande has left the band and so has drummer Uli Kusch. Replacing them are the rock solid Mike Terrana (ex-Rage) on drums and Mike DiMeo (ex-Riot) on vocals. Both do a good job of filling the rather large sized shoes of their predecessors.
Mike DiMeo is no Lande....
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| 184. Johnny Monaco - Your Secret´s Not Safe With Me (EP) | Rating: 6/10
Current lead singer of Enuff Z'nuff, Johnny Monaco, has recorded a 5-track EP which serves as a pre-taster of his upcoming full length solo album. If this EP is anything to go by then the full album will be a nice treat for both Enuff Z'nuff fans as well as fans of melodic rock in general. Monaco is the sole songwriter and performer, managing ....
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| 185. Impellitteri - System X | Rating: 6/10
This is the band of American guitarist Chris Impelliteri. This time he has re-united with former Rainbow vocalist Graham Bonnet. Graham Bonnet's vocals and Chris Impelliteri's guitar playing carries the whole album from start to end. If you're a fan of either of these two then this is a guaranteed purchase. Chris surely plays a mean guitar but....
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| 186. Gary Hughes - Veritas | Rating: 6/10
Gary Hughes is back with his first real solo album since 1998's Precious Ones (not counting his excellent medieval endeavor, Once and Future King). Veritas is much like Precious Ones in style and the way that great songs stand side by with some not so great ones.
Musically Veritas is very much like Ten (Hard rock with highly melodic and sligh....
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| 187. Diphtheria - To Wait For Fire | Rating: 6/10
To Wait for fire is the debut of the Cyprus based Diptheria (bad throat disease in medical terms), who have been around since 1993 and now finally have released their first album through Pitch Black Records. Influences from Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Savatage, Judas Priest among other metal gods are evident but not put to blasph....
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| 188. Dezperadoz - Eye For An Eye | Rating: 6/10
Dezperadoz is a curiosity of Western Flavored heavy rock that is worth spending some time with. I have kept returning to the album in the past 6 months as it has a certain charm that draws me in. Rough voiced Alex Kraft is the main man behind the band, having written all songs, playing guitar and singing as well. Originally he formed the....
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| 189. Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter | Rating: 6/10
Circus Maximus is a new band from Norway, a country that has produced a couple of very promising bands this year. First Communic and now Circus Maximus. Looking past the somewhat weird band name, what you will find on their debut album is a solid dose of Progressive Metal.
Technically everything is in near perfect order. The music is execu....
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| 190. Within Temptation - The Silent Force | Rating: 5.5/10
Musically, the female fronted Within Temptation lie somewhere between Heavy Rock and Metal with a full symphony orchestra bringing out their classical influences. On this album they also bring in some "modern" touches in the form of electronic sounds.
One of the most anticipated albums of the year is finally here. After almost four years of....
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| 191. Ten - Stormwarning | Rating: 5.5/10
After four years of silence Ten is back, and surely not by accident, with ten new songs. Stormwarning is an album that I found immediately catchy and highly promising. That is called the "God-I'm-so-happy-to-get-new music-from-one-of-my-favorite-bands"-effect. However, after a month and about 15 listens the album fell in regard and things....
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| 192. Sacred Dawn - Gears Of The Machine | Rating: 5.5/10
Gears of the Machine is the debut from the Chicago-based Sacred Dawn. They play heavy metal with a few progressive tendencies and a lot of inspiration from older bands thrown in. The first band that came to my mind was Metal Church but also Savatage and Fates Warning seem to be clear inspirations. This is all good but Sacred Dawn have som....
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| 193. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick | Rating: 5.5/10
Pain of Salvation is finally back with a new album, and this review is rather late. Scarsick has turned out to be the eagerly awaited "The Perfect Element - Part II", a continuation of their brilliant album from 2000. After giving it a few months to sink in it is with decidedly mixed feelings I am writing this review. Whereas a new Pain of Sal....
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| 194. Over Us Eden - Over Us Eden | Rating: 5.5/10
This is the debut album by Over Us Eden, a Heavy Rock/Metal band formed in 2000. The music they play is heavy and grooving Power Rock with a hard-edged, and very talented female vocalist. Magali Luyten's vocals fits the powerful music perfect. She has a raw voice filled with power and intesity, and she uses it very well here. It sounds like sh....
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| 195. Galloglass - Legends from now and nevermore | Rating: 5.5/10
Take some epic Rhapsody/Turilli moments and mix them with some Wizard Power Metal, and you'll have an idea of how Galloglass sound. Lyrically we are dealing with fantasy themes, with a couple of dragons popping up once in a while. There is absolutely nothing new or groundbreaking here. Of course, that is not always necessary to make a good alb....
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| 196. Nightlight - Funeral of Love | Rating: 5/10
Nightlight... Dark/light, night/day, pop/metal... Reading the first words of the press release I thought "Could this be anymore Nightwishy?" However Nightlight is more Goth-rock than metal and keeping with the Finnish connection much more inspired by HIM than the female fronted Nightwish. Martin Steen....
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| 197. HAUK - To Hear The Trumpets Call (EP) | Rating: 4.5/10
According to the press release this is "The fourth release by the heathen metal band HAUK". I was surprised when I read this since this EP sounds like the band is still at the demo stage. The production is bad, the vocals are terrible but the songwriting is strong and overall the EP shows potential. Best things first; The me....
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| 198. Donnie Vie - Raw Memories Chapter I: A Tale of 12 Ballads | Rating: 3.5/10
How the mighty have fallen... On the heels of his successful acoustic re-recording of the classic Enuff Z'nuff album Strength, lead singer/songwriter Donnie Vie has delivered a digital only release of another 12 acoustic remakes, recorded in one take with the help of LA Smogg bandmate CJ Szuter on a couple of songs. ....
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| 199. Ligeia - Gloria | Rating: 3/10
Blurb from the press release: "Listening to this masterpiece everyone can confirm that Gloria was definitely worth waiting for."
Comment from this reviewer: "er... No!!"
Ligeia is not worth spending your hard earned cash on unless you have a serious fetish for female fronted Metal bands or maybe if you dig the new Skylark album (because of....
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| 200. Skylark - Fairytales | Rating: 2/10
"What a talentless piece of crap" was my initial thought while listening to this album for the first time. That may sound harsh, but after giving it 5 more chances my opinion has only risen slightly. Uninspired, repetitive, unoriginal and at the same time toe curlingly funny, this is Power Metal at its absolute worst. It has all the clichés an....
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Daily Spotlight
Iced Earth - The Crucible of Man, Something Wicked Pt. 2
 Iced Earth led their ride into glory and metal immortality with the amazing power/thrash masterpiece, "Somet....
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Retro Reviews
(Michael)
Van Halen - Fair Warning
 In my book Van Halen I and II will always be the ultimate David Lee Roth albums. "Women and Children First" was a great album with David Lee Roth as the center of the party. On Van Halen's fourth albu....
Read full review
(Alanna)
Warrant - Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich
 It may be a leap of faith for the newer metal fans to believe that an album like this was once upon a time considered to be the hip "in thang". The music at this point had often become a stylized fash....
Read full review
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