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Z Nickname: Steen
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Comments: 518
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Ratings: 70
Reviews: 58
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Steen's Ratings and Reviews
| Abydos - The Little Boy´s Heavy Mental Shadow Opera About The Inhabitants Of His Diary |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
Maybe the most mental album title ever? Fortunately the album lives up to its title and brings an original and challenging 70 minutes of music. It's a wonderful album that is equally progressive, melodic and spellbinding. Andy Kuntz's vocal performance is enticing to say the least and brings emotional depth to the complex concept. Even though the songs are connected, each has its own identity and is an important brick in the, often musical-like, experience. Not surprising since the album is based on Andy's stage play, with him contributing lyrics, direction and vocal melodies while most of the music has been written by Michael Krauss and Stefan Glass, who is also responsible for the formidable and lively production which only adds to the wonder.
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
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| AC/DC - Back In Black |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
The first AC/DC album with Brian Johnson on vocals and quite different from Highway to Hell. Hearing the two albums back to back a comparison is inevitable. There's less infectious energy in the vocals and a certain loss of charm. This is compensated for by intensity and sheer power.
The songs are well thought out, include a handful of classics and are all played with great enthusiasm and skill. I currently prefer the high energy and infectious charm of "the highway" but it is a close race and Back in Black ends up as being just as exceptional, only in a different and slightly darker way.
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
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Other member ratings:
notrap - 10/10 - Link to review
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| Accept - Balls to the Wall - Remastered |  | | Steen's Rating: 7.5/10
A classic which sounds occasionally dated but holds up remarkably well. Udo's powerful croak runs wild in an unrestrained and rampant way that is both enjoyable but also sporadically flaky. There's a joyful innocence to the album, the lighthearted and sometimes quite hilarious lyrics included, but it also lacks some depth. When it works it's brilliant though. A song like Turn me on has an intense and powerful build up, perfectly released in its chorus. The guitar riffs are mean enough to overshadow any shortcomings and nearly every song is strong enough to still make an impression today.
Original rating by Hashman: 9/10
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Other member ratings:
notrap - 8/10 - Link to review
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| Accept - Russian Roulette |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
Some of the fun from Balls To The Wall is gone but replaced by more mature sounding songs. A natural progression. Udo's voice works best when he goes all-out screaming at the top of his lungs, which is 90% of the time. Excellent guitarwork, strong melodies and a forceful approach makes this , and Accept in general, a fine cocktail. Now I just have to get hold of the rest of their albums. Altogether almost as strong as BTTW even if it's lacking the "hits".
Original rating by Tommy: 9.5/10
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Other member ratings:
notrap - 7/10 - Link to review
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| Anubis Gate - Purification |  | | Steen's Rating: 6/10
Power Metal is a sick and boring style of metal? No way! Ok, so 4 out of 5 bands playing Power Metal lack originality and don't stand out, but those that do it right make the style one of the most enjoyable to my ears. I say, all hail the glory of Power Metal! :)
Anyway, I wouldn't define Anubis Gate as Power Metal. While they aren't easy to classify, the tempo is a little too slow throughout and I would rather call it dark Heavy Metal. The music has a rich and captivating atmosphere that gives me a feeling of being guided deep into the dwarven mountain halls of Thorbadin. But only for a while. The album has a hard time keeping my attention all the way through. It lacks variation and a few more memorable songs. The album is very dense, but it does start opening up after many listens. I agree on the rating, overall a good and promising debut from a new Danish band. They could develop into something very interesting so I will keep my ears open for the next album.
Original rating by David: 6/10
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| Arch Enemy - Anthems of rebellion |  | | Steen's Rating: 9/10
I have never been a huge fan of these kind of vocals, but I'm changing... and Arch Enemy is one of the bands that have brought about this change, Opeth is another. The music is completely brilliant and filled with energy, fast, technical, and melodic all the way. The guitar playing is some of the best I have heard in a long time, heavy, melodic, shredding, tight, it has everything. The excellent production gives the guitars just the right volume so they don't overshadow the other instruments, which are as well played as they could be. There is a certain powerful older Slayer sound to the guitars at times which I like.
My absolute favorite song is the spine tingling Dead eyes see no future, a fantastic blend of majestic riffs, virtous guitar melodies, and the all powerful force of Angela's brutal vocals. What an incredible song. Other favorites include the heavy Leader of the rats with its catchy chorus, the immensely powerful We will rise, the opening anthem Silent war and the great atmospheric End of the line. But there is not a bad one among them all and the album flows very well, suddenly being over before you know it.
Immediately I was surprised to find the vocals to be quite intriguing and David's comparison hits the nail on the head. I am in awe that this woman is able to shape her voice like this. She crushes most male vocalists right into the ground in terms of sheer power. While I can't rate the album as a 10 (not yet anyway), I haven't been able to find any flaws at all. But the album hasn't finished growing on me yet, so who knows what may happen. This is an album that has a timeless feel and a lot to offer, at this point I know it will stay on my playlist for a long time to come. Now I'm just looking forward to getting the real album instead of this promo thing...
David is right, this one has the ability to appeal to all fans of Metal!
Original rating by David: 10/10
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Other member ratings:
Modulator - 10/10 - Link to review
Stuart - 6.5/10 - Link to review
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| Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side |  | | Steen's Rating: 9.5/10
I can only agree with Tommy. Imaginations... is my favourite Blind Guardian album and a timeless classic. The music has an incredible feeling of power and it is unlike anything else. The album has so many amazing moments, and my personal favorite, "The script for my requiem" is sheer genius all the way through.
Original rating by Tommy: 9/10
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Other member ratings:
Dark Lord - 10/10 - Link to review
PowerMetalKevin - 10/10 - Link to review
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| Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth |  | | Steen's Rating: 9/10
I will always remember that magic moment in Wacken 1998 when Blind Guardian played right before Savatage. The sun was going down and it was starting to get dark. Blind Guardian were close to the last song before Savatage took the stage. They were playing the epic Time Stands Still and then, suddenly the sky was ignited with a huge shower of fireworks. This was supposed to have happened as Savatage played, but the schedule had been delayed and apparantly someone saw it fit to release it all at that moment. It was a very special feeling standing there listening to Blind Guardian playing this epic song while the sky was filled with brights bursts of color. A magic moment there... To quote Chip Z'nuff: "Awesome fireworks display out there!"
Nightfall in middle Earth is a fantastic album, but my favourite Blind Guardian album is still, the ultimately more powerful, Imaginations from the other side. My favourites include the powerful Into the storm, the majestic Nightfall where Hansi's voice send chills down the spine, the epic Time stands still, the beautiful The Eldar, the speed metal attack When sorrow sang softly, the complex A dark passage and of course the brilliant and melodic Mirror mirror
But I must complain about the liner notes, which are written in German! No! This is all wrong and I don't understand a word of what they say... A plea to Blind Guardian: Next time you want to include a story like this, please consider your Danish fan who did have German in school, but somehow forgot how to both read and speak it. Maybe it was due to excessive headbanging...
In short, this is a fantastic album with a special atmosphere and one of a kind Power Metal.
Original rating by Mads: 9.5/10
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Other member ratings:
Modulator - 10/10 - Link to review
Dark Lord - 10/10 - Link to review
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| Bon Jovi - The Circle |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
After Lost Highway, The Circle takes a U-turn back towards Have a Nice Day, which makes me smile. It doesn't quite reach that one but it's a very satisfying album. I believe the bass line in Work for the working man is completely on purpose as the songs share themes.
Personal favorites include Live before you die, Happy Now, When We were beautiful, Superman Tonight and Brokenpromiseland. Fast Cars is the only song I find quite "bleh...".
No pretensions, just good natured rock.
Original rating by Sandra: 6/10
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| Cain's Offering - Gather The Faithful |  | | Steen's Rating: 7.5/10
A superb and highly promising debut. There are some amazing songs here. Oceans of Regret, Into the Blue and Dawn of Solace are current favorites. Unfortunately I feel the album looses a bit of breath in its second half. Thorn In My Side, Morpheus In A Masquerade and Stolen Waters lack the elegant grace that make the other songs soar. Good songs but not quite up there with the rest.
It took a while before I recognized the Taylor Dane connection. Pretty impressive how they completely change the mood of that melody but still a bit too obvious.
And yes, this is Kotipelto's finest moment. He strikes the perfect emotional balance.
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
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Other member ratings:
YNGWIEVIKING - 8.5/10 - Link to review
ProfessorShred - 7.5/10 - Link to review
Craig - 8/10 - Link to review
Dark Lord - 6.5/10 - Link to review
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| Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons |  | | Steen's Rating: 10/10
Ahh, my favourite Dream Theater song. What to say that hasn't been said already? It is just fantastic and very moving.
Original rating by Yoni: 10/10
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Other member ratings:
Sandra - 10/10 - Link to review
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| Dream Theater - Awake |  | | Steen's Rating: 9.5/10
It's a close race, but this is my favorite Dream Theater album. Something very special indeed.
Original rating by Hashman: 9/10
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| Dream Theater - Images And Words | |
| Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory | |
| Edguy - Mandrake |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
I really like this album, but I think it misses something to reach the heights of Vain glory opera and Theater of Salvation. Am I the only one who thinks Save us now is an excellent song?
Original rating by Tommy: 8/10
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| Edguy - Tinnitus Sanctus |  | | Steen's Rating: 6.5/10
A positive surprise from the first listen since I never really got into Rocket Ride and still hold Vain Glory Opera and Theater of Salvation in high reverence.
Not that this is a complete return to form but "The Pride of creation", "Nine Lives", "Wake up dreaming black", "Dragonfly" and "9-2-9" are great songs and have all been favorites at some point with "9-2-9" taking the first place at the moment with a superb drive and an incredibly hummable chorus. It's just great songs which get you in a good mood.
"Ministry of Saints" and "Speedhoven" come close to succeeding but miss something to convince completely. The element of surprise is missing, an original spark that makes things seem less calculated.
"Sex Fire Religion", "Thorn without a rose" and "Dead or rock" are mediocre, incredibly unoriginal and don't hold any lasting interest unless you favor Edguy as some kind of Whitesnake clone.
Don't even mention Aren't you a little pervert too... Ooops.
The album's strongest songs are outstanding and makes it worth purchasing but a rating of 6.5/10 seems fitting due to the less successful inclusions. The band still has what it takes but they need to focus.
Original rating by Alanna: 6.5/10
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| Elegy - Lost |  | | Steen's 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 Warning) being the main courses.
The dual guitar attack of Henk Van Der Laars and Gilbert Pot is very impressive and a constant attention grabber. Lead singer Eduard Hovinga doesn't quite reach the god-like level of John Arch, but he creates some captivating vocal melodies and remains very special acquaintance. He often screams out the lyrics at a very high pitch and a sometimes with a very thick accent. Both these things may take some getting used to. Through the album the keyboard is a fantastic mood-setter while drums and bass keep things tight and often surprises with great detail.
The opening title track is a complex and powerful and provides a challenging beginning to the album. One of the beauties of Elegy is their ability to create complex songs that on one level are easy to listen to because of their strong melodic element, but on another level contain so much detail that you can explore it for a long long time.
Everything has been a personal favorite from the first listen. The song is a raging sea of emotions that slowly builds up to a captivating chorus, which is a melodic highlight of the album. Another highlight is the dual guitar intro solo that smoothly blends into the background as the first verse commences.
Clean up your act has a strong drive, constantly pushed further by lots of small touches that increase the intensity. A few examples are the great backing vocals and the brilliant guitar and drum details at 2:02 - 2:07. For the chorus Eduard pulls out an ultra high pitch delivery that is very memorable. The melodic element is Always with you's strongest force. The powerful opening, the heavy guitar work and the catchy chorus are highlights.
After this incredibly aggressive opening salvo the album settles back a little with the ballad Under God's Naked Eye. A strong and emotional song with a guitar solo that fits it perfectly. An exquisite 2 minute guitar solo then sets the stage for Spirits. A memorable chorus and a strong atmosphere makes the song work almost perfectly. It is only during its second half the song starts to drag out, lacking some surprises as well as a satisfying ending.
Crossed the Line opens with the trademark, excellent dual guitar solo. The keyboard plays an important role and keeps the atmosphere compact and tense. The fade out at the end is also very cool. The unique Live it Again feels like a distant dream. It succeeds in this by using only keyboard and Hovinga's voice as instruments, resulting in a very soothing effect.
NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Its chief weapon is power.... power and speed, speed and power.... It's *two* main weapons are power and speed....and ruthless efficiency with a guitar... Sorry.... It's *three* main weapons are power, speed and ruthless efficiency with a guitar...and an almost fanatical devotion to high pitch vocals.... It's *four* main.... No... Amongst its weaponry are such efficient elements as power, speed....... I think I'll try this again... (Exit Cardinal Biggles...)
Sorry about that, got carried away a bit... Let me just say that Spanish Inquisition is extremely powerful. Hovinga's voice sometimes sounds like it is mixed slightly lower than the rest of the songs, making it feel like he is constantly fighting to not be completely overpowered by the raging music. A breathtaking finish to the album.
The lyrics deal with inner turmoil, strength, love and other personal issues. All songs on the album share the same special atmosphere and if there is one theme that runs through the songs it is the feeling of being lost in some way or other.
If you like your progressive metal served with equal amounts of technical skill, melody, atmosphere and complexity then you owe it to yourself to check this outstanding album out.
Original rating by Brian: 6/10
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| Enuff Z'nuff - Dissonance | |
| Enuff Z'nuff - Welcome to Blue Island |  | | Steen's Rating: 9/10
Oh, I'm falling in love with this album.
Enuff Z'nuff are back and I can't imagine a better way to keep their fans happy. I agree with everything that Michael stated above, so I'll just make some comments.
My favorite song is Sanibel Island right now. The perfect song to get me in a happy mood. Excellent chorus and nice guitar parts thoughout the song. This brings back memories of the party tunes off their first album. And for some reason it reminds me of a particular movie... Can you guess which one? Mark up this next part to see the answer: Weekend at Bernies!
Z overture has an excellent guitar solo and it's great to finally hear the studio version of this track.
Yeah, take it away Saturday. What a great up beat party song. Has anyone noticed the double meaning in the chorus. Most noticeable in the third chorus. Well, maybe I'm just hallucinating here...
Another favorite is Good times. What a special atmosphere this song has. Reminds me of the time we were in The UK during the EZN tour and saw them 6 nights in a row. Those were good times.
Zentimental Journey/The Sun has one of the biggest highlights of the album. Only a musical genius could come up with such an amazing acoustic break and still fit it perfectly into a song as is done here.
The whole album has a great positive atmosphere and it's still growing on me with each listen.
A big Thank you to the band for releasing yet another excellent album. I hail you!
Original rating by Michael: 9/10
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| Eternity X - The Edge |  | | Steen's Rating: 9.5/10
This is one of my favourite albums ever. Songs like Fly away, The confession and A day in verse are pure magic. The concept is huge and beautifully realized. A true masterpiece.
Original rating by Tommy: 10/10
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Other member ratings:
Dark Lord - 9.5/10 - Link to review
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| Evergrey - Recreation Day |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
Ahh... Wonderful.
After the masterpiece In search of truth, I couldn't imagine what Evergrey would come up with next. What a pleasure it is then, to find that the band has managed to evolve in a great way. Recreation Day has the Evergrey feel written all over it, with a fantastic atmosphere of mostly, despair, sadness and anger. Tom S. Englund sings, as always, with huge emotion, and the music is played with a touch of brilliance. This album is harder and a little tougher to get into than In Search of truth. After a few listens the songs started to open up and I got sucked into the atmosphere that flows from the songs. This album is a great example of how to use keyoards to enhance the atmosphere in the music without taking over everything.
After listening constantly to Recreation Day for a few weeks I feel like I have just touched the surface layers. With every listen something new grabs my attention and keeps the album growing on me. Definitely a worthy follow up to one of my favourite albums of the past couple of years.
Original rating by Yoni: 7.5/10
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Other member ratings:
ProfessorShred - 9/10 - Link to review
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| Helloween - Rabbit Don´t Come Easy |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
I pretty much agree with Tommy on this one. It's great to hear Helloween back with so much power and melody. There is something about the awesome melodies, Andi's singing and the extremely powerful rythm section, that sends across an energy-filled, positive vibe. With every listen there is some new little detail to discover. Still, it hasn't quite reached the status of my Helloween favorites, Keeper of The Seven keys Part 1 & 2 and Time of the oath. Still growing though.
Favorite tracks: Liar, Sun 4 the world, Do you feel good, Just a little sign and Open your life.
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
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| Iron Maiden - Brave New World |  | | Steen's Rating: 5.5/10
This is definitely not one of my favorite Maiden albums, it is closer to the bottom on that list. Brave New World lacks the excitement and the sense of power that pervaded the pre-1990 releases. It seems to me that every time a chorus or a good passage comes along it is repeated endlessly until it loses any impact. Blood Brothers, Out of the silent planet and Dream of Mirrors are prime examples of this. In general the songs are too long, lack focus and instead of growing with repeated listens, they stand still.
There are still some good moments on the album, but overall I find Brave New World unexciting. This is an average album and it comes nowhere near my personal favorites, Piece of mind, Somewhere in time, Powerslave, Seventh son of a seventh son and Number of the beast.
Original rating by Tommy: 9/10
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Other member ratings:
notrap - 8/10 - Link to review
Dark Lord - 9/10 - Link to review
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| Iron Maiden - Fear of the dark | |
| Iron Maiden - No prayer for the dying | |
| Iron Maiden - Piece of mind | |
| Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son | |
| Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time | |
| Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast | |
| Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
A solid Priest album which I would rate around 7. Personal highlights include Hellrider, Judas Rising, Angel, Deal With The Devil and Eulogy/Lochness. The album grows on repeated listens, but in my opinion it does not quite reach the level of the classics.
Original rating by Hashman: 9/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Tommy - 6.5/10 - Link to review
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| Judas Priest - Jugulator |  | | Steen's Rating: 6/10
I don't share Tommy's enthusiasm with this album. Jugulator was a huge disappointment, especially in the beginning. Not because it was significantly different to what Priest had done in the past, but because the album felt uninspired at times and had a distinct lack of memorable songs. That was my initial impression. Everything takes time though and given time and many listens Jugulator definitely rises and does in fact have some great songs and many redeeming moments, making it an overall good album.
The "evolution" since Painkiller has been to slow down and make everything ultra heavy and grooving.
Death Row has a very good atmosphere and is a fascinating song. With a monstrous drum attack that takes no prisoners, ultra heavy riffing and a brilliantly entertaining vocal performance by Ripper Owens this is as close to older Priest as you get. Bullet train also has some great guitar work and a very good atmosphere throughout. Ripper's piercing vocals slice through the massive sound with ease and the powerful finish is an intense highlight. Cathedral spires ends the album on an epic note. This song is really excellent and my favorite of the album. The song captures me from the first notes and keeps adding new layers, making it a real monster track. Personal highlight: Ripper screaming "Ascend". Wow!
Unfortunately many of the other songs don't reach the same level. My problem mainly lies in the lack of memorable melodies. All the songs are extremely heavy but many of them keep thrashing around and never really get of the ground. They lack that final kick of power. If you want the ultimate combination in heaviness, groove, power and melody then listen to Nevermore to hear how it is done.
Distortion and vocal effects are also used several times without much success. The guitar work feels nowhere near as inventive or inspired as it was on fx. Painkiller. Here the guitars are mostly playing heavy riffs and I miss the "always something happening" vibe. Of course the solos are still excellent.
Several songs unfortunately suffer from a very simple chorus that feels a little repeated (Brain dead, Blood stained and Dead Meat come to mind). One example of a song that never gets off the ground is Decapitate. A slow driving riff drags the energy out of the song and nothing happens to keep my attention. A song with a very uninspired feel to it. Burn in hell on the other hand is quite good.
A strong point of the album is the lyrics which take on some interesting issues, fitting well with the dark atmosphere.
All in all the album wins on repeated listens. There are no really bad songs. One is below average, most of them range from ok to good and three very good songs stand out.
To sum up my opinion of Jugulator I will say: Too much groove and not enough melody.
Original rating by Tommy: 9.5/10
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Other member ratings:
gizmo - 4/10 - Link to review
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| Kamelot - Karma |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
Steen has not added a review.
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
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| Kamelot - Poetry for the Poisoned |  | | Steen's Rating: 7.5/10
I never gave Ghost Opera a fair chance but Poetry... has quickly made an impression. Superb atmospheres and enticing melodies suck me right in. Kamelot have found a new and exciting direction here.
The Great Pandemonium, If Tomorrow Came, Hunter's Season, Poetry For The Poisoned, Once upon a Time and The Zodiac are all killer songs.
A mature and quite extraordinary album.
Original rating by Alanna: 8.5/10
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| Kamelot - The Black Halo |  | | Steen's 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, finetuning their sound, especially through the past four albums. With The Black Halo, Kamelot evolve even further and achieve something pretty close to perfection in the production department. Musically this is a highly infectous blend of Heavy, Power and Symphonic Metal with a few Progressive tendencies from time to time. Kamelot have managed to find their own distinct sound and The Black Halo expands their universe even further.
Thomas Youngblood's exceptional guitar work and the amazing melodies are still my main attraction to Kamelot. I found it funny that I was reminded of Call of the sea from Eternity right from the start when the first riff sets off March of Mephisto. Peeling away the layers shows that it is still the same band as the early days, now the keyboard and orchestra just plays a much bigger role in the music. Since it came out I've always held Dominion as my favorite Kamelot album. The old albums with Mark Vanderbilt on vocals had a very special charm, which on the later albums has been exchanged for a more polished and brighter feel, but also better arranged songs. Today it is more of a mood thing, which period I prefer.
Anyway, onto the album. The last three Kamelot albums have all opened with a catchy, fast-paced melodic wonder of a song, which somehow kept improving with each album. This time things have changed. March of Mephisto is an atmospheric mid-tempo song that brings out an interesting side of the band. On guest vocals Shagrath from Dimmu Borgir lends some growls, which contrast to Roy Kahn's clear voice very effectively. While this blend works very well it is not 100% successful. It sounds like Shagraths voice has has been through the electronic blender that is vocal effects and it comes out slightly less dramatic than I had imagined. Maybe this is just me but to get the ultimate effect his voice should have been further ahead in the mix. Besides that this is a very interesting opener to the album which sets the atmosphere right from the start. Jens Johanssen also guests on the song with a keyboard solo.
For those longing for that fast paced opening track your wish is granted with When the lights are down. The opening keyboard melody gave me chills right from the start. I believe I have heard it somewhere else, but I just can't place it. That's usually a good sign. The band hasn't lost their touch and the chorus is one that will grow until it sticks to your brain like a big fat singing tumor.
The album is not easily digested but great things await those with patience. After 10-15 listens the songs really began to stand out. Several short atmosperic interludes add to the atmosphere and gives the album a connected feel. Unfortunately no lyrics accompanied the promo, so I won't say more than that The Black Halo continues the Faustus saga begun on Epica but it easily stands on its own.
Musically the album is filled with strong songs. I will comment shortly on some of my favorites and try not to give too much away. The Haunting is a very melodic song with a feeling of yearning that draws you in and it has an absolutely wonderful ending part which shamelessly fades out far too soon. I'm guessing that Simone Simons (Epica) is the very fitting female voice in this song. Soul society is maybe a bit too keyboard reliant, but with those melodies, who cares? This pain is a more guitar driven song with a lot of energy and Nothin ever dies has a outstanding and powerful chrous. The title track uses the keyboard to great effect. In the beginning it gives the song intensity and a great sense of urgency. A varied, fast paced song and another definite highlight.
Roy Kahn's voice is silky soft and extremely enticing. He has this emotional touch that makes his voice one of my favorites in the genre. Take a listen to the wonderful ballad Abandoned as an example. Kahn's voice gives the song all the drama it needs. Just beautiful.
Memento Mori is an impressive 9 minute opus, slowly building towards its climax which sees the return of Shagrath in a short but cool duet with Mari (Masqueraid). But why the vocal effects on Kahn's voice? Damn, I hate that.
Serenade provides a powerful ending to this wide-ranging album.
A special mention goes to Casey Grillo on drums. He does a great job of keeping the music tight while adding little detail to the songs. Like the way he leads When the lights are down into the chorus and a multitude of other places where he enhances the music in a good way.
The Black Halo keeps growing with each listen and contains no bad songs. Though I miss a few faster songs the album is very varied and in the end another outstanding effort by Kamelot. This band has created some of the most extremely melodic power metal and put shortly, The Black Halo is among Kamelot's best albums.
Original rating by Paul: 7/10
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| King Diamond - "Them" |  | | Steen's Rating: 8.5/10
I rate this one higher. It is among King Diamond's very best and gains the edge over most of his other albums by being extremely creative as well as having a ton of memorable moments scattered all through the album. Tommy already mentioned several, so I will just shortly get into a couple of personal favorites.
Welcome Home might be the best song King has ever written. It has so many nooks and crannies (grannies?) that the whole song feels like a big metallic maze of horrors. From the stereo effect when King screams Grandma through his genius delivery of lines such as "Missy and mother, they are dying to meet you" and the immortal "I wonder grandma, ARE YOU ALLRIGHT?" this is an insane journey right back into the asylum.
The Invisible Guests is so intense and I can only agree with Tommy's description.
The acoustic element in Tea gives it another dimension while King's vocal deliverance is perfect. Really great breaks with cool guitar solos and varied drumming add the final element in getting high. Knife! Woouuuuund! Aaaaaaahhhhh it is time for Tea!!! (Sorry, got carried away a bit)
I love the captivating drive of The Accusation Chair and the song is simply brilliant all the way through. Only King can sing the word "Fine" in this way. Twilight Symphony has another out of this world vocal performance during the chorus. Don't try this at home.
The music is challenging and inventive all the way through with tons of little detail showing itself on repeated listens. I only have the original release and unfortunately the sound is very void of bass and pump and that is the saddest thing about the album. The drum sound is thin and I could imagine a better sound would add to the impact of several songs. Ahh well, nothing is perfect, but this album comes very close. I don't believe it can be compared to much else. Horror Metal at its very best.
I bet you're dying for a cup of tea now...
Original rating by Tommy: 7.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
ProfessorShred - 8/10 - Link to review
notrap - 7.5/10 - Link to review
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| Lost Horizon - A Flame To The Ground Beneath | |
| Majesty - Reign In Glory |  | | Steen's Rating: 3/10
I agree with Nina, this is unfortunately a really bad album. Majesty are very inspired by Manowar in a very wrong way. They lack the balls, the wit and most importantly the songwriting abilities to come up with anything resembling that band. Instead they borrow small passages from their songs (Fight for Freedom and Battle hymn come to mind), and use them in their own uninspired songs. I challenge you to read the lyrics of one of the songs and not giggle. The band takes all the clichés and use them in the most dreadful way. This is exactly what gives "True-Metal" its laughable image.
I remember reading a review which equalled this album to Manowar's Into Glory ride and awarding it a 100/100 rating, which of course convinced me to check the band out. "That reviewer must be totally deaf" was the only thought in my mind after the first listen. Well of course everyone can't have the same taste, and while Reign in glory does have a few redeeming musical qualitites guitar-wise, I can't recommend this album to anyone but the most ardent "True Metal"-fan. I'd take bands like Domine, Doomsword or Lost Horizon any day over this tripe.
Original rating by Nina: 3/10
Link to original review
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| Manowar - Sign Of The Hammer |  | | Steen's Rating: 8.5/10
Also one of my favorites from Manowar, so I just had to comment on it shortly.
All Men Play On 10 is a classic in my ears and I just cannot help but shout along whenever I hear this song. It just gets my blood pumping.
I remember hearing Thor for the very first time back in the early nineties and it gave me the most amazing feeling. Never had I heard anything like this. Eric's singing and the atypical music was a rousing experience and made me feel like I was another place in another time. Ok, so I was also playing Ultima Underworld II at the same time, but anyway... This is a completely magical over-the-top hymn made by and for the gods.
Mountains is not just a song, it is a complete and fulfilling experience that defies description. One of those rare songs you can live by.
Sign of The Hammer is ruled by Eric's incredible singing and it has one of the best openings to a song I have ever heard. Really spellbinding from the first note. Ending the album Manowar pulls out another breathtaking epic with Guyana.
In my opinion only Animals and The Oath don't quite live up to the majesty of the other songs.
In the end Manowar delivers a thunderous strike of epic, primal and timeless Heavy Metal.
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Dark Lord - 8.5/10 - Link to review
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| Masterplan - Masterplan |  | | Steen's Rating: 8.5/10
Wow, This is some of the best Metal I've heard in a long time. Fantastic vocals, powerful music, extremely melodic, but still very complex songs and well written and meaningful lyrics. This one gets better with each listen. After the first 10 listens, suddenly this great record started growing further and has become one of my favourite this year so far. It will be very interesting to see how they progress from here. Personal favourites: Every single song, but Kind Hearted Light is my favourite today...
Original rating by Tommy: 9/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Nina - 9/10 - Link to review
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| Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell II - Back Into Hell |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
I don't agree on the classic status of this one. I think it misses the spark and the intuitive feeling that made the first one so special. Pretty much every song going past the 7 minute mark could have benefitted from a tighter structure. It is unfortunate since all the right ingredients are here, but it doesn't fully come together for me.
My absolute favorites are Good Girls Go To Heaven which has a superb melodyline and Lost Boys And Golden Girls which is just breathtaking. I can't say there are any songs that I dislike and every song has its moments of greatness, but there are too many times when I think "Come on! Get on with it!". Especially when a refrain is repeated four times too many.
In the end this in a very ambitious album with many involving moments but overall it falls short because it loses focus too often and doesn't know when to stop. It is still a very good album, especially when I'm in the right mood.
Original rating by Tommy: 8/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Stuart - 9.5/10 - Link to review
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| Metallica - St. Anger |  | | Steen's Rating: 4.5/10
Ahh, Metallica. They were one of the bands that opened my eyes to Heavy Metal back when The Black Album was released. I went on to enjoy their entire back catalogue, but then I was sorely disappointed by Load and Reload.
Now St. Anger is here, and it doesn't manage to fulfill many of the hopes I had. It basically leaves me cold. As opposed to Tommy, I don't feel this album sets any new standard of how Metal can sound. If it does set a new standard it is certainly not a good one. The album feels uninspired and thrown together.
Yes, the production is different, but not inventive in any way I can see, but I could easily live with the below average production, if only the music had been interesting. Unfortunately that is not the case and the album has a hard time holding my attention for very long, no matter how hard I try. There is a definite lack of something to hold the songs together, maybe it's melodies. Sure, there are lots of heavy riffs, pounding drums and rythm changes, but most of the songs wash together to a jumbled mess, without anything that sticks out. The music doesn't flow, it bites... Some parts also feel very cut together. One example is Frantic at the 24 second mark.
The album starts out ok, with a couple of good songs. Frantic and St. Anger both have some great qualities musically, but I have never been so annoyed by James Hetfield's vocal performance, as I am on this album. Frantic is let down by his insanely funny screaming of "tick tick tick tock!".
The only problem I have with the otherwise great St. Anger lies in the double edged self-pitying lyrics. I can't get over them. "I'm madly in anger with you"... Oh, please...
Another song where I find the vocals infuriatingly annoying is Shoot me again. It starts out very good, and the song shows some good elements, but every time James starts his "Shoot me again" round, there is this tone in his voice, which just sounds plain wrong to me.
And finally the ending of All within my hands has me howling with laughter. James' screams of "Kill kill kill" sound so incredibly comic. I can't help it.
Some kind of monster must be one of the most boring songs, I have heard in recent times. This is a good example of a song that never gets anywhere. It thrashes around and never gets off the ground.
On the other hand, Sweet amber is my favourite song of the album. It has some of nerve I miss on the rest of the album, and it also has some of the best lyrics on the album. They are actually bearable.
Listening to the album with headphones makes the sound more intense and also emphasises the many stereo effects that the music is built around.
I still have to find the feeling in the music, and after spending more than 12 hours with the album, I really want to move on to some music that can give me something back. So, that's just what I'll do.
To be fair, the album is not bad, just very average and overall a huge disappointment to me. There are many glimpses of greatness in the music, and a couple of good songs stick out. But St. anger doesn't speak to me at all, and the few glimpses are not enough to save the album from mediocrity. Be sure to give it a listen before you buy it.
One word review: Yawn...
Original rating by Tommy: 7.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Stuart - 2/10 - Link to review
bogdan - 10/10 - Link to review
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| Mike Tramp - More to life than this |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
Yeah, this is another quality addition to the Tramp catalogue. More to life than this is filled with Melodic Rock of high quality, that has the special "Mike Tramp touch". Unfortunately that special melancholic atmosphere that ruled the other two releases is a bit toned down here. I miss that atmosphere in some of the songs. Like Michael said, More to life than this is more straight forward. Still, this is an album that grows with each listen and it almost, but not quite manages to reach the same high level of impact as Capricorn and Recovering... I find a couple of songs to be too straight forward and sweet for my taste (Lay down my life for you where that line is repeated so many times & Goodbye song that just doesn't work for me)
Luckily all the other songs more than make up for this. The ultra melodic More to life than this and Don't want to say goodnight, the rocking I won't let go and Back from the dead and the ballads Nothing at all and above all The good, the sad and the ugly are all excellent Tramp songs that deserve high praise.
A must for all Mike Tramp / White Lion / Freak of Nature fans, but I would advise those who want to get to know Mike Tramp to start out with Capricorn.
Original rating by Michael: 8/10
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| Nuclear Valdez - In a Minute all Could Change |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
This really is a wonderful album. The up-beat, rocking music and the contrasting lyrics filled with grief are a perfect combination. Whether you're just relaxing and listening to the music, having a party, or reading along with the lyrics, it works. This music fits every occasion and mood. Fro Sosa's vocals are fantastic, extremely emotional and expressive. The well written lyrics are oozing with feeling and are highly relateable. The lyrics to songs like Save me and Stem of tragedy can bring tears to your eyes if you're sad enough to be in the right mood.
My favorite songs include Save me with its great drive and touching lyrics, Someone to believe in with its catchy chorus, the up-beat Wonderland which is the most positive song on the album, Remember which has a flying feeling, Still won't let you go where the fantastic chorus lifts the song to another level, and of course the ultimate testimoney of neglected love, Stem of tragedy.
This is great music to help you get out of a crisis. Reading the lyrics you know that there is someone out there who is worse of than yourself, or at least feels the same way, and that is a soothing fact. A tragic yet wonderful album.
Original rating by Michael: 9/10
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| Pain of Salvation - BE |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
For one rare time I completely agree with Tommy on all counts. His descriptions reflect my current thoughts very well. I still want to give you a short description of my experience with the album so far. I wrote down my thoughts after each listen to the album.
1'st listen: What the fuck??!
2'nd listen: Oh no, this can never be as good as their other albums, there is too much talk. Disappointed!!!
3'rd listen: Hhmmm that track 3 sounds really fantastic. What the ?? All the titles are in Latin!
5'th listen: Okay, I feel something is starting to take shape here. My first impression was obviously wrong. Man, that track 8 is one of the most moving things. Who are those people?
10'th listen: I'm finally starting to grasp the concept now. This is huge. I feel a strong craving for this album start. Need more...
11'th listen: Read the lyrics while listening and now the album is really starting to take of. I regret reading Daniel's brief explanation in the booklet though as it took away some mystery.
15'th listen: Iter Impius is completely fantastic.
17'th listen: What is that child doing at the end? Is this all one big mindfuck?
20'th listen: Hhmmm, does this album really start at the end?
21'st listen and onwards: Now I am at a point where I can just relax and enjoy the music for what it is.
Like the album, my experience of it is like an evolution onto itself. I have not completed it yet and only time will tell if this is a new masterpiece or "just" an outstanding and truly impressive creation. One thing is sure; BE is profound, entertaining, thought provoking and touching, it is Pain of Salvation.
Original rating by Tommy: 8/10
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| Pathfinder - Beyond the Space Beyond the Time |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
No doubt this band has incredible potential. This debut of the year so far exposes a lot of genius elements but also a few flaws. Most notably a too clinical approach at times which results in a lack of emotion. The next album should prove very interesting.
Original rating by Alanna: 8.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Stuart - 8/10 - Link to review
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| Pretty Maids - Pandemonium |  | | Steen's 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 music is old school and the album has a modern sound, resulting is a fresh and highly enjoyable experience.
If you're interested in a detailed Pretty Maids history then check out the entertaining "Ronnie Remembering" at the official website.
Pretty Maids is a trademark for heavy metal with a special sense of melody. It's a mix that has worked wonders in the past and still does. Pandemonium can be seen as a back to the roots album just by looking at its cover. The band feels invigorated and the songs they've written here are immediate and fresh.
Ronnie Atkins sings with strong feeling and raw emotion throughout and there is plenty of detail in the drumming and guitar work to keep things interesting. The songs are varied and there are many highlights. Final Day of Innocence, Cielo Drive and Old Enough to know are songs which already feel timeless. Final Day of Innocence has a standout chorus section and Old Enough to know flows extremely well.
Cielo Drive is mean and heavy with Ronnie singing in a very powerful way. I can't get enough of the way he delivers the line "HELL.... Tonight... No one left alive...". The song has a haunting feel, in part due to its compact sound and some effects. The evil laugh ending the song is questionable but beside that the song is brilliant.
Pandemonium is a strong opener, Little drops of Heaven is a memorable power ballad, I. N. V. U. is cleverly constructed rocker and Breathless ends the album in true Pretty Maids style, with an ultra melodic power ballad. The fact that the chorus is endlessly repeated doesn't even bug me. Beautiful Madness is the only song which fails to stand out to me.
Pandemonium is proof that Pretty Maids haven't grown soft with age. It's a great album and a return to form.
Original rating by Alanna: 6/10
Link to original review
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| Pretty Maids - Planet Panic |  | | Steen's Rating: 6/10
Well, this is not my favourite Pretty Maids album. That title still belongs to Spooked.
After listening to Planet Panic many times I'm still a little disappointed. It's an OK album, just nowhere near as good as I had hoped. On this album PM have taken a heavier path but unfortunately most of the songs have become extremely simple and lack the melodic touch that is their trademark. The band seems somewhat uninspired to me and there are just too many indifferent songs here.
Virtual Brutality, Natural High and Enter forevermore are the tracks that save the album somewhat and show that they haven't lost their touch.
Virtual Brutality has become one of my favourite Pretty Maids songs. To hear the power of this song live has to be experienced. It's awesome.
A good album, but not among their best.
Original rating by Tommy: 7/10
Link to original review
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| Pretty Maids - Wake Up To The Real World |  | | Steen's Rating: 7/10
Steen has not added a review.
Original rating by Alanna: 7.5/10
Link to original review
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| Pride of Lions - The Destiny Stone |  | | Steen's Rating: 8.5/10
Fantastic album and indeed near perfect. The Courage to Love Somebody, Born to Believe in You, What Kind of Fool and especially the divine Gift of Song are favorites.
Original rating by Alanna: 9/10
Link to original review
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| Pride of Lions - The Roaring of Dreams |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
A deeply passionate album. Especially Love's Eternal Flame and Astonish You are out of this world.
Original rating by Alanna: 8.5/10
Link to original review
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| Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime - Remastered and Expanded | |
| Redemption - The Fullness Of Time |  | | Steen's Rating: 9/10
I agree with Tommy completely. This is simply an amazing album that delivers in every sense of the word. Album of the year so far and I seriously doubt that anything can match it. Filled with emotion, passion and exciting music this is something you don't come across very often.
Original rating by Tommy: 9/10
Link to original review
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| Rhapsody (of Fire) - Triumph or Agony |  | | Steen's Rating: 5.5/10
Triumph or Agony lacks the aggression and FIRE that burned in the music on the earlier albums. I'm disappointed in the mid-tempo/ballad direction this album has taken to say the least. The album just fails to excite me. Rhapsody is still one of my all time favorite bands but I don't find this album worthy.
Original rating by Alanna: 7.5/10
Link to original review
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| Savatage - Edge Of Thorns |  | | Steen's Rating: 8/10
Lights out and Skraggy's tomb are definitely not my favourites. They are in fact two of my least favourite Savatage songs ever. But other than that this album is brilliant.
Edge of thorns has had a hard time with me since I was shocked when I found out that Jon Oliva wasn't singing anymore. I have always preferred the way Jon Oliva perfectly fits the music and feeling of Savatage and after Streets it was hard to see him leave the seat for someone who, to my ears, didn't have the same ability to create the "Savatage feeling" of earlier albums.
Then I got quite annoyed at all the "yeahh's" that Zak makes throughout the album. They are in almost every song and started getting on my nerves back then. But slowly the album has grown to be another little Savatage gem which should be in any collection. Slowly I also accepted that Zak was going to be the new Savatage singer and today I love all his work in Savatage. Through the years his voice has gotten better and better and his presence in Savatage has helped the band reach out to many new fans. So looking back I must say that Zak has been one of the best things to happen in the Savatage history.
Edge of thorns, He carves his stone, All that I bleed, Conversation piece and Follow me are Savatage classics and among my favourite Savatage tracks ever (That list is a long one though :)
Even though I've done it before I still want to hail Criss Oliva as the greatest guitar player that ever walked this earth. His playing on this album is beyond amazing.
This is a good album to start with if you don't know Savatage yet, though if you really want to start the right way then I'd recommend you go out at get Gutter Ballet with Jon Oliva on the vocals.
This band has everything.
Original rating by Tommy: 9.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
notrap - 8.5/10 - Link to review
ProfessorShred - 7.5/10 - Link to review
Little Drummer Boy - 9/10 - Link to review
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| Savatage - Streets - A Rock Opera | |
| Star One - Space Metal |  | | Steen's Rating: 8.5/10
No no no Tommy, you're all wrong about Intergalactic Space Crusaders. The song has a fantastic groove and doesn't need a complex rythm. That's the beauty of it! Fantastic vocals and atmosphere help make this song my favourite of the album. Oh, and the song is even better live hehe...
Other highlights include the ending part of Eye of Ra, which always gives me the chills, Songs of the Ocean, Set your controls and basically every time Russel Allen sings.
Overall a very very cool release.
Original rating by Tommy: 7.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
juice307 - 8.5/10 - Link to review
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| Stratovarius - Elements Part 1 (Reissue) | |
| Symphony X - The Odyssey |  | | Steen's Rating: 9/10
Yeah, this is a brilliant album. The ending part of The Odyssey is simply divine. I love this whole song. Pure magic.
Original rating by Tajs: 9/10
Link to original review
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| Treat - Coup De Grace |  | | Steen's Rating: 7.5/10
Excellent album filled with positive energy!
I'm Not Runnin' is a personal favorite closely followed by The War is Over and Paper Tiger. Roar and All in are tagging along close behind. The rest of the songs are strong but don't quite make the same impact.
All in all a great album and one of those that makes me want to check out the band's back catalogue as soon as possible.
I will be roaring at the frontlines in Sweden (Sorry Tommy).
Original rating by Tommy: 8.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
ProfessorShred - 7.5/10 - Link to review
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| W.E.T. - W.E.T. |  | | Steen's Rating: 8.5/10
Brilliant album. Without doubt the melodic rock highlight of the year. If the new Stan Bush album doesn't come out this year I doubt anything will match it.
Original rating by Alanna: 9/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Little Drummer Boy - 8.5/10 - Link to review
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| Virgin Steele - Invictus |  | | Steen's Rating: 10/10
My favourite Virgin Steele album. It has everything! All the songs are fantastic and filled with power and emotion and like Tommy says the album transcends all boundaries and inspires on every level. David Defeis has never sounded better than this. One of the greatest singers in the world. A masterpiece of Power, Metal and Life!
Original rating by Tommy: 10/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Sandra - 10/10 - Link to review
YNGWIEVIKING - 9.5/10 - Link to review
Dark Lord - 10/10 - Link to review
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| Vision Divine - 9 Degrees West of the Moon |  | | Steen's Rating: 6.5/10
Fabio Leone is back in Vision Divine and it's great to hear his voice again. The band sounds unmistakably like Stratovarius in the opening song (think Eagleheart meets Distant Skies). "Violet Loneliness" is mesmerizingly melodic and carries a wonderful soft touch. "Fly" and "The Streets of Laudomia" are other favorites. Overall a varied and pretty good album but I miss something to make it really stand out.
Original rating by Alanna: 7.5/10
Link to original review
Other member ratings:
Modulator - 9.5/10 - Link to review
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Last profile update: Monday, October 15, 2007
Joined Monday, October 15, 2007
Profile Views: 1229 |
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Daily Spotlight
Cage - Science of Annihilation
 American Power Metal Kings... So the Science of Annihilation cover states and I am not one to argue, in fact I am more than i....
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Retro Reviews
(Tommy)
Doctor Butcher - Doctor Butcher
 Savatage frontman Jon Oliva and "in and out" member Christopher Caffery created the content on this debut album a short time after the tragic death of the greatest guitarist of all time Criss Oliva, a....
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(Alanna)
Annihilator - Set the World On Fire
 Annihilator is known for their speed/thrash metal and their revolving door policy regarding vocalists and band members in general. Centered around guitar god Jeff Waters, who has influenced a large ar....
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