Metal Reviews

Nightscape - Merlin

Quite nice power metal.

Yeah its ok for a few listens, but it gets boring really fast. You should listen to Power Quest if you haven't. They are pretty similar. Except, something Power Quest will never be is boring.


NP - Gamma Ray - Heaven Can Wait


"and heaven can waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait!"

NP: Altaria - The Fallen Empire

How is it?

No Jani = :x

Better than Invitation, worse than Divinity. Strange that the best song of the album is the fastest (Abyss Of Twilight), since Altaria are mostly a mid-paced band. This album is more melodic hard rock than power metal though. Some of the songs resemble others they've done in the past but I guess this repetition was inevitable. So far it's 75, I'm sure it will grow on me.

Oh yeah I miss Jani too. I don't think J-P Alanen is doing a good job.

Altaria were actually a bit of a disappoinment for me. When I heard Emppu Vuorinien and Jani Liimatainen were in the same band I thought "wow, two guitarists from keyboard-heavy power metal bands...surely they're just going to go nuts on this project?"

But instead its an even softer band still drowning in keys. :?

What can I tell you, I liked Divinity a lot. I've never considered Altaria as a proving ground of Emppu and Jani, besides I don't think they were much involved in the writing process. Maybe the new album will change your mind, since now both Emppu and Jani are gone and Altaria has to rely on themselves to deliver a quality album.

Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra

Pretty impressive indeed (my first experience with Devin). I might need to check out more of this guy's work.

Dyslesia - Fighting and Gone

More ho-hum power metal.

Rage - No Regrets

The new Rage album, Speak of the Dead, is my album of the year. I dont think anything will top this. It is such a progression from Soundchaser. Damn amazing!!

Shining Fury - Another Life

HOLY fucking shit I've never heard a more female-sounding male vocalist in my entire fucking life!

Shining Fury...why does that sound familiar. Oh wait I remembered. I listened their debut some time ago, I think it was called Last Sunrise. So they have a new album out. Any good ? The debut was average italian power.

Well, "average italian power" pretty much sums up this album too. If I heard this 2 years ago I would probably love it but now I've heard so much better power than this. And well, on the intro to the title track, the vocalist pretty much make Elisa Martin sound manly. No kidding

I think I'll stay clear of this. Thanks for the warning.

X-CALIBER - Warriors Of The Night
CHASTAIN - For Those Who Dare
CJSS - World Gone Mad

TOC - Pervertigo

Niklas Isfeldt sounds weird on this kind of music. :?

Machine Men - Elegies

This album rules. The first two songs are damn catchy.

EDENBRIDGE - Aphelion
XXARON - The Legacy
ZORRO - Arrods Don't Sell 'Em
ZNOWHITE - All Hail To Thee

I think he sounds even better than on Dream Evil. More relaxed and emotional, singing in this normal register suits him most. This is the best TOC record. Have you tried Loss Angeles, very different and experimental ?


I'm still waiting this review. :evil:

No this is my first taste of them (I aquired the album aaaages ago but never got round to listening to it), my shitty PC speakers weren't agreeing with the production, I'll need to burn it before I can cast a proper opinion on it.