Let's Boogie! Live from Telia Parken is Volbeat's first live record in seven years and offers a wonderful set list of the quartet's greatest hits. Played in their home country Denmark, the crowd is particularly enthusiastic and a communicative lead singer and guitarist Michael Poulsen speaks both in Danish and English. The band invited numerous guest musicians for the show, including Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich who is also of Danish origin, Kretaor's lead singer Mille Petrozza, Napalm Death's lead vocalist Barney Greenway and Canadian hard rock legend Danko Jones to only name a few.

The biggest show in Volbeat's career thus far includes many highlights. The power ballad ''Goodbye Forever'' is dedicated to Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington. One of the band's greatest tracks ever, ''Maybellene I Hofteholder'', is performed with great rock and roll spirit and an unchained crowd. ''For Evigt'' features additional vocals by Magtens Korridorer's vocalist Johan Olsen who has a quite powerful, epic and dramatic voice. ''Evelyn'' uses a perfect combination of Barney Greenway's unchained harsh vocals and Michael Poulsen's melodic vibe recalling a mixture of Elvis Presley and James Hetfield. Danko Jones' participation in the cool melodic rocker ''Black Rose'' is another definite highlight.

As a cherry atop the cake, the band also plays a brand new song entitled ''The Everlasting'' that is one of the group's heavier tracks in recent memory with steady pace and riffs that could almost be described as thrash metal. If this track represents the direction of the group's upcoming album, then things look promising for the quartet.

Let's Boogie! Live from Telia Parken is an essential release for Volbeat fans and especially those who have already seen the band in concert and know that the quartet is even stronger on stage than on its studio records. It also serves as serviceable introduction to new fans or those who have only been familiar with a few songs so far. The concert is diversified, entertaining and powerful. The band plays perfectly on its own but the numerous guests certainly add even more interest. This concert is often described as the band's biggest and most successful one in terms of crowd attendance and significance and it wouldn't be exaggerated to call this release the greatest in the band's discography so far.

Final rating: 90%

The Human Paradox is the first full length studio record by French Canadian progressive metal quintet Fractal Cypher. The band shows a lot of promise because it has excellent chemistry, mixes classic melodic progressive metal elements with a few fresh influences and convinces with balanced, coherent and focused songwriting.

Complex opener ''Lost'' starts with mysterious Middle Eastern folk elements that only reappear in ambitious album closer ''The Ghost in Myself'' that recalls bands like Myrath and Oprhaned Land. The songs in between are much more inspired by progressive metal acts of the early nineties like Dream Theater and Symphony X. The fast, melodic and technically stunning keyboard solos are particularly outstanding on this release. The guitar work is also phenomenal and finds the perfect balance between gripping riffs and elaborate solos. The rhythm section is complex, rich and tricky but always perfectly integrated into the songwriting. The melodic vocals give the technical musicianship a soothing soul.

An interesting addition are occasional harsh vocals as in ''Imminent Extinction'' that also convinces with sinister narrative passages that give the track a gloomy vibe. Fractal Cypher also convinces in its more melodic moments like the harmonious epic ''Shine a While'' with its strong keyboard melodies. Even the smooth ballad ''Awakening'' with warm string sounds and merry piano notes blends in perfectly as a relaxed change of style in the middle of the album.

Fractal Cypher's The Human Paradox entertains from start to finish and none of the nine progressive metal pearls disappoints. The band has an open mind for heartfelt ballads, classic melodic progressive metal of the nineties and more contemporary extreme progressive metal experiments. No matter what type of progressive metal you prefer, you will find something to appreciate on this release offering generous sixty-five minutes of intellectual entertainment.

Final rating: 93%

Photos taken from https://www.facebook.com/CPNF.Outaouais

The number of groundbreaking progressive metal bands from the province of Quebec and especially from the city of Montreal is absolutely astonishing. Progressive metal veterans Voivod are originally from Jonquière but have been living, recording and working in and around Montreal for decades. Heaven's Cry have recently been reuniting and released two very strong records since then. Beyond Creation has by now reached the status of one of the world's most ambitious extreme metal bands. Even bands that have now split up like the very unusual UneXpect or Les Ékorchés that mixed sludge metal and hardcore elements with electric cello sounds are lost but not forgotten. Montreal's progressive metal scene also features numerous bands that haven't gotten their commercial breakthrough yet such as epic instrumental band Unbeing and the atmospheric and epic science-fiction influenced Fractal Cypher that has just released its extended play Prelude to an Impending Outcome.

If this record is just a prelude, I can't wait to hear what's coming next. This release might only feature four songs but that doesn't mean much in the case of a progressive metal band. What we get here are four songs with lengths varying between just below seven minutes and just above ten minutes for a generous running time of thirty-five minutes that are always dynamic, entertaining and groundbreaking. A look at the imaginative cover artwork already tells us about the record's otherworldly atmosphere, ambitious lyrics and technically stunning musicianship. The great thing is that Fractal Cypher combines intriguing atmosphere, epic storytelling and challenging chord progressions or keyboard solos with touching harmonies, gripping melodies and warm vocals. This is the perfect example of a progressive metal band that finds the right mixture between technical skills and emotional depth. The most balanced, creative and profound track is probably the magnificent ''From the Above and to the Stars''. If you like this song, you are also going to appreciate everything else on this release. There is no filler to be found.

As soon as you hear about a new progressive metal band from the province of Quebec, you can expect at least greatness if not excellence. Fractal Cypher is a young quintet that has such great chemistry that one could believe they have been working together for four decades and not just four years. If you like melodic progressive metal that finds the right balance between technical skills and emotional depth, you can't get around this exciting group.

Final rating: 95%

Merciless Time is the first compilation record of Tunisian progressive folk metal band Myrath. This compilation was exclusively released in Japan. Even though the band has only released four studio records so far, especially the earlier ones are hard to find nowadays. This greatest hits release covers all four records appropriately with twenty-two songs on two discs with a total running time of nearly two hours.

This release covers everything that makes Myrath so particular. It includes shorter tracks like the bittersweet melancholic symphonic folk metal track ''I Want to Die'' or the uplifting power folk metal song ''Believer'' that would do an Assassin's Creed soundtrack justice. Also included are the band's epic progressive pieces like ''Hope'' with its complex riffs and the coherent, consistent and focused ''My Inner War'' that honours popular progressive metal acts of the early nineties such as Dream Theater, King's X and Symphony X in appropriate manner.

This record is the perfect introduction to one of the most unique metal bands of the past decade. Even if you only own one of their records, picking up this carefully chosen compilation is worth your money and time. If the mixture of Middle Eastern folk elements and classic progressive metal intrigues you, then you should purchase this compilation right away.

Final rating: 90%