• Sonata Arctica - Acoustic Adventures (Volume Two)

    Sonata Arctica's Acoustic Adventures (Volume Two) are from the same sessions as the first volume that was released earlier this year. The Finnish quintet has actually been playing acoustic shows for quite a while now and it was only a matter of time until the band would release some acoustic albums as well. It would have been better to insert a regular studio album between these two acoustic efforts for the sake of diversity but the final results are nonetheless satisfying for fans of the band's more recent material that sounds rather soothing, relaxing and introspective.

    The good news is that this second release is even slightly better than its predecessor. The main reason for this increase in quality is a more balanced production without overtly loud keyboard sounds or vocals. This record here flows very well and sounds coherent from start to finish.

    Another interesting element is that some of the chosen songs sound very different from their original versions. This is for instance the case for closing ballad ''Victoria's Secret'' that sounds quite playful and quirky here but comes around with a shorter and more concise running time. ''Half a Marathon Way'' almost enters progressive rock territories with its intriguing changes and also clocks in roughly one minute under its original running time.

    Some songs really shine in their enchanting acoustic settings. Empowering band anthem ''I Have a Right'' sounds even more empathic in its stripped-down version and opens the record on a high note. The playful ''Black Sheep'' shines in a rhythmic country rock style that is much more distinctive than its original version in my opinion.

    Other songs however don't benefit from their acoustic renditions. The most obvious case here is the classic band anthem ''FullMoon'' that sounds so energetic in its original version and simply needs to be played at full volume and be sang along to in concert. The acoustic version however doesn't have the original's liberating power and invites a lot less to sing along. This rendition sounds tame and only qualifies as slightly above average tune that doesn't leave a significant mark. Similar things could be said about ''My Land'' that is even slightly longer than its original version and lacking the energy of the original version. It doesn't clash as much with its original version as the aforementioned song does but certainly can't compete with it either and fails to leave a lasting impression.

    At the end of the day, those who have purchased the first volume of these acoustic renditions should also buy this second effort that is even slightly better due to a more balanced production. However, the acoustic versions overall can't compete with the original songs despite a few creative reinterpretations here and there. Those who have been criticizing Sonata Arctica's mellower style in recent years should actually avoid both releases altogether. On the other side, fans of the band's softer side will find much depth on both records and could enjoy listening to these to relax on upcoming could autumn and winter nights.

    Final Rating: 72%

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  • Grave Digger - Symbol of Eternity (2022)

    Legendary German heavy metal quartet Grave Digger has certainly been very prolific throughout the past decade, releasing seven studio albums in the past ten years. However, the releases had significant ups and downs with atmospheric, creative and epic highlights such as Clash of the Gods and with old-fashioned, predictable, repetitive albums such as Return of the Reaper. Symbol of Eternity isn't as disastrous as the band's worst offerings but it sadly has more things in common with the band's lowlights than with its highlights.

    Opening track ''Battle Cry'' is a very good example for the aforementioned thesis. Upon first contact, the song seems quite decent. The guitar play is fast, fierce and heavy. The rhythm section is precise and thunderous. The verses sound aggressive while the chorus aims to be anthemic. The intense, raw and throaty vocals add oomph to the verses while being complemented by choirs in the epic refrain. The song doesn't overstay its welcome as it clocks in under four minutes. The main issue however is that the band has been recording this type of song time and again. One can't shake the feeling to have heard the song before and yet, it doesn't have any distinctive qualities to make it stand out. Once the song has rushed by, it simply won't stay on your mind and doesn't leave any significant impression.

    The same thing could be said about fast-paced heavy metal stomper ''Hell Is My Purgatory''. The song is aggressive, quick and traditional as it recalls material from recent side project Hellryder. While the song might make fans want to bang their heads in concert, it simply can't compete with the group's classic heavy metal anthems from the nineties and early years of the new millennium. Once again, the songwriting sounds rehashed and is by the numbers as it will only please the most traditional fans who don't want this band to experiment and expand its horizons.

    Luckily, the album's few more experimental tunes manage to save the day and make an average album at least decent. ''Grace of God'' for instance opens with campfire guitar sounds that lead to symphonic heavy metal sections with epic keyboard sounds. A few creative percussive elements keep the creativity going. The vocals vary intriguingly between slow and melodic sections on one side and aggressive and fierce passages on the other side. This is certainly the record's most versatile, inspired and memorable song.

    Closing bonus track ''Hellas Hellas'' is a cover song performed in Greek with original singer Vasilis Papakonstantinou who is already seventy-two years old. This song comes completely out of left field and turns out being a simple heavy metal song with a playful, memorable and almost danceable vibe, therefore combining Grave Digger's trademark style and the song's original tone. This tune is certainly a refreshing tribute to Greek culture and should strike a chord with fans upon the band's next concert in Greece.

    At the end of the day, Grave Digger's Symbol of Eternity is a decent heavy metal record with all of the band's classic trademarks such as energetic melodic guitar play, thunderous rhythm section and raw vocals. Sadly, the songwriting is repetitive, predictable and old-fashioned but the band manages to break new ground on a few select successful occasions. Symbol of Eternity can therefore be recommended to adamant traditional heavy metal aficionados and faithful fans of the band but occasional listeners or fans of the band's more creative conceptual efforts should skip this output. On a positive side note, the limited edition includes a decent live record with ten songs and an introduction that is certainly worth the slightly more elevated price and rates this release up by a few points.

    Final Rating: 67%

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  • Edenbridge - Shangri-La (2022)

    Austrian quintet Edenbridge has been one of the world's greatest yet most overlooked symphonic power metal bands in the early years of its career. The band's mixture of classical music, folk and new age elements, power metal guitar work, heavy metal rhythm section and the lead singer's charismatic elegant vocals was adventurous, balanced, charismatic, epic and intellectually appealing. Records such as Sunrise in Eden, Arcana, Aphelion and Shine have triumphantly stood the test of time and beat everything similar bands like Within Temptation, Nightwish and Evanescence released at the same time. 

    Edenbridge continued to release two very good albums with The Grand Design and MyEarthDream that were more progressive, intellectual and complex and needed some more time to grow. Ever since then however, the band has only been releasing average to boring outputs, but I have kept checking them out since I know the excellent potential of this band. The band's songwriting became blurry, predictable and repetitive as the last few records failed to leave significant marks. I'm glad to announce that Shangri-La is a huge step in the right direction and easily Edenbridge's best album in fourteen years.

    The band's songwriting finally sounds balanced, focused and sharp again. Perhaps this is due to the break imposed on the band due to the coronavirus or the release of the most recent compilation that made the group reevaluate its past achievements. I can only speculate but whatever the reason might be, it's great that this significant improvement has been happening. Let's take atmospheric, epic and playful opener ''At First Light'' that fluidly and playfully meanders between power metal and symphonic metal while incorporating elements of classical music, folk music and soundtracks that would do any ambitious fantasy movie justice. Despite its ambitious length of eight minutes, the song feels half as long and makes you want to push the repeat button right away.

    ''Somewhere Else but Here'' on the other side is an excellent single choice. The track features convincing heavy metal guitar work, steady rhythm section and mystic vocals that are catchy without sounding by the numbers. The song gets to the point if four and a half energetic and energizing minutes. This song should work splendidly in concert and could become a new band anthem.

    On the other side, ''Savage Land'' convinces with its reduced musicianship, organic vocals and imaginative folk soundscapes that invite listeners to dream themselves far away. This new age ballad grows with every spin and is this album's hidden gem that is worth being discovered time and again.

    One also has to point out closing epic ''The Bonding (Parts 2)'' that is more than sixteen minutes long. While the first part overstayed its welcome, needed multiple spins to grow and didn't always sound coherent, this second part does everything right. The song sounds much shorter than it actually is. The different sections meandering from energetic heavy metal over melodious power metal to epic symphonic metal and laid-back folk metal are cleverly interwoven and showcase the band's vast soundscapes perfectly. This song is an instant classic but still manages to grow with every single spin.

    The only reasons why this album doesn't achieve an even higher rating are because some of the other songs are only of a good average quality and fail to leave a mark and because Sabine Edelsbacher's vocals don't sound as uplifting as in the band's early years which might come naturally with her age. If this same album had been recorded in the band's prime one and a half decades ago, this record might have sounded even more convincing. Despite those minor flaws, Edenbridge's Shangri-La is nevertheless album of the year material for any fan of symphonic and folk metal sounds.

    To keep it short, Edenbridge's Shangri-La oozes with creativity, diversity and intellect as it entertains from start to finish. The record's most adventurous songs work perfectly well upon first impression and even have the potential to grow as time goes by. This is the kind of record you should definitely purchase physically, listen to every now and then and you will be enjoying this convincing return to form for a very long period of time.

    Final Rating: 80%

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  • Stratovarius - Survive (2022)

    After having released a new album every second year since the departure of main songwriter and lead guitarist Timo Tolkki, Finnish power metal quintet Stratovarius took a whopping seven years to release its sixteenth studio album Survive. Many fans have been hoping that the band would sound creative, experimental and rejuvenated on this comeback record. The sad truth however is that Survive offers melodic power metal by the numbers without any songs that stand the chance to go down as future classics.

    Opening title track ''Survive'' is an excellent example for this phenomenon. The song doesn't sound too bad upon first contact. The guitar work finds the perfect balance between harmony and heaviness. The bass guitar and drum play work hand in hand to form a thunderous backbone for the song. The keyboards enhance the track's cinematic, dramatic and epic atmosphere without taking too much space. The melodic vocals have a sense of urgency in the verses and sound uplifting in the chorus. The production is loud, modern and almost overwhelming at times. However, one simply can't shake the feeling that this song resembles so many others the band has recently been writing. Take the epic note of ''My Eternal Dream'', the triumphant chorus in a gloomier setting from ''Abandon'' and the catchiness of the chorus of ''Darkest Hours'' and you get a very good idea of what ''Survive'' sounds like. A positive conclusion would be to say that the band remains faithful to its trademark sounds. A more accurate evaluation however makes even the most adamant fan realize that the band is copying itself without reaching the poignant quality of the original material.

    Another issue is that many songs rush by and fail to leave a deeper impression. They might sound decent while they last but once the record is over, one simply can't remember anything about them anymore. The term fast food power metal comes to mind. ''Firefly'' for instance is short, focused and energetic but missing the creative spark that makes it stand out. 

    Or let's take the harmonious campfire ballad ''Breakaway'' that simply can't compete with the band's numerous outstanding calmer songs released in the late nineties and early years of the millennium. 

    Something similar has to be said about ambitious album closer ''Voice of Thunder'' that sounds enjoyably fluid through more than eleven minutes but fails to come around with a trademark style that made so many past epics stand the test of time.

    At the end of the day, Stratovarius' Survive is an aimless record that rehashes past ideas and ends up feeling somewhat hollow. This album can only be recommended to adamant fans of the band while occasional listeners shouldn't waste their money on this uninspired comeback release. The album isn't dreadful to be honest but tamely average and the band's least inspired release since Polaris thirteen and a half years earlier. On an ironic side note, Survive's album cover shows the album art of Stratovarius' controversial self-titled effort on a mountain of trash. However, Survive is only just a little bit better than that oddball and might deserve its own spot on a future dump. To conclude on a positive note, the limited Japanese version of this output at least includes a bonus live album with thirteen songs, including band classics and hidden pearls, that deserves some attention.

    Final Rating: 65%

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