Whenever Dutch innovator Arjen Anthony Lucassen releases a new record, it's a celebration day for progressive rock and metal fans around the world. At the age of sixty-one, the Dutch giant currently experiences a second spring as could be witnessed with the last release by Ayreon entitled Transitus that was an atmospheric conceptual progressive metal opera of the grandest quality. Twelve years after its last studio album, the mastermind has now revived his project Star One with its excellent third studio album Revel in Time. It might not be as great as the latest Ayreon offering but it comes very close and should be of interest for any progressive rock and metal fan.

This album comes along with two discs, both featuring the same eleven songs but different choices regarding the impressive number of skilled vocalists. Both the regular version and the alternative version convince in their different imaginative facets and offer much replay value. This certainly is an album to discover over and over again as patient listeners will be rewarded while those who prefer downloads, playlists and singles might not fully grasp the excellent quality of this output.

For the sake of sanity, I will refer to the regular versions of the different songs. Opener ''Fate of Men'' starts with wonderfully atmospheric keyboard layers before vibrant bass guitar, tight drums and powerful guitar riffs transform this song into a catchy up-tempo stomper that represents a perfect single choice. Vocals are provided by confident, energetic and natural Brittney Hayes of up-and-coming Canadian power metal band Unleash the Archers that shows that Arjen Anthony Lucassen isn't living in the past but very well aware of the next generation of talented musicians and singers.

Now, if you want epic progressive rock masterpieces, you will certainly get some on Revel in Time. ''28 Days (Till the End of Time)'' for instance oozes with cinematic atmosphere, subtle changes and creative ideas as it clocks in at seven and a half minutes. In this case, the vocals are provided by regular collaborator Michael Romeo and his boundless passion, impressive range and remarkable talent are used much better in the projects of the Dutch wizard than in his main band Symphony X that has released its last lacklustre effort almost seven years ago and hasn't been doing much ever since. It's quite remarkable that Arjen Anthony Lucassen is able to use his guest musicians and singers better than they are able to do themselves in their regular bands. This underlines the mastermind's empathy, experience and vision.

''Today Is Yesterday'' certainly deserves a special shoutout. This gritty, mysterious and sinister progressive gothic metal masterpiece pushes the boundaries as the project and its mastermind break new ground. Vocals are provided by Swedish multitasker Dan Swanö who has participated in more bands and projects that I could mention. His gloomy, low and menacing vocal style is one of a kind. You're either going to love or to loathe it. As you can read, I'm most definitely in the former camp as this song is the record's hidden gem for me.

Ambitious album closer and courageous single choice ''Lost Children of the Universe'' clocks in at nearly ten minutes and combines smooth progressive rock soundscapes with some atmospheric doom metal passages. Vocals are provided by perfect candidate Tony Martin, Black Sabbath's most underrated vocalist who hasn't released anything noteworthy in two and a half decades. Now that he convinces with his charismatic, emotional and gloomy vocals on Revel in Time, he also attempts to restart his solo career and certainly deserves some attention after leaving such a remarkable impression here.

As you can read, Star One's Revel in Time is an atmospheric, creative and playful progressive rock and metal milestone that continues Arjen Anthony Lucassen's streak of excellent releases throughout the past five years in particular. This record might already be an early candidate for album of the year for genre fans. Let's hope that the mastermind's impressive streak continues and that this material might even be performed in concert once the pandemic is finally over.

Final Rating: 90%

Band founder and leader Jeff Waters certainly hasn't always made the best decisions for his band Annihilator. This includes an incredible number of line-up changes such as having four different singers on the first four studio albums. That tendency continues with a quickly revolving set of live musicians who don't always have perfect chemistry with the ambitious, gifted and talented band leader. The fact that Jeff Waters has moved from Ottawa to Vancouver and then back to Ottawa to finally immigrate to the United Kingdom certainly didn't make things any easier. The quality of the releases also had some shifts and changes, especially in the chaotic late nineties and the rather underwhelming early years of the millennium. His worst decision thus far might however have been to record the album Metal again. The final result here is blandly entitled Metal II and features eleven songs for a total running time of fifty-nine minutes.

The original album was already problematic back in the days. Instead of recording said record with a stable line-up including underrated guitarist and singer Dave Padden, that record was overloaded with guest musicians and singers that made the final record sound like an unbalanced compilation of cacophonically improvised jam sessions. Now, that record has been re-recorded with yet another set of musicians, namely drumming legend Dave Lombardo and Canadian singer Stu Block. The latter's overtly dramatic vocals and the former's dominant drum play make the final result even tougher to digest. Plus, it's a slap in the face for Dave Padden who provided some stability to the band line-up which lead to some of the group's best albums. In addition to the line-up issues, the songwriting here is bland and boring as there isn't one single remotely memorable track to be found.

The purpose of this release is as problematic as its quality. Apparently, this album foreshadows a series of releases helmed by infamous earMUSIC. That German label has tried the same thing with numerous other artists and has failed multiple times when fans were getting excited and ended up being immensely disappointed. Gamma Ray's rereleases only made it to the fourth studio album and included numerous vapid live records instead of promoting the band's greatest efforts from the late nineties and early years of the new millennium. An even worse case is what has been done to power metal legends Stratovarius, as their series of rereleases randomly started with the eighth studio record and a live album from the same era and was never continued. It's quite obvious that those rereleases didn't sell as much as they were supposed to be. If the label couldn't promote the rereleases of popular metal bands such as Gamma Ray and Stratovarius properly, then the attempt to do so with Canadian underdog Annihilator is probably destined to fail. To start things with an unpopular rerecording of an unstable record from the middle years certainly is a dreadful start confirming the worst expectations right from the start.

The only reason why this horrible output deserves five percent is because of Jeff Waters' skillful technical guitar play. Everything else from unimpressive songwriting over a dreadful rerelease strategy to an overload of underperforming guest musicians and vocalists is absolutely disappointing. Jeff Waters' streak of weird decisions continues even after almost four decades in the business as he has now reached age fifty-six. One has to wonder whether he will ever learn from his mistakes. My best advice would be to settle someplace stable, get a reliable line-up that should participate in songwriting duties and to focus on the future instead of digging in the past like a desperate tomb raider.

Final Rating: 5%

Just like their genre colleagues Katatonia, gothic metal pioneers Paradise Lost have decided to play a concert without audience during the ongoing pandemic, in this case at The Mill Nightclub in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The band has decided to play sixteen songs from all eras of the group, including live debuts of three tunes from last studio record Obsidian. The final result is offered as a package including a CD and a blu-ray but there are also digital and vinyl versions available.

This release's main strength is the diversity of its setlist. New songs like the melancholic, melodic and memorable doom metal monster ''Fall from Garce'' work splendidly with the band's excellent chemistry as four of the founding members are still on board and have been playing music together for nearly three decades and a half as we speak.

The recording also includes a few more catchy, commercial and smooth tunes from the middle years such as the short yet gripping and entertaining ''One Second''. It's great to see that this band respects all its records, phases and eras.

Paradise Lost also offers several cuts from its early years that have helped developing the gothic metal genre. The song ''Gothic'' in particular finds  a perfect balance between cold riffs and growls on one side as well as melodic female vocals and beautiful guitar harmonies on the other side.

The sound of this release is clear, energetic and organic. The vocals sound crystal clear at all time, no matter if we listen to clean or harsh vocals. The guitar sound is gripping, melodic and tight in the lead and rhythm department, convincing with both sinister riffs and uplifting solos. The bass guitar is audible, dynamic and vibrant as it provides the backing for the creative gothic metal soundscapes. The drum play by the band's most recent member Waltteri Väyrynen has great flow and swagger as it mixes playful sections with tight passages.

This record is however not without some obvious flaws. First and foremost, this concert would have worked so much better with even just a little audience in front of the band. This release simply can't replace the atmosphere, chemistry and energy of an actual concert.

Up next, some sounds come from a tape. This is not only the case for some soothing keyboard sections but especially for a few female guest vocals. As the latter appear, viewers will confusedly be looking for the additional singer who just isn't there. Perhaps this kind of material with guest musicians who couldn't attend these recordings should have been avoided in the first place. 

Finally, the band members don't communicate at all with the public or even with one another. This leads to a distant, cold and at times awkward atmosphere. One could think that this goes along with the stylistics of a gothic metal band but in the case of an actual concert released for public, it comes off as somewhat unmotivated, lacklustre and antisocial.

At the end of the day, Paradise Lost's At the Mill still has much more benefits than downsides. It offers an excellent summary of the band's impressive career with seventy-four minutes of diversified, energetic and inspired gothic metal music. This release should therefore please fans of old date as much as potential new followers.

Final Rating: 85%

The Samans is a quartet from Changchun in Jilin Province that plays a mixture of melodic death metal, industrial metal and folk metal. The band has recorded a series of four very good extended plays early in its career but then stopped releasing new music for more than seven years. This promising group has now come back with a bang in form of its first full length effort SagaxMononlogue. To be more precise, this release is actually a combination of two extended plays that serves as perfect introduction to the band's multiple soundscapes.

Saga is a very creative, diversified and energetic release that combines melodic death metal sounds with European folk sounds thanks to the use of Highland Pipe and Uilleann Pipe played by French guest musician Geoffroy Dell'Aria. Opener ''Seonsaeng" is a gripping melodic death metal tune that transmits a chaotic, powerful and relentless vibe that should work splendidly in concert. ''Where the Nightingales Sing'' offers more appeasing, melodic and nostalgic layers with its use of folk instruments. This song finds the right balance between enchanting atmosphere and powerful attitude. Instrumental epic ''The Lamb Sutra'' has a cinematic, enchanting and soothing vibe that offers a welcome break from the worries of the world and invites to dream yourself far away. Saga finds the right balance between The Samans' different genre shifts and is easily the band's greatest extended play thus far.

The second extended play Monologue sounds completely differently and enters alternative rock territory combined with harmonious, longing and melancholic folk sounds. ''Dead Rockstar's Monologue'' might be the most memorable song of the bunch with its refreshingly simple sing-along passages and sounds like a mixture of Ensiferum and My Chemical Romance. This description might sound odd on paper and might not please genre traditionalists but the outcome certainly offers an inspired, surprising and unique listening experience. Closing instrumental tune ''Syndrome X'' ends this mellower second extended play on a soft note with sound samples meandering between noisy chaos and relaxing piano notes that would make for an excellent tune to conclude a concert on tape as the band is greeting the crowd and exiting the stage. This cinematic conclusion offers yet another different soundscape of the band and shows how inspired this group is. At the end of the day however, Monologue is a little bit less fleshed out, memorable and poignant than Saga and realistically classifies as good effort but not as one of the band's greatest hours.

As you can read, The Samans' SagaxMonologue should be interesting for fans of old age who might have almost forgotten about them and potential new fans from all around the world. The band's combination of alternative rock, folk rock and melodic death metal might occasionally remind of bands such as Amon Amarth, Eluveitie and Linkin Park but the final result certainly sounds very unique. This genre combination sounds like no other group and deserves both attention and appreciation. With Saga being the band's greatest extended play thus far and Monologue qualifying for the middle section in the group's discography, the final result is a very good first full length effort that goes to show that belief, longevity and resilience can indeed lead to very positive results. Here's hope that The Samans will finally get some more reactions around the world and that the group's next release won't take another seven to eight years to see the light of day.

Final Rating: 80%

Spiral Grave is an American doom and heavy metal band built upon the remnants of criminally underrated genre veterans Iron Man after their guitarist and founding member Al Morris III died much too soon. Legacy of the Anointed is the band's first studio album and should please anyone who appreciates doom metal in the key of Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Saint Vitus to only name a few examples. The record sounds heavy, organic and thunderous which gives it a timeless feeling that should please fans of any age.

''Nightmare on May Eve'' is a very good opener with powerful, relentless and thunderous rhythm section, aggressive, distorted and sinister guitar play and vocals that find the perfect balance between melody and roughness. This song certainly doesn't reinvent the genre but entertains thoroughly through six and a half atmospheric, powerful and tight minutes. This track would indeed have deserved a spot on a regular Iron Man output if the group were still around.

''Modern Day Golden Calf'' aims for more sinister territory with its slightly dragging mid-tempo pace, distorted down-tuned guitar play and gloomy vocals. The song also breaks the six-minute mark and would deserve its righteous spot on the soundtrack of any horror movie honouring the American genre classics of the late seventies and early eighties.

Up next comes ''Out of My Head'' that is firmly rooted in mid-tempo pacing with a few upper tempo rhythm changes giving the song the atmosphere of a raw jam session in some garage. The vocals are a little bit grittier as well and include even a few very brief growls. It's refreshing to hear such a more experimental tune that breaks a little bit with genre traditions.

The next track ''Nothing'' also has an interesting experimental vibe with its smooth middle section with dominant bass guitar sounds, quick guitar picking sounds and airy, distant and dreamy vocals. This almost otherworldly transition is well integrated into a swaggering doom metal tune meandering between mid-paced and slow passages.

Another surprising tune is ''Tanglefoot''. It's easily the fastest and most rhythmic tune on the album and reminds of early heavy metal influenced by the spirit of the punk wave. Even the raw vocals and some explicit lyrics evoke memories of Paul Di'Anno's years in Iron Maiden in the late seventies and early eighties. Even though the surprising middle section briefly flirts with almost psychedelic power ballad territory, this song here certainly takes no prisoners and should work splendidly at an energetic concert.

Closing epic ''Abgrund'' with its German title breaks the eight-minute mark and offers sinster doom metal at its very best with cinematic sound samples in the introduction, a fast middle section with pitiless high-pitched screams, rapid guitar riffs and dynamic rhythm section as well as a slow, menacing and slightly chaotic coda that should send shivers down your spine.

As you can read, Spiral Grave is the spiritual successor to Iron Man and offers an excellent debut record with Legacy of the Anointed. The eight songs clocking in at forty-five minutes grow with every spin as they offer traditional doom metal at its very best with a few creative surprises in the songwriting department. It's a mystery to me why this great record wasn't properly promoted by metal magazines and praised by genre fans. However, you can still change this record's fate and save it from obscurity. Spiral Grave's Legacy of the Anointed and Al Morris III's legacy with Iron Man certainly deserve more acclaim, attention and respect. Purchase this greatest doom metal record of the last year and attend one of the band's concerts once the pandemic has slowed down.

Final Rating: 90%