For several decades, power metal fans had been dreaming of a reunion of Helloween with its former guitarist and singer Kai Hansen and former singer Michael Kiske. Just when such a reunion seemed to be definitely impossible, the septet finally got together four years ago. The group released a decent single with ''Pumpkins United'' and embarked on a strong world tour as documented on the excellent United Alive in Madrid. The full length album however took a lot longer to materialize but now the self-titled record has finally seen the light of day.

This record might not be a masterpiece or album of the year material but is indeed very good and has fulfilled my expectations. The record starts with anthemic, enthusiastic and inspired ''Out for the Glory'' where the three different vocalists can shine in their very own ways. Michael Kiske still hits the high notes perfectly, Kai Hansen has a rougher and meaner approach and Andreas Deris convinces with a darker and lower register. The musicianship is also phenomenal with fast drum play, bumblebee bass guitar sounds and ecstatic extensive solos. The song entertains from start to finish through more than seven minutes that can be celebrated as triumphant return to form for every musician involved.

The album also includes several shorter tunes that offer some welcome breaks and get to the point. ''Best Time'' reminds of Kai Hansen's and MIchael Kiske's Unisonic project with a catchy chorus versus more experimental verses. ''Cyanide'' on the other side has a grittier tone with gripping riffs, playful rhythm section and convincing vocals by Andreas Deris. Japanese bonus track ''We Are Real'' is a true gem as it can be considered an uplifting band anthem with strong performances by all three vocalists and an excellent bass guitar solo.

The two best tunes however come right at the end of the regular version of the record. ''Down in the Dumps'' starts on an eerie atmospheric note and slowly evolves into a fierce heavy metal tune with galloping rhythms before melodic vocal performances from all three singers bring back the epic Helloween trademarks of yore. Closing epic ''Skyfall'' mustn't hide behind the band's legendary longer tunes as it oozes with atmosphere, creativity and melody. From the anthemic opening with melodic guitar leads and Michael Kiske's passionate vocals over the galloping verses with tight drum play and dominant guitar play to the ecstatic and fast finale, this song can be considered the crowning achievement of a very good album and should stand the test the time as a contemporary masterpiece such as ''The King for a Thousand Years'' or ''Occasion Avenue''.

At the end of the day, Helloween's self-titled effort delivers the goods as a collaborative, energetic and inspired return to form that should make heavy and power metal fans around the globe happy. I can't wait to see the band on stage after the pandemic and will try to finally attend one of its concerts.

Final rating: 90%

Timo Tolkki's Avalon was on a dangerous downward spiral with the terribly produced and lifeless Angels of the Apocalypse and the boring and formulaic Return to Eden but the fourth instalment in form of The Enigma Birth marks a certain return to form. That doesn't mean that it can compete with Timo Tolkki's influential power metal milestones of the nineties but it's his best release since the project's first offering eight years earlier.

The songwriting here is short and focused with most songs clocking in at below five minutes. The songs are energetic and get to the point. The organic production is much better than on its two predecessors. The vocals sound fresh, the guitar play is tight, the drums sound powerful, the bass guitar has its shining moments and the perfectly executed occasional neoclassical keyboard sounds are neither too dominant to water the record down nor too unspectacular to be restricted to atmospheric background layers.

The invited guest singers offer mostly inspired performances. Social media phenomenon PelleK delivers the goods in the energetic opener and title track ''The Enigma Birth'' that doesn't take any prisoners. Raphael Mendes shines in the anthemic ''Master of Hell'' that convinces with vibrant bass guitar play balanced by epic keyboard fanfares. Jake E and Brittney Slayes harmonize and unfold their skills in soulful ballad ''The Fire and the Sinner''. My personal highlight is energetic, fast and melodic album closer ''Without Fear'' that features veteran Fabio Lione at his best.

Even though the album grows with every spin, it certainly isn't without its flaws. A truly breathtaking and memorable song is missing among the twelve selections. Timo Tolkki's charismatic fast soloing that reminds me of an angry turkey is almost completely absent on this output. Some vocal performances are slightly underwhelming such as James LaBrie's participation on the forgettable ''Truth''. A few tunes such as the fluffy and forgettable ''Time'' rush by without leaving any impression other than a shrug.

The record certainly can't compete with the new records released by other genre bands such as Galneryus and Helloween in the same week. However, it's Timo Tolkki's greatest achievement in eight long years and a return to form for the project that comes as an unexpected positive surprise. Fans of contemporary power metal who don't mind occasional pop melodies will certainly appreciate this album where Timo Tolkki walks off the beaten path and delivers eight songs without progressive epics and extensive soloing but with focused songwriting and numerous convincing guest performances by mostly young and inspired artists.

Final rating: 75%

American power metal quartet Pharaoh had some notable success in the underground scene about a decade ago and released a series of decent albums. What followed then was an odd break of more than nine years between the predecessor and this release that was already supposed to see the light of day three years ago. However, the long wait is quickly forgotten since the band delivers the goods as if it had never been away.

The record opens with strong title track ''The Powers That Be'' that convinces with excellent vocals finding the perfect balance between grit and melody, powerful yet melodic riffs, playful and at times nearly progressive bass guitar tones and drum patterns and a catchy chorus that grows with every spin.

The band shows different facets in form of sorrowful, haunting and gloomy ''Waiting to Drown'' with atmospheric acoustic guitar passages, rhythmic percussive elements and melodic vocals that unfold in a storytelling manner.

The quartet manages to surprise its listeners on a few occasions without straying too far away from its trademarks. ''Freedom'' might be the best song of the bunch and could be a classic heavy metal tune from the early eighties with galloping rhythm sections, aggressive but melodic guitar riffs and powerful lead vocals supported by fierce backing shouts.

The only elements one could criticize regarding this album are that it rarely uncovers new territories and is missing a truly outstanding song that could become a contemporary classic.

However, Pharaoh's The Powers That Be is an inspired return after a long period of silence. The nine new tunes are balanced, creative and energetic as they should please heavy and power metal fans alike. Let's hope the band resumes touring around the globe once the ongoing pandemic is finally going to be over.

Final rating: 80%

Japanese Folk Metal's first eponymous output was all over the place meandering from extreme metal sounds over folk metal passages to idol pop music. It sounded at times like a mixture of Finntroll, Alestorm and Ladybaby and while I like all these bands, they don't really fit together in a melting pot of seven songs with a total length of only twenty-six minutes.

The group's sophomore output offers more value for money with ten tunes and a total running time of thirty-five minutes. The weird genre potpourri however remains unchanged and sounds like an odd mixture of Turisas, Sigh and Band-Maiko. ''Urameshiya'' for instance features joyful sing-along passages that invite to sing along as if written by Turisas, unusual rhythm changes in the key of Sigh and traditional Japanese folk metal sounds reminding of Band-Maiko. The song features additional vocal performances by Alestorm's lead singer Christopher Bowes as a cherry atop the cake.

The record features two other guest vocalists. Japanese singer Tarachio appears on ''Yasogami'' that starts on an atmospheric, dreamy and mellow note before suddenly erupting into a high-speed metalcore tune with folk elements as raw shouts compete against overtly joyful shanty-like melodies.

Female vocalist Sasaki Shiori performs on ''Ninja Utamaro'' that features dominant synthesizer sounds from the seventies intertwined with old-fashioned folk sounds and odd experimental sound samples. The female vocals actually sound decent and partially harmonize with the smoother male sing-along passages while the extreme metal screams and nerve-firing sound collages destroy the initially promising potential.

At the end of the day, Japanese Folk Metal's sophomore output is as confusing, crazy and diversified as its predecessor. There are some passages such as the use of traditional Japanese folk instruments and melodic guitar work that impress positively while other elements such as abrupt rhythm changes and insane screams sound like funny gimmicks rather than serious musicianship. Even by Japan's experimental standards, Japanese Folk Metal's sophomore output is certainly an acquired taste. The record might be fun to listen to at a party but is ultimately not consistent enough to deserve a purchase.

Final rating: 60%

Mai Yajima is a Japanese symphonic power metal singer that initially started as a rock singer before shifting towards more atmospheric, epic, fast, melodic and technical soundscapes.

Surrounded by four highly talented musicians, the charismatic singer varies from heartfelt slow gothic ballads such as ''蒼色真珠'' over melodic and diversified symphonic metal tracks like ''Velvet Rose'' to relentless power metal outbursts in the key of ''Inferno''. The variable musicianship, the diversified songwriting and the skillful vocals are certainly the highlights on first full length output Vampiress.

On the negative side, the production could certainly be more organic. Especially the bass guitar and the drums could add some more oomph as they are buried under dominant keyboard sounds and neoclassical guitar solos. While the record's diversity can be perceived as a strength, some people might argue that Mai Yajima hasn't quite found her own style yet and sounds similar to other female-fronted Japanese power metal bands such as Fate Gear, Lovebites and Schönberg.

At the end of the day, Mai Yajima's Vampiress is highly recommended to fans of other female-fronted Japanese power metal bands. The record entertains from start to finish and finds the perfect balance between entertainment and skills, melody and speed as well as trademarks and variety. While a truly outstanding tune might still be missing, the album doesn't include any fillers and its enthusiasm should put a big smile upon your face.

Final rating: 80%