It's incredible what new vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen did to a band that seemed dead and gone and never managed to live up to its potential since its influential debut. The young Danish dynamite revitalized the old band that came back with a bang in form of the self-titled record three years ago that was followed by an energetic tour that more metal fans around the world should have attended. The Coffin Train keeps the momentum of the previous comeback and offers fresh, juvenile and powerful heavy metal with an excellent contemporary production.

The record starts with a bang in form of ''Belly of the Beast'' that doesn't have anything to do with the Anthrax song of the same title but ironically flirts with thrash metal influences in a highly energetic way. The vivid vocals really stand out and give some additional oomph to the speedy rhythm section and tight guitar play. 

Title track ''The Coffin Train'' shows the band's other side with a more atmospheric and melodic touch and quite modern melodic vocals that successfully bring the band's sound to the twenty-first century. This song would be a great single to introduce the band to the next generation in my book.

Those who are rather craving for melodic traditional doom and heavy metal should be pleased with the plodding but intense ''Shades of Black''. 

If you tend to like it a little bit faster you will get something to chew on with the vibrant ''Death by Design'' with its catchy guitar lines and versatile vocals that also flirt with hard rock territories. 

The band also shows a more experimental side with the soothing ''Serrated Love'' that flirts with oriental folk sounds and a domineering bass guitar.

Atmospheric, epic and melodic ''Until We Burn'' is the album closer you have been waiting for without knowing it that unites all the different strengths of the band showcased in the previous tunes. This track is my personal highlight of the record and represents epic melodic heavy metal at its very best that can indeed compete with the classics of the early eighties.

In case you haven't noticed, Diamond Head are back, ladies and gentlemen, and The Coffin Train might be the band's greatest release since its debut nearly four decades earlier. The veterans are better than most young heavy metal revival bands out there and this is mostly due to excellent new vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen. Get this record and attend one of the group's energizing concerts.

Final rating: 90%

Two years after its very good last full length effort, Russian heavy metal band Phaeton comes around with what might be its most mellow and melodic release yet in form of a short extended play. The creepy cover artwork is actually quite misleading in that regard.

The three new songs offer melodic heavy metal that flirts with power metal thanks to particularly smooth guitar sounds, inoffensive rhythm section, crystal clear vocals and the moderate use of calm keyboard parts. The fluffy production suits the release well and recalls groups such as Epiclore.

The songwriting could be better as the tracks are neither adventurous nor catchy enough to leave a mark. The opening tune is creative and versatile enough to justify its extensive length but the other two tracks are fairly average in that regard and fail to leave a lasting impression.

To keep it short, Phaeton's new release will please those who like smooth heavy and power metal but it's ultimately the band's least remarkable record to date. It's decent for what it is but not more. After two imaginative full length outputs, this is a step backwards. Let's hope the band's next full length release is a little more emotional, powerful and surprising.

Final rating: 63%

Russian quintet Pokerface plays vibrant melodic thrash metal on its latest extended play The Greatest Storm. The production is clean and crisp and doesn't lose any energy despite its contemporary style. The songwriting is focused with four tracks between four and five minutes that never overstay their welcome. Some thrash metal veterans that tend to stretch their tracks and repeat themselves endlessly should take notes.

The musicianship is also excellent. Powerful opener and title track ''The Greatest Storm'' actually starts with a bass solo and the instrument is quite domineering in that regard throughout the record. The drums sound tight without being too flashy which suits this genre very well. The mixture of energetic riffs versus great melodic leads and solos is perfectly balanced.

The definite highlight are though the stunning lead vocals by Alexandra Orlova. One might underestimate her due to her participation in the silly Korrozia Metalla but she is one of the greatest female vocalist in the metal scene. She nails the melodic passages with emotive intensity but also handles the rawer parts with grit and offers some haunting screams at the right moment. Lady Owl is only twenty-five years old and one should keep an eye on her as there might be more great performances to come in the future. She easily beats overrated singers like Alissa White-Gluz and the likes.

In the end, if you like contemporary thrash metal with outstanding vocals, you should check Pokerface out for sure and this compact, entertaining and passionate extended play is a great place to start with.

Final rating: 90%

Norwegian pagan metal quartet Kampfar's eight studio record Ofidians Manifest is a solid melodic black metal record that convinces most in its most atmospheric, epic and progressive tracks that showcase the band's ambition, creativity and talent.

''Dominans'' convinces with sinister symphonic soundscapes and hypnotizing female chants that complement the clean vocals on the verge of clean techniques and very raw undertones perfectly. The explosive ''Natt'' has a wonderful middle section with an appeasing piano solo that makes the blistering parts around it so much more efficient. The diversified ''Eremitt'' has a similar approach but the piano notes sound quite uneasy and provide an additional bleak note to the varied track that might be the best of the bunch.

Not all tracks are as great as the record's stunning middle section. Opener ''Syndefall'' includes too many ideas in just four minutes and offers a somewhat complicated start. Album closer ''Det sorte'' on the other side can be seen as a summary of the record as it includes elements offered in this release's best tunes which are though unnecessarily stretched as the song would have sounded much more compact in five minutes than in eight and a half.

If you like atmospheric, creative and experimental black metal, you can't get around Kampfar's Ofidians Manifest. All seven tracks are richly detailed and grow with every consecutive spin. The unique cover artwork somewhere between horror and originality represents the music on this record very well.

Final rating: 75%