by Sebastian Kluth
I was looking forward to finally check out a couple of albums from this intriguing Russian one-man project that is known for the high amount of releases, the original ambient music, the diversified culture and science topics, the great cover artworks...
“Come Clarity” is a transitional album for In Flames. They combine their melodic death metal roots with a modern sound that has already been prominent on the previous records and add a mixture of experimental but at the same time more commercial material...
Sinisthra claim to play gothic metal on their debut record but the music here has nothing to do with bands such as Crematory, Lacrimosa, Moonspell, Paradise Lost or Type O Negative which I would consider as important pioneer bands of the genre. Sinisthra...
The amazing cover artwork of this decent release seems to indicate a very dark and mysterious album but this isn't the case. Krypteria put much darker tracks on their previous and following record. This album her is probably their most modern record....
This fourth album of Liechtenstein's best band "Elis" is a new beginning after the sudden death of their calm, hypnotizing and unique singer Sabine Dünser that was replaced by the Austrian singer Sandra Schleret. She is not as unique and charismatic as...
"Die verbannten Kinder Evas" is one of the most spiritual ambient dark wave bands that should please to anyone that likes to listen to calm and atmospheric from time to time to dream away. In comparison to other bands from the gothic scene, the Austrian...
Eleven years after the rather mellow “Voivod lives”, the French Canadian masterminds of progressive thrash metal release this final offering honouring the works of their legendary late guitar player Denis “Piggy” D’Amour with three quarters of the band’s...
This Norwegian progressive metal band with the great cover artwork can be described as a calmer version of "Nevermore". The band's influence can especially be heard in the rather mellow and faceless opener and title track "Conspiracy in mind" and the...
That's what I call a very unusual single. After six years of silence the very interesting Finnish band "Hevein" comes back with a single song of a length of almost ten minutes that honours the first Australians and their country. Alongside with the song...
After three heavy metal releases, the German legend "Grave Digger" decided to cut off the first word of their name and recorded a record with a more commercial attempt to gain success in North America and make more money. While the band wrote the music...
Normally, I still happen to like releases by famous metal bands that have been heavily bashed by fans, journalists and critics. Those albums break with the past of the band and try out something fresh and new. The bands try to evolve and move on. While...
Everything on this album seemed to promise me a great record. I adore the historical topic of the Maya history and culture. I like most of the bands in which the members of this new project have been involved before. I am a big fan of symphonic metal...
After four long years the charismatic American progressive metal band comes back after a strong predecessor with more than eighty minutes of music. Already the first epic title track "Iconoclast" proves that the band has put all their technical skills,...
When it comes to talk about one of my favourite band's debut album, I feel torn between many diversified and innovating tracks and complete lack of coherence concerning the composition of the album. I feel torn in between many lacks in the song writing...
Krypteria's In Medias Res has obtained a lot of negative reviews in the metal world and most of those don't do this album justice. I would like to cite several simple reasons and tell you about the true quality of this record and how you should take it....
“A pale horse named death” is a band with a very cool name and a great album cover that plays first of all a melancholic mixture of gothic and doom metal in the key of “Type 0 Negative”. Even though the influence of this band is omnipresent and weighs...
This first of album of Krypteria has not much to do with the later band of the same name. It's a musical project that unites the genres of classic music, new age music, folk music, soft pop music, electronic and disco music. The initial double album that...
Before Kruiz became one of the first and most important speed metal bands in Eastern Europe that also gathered some attention outside of the Soviet Union, the band played commercial hard rock that is clearly influenced by European chart breakers such...
"Evolution Principle" is a quite accurate title for this EP. It is placed in between the rather classic orientated and calm In Medias Res and the band's first full length symphonic or gothic metal debut which was Bloodangel's Cry. This EP features three...
Music of Mass Destruction is a live album recorded by American thrash metal veterans Anthrax when John Bush was still fronting the band. This package includes a DVD with the entire concert consisting of sixteen songs as well as two additional tunes and...
After three good conceptual albums about medieval legacies, Grave Digger broke free from their boundaries with a new line-up and concept. On this eponymous record, the band starts in a fresh and new way into a new millennium and created a loosely bound...
If you like traditional classic heavy metal bands from Russia such as "Aria", "Master" or "Kruiz", this consistent and yet diversified debut album from a rather unknown band outside of Russia is definitely worth your attention. "Chornyi Kofe" is clearly...
"Korrozia Metalla" delivers an energizing piece of fast Thrash Metal on this first record. The band uses sharp and speedy riffs, a couple of great solos and short but effective and catchy choruses. Songs like the fast paced and very aggressive "Motorocker"...
It may sound like a bad joke but the exotic Hungarian Gothic or Symphonic Metal band Without Face sounds quite faceless on their debut album. In only eight songs and a quite short running time, they establish a chaotic style where a boring male and more...
After the stunning first full length record "Shade Of Fate", the Bulgarian progressive metal band Pantommind didn't only try to copy its first album but tried out a couple of new things on this second album. While this progression seems very positive...
