Harmony - Theatre Of Redemption (2014)

I'm always nervous when a band comes off a really strong release, and then for whatever reason, makes a big change in the line-up.  These changes are often necessary, either due to stability (or lack thereof) within a band, or sometimes, a member needs to leave a group for various personal and/or professional reasons.  Whatever the impetus for change, fans of the band in its previous incarnation either have to hope that the band will carry on and be as good (or better) than they were, or perhaps even fold, since they'll have little chance to match what they've done in the past.

I'm a big Harmony fan.  I dug the End Of My Road EP, and the subsequent album Chapter II: The Aftermath.  I'd say more than enjoyed, because Chapter II is one of my favorite power metal albums of all time, and I rather thought vocalist Henrik Bath was a perfect fit for the band's sound.  Truth be told, I preferred his work with Harmony to what he's done on the flipside with Darkwater.  I've always felt as though Darkwater is just shy of greatness, but the songs just haven't quite hit me the way that Harmony's material did.  So if Henrik left Harmony to focus on Darkwater, let's just hope that he brings his "A" game on the next album, because his departure from Harmony hurt my heart a little.

Having said that, Harmony scored a major win with Henrik's replacement, former Lost Horizon vocalist Daniel Heiman.  It's not clear whether or not he'll be joining as a permanent member or just provided session vocals, but it's no secret that in the early 2000's, Lost Horizon set the power metal world on fire with both "Awakening the World" and "A Flame to the Ground Beneath".  They were to be the "next big thing" in the power metal scene, after Hammerfall helped to resuscitate the genre in the mid-late 90's.  Twas not to be, however, and Daniel lent his vocal talent to both Heed and Crystal Eyes in the mid 2000's.  He's been relatively quiet since then, doing an occasional guest vocal, but without a major project to attach his name to.  After hearing his performance on this latest Harmony album, I'd recommend he stick with these guys.

Immediately, the recognizable guitar sound of Markus Sigfridsson is present.  He has cultivated a great guitar tone that perfectly combines a heavy, crunchy sound, while retaining a clarity that allows the riffs and melodies to really shine.  It also gives his solos a great sound that hearkens back to the golden age of metal (I'll say that's the 1980's).  He also employs a nice acoustic guitar sound in "You Are" as well, and uses a couple other textures throughout the album where there's less distortion (or at times none), for a nice effect.  Thundering bass is handled by Raphael Dafras (Almah), and he's solid as always.  Harmony's production (handled by the band, as well as Fredrik Nordström & Thomas Johansson) doesn't lend itself to overly audible bass lines, and relegates it to more under the radar, but there are moments (like during the post-chorus section of "Hands Of Time") where the bass takes more center stage.  Drumming is handled by one Tobias Enbert, and as usual, he brings solid drumming that stresses rhythm over technicality and speed, but he ramps up the pace when necessary, and provides consistency throughout the album.  Newcomer John Svensson does a fine job on keyboards, adding the symphonic bits here and there where they make sense, and adding that additional melody line in places where the guitar is spending more time on driving riffs than establishing the base melody.  He does a fine job here with the material.

Vocally, Daniel Heiman is on point, though noticeably more reserved than we heard him on either Lost Horizon album.  I doesn't sound as though his voice has lost a step, so perhaps he (and/or the band) didn't feel the material here called for quite as flamboyant a performance as before.  He sounds excellent here, however, with a fair degree of dynamics, range, and emotion on display.  He goes up quite high on several occasions, and his smooth voice really blends well with the material on this album.  He's no stranger to Harmony, having contributed some backing vocals to the previous album, as well as a guest spot on the Chapter II song "Inner Peace".  Daniel's vocals are a different breed than Henrik's, so it will take some getting used to, but he really does a good job of putting his own stamp on the Harmony sound with his performance here.

My biggest hangup with the album is going to be the loss of Henrik Bath as vocalist for the band, because I really felt as though his unique voice was one of the strengths of Harmony that set them apart from the rest of the power metal pack.  Adding Daniel Heiman gives them the band a boost of name recognition, and he does a great job, but I'm left wondering what this material might have sounded like with Henrik singing atop the songs.  In addition, the delineation of sound between Darkwater and Harmony has always been that Darkwater was the band for the more mid-paced, progressive material, and Harmony was the band for the more straight-forward, European power metal material.  The lines are slightly more blurred here, as this material leans ever so slightly back in the prog direction, though only as compared to its predecessor.  This is either a good thing or a band thing, dependent on whether you like Harmony best as a prog/power band, or a straight up power band.  For me, I lean toward the more power side, as their progressive leanings have not been a draw from my perspective.  In addition, the songs here just don't hit me the way those on Chapter II: The Aftermath have.  Of course, that album came at a time when I was seeking out power metal in quantity, and it stood out from the pack.  Having reviewed a number of albums in the genre in the last several years, and purchased several, as well as receiving review copy of nearly that many, I've been deluged somewhat by the genre.  That may be coloring my opinion of the album as well.

At the end of the day, this is a high quality release from Harmony that just misses the mark for me personally, but should please fans of the genre.  Power metal aficionados should already be familiar with the Harmony name, and with the addition of Daniel Heiman at the vocal helm, that additional name recognition should help boost the band's profile beyond its current reach.  The songs are all well done, though they're not sticking with me quite as quickly as the band's previous material has, though admittedly that's partly my own disappointment in the vocal changes.  Still, Harmony's 3rd album is one they can and should be proud of, and will continue to draw accolades and expand their listener base.  As a fan of the band, I'll continue to follow what they do.  They just need to shore up the vocal side of the house and either get Daniel to stick around, or find someone who fits their sound & style who can carry the band into the future.  Recommended.

82/100

Black Fate - Between Visions & Lies (2014)

I like a challenging, or even frustrating listen once in a while.  I like for a release to give me something other than what I was expecting, even if it's not what I wanted.  We need to be challenged in life from time to time, or we don't grow and learn from our own insular, and often myopic perspectives.  To be able to glean something new from something you thought you already knew is a sign of maturity.  I can safely say that Black Fate's "Between Visions & Lies" was not what I was expecting, or even hoping for.

Truth be told, I was only mildly excited for this release.  Ulterium Records hasn't really let me down yet, though a couple releases haven't quite met expectations (I'm looking at you, Ivory Moon and End of September).  For that reason, even with a band like Black Fate, who I had not heard of, prior to seeing "coming soon" posts on the Ulterium Records Facebook page, I had to be at least a little excited, if not just intrigued.  After all, this is the label that brought us Harmony's "Chapter II: The Aftermath" (one of my favorite power metal albums EVER), Theocracy, and a slew of other great bands and releases over the last several years.  That said, Black Fate challenged me more than I wanted, but it's my own fault: sometimes I get in my own way a bit too much.  Having only heard the teaser stuff, I was expecting a middle-of-the-road metal album with hard rock influence, some power metal influence, and perhaps a hint of prog metal for good measure.  What I got was nothing like that.

Because I've not heard any Black Fate material prior to this, their 4th album, I have no reference as to the sound or quality of their earlier albums.  If they're anything like this, however, I'd describe them as vaguely Savatage-inspired prog/power metal with a penchant for vocal harmonies.  The first few spins of the album were uneventful, because I thought maybe it was going to be faster, perhaps a touch heavier, and was expecting the vocals to be a bit more "soaring" than what Vasilis brings to the table.  Truth be told, I had already made my mind up as to what the album was likely going to sound like, so when it didn't grab me right away, I kind of dismissed it as perhaps less than what it was.  I count that as a mistake, however, because after about 10 or 12 listens, something started to click with me, and I started to hear this album for what it actually was: a solid, semi-progressive metal album with some power metal stylings injected in, and a fair bit of personality under the hood.

Musically speaking, this is solid stuff.  Guitars, provided by Gus Drax (briefly a part of metal legends Paradox) are driving and interesting.  He provides a riff-oriented style that is melodic enough without losing its edge, but not so intent on "chugging" that variety is sacrificed.  "Lines In the Sand" is a good example where it's not all bar chords and chugging.  It's a combination of that and alternate chording, providing a nice balance between an aggressive, heavy feel, and a melodic base that keeps the songs listenable beneath the surface.  There are a few nice touches here and there, like a couple pinch harmonics, some good solo work that isn't too flashy and retains tunefulness.  Bass guitar is provided by Vasilis Liakos.  His work isn't overly audible in the mix, but it's present and serves more as a driving force underneath the guitar to help propel the sound.  What I'm hearing sounds good, though it's nothing groundbreaking.  Still, it sounds good alongside the guitar work.  Drumming by Nikos Tsintzilonis is quite good, with a good sense of when to speed up and go nuts, and when to slow down and let the song breathe.  Very seldom does Nikos go full-bore with double-bass and fast rhythms, however, because the material's more medium-pace doesn't call for that much.  Instead, he keeps time, injects the occasional fill, and creates interest in subtle ways.  He does a fine job matching the material's feel and level of aggression well.

Vocalist Vasilis Georgiou is not what I was expecting.  Generally, with Ulterium bands fronted by a man, you get a fairly powerful male voice with highs, occasional lows, and a fair sense of drama.  Not that I was expecting a clone of any of the label's other vocalists, but for some reason, Vasilis' voice just struck me funny after listening to the record the first time.  It took me a bit to warm up to his voice for some strange reason.  He's a talented singer with a sense of dynamics, he makes good use of vibrato here and there, has a good tone, and uses inflection in places where it fits.  I'm not sure what my hang-up was initially, but I like what he's bringing to the table here, even if he doesn't have the presence of some of his label-mates.

My biggest issue with the album is that, while the songs are all well-constructed, and reasonably memorable, they still took a long time to take hold for me.  Yes, part of this may be my issue, but still, I'm looking for something a touch more immediate in a band of this type.  I'd prefer the band pull a bit of a "bait and switch" and give me a meaty, anthemic opening song to get my attention, and then weave the more complex songs in as the album goes along to help solidify what's going on.  It all sounds good while it's playing, but other than the chorus of "Call of the Wild", or bits of "Lines in the Sand", I'm not humming these songs after listening to them.  When I play the album 3 or 4 times in a row, I expect to have some of the material stuck in my head several hours afterward.  I'm not getting that here, and it speaks somewhat to the material itself.  It's not vanilla, by any means, but it's not something that has stuck with me at all.

Mileage on a release like this is going to vary.  If you're a big fan of the semi-progressive latter Savatage material, you'll probably get a big kick out of this record.  At the very least, you'll appreciate the musicianship at work, like I did.  If you prefer your progressive metal a bit more grand, you'll find this lacking.  Either way, I would encourage the members of Black Fate to tighten up their songwriting so that the next album has a stronger batch of material with more of an immediacy to it.  That will help the songs grab hold much faster, and get ingrained in the listener's consciousness that much more effectively.  As it stands, they've crafted a solid, highly listenable, and enjoyable release that just misses the mark in the songwriting department.  I'll tentatively recommend this to prog metal diehards who have to have everything in the genre, or Ulterium Records devotees like myself who have enjoyed everything the label has done thus far.

75/100

Neonfly - Strangers In Paradise (2014)

When metal leans toward the super-melodic, it can often result in sounding watered down or just lack that element of heaviness that gives metal much of its appeal, and not be much more than just really syrupy sounding hard rock.  There's nothing wrong with that, per se, because there have been a number of heavier metal bands lately that have taken that ultra-melodic, hard rock-influenced metal sound and made it successful.  Most of those bands tend to wear thin, however, once the novelty of the sound combo wears off, unless the songs are really good and stay with you.  The melodicism helps, but ultimately, the songs need to be memorable or make an impact to stay with you beyond the few minutes after listening to the album.  How does this apply to Neonfly?  Read on, gentle reader.

I'd not heard of Neonfly prior to receiving a review copy of Strangers In Paradise, but upon first listen, I enjoyed what I heard.  It reminded me immediately of the most recent material by Random Eyes, in that it's highly melodic metal that has some crunch to it, but has a bit of a hard rock bent without leaning too far in that direction.  Vocalist Willy Norton reminds me a bit of Random Eyes vocalist Christian Palin as well, because he rides that line between silky smooth and reasonably gritty and can transition between the two seamlessly.  Random Eyes is also a touchstone as to the band's sound, because Strangers In Paradise sounds a fair bit like Random Eyes' latest album, Light Up, due to its overt melodicism, and the way it straddles the line between hard rock, melodic heavy metal, and power metal at times.

Right away, it's evident that these guys can play and have major talent.  Guitarists Frederick Thunder and Patrick Harrington have the chops, and interweave a real interesting web of riffs, rhythms, licks, and leads throughout the course of the album.  The guitar sound is, what I would describe, as "semi-heavy" through much of the album.  Other than on the barn-burner "Highways To Nowhere", the riffs and rhythm playing don't get super heavy, but do contain a sufficient amount of crunch when the songs maintain a heavier feel.  Other times, clean playing, such as on the ballad "Rose In Bloom", or during the intro to "Aztec Gold", propels the songs in a way that belies the band's metal roots a bit, but not sacrifice the overall feel.  As for the leads, they're the expected melodic fair, but there are some nice bits (like in "Aztec Gold" where the guitars veer slightly away from the melodic, and into mere soundscape, which is a nice touch.  Bass work by Paul Miller is competent and sounds good here, though a tiny bit low in the overall mix.  Drumming is handled by Boris Le Gal, and he does a standout job of providing propulsive rhythms, dynamics, and really has a handle on how best to serve the song with his playing.  The review copy didn't include any info as to who provided the keyboard work on the album, but it's also quite good at times, with some nice symphonic elements here and there.

As I said before, vocalist Willy Norton reminds me of Christian Palin from Random Eyes, and that's a good thing, because Palin's voice is one of my favorites in recent years.  He can be heavy and menacing when he wants to be, such as with "Highways To Nowhere", and he can be super melodic and nimble as well, as with "Chasing the Night".  He has a nice tone, and just a real smooth sound to his vocals that complement the material well.  I do like it when he goes for a grittier approach, and I'd like to hear more of that from time to time, but honestly, his performance here can hardly be faulted, because it's very exact, while maintaining an emotional component.  In other words, he's on point when he sings, but it doesn't sound as though he's rehearsed the material too much for it not to sound as though he's putting himself into the songs.  It's a balanced performance that does him proud.

I wasn't entirely sure what to make of this record when I initially listened to it, because at first blush, it seems a bit unfocused and disjointed.  After repeated listens, I think it's just a band with many strengths, and they're trying to play to all of them as much as they can.  I'd caution against doing that too much on future records, if only because the songs have to be really good in order to ensure that they can back that ambition up with the material to match.  Still, aside from a few less than memorable moments, it's a solid record that truly shows a band with multiple personalities, and yet, those personalities all meld into one another much more completely than a band who might try their hand at varying styles or sounds and can't seem to get a handle on them.  The symphonic elements are a nice touch, and give the record a slightly progressive feel that the band should maybe try and capitalize upon, and yet, when they go straight-ahead and just rock out, they also sound excellent.  If the band can find their direction a tad more specifically and continue to hone their songwriting craft to make things even more memorable, they'll be a contender in the melodic metal field.  As it stands, this is still a really solid and highly listenable effort that deserves some attention, and should be heard by fans of the genre.  Recommended.

76/100

MindMaze - Back From the Edge (2014)

Female-fronted metal is a growing field, as I mentioned previously in my review of Vandroya's debut.  In fact, with bands like Benedictum, Kobra and the Lotus, recent output by White Skull, Epica, Serenity, and the solidification of Floor Janssen as Nighwish's new vocalist, one might say the future is bright for bands taking that direction.  One might also say that since women fronting metal bands has become so trendy that the field is quickly becoming crowded.  Standing out from the pack is essential for an album to really go anywhere or make any kind of impact.  MindMaze is well poised to get some positive attention, at the very least.

Having been unfamiliar with MindMaze prior to receiving review copy, I did just a bit of research to find out more about the band.  According to the press release, the band had already received acclaim for their previous album, "Mask Of Lies", and so far, the reviews I've skimmed over seem to solidify that claim.  Jeff and Sarah Teets, along with drummer Kalin Schweizerhof were apparently also in an earlier incarnation of the band called "Necromance", dating back to 2005, so these guys have toiled in the underground for quite some time trying to make a name for themselves.  I'd have to say that MindMaze is a more fitting moniker for the band, given the lyrics, musical style, and overall feel of the music.

Right away, it's evident that this is a tight production with talented players.  Guitarist Jeff Teets does a great job with his axe, playing interesting riffs and choosing chording that strays from the usual power chord-only chugging you often get in standard, off-the-shelf power metal.  Dare I say, there's a progressive metal vibe all over this CD, and the riffs exemplify that by keeping things interesting.  Of course, some chugging is present, and helps with the heavy factor at times, but overall, Jeff's riff writing skills are impressive.  Drummer Kalin Schwezerhof is proficient as well, with a good sense of rhythm, and a feel for playing in a way that enhances the material without hogging the spotlight too much.  The album's production by Brian J. Anthony helps this as well, because the drums are at the right place in the mix.  Bass guitar is handled by none other than Symphony X bassist Mike LePond.  He does a great job here, as can be imagined, and his bass work is a treat on this album, especially in tracks like "Moment of Flight" where he gets to take the spotlight during the intro and at various points throughout the track where you can hear him doing more than just keeping pace with the riffs.  The same can be said for his work in "The Machine Stops" - he really shows that the bass guitar is an instrument unto itself and not just part of the rhythmic feel of the music.

Vocalist Sarah Teets has a great voice, and utilizes it well throughout the album.  She has good range, though she generally sticks to the alto and lower soprano areas for the bulk of the album.  She apparently knows her voice and limitations, and does well to shine within that framework.  One thing I'll note is that while I enjoyed the tone of her voice immediately, the subtlety of her performance was something that I didn't latch on to right away.  Power metal is usually rife with inflection and overwrought vocal manipulation, and there's very little of that with Sarah's performance here.  Granted, the material doesn't suffer much because of it, but I would suggest she have a listen to some of the current female metal vocal powerhouses like Liv Kristine or Floor Janssen and take some cues from what they're doing for future reference.  Her most spirited performances are probably album highlights like "Dreamwalker", the epic, progressively tinged "The Machine Stops", or "Consequence of Choice".  She also does a great job with the vocal harmonies she records for the overdubs, and the background vocals she records to accent the material.  That stuff all adds quite a bit to the overall sound and feel of those songs.

Overall, this is a solid album of progressively-minded power metal that is a bit of a grower.  I enjoyed this from my first listen, but like Vandroya's debut, I felt like it sounded a touch generic at first blush.  Repeated listens have broken that opinion down, however, in part because I've grown to appreciate Sarah's voice, as well as Jeff's penchant for interesting riffs and solos that combine melody and technique so as to make them more memorable.  Unlike a lot of power metal bands who try and make long songs that meander and never go anywhere, or are just painfully repetitious, both examples of longer songs on this album are well done, and are highlights.  I'm not asking for a full album of said material, but if the band continues to write longer tracks of this caliber, they will certainly be welcome additions to future albums, and should be considered a strength.  I do feel that the songwriting could still use a bit more work, if only because only half of the songs were playing repeatedly in my head hours after listening to the album.  That's no slight, either; most bands are lucky if they get 1 or 2 tracks that you remember after spinning the album.  My only production gripe is that the cymbals sometimes sound a bit muffled in the mix.  I noticed this mostly sitting at my desk at work playing this CD over and over, but even listening via headphones, I felt like cymbal crashes especially sounded a touch weak.  As I mentioned before, Sarah should try and diversify her vocal approach a bit, and keep pushing her instrument to achieve the most from it.  Those 2 elements, along with her perhaps a talented permanent bassist, would help this Pennsylvania collective rise to the top of the female-fronted prog/power metal heap.  For now, I'd say this is recommended to all fans of progressive power metal looking for a good album to sink their teeth into.  Inner Wound Recordings was smart to snap this band up - they should have a bright future ahead of them.

82/100

Fallen Angel - Crawling Out Of Hell (2010, 2014)

Traditional heavy metal has had a bit of a resurgence in the global music scene in recent years.  Anyone who has paid attention to trends in metal over the last 20 years or so knows that power metal has enjoyed a long, relatively healthy surge in popularity ever since bands like Hammerfall, Rhapsody (et al) and Blind Guardian have made the style more popular again, along with somewhat newer sensations like Sonata Arctica, Kamelot, Firewind, and Evergrey.  But more traditional "heavy metal" has stayed a bit more underground, toiling in relative obscurity through the last 2 decades.  More recent bands like 3 Inches of Blood, Wolf, and White Wizzard have exemplified the return of the genre's core sound at some level of commercial significance in the modern age.  With any resurgence in a classic sound takes place, there will be casualties; bands who simply don't have the talent to make an impact, despite having the right ingredients in the formula.  Thankfully, Fallen Angel is positioning themselves to avoid that pitfall.

Fallen Angel is an interesting band, consisting of 5 individuals who use pseudonyms instead of their real names.  All the band members paint their faces and clothe themselves in a manner vaguely reminiscent of King Diamond.  They also play a style of heavy metal that reeks of that King Diamond, Mercyful Fate kind of early speed/power metal, without the usual trappings of the European power metal set.  A more modern comparison would be Iced Earth, though they're definitely not clones.  Their music has a real early-mid 1980's throwback feel to it, in a good way.  Utilizing modern production techniques without sacrificing the classic sound and feel, Fallen Angel have struck a good balance between staying true to the genre's roots and bringing a modern touch to the style.

Musically speaking, the band has really solid and energetic performances that showcase some degree of range.  Guitars provided by "The Man In Black" (aka Robb Lotta) and "The Dark Lord of Democales" (aka band mastermind John Cruppe) are very well done, and hearken back to a bygone era of metal where the performances oozed passion and energy.  The guitars are heavy and crunchy, and have some real presence to them, without the overly bass-heavy tone you would expect from a modern metal album.  So while the album sounds modern because of the production, the guitars don't sound like they were played through a bass amp and recorded through a vocal mic membrane.  Guitar solos are excellent throughout, with loads of energy, but without forsaking a melodic sensibility.  They are just what you would expect from a band playing a style of metal that recalls the genre's glory years.  Bass guitar is also suitably present but not so high in the mix it overpowers everything.  It sounds good alongside the guitars, and works especially well during acoustic and/or clean guitar sections where it provides the right amount of weight underneath.  Bass is provided by Sodominous - The Lord of the Flesh (aka Joe Surace, recently replaced by Bob Embury).  Drumming by "The Darkness" (aka Frankie Quaggs) is quite well done as well.  He has a real sense of dynamics, and knows when to go full-blast versus when the songs need something more nuanced, and when to change that up within the song.  A good example of that would be transitioning from the verses to the chorus in "Sad Wings".  All in all, the instrumentation on the album is very well done.

Vocals are provided by Caleb - The Teller of Tales (aka Steve Seniuk).  I'll get it on the table right away so folks can make their judgments, as I'm sure they will: Steve sounds an AWFUL LOT like former Iced Earth vocalist Matt Barlow.  He's not a copycat, because his slower passages and screams differ a fair bit, but his mid-range to high vocals sound more than a little like the famed singer.  Of course, Matt himself often bore more than a passing resemblance to Paul Stanley, so take that as you will.  Personally, I think he sounds great on the record, with impassioned screams, suitably dynamic quieter passages, and loads of emotion in his delivery.  He sings the lyrics convincingly, and really conveys that he cares about the story being told within the album.  If you're a fan of any of the recent Iced Earth vocalists, i.e. Matt Barlow, Tim "Ripper" Owens, or Stu Block, you'll feel right at home with Caleb, er, Steve's vocal work.

Speaking of story, apparently this album is the 1st in a trilogy of concept albums that follow along with related novels.  I wish I knew what novel(s) this trilogy is based upon, and whether it's a work of fiction by Cruppe himself, or another series of novels already out there.  While I didn't have a lyric sheet or copy to go by, the lyrics themselves aren't hard to discern.  The story is one of war and sacrifice, and the protagonist seems to go through a lot of emotional turmoil as a result of all the chaos.  The album's multitude of segue tracks are apparently also integral to the story within the album, as they're based in some fashion on the story being told, as much as instrumental interludes can be.  Being able to read the novel might help give me additional context based on the titles of those tracks, or where the story is moving in between the main narrative from each song with lyrics.

Other reviews have stated that the album is a bit too "busy", and while I can see that, I don't know that I necessarily agree.  Yes, there is dual-guitar action, often with dueling solos or layering, and there are various keyboard effects and accouterments here and there, as well as a handful of sound effects to aid in presenting the story, but I don't think those things are very obtrusive.  If anything, listening via headphones gave me a bit more clarification as to the context of some of those sounds, but the experience was quite similar to that of jamming the album through my desk speakers.  I initially thought the mix was a bit weak, but after several listens, I believe it perfectly suits the sound the band is trying to achieve.  Some have said that Steve screams too much and relies on that too heavily, but if you compare what these guys are doing to Iced Earth or Mercyful Fate, you'll find that they're quite similar and in that context, I don't believe it's overdone.  Most criticisms I've read of the album focus on these items, along with the inclusion of too many interlude tracks.  I was initially put off by them, and found them distracting, since they don't all perfectly transition one track to the next, but upon multiple listens, they make sense within the framework of the album and now I think I'd miss them if I nixed them from the album playlist.

I was quite surprised, and honestly taken aback at the sheer quality and force of "Crawling Out Of Hell".  The musicianship is top-notch, the performances are all spirited and high quality, and the idea of a trilogy of concept albums, while not entirely original, is not something that has been done before in metal, at this level.  The songs all have catchiness and staying power (with the possible exception of the repetitive "On and On") that makes for good replay value, and ensures that many of the tracks will be playing in your head long after the CD has stopped spinning.  Killer Metal Records has done quite a service to metal fans everywhere by re-issuing this album, originally self-released by the band in 2010.  I would love to see a vinyl issue of this release as well.  I look forward to the album's forthcoming follow-up, "Crawling Out Of Heaven", and wish guitarist/band leader John Cruppe a full recovery from his recent health issues, which you can read about on the band's Facebook page.  Highly recommended!

87/100

Edge Of Thorns - Insomnia (2014)

I thoroughly enjoy writing music reviews.  One of the small pleasures in life for me is getting exposure to a whole host of new bands I may otherwise have never heard of, or perhaps overlooked, because I get a review copy of a release.  Sometimes I get albums that go nowhere and feel like a waste of my time, but most of the time I at least enjoy what I get.  Sometimes, however, I get a diamond in the rough, something that I can be truly happy about receiving.  Edge Of Thorns is just such an example.

To be honest, I'd never heard of Edge Of Thorns before, but the name immediately made me think of Savatage.  Indeed, the band's moniker was inspired by the Savatage song/album, so of course, aural comparisons at once begin to take shape.  That's a mistake, however, because Edge Of Thorns really sound very little like the metal heroes they fashioned their name after.  Rather than a mix of American power metal, progressive hard rock and straight up metal, Edge Of Thorns take a different path.  Their sound is steeped in the modern, heavy European power metal sound, and that's a good thing, because the band has a knack for the style.

Right away, I'm enthralled by the guitars.  Longtime (founding?) lead guitarist Dave Brixius, and newcomer Jani Näckel bring the heat, big time.  Jani brings home driving hard riffs that not only hit hard, but are sprinkled with variety throughout.  It's not all chugga chugga stuff, but there are moments where the notes ring out, and other times when rhythmically, she makes things interesting.  Dave's solo work is fiery and blistering, bringing an exciting element to the songs during each solo break.  Some guitarists' solo playing can be too technical, or too basic, but Dave transitions back and forth nicely from song to song between highly melodic playing (such as some of the solo work in "The Seven Sins Of Arthur McGregor"), and all out fret board fireworks.  In all, the guitar sound is chunky and heavy, the way it should be in a band playing this style.  Bass provided by Achim Sinzinger is competent, and though not prominent in the band's sound, provides some necessary weight.  Drummer Joachim Lichter is on-point and provides a nice, meaty drum sound to the album.  He handles mid-tempo and basic beats like a champ, and his double-bass and faster drum work is impressive as well.  He brings a minor sense of dynamics as well, which is always a plus.

Vocally, Dirk Schmitt is a strong addition to the band's sound.  He has a very gritty tone that reminds me a lot of Udo Dirkschneider (ex-Accept), though with a bit less gravel.  Dirk has that sound where it sounds like his epiglottis is reverberating at 100 mph, so it's a "cleaner grit", if you will, than what Udo projects.  Dirk has a powerful voice, good range, and he uses his instrument well on this album.  The one bothersome thing I noticed about his vocals is more of a delivery issue than a problem with his voice.  Any time a word begins with the letter "i", he adds an artificial "r" sound, i.e. when he says "Insomnia" in the title track, or particularly in the last track, "Is This The Way It Is".  It's a minor issue, but as strong as his performance is here, it's a bit distracting to hear him say "Rrrrrinsomnia!" several times in a row during an otherwise great performance.  On the plus side, having fellow German Ralf Scheepers provide guest vocals during "Metal Unity" certainly doesn't hurt matters any.

Having not heard the previous 2 releases, I can't speak to the quality here versus past material, but what I can say is that this is a solid set of songs performed with enthusiasm by a talented bunch of performers.  What I'd really like to hear from the band on their next outing is an even tighter batch of tunes, with even catchier riffs and choruses.  Other than a bit of minor tightening of the vocal attack and a want for slightly more memorable batch of material, there's very little I can fault this album for.  This CD is a testament to the collective talent and drive of the band members, and I commend them for giving us a work as cohesive and consistent throughout.  Recommended.

83/100

Morning Dwell - Morning Dwell (2014)

As previous reviews have indicated, the metal sub-genre known as Power Metal is hopelessly overcrowded.  Making an impression among the glut of bands is difficult.  You either need to grab folks by the throat and knock their socks off, or do something that is interesting enough to warrant their time.  In the case of a band blatantly aping their influences, they need to bring their "A" game in order to have any hope of being seen as anything other than just a copycat.  In the case of Sweden's Morning Dwell, one can say that they at least make a good go of it.

Reading through the band's bio, it's apparent that at least the man behind the group, Petter Hjerpe, has had a reasonably legitimate power metal education, having purchased Hammerfall's seminal "Legacy of Kings" album, then discovering (through his father), the wondrous "Keep of the Seven Keys: Part 2" by Helloween (on vinyl, no less!).  And as you listen to the album, you'll hear Petter's Helloween fetish in all its glory (or lack thereof, depending on your take).  The album gains credibility when you find that drummer Alfred Fridhagen (Golden Resurrection, ReinXeed) is on board, along with production from CJ Grimmark (Narnia), and artwork by Andreas Marshall.  With a formula of Helloween-worship with talented players sounds like a winning combination, at least on paper.  How does it translate on disc?  Read on!

For a band trying to ape the Helloween sound, Morning Dwell sounds about like one would expect.  The guitars have some level of crunch, but they're relatively smooth as well, with a balanced amount of grit coupled with slick production.  Michel Barréra and Ulf Zetterman do a good job with the axe work here, cranking out reasonably good riffs and solos that follow in the Helloween tradition, but lacking some of the fire that made the "Keepers" albums so special.  Still, they play well, and get the job done.  Bass is present and audible, though Martin Erneström generally just keeps pace with the guitar in terms of what he's playing.  He is solid and in the pocket, and provides a nice underpinning for the guitar.  I do like that there's a real separation of guitar and bass, which isn't always the case with modern metal production.  And of course, drumming by Alfred Fridhagen is spot on, with his usual skill and energy.

Petter Hjerpe is a relatively new vocalist, as outlined in the band's bio, so don't expect to hear the next power metal wunderkind when listening to the album.  He's relatively solid, with some minor range issues.  He also has what I'll call a minor "transition" issue, where when he's sliding from one note to another, his voice squeaks a bit, not unlike puberty.  This generally happens only at the top of his register, and it's not all the time, so it's somewhat forgivable, but it's still a noticeable flaw.  It's interesting to note that Petter had some vocal coaching by producer Frippe Eliasson.  Again, this is another reason the minor issues with vocals can be seen as less of a detriment to the album's impact.

The more troublesome aspect of the album is that the songs just aren't that memorable.  They contain all the elements one would expect, and they're fun to listen to while the album's playing, but other than the chorus of "Unlock All the Doors", or perhaps bits of "The Pirate Song", none of the material sticks around in my head after the album is done playing.  It's not inherently poorly written, per se, but the hooks just aren't strong enough to keep me engaged beyond the listening experience.  That, combined with the vocal issues I mentioned, will keep this release from blowing up the way the band might want it to.  Still, with as much Helloween worship as is going on here, and the fact that there's plenty of potential on display, Doolittle Group may have scored a minor coup by signing the band, because with time, writing, and touring, they can only get better.  They don't have a "Keeper" album here (sorry, pun intended), but it's a solid, inoffensive slab of power metal that is at least enjoyable to listen to.  Recommended for Helloween nuts and absolute power metal devotees; all others try before you buy.

68/100

Silent Voices - Reveal the Change (2013)

There are many fields of music that are overcrowded, due to years of a particular style or genre gaining popularity and then seeing a glut of bands enter the market playing that same style.  Some fans can't get enough of a certain style or genre, and will buy up nearly everything of that style they can get their hands on.  But aside from that small, core group of fans, bands that enter crowded markets really need to do something to separate themselves from the other groups of that genre to really stand out and make an impact.  That, or they need to combine familiar elements in a unique or interesting way that warrants more than a cursory listen.  To my ears, Silent Voices is doing the latter, with positive effect.

Being unfamiliar with Silent Voices prior to hearing this record, I wasn't sure what to expect, other than some vaguely progressive metal.  In fact, based on the cover art alone, I figured it would be a middle-of-the-road combination of progressive hard rock with a few solos littered about, and just enough grit in the guitar to call it metal.  I was pleasantly surprised, then, that I was only right to an extent of roughly 20%.  Yes, there is some material here that touches on the progressive hard rock spectrum, but I would argue that the overwhelming majority of stuff here is squarely on the metal side of the fence, and the other touches give the sound a bit of an expansive feel beyond the basic tenets of the sound & framework.  How they mix in the various elements of their sound is what gives the album validity.

The instruments on this album are all well produced and have decent separation w/in the sound.  Guitars sound good overall, and have plenty of weight with the lower chords, so riffing is often fairly heavy sounding.  I would assume the guitars are overdubbed in many places, given that this is a one-guitar band courtesy of Timo Kauppinen.  I like the guitar sound and how it shifts seamlessly between the heavier, low-end riffing and the higher scale runs and solos.  Not all guitar tones can move from one to the other without one sounding weak, or giving up some level of heaviness for clarity, so I think this is a good compromise.  I like how as a soloist, Timo swings back and forth effortlessly between highly melodic playing and absolute shredding.  It provides another nice contrast in the sound.  Bass guitar has a nice meaty feel to it, with a lot of low-end and providing not only the necessary thump under the guitar, but also having enough definition in the mix to be a vital part of what's going on.  Bass playing by Pasi Kauppinen is more than solid, and is a good example of how bass can be done right in metal so it's not buried in the mix, but up front enough to really do its job fully.  Henrik Klingenberg provides the keyboard work for the band, and I consider it quite superb.  He exists in that space between the tasteful Kevin Moore style, and the more all-out style of someone like Jordan Rudess.  He can help keep the melody buoyant when necessary, and go nuts with runs, solos, and effects when the song calls for it.  Drumming by original skinsman Jukka-Pekka Koivisto (apparently no longer with the band) is well done and has some nice juxtaposition within some of the songs between fast, double-bass propelled rhythms, and more syncopated, thought-out pieces.  Here's hoping newcomer Jani Hurula does the material justice in the live setting.

Vocally, the album is a mix of folks following the departure of original vocalist Michael Henneken.  In the vocal slot, there is Mats Levén, Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica), Mike Vescera (Obsession), and Mike DiMeo, along with newcomer Teemu Koskela (who is apparently now a full member).  There's plenty of variety, and the range of voices work well over the course of the album without sounding too disjointed.  I'd be curious to hear how Teemu pulls this stuff off in a live setting, though with Pasi and Henrik likely dedicated most of their time to Sonata Arctica, who knows how much this stuff will get played live.  Specific to the album, however, everyone sounds pretty on-point from a vocal perspective.  I think the vocalists that were chosen for each song were also chosen wisely, because the songs all sound as though they fit the vocalist singing in that track.

One thing I like here is that while the band is clearly influenced by Dream Theater, they're not aping the sound.  To me, it sounds like a power metal-influenced version of what might be the meeting point between the overly complex progressive metal sound of Dream Theater, and the more subdued, lightly progressive sound of, say, Orphan Project.  Both bands are progressive in their own way, but at different extremes in the genre.  Silent Voices exist somewhere in the middle, and it works well for them.  The songs aren't overly memorable, which is a bit of a detriment, but they're not throw-away filler, either.  They do well enough to keep your attention while they're playing, but you won't have these tracks running through your head for weeks after you listen to them.  They're solid compositions that play to the band's strengths, but don't quite reach the level of stronger songwriting that would propel the album to instant classic status.  To sum up: Silent Voices doesn't bring anything new to the table, but they certainly do what they do well enough to justify checking them out at this point.  I can't speak for their back catalog, but this album is recommended to prog and power metal fans who enjoy both styles and enjoy the middle ground between the two.

80/100

Azoria - Seasons Change (2014)

Power metal is a vastly overcrowded field.  If you're going to get noticed, you have to do one of two things.  Either do something unique and bring your own flavor to it, or do it very, very well.  When you can't do one or both of those things, chances are, you're going to go largely unnoticed.  There are a lot of groups that become nothing more than a footnote in metal history, if they make enough impact to even accomplish that.

Where does Azoria fit into this spectrum?  At this moment, they're in the minor footnote category.  To be fair, this is only their debut, and they can only go up from here.  Still, it's disheartening to hear bands with talent and skill that just can't rise above the mediocrity of the material.  It's even more disappointing when you have a talented host of vocalists guesting on the album that should elevate the material.

First and foremost, I must talk about the guitar tone.  I'm not sure if it's Alex Oriz, or Simon J, but the riff tone is kind of flat.  This is an album that mixes traditional and power metal styles, so I can understand why they're not going for an overly crunchy sound, but this just isn't as heavy as I would expect from an album like this, especially in the year 2014.  It's got some weight to it, but I just don't get the same satisfaction from the guitar sound/feel as I should.  It sounds fine, but I want more than "fine".  I want the guitar to grab me, because that's the crux of the metal sound, but this just doesn't.  I'm not sure whether the guitar is just over processed or over produced, or just what the issue is, but it bugs me.  Guitar solos sound good, generally, and are reasonably well done, but they're not resonating with me much, either.  Bass guitar by Christopher Davidsson is, thankfully, not buried in the mix, and it does its job, but not much more than that.  Drum work by Emil Eriksson is solid and well played, but like most metal drummers that serve the songs and don't branch out much, his work is mostly indistinguishable from a dozen or so other trad/power metal drummers.

Vocally, the album should be an exciting prospect because there are 6 different vocalists that lend their talents here.  Unfortunately, this is a mixed bag.  Tommy ReinXeed's performance feels "phoned in", like he did his quick take in the studio a couple times and called it good, so for the 1st 2 songs on the album, it's vocally a bit weak, considering the guy handling much of the singing.  Mark Gunnardo brings a lead vocal to "Inside My Heart", but when you take a weak power ballad and add vanilla vocals singing relatively banal lyrics, you don't get much back.  Mikael Dahl sound reasonably good here, but the title track doesn't do much for me, though it's perhaps a bit more anthemic and memorable than the rest of the material.  "Prophecy" and "To The Land of Glory" have Mike Andersson (Fullforce/Cloudscape) on vocals, but the songs aren't lighting a fire under me like they should.  "When You Sleep" brings things up a notch, both because the song is more well written than previous tracks, and because vocalist Matilda Eriksson sounds pretty decent here.  Mark Gunnardo sounds a bit more commanding on "Love It Loud", and as a typical "hail metal, metal rules" kind of anthem, it works, even if it's a bit too Manowar-esque.  Snowy Shaw provides vocals on the final 2 tracks, "Starlight" and "Peace of Mind".  I like the unique sound of Snowy's voice and his odd timbre, so at least vocally he closes the album out with something a bit more exciting than before, and it sounds as though he put some effort into the performance, which helps the relatively mediocre material rise above a bit.

Sadly, Azoria are in danger of being swept under the rug.  There's nothing inherently "wrong" with "Seasons Change" as an album, but the songs just don't stay with me at all.  I expect that from brutal death metal and some black metal, because those genres can get by at times on sheer heaviness, atmosphere, and attitude.  Traditional heavy metal and power metal require a bit more effort in the songwriting, because when you have someone singing words that will generally be discernible with a cursory listen, the songs need to be strong, the vocals need to have passion and power, and the performances need to resonate.  I don't feel that at all with this album.  Other folks may disagree, but I didn't get a kick out of this at all.  I'd consider it sub-standard metal, from a band that is obviously talented, but needs to put a lot more effort into the songwriting, performance, recording, and overall feel of their material before it will really leave a mark.  If you can't get enough metal and have to have everything you can get your hands on, you may enjoy this, but certainly don't add it to your list over anything that the heavyweight bands are releasing this year, and certainly not over past releases that have garnered praise that you just haven't picked up yet.  Not recommended.

50/100

Persuader - The Fiction Maze (2013)

There are times when a band is labeled as a copycat, for better or worse.  Sometimes they deserve such labeling, and sometimes they make enough of their own mark that such branding is unfair.  Either way, being called a clone can often bring attention to a band they may not have garnered otherwise.  If the band is truly a knock-off, this extra attention is usually short-lived, unless they continue to push the envelope of carbon copying.  If not, and the band has made its own mark, then typically those accusations melt away and the group can win its own acclaim.

Such is the case with Persuader, who at times have been labeled as a bit of a Blind Guardian clone.  Truth be told, Persuader was probably not seen as much of a BG clone as vocalist Jens Carlsson's other (former) project Savage Circus, given that band's debut including former BG drummer Thomen Stauch, and Jens' vocals sounding a lot like BG crooner Hansi Kürsch.  In fact, at times, Jens sounds like Hansi so much that it's uncanny.  Nevertheless, Persuader has paved its own path upon the power metal landscape, and are deserving of their own accolades due to the strength of their material.  Their latest album, "The Fiction Maze" shows just why that's the case.

While the band's debut "The Hunter" was a tad raw and rough around the edges, it showed a hungry band with energy that was trying to make their mark.  "Evolution Purgatory" cleaned up the production and tightened the sound, and "When Eden Burns" pumped up the power and intensity a bit while honing the songwriting skills.  In the 8-year interim, these guys haven't lost one ounce of ability, power, or panache.  The band's 4th album, "The Fiction Maze", takes the elements of the previous album and tempers the sound ever so slightly while increasing the melodicism and making a fairly memorable set of songs.  As far as I'm concerned, this is their best album yet.

The album starts out very strong with a triumvirate of songs that play to the strengths they display throughout the album: memorable melodies, hard-hitting lyrics that take the usual fantasy fair of the power metal style into a darker, grittier place, and an absolutely tight presentation.  In the weeks leading up to writing this review, I've had "One Lifetime" running through my head off and on at random.  The chorus' indelible melody will etch itself into your subconscious if you let it.  "War" keeps things rolling with another solid and melodious tune, and "The Fiction Maze" really ups the ante with the band's trademark combo of growled vocals mixed with Jens' gritty tone and excellent range, as well as a relatively epic sound.  "Deep in the Dark" also weighs in with a successful formula for the more "power ballad" approach that doesn't sink into endless cheese.  The rest of the material follows suit, creating a dynamic and full album experience that doesn't quite reach the heights of Blind Guardian's most lauded material, but still earns a place among the best albums of the last 3 or 4 years, and certainly the best of their career thus far.

As with the previous release, the guitar sound Daniel Sundbom and Emil Norberg bring to the mix is thick, hard-hitting, and crunchy.  There are times when the sound is a bit less heavy than you'd expect, but for most of the record, they bring the heavy and then some.  The guys have a knack for writing riffs that combine catchiness and rhythmic energy in a way that doesn't take away from the power of the sound.  As well the solo work, when present, is skillfully played and melodically inclined, and never sounds like they're just wantonly throwing notes out there.  That doesn't mean they don't have flair or style; far from it.  Bass work by Fredrik Hedström is also skilled, with him keeping pace with Daniel and Emil and sometimes adding that extra layer of emphasis underneath things.  His bass occasionally gets lost in the heavier moments, but his low end is a welcome addition here.  Efraim Juntunen is a talented drummer, able to transition seamlessly between drumming in a groove and belting out lightning fast double-bass and faster rhythms and fills.  His drumming fits the material very well, and never feels like he is trying to steal the spotlight or overdo it.  I'm not sure who provides 

As mentioned before, Jens Carlsson bears more than a passing resemblance to Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian.  This is both a good and bad thing for the band, as it immediately gives listeners a reference point, but may be distracting for some.  Personally, I don't think it's a problem, as Jens uses a grittier approach than what Hansi has used in years, and the band's overall sound is heavier and more aggressive than what BG has done of late.  In addition, not everything these guys do is of the level of "epic" that Hasni and his cohorts put out, so to some fans who tire of Blind Guardian's overly bombastic approach, this album's mild refrain from that tendency may be a welcome approach.  Since there's no indication anywhere that he doesn't provide them, I can only assume Jens handles the growled vocals as well, which is both impressive and shows his vocal ability and stamina being able to move back and forth between the two styles.

Ultimately, if you're a fan of Persuader's material thus far, you'll enjoy this album as much as what came before, perhaps even more due to the increase in songwriting ability and quality of material here.  If you're not, this may not convert you, unless you felt like the band's ability to write songs was somewhat limited, in which case, I would recommend giving this album a listen.  For those who think all power metal falls into the "flower metal" category, this album is one that should change that impression somewhat, because nothing here sounds overly happy or cheerful, and the overall tone of the album is darker and more foreboding than much of the power metal out there.  It's certainly heavier than a lot of other bands of the style.  A few more tweaks to the songwriting and even catchier melodies in the songs and these guys could be considered to be on the top shelf of the style alongside the aforementioned Blind Guardian, Rhapsody et al, Sonata Arctica, Primal Fear, etc.  In the meantime, I'd highly recommend this fantastic slab of driving metal.

88/100

Theocracy - Theocracy re-issue (2013)

Anyone who has read through a number of posts on this blog over the last few years knows I'm a big Theocracy fan.  Their last 2 albums, "As the World Bleeds" and "Mirror of Souls" are both excellent examples of progressive power metal, and I own both the CD and vinyl issues of both, as well as the 7" vinyl release for the "Wages of Sin" single.  Needless to say, I'm a fan.  That wasn't always the case, however, as I didn't discover them right away when Matt Smith debuted the project a decade ago.  And after I did listen to samples online and heard some of the material, I wasn't immediately taken with it like some were.  I bought the debut, listened to it and shelved it, having been somewhat unsatisfied with Matt's vocal performance and the lack of overly memorable material.  2008's "Mirror of Souls" was a completely different story, as it hit me hard when it came out, and was exactly what I wanted to hear.

Now that Matt and company have established themselves as one of the front runners of the power/prog scene in the US and abroad, Ulterium records has seen fit to re-issue the debut and give it a bit of a proper release.  On the original, the mix was a bit weak, and didn't give the material enough weight.  In addition, Matt used a drum machine for all the drum parts, which didn't really bother me, but compared with what followed, it sounded quite out of place.  This re-issue seeks to fix that by doing 3 things.  First, drummer Shawn Benson re-recorded the drum tracks so the album could have proper drums.  Second, the whole thing has been remixed so that the instruments sound better alongside and in conjunction with one another.  And third, the remaster has given the whole thing a more "full" and "big" sound compared to the original.

For those who were fans of the original, this is going to be a treat.  There are albums that are "remastered" and re-issued to cash in on fan fervor, but often those fall into the "make it louder" category where no real tidying takes place, only volume levels are adjusted.  Some remix/remaster projects legitimately improve the release on multiple levels, and I believe this is a good example of what a little TLC can do to really improve upon something without taking away from what the original was or was trying to accomplish.  When listening to the original and this re-issue back to back, I immediately noticed how much cleaner the mix was in this new version, and you notice a lot of background flourishes, like acoustic guitars, symphonic bits, and keyboard backgrounds that you may not have heard before unless you cranked it up full blast.  In addition, though Matt's vocals are still the original recordings, they sound a lot more like the Matt Smith that Theocracy fans have come to enjoy.

The guitars don't crunch as much as latter Theocracy material, but there's a lot going on here, as the album is a bit more layered because it was just Matt writing, recording, and performing everything on his own, so he could afford to go all out.  Bass guitar is present, but still not very noticeable in the mix, so aside from the low rumble you hear under the guitar and keyboards, you don't get much of that coming through outside of parts where there is no guitar (like during an early portion of "Twist of Fate").  There is a lot of keyboard work on the album, which is more prominent than the 2 albums that followed, and Matt makes good use of the instrument here.  There are a lot of keyboard layers going on, and he makes use of all kinds of effects like bells, a harpsichord sound, and various other symphonic instrument sounds to try and flesh out the sound of the record.  And of course Shawn's drumming on the album is far superior to the original drum machine parts, and makes the album sound so much more vital than it did in its original incarnation.

I'm going to be in the minority here and say that I don't think this is Matt's best work for a number of reasons.  Matt was still developing as a vocalist here, and there are spots where he doesn't show as much control over his vocals as he came to demonstrate on this album's follow-up.  The songs all sound great to me, and the melodies are nice, but I don't feel as though they're quite as catchy or memorable as those on either of the next 2 records.  I liken it to the "Wages of Sin" single - that is a good song, but I understand why it was left off "Mirror of Souls" because it's not as memorable as any of the songs on the album and may have come across as merely filler.  The guitars don't have the authority or presence they ought to, and that takes away slightly from the power the record should have based on the style and sound of the music.  Not to say they don't sound good, but when I crank this album up loud compared with the other 2, it just doesn't hit me as hard.  Even with the remix/remaster, which sounds a lot better than the original, I feel as though the mix is still the tiniest bit claustrophobic at times, in that there are bits that should have a bit more separation.  I know I'm nitpicking here, but Matt set the bar pretty high with "Mirror of Souls" and this re-release still hasn't met that, even though it's still exceedingly good.

Ultimately, fans of Theocracy like myself are going to want to have this in their collection, especially those who missed out on the original CD release and aren't willing to pay a premium on eBay for the original release.  I would say that's a smart move, because this just sounds so much better than the original version.  Folks just discovering Theocracy would do well to wait on this and give either of the band's other 2 albums a listen first, as I feel those records better represent what Theocracy has become as a full band effort.  There's no denying that 10 years on, however, this is still a powerful album that deserves much of the praise lauded upon it.  I just don't personally feel that it's the absolute apex of the style as some fans have tried to assert.  Your mileage may vary, but I still recommend this highly to anyone looking for a quality prog/power metal album.

85/100

Signum Regis - Exodus (2013)

Whether you believe in the Bible or not, or put any stock in the historical accounts it contains, it's an interesting book filled with many stories that have captivated people for centuries.  Among the more famous and interesting is the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, with the familiar story of people in slavery to Pharaoh Ramses, and the various miracles performed by God via Moses, the humble Hebrew who grew up in the lap of luxury with the Egyptian Pharaoh, having been found by Pharaoh's wife and raised as his own son.  Upon receiving a revelation from God, however, Moses rejects his life with Egypt to go back to his Hebrew people and culture.  God then calls Moses to the task of forcing Pharaoh's hand to free the Israelites from slavery, only to confront his former "brother" Ramses and continue to beg for freedom as God ravaged the Egyptian land and people with several plagues designed to coerce Ramses into relenting, and allowing the Israelites to come out of bondage.

Various parts of the Exodus have been fodder for metal lyrics in the past, most notably Metallica's "Creeping Death", an interpretation of the final of the 10 plagues; the plague involving painting the door frames of each house with lamb's blood to avoid the angel of death claiming the life of the firstborn son of each household.  Their excellent one-off track notwithstanding, the only other example of a full concept album involving the Israelite Exodus I'm familiar with is the debut of Amaseffer, a band actually from Israel and steeped in the stories of the Exodus from a cultural perspective.  Their album, "Exodus - Slaves For Life" is purportedly the first in a trilogy of albums about Moses' life, the Exodus of the Israelites, and their entry into the Promised Land.  Having released the album in 2008, however, there has been no follow-up, and I'm beginning to wonder if chapter 2 (currently titled "When the Lions Leave Their Den") is ever coming out.

In the meantime, bass guitarist and band leader Ronnie König (also of heavy/prog metallers Vindex and power metal band Symphonity) has put together the 3rd album under the Signum Regis moniker and has decided to employ several guest vocalists to give the album range and breadth for telling the tale of Moses and the Exodus.  Given the scope of Moses' story that Amaseffer is tackling with their trilogy, it was wise of Ronnie to focus more specifically on the key parts of the story - Moses' call from God and subsequent mission, the struggle for freedom from slavery, the demand to Pharaoh, the exodus and escape from Egypt, and the resulting freedom and life outside of the clutches of Egyptian tyranny.  What is evident from the opening guitar chords of "Enslaved" is that this will be a much different journey than what Amaseffer presents.  Namely, rather than a lengthy progressive metal epic told with a lot of Hebrew language and cultural reference, this will be a succinct power/progressive metal album with a more straightforward retelling of the story.

I'm not familiar with Signum Regis' material prior to this release, but if this album's quality is any indication, it may well be worth looking into.  The use of multiple vocalists is always a gamble, as sometimes it works brilliantly, and sometimes it falls flat.  Here, I'm happy to report that the tactic works pretty well, for the most part.  The songs all have a bit of a different feel, and each vocalist brings a certain tone and feel to their respective track(s), which helps give the album a lot more diversity and makes for an interesting listen.  Had the album been full of more high-profile vocalists, I think the focus would have been too much on those voices, and not on the whole package, so drafting the talent he did was a smart move from Ronnie.  It also means that the sound varies a bit from track to track, with some tracks asserting a more aggressive, heavy style, while some have a bit more sheen and come off as purposefully more epic in sound.  As for the selection of vocalists themselves, they all add something to the album and all fit well within the framework.

As mentioned before, the guitar sound varies somewhat on the album, from the heavier, chunky riffing in "Let Us Go!" to the slightly more restrained tone in a track like "Song of Deliverance".  Guitar work by Filip Koluš and Ado Kaláber is generally excellent throughout, with a handful of solos really shining (like the bendy, effects-laden solo in "Wrath of Pharaoh").  The riffing is more interesting here than in your typical substandard power metal fare, with some interesting riff work that twists about in places, and is more than just power chords strummed fast and furiously.  If you hadn't already heard their work in Vindex, there's no doubt these gents have chops and technique to spare.  Keyboards are provided by Ján Tupý, also of Vindex, and for the most part, they're quite subtle, content to keep the background to provide atmospherics, though he occasionally gets to break free from the scenery and add flourishes here and there that make them more than just wallflowers.  Bass guitar is, of course, handled by Ronnie, and he does a good job propelling the tunes, with his bass in the mix where it's audible and able to be part of the proceedings.  Ronnie doesn't show off too much, and often keeps time with the guitar lines, but occasionally (like in "Last Days of Egypt") he gets to provide the bulk of the rhythm while the guitars go off into whiz-bang mode.  Drumming is courtesy of fellow Vindex alum Jaro Jančula, and is handled solidly.  As with his work in Vindex, he does a good job of providing what the song needs and not getting in the way.  He keeps time well and blends nicely with the group.  His drum sound here is good as well, having a nice combination of well produced, yet still sounding organic.  The drums have some oomph to them as well, so they don't sound overly "clicky" or hollow.

Vocally, the album is quite strong with all the various singers on here.  In the list of vocalists that lend their talents are existing Signum Regis vocalist Göran Edman, Matt Smith of Theocracy, Michael Vescera (Obsession), Lance King (you name it, he's sung for them), Daisa Muhnoz (Vandroya & Soulspell), along with Eli Prinsen (Sacred Warrior, The Sacrificed), Samuel Nyman (Manimal), Thomas Winkler (Gloryhammer & Emerald, neither of which I'm familiar), and Mayo Petranin.  The only vocalists from the list I have real familiarity with are Daisa, Matt Smith, and Eli Prinsen, so I can only guess who sings on the other tracks, but all vocalists sound good on their respective songs and bring a nice blend to the sound.  As for the lyrics, they convey the story of the Exodus from both a personal perspective, as well as simply a storytelling bent, so it's nice to get things from both angles.  The production here is good, as the instrumentation has enough separation so you can hear what's going on with each instrument, though I will say due to the number of sessions it took to record this album, there are some songs that have slightly less polish to the final product, and others that sound as though time was spent sanding off the rough edges to give it that butter-smooth feel like latter day Blind Guardian, where the heaviness is slightly diminished by how shiny it all is.  It's not overly distracting, but still noticeable.

At the end of the day, this is a quality album that will please fans of power metal and especially those who like these kinds of collaborations, because it allows the vocalists to do their thing in their own way.  One almost wonders if the songs were written with some of these specific vocalists in mind, because they come off sounding as though they were designed for a certain vocalist's talents or approach.  Specifically, "Wrath of Pharaoh", "The Ten Plagues", "Song Of Deliverance", and "Sole Survivor" all sound as if they were tailor-made with the vocalist in mind, because they blend so well into those settings.  I'd say too well, in the case of Matt Smith, as his performance sounds just a bit more restrained than he normally is with Theocracy.  "Mountain of God" being the bonus track is a bit strange, as it fits in with the theme (Moses on the mountain receiving the ten commandments), but this is a small thing.  The melodies on the album may not be quite as memorable as I'd like, but the enthusiastic performances, quality playing, and overall great sound partially make up for that.  I'd recommend this for fans of power metal who like more than just speedy, double-bass ridden fodder, and especially to enthusiasts of history and Hebrew culture, and metal fans in general looking for something a bit outside their comfort zone.

80/100

ReinXeed - Swedish Hitz Goes Metal Volume II (2013)

Metal bands covering pop music is nothing new, as the lines between metal and pop have always been a little blurred, at least in some circles.  Some ardent metal fans refuse to accept any semblance of "pop music" in their metal, in part because the "pop" part means popular, and metal was never truly meant to be popular, at least not in the minds of the de facto metalhead.  If I'm over-generalizing, I apologize, but I think any of us heavily into metal can safely admit at some point or another in our musical journey that there are lines we've refused to cross, only to later realize that we were, perhaps, either short-sighted, or just not willing to let go of our own pre-conceived notions of what metal is or was.  The truth of the matter is, traditional forms of metal music are often based around many of the same melodic touchstones that "pop music" is, though with a decidedly more aggressive or energetic bent, and arguably less approachable subject matter.

So while pop elements aren't likely to creep into goregrind or bedroom black metal any time soon, anything rooted in more traditional heavy metal sounds and styles will have a pop underpinning at the very least, due to the reliance on catchy melodies and specifically structured songwriting.  As such, it should be no big deal for metal musicians to pay homage to pop music.  Helloween covered ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me" via their "Metal Jukebox" release, and while not every pop songwriter is as brilliant as Benny and Bjorn of ABBA, the fact remains that catchy melodies, sing-along choruses, and verse-chorus songs are a staple in this genre we love so dearly.  I, for one, don't think that's a bad thing, as many a classic metal song over the years would have suffered greatly if not for a quality melody carrying it along.

So with that in mind, Tommy Johansson (or Tommy ReinXeed, if you prefer) has put out a pair of albums, the first in 2011, and now this 2nd volume in 2013, which exemplify that relationship between traditional heavy metal and pop music.  And while the 1st record concentrated solely on 3 Swedish groups, that being ABBA, Roxette, and Ace of Base, this 2nd volume branches out just a bit further.  So while over half the material here is still ABBA (who had a wealth of excellent pop songs), Tommy brings some newer material to the table as well, and most of it works pretty well.  The record occasionally dips under the weight of its ambitions, but never falters so much that it stumbles and falls down.

If you've heard a ReinXeed record, you know what to expect musically: a crunchy, yet clean-sounding rhythm guitar sound, sharp lead guitar, lightly rumbling bass, and time-keeper precision drums, along with keyboards where appropriate, and pristine production that gives the proceedings an almost "too shiny" sheen.  That's not to say that things don't occasionally get aggressive, because "Don't Stop the Music", "Rock Me" and "My Favorite Game" all have sufficient weight to them, but overall, you know you're getting a juicy pop nougat wrapped in a crunchy metal shell.  Since Tommy has a respectable handle on the ballad side of the coin, his interpretation of a song like "One of Us" works well.  Mid-tempo stuff like "Does Your Mother Know" and "Voulez-Vous" also work well, as does his interpretation of non-single ABBA track "Tiger" (a personal favorite from ABBA's "The Arrival" album).  Some of the non-ABBA tracks are quite effective as well, though I must confess I'm less familiar with the other artists.  I will say that Tommy's choice of "My Favorite Game" by The Cardigans was a good one; had he chosen to do "Lovefool", I'm not sure he would have pulled it off.  And I was surprised how well Loreen's "Euphoria" (2012 Eurovision songwriting contest winner) translated - Tommy wisely kept the basic keyboard line as part of the song, and just give it some metal muscle to beef it up a bit.

With as much success as Tommy has here in translating songs, there are only a couple misses.  Sadly, his take on "Dancing Queen" lacks the charm, punch, and soul of the original, and ends up sounding somewhat flat and lifeless by comparison.  Perhaps I'm too big an ABBA fan, and perhaps that particular song is just far too iconic, but Tommy's interpretation just doesn't do anything for me.  And because it opens the album, it brings down the album ever so slightly because it doesn't begin on a high note.  "All About the Money" is a good listen, but as a song it doesn't stand out as much as most of the other material here, so it ends up sounding a bit like a filler track at the end of the album, which is what it becomes.  These minor missteps aren't enough to drag the record down that much, but I just didn't feel that they reflected the quality of the rest of the covers, or the quality of the 1st volume for that matter.

At the end of the day, there are 2 types of people who will buy this album: ReinXeed die-hards, and power metal fans who are also partial to material that showcases a highly melodic pop or rock sensibility.  If you're in either camp, this is a CD you at least should hear, if not own.  For those who haven't discovered ReinXeed yet, start with either "1912" or "Welcome to the Theater", or even their most recent album "A New World" for quality melodic power metal that remains consistently good throughout.  For those looking for something different, or metal fans who enjoy covers albums or interpretations like this (especially of non-metal material), then this is a good CD to show the relationship that exists between pop music and metal.  I would recommend this if you liked Volume I and are looking for more, or if you are willing to entertain something other than tried and true, dyed-in-the-wool metal.

78/100

ReinXeed - A New World (2013)

So here we are with a new ReinXeed album, the 6th release in so many years.  You'd think, with all band-leader Tommy Johansson is involved in, he'd eventually run out of ideas, but apparently that's not the case, at least not yet.  The last 2 ReinXeed albums have been very strong, thematically speaking, as well as both being musical high points for the band.  This new release returns to a bit more of a traditional approach, that being self-contained songs that aren't part of a larger concept or cohesive theme.  After all the grandeur of an album about the sinking of the Titanic, followed by an album celebrating the movie theater experience with references to comic book characters, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and the like, how will a more "hum drum" approach stack up?  Pretty well, all things considered.

Tommy and company have always had a knack for catchy melodies, and as was eluded to none so subtly via the "Swedish Hitz Goes Metal" CD, Tommy has received much inspiration from pop song craft masters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the 2 B's in pop superstars ABBA).  This does not come as a detriment to the band, however, as this kind of buoyant melodic approach is part of what gives ReinXeed a reasonably fresh sound in contrast to many of their neoclassical and power metal peers.  While many bands have a "too cool for school" vibe and try to be "dark" when they're really not, Tommy embraces the more major chord melodic bent, generally to great effect.  That's not to say their sound is one-dimensional.  As anyone who has listened to several ABBA albums in their entirety can attest, there's more to things than what the radio singles tell you.  Such is the case with ReinXeed, whose more "happy metal" approach is more layered and nuanced than may be evident at first blush.

As with the last several ReinXeed albums, the music here is brimming with energy, with mid-tempo and galloping numbers leading the charge.  The guitar sound is essentially the same as you've heard on the last 2-3 ReinXeed albums - it's not discernibly heavier, but has about the same amount of sufficient crunch as before.  The heaviness quotient is near perfect for an album of this type - plenty of distortion so there's no question this is metal, but clean and crisp enough so that it doesn't distract from the quality of the overall production.  Tommy, Mattias Johansson, and Calle Sundberg all provide an excellent guitar foundation for the music here.  Of note also is Tommy's keyboard work, which adds a nice touch here and there.  He's no Eddie Vedder on the ol' ivories (insert "Jump" joke here), but the occasional melodic bits and flourishes help give a little more dimension to the sound.  Bass is provided competently by Christopher Davidsson, and is audible in the mix.  He's not doing anything spectacular here, but he provides that good rhythmic propulsion along with drummer Alfred Fridhagen.  Alfred plays well here, providing the usual double bass and snappy snare drum sound that one expects from an album of this type.  In other words, you've heard this all before, but it's well executed and generally well written.

Vocally, I think Tommy is nearing that apex where he can't improve much more, but I do believe with each of the last 3 albums he continues to sound better and better.  I hear less improvement from "Welcome to the Theater" to "A New World" as I did between "Majestic" and "1912", but he's definitely achieved greater control of his instrument, and has branched out a bit here to be perhaps more expressive at times than on past albums.  As for the lyrics, since these don't follow a cohesive theme, we have the typical metal themes of fantasy and magic, as well as songs about being a rock star and a Guitar Hero (or not one, if you're playing the game of the same name, as the song decries).  It's all "business as usual" from a metal lyrics perspective, so for those who enjoyed the more focused direction of the previous 2 albums like I did, this will be a bit of a letdown, as there are more cliches present here than I'd like to see after such quality work.  Still, none of the lyrics are painfully cheesy, and they can be overlooked if you're so inclined.

By the time the album's 49 minutes and change are up, it seems like the album came and went quickly, which is always a plus.  Rather than dragging on for that time, "A New World" doesn't overstay its welcome.  My biggest gripes with the album are from the perspective of what the music is and does, versus what Tommy says about the style of ReinXeed.  He describes it as "symphonic, OST inspired melodic power metal" which sounds fine at the core, until you realize that Rhapsody (pick your version) has been doing that since 1997 with their so-named brand of "Epic Hollywood Fantasy Metal".  ReinXeed are considerably less "epic" sounding than Rhapsody et al., and that's okay, but it seems to me that the music should be more epic than what is presented here, much like what was on "1912" and "Welcome to the Theater".  Personally, I think Tommy should perhaps explore a more story-based approach on future albums and save the one-off type songs for EP's, singles, and his work with Golden Resurrection.  Don't get me wrong; the material here is of high quality, is very listenable and enjoyable, and over the 25-30 times I spun this in preparation for the review, I've enjoyed that time quite a bit.  But the album's melodies, lyrical approach, and overall presentation isn't as memorable as the previous 2 releases, and for that, I have to factor in that where ratings are concerned.  I'd like to see Tommy explore more story-based work and keep with a theme or concept based approach, because his best work thus far has been in that realm.  That caveat aside, if you've heard and enjoyed ReinXeed in the past, you'll likely get the same kick out of this.  Recommended.

83/100