Earn 1 Loyalty Point With Every $1 Spent!

Access denied

You are not authorized to access this page.
Laser Pic

customers also bought

SEE ALL
  • "Brazilian power metal superstars Hibria proudly present their very first live concert album on both DVD & CD - a multimedia headbanging experience of the first order!Professionally filmed with multiple cameras at the Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball in Tokyo, Japan - May 15th, 2011 - and covering all of the fan favorites including Steel Lord On Wheels, Bind Ride, Shoot Me Down and more!This is the final release with Hibria founding member, guitarist and producer Diego Kasper!"CD/DVD1. Blind Ride2. Nonconforming Minds3. Shoot Me Down4. Welcome To The Horror Show5. Living Under Ice6. Defying The Rules7. Millennium Quest*6. Blinded By Faith9. The Shelter s On Fire10. The Anger Inside11. The Skull Collectors12. Sea Of Revenge*13. I Feel No Bliss*14. Sight Of BlindnessENCORE15. Intro (Wings Of Wax)16. Tiger Punch17. Steel Lord On Wheels18. Rotten Souls*DVD only
    $15.00
  • "Have we reached the verdict regarding our future? Was George Orwell right? Has the big brother been watching over without us know, as if we were citizens in a global silent dictatorship? And what about the social networks, are those enough to be considered as the beginning of a certain end to our healthy minds? Too many questions and plenty of answers, maybe some would be left in the air for sure. Possibly the only thing left is tell about it, warn the commonwealth of probably future's dangers and hazards. Under the veil of melodic Metal, the Bavarian POWERWORLD created various perceptions of the future to come. Several views have been seen in movies over the years, others have been preserved for impending use, maybe to write songs about. POWERWORLD created the next revolutionary hysteria of the cyber world with their brand new album, "Cybersteria", via SPV / Steamhammer Records. Nothing too innovative musically, but this album, as the previous before it, is enough to encourage the listener to appreciate the band's profound talents for their version of Heavy Metal."Cybersteria", as the band's new album, served also a cornerstone for the change the engulfed the group. In 2011, after suffering from a continuous illness and bad health, the band's previous vocalist, Andrew McDermott, died. David Reece, known from his single work with ACCEPT and a constant member of BANGALORE CHOIR, stepped in as a replacement. Yet for the reason of musical differences, the ex-JADED HEART Bluesy voice of Michael Bormann, took charge of the vocal recordings. Furthermore, Guitarists, Andreas Rippelmeier (HEAVENWARD) substituting for Barish Kepic, and Keyboards players, Marco Grasshoff coming in for Nils Neumann, were replaced for the recording, possibly as new band members under the leadership of bassist, Ilker Ersin. In comparison to the previous "Human Parasite", this has been quite an uplifting experience, as this unified group generated a decisive, partly intricate and complex, concoction of Euro melodic, but heavy duty, Heavy Metal in range of ACCEPT or VICTORY, Bluesy furbished Hard Rock of whether 70s DEEP PURPLE and 80s WHITESNAKE, aside to a variety of Power Metal attributes of STRATOVARIUS and darkened features of EVERGREY. Not what I would call an explicit musical skirmish, but surly this particular one is a fresh air in a cool summer night."Cybersteria" enabled smooth catchiness just as the previous release, yet the dimmer veil that hovered above of the Blues created an atmosphere of something that might resemble sorrowfulness and emotional distress. One might also notice fear, especially within the theme of the lyrics, and Bormann's raspy tone of Jorn meets Coverdale tone of voice seemed to be the right choice to go along with. The album's rising star, "Coast Of Tears", is an aching, hooking, slow to mid tempo rumpus of emotional distress, a slight murky, powerful riffing and impressive vocals, reminded me a bit of EVERGREY but with a bleak PURPLE aloofness. "Back On Me" seemed endless at first, but ended up being highly articulate and melodic. Similar to "Human Parasite", POWERWORLD remained modernly produced in terms of sound, but for songs such as this one, nothing sounded as better. "Not Bound To The Evil" and "Like A Shadow" drenched in 80s Metal boundaries. Andreas Rippelmeier seemed quite capable of writing past oriented riffing. There have been several signatures of the 80s throughout the album, but these songs took me back to the hey days more than the others. The latter being a catchy speedster with an amazing main riff, a mere classic with an incredible lead guitar line, but with an even better was the vocal line. There you have it, dripping with the right volume of Blues, along with an expressional version of melodic Heavy and Power Metal, the pristine hysteria is delivered and here for your receiving and understanding. " - Metal Temple
    $15.00
  • "Mat Sinner has had a long and extensive career, whether with the long running band that bears his name or others like Primal Fear or Voodoo Circle. With Touch of Sin 2, Sinner retreats to the past to re-record some of his best material from early albums Danger Zone (1984), Touch of Sin (1985), Comin' Out Fighting (1986), and Dangerous Charm (1987). While they still play many of these songs in their live sets, thanks to obscure contracts, rights being bought and sold, these albums are hard to find. This is a collection of 14 songs, 11 newly re-recorded and three new ones. There's some real classics here, some really good Sinner songs. (Somehow that sounds funny.) Born to Rock, Comin' Out Fighting, Bad Girl, Concrete Jungle, and Germany Rocks are some of the best ones, getting new life from Matt and the current Sinner crew. And that crew includes a wall of guitars from three guitarists, Alex Beyrodt (also Voodoo Circle), Christof Leim, and Alex Scholpp (also Tarja Turunen) with Sinner's bass and Andre Hilgers' drums powering the rhythm section.Three new songs include two originals, Blood On The Sand and Heat Of The City and a cover of the mighty Thin Lizzy's Don’t Believe A Word. The first two sound more like modern Sinner touching the melodic metal side of things especially with the heavier Heat Of The City. The Thin Lizzy cover is simply phenomenal and fun, a tad faster, but still capturing the liveliness and groove of the original. It's the best song here. Touch of Sin 2 is a fine introduction to Sinner's early material, with the new songs a bonus. However, I'm sure those older rockers who have the older material will want to dust of their vinyl versions as well. Recommended." - Danger Dog 
    $12.00
  • Still more material from the Olympia, Paris performances in 1980.
    $18.00
  • "Nightmare managed to release just two studio albums in the eighties before falling victim to "musical differences" and the band tore themselves apart at the tail end of the decade. The story could have ended there and the name of Nightmare might have vanished without trace but in 1999 the band resurfaced with original drummer Jo Amore emerging from the shadows of obscurity to front a new version of the old dream.Recruiting his brother David to takeover his vacated stool Jo set about rebuilding Nightmare's reputation brick by brick. Fifteen years on from that rebirth Nightmare are the pride of the French metal scene and 'The Aftermath' is a riveting fifty minutes of tricolour thunder!Combining elements from their traditional eighties roots with a modern drive and something of a theatrical stance they create some seriously epic soundscapes. 'Bringer Of A No Man's Land' and 'Forbidden Tribe' are first to shatter the peace with a brace of hammer blows that feel like Avantasia collided headfirst with some 'Painkiller' Priest. Vocally Jo negotiates a line between the snarling insanity of Dee Snider and a Jorn-esque genius. Their ambitious brand of power metal is grand and striking, 'Invoking Demons' a standout piece. Atmospheric build ups, electrically charged at every turn the tunes they've compiled for 'The Aftermath' are sharp and precise, each underpinned by David's hard hitting style, his beats exploding with the ferocity of Napoleonic cannons. Regimented rhythms march steadily throughout and provide a solid backbone to each metal moment.With 'Alone In The Distance' bringing a close to ten well crafted and skillfully executed songs I find myself wishing more bands would take a page out of Nightmare's book of dreams because 'The Aftermath' is exactly how a contemporary metal album should sound. It's clear and powerful but not once is it over polished with unnecessary production. Nightmare manage to retain a sharp cutting edge to their classic yet current metal sound and keep some fierce serrations perfectly placed along the way so that each track rips into your psyche leaving you bloodthirsty for more.As a new addition to Nightmare's long history 'The Aftermath' will surely be welcomed by old fans with open arms and I can imagine a few new fans being drawn in by this album and its charms too. It's stuff like this that ignites my passion about metal. Impressive stuff indeed." - Uber Rock
    $15.00
  • "Having existed in some shape or form since 1990, Greece's Black Fate is another band that has been seeking consistency and stability in their career for better than twenty years. Returning to life after a five year absence, the band offers their fourth album, Between Vision & Lies. And they've made a small coup d'etat by adding fellow Greek, guitar wunderkind Gus Drax (ex Biomechanical, Paradox, et al), another musician in search of a stable band.While not necessarily novel or to say that their sound is unique, Black Fate's sound is definitely something of interest and for explanation. It's a hybrid of various metal genres. The foundation is a division between traditional power metal and classic melodic heavy metal, probably larger on the latter. There's also some slight symphonic nuances. Perhaps, the most intriguing element is the inclusion of a solid rock groove in many songs, stealing something from both traditional melodic hard rock and metal.By arrangement, then, these elements are blended in such a way that may suggest progressive metal. You certainly will find this current in many songs including The Game of Illusion, Weight of the World, or State of Conformity. But that last song, along with the following Without Saying a Word, share some of that aforementioned melodic rock accessibility, while still being metal. I would say that Without Saying a Word, an anthem, is the most soaring song here, even stirring the emotions. It's definitely a fine platform for Vasilis Georgiou's strong vocals.Alternatively, songs like Perfect Crime, Weight of the World, and Into The Night can be a thorough thrust of heaviness, borne mostly from the riffage and rhythm section. But these, also, are not without the strength of melody and groove. And no song here is without Drax's terrific guitar wizardry, a strong fusion of traditional rock, neo-classical, and metal fret work. Between the skilled musicianship and versatile arrangements, Black Fate's Between Vision & Lies offers some intriguing music, hybrid heavy metal that suggests more than one listen to enjoy both the creativity and nuances. Here's hoping the band stays stable and returns with more in the future. Recommended." - Dangerdog
    $16.00
  • Swedish melodic prog metal band Cullooden is the latest band to emerge from the Roastinghouse management stable.  Their debut, Silent Scream, sits nicely besides bands like Circus Maximus, Withem, and Seventh Wonder.  Strong anthem-like vocal harmonies permeate the album.  Plenty of nice soloing throughout the album.  Keys are featured but the real star of the show is the guitar work.  Highly recommended."If I have to put on a specific metal sticker on this debut album, it has to be something like this: Modern, melodic metal with big jagged shards of prog metal/rock. This Swedish trio in Cullooden is giving us a disc, which is very technical and at the same time it's a very melodic album. 'Silent Scream' is a metallic gold bar. It contains adult, progressive metal tracks played with ultra strong harmonies and Cullooden is fronted by one of the strongest and widest new rock voices I've heard in a long time.Fredrik Joakimsson owns the talented voice, and he handles the highest tones just as perfect as in the harsher and darker tunes. I hear musical influences that reminds me of Dream Theather or maybe even more from their compatriots in the magnificent progressive metal band Seventh Wonder and the Norwegians in Circus Maximus.Cullooden is not another beginner's project, which has released a 'quick shot' album, nope they knew what they were going to record on 'Silent Scream' and the songs are so overwhelmingly worked through both musically and lyrically. The album is also extremely well produced. I have to stick my neck out and say that it is perfectly produced, there is absolutely nothing to complaint about.What attracts my interest a little more than normally is the elegant flirts with the melodic hard rock, like in 'Our Only Desire' and in 'An Interesting Fact', which are some of my favorite tracks on this album. The heavy bass rhythms are pressing in the background, but it's easy listening and melodic nonetheless. The quality rhythmic metal that has been mixed with the progressive tones becomes an insanely congenial overall impression. Every track has it's own personality and I've used much of my time to sort this album in and out and my final conclusion is this: A new shining progressive metal star is appearing on the metal heaven and it's called Cullooden!'Silent Scream' will most likely be played over and over again for a long, long time to come when I want life-inspiration or just want to hear at succulent melodic metal or world-class quality prog metal. I love it!The album is recommended for most metal fans, although the melodic/progressive metal fans will most likely worship this masterful album release!" - Power Of Metal
    $16.00
  • "It's a strange thing, but hardly uncommon in the Internet age. I had to find out about Pennsylvania's Mindaze through a German promotion outfit distributing promotional packages for Swedish label Inner Wound Recordings. Mind you, Mindmaze's roots are in Allentown, a mere hour drive from Dangerdog HQ. Here we have their sophomore effort Back From The Edge, soon to get more and better interest thanks to this international promotion.Mindmaze works from the roots of traditional melodic heavy metal, and then throws in female lead vocals with a good mixture of progressive power metal. The band is essentially a trio, led by siblings Jeff and Sarah Teets, with guests filling the bass guitar chair. For the album session recording that duty fell to Symphony X's Mike LePond. They get additional support from Stratovarius keyboardist Jens Johansson (Moment of Flight), Pharaoh guitarist Matt Johnsen (The Machine Stops), and Lord guitarist Lord Tim (Onward Destiny Calls II).Keeping good company with talented musicians is one thing, but delivering the heavy metal goods is another. And Mindmaze does. I was particularly impressed at the depth of the songwriting and arrangements. All the songs are thick with groove, harmony, and melody, yet sufficiently intriguing thanks to shifts and twists from tempo to instrumentation. Significant to the latter is Jeff Teets' impressive guitar lines. His riffs and leads are rather rather large, rousing and entertaining. So much so, one might call this a guitar-oriented metal album. If you like sharp guitar work, you will definitely enjoy this album. As for sister Sarah's voice, her vocals are essentially straight foward, easily in the range of hard rock and heavy metal. What she's not is some crazy operatic singer trying to impress you with her range and pierce your eardrums. She reminds me of A Sound of Thunder's Nina Osegueda, but not as screamo. With that reference, I would suggest that, if you like ASoT, you're going to love Mindmaze.As for individual songs, I won't bore you with minutae. You can listen to a few tracks below. I was immediately pleased with Dreamwalker, Moment of Flight, and The Machine Stops. The latter two having perhaps the most 'proggish' moments of the album. Not so much for Consequences of Choice. It's not a bad song, but just seems more riff driven and even-handed, with little intrigue. But it in no way diminishes the strength of the whole as Back From The Edge a fine listen from start to finish. Easily recommended." - Dangerdog.com
    $10.00
  • "Slowly becoming famous in my book for cooking up some excellent traditional-yet-novel power metal with heavy and thrash influences (Black Majesty, Pegazus, Knightmare, Taberah, Dungeon/Lord, Empires Of Eden, etc.), Australia delivers yet again with power/thrashers Damnations Day who, after 8 years, have kicked out a debut full-length with the stimulating title Invisible, The Dead.True to the formula of most bands that merge power metal hooks with thrashier riffs, Damnations Day keeps the focus neatly divided between solid vocal melodies, charging rhythm hooks, and some very good screams courtesy of singer Mark Kennedy. Kennedy may not have the most fine-tuned pitch control, and his softer clean vocals are sometimes (see below) lacking a certain conviction and warmth, but he’s really on the top of his game when he gets screaming. The vocal work on the ripping “I Am” and “Carried Above The Sun” is top-notch, and, along with the tight guitar work, a commanding asset for the band.The guitars are a serious propelling force on Invisible, The Dead. Despite the occasional sparseness of sound here, the variety of riffs, licks, and lead melodies consistently do not fail to entertain throughout the entire album (well, on the quick songs, anyway). Dean Kennedy (Brother of vocalist Mark, if I’m not mistaken) of Teramaze fills the drum seat and, if I may be permitted to say, he often sounds as if he may be performing beneath himself. There are a few spots where the drums kick into overdrive however, and the listener is treated to punishing percussion.Curiously enough, the album ends with a rather capable acoustic serenade in “A World To Come”, which features a dreamy melody, abrupt tenderness from Kennedy, and rich backing vocals that enliven the soft track and engage the listener up to the end. The net result is another of those rare ballads that properly captures my attention and may even be my favorite track on the album. Unfortunately, I don’t find the other acoustic track (“A Ghost In Me”) to be nearly so impressive, and it’s only effect is to break the momentum right in the middle of the album.With the excellent closer and several other very strong tracks throughout (especially “I Am” and “Reflections”), Invisible, The Dead is a very encouraging first bout of metal. I can’t cite the band’s soft tunes as stumbling blocks, with as much as I enjoy “A World To Come”, but I feel that the groups’ strengths lie more reliably in their uptempo tunes and allowing the guitars to cut loose. I recommend this album to any that enjoy an accessible fusion of power and thrash metal, and anyone looking for some very good high-pitched vocal work. Invisible, The Dead is a professional, powerful, and accomplished debut that paves the way for a bright future." - Blackwind Metal
    $12.00
  • Special edition with bonus tracks."At first, I was somewhat unsure what I was going to get when I was sent this promo. The name seemed to be an attempt at a funny pun on the name of a “Harry Potter” character from my childhood. Then I read the press release, and just who was involved and realised it was going to be something awesome. Featuring ex-HELLOWEEN member Roland Grapow on guitars, as well as Thomen Stauch, who used to be in BLIND GUARDIAN, amongst other particularly good musicians, I just knew it was going to be a power metal treat.The album opens up with “I Seek No Other Life” and we’re straight into awesome riff territory, and some fantastically delivered vocals from Urban Breed, combined with awesome riffs and a powerful rhythm section, further developed by some nice bombastic keyboard melodies from Jan Vacik (ex-DREAMSCAPE). This is followed by “High And Low” and this has an awesome main melody that meets perfectly with the powerful chorus as well. A nice sense of groove really moves this song along.Some nice piano melodies open up “Sealing My Fate” in a delicate fashion, with some equally soft vocals here, before the song slams into a nice heavy yet melodic riff. This song has a really nice powerful chorus, and some great playing throughout. “Temple Of The Sun” is an instrumental with a fitting melody considering the title, with a highly symphonic sound to it, which then slams into “Akhenaton”, which is of course thematically similar to its instrumental introduction. This one has a real STRATOVARIUS feel to it, with really good use of dynamics in amongst some fantastic musical moments.“My Mystic Mind” is a real hard hitting track with some great guitar melodies and some nice use of dynamics, clashing stabbing guitars with piano melodies in a really interesting way. “Trail Of Murder” is straight off the bat a fantastic song, with some great guitar riffs meeting some tasty melodies. Again, the strong sense of dynamics is at play here, with lots going on in the song.Title-track “As Daylight Breaks” is a softer track, mainly relying on symphony and vocals to carry the track, with some really well performed parts all around making this a nice emotional sounding track with plenty of build and atmosphere. “Setting Fire To The Earth” follows this up and this one feels like PRAYING MANTIS on steroids, with heavy riffs and some great lyrical themes and vocal harmonies colliding to form a great track.Penultimate track, “Listen To The Storm”, builds an aptly moody atmosphere to start off with, with thunderous sounds meeting some nice guitar parts. The song develops nicely as it goes, with a really nice catchy chorus!The album ends on “Older And Wiser” and this is a nice high energy power metal track to finish things off, with some nice virtuosic playing and a nice fast pace throughout. This closes the album on a real nice note, leaving you feel pumped up and ready for more.The production is spot on, everything has a nice sense of power to it when needed, and softer moments are also equally well done. All the different things that are going on are mixed nicely, from heavy guitars to the softest piano moments. The vocals are also really nicely done, and a heavy rhythm section sound really powers this album along.“As Daylight Breaks” is a must-have for fans of Power Metal the way it should be done, there’s heavy and melodic riffs, soaring vocals, and great songwriting throughout this mammoth of an album. Keep your eyes peeled for this in 2015." - Metal Temple
    $9.00
  • "Lemmy Kilmister had been leading Motörhead for 16 years by the time 1916 was recorded in 1991. Over the years, Motörhead had experienced more than its share of personnel changes -- and in fact, Kilmister was its only remaining original member. But the band's sound hadn't changed much, and time hadn't made its sledgehammer approach any less appealing. As sobering as his reflections on the horrors of World War I are on the title song, he's unapologetically amusing on "Going to Brazil," "Angel City" (an ode to the "beautiful" party people of L.A.), and "Ramones" (which salutes the New York punk band). Whether the subject matter is humorously fun or more serious, Motörhead is as inspired as ever on 1916." - Allmusic Guide
    $7.50
  • "What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Italy? It will probably be the scenery, the beauty and the great food. For me it’s the same but I also think of great music as Italy has produced some great musicians and artists. So is the band featured in this review one of them? Only one way to find out so here we go it’s time for a review.The band in question is called BURNING BLACK, who is a quintet of Italian rockers from the Treviso part of Italy that formed in 2004. In 2008, their debut album, “Prisoners of Steel”, was unleashed upon the world showing what this new fresh European band could do and a year later they came back with their second album, “MechanicHell”, and now here in 2014, their third album, “Remission of Sin” is upon us.The album clocks in at roughly 49 minutes playtime with a total of 11 tracks that consist of nothing but pure bred Heavy Metal but the question is, does it play and sound like an album that belongs in that genre? Well when you first listen to it, it certainly has all the right ingredients needed for a great European Heavy Metal album and the more you listen, the more you start to realize that the ingredients are a part of a great recipe which results in good music.So to answer my earlier question, yes this does play and sound like an album that belongs in the Heavy Metal genre? Let’s start with the music which is crisp, clear, heavy, fast and loud just like a normal Heavy Metal album but sometimes that can be a good thing as there have been cases where the recipe has otherwise failed or not been as successful.Here that is far from being the case as you are treated to some pretty insane guitar riffs and some rather impressive vocals which yes at times may sound a bit hit and miss but overall it’s not really something to worry about it as it’s the performance which can often impress and come out on top over any little niggles you may find.The album has a total of nine vocal songs including “Flag of Rock”, “Mercenary of War”, “Soulless Stone” and “Far Away” to name a few along with two instrumentals which include the opening introduction track “Do Lung Bridge” and “Spaceman’s Theory” with the latter being a sweet little acoustic and electric guitar jam.So what do I think of the new album from BURNING BLACK? It comes as no surprise that this would sound good as it is from a European band after all but that said some European bands have released slightly mediocre material that is far from perfect and not as enjoyable as others. With the good European bands however, you get quality music and although some of them may have their little faults here and there, you enjoy them for what they are especially if it’s from a band you like or a band you’ve been a strong follower of. I am glad to say it’s the same here as despite any issues I may have addressed in this review, I was impressed overall with this album and I will definitely come back to it and listen to it again." - Metal Temple
    $15.00
  • "‘Idiosynchratically beautiful’. These are two words that have stuck with me for nearly 20 years and which I recall almost every time I hear or read the name Arcturus. These words were quoted on an advert for the Norwegian band’s 1997 release, ‘La Masquerade Infernale’ within an issue of either Terrorizer or Metal Hammer magazine; I can’t remember which. What I do remember was that I was deeply into a stage of black metal discovery at the time and this quote resonated with me for some reason. I took the punt and received the album as a Christmas present. It wasn’t love at first listen; instead it was a slow and steady slog that has ended in a lasting and deep love affair. It was the track ‘Ad Astra’ that was the catalyst for repeat listens. Full of drama, avant-garde vaudevillian oddness and a compelling crescendo, it impressed me and forced me to listen to the remainder of the album more than perhaps I might otherwise have done.It is arguable that in the intervening years, Arcturus have never managed to hit the heights of ‘La Masquerade Infernale’. Neither 2002’s ‘The Sham Mirrors’ nor ‘Sideshow Symphonies’ spoke to me in the same way and despite containing some outstanding moments, I came away both times with feelings of slight disappointment. And that, as they say was that. In terms of original studio albums, nothing has been released since; indeed after the release of ‘Shipwrecked in Oslo’ in 2006, the band called it quits with the individual members going on to do different things. And so it has remained until now.Rumours were rife from around 2011 when various members made comments that alluded to a resurrection of the band and later that year the rumours were confirmed. However, for one reason or another it has taken until 2015 for a new original recording to see the light of day, a development that has been greeted with great euphoria amongst the loyal Arcturus following.Arcturus version 2015 is comprised of Steinar Sverd Johnsen (keys), Hellhammer (drums), Knut Magne Valle (guitar), Hugh ‘Skoll’ Mingay (bass) and ICS Vortex (vocals). Together, they have created an album very much worthy of their lofty status and one that I would argue just about manages to match the quality of ‘La Masquerade Infernale’. The only reason I hedge my bets and say ‘just about’ is because I’ve only had about three days with ‘Arcturian’ as opposed to the 18 years I’ve had to enjoy ‘La Masquerade Infernale’. That said, I’ve listened to ‘Arcturian’ more times than I care to mention in recent days and it gives me chills on each and every listen. It is complex, quirky, brilliantly composed and professionally executed. I have no doubt that with even more time and attention, it’ll delight and captivate me even more than it does already.The one thing that perhaps I wasn’t expecting was the sheer amount of melody and accessibility that ‘Arcturian’ displays. It’s no exaggeration to say that for all of the complexity and raw heaviness, almost every track on the album contains a melody, lead vocal or some kind of hook that makes me sit up and take real notice. When I listen to new music, I have a tendency to make an ‘oooh’ noise and smile broadly if something excites me. I suspect that there will be some of you out there who do something similar. On ‘Arcturian’, I admit to ‘ooh’-ing all over the place.One of main reasons why this album feels so melodic and accessible is, I believe down to vocalist ICS Vortex. Yes he is an acquired taste but so unique is his delivery and so impressive is his range that seemingly very little is off-limits. He complements the music beautifully, managing sound both majestic but also a little unstable, as if he could spiral out of control at any moment. I mean, at times, he sounds like he’s yodelling for heaven’s sake; it’s superb.Onto the compositions themselves, they are all dense, multi-layered affairs that contain an abundance of richness. There are no songs that tend to extend over six minute mark and yet, such is the ambition of Arcturus that it feels like a million different ideas are injected into each composition, testing the listener and toying with them at every turn. I strongly suspect that this has been done with a certain playful, yet mischievous intent. Those strong Vaudervillian overtones of the band’s past make a welcome return, as do a number of various influences that pull Arcturus away from being simply discarded as a black metal band. As they demonstrate on ‘Arcturian’, there are elements of black metal to their underlying sound but they deliver so much more that to pigeonhole them in such a way would be inaccurate and disingenuous.Opening track, ‘The Arcturian Sign’, starts off somewhat disconcertingly with weird electronic noises and sounds. It’s a typically eccentric beginning which soon gives way to those unmistakable vocals of ICS Vortex and, at its core, a black metal meets prog composition. Dominated by powerful synths and relentless double pedal drumming, those odd sounds like laser guns nevertheless re-surface throughout. But within the tumult and idiosyncrasies is a really catchy, hook-laden chorus.‘Crashland’ has a light and breezy feel to it, taking in influences from space rock, folk music and more extreme climes. The sweeping synths are immediately reminiscent of the ‘La Masquerade Infernale’ era, as they are during my personal standout track, ‘Game Over’ with its addictive melodies and the way it builds and morphs so elegantly from one guise to another almost imperceptibly, ending in a crescendo of sorts that elicits another ‘ooh’ from my lips.‘Angst’ is a powerful and more extreme slab of metal, dominated by a blistering tempo, tortured screams atop another strong synth melody and the threat of a descent into chaos on more than one occasion. ‘Warp’ on the other hand introduces more electronic influences but has such an imposing and catchy melody that it’s impossible to ignore. ‘Demon’ has demonstrable Gothic synth pop overtones whereas ‘Pale’ delights with a marvellous driving central riff, a great chorus of sorts and some of the most varied and brilliant vocals on the entire record. The album ends with ‘Bane’, a track that further backs up the gorgeous ‘The Journey’ by providing amongst other things, some truly beautiful and subtle acoustic guitar playing which is a real joy.For all that, I have to say that ‘Arcturian’ is an album that’s best enjoyed in its entirety rather than picking and choosing individual songs. The album has a distinct flow and overall feel that helps to make it as special as it is, something that could be lost if listened to in a piecemeal manner.For the sake of balance, my only small gripe relates to the production which I think is a little on the weak side and robs some of the aforementioned richness from the music. Occasionally, the layers of music come together is a slightly messy muddle of impenetrable white noise which is a bit disappointing. But then again, there’s a certain ‘old-school’ charm to the mix too, reminding me of their heyday more than once. Maybe therefore, the production is entirely deliberate, those naughty scamps.It’s almost impossible sum up ‘Arcturian’ in a concise manner and do it the justice it deserves, except to say that if you’re a fan of Arcturus at their most original, challenging, audacious and quirky, prepare to take ‘Arcturian’ straight to your heart." - Man Of Much Metal
    $15.00
  • "Home to koala bears, kangaroos, and vegemite sandwiches (thank you Men At Work for that reference), Australia also maintains a very healthy metal scene, especially in the power/progressive and extreme sub-genres. Black Majesty from Melbourne revels in melodic power metal with progressive tinges, establishing over the course of their four studio records a sound appealing to an older generation who love double-bass fury, kinetic dueling guitar work and multi-octave vocal prowess. The fifth platter Stargazer delivers more of the same, with no apologizing in their commitment to their cause.Guitarists Stevie Janevski and Hanny Mohamed waste no time unleashing their clean and electric riff knowledge, using a Masterplan-like template 15 seconds into “Falling” to crush your ears with power glory. It’s obvious that the musicians love to flash around happy Helloween cultural reference points - the speedier “Voice of Change” giving vocalist John Cavaliere ample chance to reside in his higher falsetto Dickinson-meets-Kiske zone. The band also know when to fluctuate their tempos- becoming more morose and theatrical on the militant “Symphony of Death” which begins ballad-ish before the Maiden and Iced Earth stomp prepares you for the impending battle cry.Recording at their own studio in Melbourne as well as with Masterplan’s Roland Grapow at his studio in Slovakia, the sound has a clarity that emphasizes strong melodies, hero worthy soloing, and a rhythm section up to the energy exchange challenge. The title cut even throws down a tip of the influence cap to Blind Guardian, who the band toured with on their Australian tour last year.Black Majesty has their own niche brand and performs their songs with a majestic grace that bleeds professionalism. Transforming Iron Maiden and Helloween at their creative peaks for a modern, 2012 audience, Stargazer should have no trouble settling in to those audiences’ record collections. " - Blistering.com
    $15.00