Lord | Digital Lies

by Justin Gaines
- Senior Columnist/News Editor –

Australian traditional/power metal force Lord is back with a new album, titled Digital Lies. It’s the fourth full-length from the band, which of course was formed as a solo project for (now former) Dungeon frontman Lord Tim, and while Lord may have started as something of a departure from the Dungeon sound, it didn’t take long for them to become a heavy hitting power metal band in their own right.

Digital Lies is, quite frankly, a monster of an album. This really captures not only the best elements of the Lord sound, but of the power metal genre as a whole. The driving rhythms, melodic lead guitar work, intricate solos and of course the strong vocal performances (including the background vocals) all come together brilliantly here, and we get just enough keys to add some atmosphere and elegance without going overboard with faux symphonics. This is an album that can rival Brainstorm and the long-absent Tad Morose for combining power, melody and heaviness, and there are moments that even recall progressive bands like Evergrey and Vanden Plas. And while it’s not a concept album, enough of the songs on Digital Lies tie together lyrically (probably not the one about Conan the Barbarian though) to maintain a certain atmosphere throughout the whole album.

It’s hard to call out individual highlights when the whole album is this strong, but if you’re looking to “try before you buy,” songs like “Betrayal Blind,” “The Chalkboard Prophet” and definitely the title track ought to make you a believer. The closing epic “Battle of Venarium” (yes, the one about Conan) is flat-out amazing too.

Lord Tim already has an impressive resume, but this may be his finest work yet. There is no logical way any Lord or Dungeon fan could be disappointed by Digital Lies, and it’s more than good enough to win over a host of new fans to the Lord camp. If you’re putting together a list of the best power metal albums of 2013, Digital Lies definitely deserves a spot near the top.

Edition Notes: The Australian pressing of Digital Lies includes a newly recorded version of “Footsteps in the Sand” (originally on Lord’s 2003 debut A Personal Journey) as a bonus track. It’s a nice addition, but probably not essential unless you’re a die-hard fan.

Genre: Traditional Metal, Power Metal, Melodic Metal

Band:
Tim “Lord Tim” Grose (v) (g) (k)
Andy Dowling (b) (v)
Mark Furtner (g) (v)
Damien Costas (d) (v)

Track Listing:
1. Incipio
2. Betrayal Blind
3. Digital Lies
4. Point of View
5. Walk Away
6. 2D Person in a 3D World
7. Final Seconds
8. The Last Encore
9. Because We Can
10. The Chalkboard Prophet
11. Battle of Venarium
12. Footsteps in the Sand (2013 Re-recording)

Label: Dominus

Website: www.lord.net.au

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10

Kandia | All Is Gone

by Joe Mis
- Senior Columnist –

All Is Gone might be the title of Kandia’s second full length album, but musically “all is here.” The band’s sophomore release is nothing short of dazzling. Continuing to build on the successful formula of strong vocals and solid songwriting, Kandia’s husband and wife team of Nya and Andre Cruz, along with producer and co-writer Daniel Cardoso, have stepped up the game and released a stunningly good CD. A mix of traditional metal with progressive and Gothic elements, Kandia’s music will satisfy fans just about every genre.

Formed in late 2007, Kandia is much more than another female-fronted metal act. They create a unique sound by melding influences of acts such as Tool, Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd and Metallica – and blend it all into their own sound. Conceived originally as a duo, they released their EP entitled Light in late 2008 and followed up with 2010′s Inward Beauty / Outward Reflection – both produced by Daniel Cardoso. Considering the success of both the EP and album, Andre and Nya continued their winning relationship with Cardoso and the three re-entered the studio to work on All Is Gone. The veteran formula continues to work, resulting in a razor sharp release in terms of both musical presentation and production value. Supported by an enthusiastic fan base, Kandia recently completed a successful crowd-funding effort to support the release of All Is Gone and its first single, “Scars”.

A bit more aggressive in tone, All Is Gone picks up where Inward Beauty / Outward Reflection leaves off. The intensity levels have all been turned up to 11, and the engineering supports it well. Nya’s vocals continue to astound – she comes across as sweet and innocent one moment, but then releases what can only be described as a full-on roar. She sings with passion and fire, and pushes her range to the max. Andre and Daniel not only support her vocals, but manage to drive them forward, increasing the power of the song with a mix of edgy guitars, slick keyboards, and solid drums and bass. There is definitely a firm synergy here, and the technical abilities of all involved are without question.

“Caution” is a simple electronic instrumental opening leading into the massive guitar riffs of “New Breed.” This is a track of great contrast – Nya’s vocal line is smooth and slow while the guitars, bass, and drums are moving at a blistering pace underneath. “Karma” continues the musical intensity and the theme of social commentary. Nya turns up the vocals and unleashes the roar, and the band added a few sound bites of Al Pacino from the movie “The Devil’s Advocate”. The music becomes a bit more flowing on “Scars,” a great “never give up” anthem and the first single from the album. Nya displays her entire vocal range – from soft and delicate to the big growl – while remaining well in control. “All Is Gone” is and energetic rocker that features a great progressive style keyboard intro and a smooth, almost liquid vocal line.

“Our Final Day” keeps Nya in the lower end of her vocal range during the verses, and becomes a Lacuna Coil progressive rocker with a fine rhythm line and awesome guitar-bass-drum hooks. The progressive “Deviant” opens with a symphonic Linken Park style keyboard passage and becomes one of the most powerful and varied tracks on the album as the band pulls out all the stops. “Noise” is a soft keyboard bridge that segues into the very different, bouncy pop-metal “Everything You Say.” “Blow” is a superb high energy track with a brutally intense guitar line and powerful roaring vocals, while “Done With You” flips back and forth between soft, almost whispered vocals and huge grinding guitars. The album ends on a soft and surprising note with the haunting, tear jerker ballad “Bother.” Nya and the band prove here that they are all complete performers.

If there is anything disappointing about All Is Gone it has to be the lack of guitar breaks and solos – almost unheard of for a metal release. Most of the tracks follow the standard format of verse – chorus – verse – chorus, with well done bridges between. There are a number of places where the band applied some “techno” feeling vocal skips and such, but these are not really necessary since the music is so powerful and energetic.

Kandia’s music is powerful, melodic, emotional and very introspective, and their star is definitely still in ascension. Fans of Gothic or progressive metal have a fine act to follow, and anyone who likes strong and powerful vocals will find a lot to appreciate. Very highly recommended!

Genre: Melodic Metal

Band:
Nya Cruz (vocals)
Andre Cruz (all instruments)
Daniel Cardoso (all instruments)
Kandia is joined by Bernardo Lima (bass) and Daniel Silva (drums) on tour.

Track Listing:
1. Caution
2. New Breed
3. Karma
4. Scars
5. All Is Gone
6. Our Final Day
7. Deviant
8. Noise
9. Everything You Say
10. Blow
11. Done With You
12. Bother

Label: BMG, Chrysalis

Website: http://www.kandiamusic.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Pretty Maids | Motherland

by Justin Gaines
- News Editor / Senior Columnist –

Fresh from celebrating their 30th anniversary with a massive live CD/DVD set and extensive touring (including their first ever US appearance), Danish melodic metal heroes Pretty Maids are back with a new studio album, titled Motherland. It’s the band’s 12th studio album (or 13th, depending on how you count the acoustic Stripped), and it follows what has to be considered one of the band’s best ever albums, 2010’s Pandemonium.

Expectations are understandably high with any new Pretty Maids album. They’re one of the most consistent bands around, and Pandemonium was a near flawless release. Fortunately, with Motherland, the band has delivered a more than worthy follow-up. Everything you expect (and love) about a Pretty Maids album – Ken Hammer’s melodic guitar work, Ronnie Atkins’s unique smooth/heavy vocals, the steady rhythms and perfect amount of keys – is present and accounted for on Motherland, and the band seems to have taken the energy and momentum from their recent touring and channeled it right into these songs.

Motherland has a great mix of the kinds of songs Pretty Maids does so well. There are full on heavy metal numbers (see lead-off single “Mother of All Lies” and the patriotic “Motherland”) and slower, gorgeous love songs (like “Wasted” and “Bullet For You”) that are worthy of an AOR album. It’s the songs where these two styles meet that the album really takes off; moments like “Why So Serious” and “Sad To See You Suffer.” Heavy, light or in-between, the melodies, musicianship and vocals all shine on Motherland, and there’s really not a song that’s less than terrific.

It’s worth mentioning that lyrics to some of the songs on Motherland are fairly political. Not all of them (the love songs are quite clearly love songs), but some of the heavier tracks like “Mother of All Lies” and “To Fool a Nation” have a decidedly right wing message. How much this affects you is probably going to depend on your own point of view, but it’s not overt enough to keep anyone from simply enjoying the songs.

Go ahead and reserve a spot on your “best of 2013” list. With Motherland, Pretty Maids continues their already impressive legacy and proves once again why they’re the leaders of the melodic metal pack. Motherland has no chance of disappointing long-time Pretty Maids fans, and it’s the kind of album that will make instant converts out of new listeners as well.

Genre: Melodic Metal

Band:
Ronnie Atkins (v)
Ken Hammer (g)
Morten Sandager (k)
Allan Tschicaja (d)
Rene Shades (b)

Track Listing:
1. Mother of All Lies
2. To Fool a Nation
3. Confession
4. The Iceman
5. Sad To See You Suffer
6. Hooligan
7. Infinity
8. Why So Serious
9. Motherland
10. I See Ghosts
11. Bullet For You
12. Who What When Where Why
13. Wasted

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: www.prettymaids.dk

Hardrock Haven rating: 9.5/10

Bullet for My Valentine | Temper Temper

by Nikiforos Skoumas
- Columnist –

One of the most remarkable success stories in modern metal, Bullet For My Valentine, hit the music stores once again with their fourth all-original studio album Temper Temper. Temper Temper features the established line up of lead singer, guitarist Matt Tuck, drummer Michael Thomas, bassist Jay James and guitarist Padge.

Once again Bullet collaborates with renowned contemporary rock producer Don Gilmore who captured the previous album Fever. It has to be clear that there seems to be no intention from the band’s side to enter new musical territory or take their style a step further, so to speak.

Temper Temper opens on the staccato drum and rhythm guitar of “Breaking Point” sounding very much like a mixture of “Your Betrayal” and “The Last Fight”, both highlights of the previous album while surprisingly enough incorporates the kind of guitar solo you would expect to hear from an early Firewind album. The second track “Truth Hurts” also comes out as very heavy and moody while allowing for some very memorable vocal melodies from Tuck’s part. The title track “Temper Temper” also shares similar harmonies with its predecessor “Fever” as well as entertaining the same subject of lust or sexual anxiety. The vocabulary is also strikingly similar “… Feels good when I loose control” and “ … I feel the sweat dripping down your face.”

From there onwards one can easily pick even more songs carrying the vibe of the previous album, namely “Dirty Little Secrets” and “Leech.” The potential single “Riot” takes the role of the individualist of the bunch featuring rather unique rhythm patterns and uncommonly plain chorus by Valentine standards.

Clearly one has to approach the new Bullet for my Valentine album in the knowledge that it is confined within the musical boundaries set by Fever. Most of the songs on Temper Temper could have easily been featured on Fever while the band themselves have been perfectly honest admitting that the new album is bound to sound a lot like the previous one. Even by looking at the definitions of the two titles one is bound to find similarities as both fever and temper are associated with heat and tension.

Conclusively Bullet for my Valentine have lost the element of surprise this time around, yet an objective mind would never interpret that as lack of creativity or vision. It definitely comes down to the songs and for the biggest part Temper Temper is almost as good as Fever. So if you enjoy the Bullet of late, you will probably make the most of the material featured on Temper Temper.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Modern Hard Rock

Line up:
Matt Tuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Paget – lead guitar, backing vocals
Jason James – bass guitar, backing vocals
Michael Thomas – drums

Track List:
01.Breaking Point
02.Truth Hurts
03.Temper Temper
04.Pow
05.Dirty Little Secret
06.Leech
07.Dead To The World
08.Riot
09.Saints n Sinners
10.Tears Don’t Fall (Part 2)
11.Livin Life (On The Edge of A Knife)

Label: RCA, Sony Music

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

Voodoo Circle | More Than One Way Home

by Justin Gaines
- News Editor / Senior Journalist –

German melodic hard rock/metal band Voodoo Circle is back with their third album, titled More Than One Way Home. Voodoo Circle is, of course, the side project of former Silent Force (and current Primal Fear) guitarist Alex Beyrodt, who is joined by vocalist David Readman (Pink Cream 69), bassist Mat Sinner (Primal Fear, Sinner), drummer Markus Kullmann (Dezperadoz) and keyboardist Jimmy Kresic (Kiske/Somerville).

If you picked up one (or both) of the two previous Voodoo Circle albums, you probably have a good idea what to expect from More Than One Way Home. Well, you at least may think you do. Sure, the trademarks of Voodoo Circle’s sound are still in place here. This is a blues-influenced, very melodic album that straddles the line between hard rock and heavy metal, and it features Alex Beyrodt’s dazzling guitar work and David Readman’s electrifying vocals. The twist with this album is that More Than One Way Home is essentially a Whitesnake album. Not just that it sounds a lot like Whitesnake. This album sounds so much like a lost Whitesnake album it’s downright eerie.

To put it in the right context, More Than One Way Home could be a long lost Whitesnake album recorded between 1987 and Slip of the Tongue. It’s got that total blues rock base, but it’s ultra melodic and polished, and even the song titles and lyrics are pure Whitesnake worship. “Tears in the Rain” is a dead ringer for “Cryin’ in the Rain,” and “Heart of Babylon,” “The Saint and the Sinner” and “Victim of Love” are all shout-outs to classic ‘Snake tunes. Beyrodt performs brilliantly here, serving up irresistible melodies and wicked, soulful solos, and his bandmates match him with flawless rhythms and dynamic keyboards (that often replicate the old Hammond sound). It’s Readman though who really seals the deal. If you were wondering why he sounded so subdued on Pink Cream 69’s latest (Ceremonial), it may be because he gave 110% to this album. There are times when he brings the kind of power and energy we know best from PC69 albums like Electrified and Sonic Dynamite, but for the most part he’s in full-on David Coverdale mode. From his low, soulful croon to a full-throated scream, he does so well that somewhere in Norway Jorn Lande is listening to this and thinking, “Damn, this guy sounds like Coverdale!”

More Than One Way Home is easily the best thing Voodoo Circle has released so far, and it slides straight to the top of this year’s Top Ten list (sure it’s early, but still). Sure, it’s not the most original sounding album, but when it’s presented this brilliantly that’s a very minor complaint. If you’re into hard-hitting melodic metal that’s both bluesy and soulful, this is a must-have album. And if you’re a Whitesnake fan, prepare for sheer bliss!

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock, Melodic Metal

Band:
Alex Beyrodt (g)
David Readman (v)
Mat Sinner (b)
Markus Kullmann (d)
Jimmy Kresic (k)

Track Listing:
1. Graveyard City
2. Tears in the Rain
3. Heart of Babylon
4. Cry For Love
5. Alissa
6. The Ghost in Your Heart
7. Bane of My Existence
8. More Than One Way Home
9. The Killer in You
10. The Saint and the Sinner
11. Victim of Love
12. Open Your Eyes

Label: AFM

Website: www.voodoocircle.de

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Rage Of Angels | Dreamworld

by Joe Mis
- Senior Columnist –

Dreamworld, the debut album from quasi-supergroup Rage Of Angels is scheduled for release on 22 February 2013. While the core members of the band are relatively well known, it is the lineup of stellar vocalists that push Rage Of Angels into the heavens, so to speak.

Rage Of Angels is the brainchild of Ged Rylands, the original keyboard player for the band Ten. Ged has also worked with Hugo, Contagious, Danny Danzi, and is now a touring member of Tyketto. During his years of touring and a long break for parenthood, Ged continued to write music and lyrics, and Dreamworld is the result. Ged teamed up with friends and colleagues to put together a fine album, a true decade long labor of love. This album not only features fine singers, but also a broad spectrum of guitar talent from across the metal and rock world. Ged also co-produced the album along with fellow musician Martin Kronlund.

Musically, Dreamworld does not fit a single genre. There are tunes that are progressive or power metal, and others that are butt-kicking blues rock. The band handles the tone and tempo changes without any issue, and seems quite comfortable no matter the style. The songs are all well-crafted and have solid flows to them, each one a big, juicy track seemingly molded to the vocalist and guitarists. Rylands contributes his fine keyboard and guitar skills, and he works well together with fellow guitarist Martin Kronlund and the rhythm section of drummer Pera Johanssen and bassist Michael Carlsson. The guest musicians each contribute something unique to the album, making it a true melodic metal feast for the ears.

“Dreamworld” opens the album with a bit of electronic ephemera – a little girl’s voice, somewhat computerized (think the Red Queen from the Resident Evil movies), but becomes a sweeping modern rock anthem with big guitar hooks and a great vocal line courtesy of Matti Alfonzetti. The band shifts to commercial rock next, making the most of the easily recognizable voice of Harem Scarem’s Harry Hess. “See You Walking By” is a true toe-tapper – maybe even a sing-along track, and Hess is allowed to perform to his strengths, as is Neil Fraser. Robert Hart (Bad Company) fronts the gritty “Through It All,” but the bass and drums push this one over the top, and Fraser unleashes some blistering licks and solos. Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn lends his smooth voice to the upbeat rocker “Over and Over,” a track pushed by Ryland’s keys and a bouncy drum line. “Prelude for the Gods” is a short symphonic keyboard piece that leads nicely into the second half of the album.

Primal Fear’s Ralf Scheepers rocks on “Falling”. He slips neatly into the bass and drum driven track and uses all of his impressive vocal range to make the track one of the real stand outs. Rylands and Fraser do a great job trading licks during the solo. Relatively unknown singer David Reed Watson gives an amazingly strong and emotional vocal performance on the power ballad “The Beating Of Your Heart.” It is perhaps the one time on the album where the vocals truly outshine the balance of the band (with the exception of Tommy Denander’s heartfelt guitar solo), and marks Watson as name to watch. Fraser and Vaughn again step to the front in the catchy, old-school blues-rocker “Spinnin’ Wheel.” Hot keyboard fills and rapid fire guitars are the rule in this nearly eight-minute extravaganza. “Requiem For The Forgotten Soldier” is a mostly instrumental track that features guitar contributions from Vinny Burns (Ten, Asia, Ultravox), Ralph Santolla (Deicide, Obituary, Iced Earth), Martin Kronlund (Lover Under Cover, Reece Kronlund), and Xander Demos – ‘nuff said. “We Live, We Breathe, We Die” brings the album to a blues rock conclusion with powerful vocals from Robert Hart and amazing guitar work by Vinny Burns.

Rylands and Kronlund did a commendable job with the mix and production, allowing the sound to vary to suit their guest singers. All of the instruments are balanced, and the vocals are crisp and clear – and each song has an individual feel. Not an easy task when the number of participating performers is considered.

Any fan of melodic metal will enjoy the debut from Rage Of Angels, and Dreamworld is already a contender for many a 2013 “top ten” list. If you are a fan of strong vocalists and like a little variety, this release will not disappoint. Very highly recommended!

Genre: Melodic Metal

Band:
Ged Rylands (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals)
Martin Kronlund (additional guitars)
Pera Johanssen (drums)
Michael Carlsson (bass)

Guest vocalists – Matti Alfonzetti (Impera, Red White and Blues, Jagged Edge) on track 1; Harry Hess (Harem Scarem) on track 2; Robert Hart (Bad Company) on 3 & 10; Danny Vaughn (Tyketto) on 4 & 8; Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) on 6; David Reed Watson on 7

Guest musicians – Neil Fraser (Ten) – lead guitar on tracks 1-4, 6, 8; Tommy Denander – lead guitar on 7; Vinny Burns (Ten, Asia, Ultravox) – lead guitar on 9 & 10; Ralph Santolla (Deicide, Obituary, Iced Earth), Martin Kronlund (Lover Under Cover, Reece Kronlund), Xander Demos – lead guitars on 9

Track Listing:
1. Dreamworld
2. See You Walking By
3. Through It All
4. Over and Over
5. Prelude for the Gods
6. Falling
7. The Beating of Your Heart
8. Spinnin’ Wheel
9. Requiem for the Forgotten Soldier
10. We Live, We Breathe, We Die

Label: Escape Music

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rage-Of-Angels-Escape-Music/482739221760263

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Royal Hunt | 20th Anniversary – Special Edition

by Justin Gaines
- News Editor / Senior Columnist –

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Danish melodic progressive metal band Royal Hunt has released a massive 4-disc retrospective titled 20th Anniversary – Special Edition. This set features 34 songs spread across three CDs plus a DVD that includes all of the band’s promotional videos. In the band’s two decades, they’ve gone from a relatively straightforward melodic rock/metal band to one of the more interesting progressive metal bands around, all the while maintaining a heavily keyboard oriented sound (thanks to chief songwriter and keyboardist Andre Anderssen). Along the way the band has featured some first rate vocalists in their ranks, including John West (ex-Artension), Mark Boals (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) and of course DC Cooper (ex-Silent Force).

After last year’s very disappointing Heart of the City collection, it’s great to see a Royal Hunt retrospective like this one that truly covers the band’s long career. The first two CDs in this set cover the band’s eleven studio albums (with the occasional live track). They treat each album equally though, which was a failing of Heart of the City as well. For a number of Royal Hunt fans, the two original albums with DC Cooper on vocals – 1995’s Moving Target and 1997’s Paradox – are the band’s best albums, so it would have been nice to see them represented more heavily than some of the band’s more recent output. Still, there are some gems from the John West and Mark Boals albums, and this set does a good job capturing them. It’s good to hear all of these songs, especially the early Henrik Brockmann tracks, cleaned up sonically for this set. The first 4-5 Royal Hunt albums are overdue for a good remastering.

20th Anniversary – Special Edition’s third CD is what most long time Royal Hunt fans are going to be interested in, since it features all of the new material. The disc leads off with “Save Me,” a new studio song featuring DC Cooper. Even as keyboard drenched as it is, it’s got a great bluesy guitar sound and of course DC Cooper shines. There are also three new acoustic recordings of older Royal Hunt songs – “One By One,” “Bodyguard” and “Restless” – that are really fun additions. The disc closes out with five b-sides/rarities that were originally only available on imports and rare EPs, which is something collectors will no doubt appreciate.

All told, 20th Anniversary – Special Edition is a pretty terrific Royal Hunt anthology. It’s got enough goodies to make it a worthwhile purchase for die-hard Royal Hunt fans, and is comprehensive enough to make a great introduction to the band for newcomers.

NOTE – This review is based on the digital version of 20th Anniversary – Special Edition, so it does not cover the quality of the DVD. It’s probably fine, but then again we saw what happened with the shoddy audio and video on the Future’s Coming From the Past DVD. Hopefully steps were taken to clean up the video footage.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Progressive Metal Metal

Track Listing:
1. Flight
2. Kingdom Dark
3. Stranded
4. Clown in the Mirror
5. Wasted Time
6. Epilogue
7. Time
8. Far Away
9. 1348
10. River of Pain
11. Tearing Down the World
12. Cold City Lights
13. Message to God
14. Follow Me
15. Surrender
16. The Mission
17. Can’t Let Go
18. Paper Blood
19. Season’s Change
20. The First Rock
21. Tears of the Sun
22. The Well
23. Shadowman
24. Hard Rain’s Coming
25. Half Past Loneliness
26. Save Me (new song)
27. One by One (acoustic, new recording)
28. Bodyguard (acoustic, new recording)
29. Restless (acoustic, new recording)
30. Bad Luck
31. Double Conversion
32. U-Turn
33. Sixth Sense
34. Day is Dawning

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: www.royalhunt.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10

Asylum Pyre | Fifty Years Later

by Joe Mis
- Senior Columnist –

Asylum Pyre is “the place where you burn the fools” according to the band. Heavy and heady stuff HAS to follow such a declaration. The European act is doing their very best to make that a fact. Asylum Pyre may be a new name for fans of female fronted metal, but the band has been around for a number of years, and has just released their second full length album, an eco-fable entitled Fifty Years Later on the Massacre Records label.

Powerful and intense modern metal describes the music of Asylum Pyre. The band does not allow itself to be pigeon-holed into a specific metal genre, as they blend elements of pure heavy metal with progressive, power, and symphonic touches – and a hint of “beauty and the beast” female and male vocals. Musical variety and diversity are the keystones of Fifty Years Later, running the gamut from soft and atmospheric rock to near speed metal. There is a definite “save the Earth” theme as in the band’s own words the “…lyrics and the artwork echo the warnings of our world and picture the possible evolution of our planet in the years to come.”

Formed back in 2003 by guitarist Johann Cadot and bassist Julien Peuch, Asylum Pyre has been through a number of personnel changes through the years. The current lineup consists of Cadot and Peuch, plus keyboard player Tony Decaillon, guitarist Hervé Schiltz, drummer Vince Kreyder, and the powerhouse vocalist called Chaos Heidi. Asylum Pyre released their first demo, Whispers Of The Power in 2007, and in 2009 a full length album, Natural Instinct, with original vocalist Carole Alcantara. The current lineup entered the studio in late 2011, and officially released Fifty Years Later on 07-December-2012.

The short and sweet vocal-keyboard piece “Will You Believe Me?” opens the album, highlighting the softer side of the band and Chaos Heidi’s wonderful vocal delivery. “Dead In Copenhagen” is intense and progressive with pounding drums and sweeping vocal lines, a tone continued into “The Frozen Will.” The latter is a bit manic – switching from pounding to soft to pounding again. Both tracks have male vocal contributions from Johann Cadot. “These Trees” is a straight-up conventional metal track with nicely done guitars and a very “green” theme, ruing the destruction of the forests around the world. “The Herd” is a darker rocker with intense rhythms that rips into the herd mentality that seems to have overtaken modern society. Heidi rolls in some operatic style vocals, but they seem forced and as a result end up musically ineffective.

“Fisherman’s Day” is an awesome acoustic track with strong duet vocals and mellow guitars – and a strong anti-pollution message. The band changes up and almost goes symphonic on the bass and drum driven “Against The Sand,” a track with fine vocals and an effective guitar break. The epic “Any Hypothesis” travels the universe from creation to the end, and the music follows suit by building in intensity and power as the track progresses. The band tries to do a bit too much on this track and the mash up of styles (from acoustic rock to space music to speed metal) is a bit distracting. “Just Before The Silence” is a well done near power metal song with a strong rhythm line and a number of “growled” vocals. “Fifty Years Later” closes out the CD in prog-metal style thanks to a touch of elctronica and strong, heartfelt vocals.

While a solid album all around, Asylum Pyre’s Fifty Years Later is fairly ordinary. The band is musically tight, passionate, and deliver a good sound – but there is nothing that truly sets them apart from what is becoming a fairly populous crowd of female-fronted blended-genre metal bands. They have all the tools to be a standout act, but need to decide whether to be symphonic, progressive, melodic, etc. Asylum Pyre does it all well, but there are other acts that are better at doing symphonic metal, prog-metal, or beauty and the beast duets. A greater focus on a single genre would propel Asylum Pyre to the top (and make them sound a little less “preachy”).

Genre: Melodic Metal

Band:
Chaos Heïdi (vocals)
Johann Cadot (guitars, vocals)
Hervé Schiltz (guitars)
Julien Peuch (bass)
Tony Decaillon (keyboards)
Vince Kreyder (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Will You Believe Me?
2. Dead In Copenhagen
3. The Frozen Will
4. These Trees
5. The Herd
6. Fisherman’s Day
7. Against The Sand
8. Any Hypothesis
9. Just Before The Silence
10. Fifty Years Later

Label: Massacre Records

Website: http://www.asylumpyre.com/en/

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Herman Frank | Right in the Guts

by Nikiforos Skoumas
- Columnist –

German guitar hero Herman Frank is a metal artist at the top of his game. A full time member of the reunited Accept and a key contributor to the subsequent albums Blood of the Nations and Stalingrad, Herman had always been keen to forge his own path ever since he left the Teutonic juggernaut after the release of Balls to the Wall.

As a band-leader Frank put together the German-American hard rock, melodic metal outfit Victory in the mid-‘80s while forming a variety of other projects beyond his two main bands. Most notable are Poison Sun, a female fronted melodic metal project and his solo work. Right in the Guts is Frank’s second solo album, a follow up to 2009’s Loyal to None. It would be fair to say that Loyal to None clearly surpassed the guitarist’s previous releases in terms of performance intensity and showmanship and technique; that was very much due to the line up featuring Victory front-man Jioti Parcharidis and current Accept stick man Stefan Schwarzmann.

It has been three years since Loyal to None and Herman has to reform his solo outfit from scratch. This time bringing in second guitarist Chris Mamalitsidis, bassist PeterPichl, drummer Michael Whoppers and lead singer Rick Altzi. Rick Altzi of label-mates At Vance, proves a perfect fit to the line up with a similar vocal style and range to that of his predecessor.

In terms of musical direction, Right in the Guts picks up where Loyal to None left off. What we have here is furious melodic-power-metal featuring commanding guitar leads and totally punitive choruses. Once again the entire line up seems to be performing to the best of their abilities while thankfully the songwriting brings out the best of each performer. “Roaring Thunder,” “Starlight,” “Hell isn’t Fair” and “Lights are Out” are more than enough to overwhelm seasoned fans of the genre, especially when played loud.

Right in the Guts is “True Metal” literally as it grabs the listener by the neck without having to go brutal or drop tune; it really is all about great songwriting and even greater performance. As a conclusion, one should not mistake Right in the Guts for just another side-project, there is material here that not even the reunited Accept can match.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Power Metal

Line Up:
Herman Frank (guitar)
Rick Altzi (vocals)
Peter Pichl (bass)
Michael Wolpers (drums)
Cristos Mamalitsidis (guitar)

Track List:
1. Roaring Thunder
2. Right In Your Guts
3. Ivory Gate
4. Vengeance
5. Starlight
6. Falling To Pieces
7. Raise Your Hand
8. Waiting
9. Hell Isn’t Far
10. Kings Call
11. Lights Are Out
12. Black Star
13. So They Run

Label: Metal Heaven

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10

Firewind | Few Against Many

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

It has been two years since the release of Days of Defiance and Greek-based melodic-power metallers Firewind are back with their seventh studio offering entitled Few Against Many. A couple word tours and quite a few side-projects intervening, Firewind are back with a renewed record label courtesy of Century Media and a new musical direction.

Few Against Many features the established line up of band-leader and contemporary guitar hero Gus G, long serving bassist Petros Christo, keyboardist Bob Katsionis and lead singer Apollo Papathanasio plus new drummer Joe Nunez, also a full time member of Nightrage.

The new album is more about rhythm and groove than melody with emphasis on guitar riffs, hard hitting drumming, minimal amount of keyboards while the vocals carry the majority of whatever melodies found on Few Against Many. Upon first play you might find the album being very aggressive and ‘bad-ass’ so to speak; yet the truth is that Firewind are mostly known for their well crafted melodies and infectious choruses, arguably a key element separating them form the majority of Euro-Power outfits. On Few Against Many it seems that the choruses are not so well developed- you could overlook the too-predictable and bland opener “Wall of Sound” and the down-tempo atmospheric “Loosing my Mind,” still, by the time you reach track three “Few Against Many” you can definitely tell there are loose ends on the songwriting of the new album. Of course the shredding is still there, and the vocal lines still lead the compositions, yet that hardly compensates for the under-developed material.

In addition there are a couple of thrashy-tunes on this one where Nunez uncovers a great deal of his Nightrage drum style, with basic staccato drumming complemented by distorted-yet-simplistic bass lines, and truthfully that’s far from what Firewind are accustomed to. Overall, it is not the change of direction that might put one off Few Against Many just the notion that the material on offer, is not as meticulously composed as previous records, allowing the impression of a rushed-out record. You would be right to expect more from Firewind than Few Against Many because it bares very little of the musical essence of the group.

Genre: Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal

Line up:
Apollo Papathanasio: Vocals
Gus G.: Guitar
Petros Christo: Bass
Bob Katsionis: Keyboards and guitar
Jo Nunez: Drums

Tracklist:
1. Wall of Sound
2. Losing My Mind
3. Few Against Many
4. The Undying Fire
5. Another Dimension
6. Glorious
7. Edge of a Dream
8. Destiny
9. Long Gone Tomorrow
10. No Heroes, No Sinners
11. Battleborn (bonus)
12. No Heroes, No Sinners (acoustic, bonus)

Label: Century Media

Hardrock Haven rating: 6.5/10

Clairvoyants | The Shape of Things to Come

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Italian power metal band Clairvoyants may have started out as an Iron Maiden cover band, but with their 2009 debut Word to the Wise they proved to the metal world just how powerful their own music was. Unfortunately, despite Word to the Wise being one of that year’s best power metal releases, it didn’t gain a lot of attention. Undaunted, the band is back with their second album, titled The Shape of Things to Come.

Just to clarify, in case you saw the words “Italian” and “power metal” and immediately thought “Rhapsody clones,” Clairvoyants is not your typical Italian power metal band. There are no overblown symphonic arrangements, no lofty narration and no lyrics about magic swords or frolicking elves. Clairvoyants has a sound that’s somewhere between Iron Maiden (obviously) and the classic melodic power metal of early Angra, Edguy and Symphony X. The Shape of Things to Come is very melodic without getting into sing-song territory, has a nice use (but not overuse) of keyboards, and even has some progressive metal elements and lyrics that are more meaningful than the average power metal album. As with the first Clairvoyants album, the musicianship is very tight, and as with the first album it’s the flashy guitar work of Luca Princiotta and the dynamic, powerful vocals of Gabriele Bernasconi that really stand out on The Shape of Things to Come.

The Shape of Things to Come is an incredibly strong album overall, and one that really doesn’t have any weak moments. It’s hard to tell which songs work the best – the heavier songs like “No Need to Surrender” and “Endure and Survive” or the more melodic (but still powerful) songs like “Prometheus.” Even the more subdued “Just the Same Story” and “The Sinner’s Tale” work really well. As the album draws to a close, the pace picks up dramatically, with the hard-charging “To Heaven and Back” and “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” getting the blood pumping (and heads banging) before the soaring 8-minute “Horizon Calling” ends things on an epic note worthy of an Avantasia album.

Once again, Clairvoyants have released what is arguably the year’s best power metal album. Hopefully more people are paying attention this time around, because this is a band that deserves a lot more attention, and The Shape of Things to Come is an album that fans of the classic melodic power metal sound really need to hear.

Genre: Power Metal, Melodic Metal, Heavy Metal

Band:
Gabriele Bernasconi (v)
Luca Princiotta (g)
Marco Demartini (g)
Paolo Turcatti (b)
Manuel Pisano (d)

Track Listing:
1. No Need to Surrender
2. I Don’t Believe Their Lie
3. Endure and Survive
4. Just the Same Story
5. The Shape of Things to Come
6. Prometheus
7. The Only Way Out is Through
8. Sinner’s Tale
9. To Heaven and Back
10. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
11. Horizon Calling

Label: Valery Records

Website: www.clairvoyants.it

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Jorn | Bring Heavy Rock to the Land

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Norwegian super-vocalist Jorn Lande and company are back with a new album, titled Bring Heavy Rock to the Land. It’s Jorn’s first original studio album since 2009’s Spirit Black, but Jorn has hardly been idle these past few years. In addition to his work with Masterplan, we’ve seen a compilation, a live album/DVD and of course the Dio tribute album. Those don’t quite satisfy like a new Jorn album though, so Bring Heavy Rock to the Land was eagerly anticipated.

Unfortunately, Bring Heavy Rock to the Land is something of a letdown. Sure, it’s Jorn doing what he does best, but the album seems kind of flat, like he really didn’t have much songwriting inspiration this time around and is just going through the motions. It says something that the album doesn’t really have a standout track until the fourth song, and that one’s a cover of Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like the Wind.” Jorn seems to be taking his cues from Saxon’s version, which is a good call. Jorn also offers another take on the Masterplan song “Time to Be King,” changing the arrangement so it’s more to his style of melodic metal. Of the new material, most of the songs just don’t stand out. Well, the title track does, but that’s more for its cheesiness than anything else. There are a couple of exceptions though. The slow build and powerful heaviness of “The World I See” is a song that makes you stop what you’re doing and really take notice, and “Black Morning” has a great AOR vibe, acoustic strumming and soulful, bluesy singing that just goes right to the heart.

Bring Heavy Rock to the Land isn’t a bad album by any means. The musicianship is tight, the production is pristine and of course Jorn sounds incredible. The songwriting just isn’t at the level we’ve come to expect from Jorn, and the result is probably the singer’s weakest solo album to date. Obviously if you’re a major Jorn fan, you’ll want to check it out, and there are at least 3-4 songs that will make it worth your while. Just don’t expect the usual Jorn magic this time.

Edition Notes: The physical release of Bring Heavy Rock to the Land comes in a digipack and features the bonus track “Live and Let Fly.”

Genre: Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal

Band:
Jorn Lande (v)
Tore Moren (g)
Willy Bendiksen (d)
Nic Angileri (b)
Tor Erik Myhre (g)

Track Listing:
1. My Road
2. Bring Heavy Rock to the Land
3. A Thousand Cuts
4. Ride Like the Wind
5. Chains Around You
6. The World I See
7. Time to Be King
8. Ride to the Guns
9. Black Morning
10. I Came to Rock

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: www.jornlande.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Empires of Eden | Channeling the Infinite

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Former Dungeon guitarist Stu Marshall is back with another in his series of Empires of Eden projects. The latest album, Empires of Eden’s third release, is titled Channeling the Infinite, and once again it features an impressive array of guest vocalists. The singers lending their voices to Channeling the Infinite are Udo Dirkschneider (UDO, ex-Accept), Rob Rock (Impelliteri, Driver), Steve Grimmett (ex-Grim Reaper), Mike Dimeo (Creation’s End, ex-Riot), Sean Peck (Cage), Ronny Munroe (Metal Church), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge of Forever), Carlos Zema (Outworld), Danny Cecati (Eyefear), Louie Gorgievski (Crimsonfire) and Vo Simpson (Darker Half).

Channeling the Infinite seems a bit less melodic and a lot more focused on traditional heavy metal power than the previous Empires of Eden release (2010’s Reborn in Fire). That makes perfect sense when you’ve classic metal vocalists like Udo Dirkschneider, Sean Peck and Steve Grimmett at your disposal. Marshall seems to have adjusted his songwriting to fit these singers, and he’s definitely brought the level of shredding up a notch (or ten). There are still some melodic moments here. “This Time” with Steve Grimmett and “Lions for Lambs” with Alessandro Del Vecchio have a melodic rock vibe, and stand out next to the pure blistering metal of songs like “Cyborg” (the album’s low point) and the title track. It goes back and forth like that throughout the album, and in the end it doesn’t feel like the album has a cohesive theme or overall style. Guitar wizardry and killer vocal performances (and there are some good ones here) aside, Channeling the Infinite just doesn’t wow the way Reborn in Fire did.

The album closes with a pair of alternate versions added as bonus tracks. The first is an “all star” version of “Hammer Down” that features Udo Dirkschneider, Rob Rock, Sean Peck, Carlos Zema, Vo Simpson and Ronny Munroe, and the second is a version of “Born a King” sung by Sean Peck. The bonus version of “Hammer Down” is the album’s best moment, as it brings together several great singers on a song that’s just 100% metal.

If you’re already an Empires of Eden fan, by all means pick up a copy of Channeling the Infinite. It’s not perfect, but there’s still more than enough to enjoy. If you’re new to the band, Reborn in Fire is probably a better starting point. Channeling the Infinite is still an album you’ll want to hear if you’re a fan of any (or all) of the vocalists involved.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Power Metal

Band:
Stu Marshall (g) (b)
Jason Manewell (d)

Track Listing:
1. Cry Out (featuring Rob Rock)
2. Hammer Down (featuring Udo Dirkschneider)
3. This Time (featuring Steve Grimmett)
4. Channeling the Infinite (featuring Sean Peck)
5. Lions for Lambs (featuring Alessandro Del Vecchio)
6. Cyborg (featuring Carlos Zema)
7. World on Fire (featuring Louie Gorgievski)
8. Your Eyes (featuring Mike Dimeo)
9. Born a King (featuring Danny Cecati)
10. As Flames Scorch the Ground (featuring Vo Simpson)
11. White Wings (featuring Ronny Munroe)
12. Hammer Down All Star Version
13. Born a King (featuring Sean Peck)

Label: Music Buy Mail

Website: www.empiresofeden.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

Royal Hunt | Heart of the City (Best of 1992-1999)

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Danish melodic/progressive metal band Royal Hunt celebrates their 20th anniversary this year, and what better way to do that than with an extensive, multi-disc “best of” collection that captures the highlights of the band’s career and best albums? Unfortunately, Heart of the City (Best of 1992-1999) does nothing of the sort. The idea of a compilation covering Royal Hunt’s ‘90s output is a good one. There hasn’t been anything like that since 1998’s Best, and that was only available in Japan. The problem with Heart of the City is that it’s limited to a single disc and just ten songs, and those songs appear to have been chosen by someone utterly unfamiliar with the band’s history.

With this collection, you get a pair of songs from each of Royal Hunt’s first five albums, which means that despite being far more successful and superior in just about every way, the DC Cooper-fronted albums Moving Target and Paradox get the same amount of songs as the largely unknown early albums Land of Broken Hearts and Clown in the Mirror, and even then they gloss over some key songs. No “Last Goodbye” or “1348?” No “River of Pain” or “Message to God?” That’s an instant fail right there.

A real best of Royal Hunt’s ‘90s era should ideally have two discs, but failing that the non-DC Cooper albums should have one song each…tops. Throw on “Land of Broken Hearts,” “Clown in the Mirror” and “Fear” and you’re done. After that you want 3-4 songs each from Moving Target and Paradox, plus a song or two from the live albums 1996 and Paradox – Closing the Chapter. Royal Hunt’s career in the ‘90s was defined by DC Cooper’s vocals as much as anything else, and a good “best of” set would acknowledge that.

Heart of the City just doesn’t get the job done. It’s barely acceptable as an introduction for fans unfamiliar with the band, and even then newcomers are better off with a collection like Double Live in Japan. And without any b-sides or noticeable remastering, there’s definitely nothing here for serious Royal Hunt fans to bother with.

Genre: Melodic Rock, Melodic Metal, Progressive Metal

Track Listing:
1. Running Wild
2. Kingdom Dark
3. On the Run
4. Clown in the Mirror
5. Making a Mess
6. Time
7. Tearing Down the World
8. Silent Scream
9. Fear
10. Sea of Time

Label: Scarlet

Website: www.royalhunt.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 5/10

Accept | Stalingrad

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

In retrospect most would agree that Accept served the metal community with one of the best comebacks in the new decade through Blood of the Nations. Blood of the Nations introduced American singer Mark Tornillo as the front-man of Accept along side founding members guitarist Wolf Hofmann and bassist Peter Baltes – the line up was completed by platinum-grade, six-string mercenary Herman Frank (the mastermind of Victory and Poison Sun) and drum titan Stefan Schwarzmann (who had previously supported Accept members David Reece and Herman Frank on their various solo endeavors.)

On account of the considerable success of Blood of the Nations it should come as no surprise that the very same team is back in 2012 with a brand new proposition in Teutonic metal (or Teutonic-US metal to be fair). Accept in collaboration with producer-extraordinaire Andy Sneap bring us Stalingrad, and you will be hard pressed to find a more metal title than this in 2012.

Though a fair part of the press have been quick to label Stalingrad as the artistic sequel to Blood of the Nations, the new album bares fundamental differences to the previous as a few more thorough plays clarify. For starters the double-bass drum attack has been kept to a minimum, prioritizing drum breaks and improvisations as opposed to a standardized pedal beat. In addition the rhythm and lead guitars seem to reach equilibrium on Stalingrad since the riffs are kept within the song opening, verses and choruses instead of having one riff playing over and over throughout the track. On the other hand the twin guitar melodies establish a firm presence early on in the play-list commonly found in the verses and solos, and often times following the chorus.

Thematically, it is critical to note that Stalingrad though named after the well documented WWII impact, is far less of an epic metal album than Blood of the Nations. Opposing its title, Stalingrad promotes rebellious attitude, liberalism and heavy metal as a lifestyle instead of going down the concept format of war-history.

Truthfully, Stalingrad has a lot in common with Accept’s earlier works such as I’m A Rebel and Balls to the Wall; hence it is the kind of metal that shares strong ties with hard rock, rarely touching upon their speed metal heritage (which does not make the album any less enjoyable).

Above all Stalingrad does justice to all Accept fans who demanded an album of similar artistic credibility to Blood of the Nations. Though different in many ways to its predecessor, Stalingrad verifies that the new Accept is far from a one-hit-wonder.

Genre: Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal

Line up:
Mark Tornillo – vocals
Wolf Hoffmann – guitar
Herman Frank – guitar
Peter Baltes – bass
Stefan Schwarzmann – drums

Track List:
1. Hung, Drawn And Quartered (4:35)
2. Stalingrad (5:59)
3. Hellfire (6:07)
4. Flash To Bang Time (4:06)
5. Shadow Soldiers (5:47)
6. Revolution (4:08)
7. Against The World (3:36)
8. Twist Of Fate (5:30)
9. The Quick And The Dead (4:25)
10. The Galley (7:21)

Band website: http://www.acceptworldwide.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Legion | Nemesis

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

For those melodic rock fans who have a habit of digging into the underground hard rock scene, the name Phil Vincent should be more than a well-known one. The singer-guitarist-songwriter debuted in the mid-late ‘90s as a solo artist and in the process gave new meaning to such terms as ‘DIY/self-produced albums’ and ‘One man band’.

Fifteen years past his debut, Phil has established a firm presence in the industry, fronting such hard rock acts as Tragik, D’Ercole and Legion, never forgetting his solo albums which he puts out at steady pace.

Round about this time Vincent is set to release the third Legion album, darkly titled Nemesis. Legion features guitarist Vince O’Regan, bassist Gavin Cooper, drummer Steve Hopgood and Phil himself on lead vocals.

Now, the cover artwork, one has to admit, is fairly misleading going down the path of extreme metal aesthetics while Legion is nothing but guitar driven, melodic hard rock. The guitar is clearly the protagonist instrument on Nemesis carrying just about every melody, riff or groove throughout the ten tracks featured here. In fact one gets the impression that Phil’s vocals are actually following the guitar lines rather than opposite, which does not make the experience any less enjoyable. Many have compared Phil’s tone and singing style to that of iconic front man Don Dokken which one finds perfectly justifiable when playing Nemesis, a remarkable resemblance indeed.

One also has to give credit to the talents of Vince O’Regan who comprehends the importance of balancing thick riffs with melodic guitar lines; having played the album a good number of times, one gets the impression that it is Vince’s guitar playing that retains and reinforces the ‘80s-rock elements on Nemesis. You will find a fair bit of ‘80s-Scorpions and MSG guitar shredding on this album which makes for a memorable and more enjoyable album.

Overall one has to admire Legion’s ability to deliver in-your-face guitar driven hard rock without undermining the melodic aspects of the compositions, for every speedy riff there is a melodic verse and chorus following; so you are really treated at the best of both worlds- no artistic compromises are to be found on Nemesis.

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock, Melodic Metal

Line up:
Phil Vincent (vocals)
Vince ORegan (guitar)
Gavin Cooper (bass)
Steve Hopgood (drums)
Irvin Parrot (keyboards)

Tracklist:
01. Nemesis
02. Seems Like Yesterday
03. Lay It On the Line
04. Sea of Sorrow
05. Never Enough
06. Lost in Love
07. Just Because
08. Walk Through Fire
09. Make Some Noise
10. Obsession

Label: Z Records

Web: http://www.philvincent.com/

Hardrock haven rating: 8.5/10

Axel Rudi Pell | Circle of the Oath

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

German guitar wizard Axel Rudi Pell is back, right on schedule, with a new studio album, titled Circle of the Oath. This is Pell’s fourteenth studio album (excluding the Ballads series and the Diamonds Unlocked cover album), and his eighth with Hardline vocalist Johnny Gioeli and journeyman drummer Mike Terrana on board.

Axel Rudi Pell is nothing if not dependable, and in addition to knocking out a new album every two years fans can always count on each new album sounding almost exactly like the albums that came before it. The formula goes something like this: start with a short instrumental introductory track (for Circle of the Oath it’s “The Guillotine Suite”), then blaze right through a couple of high octane hard rockers (“Ghost in the Black,” “Run With the Wind” and “Before I Die”). After that it’s time for a sweeping epic that clocks in somewhere around the ten minute mark (see the title track). Then do it all over again, with a couple more rockers and at least one ballad, before closing things out with another epic (“World of Confusion”). Another brief instrumental is optional. As for lyrics, just throw everything Ronnie James Dio ever wrote into a hat and pull lines out at random until you have enough to fill an album.

OK, it’s possible Axel Rudi Pell puts more thought into each new release, but the honest truth is that Circle of the Oath sounds exactly like The Crest, which sounded exactly like Tales of the Crown, and so on. Now, if you love that formula then by all means pick up a copy of this album. You’ll get Pell’s dynamite guitar work, Terrana’s very steady drumming and, perhaps most notably, a powerhouse vocal performance by Gioeli. What you won’t get is anything you haven’t heard at least seven times before.

At this point what seemed so exciting on albums like Oceans of Time and The Masquerade Ball is all too familiar. It’s enjoyable enough while it’s spinning, but in the end Circle of the Oath feels like just another safe and predictable Axel Rudi Pell album.

Edition Notes: The limited edition version of Circle of the Oath comes in a digipack and features a live version of “The Temple of the King” (a Rainbow cover) as a bonus track.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Melodic Rock

Band:
Axel Rudi Pell (g)
Johnny Gioeli (v)
Volker Krawczak (b)
Mike Terrana (d)
Ferdy Doernberg (k)

Track Listing:
1. The Guillotine Suite (intro)
2. Ghost in the Black
3. Run With the Wind
4. Before I Die
5. Circle of the Oath
6. Fortunes of War
7. Bridges to Nowhere
8. Lived Our Lives Before
9. Hold on to Your Dreams
10. World of Confusion (The Masquerade Ball Part II)

Label: SPV Records

Website: http://www.axel-rudi-pell.de

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

Pretty Maids | It Comes Alive – Maid in Switzerland

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

Long running Danish melodic metal masters Pretty Maids are back with another live offering this year, their first since 2003’s Alive at Least. It Comes Alive – Maid in Switzerland is the title, and it is being released in conjunction with the band’s first-ever live DVD. The DVD will no doubt rule, but this review covers only the audio half of the show.

Spanning two discs and 21 tracks, It Comes Alive is the most comprehensive live album the band has released to date, and accordingly it covers all eras of the band’s lengthy career. They don’t quite hit every album, but you get songs from their ‘80s releases Red Hot and Heavy and Future World, ‘90s albums Lethal Heroes (a.k.a. Jump the Gun), Sin-Decade, Scream and Anything Worth Doing is Worth Overdoing, as well as more recent albums Carpe Diem, Wake Up to the Real World and Pandemonium. Future World and Pandemonium are the most heavily represented here, and that’s not a bad thing at all since those are arguably the band’s best albums.

Beyond being a hefty, comprehensive live set, the performance captured on It Comes Alive is just incredible. This is not a band that is just going through the motions or simply serving up note-for-note reproductions of their studio songs. Pretty Maids has a fantastic energy live that comes through in every song. Each song sounds almost brand-new, and between the band’s energy and the feedback they’re getting from the crowd it’s almost like being there in person.

While the smart money is on the full DVD package, the audio version of It Comes Alive is still a fantastic live release, and one that all serious Pretty Maids fans will want to check out. For fans here in the US, It Comes Alive is a terrific preview of what to expect when Pretty Maids finally plays here in America at the ProgPower USA festival this September.

Edition Notes: If you’re buying It Comes Alive in MP3 format, you’ll get an extra track – “Nightmare in the Neighborhood” – that’s not on the CD version.

Genre: Melodic Metal

Band:
Ken Hammer (g)
Ronnie Atkins (v)
Allan Tschicaja (d)
Morten Sandager (k)
Rene Shades (b)

Track Listing:
1. Pandemonium
2. INVU
3. Hell on High Heels
4. Wake Up to the Real World
5. Destination Paradise
6. Another Shot
7. Scream
8. Walk Away
9. It Comes at Night
10. Queen of Dreams
11. Savage Heart
12. Clay
13. Yellow Rain
14. Rock the House
15. Back to Back
16. Rodeo
17. Love Games
18. Future World
19. Little Drops of Heaven
20. Please Don’t Leave Me
21. Red Hot and Heavy

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: www.prettymaids.dk

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10

Rage | 21

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

German heavy-melodic-metal legends Rage are back with their brand new album 21, that’s how many studio works they have put out since their formation in 1985. One has to hand it to Rage, they have been through the various twists and turns of the music industry for the better part of 27 years and despite changes in line up, contracts and popularity standards, they have been undeniably consistent in their releases putting out a studio album almost every year, or, every second year.

21 is the third studio album to feature the established line up of founder bassist and vocalist Peter Wagner, long serving guitar virtuoso Victor Smolski and drummer Andre Hilgers.

During the world-tour for their previous album Strings to a Web, Wagner made clear that Rage will be following a new business, artistic model in the way they put out music. It goes something like this; each year they will be marketing a straightforward heavy metal album (in their traditional ‘80s, early ‘90s style) followed by a second album which will feature all the symphonic, experimental elements that have become a key part of their identity since the late ‘90s.

Well, as you would expect, 21 falls in the first category being a full-on heavy metal attack that takes no prisoners. It is just about the thickest and heaviest release Rage have come up with, though thankfully not obscenely fast in tempo. 21 is strictly a guitar-bass-drums-vocals affair with minimal use of background keyboards and no orchestral arrangements. Still experimentation seems to be in Rage’s DNA so clearly the trio tries to make the best out of these four instruments.

It is perhaps surprising for one to find that Hilgers is the one pushing the envelope further on this new album. Andre comes up with really unconventional drum patterns and fills while retaining the metal-drumming identity and this effectively grants 21 a musical personality of its own. On the other hand, 21 is far from Victor’s best guitar performance, baring in mind his virtuoso status, while Wagner is back to the usual vocals/bass business while choosing to sing one of the songs on growls (which clearly does not do the tune any justice). That is not to say however that 21 does not feature standout material; “Concrete Wall,” “Black and White,” “Destiny” and the superbly melodic “Feel my Pain” are prime examples of Teutonic heavy metal a-la Rage.

Bottom line: 21 will definitely not let down long term fans of Rage, particularly those who have followed their career over the decades. On the other hand new admirers might be startled at the rawness of 21, that’s Rage after all.

Genre: Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal

Line up:
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Victor Smolski – guitar
André Hilgers – drums

Track List:
1 – House Wins
2 – Twenty One
3 – Forever Dead
4 – Feel My Pain
5 – Serial Killer
6 – Psycho Terror
7 – Destiny
8 – Death Romantic
9 – Black And White
10 – Concrete Wall
11 – Eternally

Label: Nuclear Blast

Web: http://www.rage-on.de/

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

Iron Mask | Black as Death

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

It is arguable that Belgian neo-classical metal band Iron Mask put out one of the best albums of the genre in early 2010 with the release of their third album Shadow of the Red Baron. At that time guitar hero and band leader Dushan Petrossi had been credited for saying that if the album’s commercial life-cycle was significantly impeded by illegal downloading, that would be the last of Iron Mask as a band.

Two years past that time, Iron Mask seem to have won that bet with Shadow of the Red Baron, resuming their activity with a new album Black as Death and a bigger label, being the German AFM Records. Still, it seems victory has its price and Iron Mask have suffered losses in their line up. Gone are drummer Erik Stout, keyboardist Andreas Lindhal and powerful vocalist Val Halla Jr.

Never the less, reinforcements were never far away; enter drummer Rami Ali (Frontline, Kiske-Somerville), renowned Swedish keyboardist Mats Olauson and on lead vocals, arguably the most iconic of all neoclassical singers, Mark Boals.

As your intuition probably tells you, Iron Mask have developed into something greater than the personal outfit of the Belgian guitar virtuoso; It’s a neo-classical metal force to be reckoned with, hence going no longer under the moniker ‘Dushan Petrossi’s Iron Mask’ (which served as the band’s full name up until the previous album), but plainly ‘Iron Mask.’

And it is all entirely justifiable since the changes in line up brought along changes in the musical style. Songwriting wise, the album is substantially heavier in terms of rhythm section and guitar riffs than anything Petrossi has attempted in the past (add to that the fact that Black as Death was produced by Denis Ward, and it all makes perfect sense).

Not only are we presented with a heavier album but with a thematically darker concept as well. From the majestic opening of the title track to its melodic yet sorrowful chorus (an epic composition that only Mark Boals can pull off so convincingly) one more-or-less gets the picture of what Black as Death is all about. That is not to say however that long term fans of the band are not going to find the characteristic neoclassical scales and vibrato-based vocal harmonies that have defined the band’s sound since their debut.

It is not a question of stronger songs over weaker tunes; simply tracks like “Broken Hero”, “God Punishes I Kill,” “Rebel Kid” and “The Absence” are expected to connect with the listener from their opening note, while “Black as Death” and “Feel the Fire” should require more plays for one to feel at home with all their musical twists and turns.

Believe it or not, with Black as Death, Iron Mask are actually pushing the creative boundaries of neoclassical metal in 2012 and that alone is a major accomplishment. One strongly feels that through Black as Death, Iron Mask offer something challenging but ultimately rewarding to the listener.

Genre: Neo-classical Metal, Melodic Metal

Line up:
Mark Boals – Vocals
Dushan Petrossi – Guitars
Vassili Moltchanov – Bass
Roma Siadletski – Vocals/Shouts
Mats Olausson – Keyboards
Ramy Ali – Drums

Track Listing:
01. From Light Into The Dark
02. Black As Death
03. Broken Hero
04. Feel The Fire
05. Genghis Khan
06. God Punishes, I Kill
07. Rebel Kid
08. Blizzard Of Doom
09. The Absence
10. Magic Sky Requiem
11. Nosferatu
12. When All Braves Fall

Band website: http://www.iron-mask.com/index.php

Label: AFM Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10

Amaranthe | Amaranthe

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

It’s been over two years since Dreamland singer Jake E. and Nightrage guitarist Olof Morock sat down to discuss the possibility of forming an original band/concept in Swedish metal. Knowing that Jake’s background is melodic metal and melodic hard rock and Olof’s melodic death metal, experienced fans can imagine what the end product would sound like; well not quite.

The outcome of this collaboration is Amaranthe, a band-project fronted by three singers of different vocal disciplines. Jake handles clean vocals, Andres Solvestrom performs brutal vocals and (the incredibly talented) Elize Ryd adds the female vocals. The rest of the line up features band-leader guitarist Morock, bassist Johan Andreassen and drummer Morten Sorensen.

The foundation of Amaranthe’s sound is the well identifiable Swedish heavy-melodic style while the vocals provide a major area of differentiation for the band. Obviously the lion’s share of vocal lines goes to Elize who exchanges lines with Jake while Anders ads his brutal attack between the verses and choruses.

Speaking of choruses, Amaranthe have probably the catchiest, lengthiest and most melodic choruses in contemporary melodic metal. That is very much due to the technical proficiency of Elize who carries the majority of vocal harmonies accompanied by Jake. Songs like “Hunger,” “One Million Light-years,” “Automatic” and “Rain” bare choruses with such mainstream quality, definitely providing a point of concern for the so-called ‘true’ metal fan.

Moving to the instrumental aspects of Amaranthe’s style, the rhythm section is not far from the characteristic melodic metal rhythm section with refined bass and drum sound and the occasional double-bass drum attack. Morock once again proves himself the melodic shredder adding inventive guitar lines and substantial melodies during the solos. Truth be told his riffs come out as a bit too obvious yet he compensates by dressing his rhythm guitar with keyboard harmonies which performed by himself.

Overall Amaranthe is a somewhat original concept in 2012 metal attempting to bind together melodic metal, death metal and female fronted metal in an album that, for the biggest part, makes sense. Those who have followed the respective careers of the artists and bands mentioned above should definitely try this fast rising Swedish hybrid.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Death Metal, Female Fronted Metal

Line up:
Elize Ryd – clean female vocals
Jake E – clean male vocals
Andreas Solveström – guttural vocals
Olof Mörck – guitar & keys
Morten Løwe Sørensen – drums
Johan Andreassen – bass

Track List:
1. Leave Everything Behind
2. Hunger
3. 1.000.000 Lightyears
4. Automatic
5. My Transition
6. Amaranthine
7. Rain
8. Call Out My Name
9. Enter The Maze
10. Director’s Cut
11. Act Of Desperation
12. Serendipity

http://www.amaranthe.se/

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10

Tommy Johansson | Swedish Hitz Goes Metal

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

The original album cover does not do this release any justice… What looks like a compilation of Swedish pop/AOR songs turned metal by various artists, is actually the brainchild of one man alone. We are looking at no other than young guitar prodigy Tommy Johansson recognized by most as the leader of the progressive metal band Reinxeed, also lead guitarist of the Swedish all-star Christian-neoclassical group Golden Resurrection.

To his credit, Tommy delivers what the title promises; only what king of metal versions is one getting with Swedish Hitz Goes Metal? Is it power metal, neoclassical metal, progressive metal? The spelling of the word ‘Hitz’ actually gives it away, experienced fans got it right, this is indeed glam metal or melodic hard rock if you prefer. So you can expect thick yet melodic guitar lines, all the original keyboard harmonies recreated while the up-tempo rhythm section adds tons of attack to these compositions without undermining the instrumental melodic lines and vocal harmonies which is what this album is all about.

As in Reinxeed, Tommy handles all lead vocals and guitars and does a surprisingly good job considering that it is fairly difficult to cover classic hit songs convincingly. Guitar-wise the young man is overqualified for the job, he is however challenged on the vocal department where he has to utilize his full range-from the lowest to the highest note- and for the biggest part he succeeds.

Another key factor for the artistic success of this project/venture is actually choosing the performing line up. Instead of current band-mates, Tommy teams up with bassist-vocalist Sebastian Roos and keyboardist Anders Berlin, both from the Swedish AOR, melodic hard rock band Miss Behaviour. The line up is sealed by veteran drummer Andres Johansson.

There is no denying that the album features some rather predictable inclusions such as “Mamma Mia,” “Money Money Money,” “The Winner Takes it All” and “Lay All Your Love On Me.” But the fact remains that they do sound great in their hard rocking versions. And the reason they work so well is not really the distortion and heavy drumming, but because the electric instruments reinforce the melodies of each song, and arguably great melodies are what made these tunes global hits in the first place.

Genre: Arena Rock, Melodic Hard Rock, Melodic Metal

Line Up:
Tommy ReinXeed — Guitars & vocals
Nic Steel – Bass
Sebastian Roos — Guitars & backing vocals
Anders Berlin — Keyboards & backing vocals
Andreas “HABO” Johansson – Drums

Track Listing:
1. Mamma Mia (ABBA Cover)
2. The Look (ROXETTE Cover)
3. Lay All Your Love On Me (ABBA Cover)
4. The Sign (ACE OF BASE Cover)
5. Summer Night City (ABBA Cover)
6. Sleeping In My Car (ROXETTE Cover)
7. Super Trouper (ABBA Cover)
8. Money Money Money (ABBA Cover)
9. Beautiful Life (ACE OF BASE Cover)
10. Intermezzo nº1 (ABBA Cover)
11. The winner Takes It All (ABBA Cover)
12. All That She Wants (ACE OF BASE Cover)
13. Joyride (ROXETTE Cover)

Band website: http://www.facebook.com/swedishhitzgoesmetal

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Will Wallner & Vivien Vain

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

Coming on February 1st is the debut album of British guitarist Will Wallner and Croatian singer Vivien Vain. Having both relocated to the United States; Los Angeles, CA., in particular, they enjoyed some high profile rock acquaintances including Carmine Appice (Blue Murder, King Kobra) and Vinnie Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath).

Well the two drum legends share percussion duties on the Wallner & Vain album also featuring guest performances by bassist Jimmy Bain and Rudy Sarzo while keyboards are contributed by Tony Carey and Derek Sherinian; naturally Wallner handles all guitars and Vain all vocals.

The most obvious musical label one could attach to the project-band is female fronted metal-hard rock. In an attempt to further define their style, it would be fair to claim that Wallner & Vain play melodic hard rock which ties back to 1983-1984, hence substantially heavier and less friendly than its adult oriented counterpart.

Now, in terms of performance, as you would expect the masters deliver as always authentic ‘80s rock vibe while undertaking a rather complementary role, allowing the new blood to prove themselves which is what the Wallner & Vain project is all about. Vain seems vocally comfortable at mid-range and for that matter never stresses herself beyond her comfort zone, so one can only guess the extent of her vocal range. On the other hand this unforced vocal approach that Vivien brings to the table is actually very convincing, hence a more technical style would not sit well with the songwriting found on the album.

Now coming to guitarist Wallner, he proves an accomplished rock-metal guitarist without doubt. Will comes up with classic sounding riffs, memorable melodic guitar lines and inventive solos. Still it has to be clear that Will may reference John Sykes as his main influence but his style is fundamentally different to the guitar legend’s trademark melodic, AOR shredding.

Overall what Will and Vivien have achieved with this debut is no small feat; A classic sounding hard rock album backed by half a dozen rock royalties. If you enjoy hard rock that originates to the early ‘80s then you should definitely check this album.

Genre: Hard Rock, Melodic Metal

Track Listing:

1. The Dream
2. Dreamstealer
3. Streets Of Rage
4. Fourteen Twenty Eight
5. All That I Want
6. Miles Ahead
7. Soul Monster
8. Rising
9. Indestructible

Line Up:
Vivien Vain – Vocals
Will Wallner – Guitar

Guests:
Carmine Appice – Drums on Tracks 3, 5, 9
Vinny Appice – Drums on Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6
Brian Tichy – Drums on Track 7
Tony Franklin – Bass on Tracks 3, 5, 7, 9
Rudy Sarzo – Bass on Tracks 4, 6
Jimmy Bain – Bass on Track 2
Tony Carey – Keys on Tracks 1, 2, 8, 9
Derek Sherinian – Keys on Track 7

Band website: http://www.wallnervain.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

Royal Hunt | Show Me How To Live

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer –

While certainly not on par with the recently-announced Black Sabbath reunion, the news that vocalist DC Cooper had rejoined Royal Hunt definitely made waves in the melodic metal community. Cooper’s departure from the band he helped put on the map (and vice versa) wasn’t exactly amicable, and the idea of another Royal Hunt album with his instantly-recognizable vocals seemed like wishful thinking at best. And yet here we are, more than a decade after Cooper’s last album with the band, and the fences between him and keyboardist/songwriter/producer Andre Andersen have apparently been mended. Enough at least for a new studio album, the band’s eleventh, titled Show Me How To Live.

As good as the Royal Hunt albums with John West and Mark Boals were, it’s Cooper’s albums with the band – 1995’s Moving Target and 1997’s Paradox – that really define Royal Hunt’s sound. That means the band had a lot to live up to, and for the most part Show Me How To Live delivers. Not a concept album like Paradox, Show Me How To Live has the less progressive, less epic, song-based approach of Moving Target. This puts the album more into melodic rock territory than the progressive metal sound they’re best known for, but Royal Hunt does this kind of melodic metal really well. Andersen’s dominant keyboards provide most of the album’s melodic focus, and Cooper’s dynamic range and powerful voice – augmented by some very impressive backing vocals – covers the rest. There’s just something very satisfying and reassuring hearing Cooper’s voice over Andersen’s keys, and it helps that the songs are so solid. “Hard Rain’s Coming” is the album’s best song, rivaling anything Moving Target and Paradox had to offer, and the rest of Show Me How To Live – brief as it is – is quite strong. Mid-tempo songs like “Half Past Loneliness” and “Another Man Down” satisfy as much as the more epic 10-minute title track does.

Of course the down side of this very recognizable sound is that Show Me How To Live seems a bit too familiar at times. Andersen tends to stick with a formula that works, so there isn’t much in terms of real growth or creativity here. It’s a mix of what came before, almost to the point of borrowing melodies from Moving Target and Paradox. It also seems way too brief, with just seven songs spanning less than 45 minutes. We waited an awfully long time for this. It would have been nice to have a few more songs to sink our teeth into.

Those few minor gripes aside, Show Me How To Live is a damn fine album, and a worthy successor to Moving Target and Paradox. It’s as good, if not better than any of the previous Royal Hunt albums without Cooper, and is almost as good as anything Cooper has released since leaving the band (though it doesn’t touch Silent Force’s last album Walk the Earth). If you were a Royal Hunt fan back in the ‘90s, Show Me How To Live is a must-have album. It should also appeal to fans of the later Royal Hunt lineups, DC Cooper’s other projects and fans of high quality melodic metal in general. Hopefully this will not be the last time Cooper and Andersen join forces.

Genre: Melodic Metal, Neoclassical Metal, Progressive Metal

Band:
Andre Andersen (k)
DC Cooper (v)
Allan Sorensen (d)
Andreas Passmark (b)
Jonas Larsen (g)

Track Listing:
1. Intro/One More Day
2. Another Man Down
3. An Empty Shell
4. Hard Rain’s Coming
5. Half Past Loneliness
6. Show Me How To Live
7. Angel’s Gone

Label: Frontiers Records

Website: www.royalhunt.com

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10

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