STRIKER's new album 'Ultrapower' seems to have taken up where the previous album left off. I think the band raised it a notch, a bit faster in places, a bit heavier, a bit of a nod to their thrashier roots while still maintaining that over-the-top fun edge.
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Sweden's SORCERER return with 'Reign Of The Reaper', a worthy successor to 2020's 'Lamenting Of The Innocent'.
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WAYFARER are a band from Denver, Colorado, that play a unique brand of Metal. The new album is 'American Gothic'. It's full of cool, 'moody' riffing, with a 'Western American' ring to it, aggressive vocals, and great songs. Great music for the highway. It's on heavy rotation here.
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KK Downing's band, KK's PRIEST have released a second album, 'The Sinner Rides Again', and the band has stepped it up from the last album in my opinion. The riffs keep coming, songwriting is better, 'multi layered' Ripper is in top form, and the album chugs along nicely.
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Denmark's finest, MERCENARY, are back with a new album, 'Soundtrack For The End Times'. All the trademarks are there, crushing riffs, melodic clean vocals, occasional brutal unclean vocals and the sublime guitar work of Martin Buus, reason enough to check it out right there.
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ELEINE are a ‘Dark Symphonic Metal’ band from Sweden. The last album, ‘Dancing In Hell’ was excellent and the follow-up, ‘We Shall Remain’, has cleared the high bar set and raised it a few notches. Songwriting is top class, the song groove along nicely. The vocal melodies are beautiful, there’s even a melody reminiscent of the late 60s on the title track. Not repeating anything, just something to take you back. See if you can pick it. This band stands out from the rest of the Symphonic Metal crowd. If you’re after something a bit different in that regard, check this album out.
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STRAY GODS are the band featuring Bob Katsionis, who you may recognise from seeing him in FIREWIND for many years. An amazingly talented man, putting his talents to good use here. A talented band surrounds him and they ROCK.
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JOEL HOEKSTRA'S 13 have a new album out called, 'Crash Of Life'. It's Melodic Hard Rock of very high order. Girish Pradhan (of Girish And The Chronicles) is handling lead vocal duties, and the band is a who's who of elite musos, so why not check this album out pronto.
The mighty FIFTH ANGEL return, flying the flag with 'When Angels Kill', a double length concept album full of top-shelf METAL.
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BUCKCHERRY are one of those bands that keep working hard putting out rocking albums. 'Vol. 10' came out the other day and is a good solid album of hard hitting rockers. 'You wanna party? Then get on the bus and let's go'. It's good time party stuff and they do it well.
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ELEGANT WEAPONS is a band put together by Richie Faulkner of JUDAS PRIEST.
The debut album, 'Horns For A Halo' has just been released and what a fine album it is too.
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IMMORTAL have been through a few changes and had a few quiet periods over the years, You can look up the history yourself, but what you can also do is listen to this album. The new album is ‘War Against All’. This is killer. Check it out.
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I received a suggestion to check out ‘FIRES IN THE DISTANCE’ . I was unaware of them. This album gave me many ‘Holy Crap’ moments upon hearing it for the first time. My suggestion is you check this band out as well. You can start right here.
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The Finnish masters, INSOMNIUM have graced us with another album. I’ve only listened twice so far but I like what I hear. Fave song, ‘The Unrest’. Get into it.
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URIAH HEEP have been around the block once or twice but still deliver.
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IDLE RUIN are a 3 piece blackened thrash/death outfit from Brisbane and their latest release, ‘The Fell Tyrant’, is a real piece of work. It hits you hard, REALHARD, from the outset and does not let go.
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Okay, so this thing is huge, heeyuuuge. You know the story of Judas, but do you really?
If you’re after sunsets and walks along the beach, go somewhere else. This is the graveyard at night, a cold, dark, foggy night at that.
Symphonic Metal from Bulgaria that doesn’t sound like they’re trying to sound like they’re from Finland. Big win.
How does a HELLOWEEN album that has the whole Pumpkins United lineup sound? Well, pretty much exactly how you would expect it to sound.
Thrashers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM knock it out of the park, and then burn down the park.
Italy’s FROZEN CROWN knock it out of the park with latest album, even if initially I didn’t think so.
56 minutes of dark brutality that hits you hard at the start and doesn’t let up.
‘Thirty-three-minutes of cold and merciless Swedish darkness, interwoven with an audible awe for the natural forces that govern us.’ That’s what the press release said.
Australia’s CARMERIA stake their claim in Symphonic Metal with new album, ‘Advenae’.
The ‘Heavy Metal Riff Machine’ releases his 5th solo album, and it’s a MONSTER.
The 6th album from Australia’s TEMTRIS sees them release a solid cohesive album of Aussie METAL.
This band of ladies has used lockdown wisely. A full studio album in 2020, and a full studio album by the end of May in 2021. Who else has done that?
