Deconstructive

Yet another over the top all star project masterminded by Edguy's Tobias Sammet.  I think at this point Avantasia is even more popular than Edguy!  He always brings together an interesting cast of musicians.  This time around he features: Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow), Eric Martin (Mr. Big), Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids), Biff Byford (Saxon), Michael Kiske (Helloween), Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), Bruce Kulick (Kiss), Russell Gibrook (Uriah Heep), Bob Catley (Magnum), producer extraordinaire Sascha Paeth, and of course The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg.  Pure bombastic rock opera stuff."Tobias Sammet, one of the best known names in power metal and for good reason, is a multifaceted musician best known for his vocal and keyboard prowess in the German power metal giant Edguy. Flawlessly possessing keyboard, orchestration, bass, and vocal skills worthy of his fame, Sammet stepped to the side of his work in Edguy and started a symphonic rock/metal side project, Avantasia in the year 2000. Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia, which features Sammet’s talents and abilities to compose and orchestrate perfect, beautiful music, also boasts a roster full of well known names throughout the power metal community such as Kai Hansen, Michael Kiske, Andre Matos, and Jorn Lande. In 2011, Sammet announced the end of Avantasia, however, after that rather depressing announcement, Avantasia is releasing their 6th full length studio album on March 29th, The Mystery of Time.The Mystery of Time features yet another all star lineup. Outside of Sammet’s constant presence, the album features Michael Kiske, Biff Byford, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, and Joe Lynn Turner just to name a few. There are many new vocal presences in the album, different from the usual heard in Avantasia’s past, and it really helps create a refreshing and new sound to the project. As usual however, the production and orchestrations, instrumentation, choir presence, and vocal layering are absolutely spot on. Upon first listen to the album however, I wasn’t completely sold. I felt like a few of the songs were hollow and emotionless. Unlike my favorite albums, The Metal Opera I and II and The Scarecrow, I didn’t get pulled into the record right away. Listening to the album four or five times however, I saw the album for what it truly is, a quite flawlessly executed rock opera.The first track on “Spectres” begins slowly and doesn’t feel like a proper way to kick off an album. The drum work is more fitting of a faster tempo thrash song than the mellow presence of the music throughout the verses. However, as soon as the chorus kicked in I felt that rush of joy and sheer happiness typically expected when listening to Avantasia. Tracks like “The Watchmakers Dream” and “Black Orchid” manage to bring back all of that which I love from Sammet, strong, soaring choruses and beautiful guitar work from Arjen Lucassen. Biff Byford joins in, bringing with him that raw, true heavy metal roughness that is found in Saxon, and has an amazing way of rounding out and complementing Sammet’s vocals. “Where Clock Hands Freeze” and “Dweller in a Dream” feature the ever amazing, and never aging voice of Michael Kiske himself. Kiske brings such a crisp, soaring presence to a song that is simply unmatched.The ballad-like “Sleepwalking” features the familiar female vocal accompaniment of Cloudy Yang. Her vocal presence brings an ever pop-like sound to the album, but it is a beautiful song nonetheless. The album’s other ballad, “What’s Left of Me” is likely one of Avantasia’s best ballads, holding true to some power metal roots. Two 10 minute long songs “Savior in the Clockwork” and “The Great Mystery” truly make this album epic, while tracks like “Invoke the Machine” bring a serious heavy metal vibe, featuring Ronnie Atkins of Pretty Maids. This is easily one of the best tracks on the album, blending that epic power metal sound of choruses and keyboards with perfect and heavy thrashing elements.The album as a whole manages to, as usual, feature not only the musical artistry of Tobias Sammet, but also brings together names from all over the rock and metal genre to show off each individual’s talent. Personally, I am so happy that Avantasia is still alive and kicking. The Mystery of Time is absolutely an album to be proud of, and for any fans of power metal, Edguy, or previous Avantasia albums, there are absolutely elements of all three in these songs for you to enjoy. Here’s to another great album thanks to Tobias Sammet, cheers!" - The Metal Review 

"This is not a new Lost Horizon record.There, we got that sorted out. The good news is that Daniel Heiman is finally back where he belongs: in metal. For its third outing, Harmony tapped this fan-favorite singer, but unlike recent, however successful, hijack jobs (think Michele Luppi with Secret Sphere, or further back, Urban Breed with Bloodbound), this is still one hundred percent a Swedish, religious power metal experience.After a promising start with Dreaming Awake, and a superior sophomore effort in Chapter II: The Aftermath, Chapter III at last gives us the Harmony record that I always knew the Swedes had in them. Retaining the band’s signature solemn style and subtle sense of melody, Theatre Of Redemption is bigger, better, and an overall top contender for 2014’s album of the year.Just how much has this to do with Heiman himself? Of course, hiring a man of his not inconsiderable talent is certain to lend your work that extra flavor. This isn’t to say that Henrik Båth held the band back (about as much as Mikael Dahl did/does in Crystal Eyes), but that Heiman touch is fan-favorite for a reason. The superhuman wails, the natural emotion, the unrivaled raw power, all of that bigger and better than before as well. In whatever dark corner of the music industry this man has been lurking in for all these years, he’s picked up a thing or two. A tender and soulful performance like the one on “What If” could simply not have come from him in his Lost Horizon-days. Goosebumps, ladies and gentlemen, entire flocks of geese.Logically, even Daniel freakin’ Heiman can only thrive when the songwriting is there to support him. Harmony stepped up its game considerably in this department, opting for shorter, tighter material here. Theatre Of Redemption is trademarked by sharp and poignant riffs, simple but gripping melodies, and an overdose of class. “Son Of The Morning” and the title track sound like the basic but effective kind of songs that Kamelot used to churn out in its heyday, boasting oriental effects, a mystic atmosphere, and an ominous chorus. “I gave it aaall – for – NOTHING!” More geese and whatnot.Not all of it is down and plodding, though. Introspective opener “Window Of My Soul”, the celebratory “Crown Me King”, and self-referencing closer “In Search Of” root Harmony firmly in the national style. Anyone attempting to chronicle the rich history of Swedish power metal should do well to include them. For filler tracks, to conclude, look further, because Harmony wastes no time making every single song one worthy of remembrance and appreciation.This is not a Lost Horizon record. Instead it’s the best album Harmony has ever released, and one of the best this year has seen so far. Daniel Heiman returns gloriously to be crowned as king (only to disappear, as he’s only a guest on this album), and aids Harmony in releasing its full potential. Fans of Heiman, Harmony, and (Swedish) power metal in general should purchase this blindly." - Black Wind Metal

"If La-Ventura hadn’t named their second full-length album White Crow, the word "testament" would have been a fitting alternative. That’s because it’s been almost 5 years since the Dutch melodic metal quartet released their critically acclaimed debut album A New Beginning. Sure, they released an EP between then and now, but La-Ventura have kept a low profile while working on their new material. Their online presence all but vanished – usually a fatal sign in this age of constant updates via Facebook and social media – and many international fans, including myself, wondered whether the band had split up. Thus, the fact that La-Ventura are still around is welcome news. And hearing the pulse of their music again on White Crow is like visiting an old friend who’s changed a bit since you two last met.What do I mean by "changed"? Well, White Crow presents a major shift in La-Ventura’s music. Instead of continuing the moody, gothic-like atmospheres of A New Beginning, the band focuses on guitars and vocals. (This may be because La-Ventura never replaced keyboardist Marco van Boven after he left the band.) So, on White Crow we hear more of Sasha Kondic’s nu-metal-esque riffs and the rhythm section’s throbbing and grooving, while keyboards highlight only certain moments on a few tracks. The production and mix quality have improved dramatically since A New Beginning, perhaps because La-Ventura opted not to self-produce the new record. This time, they worked with producer Didier Chesneau (Headline, Asylum Pyre) and mastering engineering Bruno Gruel (Septic Flesh, Asylum Pyre). The result is a sharper, thicker sound that augments the guitarwork and pushes the keyboards further into the background. Most of the melody on White Crow, therefore, comes from singer Carla (Douw) van Huizen. She thrives on the band’s intensity, and her mature voice and melancholy tones suit the new sound just as well as they fit La-Ventura’s earlier style.La-Ventura’s evolution is apparent as soon as White Crow begins. Kick-off track "Falling Down" is easily one of the band’s grittiest songs to date, with Kondic’s riff-ripping and new drummer Renzo van Poecke stabbing at the slow tempo. Van Huizen’s powerful chorus and the closing sonic eruption turn this track into an instant La-Ventura classic. "Human Vanity" takes a similar path but is more uptempo and contains one of the album’s best sing-along refrains ("You and I, we need / Something that’s compatible / Something that’s real"). La-Ventura, however, save their most searing arrangements and starkest contrasts for "Song For An Idiot." All of the band’s elements converge to portray the anger, frustration, and despair in van Huizen’s lyrics. "Time and Time Again," "Neverending Story," and "The Only One" also show how La-Ventura’s music has ripened.A few tracks on White Crow hearken back to the days of A New Beginning. The title track begins with a delicate piano / synthesizer intro before the full band comes crashing in. "Drowning," on the other hand, uses keyboards throughout as well as off-beat drumming and a cascading, mystical synth line. Van Huizen uses the full breadth of her range here, enhancing the lyrics’ anguish. The one song on White Crow that brings together the old and new of La-Ventura is "Close To You." The main guitar hook has a loose, alternative metal feel, and synths peek their way through on the verses and final bridge. Then the song ends with van Huizen crying out over bursting guitars and a shrieking last-second solo – a bold move La-Ventura didn’t dare to take on A New Beginning.For the most part, La-Ventura have taken the right steps forward on White Crow. Listen to both of their albums back to back and you’ll notice the difference, especially in the quality of the sound mix. The keyboards and treble dominated on A New Beginning and oversaturated the music, whereas White Crow’s concentration on metal and melody feels more natural and gives the listener a better idea of how La-Ventura may sound live. In the end, though, I still prefer A New Beginning over White Crow. Tracks like "Trefoil," "Only Love Will Find Its Way," and "Memoria" from the former album aren’t just well-written and memorable. They also drip with emotion and earnestness that the listener can feel. That extra touch is often what separates a great song from a good song. And unfortunately, the strongest tracks on White Crow don’t breach that difference, despite how catchy or tight they may be.Still, White Crow is a solid release and one that La-Ventura fans should be pleased with. It retains enough of the familiar melodic focus from A New Beginning, particularly van Huizen’s ardent vocals, while adding more musical crunch and distortion. And although White Crow may not move listeners the way that A New Beginning did, the passion we originally heard from La-Ventura still runs through the music’s veins. Of course, the passion has manifested itself in a different manner this time. But that quality is essential is making good music in any genre. And with White Crow, one of The Netherlands’ most promising female-fronted bands gives us another full-bodied dose of it." - Sonic Cathedral

"The telling strikes of new power metal have been falling left and right this most righteous of autumns, and the Frenchmen of Operadyse have seen fit to lend their sword arm to the collective effort to bury us listeners utterly in a mountain of releases. The band’s debut release, Pandemonium, is a symphonic power metal affair that draws upon the considerable vocal talents of Frank Garcia (better known as the erstwhile frontman of Spheric Universe Experience), and boy do I ever like him in this setting!Drawing to mind similar recent projects like Fogalord and perhaps Galderia, I find Operadyse outstanding for its sheer buoyancy. This is not, as some may say, “yet another Rhapsody clone”. Please. If that statement were true of half the bands accused of it, we’d be dwelling in a cesspool of artistic stagnancy – and that is hardly the case. Pandemonium, the album’s title, should be interpreted in the most jubilant, energetic way possible. Often a generally uplifting, almost martial power metal beat (“Unfold Legend”), Operadyse nevertheless varies its formula more than you might think, featuring variety in the mystique of “Fairies Secret Garden”, a sudden black metal lapse in “Keeper Of The Flame”, and the absurdly joyful strains of “Nevermore”.A large part of what makes this work outstanding is its bombast. String samples, synth brass, rich choirs, lots of tom rolls from the drum kit, extremely good supporting female vocal work, and even some timpani and big crash cymbals in the background – Operadyse pulls out all the stops to make this as big and as ambitious a project as possible. While that’s true, this isn’t as ludicrously over-the-top as a band like Pathfinder. As explosive as the aural pyrotechnics are on Pandemonium, there’s also a noticeable sense of restraint. This tendency is best manifested in the sweeping breaks that take place in the music from time to time. Mark my words – wherever Pathfinder would insert a shriek or spin up a brazen guitar solo, Operadyse is more than happy to draw back, lay off the guitars and vocals, throw in some deep brass, and let the scale of the compositions grow. As a result, we have a pronounced “peaks and valleys” feeling with this album – but I’m not addressing the quality of the music, which is universally good to great – but rather the dynamic and textural sensations. Further emphasizing this behavior is the tonality – so much of this album abounds in uplifting major key revelry that when anything discordant arises, it is very pronounced, and consequently that much more powerful.There are only a couple of very minor drawbacks to this otherwise very impressive album. The first is my sometimes back-and-forth relationship with Garcia – a singer who wasn’t remotely on my roadmap prior to this album. He has the typical French slur that affects his enunciation with much of the lyricism, and I feel that his softer vocals leave something to be desired. On the other hand, when he ratchets up to the high register and gives his voice a bit of a bite, he reminds me of Bill Makatowicz of Illusion Suite – which is a rather flattering comparison in my book. Secondly and finally, in terms of real criticism, and I’ll put this simply: I want more guitar. For all my talk of comparing this to Pathfinder and praising its subtlety, I miss some of the bright and flashy guitar work that that album featured. Operadyse definitely does not excel at “heavy” metal.Pandemonium is, however, a symphonic power metal lover’s blissful release, and a joy for anyone that craves the inspiring, feel-good brand of power metal that genre stalwarts Freedom Call and Power Quest once emphasized. This will get dismissed by those who don’t like “flower metal”, but the devil take them – this is exciting and not insubstantial material. Just one more banger on the books for 2013 to you and I, perhaps, but this album is an auspicious beginning to a career for Operadyse." - Black Wind Metal

"'Hand. Cannot. Erase.' is the highly anticipated fourth studio album from Steven Wilson - four-time Grammy nominee and founder member of cult legends, Porcupine Tree.Hand. Cannot. Erase. follows the critical and commercial success of The Raven That Refused To Sing, released in February 2013, and a run of sold-out shows around the world including London's Royal Albert Hall. Steven will embark on an extensive 'An Evening With Steven Wilson' European tour in March & April 2015.Recorded at London's illustrious Air Studios, Hand. Cannot. Erase, reunited Steven with Guthrie Govan (guitar), Adam Holzman (keyboards), Nick Beggs (bass / stick), and Marco Minneman (drums), the spectacular band responsible for The Raven That Refused To Sing album and world tour.The album follows the critical and commercial success of 2013's 'The Raven That Refused To Sing' (Germany #3, UK# 28) and an international run of sold-out shows, including London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall.Joined by Guthrie Govan (guitar), Adam Holzman (keyboards), Nick Beggs (bass / stick), and Marco Minneman (drums) - all part of the world-class band that graced The Raven and the 2013/2014 world tours - Wilson recorded 'Hand. Cannot. Erase.' at the renowned Air Studios in London."

"The White edition of Kingdom of the Night II is the "softer" release of the two albums released on February 28th. It's barely softer cause the Black edition isn't all that powerful to start with. Don't get me wrong, the Black Edition is a KILLER album and so is the White Edition if you ask me. But neither album pack the punch delivered with the latest studio albums of the band in terms of raw power.Do you like Axxis in general, and loved their Kingdom of the Night debut ? That's the only question you should ask yourself and if the answer is yes, then you'll love this album as well. It starts with Hall of Fame, an instant classic hit from the very beginning. It does sound commercial though, and this could definitely be on radio (and I bet it is in Germany :) ). Hall of Fame starts this album perfectly. I was worried that the White edition would be too soft for me but immediately with Hall of Fame the album puts those fears to rest. The next song Heaven in Paradise is also a great song, reminding me of My Little Princess. Then comes Living in a Dream, which is a re imagining Living in a World. According to the band, while Axxis copied themselves on this song and KotN II, they are mostly saying thank you to these songs for the impact these had for their careers. To tell you the truth I find Living in a Dream better than Living in a World :) (I find the main riff has improved), but of course it couldn't have existed without the original so everything's relative. 21 crosses is also a great song that talks about a tragedy that happen during the Loveparade in Germany on July 24th 2010 where 21 young people lost their lives in a panic move from the crowd, probably due to bad organization, and years after nobody is still taking the blame for this horrendous accident, so Axxis wrote a song about it. I find the song almost too catchy for the subject, but it's a beautiful song nonetheless. I like that the names of the victims are mentioned at the end of the song, so they aren't forgotten. This album reminds me more of Return to the Kingdom somehow, maybe because of the catchiness of so many of the songs and the definitive Rock vibe. There's a second version of Mary Married a Monster, a song about violence in the couple, and how it is felt from the two sides of the story (on Black album by the friends of the victim, and on the White Edition by the victim herself). Both version are great songs. The White edition contains a little more ballads, My Eyes, for one, that is a typical Axxis song reminding me Stay Don't Leave Me (though not as strong IMHO) and Gone with The Wind that is in the same veins as Tears of the Trees but again Tears of the Trees is simply the better song. But in the end it's not an album filled with ballads like I had feared. My favorite song from both albums is on the White Edition though, and it's Take Me Far Away ! I can listen to it in a loop over and over again, one of the best songs in the band's career, with an incredibly catchy melodic riff like only Axxis could write ! Dance into life is a bit more powerful than the rest and I thought it could actually have been on Black Edition :). We are the World is a song that contains a Mandolin played by bassist Rob Schomaker. It's an interesting instrument to find into a metal song but it works well in my opinion.Just like the Black Edition, this album guitar work is simply amazing, strong riffs and stronger solos. As mentioned in the other review Bernhard vocals are at the top of his game, and it seems he gets better and better with each and every album, cementing my feeling that he is one of the best singer there is, with an original and powerful voice ! While I found the White Edition a tad softer it still contains two of my favorite songs from both albums : Take Me Far Away and Hall of Fame (which is the first song the band wrote for both albums). As with the Black edition, I could live without the last song on the White Edition, Temple of Rock, while a good old rock song, but one I wouldn't miss. The White Edition will be released on February 28th, at the same time as the Black Edition. It's not everyday that one of your favorite band releases not one but two albums at once, and it shows how much Axxis love their fans. Any other band could have released a lazy best off or re-recording for their anniversary, instead Axxis present us with 22 songs, 24 if you purchase the limited edition metal box including both Black and White edition into one package with 2 bonus tracks. Thank you Axxis for these two fantastic albums and trip back to memory lane. My wish now is for Axxis to hit the studio in the coming years and deliver some Power Metal masterpiece that will go beyond what they did with Paradise in Flames (okay I know I'm putting the bar very high, but I know they can do it !). And why not release the most powerful sounding album yet ! If you're a fan of Axxis you cannot miss either the Black or White editions of Kingdom of the Night II !! I can't wait to receive the limited edition and give these bonus tracks a go. Long live Axxis !" - Metal Reviews