March Or Die

"Female fronted Symphonic Power Metal band AMBERIAN DAWN return with their new album “Magic Forest” on Napalm Records. Female fronted bands have always been a target for hate in the Metal community, but it’s nice to hear this powerful and lovely voice!The only way I can think to describe this band is imagine Children of Bodom, put a girl in front and make it Power Metal instead of Death Metal. Capri’s vocals are both beautiful and chilling throughout the entire album. These are over some strong instrumentals with a bunch of incredible guitar and keyboard solos, AMBERIAN DAWN bring Power Metal to a whole new galaxy!As much as I’d like to talk about and praise each and every song on this album for you, there is one main song that sticks out the most. “I’m Still Here” is the perfect song to show what AMBERIAN DAWN bring, catchy vocals, insane but not over the top instrumentals and a wicked keyboard to guitar solo. If there is any song to look up to decide if you are going to like this band or album this is it right here.“Magic Forest” is absolutely killer, if you’re not one of those people who hates female fronted bands without rhyme or reason. Symphonic Power Metal is a rare treat and it gets even better when you find an astounding band that does it right!" - Metal Temple 

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 

"Accept's creative breakthrough, 1983's Restless and Wild, begins with one of the most unexpected, surprising, and hilarious mock intros ever recorded. Untold thousands no doubt furrowed their brows in confusion at the perky German folk song emanating from their speakers, only to be rudely interrupted by a scratching needle and Udo Dirkschneider's incomparable shriek, as the band launch themselves into the stunning violence of "Fast as a Shark." Not just a thrilling, light-speed juggernaut, the song was probably the last thrash metal prototype waxed in the pre-thrash era (officially inaugurated by Metallica's Kill 'Em All a few months later). Though nowhere near as frenetic, the title track and "Ahead of the Pack" are just as fierce, and despite a sudden stumble with the mediocre "Shake Your Heads" (an overtly cheesy, Judas Priest-style metal anthem, and the album's only stinker), the dramatic "Neon Nights" ends side one on the upswing once again. As for the album's second half, it's pretty much beyond reproach. Introduced by the solid "Get Ready" (another nod to Priest with its "Living After Midnight"-inspired drum intro), it builds from strength to strength with increasingly mature and melodic (though lyrically obscure) tracks such as "Flash Rockin' Man," "Don't Go Stealing My Soul Away," and the colossal "Princess of the Dawn." The latter closes the album as it began, in unexpected fashion, when its extended outro is abruptly interrupted mid-verse. The bottom line here is that this, like its successor Balls to the Wall, is an essential heavy metal album, and any fan worth his salt should own them both. But for the sake of first-time visitors, Restless and Wild is the slightly grittier, less melodic of the two. Whichever you chose, you can only win." - All Music Guide

"As of late, at least with their previous album, and the current Pariah's Child, Finland's Sonata Arctica has been throwing their faithful some musical curve balls. Putting them in the category of traditional Scandi power metal is no longer fitting, although they do play the same and often.No, their sound is much more diverse, enterprising, these days. A good example is the song Half A Marathon Man. It's opening strokes of guitar, keyboards, then drums could lead to most any sound. But it delivers this huge rock grooved melodic metal monster, with hooks galore, from vocals to lyrics to riffs. Then there's the power metal romp of X Marks the Spot, disguised as a rock tune, and wrapped in the motif a religious revival. It's familiar, but strange; clever and a whole lot of fun. Also of note is What Did You Do In the War, Daddy which merges the feel of classic heavy metal anthem with the bluster of power metal in places.Yet something more familiar comes with the longest number, Larger Than Life, which sounds like old school Sonata Arctica, where they draw upon their symphonic progressive power metal roots. Perhaps still more straight forward Sonata Arctica is the first half of the album. Notably The Wolves Die Young or Take One Breath are classic Scandi melodic power metal tunes, straying little from the foundation from which the band was built. Yet, fans should know that it is no less interesting than the aforementioned more crafty pieces. Once more I think Pariah's Child represents Sonata Arctica as a band being carefully faithful to their roots, yet always moving forward in their creativity. Easily recommended." - Dangerdog.com

Once again we turn to Norway for a fresh take on an old sound. With amps turned way up, Anti-Depressive Delivery blend classic progressive rock with modern raw aggression. Mellotron, organ and synth clash with frantic guitar leads underscoring this young band's appreciation for prog and metal Gods past and present. Think Anekdoten mixed with Pain Of Salvation and Somnambulist.The prog world may never be the same...

This is the album that really broke the band in North America.  Hit after hit..."After years of writing hook-laden choruses and triumphantly buzzing riffs, this German band finally perfected the formula. A fine mix of poise and passion, Love at First Sting appeals to both angry metalheads and Top-40 aficionados." -- Jon Wiederhorn