Ravenheart Music
NUCLEUS TORN.. 'NIHIL, (2006) and KNELL, (2008)'
(Prophecy Productions) Reviewed 7th February 2010
These are the first two albums by the Swiss progressive, classical, folk and doom band, the first two parts of trilogy, leader Fredy describes it as “primarily about separation in adverse circumstances, while constantly expecting the last day of your life. The end draws near, as does a deceptive kind of deliverance”. You can get an idea of the broad spectrum of music on these two albums from the line-up, folk singer Maria D'Alessandro and rock singer Patrick Schaad on vocals, plus violinist, cellist, flautist, drummer and Fredy on guitar, keys, bass and a wide range of folk and other instruments. Nihil is about ‘exploring the boundaries of rock music - from silence to raging fury’. ‘Glass Spirit’ is delightful folk rock featuring Maria, ‘Travellers Rest’ is again folk rock with powered up sections sung by Patrick, ‘Night’s Grace’ is a brief piano piece, ‘Summer Bled’ is doom metal by Patrick with gentle interludes, ‘Close’ an a cappella folk number from Maria, ‘The Sunclad’ is a peaceful classical piece with Maria, piano and strings, and finally ‘Peregrina Sublime’, a more powerful piece with again gentle interludes, featuring both singers, and a lovely peaceful ending.
Knell is divided into 3 long movements and a final gentle piece, simply titled I, II, II, IV, featuring the contrast between quiet, acoustic, introspective sections, and then sudden explosions into grandiose doom metal. The theme is ‘The ashes of dead trees - exploring realms of grief and despair’. To be honest I much preferred Nihil, it has some truly beautiful music. I struggled with Knell’s doom sections and the far gloomier, desolate and threatening approach. Both albums can be bought through http://www.grau.cd/, which is the online shop of Prophecy Productions. Nihil 9/10, Knell 8/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
NOXIUS CORP...'Grey Shades' EP
(Toxic Forest Records) Reviewed 5th February 2010
Debut EP from the young Spanish quartet, fronted by the ravishing Laura ‘Mirror’ Espejo, and on reflection she has a superb, soaring, semi operatic voice. Grey Shades is powerful early Epic style symphonic gothic metal. Second track ‘Screaming Silently’ shows their diversity and has some fascinating sounds, finally the third track ‘I Hate the World’ is appropriately enough more aggressive and faster, featuring Lord Dan’s desperate growls. You also get a dance version of Grey Shades which is great to rave to. This is excellent stuff, well produced, played, sung and written, and I can’t wait for a full length platter. See their Myspace for more details, www.myspace.com/noxiusmetal. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
THE EDEN HOUSE..'THE LOOKING GLASS'
(Jungle Records) Reviewed 5th February 2010
This new release from The Eden House (their second), that was released on February 1st contains a DVD of a live set recorded only days before the bands first live appearance, plus a 5 track CD of covers of some of the bands favourite songs, from artists as diverse as The Shangri Las, Radiohead and Bjork to name just three! The DVD was mixed at Pink Floyds Astoria studio, while the cd like the debut was mixed by Andy Jackson (Pink Floyd). The core members of the band remain Stephen Carey (This Burning Effigy), and Tony Pettitt (Fields of The Nephilim). And there are four ladies sharing vocal duties, including All About Eve's Julianne Regan. I like this style of atmospheric rock, and this little package would be an ideal introduction to anybody who may be unfamiliar with the band but fancies "giving them a try". 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
ORPHEUS..S/T
(Sidehorn Records) Reviewed 30th January 2010
Hard rock from Norway. Makes a change from the country reknown for it's Black Metal acts. Orpheus is fronted by Ingrid Galadriel and this is an interesting release from this lass and her band. The lead off track 'F**k Me Over' gets proceedings under way. A kinda progressive hard rocker. As for the title, not so sure! 'Constructing' is a catchy rocker and possibly one of the better tracks on offer to my ears. The album as a whole may take a few listens to get into, but another track that may well grab ya is the slower and quite heavy 7+ minute 'Peepin' Tom' . Interesting lyrics here too, "I want you to be my peeping Tom" sings Ingrid. I am on my way over :) And another decent track to my ears is 'The Plan' that gallops along quite nicely. Anyway, not a bad effort from these Norwegians. Check them out at www.myspace.com/orphmo. 7/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE MURDER OF MY SWEET..'DIVANITY'
(Frontiers Records) Reviewed 30th January 2010
This Swedish mob’s name is taken from the film noire movie, ‘Murder My Sweet’, a dark, deathly, shadowy, sinister world of femme fatales, guys down on their luck, ruthless killers, and innocents caught in the crossfire, the perfect image for a gothic metal band. The dame in this particular caper is the real looker Angelica Rylin, and gee, this babe can 'arf sing. The Boss is Daniel Flores, a high pillow drummer, composer and producer, with his trusty lieutenants, Johan Niemann the harmonic lawman on bass (of the mighty Therion gang), hotshot keyman Andreas Lindahl on the old joanna (keys), and ace hit-man Daniel Palmqvist on guitar. Let's get it on the record straight from the beginning, what you get is 12 slugs of ultra catchy, gorgeously melodic, up-tempo symphonic gothic rock/metal, with choruses to die for, halfway between Within Temptation and Delain. No filler, all killer, no griller, all thriller, right up to the closing epic, ‘Death of a Movie Star’. Available from all the usual joints for a sawbuck, so, play it again Sam, if you don’t get this record, then you’ll regret it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life. 9.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil).
THE MARY MAJOR..'04:13'
(TMM Productions) Reviewed 26th January 2010
Well, what can I say? Out from the shadows emerge 4 former members of the ex Napalm Records band Beseech (a fave band of mine btw), complemented by a new bass player, Jorgen Strom. The result...The Mary Major. The members of this band financed this album, released it on their own TMM label. And if that is not enough, the mastering was carried out by Beau Hill (Alice Cooper, Europe and Ratt amongst others). The music here is heavy and straight to the point, featuring driving guitars, solid vocals coupled with a solid bass/drum backdrop. And on top of all that, the music on offer never loses it's sense of melody. Featuring the dual vocal attack of Lotta Höglin and Erik Molarin (as it was in Beseech), this is an awesome dose of rock music that hits hard but is always melodic. Great stuff on offer featuring the awesome opener 'Stage 7'. 'Split' keeps up the momentum and you can hear the Beseech resemblances here (as in other tracks too) - just a lot heavier than their previous band. 'Ambush' is a mid pace heavy number while 'Morning Sickness' ups the pace again, and like their former band, Erik and Lotta's vocals complement each other really well. The album continues at a similar pace throughout, with Erik's vocals at times reminding me of Andrea Ferro (Lacuna Coil). I personally like a sense of melody in the music I listen to, and this has it all. It is heavy, it rocks, there are no keyboard meanderings. Just straight forward melodic hard rock and metal, putting yours truly in hard rock heaven. Check the band out at www.myspace.com/themarymajor and then buy the cd. It really is good! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE SHIVER..'A NEW HORIZON'
(Digital only release) Reviewed 24th January 2010
Friends of mine from Italy The Shiver, fronted by the gorgeous Faith have really cranked it up with 'A New Horizon', their latest digital only release. And I must say that I really like this band and they can kick ass live too. Their previous offering 'Inside' was a cool album that picked up an 8/10 review here, and was indeed a pleasant surprise. Anyway, the new release sees 'In Obscurity' kicking things off, and Faith's vocals, wonderful! I love the growls too :) 'Crushing Down' comes crushing down on you like a turbo charged express train while 'Empty People, Empty Words' keep the pace going, and is another awesome tune with a catchy chorus and more growls :). 'The Fragile Sound' after a slow piano intro keeps things moving at a very melodic pace as does 'Nothing Left To Waste'. 'Through This Cold Water' slows things down, and I am a sucker I must admit for the odd power ballad, while next out 'Leech and Flower' is another dynamic slower tune with a guitar solo to die for. 'Answers' steamrollers out of the speakers before you can say "awesome", while 'Feel Tomorrow's Light' is another catchy melodic number, with 'Desire' refusing to lower the pace. 'No Longer There' is a heavy melodic mid paced tune, while closing track, the atmospheric 'Bring Me To The New Horizon' closes what is a totally marvelous release. In summary, this is top drawer alternative and at times dark melodic rock with a great production, superb vocals (inc growls/screams), heavy guitars, thumping drums and cool synths, phew! I would really like to see this cd released in retail outlets too, as given the right promotion, this band should be huge. Great stuff on this record and I will say this....just download it (from iTunes as one example), and if it gets a physical release, buy it!!! You will not be disappointed and I simply cannot fault it. 10/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WILDPATH..'NON OMNIS MORIAR'
(Brennus Music) Reviewed 23rd January 2010
France seems to have cornered the market in Speedy Metal, with bands such as Kerion, Fairyland and Auspex, and is currently leading the world in the production of metal bands of all types. Wildpath were founded in 2001 by Olivier Caron, guitar, and Alexis Garsault keys, who are to this day their main composers and producers. Non Omnis Moriar, roughly translated as ‘not all of me will die’ (you don’t get Latin translations in the NME), is their second album, a concept piece about ‘an awe inspiring mansion, built on the far reaches of a never ending road’, and the secrets it holds. The divine Marjolaine Bernard has a crystal clear, effortless, semi operatic voice, backed up by excellent choir arrangements, and the contributions from all members of the band are first class. The album is made up of symphonic speedy metal epics that lie on the lighter side of the genre, this is highly melodic and full of changes of pace and mood; I also like their use of glockenspiels and subtle folk elements. They rattle along nicely at a reasonable up-tempo pace, nothing like Dragonforce who appear to be at 78rpm (ask your grandad), and when they do use double bass drumming, it’s well buried in the mix to create a nice rumble, not the awful, irritating, monotonous pounding you get in a lot of speed/power metal. Interspersed between the songs are orchestral interludes that fit seamlessly into the overall album, the band seem to have a love of composers of popular light classics such as Copland and Ketelby, who wrote lovely descriptive music such as ‘Appalachian Spring’ and ‘In a Monastery Garden’. This has really brought a smile to my face, it is a truly delightful listen, and a must for Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, and Fairyland fans, but lovers of Nightwish and Within Temptation will also really enjoy this. Available from the Brennus Shop www.brennus-music.com/ and other outlets, including Stay Gold in Japan where they have been very successful. It is well worth 9.5/10. (Reviewed by Phil)
VOICES OF DESTINY..'FROM THE ASHES'
(Massacre Records) Reviewed 22nd January 2010
Voices of Destiny hail from Germany and feature the vocals of front lady Maike Holzmann, with occasional dual male vox from Lukas Palme, who is also in charge of the keyboard dept. 'From The Ashes' is their debut offering and I suppose follows a tried and tested formula - female fronted (in a 'near' at times operatic style) with occasional male but not overdone gruff vocals. Kicking off with the rather catchy 'Ray Of Hope', it seems we are onto a winner here. Not bad, not bad at all! 'Twisting The Knife' keeps the momentum going as does 'Return From The Ashes'. 'Ice Cold' slows things down a touch, well so you think, until the guitars, keys and drums kick in! The album kinda continues in a similar vein. Okay, I have heard all this before, but for a debut it ain't bad. I quite like 'Apathy', a slower number, nice use of accoustic guitar coupled with keys giving this song a cool atmosphere, while 'Bitter Visions' is another slower and rather hauting tune. In summary, if you are into Within Temptation, Coronatus and the like, this little platter is worth parting with your hard earned cash. Release date is 26th Feb, and it can be pre ordered from the normal outlets. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE LAST EMBRACE..'AERIAL'
(LongfellowDeeds Records) Reviewed 20th January 2010
The Parisian band have a long history stretching back to 1998, but this is only their second album, coming 3 years after their first, ‘Inside’. Their music lies somewhere around bands such as Muse, Renaissance, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Streams of Passion and Mostly Autumn, with just the right mix of musical sophistication and melodic accessibility. Singer Sandy has a gorgeous voice, with echoes of Heather Findlay and Marcela Bovio, which perfectly suits the music. It starts with ‘Complete City’, which sounds like souped up Mostly Autumn, followed by the Renaissance like soft jazz of ‘Impending Dawn’, complete with Anthony’s Jon Camp like bass, that moves into a dreamy trumpet passage, before some dramatic classical piano brings the song back again. ‘Among Them’ is a delicate instrumental with Olivier’s electric guitar arpeggios, strings and piano, before the epic ‘Into the Vortex’ which starts out as a spaced out Pink Floyd trip and then builds in power and majesty as it moves into Muse territory, complete with guitar and Hammond wigouts. After the hurricane comes the peaceful piano ballad ‘Gravity’, and the appropriately swooping synths that announce the beginning of title track, ‘Aerial’, another songs that builds and gathers momentum, with more delightful piano from Coco, and I love the way the instruments drop out at the end just leaving Sandy’s lovely voice. Weird synths signal the thumping beat of the Muse like rocker, ‘Whirltime’, again balanced with the gentle, dreamy, Latin infused duet, ‘Alone, which features the wonderfully melancholic voice of Mick Moss (Antimatter), with more gorgeous piano and acoustic guitar. The album moves into India as we catch the Marrakesh Express of ‘Saffron’s Theatre’ as is gathers pace and steams into the Porcupinish ‘Nomad Wave’, which is alternately atmospheric and powerful. Dreamy Fender Rhodes and tremolo guitar float through ‘Playground’, which segues into the Renaissance like ‘Serotonine’ that gathers pace as it soars, and the CD ends with the Mostly Autumn mellowness of ‘Precious Pond’. The musicianship throughout is exemplary, with special mention to drummer Alexis who skilfully drives the band along, and the super clear modern production. I love bands that can slip up and down the gears effortlessly, this gives variety, light and shade, and when The Last Embrace get going, they purr along the road like a Hispano-Suiza grand tourer. This record fits me like my favourite old woolly jumper; I cannot find any fault with it, so motor along to www.myspace.com/thelastembracefr and take it for a spin. 10/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
UNDER HEAVEN..'WHAT LIES BETWEEN'
(Self Release) Reviewed 18th January 2010
Under Heaven are a Canadian duo comprising Matthew Binks, who takes care of all the music, and the delectable Tammy Everett, whose voice lies somewhere between Sarah Brightman and Enya. Listening to this CD it will be no surprise that Matthew normally writes and scores for films and TV with the music being a blend of Clannad and Tarja, rich in Celtic imagery and orchestral lushness, but with a metal foundation. It starts with the creeping thunder of ‘Cryptic’, and you would be forgiven for thinking that this album could be pretty heavy. ‘Behind the Shadows’ gives the first real hint of the diversity, combining soaring refrains with rumbling power. ‘The Line’ is Clannad with a touch of metal, followed by their version of Crispy Burger’s ‘Spanish Train’, which they turn into a spaghetti western epic, set in Galway. The powerful ballad ‘Die a Little More’ comes before ‘Home’, full of haunting Celtic beauty, complete with pipes, whistles and grumbling bodrans. ‘Pandora’ is dramatic and theatrical, while ‘My Crystalline’ is almost a cappella, sung over a backing of spooky, dreamy synths. ‘Inner Sun’ is another mighty ballad with superb violin solo, perhaps the best track on the CD, and then their version of Depeche Mode’s ‘Enjoy the Silence’, done in their own inimitable style, picks up the pace again. The album ends with the orchestral, Celtic, ‘We Go On’, which is truly moving. This is gothic music at its most beautiful, dramatic, theatrical, emotive, moving, haunting and atmospheric. If Mel Gibson ever fancies doing a film of Fionn mac Cumhaill, then this would be the perfect soundtrack. Easily available through their website, http://www.under-heaven.com/home.html. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
ONE WITHOUT..'THOUGHTS OF A SECLUDED MIND'
(Lifeforce Records) Reviewed 7th January 2010
Sweden's One Without takes “The Gothenburg Metal Sound” and implements it into a fusion of metal, rock and pop. As a consequence, 'Thoughts Of A Secluded Mind' offers a mix of diversity & depth, with powerful brutality, catchy grooves and advanced pop sensibilities, that quietly catches the listener with distinctive hook lines, plus offering us the captivating voice of Catrin Feymark. Great stuff from beginning to end here, with the pace never really letting up throughout. Check out 'Farewell' and 'Separation' as two examples from an album that offers 12 tracks of high octane rock&roll heaven. Comparisons to In This Moment and fellow Swedes All Ends spring to mind here. Great stuff 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
SCARLETT..'INSANE'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 5th January 2010
After years of working in film and television, including 3 seasons on Star Trek: Voyager and six seasons on the hit sitcom REBA, Scarlett Pomers (www.myspace.com/scarlettpomers) has grown into a stunning young lady that has become a Rock powerhouse, and has given us the 5 track EP 'Insane' as a consequence. And I like what I hear on this release. Five tracks of catchy rock spanning close on 20 minutes. Kicking off with the foot tapping salvo of 'Sweet Lunacy' and 'Garden', this little cd is a good un. 'War' is another catchy song with cool guitar solo, while in style, I would compare Scarlett to Ravenheart faves the Saints of Ruin. And that cannot be a bad thing to my ears! I like this cd and all the five tracks on it, and I look forward to a full album if there is one on the cards in the future. I wish Scarlett all the very best meanwhile - she deserves it. This EP is out on January 7th, so get it from cdbaby.com. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA..'NIGHT CASTLE'
(Atlantic Records) Reviewed 5th January 2010
The TSO was formed by Paul O’Neil back in 1996 to create grand rock operas, most of them based on Christmas (it made sense because they tend to do their massive arena tours around this time); this is only the second to not follow that subject. This time, the wonderful, emotional story is worthy of a blockbuster Hollywood drama, I will not tell you what it is about because it will spoil it; just enjoy reading the 64 page booklet. The songs themselves would not be out of place in Les Miserables, indeed, one of singers, Rob Evan, actually was in Les Miserables on Broadway. Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T, Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.) takes the lead, together with the gorgeous Jennifer Cella. What about the highlights? The ‘Child of The Night’ segment in the grand choral opener, ‘Night Enchanted, is delightful, based on music by Delibes, and beautifully sung by Alexa Goddard and Valentina Porter. It also appears in its own right as a bonus track. ‘The Safest Way Into Tomorrow’, sung by Jay Pierce, is an outstanding ballad, Jeff Scott Soto puts in an emotionally charged performance on ‘Dreams We Conceive’, and ‘Epiphany’ is an epic, dramatically belted out by Rob Evan. ‘Father, Son, and Holy Ghost’ starts out gently before turning into a powerful ballad where Jennifer Cella sounds like Bonnie Tyler after some throat lozenges. This is followed by her more delicate performance on ‘Remnants of a Lullaby’. The only true rock song is ‘Sparks’ (although Jeff Scott Soto’s ‘Another Way You Can Die’ comes close) with Tim Huckleberry doing a decent Joe Cocker impersonation. What I do find strange are the 5 prog rock guitar wigouts, dispersed throughout the album. Based on classical themes, sounding like Dream Theatre plays ELP, they do not fit the story or the style of the album. They would have been better left out and put on the bonus disc so that the whole of the main album can fit on one disc. Even stranger, the best and most fitting instrumental, ‘Tracers’, is consigned to a bonus track. Therefore the album could be construed as something of a Curate’s Egg, depending on your viewpoint. Broadway fans may be put off by the prog, prog fans deterred by the Broadway songs. But if you are open minded (and there’s always the skip button), then this is a truly wonderful album and package. Being on a major label, there should be no problem in procuring a copy. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
PANIC ROOM..'SATELLITE'
(Firefly Music Ltd) Reviewed 1st January 2010
'Satellite' is the awesome new album from UK rock band Panic Room. Basically recorded over a two week 'live studio session' period, the album is full of great hooks and melodies, coupled of course with the powerful vocals of front lady Anne-Marie Helder. I was highly impressed with their debut album, 'Visionary Position' that was reviewed here back in March 2008, and the more commercial sounding 'Satellite' to me seems a step in the right direction. 'Freedom To Breathe' kicks off proceedings offering great vocals and great musicanship. 'Picking Up Knives' (one of my faves on the album) carries on the great work, and I do love Anne-Marie's vocals. Great stuff. 'I Am A Cat' is a little light hearted ditty me thinks, while in general, the album contains highlights a plenty - the funk metal sound on 'Black Noise', the catchy 'Into The Fire' and the anthemic sounding awesome title track as examples. I also like the rocky 'Dark Star' (great gothy church organ sound!). With the right promotion, 'Satellite' surely should break the band to a wider audience. The promotional copy kindly sent to me by Jonathan Edwards from the band, also has an additional EP, and that in itself makes this package even more worthwhile. All said and done, this is a cool release (over 80 mins of music with the EP) and what a great start to 2010. 'Satellite' gets released 25th January, but while you are waiting, check out www.myspace.com/panicroomuk. 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
SIEGFRIED..'NIBELUNG'
(Napalm Records) Reviewed 1st January 2010
Seeing as the album is entirely in German, I had better explain what it is all about. Shortly after the Roman Empire crumbled legend tells us that a Burgundian royal family called the Nibelung settled in Worms, Germany. Their most famous descendants were King Siegfried and his Queen, Brunhilder. This legend then got so mixed up with countless different Germanic and Norse tales that it is impossible to tell fact from fiction, and unlike the contemporary King Arthur, they never coalesced into a consistently coherent story and cast of characters, no one can even agree on the spelling of Brunhilder, let alone who she was. The main crux of the saga was a ring of gold that gave the owner world domination, and the various battles fought for its possession (where’s Indiana Jones when you need him?). The most famous adaptations are Wagner’s ‘The Ring’, and of course, ‘What’s Opera Doc’ with Elmer Fudd’s immortal, ‘Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, (all together now) KILL THE WABBIT!’ However, this Austrian warband certainly take these legends seriously, creating an almighty, epic, symphonic metal soundtrack to these stories. Three singers help to portray the various characters, Werner Bialek – melodic male, Bruder Cle – aggressive male, and the undoubted star of the show, the seductive Sandra Schleret (Elis) with her rich, soaring, semi operatic vocals. Alex Krull (Leaves Eyes, Atrocity) supplies his customarily exemplary production job, and indeed the closest parallel is with Leaves Eyes, only with more menace, power metal and drama. I’ll put it like this, in a punch up between the Vikings and the Nibelung, my money’s on the Nibelung. The album is made up of nine epic anthems that swirl from terror to soaring refrains to orchestral gothic grandeur. They conjure up images of battles, knights, maidens, castles, blood, despair, greed, power, love and hate, helped by the excellent artwork. ‘Brunhild’ (see what I mean about the different spellings) and ‘Totenwacht’ (please excuse the pronunciation) are choir drenched melodramatic showcases for Sandra’s extraordinary voice. This album batters the brain with its aural assault, in the nicest possible way, and is a damn site more fun than sitting through 15 hours of Wagner. Being on Napalm there is no need to go on an epic quest to Valhalla and battle Wotan, King of the Gods, to get a copy; it is easily available from all the usual outlets. 9/10 (Reviewed by Philip Wooldridge)
NOVA ORBIS..'IMAGO'
(Lugga Music) Reviewed 22nd December 2009
From Colombia comes this blend of gothic, power and prog metal, with a subtle infusion of Latin. They are blessed with two fine singers, the sultry Ana Maria Barajas, whose voice is as deep, rich and dusky as their coffee, and guitarist Jose David Barajas, who has a voice that would grace an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The prog element really comes from keyboardist David Martinez, whose style brings to mind Patrick Moraz (Yes, Moody Blues), he also had a strong Latin influence in his work. Some of it reminds me of …. me, it is quite scary at times. Special mention should also go to drummer Jose Osorio; he can really fly round those toms. Creepy church organ leads into ‘Castle of Exile’, full of gothic grandeur. A rather dodgy cookie monster makes a brief appearance, thankfully we do not see him again until the end of the album. A touch of power metal here and there, like in many of the songs, varies the pace. ‘Unstable Mind’ is more power metallish, and it is great to hear some rumbling Moog. ‘Dark Delusion’ is a bit darker, and features some awesome bass work from Rodolfo Caliz. As in all the songs, the keyboards really add a great deal of variety. On ‘Ancient Guardian’ they almost break into a Wishbone Ash boogie, before heading off into Fairport Convention folk rock. Lovely classical guitar introduces ‘Change’, a waltzing ballad with another excellent keyboard solo. ‘Love Remains’ starts out like it belongs in Phantom of the Opera, before ending up like an up-tempo Andrew Lloyd Webber gone metal. The highlight is probably ‘The Lamp’, a great strutting symphonic metal song, very melodic and impressive. The eastern flavoured ‘Sarah Deserves to Rest’ adds an exotic eastern touch; you can almost smell the soukh and see the dancing bellies. Symphonic power metal drives the ‘Falling of the Empire’, a perfect song for waving your sword to. Finally, the cookie monster breaks into the studio at the start of ‘Wisdom Hunter’, before Ana’s wonderful folk singing, which is an octave above the rest of the album. Jethro Tull then kick the monster out of the studio, leaving the floor clear for a choir of schoolboys. This is a very difficult album to pigeonhole, you cannot say it sounds like such and such, because it has got so many different elements, but they all come together beautifully and naturally. 9/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
SAINTS OF RUIN..'NIGHTMARE'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 10th December 2009
Saints of Ruin is a Californian Gothic Rock band who are not only friends of us here at Ravenheart Towers, they also produce some flippin' good music. A while back (May 2008), I reviewed their EP 'Fairytale' and I knew then that this band was something a little special. I reviewed the EP as "awesome melodic gothic metal". I must now say that not only does this, their debut full length cd carry on the excellent work of 'Fairytale', the band has moved forward leaps and bounds with this new release. Fronted by Ruby Ruin, with my 'email buddy' Tommy Dark on guitars, we have an awesome cd on our hands here. And I understand that there is also European label interest. The album gets under way with the catchy 'Ashes', which will straight away give you a feel for the music. The cd moves along quite nicely, with one of my fave tracks being the heavy sounding but equally melodic 'End Of Days'. The catchy 'Be My King' has a dance floor feel to it and should in-fact be given the dance remix treatment me thinks (think about it Tommy!). This album has everything and will appeal to a wide range of rock fan. 'A Murder Of Crows' got me thinking I was in the Australian Bush for a moment, and is another cool track from an album chock full of corking tunes - I also like 'Never Go Away' and this song must sound great live. I love it! Word of advice...go to cdbaby.com and buy this cd, you will not be disappointed! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
ORIANTHI..'BELIEVE'
(19 Entertainment/Geffen Records) Reviewed 28th November 2009
At 24 years old, the stunningly attractive Australian born Orianthi has already experienced what most aspiring musicians only dream of. She's opened for her hero (Steve Vai), backed an Idol (Carrie Underwood), traded solos with a legend (Carlos Santana) and shared the stage with the King of Pop (Michael Jackson). She was even going to be Michael Jackson's guitarist on his dates at London's 02 Arena before sadly Michael passed away. Anyway, what's left to conquer for this lass? The world stage, for one, and this guitar wunderkind (and she sure can play her guitar) has her sights clearly set on the road ahead. And she has offered us an amazing debut album of 11 corking tunes spanning 40 + mins. Imagine Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, Kelly Clarkson, then throw in some Paramore, ramp it up 200%, and you have Orianthi. This is super high octane stuff with anthemic rock tracks that leave you gasping for breath. This is a thunderous, hook and riff driven debut that sounds larger than life, so let me introduce you to Orianthi. Get it! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
TANTAL..'THE BEGINNING OF THE END'
(Mazzar Records, Russia) Reviewed 19th November 2009
Want an album that is heavy, melodic, offers a mix of power and progressive metal, and has death metal vocals and clean vocals, all vocals done by leading lady Sofia Raykova. Then check out Russian band Tantal. This album to be honest has taken the wind out of my sails, literally! The album kicks off with the cries of a baby before the 8 minute plus title track steamrollers it's way from the speakers, with brutally harsh vocals from Sofia and a chorus to die for (that features Sofia's clean vocal style). The album, featuring this mix of vocal styles, continues at a pace that will leave you gasping for breath, with most of the tracks perfectly merging into each other giving one absolutely no time to catch their breath. And with guitar solos in the best tradition of Dream Theatre, Malmsteen and the like, this is a very good album for anybody that enjoys their music aggressively heavy, melodic and loud. The sound has been taken care of by Eugene Vinogradov (Crematory) and I have to say that this album sure is worth checking out. Not one if you are into the softer side of our beloved genre, but this is a safe bet for the metal fans out there. I always know how good an album is, and while listening to this 8 track offering, the 50 minutes just flew by. Go to www.myspace.com/tantalband and check them out. 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
OXZIDE..'REALLY NOT INSANE'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 13th November 2009
The Femme Metal Fest on Saturday 7th Nov unveiled a goldmine of bands. I had heard of all the bands that were on the line up, but I admit to not owning music by one or two of the bands that were there that afternoon/evening. Local band Oxzide were one such band, so I found Beth, their singer after their slot, paid her some hard earnt cash and got a copy of their album. Oxzide play hard rock, and although Beth seems a sweet lass (and I am sure she is), boy has she got a powerful voice. The band blast through some hard rocking numbers on this record, including the opener, 'Get This Party Started', 'Make Me Feel Alive' and 'God's Gift'. They can slow it down a bit too with songs like 'So Sick Of Love'. My younger days were enjoyed through the hard rockin' 70's, with bands like Free, Bad Company, Sabbath, Zep, Deep Purple etc etc always on my 'playlist'. Oxzide rock like the best of them - some cool guitar solos too. Check them out at www.myspace.com/oxzide 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
NEBULEYES..'THE UNIVERSAL OF BEING'
(Orfeo Lab Self Release) Reviewed 3rd November 2009
This is the band’s third album, but the first with a lady singer, the beautiful mezzo contralto Lady/Dame/Drama Elfenore/Elfamorta, a lady with as many titles as projects. It has taken Benjamin Masson and Xavier Boscher four years to create this science fiction epic; a story that is more impenetrable than Ayreon, a universal being is created that is part of a war between the old and new gods to decide the future of mankind. This is dreamy symphonic metal, in the same vein as Tarja’s solo work, mixed with Ayreon, and a touch of Pendragon modern prog. The joy is finding the nuances in each song. This lies at the more cerebral end of metal. Illegal downloading threatens studio projects like this, so if you like your music deep, thoughtful and relaxing, show your support by buying this at a bargain price at http://nebuleyes.free.fr/ 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
WITHIN TEMPTATION..'AN ACCOUSTIC NIGHT AT THE THEATRE'
(Roadrunner Records) Reviewed 1st November 2009
I will not hide the fact that Within Temptation are one of my fave bands, and in my eyes, they can do very little wrong. I think signing with Roadrunner was a very good move, and the label has got behind the band over here. The last offering from WT, 'Black Symphony' took my breath away, and this latest release meanwhile, should keep all WT fans happy until a new studio album appears - it has sure made me happy. All the biggies are here, being given the acoustic treatment, with strings etc. So much atmosphere on this record that you would be able to walk on the moon without a moon suit! Like one or two others in the biz, I did wonder whether this 'unplugged' treatment of their hits would work well, but rest assured, it does. And the unreleased song, 'Utopia', a duet with Chris Jones, a Liverpool guy now living with his girlfriend in Edinburgh, is really cool! Not perhaps a record to listen too if you are missing a loved one, but I will be honest and say that I like this record a lot. But as Ravenheart Aimee has just told me - "no surprises there then my dear" :) Get it! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WEEPING SILENCE..'END OF AN ERA'
(Sleaszy Rider) Reviewed 26th October 2009
Weeping Silence from Malta have a long history, stretching back to the 90’s,releasing an album in 2000. It’s taken eight years to release this, their second,during which time they have undergone many changes. Vocalist Rachel Grech has a truly magnificent voice, a mix of Marcela Bovio and Sharon Den Adel. After a short spooky intro, there follows four beautiful, dreamy songs that rise and fall, rise and fall like the sea, over the course of about 10 minutes each, full of Streams of Passion like other worldly moodiness and splendour. I listened to this on a Sunday morning, and this proved to be perfect to relax and chill out to, after a stressful week I felt at peace with the world. The only criticism is the rather trebly rhythm guitar sound in the heavier passages, but the musicianship is superb, with lovely guitar work and atmospheric keys. Copies are available on EBay. They have another album in the can and are looking for a label; they deserve to have companies beating down the door to sign them. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
MANDRAGORA SCREAM..'VOLTURNA'
(Massacre Records) Reviewed 20th October 2009
Mandragora Scream is what I call a real gothic band (and a fave of mine too), and here is their latest release that will hit the stores on the 20th November and should surely impress fans of the gothic and indeed electro genre. Fronted by Morgan Lacroix (whose vocals send shivers down my spine), the Mandragora Scream project first emerged in Italy in 1997. And I myself am a little puzzled as to why they are not bigger than they are! Onto the music on 'Volturna', 'Lui' is a cool intro before 'I'm Going Alone' kicks in with it's cool keyboard intro before the guitars kick in. What a catchy little number we have here, with touches of electronica too for the clubs and a thumping drum beat. 'The Circus' follows and features another thumping drum beat, and another track that should do well on the club circuit. I like so far what I am hearing. And the awesome record continues with tracks like 'Deceiver', 'Breaking Dawn' (harking back to their earlier releases) and the thumping & ultra catchy 'Farewell' , all of which will sure get the juices flowing. And let us not forget the very cool covers of 'Bang Bang' and 'Fade To Grey'. Overall, this is possibly one of their catchier and maybe as a consequence more accessible releases, and it should be easy to get hold of when released, being made available on the Massacre label. 15 tracks and 60+ mins of catchy electro gothic metal - I like this...a lot! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
REMEMBRANCES.. 'CRYSTAL TEARS'
(Self released) Reviewed 17th October 2009
This album has had a long history, recorded in 2006, becoming available in 2008, and has only just been brought to my attention thanks to their new management company, Alkemist Fanatix, who they joined in September this year. There must be loads of bands like them and Ephemeris who exist ‘under the radar’, waiting for the right promotion to make their music widely known. They are fronted by the delectable Haydee, who not only has a rich, sexy voice, but also writes excellent atmospheric lyrics. This is an album of superb symphonic gothic pop metal. Standouts include the ultra groovy ‘Silent Night’, the glorious ‘Blood on the Wall’, full of excellent keys and soaring vocals, and the lovely ballad ‘Memories’. ‘Sweet Madness’ is a suitably atmospheric tale about a creepy old house, which really shows their diversity. They are currently recording a new album, and if they pack it with songs like ‘Silent Night’ then they deserve to have an instant hit this time. Available for only 5.95 euros from their Myspace site www.myspace.com/remembrances and eBay, this is fantastic value for money for fans of Within Temptation. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
PETRA METAL QUEEN..'AMALGA'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 15th October 2009
I kinda know Petra and I have known about her musical prowess possibly as long as Ravenheart Music has been going. And she is actually based in Warwickshire in the heart of England, not too far from Ravenheart Towers. She has a Batchelor of Art Honours Degree from De Montford University, Master of Arts Degree from The University of Warwick, amongst others, so she ain't stupid. Apart from other musical projects in the past, she has also been involved with a Country Rock Band and an Industrial Metal Band, so she is very talented. She is also involved with various musical projects (four!) at this current moment in time. And it is an amalgamation of those musical projects that appear on this album. Hence the title 'Amalga'. I may be was a little concerned at first that this record may lack cohesion, being a mix of those aforementioned projects, but to be honest, those concerns soon evaporated away. I like this offering to be honest, being a mix of Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, together with a little Progressive and Power Metal thrown in for good measure. To my ears, the best track on this little opus is the opener 'Awake In Dreamland' which reminds me initially of Sharon Den Adel and features on this album as part of Petra's ATHENIA project. But this must not distract from the rest of this cd, as overall, I feel this is a very good effort. There are some good musicians involved aswell. Oh and I nearly forgot, a good cover of David Bowie's 'Heroes' as part of Petra's PETRALVAR project. To summarise. I admire Petra - she is a very hard working musician who has determination to succeed, and you know what, she will on this showing. I am not sure if the album is available at the moment, but I suggest that anybody into the aforementioned styles goes to cdbaby.com and picks up a copy when it becomes available and supports this lass. It will be worth it. Cool! 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
TRIAXIS..'KEY TO THE KINGDOM'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 13th October 2009
It's time to rock, so it is time to turn up the volume and annoy those neighbours. It is time to listen to Welsh rockers Triaxis. And boy, do they rock. Featuring the awesome Krissie on lead vox, and for all you gal musician lovers out there, they even have a female rhythm guitarist, the lovely CJ. The other guys in the band are great musicians, with Gio on lead guitar totally mind blowing! I have seen this bunch live and they actually took my head away. The record kicks off with the 6 minute + 'Phoenix' and the band have laid their cards on the table with this starter. And if 'Phoenix' is not enough, along comes 'Gates of Damnation' to keep the pace going. Basically, the album continues in a smiliar vein, hard and heavy, and with this 66+ minutes of melodic mayhem, Triaxis prove that British Female Fronted Hard Rock and Metal is alive and screaming. Check them out at www.myspace.com/triaxisuk. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
VRILLION..'SOURCE OF POWER' EP
(Self Release) Reviewed 13th October 2009
This is the debut EP from ‘alternative’ gothic metal band Vrillion from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. They are fronted by Chloe who has a clear, folky voice. The first track ‘Flesh is so Easily Torn’ has a quirky, Rhapsody like vibe, with medieval folk influences. The next song ‘The Crazy Clown Song’ is the sort of madness Diablo Swing Orchestra would come up with. The fact that I saw them play it at the Madhouse with their young fan club wearing Stephen King Clown masks only made it even more surreal. The next 3 songs are Nightwishesque, the catchy ‘Killer Instinct’, ‘Reason’ with a lovely flute intro courtesy of Chloe, and the suitably anthemic ‘The Battle’. The CD ends with the medieval folk metal of ‘Sweet Mistress’. This is a highly enjoyable 30 minute listen, and I would love to see them given the opportunity to record a full album in a really good studio. Go and have a look at their Myspace site, www.myspace.com/vrillion , the EP should be out shortly. 8/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
WINTER HAZE..'THE STORM WITHIN'
(Alkemist Fanatix, Andromeda) Reviewed 13th October 2009
The two albums by Winter Haze and Elegy of Madness show the incredible diversity in symphonic metal. Both are Italian, both are female fronted symphonic metal, but they could not be more different. Bridge of Sighs is for quiet reflective listening, this is for dancing around the room like a loon. They are fronted by the gorgeous Giorgia who has a rich powerful rock voice, which somehow reminds me of Cher. She also sometimes uses pure semi operatic voice as well. The first four tracks rattle along at a cracking pace, with head banging riffs, anthemic vocals, melodic keyboards by Stefano, and excellent guitar work by Raffo. On ‘From Here to Eternity’ they take the pedal off the metal for a soaring power ballad (special mention for the superb guitar solo), before the instrumental shred fest ‘Event Horizon’ picks up the pace again for the final four numbers. All the songs are first class, so it is unfair to single one out, but White Witch deserves an extra mention. The album is also very produced, with a clear, rich sound. This band deserves a good promotional push and is highly recommended for fans of Sonata Arctica, Nightwish Rhapsody, and Holyhell. Available at http://andromedarocks.com/Product-WINTER-HAZE_11366.aspxand will soon be released by New Music Germany. 9/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
OMEGA LITHIUM..'DREAMS IN FORMALINE'
(Drakkar Entertainment&Sony/BMG) Reviewed 8th October 2009
"The Great Hope of European Gothic" it says on the sticker that is attached to this cd. After already picking up a good review in a UK rock/metal publication, now it is Ravenheart Music's turn to review this little opus from this Croatian band. To be frank, this is the kinda music that got me into this genre in the first place. With a huge production by Victor Love (of Dopestars Inc fame), 'Dreams In Formaline' hits the spot from the start, offering 40 mins of Industrial flavoured Gothic Metal to get your juices flowing, and not a filler in sight. And the vocals of the young Mya Mortenssen (did someone tell me she is only 19?) suit this kinda music admirably well. A flippin' good album, melodic and heavy...awesome stuff! Buy!! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
VANGUARD..'HYDRALCHEMY'
(Shadow World Records) Reviewed 7th October 2009
Aimee stumbled across Vanguard by accident via Last FM. And when I learnt that they are a Gothic Metal Band from Finland, well I just had to investigate further! Finland of course being the mecca of all things rock and metal. And boy, am I glad I checked this band out further, and indeed, after a little bit of hunting around, I was able to track a copy of this cd down. Utilising both clean female and harsh male vocals, 'Hydralchemy' is a very catchy offering indeed. Kicking off with a brief intro that then leads us straight into the heavy but melodic 'Spellbroken', I knew I had a winner here - right up my (and Aimee's) alleyway. Heavy guitars, keys and the dual vocals of both Suvi G (female) and J. Grym (male) feature throughout. I quite frankly love it. Check out 'Scion' for a song that will hang around in your head for ages (and ages). And the ballad 'Untold', featuring the cello of Aapo Romu I just love! This album so happens to be very good! And the digi-pak also includes as a bonus track, a cover of Type O Negative's 'Black No 1'. Awesome stuff! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WEEKEND ON MARS.. 'RUMORS ON THE TOWN'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 7th October 2009
This is the debut release from a new pop/rock band from France. They describe their sound as between the Cranberries and Evanescence, but I can also hear bits of The Cars, Blondie, The Corrs, the Bangles, Jellyfish, Within Temptation, all sorts. In fact every song sounds incredibly familiar, but in a good way, and they scream radio play. Rocky guitar solos stop it getting too poppy, and the female/male vocals of Deby May and Jay Blake compliment each other perfectly. Favourites include the rocky ‘Push’, the groove of ‘No Need’, the urban ballad ‘Story Teller’, and especially the electro vibe of ‘One of Them’ which shouts hit single. This is a very enjoyable listen, well produced, with a modern sound, highly recommended for pop/rock fans and anyone who enjoys good songs with catchy choruses that stay in your head. Easily available on CD Baby and why not check them out at http://weekendonmars.com/ aswell. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
PARAMORE..'BRAND NEW EYES'
(Atlantic Records) Reviewed 30th September 2009
One minute I am reviewing an album by established old hands Theatre of Tragedy, and then next by new kids on the block Paramore. Fronted by Hayley Williams, Paramore seem so young (probably cos I am getting old), but they are so professional. 'Brand New Eyes' sees the band following their tried and trusted formula - well if it ain't broken, why fix it? And to be honest, I quite like Hayley's vocals for some reason. Imagine a kinda Avril crossed with Kelly then given a little bit of umphhh! This record is a very good slab of punk/pop/rock. Me thinks that sums it up. Fave tracks. Well, that will be for you, the potential listener to decide. 'Brand New Eyes' can be bought at your typical high street cd store for under a tenner, so go and buy. This band have the world at their feet. Awesome...8.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THEATRE OF TRAGEDY..'FOREVER IS THE WORLD'
(AFM Records) Reviewed 30th September 2009
I have all Theatre of Tragedy's albums and I have been with them all the way, seeing their musical styles change through the years. But I am open minded regards my music, so I have enjoyed all their output as a consequence. Now, what about 'Forever Is The World'? Basically, this record continues where their previous offering, 'The Storm' left off, but without the electronic elements. 'Forever Is The World' you could say is an amalgamation of 'Aegis' and 'The Storm', and it confirms that vocalist Nell has settled in well. The cd gets going with the opening salvo of 'Hide and Seek' and 'Nine Days Wonder' , confirming that TOT are on top form with this release, while 'Revolution' and 'Transition' continue the good work. There is a lot of atmospheric and beautiful sounding stuff here, which all ends with the duo of the spell binding 'Deadland' and the awesome title track. It was the title track that actually had a colleague of mine asking.."who is this Dave"? They may have won a new fan! This is good stuff that confirms to me what a great band TOT are. Get it! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave).
RAM-ZET..'NEUTRALIZED'
(Ascendance Records) Reviewed 27th September 2009
Lock up your children folks, send Grandma away for a few days, and lets get it together with Norwegian metallers Ram-Zet. Ram-Zet's music is very diverse ranging from black metal to thrash metal. It has industrial sounds, progressive structures, and traditional instruments forming a style which some people, including band mastermind Zet, have called "schizo-metal". Anyway, how about the music on this their 4th offering. Well, 'Infamia' kicks things off with the music coming out of the speakers like a turbo charged express train doing 225 mph through an atomic explosion. Just getting over that and then 'I Am Dirt' hits us. The album thunders along keeping the listener wondering as to what is to come steamrollering out of the speakers next. One of my faves on this album is fourth track up, the 10 minute + 'Addict' with an atmospheric and rather cool ending that then leads into the violin intro of 'God Don't Forgive' before the guitars kick in. 'Beautiful Pain' is another good un. and while generally very avante-garde this release, if you are open minded regards your music, it is worth checking out. I like it! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
NOCTILUCA..'BACK TO THE SOUL SYSTEM'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 23rd September 2009
You cannot beat a little bit of gothic doom metal to brighten up one's September afternoon here in the UK, and here we have the debut offering from the Italian band (from Parma) Noctiluca. Fronted by the clean and powerful voice of Stefania, I also observe that there are other ladies in the band too including Eleanor Jones on keys. I would guess that she is not Italian :) So with all those lovely ladies, it's right up Ravenheart Music's alleyway. I must say that this is not a bad offering that does at times remind me a little of early Gathering. Kicking off with 'Tonight', the doomy nature of the music becomes apparent, plus the rather powerful voice of Stefania, which really makes it for me. Second track, 'Alice' is a little more uptempo, and one of my favourite tracks too. Again the vocals impress me big time. The album continues in a similar vein to the opener - other faves on this little slab of plastic including 'From Beyond', 'Simplicity' and 'There is a Time'. I must stress that this record is like a baby shark - it is a grower, it will not grab you right away, but once it does, it will be reluctant to let go! Check the band out at www.myspace.com/noctilucaband and arrange to grab a copy! Excellent musicanship - 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WHYZDOM..' FROM THE BRINK OF INFINITY'
(Ascendance Records) Reviewed 22nd September 2009
This is the debut album from the French symphonic metal sextet, although the maturity in their music is phenomenal. They have a truly massive sound, with huge orchestrations, thundering band, and their own 15 strong Dark whispers Choir. This makes the production by leader, main songwriter, and guitarist Vynce Leff even more remarkable, every instrument can be clearly heard, no mean feat when there is so much going on. Telya Melane has a soaring voice, reminiscent of a young Sharon Den Adel, she has to give it some real oomph to rise above the music, and she shows enormous skill in singing some very demanding vocal lines. The album starts with a trio of Nightwish / Epica / Sirenia / Delain type epics, that move seamlessly from light to dark, before the awesome ‘The Power and the Glory’. The brief ‘Freedom’ is jaw dropping, with gorgeous choir and guitar solo. The next song ‘Escaping the Ghosts of Reality’ is heavier with some growling, even though I belong to the anti growling club, I have to admit it is very effectively. Even this song flows into quieter waters. ‘Atlantis’ features a chorus that Nightwish would give their right arms for. ‘The Old Man in the Park’ is extraordinary, moving from a gentle start to something darker, with a very unusual chord change. ‘The Seeds of Chaos’ blasts your ears off before the choral first part of Daughter of the Night. This segues into part 2, which shows off everything that is great about this band, Within Temptation gone power metal. The last song has a Celtic start that even features bagpipes, before moving into something that sounds like Mike Oldfield gone metal. It ends with the bagpipes fading off into the distance, like the clans leaving Culloden. This album is close to musical nirvana for me, and anyone who like massive, sophisticated and challenging symphonic metal, and indeed anyone who enjoys any of the afore mentioned bands, should rush out and grab a copy. 9.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
RAZORBLADEKISSES..'TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE SCAR'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 17th September 2009
Here we have an album full of eastern promise. Although now residing in Southhampton, vocalists Layla and Azadeh draw from their distant Persian/Iranian roots, to conjure up their ideas for this album. 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Scar' takes the listener on a magical journey, mixing rock, goth and even a little opera along the way. Kicking off with the rather sedate and atmospheric 'Alice', second track, the rockier 'New Nightmare' ups the ante somewhat, and comes blasting out of your speakers like an express train. A good start. And it continues through the remainder of the album, mixing quiter more atmospheric haunting tracks ('No Strings Attached') with the occasional heavier anthemic rocker ('Teddy'). And I like the violin that pops up on some of the tracks and adds to the atmosphere of proceedings. The awesome 'The Butterfly' was inspired by "This Bird Is Going To Die", a poem by the famous Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad. Great "innocent little girl lost" vocals that add to the seductive feel of this record aswell. It gets released on the 26th October and will also be available from all major download sites! Meanwhile, check them out at www.myspace.com/razorbladekisses. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
PYTHIA..'BENEATH THE VEILED EMBRACE'
(Genepool/Universal) Reviewed 16th September 2009
Here we have it. We in the UK at last have a band in the Gothic Power Metal Genre, that not only can compete with the best that the European mainland has to throw at us, we have a band that could very easily knock that competition well and truly out of site! That band is called Pythia. Fronted by the gorgeous Mediaeval Babe, Emily Alice Ovenden, we have an album here that is immensely awesome in every respect. I am really lost for words to describe this. This little opus kicks off with the Power Metal Anthem 'Sweet Cantation', which will blow your mind, and that is just track one. Second track (the single), the awesome, melodic and to my ears the hideously catchy 'Sarah (Bury Her)' will be humming around in your head for hours afterwards. There are further Power Metal Anthems on offer here such as 'My Pale Prince' and 'Eternal Darkness' . And other faves of mine include 'What You Wish For', 'Oedipus', 'Army of the Damned' (feat Brian Blessed) and the catchy 'No Compromise', but what I must say is that every track on 'Beneath The Veiled Embrace' is a gem. If you love Nightwish (Tarja era - although not so operatic as Tarja) with loadsa balls - then this is a must buy. I will say no more except I love it!..9.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVES..'CONFLICT RESOLUTION'
(Dead Fish Records) Reviewed 9th September 2009
The name Ravenheart suggests Goth. Okay, I may not look your typical Goth (what, at my age - you have to be kiddin') but my passion lies with the Gothic Metal genre. But we at Ravenheart pride ourselves that we are not just metal heads. And this now leads me to a band from San Francisco called The Passive Aggressives. This band seem to mix (and succesfully too) hard rock, pop, funk, and prog, all with the vocals of leading lady Keren Gaiser. It is pretty cool stuff and 'Conflict Resolution' is a pleasant listening experience. Some good songs here including the title track, and I even found this record ideal background music while having friends around at Ravenheart Towers, with the inevevitable question -"what cd is that you have on Dave?" If you like the idea of Tool and Primus mixed with Heart and Evanescence, then this is worth checking out. Cool stuff, including The Turtles cover 'Happy Together'. Check them out at www.myspace.com/aggressives 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
There are loads more reviews (from 2006 til mid 2009) at http://www.ravenheartarchives.com. Check em out!
(Prophecy Productions) Reviewed 7th February 2010
These are the first two albums by the Swiss progressive, classical, folk and doom band, the first two parts of trilogy, leader Fredy describes it as “primarily about separation in adverse circumstances, while constantly expecting the last day of your life. The end draws near, as does a deceptive kind of deliverance”. You can get an idea of the broad spectrum of music on these two albums from the line-up, folk singer Maria D'Alessandro and rock singer Patrick Schaad on vocals, plus violinist, cellist, flautist, drummer and Fredy on guitar, keys, bass and a wide range of folk and other instruments. Nihil is about ‘exploring the boundaries of rock music - from silence to raging fury’. ‘Glass Spirit’ is delightful folk rock featuring Maria, ‘Travellers Rest’ is again folk rock with powered up sections sung by Patrick, ‘Night’s Grace’ is a brief piano piece, ‘Summer Bled’ is doom metal by Patrick with gentle interludes, ‘Close’ an a cappella folk number from Maria, ‘The Sunclad’ is a peaceful classical piece with Maria, piano and strings, and finally ‘Peregrina Sublime’, a more powerful piece with again gentle interludes, featuring both singers, and a lovely peaceful ending.
Knell is divided into 3 long movements and a final gentle piece, simply titled I, II, II, IV, featuring the contrast between quiet, acoustic, introspective sections, and then sudden explosions into grandiose doom metal. The theme is ‘The ashes of dead trees - exploring realms of grief and despair’. To be honest I much preferred Nihil, it has some truly beautiful music. I struggled with Knell’s doom sections and the far gloomier, desolate and threatening approach. Both albums can be bought through http://www.grau.cd/, which is the online shop of Prophecy Productions. Nihil 9/10, Knell 8/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
NOXIUS CORP...'Grey Shades' EP
(Toxic Forest Records) Reviewed 5th February 2010
Debut EP from the young Spanish quartet, fronted by the ravishing Laura ‘Mirror’ Espejo, and on reflection she has a superb, soaring, semi operatic voice. Grey Shades is powerful early Epic style symphonic gothic metal. Second track ‘Screaming Silently’ shows their diversity and has some fascinating sounds, finally the third track ‘I Hate the World’ is appropriately enough more aggressive and faster, featuring Lord Dan’s desperate growls. You also get a dance version of Grey Shades which is great to rave to. This is excellent stuff, well produced, played, sung and written, and I can’t wait for a full length platter. See their Myspace for more details, www.myspace.com/noxiusmetal. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
THE EDEN HOUSE..'THE LOOKING GLASS'
(Jungle Records) Reviewed 5th February 2010
This new release from The Eden House (their second), that was released on February 1st contains a DVD of a live set recorded only days before the bands first live appearance, plus a 5 track CD of covers of some of the bands favourite songs, from artists as diverse as The Shangri Las, Radiohead and Bjork to name just three! The DVD was mixed at Pink Floyds Astoria studio, while the cd like the debut was mixed by Andy Jackson (Pink Floyd). The core members of the band remain Stephen Carey (This Burning Effigy), and Tony Pettitt (Fields of The Nephilim). And there are four ladies sharing vocal duties, including All About Eve's Julianne Regan. I like this style of atmospheric rock, and this little package would be an ideal introduction to anybody who may be unfamiliar with the band but fancies "giving them a try". 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
ORPHEUS..S/T
(Sidehorn Records) Reviewed 30th January 2010
Hard rock from Norway. Makes a change from the country reknown for it's Black Metal acts. Orpheus is fronted by Ingrid Galadriel and this is an interesting release from this lass and her band. The lead off track 'F**k Me Over' gets proceedings under way. A kinda progressive hard rocker. As for the title, not so sure! 'Constructing' is a catchy rocker and possibly one of the better tracks on offer to my ears. The album as a whole may take a few listens to get into, but another track that may well grab ya is the slower and quite heavy 7+ minute 'Peepin' Tom' . Interesting lyrics here too, "I want you to be my peeping Tom" sings Ingrid. I am on my way over :) And another decent track to my ears is 'The Plan' that gallops along quite nicely. Anyway, not a bad effort from these Norwegians. Check them out at www.myspace.com/orphmo. 7/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE MURDER OF MY SWEET..'DIVANITY'
(Frontiers Records) Reviewed 30th January 2010
This Swedish mob’s name is taken from the film noire movie, ‘Murder My Sweet’, a dark, deathly, shadowy, sinister world of femme fatales, guys down on their luck, ruthless killers, and innocents caught in the crossfire, the perfect image for a gothic metal band. The dame in this particular caper is the real looker Angelica Rylin, and gee, this babe can 'arf sing. The Boss is Daniel Flores, a high pillow drummer, composer and producer, with his trusty lieutenants, Johan Niemann the harmonic lawman on bass (of the mighty Therion gang), hotshot keyman Andreas Lindahl on the old joanna (keys), and ace hit-man Daniel Palmqvist on guitar. Let's get it on the record straight from the beginning, what you get is 12 slugs of ultra catchy, gorgeously melodic, up-tempo symphonic gothic rock/metal, with choruses to die for, halfway between Within Temptation and Delain. No filler, all killer, no griller, all thriller, right up to the closing epic, ‘Death of a Movie Star’. Available from all the usual joints for a sawbuck, so, play it again Sam, if you don’t get this record, then you’ll regret it, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life. 9.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil).
THE MARY MAJOR..'04:13'
(TMM Productions) Reviewed 26th January 2010
Well, what can I say? Out from the shadows emerge 4 former members of the ex Napalm Records band Beseech (a fave band of mine btw), complemented by a new bass player, Jorgen Strom. The result...The Mary Major. The members of this band financed this album, released it on their own TMM label. And if that is not enough, the mastering was carried out by Beau Hill (Alice Cooper, Europe and Ratt amongst others). The music here is heavy and straight to the point, featuring driving guitars, solid vocals coupled with a solid bass/drum backdrop. And on top of all that, the music on offer never loses it's sense of melody. Featuring the dual vocal attack of Lotta Höglin and Erik Molarin (as it was in Beseech), this is an awesome dose of rock music that hits hard but is always melodic. Great stuff on offer featuring the awesome opener 'Stage 7'. 'Split' keeps up the momentum and you can hear the Beseech resemblances here (as in other tracks too) - just a lot heavier than their previous band. 'Ambush' is a mid pace heavy number while 'Morning Sickness' ups the pace again, and like their former band, Erik and Lotta's vocals complement each other really well. The album continues at a similar pace throughout, with Erik's vocals at times reminding me of Andrea Ferro (Lacuna Coil). I personally like a sense of melody in the music I listen to, and this has it all. It is heavy, it rocks, there are no keyboard meanderings. Just straight forward melodic hard rock and metal, putting yours truly in hard rock heaven. Check the band out at www.myspace.com/themarymajor and then buy the cd. It really is good! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE SHIVER..'A NEW HORIZON'
(Digital only release) Reviewed 24th January 2010
Friends of mine from Italy The Shiver, fronted by the gorgeous Faith have really cranked it up with 'A New Horizon', their latest digital only release. And I must say that I really like this band and they can kick ass live too. Their previous offering 'Inside' was a cool album that picked up an 8/10 review here, and was indeed a pleasant surprise. Anyway, the new release sees 'In Obscurity' kicking things off, and Faith's vocals, wonderful! I love the growls too :) 'Crushing Down' comes crushing down on you like a turbo charged express train while 'Empty People, Empty Words' keep the pace going, and is another awesome tune with a catchy chorus and more growls :). 'The Fragile Sound' after a slow piano intro keeps things moving at a very melodic pace as does 'Nothing Left To Waste'. 'Through This Cold Water' slows things down, and I am a sucker I must admit for the odd power ballad, while next out 'Leech and Flower' is another dynamic slower tune with a guitar solo to die for. 'Answers' steamrollers out of the speakers before you can say "awesome", while 'Feel Tomorrow's Light' is another catchy melodic number, with 'Desire' refusing to lower the pace. 'No Longer There' is a heavy melodic mid paced tune, while closing track, the atmospheric 'Bring Me To The New Horizon' closes what is a totally marvelous release. In summary, this is top drawer alternative and at times dark melodic rock with a great production, superb vocals (inc growls/screams), heavy guitars, thumping drums and cool synths, phew! I would really like to see this cd released in retail outlets too, as given the right promotion, this band should be huge. Great stuff on this record and I will say this....just download it (from iTunes as one example), and if it gets a physical release, buy it!!! You will not be disappointed and I simply cannot fault it. 10/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WILDPATH..'NON OMNIS MORIAR'
(Brennus Music) Reviewed 23rd January 2010
France seems to have cornered the market in Speedy Metal, with bands such as Kerion, Fairyland and Auspex, and is currently leading the world in the production of metal bands of all types. Wildpath were founded in 2001 by Olivier Caron, guitar, and Alexis Garsault keys, who are to this day their main composers and producers. Non Omnis Moriar, roughly translated as ‘not all of me will die’ (you don’t get Latin translations in the NME), is their second album, a concept piece about ‘an awe inspiring mansion, built on the far reaches of a never ending road’, and the secrets it holds. The divine Marjolaine Bernard has a crystal clear, effortless, semi operatic voice, backed up by excellent choir arrangements, and the contributions from all members of the band are first class. The album is made up of symphonic speedy metal epics that lie on the lighter side of the genre, this is highly melodic and full of changes of pace and mood; I also like their use of glockenspiels and subtle folk elements. They rattle along nicely at a reasonable up-tempo pace, nothing like Dragonforce who appear to be at 78rpm (ask your grandad), and when they do use double bass drumming, it’s well buried in the mix to create a nice rumble, not the awful, irritating, monotonous pounding you get in a lot of speed/power metal. Interspersed between the songs are orchestral interludes that fit seamlessly into the overall album, the band seem to have a love of composers of popular light classics such as Copland and Ketelby, who wrote lovely descriptive music such as ‘Appalachian Spring’ and ‘In a Monastery Garden’. This has really brought a smile to my face, it is a truly delightful listen, and a must for Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, and Fairyland fans, but lovers of Nightwish and Within Temptation will also really enjoy this. Available from the Brennus Shop www.brennus-music.com/ and other outlets, including Stay Gold in Japan where they have been very successful. It is well worth 9.5/10. (Reviewed by Phil)
VOICES OF DESTINY..'FROM THE ASHES'
(Massacre Records) Reviewed 22nd January 2010
Voices of Destiny hail from Germany and feature the vocals of front lady Maike Holzmann, with occasional dual male vox from Lukas Palme, who is also in charge of the keyboard dept. 'From The Ashes' is their debut offering and I suppose follows a tried and tested formula - female fronted (in a 'near' at times operatic style) with occasional male but not overdone gruff vocals. Kicking off with the rather catchy 'Ray Of Hope', it seems we are onto a winner here. Not bad, not bad at all! 'Twisting The Knife' keeps the momentum going as does 'Return From The Ashes'. 'Ice Cold' slows things down a touch, well so you think, until the guitars, keys and drums kick in! The album kinda continues in a similar vein. Okay, I have heard all this before, but for a debut it ain't bad. I quite like 'Apathy', a slower number, nice use of accoustic guitar coupled with keys giving this song a cool atmosphere, while 'Bitter Visions' is another slower and rather hauting tune. In summary, if you are into Within Temptation, Coronatus and the like, this little platter is worth parting with your hard earned cash. Release date is 26th Feb, and it can be pre ordered from the normal outlets. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE LAST EMBRACE..'AERIAL'
(LongfellowDeeds Records) Reviewed 20th January 2010
The Parisian band have a long history stretching back to 1998, but this is only their second album, coming 3 years after their first, ‘Inside’. Their music lies somewhere around bands such as Muse, Renaissance, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Streams of Passion and Mostly Autumn, with just the right mix of musical sophistication and melodic accessibility. Singer Sandy has a gorgeous voice, with echoes of Heather Findlay and Marcela Bovio, which perfectly suits the music. It starts with ‘Complete City’, which sounds like souped up Mostly Autumn, followed by the Renaissance like soft jazz of ‘Impending Dawn’, complete with Anthony’s Jon Camp like bass, that moves into a dreamy trumpet passage, before some dramatic classical piano brings the song back again. ‘Among Them’ is a delicate instrumental with Olivier’s electric guitar arpeggios, strings and piano, before the epic ‘Into the Vortex’ which starts out as a spaced out Pink Floyd trip and then builds in power and majesty as it moves into Muse territory, complete with guitar and Hammond wigouts. After the hurricane comes the peaceful piano ballad ‘Gravity’, and the appropriately swooping synths that announce the beginning of title track, ‘Aerial’, another songs that builds and gathers momentum, with more delightful piano from Coco, and I love the way the instruments drop out at the end just leaving Sandy’s lovely voice. Weird synths signal the thumping beat of the Muse like rocker, ‘Whirltime’, again balanced with the gentle, dreamy, Latin infused duet, ‘Alone, which features the wonderfully melancholic voice of Mick Moss (Antimatter), with more gorgeous piano and acoustic guitar. The album moves into India as we catch the Marrakesh Express of ‘Saffron’s Theatre’ as is gathers pace and steams into the Porcupinish ‘Nomad Wave’, which is alternately atmospheric and powerful. Dreamy Fender Rhodes and tremolo guitar float through ‘Playground’, which segues into the Renaissance like ‘Serotonine’ that gathers pace as it soars, and the CD ends with the Mostly Autumn mellowness of ‘Precious Pond’. The musicianship throughout is exemplary, with special mention to drummer Alexis who skilfully drives the band along, and the super clear modern production. I love bands that can slip up and down the gears effortlessly, this gives variety, light and shade, and when The Last Embrace get going, they purr along the road like a Hispano-Suiza grand tourer. This record fits me like my favourite old woolly jumper; I cannot find any fault with it, so motor along to www.myspace.com/thelastembracefr and take it for a spin. 10/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
UNDER HEAVEN..'WHAT LIES BETWEEN'
(Self Release) Reviewed 18th January 2010
Under Heaven are a Canadian duo comprising Matthew Binks, who takes care of all the music, and the delectable Tammy Everett, whose voice lies somewhere between Sarah Brightman and Enya. Listening to this CD it will be no surprise that Matthew normally writes and scores for films and TV with the music being a blend of Clannad and Tarja, rich in Celtic imagery and orchestral lushness, but with a metal foundation. It starts with the creeping thunder of ‘Cryptic’, and you would be forgiven for thinking that this album could be pretty heavy. ‘Behind the Shadows’ gives the first real hint of the diversity, combining soaring refrains with rumbling power. ‘The Line’ is Clannad with a touch of metal, followed by their version of Crispy Burger’s ‘Spanish Train’, which they turn into a spaghetti western epic, set in Galway. The powerful ballad ‘Die a Little More’ comes before ‘Home’, full of haunting Celtic beauty, complete with pipes, whistles and grumbling bodrans. ‘Pandora’ is dramatic and theatrical, while ‘My Crystalline’ is almost a cappella, sung over a backing of spooky, dreamy synths. ‘Inner Sun’ is another mighty ballad with superb violin solo, perhaps the best track on the CD, and then their version of Depeche Mode’s ‘Enjoy the Silence’, done in their own inimitable style, picks up the pace again. The album ends with the orchestral, Celtic, ‘We Go On’, which is truly moving. This is gothic music at its most beautiful, dramatic, theatrical, emotive, moving, haunting and atmospheric. If Mel Gibson ever fancies doing a film of Fionn mac Cumhaill, then this would be the perfect soundtrack. Easily available through their website, http://www.under-heaven.com/home.html. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
ONE WITHOUT..'THOUGHTS OF A SECLUDED MIND'
(Lifeforce Records) Reviewed 7th January 2010
Sweden's One Without takes “The Gothenburg Metal Sound” and implements it into a fusion of metal, rock and pop. As a consequence, 'Thoughts Of A Secluded Mind' offers a mix of diversity & depth, with powerful brutality, catchy grooves and advanced pop sensibilities, that quietly catches the listener with distinctive hook lines, plus offering us the captivating voice of Catrin Feymark. Great stuff from beginning to end here, with the pace never really letting up throughout. Check out 'Farewell' and 'Separation' as two examples from an album that offers 12 tracks of high octane rock&roll heaven. Comparisons to In This Moment and fellow Swedes All Ends spring to mind here. Great stuff 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
SCARLETT..'INSANE'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 5th January 2010
After years of working in film and television, including 3 seasons on Star Trek: Voyager and six seasons on the hit sitcom REBA, Scarlett Pomers (www.myspace.com/scarlettpomers) has grown into a stunning young lady that has become a Rock powerhouse, and has given us the 5 track EP 'Insane' as a consequence. And I like what I hear on this release. Five tracks of catchy rock spanning close on 20 minutes. Kicking off with the foot tapping salvo of 'Sweet Lunacy' and 'Garden', this little cd is a good un. 'War' is another catchy song with cool guitar solo, while in style, I would compare Scarlett to Ravenheart faves the Saints of Ruin. And that cannot be a bad thing to my ears! I like this cd and all the five tracks on it, and I look forward to a full album if there is one on the cards in the future. I wish Scarlett all the very best meanwhile - she deserves it. This EP is out on January 7th, so get it from cdbaby.com. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA..'NIGHT CASTLE'
(Atlantic Records) Reviewed 5th January 2010
The TSO was formed by Paul O’Neil back in 1996 to create grand rock operas, most of them based on Christmas (it made sense because they tend to do their massive arena tours around this time); this is only the second to not follow that subject. This time, the wonderful, emotional story is worthy of a blockbuster Hollywood drama, I will not tell you what it is about because it will spoil it; just enjoy reading the 64 page booklet. The songs themselves would not be out of place in Les Miserables, indeed, one of singers, Rob Evan, actually was in Les Miserables on Broadway. Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T, Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc.) takes the lead, together with the gorgeous Jennifer Cella. What about the highlights? The ‘Child of The Night’ segment in the grand choral opener, ‘Night Enchanted, is delightful, based on music by Delibes, and beautifully sung by Alexa Goddard and Valentina Porter. It also appears in its own right as a bonus track. ‘The Safest Way Into Tomorrow’, sung by Jay Pierce, is an outstanding ballad, Jeff Scott Soto puts in an emotionally charged performance on ‘Dreams We Conceive’, and ‘Epiphany’ is an epic, dramatically belted out by Rob Evan. ‘Father, Son, and Holy Ghost’ starts out gently before turning into a powerful ballad where Jennifer Cella sounds like Bonnie Tyler after some throat lozenges. This is followed by her more delicate performance on ‘Remnants of a Lullaby’. The only true rock song is ‘Sparks’ (although Jeff Scott Soto’s ‘Another Way You Can Die’ comes close) with Tim Huckleberry doing a decent Joe Cocker impersonation. What I do find strange are the 5 prog rock guitar wigouts, dispersed throughout the album. Based on classical themes, sounding like Dream Theatre plays ELP, they do not fit the story or the style of the album. They would have been better left out and put on the bonus disc so that the whole of the main album can fit on one disc. Even stranger, the best and most fitting instrumental, ‘Tracers’, is consigned to a bonus track. Therefore the album could be construed as something of a Curate’s Egg, depending on your viewpoint. Broadway fans may be put off by the prog, prog fans deterred by the Broadway songs. But if you are open minded (and there’s always the skip button), then this is a truly wonderful album and package. Being on a major label, there should be no problem in procuring a copy. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
PANIC ROOM..'SATELLITE'
(Firefly Music Ltd) Reviewed 1st January 2010
'Satellite' is the awesome new album from UK rock band Panic Room. Basically recorded over a two week 'live studio session' period, the album is full of great hooks and melodies, coupled of course with the powerful vocals of front lady Anne-Marie Helder. I was highly impressed with their debut album, 'Visionary Position' that was reviewed here back in March 2008, and the more commercial sounding 'Satellite' to me seems a step in the right direction. 'Freedom To Breathe' kicks off proceedings offering great vocals and great musicanship. 'Picking Up Knives' (one of my faves on the album) carries on the great work, and I do love Anne-Marie's vocals. Great stuff. 'I Am A Cat' is a little light hearted ditty me thinks, while in general, the album contains highlights a plenty - the funk metal sound on 'Black Noise', the catchy 'Into The Fire' and the anthemic sounding awesome title track as examples. I also like the rocky 'Dark Star' (great gothy church organ sound!). With the right promotion, 'Satellite' surely should break the band to a wider audience. The promotional copy kindly sent to me by Jonathan Edwards from the band, also has an additional EP, and that in itself makes this package even more worthwhile. All said and done, this is a cool release (over 80 mins of music with the EP) and what a great start to 2010. 'Satellite' gets released 25th January, but while you are waiting, check out www.myspace.com/panicroomuk. 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
SIEGFRIED..'NIBELUNG'
(Napalm Records) Reviewed 1st January 2010
Seeing as the album is entirely in German, I had better explain what it is all about. Shortly after the Roman Empire crumbled legend tells us that a Burgundian royal family called the Nibelung settled in Worms, Germany. Their most famous descendants were King Siegfried and his Queen, Brunhilder. This legend then got so mixed up with countless different Germanic and Norse tales that it is impossible to tell fact from fiction, and unlike the contemporary King Arthur, they never coalesced into a consistently coherent story and cast of characters, no one can even agree on the spelling of Brunhilder, let alone who she was. The main crux of the saga was a ring of gold that gave the owner world domination, and the various battles fought for its possession (where’s Indiana Jones when you need him?). The most famous adaptations are Wagner’s ‘The Ring’, and of course, ‘What’s Opera Doc’ with Elmer Fudd’s immortal, ‘Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, (all together now) KILL THE WABBIT!’ However, this Austrian warband certainly take these legends seriously, creating an almighty, epic, symphonic metal soundtrack to these stories. Three singers help to portray the various characters, Werner Bialek – melodic male, Bruder Cle – aggressive male, and the undoubted star of the show, the seductive Sandra Schleret (Elis) with her rich, soaring, semi operatic vocals. Alex Krull (Leaves Eyes, Atrocity) supplies his customarily exemplary production job, and indeed the closest parallel is with Leaves Eyes, only with more menace, power metal and drama. I’ll put it like this, in a punch up between the Vikings and the Nibelung, my money’s on the Nibelung. The album is made up of nine epic anthems that swirl from terror to soaring refrains to orchestral gothic grandeur. They conjure up images of battles, knights, maidens, castles, blood, despair, greed, power, love and hate, helped by the excellent artwork. ‘Brunhild’ (see what I mean about the different spellings) and ‘Totenwacht’ (please excuse the pronunciation) are choir drenched melodramatic showcases for Sandra’s extraordinary voice. This album batters the brain with its aural assault, in the nicest possible way, and is a damn site more fun than sitting through 15 hours of Wagner. Being on Napalm there is no need to go on an epic quest to Valhalla and battle Wotan, King of the Gods, to get a copy; it is easily available from all the usual outlets. 9/10 (Reviewed by Philip Wooldridge)
NOVA ORBIS..'IMAGO'
(Lugga Music) Reviewed 22nd December 2009
From Colombia comes this blend of gothic, power and prog metal, with a subtle infusion of Latin. They are blessed with two fine singers, the sultry Ana Maria Barajas, whose voice is as deep, rich and dusky as their coffee, and guitarist Jose David Barajas, who has a voice that would grace an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The prog element really comes from keyboardist David Martinez, whose style brings to mind Patrick Moraz (Yes, Moody Blues), he also had a strong Latin influence in his work. Some of it reminds me of …. me, it is quite scary at times. Special mention should also go to drummer Jose Osorio; he can really fly round those toms. Creepy church organ leads into ‘Castle of Exile’, full of gothic grandeur. A rather dodgy cookie monster makes a brief appearance, thankfully we do not see him again until the end of the album. A touch of power metal here and there, like in many of the songs, varies the pace. ‘Unstable Mind’ is more power metallish, and it is great to hear some rumbling Moog. ‘Dark Delusion’ is a bit darker, and features some awesome bass work from Rodolfo Caliz. As in all the songs, the keyboards really add a great deal of variety. On ‘Ancient Guardian’ they almost break into a Wishbone Ash boogie, before heading off into Fairport Convention folk rock. Lovely classical guitar introduces ‘Change’, a waltzing ballad with another excellent keyboard solo. ‘Love Remains’ starts out like it belongs in Phantom of the Opera, before ending up like an up-tempo Andrew Lloyd Webber gone metal. The highlight is probably ‘The Lamp’, a great strutting symphonic metal song, very melodic and impressive. The eastern flavoured ‘Sarah Deserves to Rest’ adds an exotic eastern touch; you can almost smell the soukh and see the dancing bellies. Symphonic power metal drives the ‘Falling of the Empire’, a perfect song for waving your sword to. Finally, the cookie monster breaks into the studio at the start of ‘Wisdom Hunter’, before Ana’s wonderful folk singing, which is an octave above the rest of the album. Jethro Tull then kick the monster out of the studio, leaving the floor clear for a choir of schoolboys. This is a very difficult album to pigeonhole, you cannot say it sounds like such and such, because it has got so many different elements, but they all come together beautifully and naturally. 9/10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)
SAINTS OF RUIN..'NIGHTMARE'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 10th December 2009
Saints of Ruin is a Californian Gothic Rock band who are not only friends of us here at Ravenheart Towers, they also produce some flippin' good music. A while back (May 2008), I reviewed their EP 'Fairytale' and I knew then that this band was something a little special. I reviewed the EP as "awesome melodic gothic metal". I must now say that not only does this, their debut full length cd carry on the excellent work of 'Fairytale', the band has moved forward leaps and bounds with this new release. Fronted by Ruby Ruin, with my 'email buddy' Tommy Dark on guitars, we have an awesome cd on our hands here. And I understand that there is also European label interest. The album gets under way with the catchy 'Ashes', which will straight away give you a feel for the music. The cd moves along quite nicely, with one of my fave tracks being the heavy sounding but equally melodic 'End Of Days'. The catchy 'Be My King' has a dance floor feel to it and should in-fact be given the dance remix treatment me thinks (think about it Tommy!). This album has everything and will appeal to a wide range of rock fan. 'A Murder Of Crows' got me thinking I was in the Australian Bush for a moment, and is another cool track from an album chock full of corking tunes - I also like 'Never Go Away' and this song must sound great live. I love it! Word of advice...go to cdbaby.com and buy this cd, you will not be disappointed! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
ORIANTHI..'BELIEVE'
(19 Entertainment/Geffen Records) Reviewed 28th November 2009
At 24 years old, the stunningly attractive Australian born Orianthi has already experienced what most aspiring musicians only dream of. She's opened for her hero (Steve Vai), backed an Idol (Carrie Underwood), traded solos with a legend (Carlos Santana) and shared the stage with the King of Pop (Michael Jackson). She was even going to be Michael Jackson's guitarist on his dates at London's 02 Arena before sadly Michael passed away. Anyway, what's left to conquer for this lass? The world stage, for one, and this guitar wunderkind (and she sure can play her guitar) has her sights clearly set on the road ahead. And she has offered us an amazing debut album of 11 corking tunes spanning 40 + mins. Imagine Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, Kelly Clarkson, then throw in some Paramore, ramp it up 200%, and you have Orianthi. This is super high octane stuff with anthemic rock tracks that leave you gasping for breath. This is a thunderous, hook and riff driven debut that sounds larger than life, so let me introduce you to Orianthi. Get it! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
TANTAL..'THE BEGINNING OF THE END'
(Mazzar Records, Russia) Reviewed 19th November 2009
Want an album that is heavy, melodic, offers a mix of power and progressive metal, and has death metal vocals and clean vocals, all vocals done by leading lady Sofia Raykova. Then check out Russian band Tantal. This album to be honest has taken the wind out of my sails, literally! The album kicks off with the cries of a baby before the 8 minute plus title track steamrollers it's way from the speakers, with brutally harsh vocals from Sofia and a chorus to die for (that features Sofia's clean vocal style). The album, featuring this mix of vocal styles, continues at a pace that will leave you gasping for breath, with most of the tracks perfectly merging into each other giving one absolutely no time to catch their breath. And with guitar solos in the best tradition of Dream Theatre, Malmsteen and the like, this is a very good album for anybody that enjoys their music aggressively heavy, melodic and loud. The sound has been taken care of by Eugene Vinogradov (Crematory) and I have to say that this album sure is worth checking out. Not one if you are into the softer side of our beloved genre, but this is a safe bet for the metal fans out there. I always know how good an album is, and while listening to this 8 track offering, the 50 minutes just flew by. Go to www.myspace.com/tantalband and check them out. 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
OXZIDE..'REALLY NOT INSANE'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 13th November 2009
The Femme Metal Fest on Saturday 7th Nov unveiled a goldmine of bands. I had heard of all the bands that were on the line up, but I admit to not owning music by one or two of the bands that were there that afternoon/evening. Local band Oxzide were one such band, so I found Beth, their singer after their slot, paid her some hard earnt cash and got a copy of their album. Oxzide play hard rock, and although Beth seems a sweet lass (and I am sure she is), boy has she got a powerful voice. The band blast through some hard rocking numbers on this record, including the opener, 'Get This Party Started', 'Make Me Feel Alive' and 'God's Gift'. They can slow it down a bit too with songs like 'So Sick Of Love'. My younger days were enjoyed through the hard rockin' 70's, with bands like Free, Bad Company, Sabbath, Zep, Deep Purple etc etc always on my 'playlist'. Oxzide rock like the best of them - some cool guitar solos too. Check them out at www.myspace.com/oxzide 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
NEBULEYES..'THE UNIVERSAL OF BEING'
(Orfeo Lab Self Release) Reviewed 3rd November 2009
This is the band’s third album, but the first with a lady singer, the beautiful mezzo contralto Lady/Dame/Drama Elfenore/Elfamorta, a lady with as many titles as projects. It has taken Benjamin Masson and Xavier Boscher four years to create this science fiction epic; a story that is more impenetrable than Ayreon, a universal being is created that is part of a war between the old and new gods to decide the future of mankind. This is dreamy symphonic metal, in the same vein as Tarja’s solo work, mixed with Ayreon, and a touch of Pendragon modern prog. The joy is finding the nuances in each song. This lies at the more cerebral end of metal. Illegal downloading threatens studio projects like this, so if you like your music deep, thoughtful and relaxing, show your support by buying this at a bargain price at http://nebuleyes.free.fr/ 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
WITHIN TEMPTATION..'AN ACCOUSTIC NIGHT AT THE THEATRE'
(Roadrunner Records) Reviewed 1st November 2009
I will not hide the fact that Within Temptation are one of my fave bands, and in my eyes, they can do very little wrong. I think signing with Roadrunner was a very good move, and the label has got behind the band over here. The last offering from WT, 'Black Symphony' took my breath away, and this latest release meanwhile, should keep all WT fans happy until a new studio album appears - it has sure made me happy. All the biggies are here, being given the acoustic treatment, with strings etc. So much atmosphere on this record that you would be able to walk on the moon without a moon suit! Like one or two others in the biz, I did wonder whether this 'unplugged' treatment of their hits would work well, but rest assured, it does. And the unreleased song, 'Utopia', a duet with Chris Jones, a Liverpool guy now living with his girlfriend in Edinburgh, is really cool! Not perhaps a record to listen too if you are missing a loved one, but I will be honest and say that I like this record a lot. But as Ravenheart Aimee has just told me - "no surprises there then my dear" :) Get it! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WEEPING SILENCE..'END OF AN ERA'
(Sleaszy Rider) Reviewed 26th October 2009
Weeping Silence from Malta have a long history, stretching back to the 90’s,releasing an album in 2000. It’s taken eight years to release this, their second,during which time they have undergone many changes. Vocalist Rachel Grech has a truly magnificent voice, a mix of Marcela Bovio and Sharon Den Adel. After a short spooky intro, there follows four beautiful, dreamy songs that rise and fall, rise and fall like the sea, over the course of about 10 minutes each, full of Streams of Passion like other worldly moodiness and splendour. I listened to this on a Sunday morning, and this proved to be perfect to relax and chill out to, after a stressful week I felt at peace with the world. The only criticism is the rather trebly rhythm guitar sound in the heavier passages, but the musicianship is superb, with lovely guitar work and atmospheric keys. Copies are available on EBay. They have another album in the can and are looking for a label; they deserve to have companies beating down the door to sign them. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
MANDRAGORA SCREAM..'VOLTURNA'
(Massacre Records) Reviewed 20th October 2009
Mandragora Scream is what I call a real gothic band (and a fave of mine too), and here is their latest release that will hit the stores on the 20th November and should surely impress fans of the gothic and indeed electro genre. Fronted by Morgan Lacroix (whose vocals send shivers down my spine), the Mandragora Scream project first emerged in Italy in 1997. And I myself am a little puzzled as to why they are not bigger than they are! Onto the music on 'Volturna', 'Lui' is a cool intro before 'I'm Going Alone' kicks in with it's cool keyboard intro before the guitars kick in. What a catchy little number we have here, with touches of electronica too for the clubs and a thumping drum beat. 'The Circus' follows and features another thumping drum beat, and another track that should do well on the club circuit. I like so far what I am hearing. And the awesome record continues with tracks like 'Deceiver', 'Breaking Dawn' (harking back to their earlier releases) and the thumping & ultra catchy 'Farewell' , all of which will sure get the juices flowing. And let us not forget the very cool covers of 'Bang Bang' and 'Fade To Grey'. Overall, this is possibly one of their catchier and maybe as a consequence more accessible releases, and it should be easy to get hold of when released, being made available on the Massacre label. 15 tracks and 60+ mins of catchy electro gothic metal - I like this...a lot! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
REMEMBRANCES.. 'CRYSTAL TEARS'
(Self released) Reviewed 17th October 2009
This album has had a long history, recorded in 2006, becoming available in 2008, and has only just been brought to my attention thanks to their new management company, Alkemist Fanatix, who they joined in September this year. There must be loads of bands like them and Ephemeris who exist ‘under the radar’, waiting for the right promotion to make their music widely known. They are fronted by the delectable Haydee, who not only has a rich, sexy voice, but also writes excellent atmospheric lyrics. This is an album of superb symphonic gothic pop metal. Standouts include the ultra groovy ‘Silent Night’, the glorious ‘Blood on the Wall’, full of excellent keys and soaring vocals, and the lovely ballad ‘Memories’. ‘Sweet Madness’ is a suitably atmospheric tale about a creepy old house, which really shows their diversity. They are currently recording a new album, and if they pack it with songs like ‘Silent Night’ then they deserve to have an instant hit this time. Available for only 5.95 euros from their Myspace site www.myspace.com/remembrances and eBay, this is fantastic value for money for fans of Within Temptation. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
PETRA METAL QUEEN..'AMALGA'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 15th October 2009
I kinda know Petra and I have known about her musical prowess possibly as long as Ravenheart Music has been going. And she is actually based in Warwickshire in the heart of England, not too far from Ravenheart Towers. She has a Batchelor of Art Honours Degree from De Montford University, Master of Arts Degree from The University of Warwick, amongst others, so she ain't stupid. Apart from other musical projects in the past, she has also been involved with a Country Rock Band and an Industrial Metal Band, so she is very talented. She is also involved with various musical projects (four!) at this current moment in time. And it is an amalgamation of those musical projects that appear on this album. Hence the title 'Amalga'. I may be was a little concerned at first that this record may lack cohesion, being a mix of those aforementioned projects, but to be honest, those concerns soon evaporated away. I like this offering to be honest, being a mix of Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, together with a little Progressive and Power Metal thrown in for good measure. To my ears, the best track on this little opus is the opener 'Awake In Dreamland' which reminds me initially of Sharon Den Adel and features on this album as part of Petra's ATHENIA project. But this must not distract from the rest of this cd, as overall, I feel this is a very good effort. There are some good musicians involved aswell. Oh and I nearly forgot, a good cover of David Bowie's 'Heroes' as part of Petra's PETRALVAR project. To summarise. I admire Petra - she is a very hard working musician who has determination to succeed, and you know what, she will on this showing. I am not sure if the album is available at the moment, but I suggest that anybody into the aforementioned styles goes to cdbaby.com and picks up a copy when it becomes available and supports this lass. It will be worth it. Cool! 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
TRIAXIS..'KEY TO THE KINGDOM'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 13th October 2009
It's time to rock, so it is time to turn up the volume and annoy those neighbours. It is time to listen to Welsh rockers Triaxis. And boy, do they rock. Featuring the awesome Krissie on lead vox, and for all you gal musician lovers out there, they even have a female rhythm guitarist, the lovely CJ. The other guys in the band are great musicians, with Gio on lead guitar totally mind blowing! I have seen this bunch live and they actually took my head away. The record kicks off with the 6 minute + 'Phoenix' and the band have laid their cards on the table with this starter. And if 'Phoenix' is not enough, along comes 'Gates of Damnation' to keep the pace going. Basically, the album continues in a smiliar vein, hard and heavy, and with this 66+ minutes of melodic mayhem, Triaxis prove that British Female Fronted Hard Rock and Metal is alive and screaming. Check them out at www.myspace.com/triaxisuk. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
VRILLION..'SOURCE OF POWER' EP
(Self Release) Reviewed 13th October 2009
This is the debut EP from ‘alternative’ gothic metal band Vrillion from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. They are fronted by Chloe who has a clear, folky voice. The first track ‘Flesh is so Easily Torn’ has a quirky, Rhapsody like vibe, with medieval folk influences. The next song ‘The Crazy Clown Song’ is the sort of madness Diablo Swing Orchestra would come up with. The fact that I saw them play it at the Madhouse with their young fan club wearing Stephen King Clown masks only made it even more surreal. The next 3 songs are Nightwishesque, the catchy ‘Killer Instinct’, ‘Reason’ with a lovely flute intro courtesy of Chloe, and the suitably anthemic ‘The Battle’. The CD ends with the medieval folk metal of ‘Sweet Mistress’. This is a highly enjoyable 30 minute listen, and I would love to see them given the opportunity to record a full album in a really good studio. Go and have a look at their Myspace site, www.myspace.com/vrillion , the EP should be out shortly. 8/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
WINTER HAZE..'THE STORM WITHIN'
(Alkemist Fanatix, Andromeda) Reviewed 13th October 2009
The two albums by Winter Haze and Elegy of Madness show the incredible diversity in symphonic metal. Both are Italian, both are female fronted symphonic metal, but they could not be more different. Bridge of Sighs is for quiet reflective listening, this is for dancing around the room like a loon. They are fronted by the gorgeous Giorgia who has a rich powerful rock voice, which somehow reminds me of Cher. She also sometimes uses pure semi operatic voice as well. The first four tracks rattle along at a cracking pace, with head banging riffs, anthemic vocals, melodic keyboards by Stefano, and excellent guitar work by Raffo. On ‘From Here to Eternity’ they take the pedal off the metal for a soaring power ballad (special mention for the superb guitar solo), before the instrumental shred fest ‘Event Horizon’ picks up the pace again for the final four numbers. All the songs are first class, so it is unfair to single one out, but White Witch deserves an extra mention. The album is also very produced, with a clear, rich sound. This band deserves a good promotional push and is highly recommended for fans of Sonata Arctica, Nightwish Rhapsody, and Holyhell. Available at http://andromedarocks.com/Product-WINTER-HAZE_11366.aspxand will soon be released by New Music Germany. 9/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
OMEGA LITHIUM..'DREAMS IN FORMALINE'
(Drakkar Entertainment&Sony/BMG) Reviewed 8th October 2009
"The Great Hope of European Gothic" it says on the sticker that is attached to this cd. After already picking up a good review in a UK rock/metal publication, now it is Ravenheart Music's turn to review this little opus from this Croatian band. To be frank, this is the kinda music that got me into this genre in the first place. With a huge production by Victor Love (of Dopestars Inc fame), 'Dreams In Formaline' hits the spot from the start, offering 40 mins of Industrial flavoured Gothic Metal to get your juices flowing, and not a filler in sight. And the vocals of the young Mya Mortenssen (did someone tell me she is only 19?) suit this kinda music admirably well. A flippin' good album, melodic and heavy...awesome stuff! Buy!! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
VANGUARD..'HYDRALCHEMY'
(Shadow World Records) Reviewed 7th October 2009
Aimee stumbled across Vanguard by accident via Last FM. And when I learnt that they are a Gothic Metal Band from Finland, well I just had to investigate further! Finland of course being the mecca of all things rock and metal. And boy, am I glad I checked this band out further, and indeed, after a little bit of hunting around, I was able to track a copy of this cd down. Utilising both clean female and harsh male vocals, 'Hydralchemy' is a very catchy offering indeed. Kicking off with a brief intro that then leads us straight into the heavy but melodic 'Spellbroken', I knew I had a winner here - right up my (and Aimee's) alleyway. Heavy guitars, keys and the dual vocals of both Suvi G (female) and J. Grym (male) feature throughout. I quite frankly love it. Check out 'Scion' for a song that will hang around in your head for ages (and ages). And the ballad 'Untold', featuring the cello of Aapo Romu I just love! This album so happens to be very good! And the digi-pak also includes as a bonus track, a cover of Type O Negative's 'Black No 1'. Awesome stuff! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WEEKEND ON MARS.. 'RUMORS ON THE TOWN'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 7th October 2009
This is the debut release from a new pop/rock band from France. They describe their sound as between the Cranberries and Evanescence, but I can also hear bits of The Cars, Blondie, The Corrs, the Bangles, Jellyfish, Within Temptation, all sorts. In fact every song sounds incredibly familiar, but in a good way, and they scream radio play. Rocky guitar solos stop it getting too poppy, and the female/male vocals of Deby May and Jay Blake compliment each other perfectly. Favourites include the rocky ‘Push’, the groove of ‘No Need’, the urban ballad ‘Story Teller’, and especially the electro vibe of ‘One of Them’ which shouts hit single. This is a very enjoyable listen, well produced, with a modern sound, highly recommended for pop/rock fans and anyone who enjoys good songs with catchy choruses that stay in your head. Easily available on CD Baby and why not check them out at http://weekendonmars.com/ aswell. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
PARAMORE..'BRAND NEW EYES'
(Atlantic Records) Reviewed 30th September 2009
One minute I am reviewing an album by established old hands Theatre of Tragedy, and then next by new kids on the block Paramore. Fronted by Hayley Williams, Paramore seem so young (probably cos I am getting old), but they are so professional. 'Brand New Eyes' sees the band following their tried and trusted formula - well if it ain't broken, why fix it? And to be honest, I quite like Hayley's vocals for some reason. Imagine a kinda Avril crossed with Kelly then given a little bit of umphhh! This record is a very good slab of punk/pop/rock. Me thinks that sums it up. Fave tracks. Well, that will be for you, the potential listener to decide. 'Brand New Eyes' can be bought at your typical high street cd store for under a tenner, so go and buy. This band have the world at their feet. Awesome...8.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THEATRE OF TRAGEDY..'FOREVER IS THE WORLD'
(AFM Records) Reviewed 30th September 2009
I have all Theatre of Tragedy's albums and I have been with them all the way, seeing their musical styles change through the years. But I am open minded regards my music, so I have enjoyed all their output as a consequence. Now, what about 'Forever Is The World'? Basically, this record continues where their previous offering, 'The Storm' left off, but without the electronic elements. 'Forever Is The World' you could say is an amalgamation of 'Aegis' and 'The Storm', and it confirms that vocalist Nell has settled in well. The cd gets going with the opening salvo of 'Hide and Seek' and 'Nine Days Wonder' , confirming that TOT are on top form with this release, while 'Revolution' and 'Transition' continue the good work. There is a lot of atmospheric and beautiful sounding stuff here, which all ends with the duo of the spell binding 'Deadland' and the awesome title track. It was the title track that actually had a colleague of mine asking.."who is this Dave"? They may have won a new fan! This is good stuff that confirms to me what a great band TOT are. Get it! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave).
RAM-ZET..'NEUTRALIZED'
(Ascendance Records) Reviewed 27th September 2009
Lock up your children folks, send Grandma away for a few days, and lets get it together with Norwegian metallers Ram-Zet. Ram-Zet's music is very diverse ranging from black metal to thrash metal. It has industrial sounds, progressive structures, and traditional instruments forming a style which some people, including band mastermind Zet, have called "schizo-metal". Anyway, how about the music on this their 4th offering. Well, 'Infamia' kicks things off with the music coming out of the speakers like a turbo charged express train doing 225 mph through an atomic explosion. Just getting over that and then 'I Am Dirt' hits us. The album thunders along keeping the listener wondering as to what is to come steamrollering out of the speakers next. One of my faves on this album is fourth track up, the 10 minute + 'Addict' with an atmospheric and rather cool ending that then leads into the violin intro of 'God Don't Forgive' before the guitars kick in. 'Beautiful Pain' is another good un. and while generally very avante-garde this release, if you are open minded regards your music, it is worth checking out. I like it! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
NOCTILUCA..'BACK TO THE SOUL SYSTEM'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 23rd September 2009
You cannot beat a little bit of gothic doom metal to brighten up one's September afternoon here in the UK, and here we have the debut offering from the Italian band (from Parma) Noctiluca. Fronted by the clean and powerful voice of Stefania, I also observe that there are other ladies in the band too including Eleanor Jones on keys. I would guess that she is not Italian :) So with all those lovely ladies, it's right up Ravenheart Music's alleyway. I must say that this is not a bad offering that does at times remind me a little of early Gathering. Kicking off with 'Tonight', the doomy nature of the music becomes apparent, plus the rather powerful voice of Stefania, which really makes it for me. Second track, 'Alice' is a little more uptempo, and one of my favourite tracks too. Again the vocals impress me big time. The album continues in a similar vein to the opener - other faves on this little slab of plastic including 'From Beyond', 'Simplicity' and 'There is a Time'. I must stress that this record is like a baby shark - it is a grower, it will not grab you right away, but once it does, it will be reluctant to let go! Check the band out at www.myspace.com/noctilucaband and arrange to grab a copy! Excellent musicanship - 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
WHYZDOM..' FROM THE BRINK OF INFINITY'
(Ascendance Records) Reviewed 22nd September 2009
This is the debut album from the French symphonic metal sextet, although the maturity in their music is phenomenal. They have a truly massive sound, with huge orchestrations, thundering band, and their own 15 strong Dark whispers Choir. This makes the production by leader, main songwriter, and guitarist Vynce Leff even more remarkable, every instrument can be clearly heard, no mean feat when there is so much going on. Telya Melane has a soaring voice, reminiscent of a young Sharon Den Adel, she has to give it some real oomph to rise above the music, and she shows enormous skill in singing some very demanding vocal lines. The album starts with a trio of Nightwish / Epica / Sirenia / Delain type epics, that move seamlessly from light to dark, before the awesome ‘The Power and the Glory’. The brief ‘Freedom’ is jaw dropping, with gorgeous choir and guitar solo. The next song ‘Escaping the Ghosts of Reality’ is heavier with some growling, even though I belong to the anti growling club, I have to admit it is very effectively. Even this song flows into quieter waters. ‘Atlantis’ features a chorus that Nightwish would give their right arms for. ‘The Old Man in the Park’ is extraordinary, moving from a gentle start to something darker, with a very unusual chord change. ‘The Seeds of Chaos’ blasts your ears off before the choral first part of Daughter of the Night. This segues into part 2, which shows off everything that is great about this band, Within Temptation gone power metal. The last song has a Celtic start that even features bagpipes, before moving into something that sounds like Mike Oldfield gone metal. It ends with the bagpipes fading off into the distance, like the clans leaving Culloden. This album is close to musical nirvana for me, and anyone who like massive, sophisticated and challenging symphonic metal, and indeed anyone who enjoys any of the afore mentioned bands, should rush out and grab a copy. 9.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)
RAZORBLADEKISSES..'TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE SCAR'
(Independent Release) Reviewed 17th September 2009
Here we have an album full of eastern promise. Although now residing in Southhampton, vocalists Layla and Azadeh draw from their distant Persian/Iranian roots, to conjure up their ideas for this album. 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Scar' takes the listener on a magical journey, mixing rock, goth and even a little opera along the way. Kicking off with the rather sedate and atmospheric 'Alice', second track, the rockier 'New Nightmare' ups the ante somewhat, and comes blasting out of your speakers like an express train. A good start. And it continues through the remainder of the album, mixing quiter more atmospheric haunting tracks ('No Strings Attached') with the occasional heavier anthemic rocker ('Teddy'). And I like the violin that pops up on some of the tracks and adds to the atmosphere of proceedings. The awesome 'The Butterfly' was inspired by "This Bird Is Going To Die", a poem by the famous Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad. Great "innocent little girl lost" vocals that add to the seductive feel of this record aswell. It gets released on the 26th October and will also be available from all major download sites! Meanwhile, check them out at www.myspace.com/razorbladekisses. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
PYTHIA..'BENEATH THE VEILED EMBRACE'
(Genepool/Universal) Reviewed 16th September 2009
Here we have it. We in the UK at last have a band in the Gothic Power Metal Genre, that not only can compete with the best that the European mainland has to throw at us, we have a band that could very easily knock that competition well and truly out of site! That band is called Pythia. Fronted by the gorgeous Mediaeval Babe, Emily Alice Ovenden, we have an album here that is immensely awesome in every respect. I am really lost for words to describe this. This little opus kicks off with the Power Metal Anthem 'Sweet Cantation', which will blow your mind, and that is just track one. Second track (the single), the awesome, melodic and to my ears the hideously catchy 'Sarah (Bury Her)' will be humming around in your head for hours afterwards. There are further Power Metal Anthems on offer here such as 'My Pale Prince' and 'Eternal Darkness' . And other faves of mine include 'What You Wish For', 'Oedipus', 'Army of the Damned' (feat Brian Blessed) and the catchy 'No Compromise', but what I must say is that every track on 'Beneath The Veiled Embrace' is a gem. If you love Nightwish (Tarja era - although not so operatic as Tarja) with loadsa balls - then this is a must buy. I will say no more except I love it!..9.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
THE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVES..'CONFLICT RESOLUTION'
(Dead Fish Records) Reviewed 9th September 2009
The name Ravenheart suggests Goth. Okay, I may not look your typical Goth (what, at my age - you have to be kiddin') but my passion lies with the Gothic Metal genre. But we at Ravenheart pride ourselves that we are not just metal heads. And this now leads me to a band from San Francisco called The Passive Aggressives. This band seem to mix (and succesfully too) hard rock, pop, funk, and prog, all with the vocals of leading lady Keren Gaiser. It is pretty cool stuff and 'Conflict Resolution' is a pleasant listening experience. Some good songs here including the title track, and I even found this record ideal background music while having friends around at Ravenheart Towers, with the inevevitable question -"what cd is that you have on Dave?" If you like the idea of Tool and Primus mixed with Heart and Evanescence, then this is worth checking out. Cool stuff, including The Turtles cover 'Happy Together'. Check them out at www.myspace.com/aggressives 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)
There are loads more reviews (from 2006 til mid 2009) at http://www.ravenheartarchives.com. Check em out!