Johnny La Bomba - Lead Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Jens „Shredmaster JB“ Basten - Lead And Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Vittorio Papotto - Lead And Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Daniel Perl - Bass, Backing Vocals
Hartmut Stoof - Drums
Formed:2010
Influences:Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Manowar, Dream Evil, Dio, Thin Lizzy, Running Wild
Label:Massacre
Quality & Originality:Ocean Blade is a great example of a band that thinks outside the box of what a normal heavy metal or power metal band should be. The songs keep you guessing what direction they will go next with high power and energy of heavy guitars and vocals of the best metal and thrash mixed in with amazing melodies of prog metal. The album was mixed by the legendary Dan Swanö and mastered by Powerwolfs Charles Greywolf who did a amazing job this album has a superb sound. The mystical song writing of Johnny La Bomba and amazing musicians that bring Gloryful together have put together a great album.
My Opinion: This album is crazy good cause I can honestly say I have never heard a band that sounds exactly like them. It is like Iced Earth, Hammerfall, Overkill, Testament, Iron Maiden, Gamma Ray all tossed into a blender and out pops Gloryful. I was hooked on this album from the first second I heard it. If you like any metal or sub genre you will find something to rock out on this release. I love how the band can be so hard and driven and then a song like Black Legacy they soften up to show the amazing song writing and hard to label mystic power this band has. This band has grown so much since there first album and ep to be a contender of the best metal bands on the planet!!!!!
Overall & Favorites:Black Legacy, Ocean Blade, Siren Song. This album demands a full on 9/10 from me cause of my ears still ringing with this mystical madness that is Glorful!!!!
David Marcelis - Vocals Paul Marcelis - Guitars Leon Hermans - Guitars Simon Geurts - Bass Frank Wintermans - Drums
Genre:Hard Rock/Power Metal
Formed:2009
Influences:Judas Priest, Halford, Iced Earth, Primal Fear, Cage, Savatage,
Megadeth, Saxon, DIO, Queensrÿche, Manowar, Jag Panzer, Mercyful Fate,
Annihilator
Label:Mausoleum Records
Quality & Originality:Will To Power is simply put ''A Killer Album''. The band really pushes what they are known for with such a great productive mix of guitars, bass, drums and some great singing. I love how they stay true to themselves but really pay tribute to the fathers of metal that come before them on this release. David really has a massive set of pipes on him and is not scared to use them but is so much more then just a bunch of screams cause he can harmonize with the best of them. The band is insanely tight on this release showing why they have climbed into the hearts of metal heads on a global scale.
My Opinion:Lord Volture has really brought there A game on this release and they are not taking prisoners. It is everything you want out of a hard rock album crunching guitars and bad ass singing. I want to warn you that you might find yourself with fits of head banging and fist pumping during listening to this and playing tons of air guitar!! I cannot say enough about this album to really do it the justice it deserves but to say get out there if you love rock driven metal and buy this album!!!
Overall & Favorites:The Great Blinding, Where The Enemy Sleep, Line 'em Up. I rate this at a 8/10 for the blistering beating my neighbors took from me listening to this at insane volumes!!!!
Influences:Pretty Maids, Savatage, Elegy, Vicious Rumors, Heaven's Gate, Stryper, Queensryche, Fates Warning, Crimson Glory and many others
Date Released: September 9, 2014
Label:Nightmare Records
Quality & Originality: This band is really hard to pin point as far as a genre what is really appealing to me cause it shows me they have a wide pallet of talent in the band and not scared to take chances. The album ranges from almost a classic rock and 80's metal one second to a modern metal and prog metal sound the next. The production on this album is as top notch very clear and responsive. The guitars are clear and accurate with great bass lines and spot on drumming. Urbans vocals really brings this melodic masterpiece together blending his very smooth and powerful singing styles. Very original from the start to the end leaving you wanting more and more from this band.
My Opinion:This is Project Arcadia's Sophmore effort that really pushes up what there debut album had started for them. I was sold on this album from the first song entitled ''Here To Learn'' it is brilliant. This album has so much to it what so many bands should take a page out of there song writing. It is rare for me to like every song on a album and I honestly cannot wait to see where this band goes next. When I see a band that is labeled Prog Metal I usually think I will know exactly what it will sound like and this band steps out of the shadows of its for comers and takes the bull by the horns.
Overall & Favorites:I Am Alive, Timless, Formidable Foe. I give this album a 9/10 for keeping me on my toes and the shear power of this album.
Nina Osegueda - Vocals Josh Schwartz - Guitar Chris Haren - Drums Jesse Keen - Bass
Date Released:September 9th 2014
Founded:2008
Label:Mad Neptune Records
Influences:Iron Maiden, Dio, Hammerfall, Judas Priest, Rush, Black Sabbath, Helloween
Quality & Originality: ASOT is a band that is not about being a genre changing band but about cutting there own print into it. This album has some amazing mixing that actually allows all instruments to breath and have a solid platform. The album was produced by RIAA platinum-awarded producer Kevin '131' Gutierrez (While Heaven Wept, Raven, Shinedown). This is a very well rounded and written album that really holds a staple of metal bands from the past. I usually do not like to compare to past albums but it really is different then the past releases so go into this album with a very open mind that will take you on a dark metal journey of fury, hate, love, hurt and madness!!
My Opinion: This is the bands fourth relase to date and there most ambitious by far hitting it with just more umph and trying a different approach to the metal territory they already conquered. ASOT has a great line up and really is one of the great metal female fronted bands out this day in age. The greatness really shines in this release with heavy guitars, boomy bass, heavy hitting drums and the velvet hammer hitting vocals of Nina!! I love how this album is different and much darker then there last release showing that this band has tons of depth and is willing to try new things. I think this album will draw the classic rock to metal to prog metal fans that love multiple personalities in a album.One of my favorite parts of this album is the songs do not sound rushed like so many bands try to play fast but not good this band plays amazing and tight.
Overall & Favorites:Master Of Pain, Fortuneteller, One Empty Grave. I give this album a 7.5/10 and a heavy \m/ in the air for such a great job!!!!!!
Chelsea Knaack - Lead Vocals Damien Villarreal - Guitars/Keyboards Jordan Ames - Drums
Date Released:August 22nd 2014
Label:Unsigned
Genre: Symphonic
Quality & Originality:So manySymphonic bands have the same feel and sounds with a gal that has a high pitched voice. Heliosaga is similar in many ways but with a new passion and tight feel with strong guitars and not over powered keys. The songs flow really well with tons of passion and feeling that breathes fresh life in a very almost robotic feeling genre. Every song stands up to the one before it. I am really drawn into the song writing on this album. I love how they pay tribute to the European feel but add a very American style and feel to there song writing.
My Opinion:If you are a fan of female fronted music, symphonice, metal and prog you will find something you will appreciate from ''Towers In The Distance''. The guitars are tight and powerful with chunky almost thrash style one second and then very open and acoustic the next. Chelsea has a velvet smooth voice that is very hypnotic and opera style but not to overbearing like so many similar bands in the Heliosaga genre. I am very impressed that the keys are right and tight and not all over and way out front. Bass guitar tracks were recorded by Chad Novell (Fibonacci Sequence) but he is not credited as being part of the band. This really is a remarkable album that is full of magic and a fullness that is not usually what you would expect from a band from Minnesota. Heliosaga formed in 2010 but by the sound of this album they sound like seasoned veterans giving a run to bands like Nightwish, Leaves Eyes, Theatre Of Tragedy.
Overall & Favorites: I fell in love with this album from the first song and rate it a solid 8/10. My personal favorites are Hunter's Moon, Scarlet Sphere, Edenscar
Band Members: Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth - Vocals D.D. Verni - Bass Dave Linsk - Lead Guitar Derek "The Skull" Tailer - Rhythm Guitar Ron Lipnicki - Drums
Date Released: July 22, 2014
Label:E1 Music (USA) | Nuclear Blast (Europe)
Tracks
XDM
Armorist
Down To The Bone
PIG
Bitter Pill
Where There's Smoke
Freedom Rings
Another Day To Die
King Of The Rat Bastards
It's All Yours
In The Name
Quality & Originality:This is a killer thrash mix that allows the guitars, bass and drums to fly right into your face and beat you half to death. With a band like Overkill you are always going to get that almost analog feel but that is how us old school thrash lovers want it. So many thrash bands sound exactly the same but no one sounds like Overkill. White Devil Armory vocal tracks by Bobby Ellsworth comes in and hits a home run with them rough high pitched vocals that no one else could dream of pulling off.
My Opinion: Overkill is thrash royalty in every way and they always bring the pain and brutal riffs on every album. This album is honestly one of the best thrash albums I have heard in some time with that classic riffage and feel we have all come to love. White Devil Armory is a album you do not want to listen to in your car cause your insurance will not like the amount of tickets you will get. It is brutal, loud, hard, rough, thumping pure madness wrapped up into some of the best metal these giants have released to date. This album makes me want to pickup my Carvin V and play it till my fingers bleed (Ok that was a bit dramatic but you see where I am going). If you are looking for a balls out over the top full metal jacket of a album that will keep you up till the morning hours head banging and jacking them horns in the air you have purchased the right album!!!!!!!!
Overall & Favorites: I have to rate this massive armory a 9/10. personal favs PIG,Where There's Smoke, In The Name
Exorcism Album & Release Date: I Am God-April 25, 2014 Label: GoldenCore Records/ZYX Year Established: 2013 Band Members: Csaba
Zvekan (Raven Lord, Zvekan, ex Killing Machine)-vocals, Joe Stump(Raven
Lord, Holy Hell, Reign Of Terror)-Guitars, Lucio Manca(Raven Lord, Solid
Vision)-bass, Garry King(Joe Lynn Turner, Jeff Beck, Achillea)-drums Music Genre: Doom Metal
Promotion: Rock N Growl Artists/Bands album mission/message:
Exorcism
is today’s answer for heavy metal and sets clearly another milestone in
music history. The music is doomy and lush while it flows lava like
down your spine.With dark themed lyrics and melodies that could haunt
you for life.
Track Listing
01. End Of Days 5:26
02. I Am God 6:46
03. Voodoo Jesus 5:05
04. Last Rock'N Roll 3:54
05. Master Of Evil 5:13
06. Exorcism 5:18
07. Higher 3:19
08. Stay In Hell 4:01
09. Fade The Day 4:43
10. Zero G 4:29 Quality of original music including song writing and message: The
feel on this album is such a great mix of Metal, Classic Rock, Prog
but themed Doom and serious Gloom. The song writing is very original but
you can hear definite roots of Dio, Sabbath and at times a Jon Oliva
style vocals. Production value: This
album has such a amazing mix and master on it the drums are thunderous,
the guitars stand out but do not over track the vocals. It does almost
have a analog feel at times but for a Doom album I would expect nothing
less. My Opinion: I
Am God is an evil, gloomy, heavy, brutal album that everyone from
rockers, metal heads to doomers will all have something they can bang
there head to. Zveken has such range in his vocals from dark and evil
one second and high end screaming the next what is very refreshing cause
most doom albums are just dark growling most of the time. All the
musicians have plenty of room on this album to represent there talents
from the very bass and drum heavy song ''Voodoo Jesus'' to the ripping
guitars and heavy vocal song ''End Of Days''. This album shows you can
be one of the heaviest bands in the land and have serious talent but you
do not need to play at the speed of light. Rate: 9/10 Personal Favorites: End Of Days, Master Of Evil, Zero G
Band:Gloryful
