Blasts from the Past 2023: Fury and Nostalgia!

Blasts from the Past 2023: Anger and Nostalgia! - Angry vinyl cover.

Admitted. We don’t do those all that much anymore. I mean, RMR policy pretty much directs its unpaid and overstretched wordsmiths to focus on the current year and not lose time on smelly old items of different couleur. But sometimes we can’t resist and have a go at some dusty old record that quietly wastes away in a swampy corner somewhere. So, here’s to a short list of olde records that made us break the rules.

Cheeky shenanigans fueled by fury and nostalgia.


Xaon – The Lethean

Release year: 2022

Xaon - The Lethean - Album Cover

Hells bells! This one should have garnered its spot on … [...] Click to raid more!

Anaal Nathrakh – Hell is Empty and All The Devils are Here (2007) – Review

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Anaal Nathrakh - Hell is Empty and All The Devils are Here - Album Cover

Desperation levels are rising again. So, the escape valve is – you guessed it – Anaal Nathrakh all over again. Some crazed mix of Total Fucking Necro‘s horrible grind and the terrifying musings of the widow that the Kenny / Hunt team pushes straight up your derriere.

Only that this time, we’re reaching into the past. Before the constellation thing even happened, and this is a scary thought all by itself. A record spouting some protoplasmic filth about devils that escaped into this hellscape our world has become lately. Holy water and crosses won’t cure this, but then, what … [...] Click to raid more!

Nightwish – Dark Passion Play (2007) – Review

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RockmusicRaider Review - Nightwish - Dark Passion Play - Album Cover

Hey, fans and friends. Dark Passion Play is an amazing record! I absolutely love it.

I am not sure if this was the first record I ever listened to from Nightwish. But it definitely beats everything out of the sky that the band produced so far. And yes, that specifically means the Tarja records that came before it. Even if Once really upped the ante.

It is of course not only the frontwoman who makes the difference. But here Anette Olzon really delivers. And this, in spite of the hate that fans directed at her for the simple reason … [...] Click to raid more!

Nemesea – In Control (2007) – Review

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RockmusicRaider Review Nemesea In Control - Album Cover

I hear Amaranthe calling, and that’s never a good thing around here! Most definitely. Well, so WRONG! Yonder band did not exist yet when the 2nd studio album In Control from Nemesea came to see the light of day. And they went straight over the edge of the flat and rocky Gothic Metal World, finding themselves in a DJane ready club world universe, where painted goblins reside.

What a change of direction going Pop Metal on me. Evil tongues would say electro-pop, but I am not evil, well only sometimes. Or should we say Synth Pop? Nope, the metal aspect [...] Click to raid more!