Nightwish – Once (2004) – Review

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Yes, it is! The 2004 release Once of Finnish metallers Nightwish really is … typical Nightwish fare after all. But with a real hard-edge Heavy Metal twist that I have not seen displayed yet by this band; before and after this record.

Because the ones that came before – for instance Oceanborn and to a lesser extent Century Child – ended up being some sort of a uniform amalgam of stuff. Power Metal and Gothic Metal – yes to an extent – but nothing really knocking the socks off my feet. And the albums following this here release are of a different style in a sense.

Once already exudes

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Nemesea – Mana (2004) – Review

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Nemesea claimed a few years ago that their first studio album Mana was written and produced in somewhat of a hellfire hurry back in 2004. Thus they aligned the style to the usual Gothic and Symphonic Metal outfits already at work at that time. And this is a really strange statement to make from any band. 

Only to be confronted with a result that the band did not feel wholly comfortable with. This weird approach made them change their musical direction straight after this album.

A fact that became very evident in their later productions In Control and The Quiet Resistance. Their mutual soul-searching on style and [...] Click to raid more!

Kamelot – Haven (2015) – Review

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Kamelot! The name sends you echoes of mystical events way back in time. To King Arthus’ court of the round table of valiant knights. An epic era much shrouded in fabulously famous legends of all kinds. And here we are expecting something stellar around these lines. Metal at its best.

And I am getting something that somehow sounds like it, but it just does not quite feel right. Epica made the same mistake lately with their 2014 disc The Quantum Enigma – the overdone turkey one, with too much gravy. Too much over-compressed bombast, too many instruments to play … [...] Click to raid more!

Leaves’ Eyes – King of Kings (2015) – Review

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I am pleasantly surprised! Leaves’ Eyes again managed to up the ante and add a lot of metal in King of Kings to their already improved former delivery in Symphonies of the Night. They steadily increased the quality of their musical prowess over the years and King of Kings is no exception. Deeper, darker, more metallic in structure, but also folk-laden in certain parts. Sometimes it almost reminds me of some Folk Metal acts – but not quite to the extent of calling them that. And the lyrics delivered by Liv Kristine Espenaes are up a notch too – [...] Click to raid more!