Tag Archives: Nightwish

Illuminata – A World So Cold (2011) – Review

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I have no idea where all these mediocre reviews come from that I tortured myself reading. And why the fuck I did this to myself is beyond me. The 2011 album A World So Cold from the Austrian band Illuminata is simply refreshing. Perhaps apart from the bodged intro that just wants to make you scream and kick the walls, that is.

Pure goth sloth with loads of Symphonic Metal, best described as Within Temptation with an edge, mixed with some Xandria style elements. Add a hint of Nightwish to this medley and it will put a smile on your face. … [...] Click to raid more!

Delain – The Human Contradiction (2014) – Review

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Well, how to classify Delain‘s latest concoction The Human Contradiction? Still Delain, but a more sanitized, more mainstream version of their former, fresher self. And with former I mean before the album We are the Others that got itself a bit too much into the Pop Rock arena for its own good.

Their 2014 and 4th studio album The Human Contradiction very much reminds oneself of the look and feel of the latest Within Temptation development, but – perhaps – this is way too simplistic. Methinks that they actually did better than Within Temptation’s Hydra, which … [...] Click to raid more!

Within Temptation – The Unforgiving (2011) – Review

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OK, I get it! Nothing is ever easy and change is a constant, as there is no such thing as a steady state in physical music creation. And it needs some courage to do the change-over that these guys have done. Like in radical and absolute. Nothing much left of Metal and Gothic or Symphonic, whilst there are some attempts to get back on track.

The 2011 album The Unforgiving from Within Temptation is a totally new direction from what was before. Some of my co-reviewers compared the record to Nightwish, but there is no Nightwish ingenuity in there, … [...] Click to raid more!

Insomnium – Shadows of the Dying Sun (2014) – Review

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God, what a great sound coming out of my earphones from The Sleepless Ones. Deep, dark, great, crunchy Melodic Death Metal. And in their typical doomy style.

The Finnish band Insomnium delivers great-sounding stuff. Shockingly, though, sometimes produced in clear vocals, which will have my beloved purists’ tongues wagging the wrong way again. 

But as Lords of Darkness of the Melodic Death Metal scene, this is great stuff. With cool-sounding riffs that bring you right to the edge. Admittedly, you need to be in the mood for this kind of music. But it is my idea of relaxing quietly … [...] Click to raid more!