Blind Guardian – The God Machine (2022) – Review

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Well, I take it back. In the past, the RMR crew often moaned about those Power Metal outfits being too cheesy or just too overboard with – well – anything. Some sweetishly rosy concoction that overdosed on too much sugar and colorful popsicles of undefined origins.

But Blind Guardian‘s newest record The God Machine made us raise our mutual heads quickly. Their brand is indeed powerful PM without the usual fondue. So, we stand corrected, this genre can actually be fun AND tough like a spiked metal fist. And – they are part of that vile mainstream that the … [...] Click to raid more!

Evermore – Court of the Tyrant King (2021 / 2022) – Review

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Is it a good idea to review a reissue of an older record and Power Metal to boot? Probably not. Many a metalhead will cringe in (often imaginary) pain and leave this ‘zine screaming. After all, the cheesy flavor of those power folks is no better than the horrific terrors of glam. Right?

Well, 2022 has yielded some pretty neat to truly excellent material in the PM arena. It’s not all gold and shiny diamonds, though. Some of that metal of the light didn’t quite sync with the unfathomable hardline opinions of the RMR review board.1 But for this … [...] Click to raid more!

Splintered Throne – The Greater Good of Man (2022) – Review

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The RMR crew has a weakness. It’s not going after everything ancient mariners did for once, old pirates included. But it’s definitely lusting after the good ol’ and long-lost world of traditional Heavy Metal. And come to think of it, both are actually connected in some way. This was a time when metal wasn’t splintered into a gazillion fiercely defended fiefdoms. But it just came as a monoblock, kind of the counterweight to the almighty Hard Rock thing. Metal souls easily served, right? This is what turned those music halls into sweaty cauldrons, believe it or not.

And all that … [...] Click to raid more!

StormbounD – December (2022) – Review

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Do you know what’s unfair? Any Israeli band with sympathies for the metal genres of the light on their flag will have the bar to success set at an impossible height.

Let’s face it, there’s real excellence in the Levant, a true hotspot for Gothic, Progressive, Melodic, and Symphonic Metal. And Israel fared extremely well in this realm so far. All a bit underrated still, but the European powerhouses of those genres got serious competition. And StormbounD here just threw themselves into the fray as an eager contender.

Moving goalposts or just highest standards? Take a seat at the judges’ … [...] Click to raid more!