HMaM Global Mod
Post by GL on Dec 31, 2010 14:26:04 GMT -5
Power Metal-Since this New Year turning over is actually the end of the decade, let's take a look at the last decade in Power Metal:
2000-
10. Heavenly-Coming from the Sky
9. Steel Prophet-Genesis
8. Cage-Astrology
7. Hammerfall-Renegade
6. Metallium-State of Triumph Chapter Two
5. Stratovarius-Infinite
4. Grave Digger-Excalibur
3. Rhapsody-Dawn of Victory
2. Helloween-The Dark Ride
1. Kamelot-The Fourth Legacy
Well, it’s good to see that the vocalist change has actually helped a band grow rather than being left in the shadows of their glory days, since this is miles better than their earlier stuff and shows the direction they undoubtedly will head in the future. Classy, Symphonic/Progressive Power Metal is the name of the game here, yet no one does it better as Roy has now fit into the band like a glove, making this just such a beautiful album to listen to. From his emotive vocals on the tender ballads to his up-tempo croon on their faster numbers and displaying an utterly amazing ability to switch between them with ease and grace, they stand out far more than on previous albums, which still contain all those stellar guitar harmonies, dominant keyboard melodies and Thrash-esque double-bass drumming that propels their faster numbers into otherworldly atmospheres. The romantic ebb and flow of the album has as much to do with that as well, and it makes this a classy-sounding album for the band and easily wins out the genre this year and narrowly misses overall Year-end honors as well.
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v=2v2iapVHX2s[/yt]
2001-
10. Iron Savior-Dark Assault
9. Secret Sphere-A Time Never Come
8. Avantasia-The Metal Opera
7. Iced Earth-Horror Show
6. Brainstorm-Metus Mortis
5. Grave Digger-The Grave Digger
4. Primal Fear-Nuclear Fire
3. Gamma Ray-No World Order
2. Kamelot-Karma
1. Sonata Arctica-Silence
One of the best bands to come from Finland in quite a long time, these Melodic Symphonic metallers have followed up their debut with a stellar performance that moves them right to the top of the scene after just these two releases. With far more dedications to the speed this time around, the album moves along that much better and has a much better feel than before, but that’s mixed in with their classy style of playing that just seems to be a common occurrence in the country, a superb production and just plain outstanding songs that are well-written and just spectacularly performed. Transitioning easily between the guitars and keyboards for the majority of the songs gives these songs a great feeling that will no doubt give them a stronger feel in future listens, the drums are just plain inhuman for this type of band and the vocals are impassioned, romantic and quite diversified, especially on the two longer epics within. It’s all wrapped together into a very fun time that is a blast to listen to and should see them coming on strong in the future.
2002-
10. Magnalucius-The Quest…
9. Hammerfall-Crimson Thunder
8. Power Quest-Wings of Forever
7. Dionysus-Sign of Truth
6. Firewind-Between Heaven and Hell
5. Steel Prophet-Unseen
4. Angel Dust-Of Human Bondage
3. Primal Fear-Black Sun
2. Freedom Call-Eternity
1. Rhapsody-Power of the Dragonflame
This is absolutely an essential album on many accounts. Every single song here is pretty much played at one speed, faster than what came before, and it just hits like a battering ram with so many songs here being absolute classics in their library. Due to the heavy keyboards and the utterly thunderous drumming, not only is the music grand in scale, but in keeping with their lyrical themes it’s just as much so there as well, and then the wonderfully dexterous guitar playing and otherworldly singing makes sure to have the lyrics and riffs inside your head for days. This here is faster than most Thrash albums at times, a ballad so good it could almost become an opera standard with the Symphonic approach showing it can work in that style, only one real slow song that shows off their folk background while still showing tons of chops and melody, and then comes that almighty epic at the end, working better than most albums on its own, changing from spoken-word passages to full-on Symphonic Speed Metal to a more relaxed groove before it all falls down at the end, this one here is just simply spectacular from start to finish. These guys have become the masters of this style and this is them at their peak, during a run of excellence where no one can touch them and it’ll be nearly impossible to top. Not only an easy choice for Power Metal, but definitely getting full Album of the Year.
2003-
10. Lost Horizon-A Flame to the Ground Beneath
9. Dragonforce-Valley of the Damned
8. Cage-Darker Than Black
7. Stratovarius-Elements Part 2
6. Grave Digger-Rheinegold
5. Evergrey-Recreation Day
4. Sonata Arctica-Winterhearts Guild
3. Helloween-Rabbit Don’t Come Easy
2. Kamelot-Epica
1. Brainstorm-Soul Temptation
I just simply love this record, it’s perhaps one of the best ever recorded in the genre and is definitely one that more need to know about. Strangely tending to merge an unexpected sense of classiness into the mix that makes the album all that much stronger, knowing when to unleash the melodies and when to let the music go for the jugular, this is Power Metal that tends to fall into this style much easier than one would expect, as there’s just one highlight here after another. From songs that take an accessibility with the effects and sounds used fitting in wonderfully to their music while not tending to sound like it was written for mass consumption to thrashier songs and a fine mix of the two, and even several that sound like unrecorded Judas Priest songs, this is a well-rounded effort. However, the highlights here are even more expanded by the simply beautiful Trilogy of Lust, comprising as gorgeous a trilogy of songs as you’re going to come across, mixing in classy Power Metal, Oriental experimentation, full-throttle thrashing, melodic moments and the most notable examples of an album-wide trend, memorable solos and choruses that are about as hard to forget as the music created within, combined together within one of the absolutely best production jobs ever, this one is a crime more don’t know about it, and just barely misses out on Album of the Year.
2004-
10. Metalium-As One - Chapter Four
9. Primal Fear-The Devil’s Ground
8. Sonata Arctica-Reckoning Night
7. Dream Evil-The Book of Heavy Metal
6. Iced Earth-The Glorious Burden
5. Mystic Prophecy-Never Ending
4. Heavenly-Dust to Dust
3. Dionysus-Anima Mundi
2. Rhapsody-Symphony of Enchanted Lands Part II: The Dark Secret
1. Edguy-Hellfire Club
After a decent but somewhat disappointing last album, these guys come back with a much more impressive effort this time around that is one of the better releases the genre has put forth in a few years. Mixing in some nice hard-rock aspects, especially in the later half when the songs tend to ease up off the throttle like the first half is far more guilty off, and most notably in the singles released that offers a somewhat refreshing mix on their trademark old-school Power Metal sound that is somewhat catchy in its own right. Carrying on the fine German tradition of writing great songs that go together into a full album experience, the songs here manage to be finely-honed pieces that offer up tons of tempo changes, varying moods and ranges within that are a blast to listen to and feature enough to make this a worthwhile album before adding in the stellar production and great performances that the genre’s known for. This nicely gets them back on the right track and overcomes some stiff competition in the field for the genre’s top prize.
2005-
10. Gaia Epicus-Symphony of Glory
9. Metalium-Demons of Insanity – Chapter Five
8. Primal Fear-Seven Seals
7. Grave Digger-The Last Supper
6. Demons and Wizards-Touched by the Crimson King
5. Brainstorm-Liquid Monster
4. Hammerfall-Chapter V: Unbent; Unbound, Unbroken
3. Communic-Conspiracy of Mind
2. Kamelot-The Black Halo
1. Helloween-Keeper of the 7 Keys: The Legacy
So, everyone’s favorite Pumpkin Warriors have given us part 3 of the series that originally launched the genre twenty years ago, only now with a new line-up that has only one original member, but none of that matters when stepping into this glorious experience. All the great elements are in full-force, from the multi-part epics filled with outstanding guitar solos, marvelous playing and a sense of flow that keeps them moving along nicely and not being boring, despite two fantastic epics over ten minutes in length and a good handful more clocking in around six or over, to their fantastic sense of condensing their style into the shorter singles and, of course, their wacky sense of humor. Whether it’s intention or not, these here make this a great album that really doesn’t seem dazed at all about its length and is another fine Deris-led album in its own right, but more importantly manages to not spit in the face of a killer legacy that came before it.
2006-
10. Dionysus-Fairytales and Reality
9. Celesty-Mortal Mind Creation
8. Dragonlord-Astronomy
7. Evergrey-Monday Morning Apocalypse
6. Edguy-Rocket Ride
5. Fairyland-The Fall of an Empire
4. Heavenly-Virus
3. Mystic Prophecy-Savage Souls
2. Communic-Waves of Visual Decay
1. Dragonforce-Inhuman Rampage
Well, three albums in and they finally did it, making the most of the strong promise they showed on the previous release and delivering some of the finest Symphonic Metal the genre has seen in a long time. There’s really no good starting place to say why this is so good, as practically everything here is stellar. What must be mentioned first, though, is the dazzling display from the lead guitarists, who manage to merge Prog-Metal’s propensity for complexity with Thrash Metal’s speed and whipped together into Symphonic Power Metal’s sense of atmosphere and mood, the result being some of the most technical, innovative yet insanely catchy hyper-speed guitar riffs that stay in your head for days, drumming that’s just out-of-this-world fast and in perfect keeping with their style, expert keyboard playing that’s almost as jaw-dropping as the guitar riffing and topped off with melodic, harmonious vocals that offer up memorable choruses, a wide range of styles and an overall sense of class. As every song on here seems to be played with the sole intent of being faster than the previous one, it never lags and stays interesting the whole way, a sign of a quality album, and should be the start of a marvelous run for them in the future. A near-miss for full-on Album of the Year, but that wasn’t going to be moved at all so coming in second after that one is no mark against this one at all.
2007-
10. Grave Digger-Liberty or Death
9. Helloween- Gambling with the Devil
8. Brainstorm-Downburst
7. Gamma Ray-Land of the Free II
6. Freedom Call-Dimensions
5. Mystic Prophecy-Satanic Curse
4. Gaia Epicus-Victory
3. Kamelot-Ghost Opera
2. Primal Fear-New Religion
1. Iced Earth-Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)
It’s getting extremely tiring trying to keep up with Owen’s bands, as he has a fantastic streak of quality releases going back a decade now and has never appeared on a bad album, yet never manages to stay with a band long enough to really showcase his true potential. Now, having sung on the last two IE releases, including this spectacular effort, will once again not follow tradition since he’s not in the band anymore to make way for their most popular vocalist to return a second time, again leaving Tim the odd-man-out in the vocal carousel of Heavy Metal. With that out of the way, it should come as no surprise from his ‘Priest days that he has an outstanding range, and that’s the most apparent factor in this one, screaming with as much power and clarity as Rob on his best days, crooning soulfully on the more introspective works and generally fitting into the sound like a glove since the material here is still IE to a tee without having to be re-written to fit his style, and that speaks volumes about the quality on display. The melodic Power/Thrash riffs are in full display, the drumming is impeccable and the songs are all quality ragers, yet Tim steals the show and it’s such a shame he can’t continue on since the last effort was just as good as this one. That still doesn’t dampen the fact that this is some quality material that deserves it’s place here atop the list.
2008-
10. Human Fortress-Eternal Empire
9. Edguy-Trinitus Sanctus
8. PowerWorld-PowerWorld
7. Secret Sphere-Sweet Blood Theory
6. Power Quest-Master of Illusion
5. Alestorm-Captain Morgan’s Revenge;
4. Avantasia-The Scarecrow
3. Communic-Payment of Existence
2. Iced Earth-The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2)
1. Dragonforce-Ultra Beatdown
Having rightfully exploded following the previous album that was one of the best releases not only in the genre, but in the entire Metal scene in the decade, the follow-up here is just as good as the previous one, though that one ranks a little higher overall due to a much more cohesive collection of songs than this one. That’s still not to take away the fact that this band seemingly doesn’t know how to write slow songs with simple riffs and unremarkable playing, since it’s apparent all the way through that this is the norm to follow and will no doubt be their calling card, having honed their sound to a fine-tuned machine and are just playing around with that style nowadays. While that lowers the impression this time around, it still leaves the group with the same pluses this time as the last one, from the technically-proficient guitars spitting out hyper-speed riffs and solos that are utterly complex and memorable, fantastic drumming and powerful vocals over the top of a top-notch Symphony of elegant Power Metal, and it makes no less an impression this time as last since it’s still so much fun. That makes it now two in a row for them, and the future looks to only get better for these guys.
2009-
10. Mob Rules-Radical Peace
9. Grave Digger-Ballads of a Hangman
8. Crystallion-Hundred Days
7. Holyhell-Holyhell
6. Saidian-Sign in the Sky
5. Stratovarius-Polaris
4. Brainstorm-Memorial Roots
3. Alestorm-Black Sails at Midnight
2. Ravage-The End of Tomorrow
1. Primal Fear-16.6 (The Devil Knows You’re Dead)
The band that pretty much wrote the book on copying Judas Priest, almost to the point of plagiarism at times, they come back with one of their strongest efforts to date, and this year’s Power Metal selection. Led by the best Halford imitation in the game, who at times sounds so much like him that they’re almost identical, a faster groove on the traditional Priest sound and one rabid rhythm section that belts out a strong base to hang everything onto, they’ve got a pleasing sound that stays in your head for days afterward, matched in no small part by their ability to graft strong hooks onto those sections to make the songs even more memorable, and the album, like so many of their others, is a satisfying listen from start to finish. These guys are finally to be commended for their struggle with this one, winning their first ever Power Metal award in a mixture of compensation and worthwhile-ness, and if there’s any justice, it’ll be the launching pad for their discovery over here.
2000-
10. Heavenly-Coming from the Sky
9. Steel Prophet-Genesis
8. Cage-Astrology
7. Hammerfall-Renegade
6. Metallium-State of Triumph Chapter Two
5. Stratovarius-Infinite
4. Grave Digger-Excalibur
3. Rhapsody-Dawn of Victory
2. Helloween-The Dark Ride
1. Kamelot-The Fourth Legacy
Well, it’s good to see that the vocalist change has actually helped a band grow rather than being left in the shadows of their glory days, since this is miles better than their earlier stuff and shows the direction they undoubtedly will head in the future. Classy, Symphonic/Progressive Power Metal is the name of the game here, yet no one does it better as Roy has now fit into the band like a glove, making this just such a beautiful album to listen to. From his emotive vocals on the tender ballads to his up-tempo croon on their faster numbers and displaying an utterly amazing ability to switch between them with ease and grace, they stand out far more than on previous albums, which still contain all those stellar guitar harmonies, dominant keyboard melodies and Thrash-esque double-bass drumming that propels their faster numbers into otherworldly atmospheres. The romantic ebb and flow of the album has as much to do with that as well, and it makes this a classy-sounding album for the band and easily wins out the genre this year and narrowly misses overall Year-end honors as well.
[yt]
v=2v2iapVHX2s[/yt]
2001-
10. Iron Savior-Dark Assault
9. Secret Sphere-A Time Never Come
8. Avantasia-The Metal Opera
7. Iced Earth-Horror Show
6. Brainstorm-Metus Mortis
5. Grave Digger-The Grave Digger
4. Primal Fear-Nuclear Fire
3. Gamma Ray-No World Order
2. Kamelot-Karma
1. Sonata Arctica-Silence
One of the best bands to come from Finland in quite a long time, these Melodic Symphonic metallers have followed up their debut with a stellar performance that moves them right to the top of the scene after just these two releases. With far more dedications to the speed this time around, the album moves along that much better and has a much better feel than before, but that’s mixed in with their classy style of playing that just seems to be a common occurrence in the country, a superb production and just plain outstanding songs that are well-written and just spectacularly performed. Transitioning easily between the guitars and keyboards for the majority of the songs gives these songs a great feeling that will no doubt give them a stronger feel in future listens, the drums are just plain inhuman for this type of band and the vocals are impassioned, romantic and quite diversified, especially on the two longer epics within. It’s all wrapped together into a very fun time that is a blast to listen to and should see them coming on strong in the future.
2002-
10. Magnalucius-The Quest…
9. Hammerfall-Crimson Thunder
8. Power Quest-Wings of Forever
7. Dionysus-Sign of Truth
6. Firewind-Between Heaven and Hell
5. Steel Prophet-Unseen
4. Angel Dust-Of Human Bondage
3. Primal Fear-Black Sun
2. Freedom Call-Eternity
1. Rhapsody-Power of the Dragonflame
This is absolutely an essential album on many accounts. Every single song here is pretty much played at one speed, faster than what came before, and it just hits like a battering ram with so many songs here being absolute classics in their library. Due to the heavy keyboards and the utterly thunderous drumming, not only is the music grand in scale, but in keeping with their lyrical themes it’s just as much so there as well, and then the wonderfully dexterous guitar playing and otherworldly singing makes sure to have the lyrics and riffs inside your head for days. This here is faster than most Thrash albums at times, a ballad so good it could almost become an opera standard with the Symphonic approach showing it can work in that style, only one real slow song that shows off their folk background while still showing tons of chops and melody, and then comes that almighty epic at the end, working better than most albums on its own, changing from spoken-word passages to full-on Symphonic Speed Metal to a more relaxed groove before it all falls down at the end, this one here is just simply spectacular from start to finish. These guys have become the masters of this style and this is them at their peak, during a run of excellence where no one can touch them and it’ll be nearly impossible to top. Not only an easy choice for Power Metal, but definitely getting full Album of the Year.
2003-
10. Lost Horizon-A Flame to the Ground Beneath
9. Dragonforce-Valley of the Damned
8. Cage-Darker Than Black
7. Stratovarius-Elements Part 2
6. Grave Digger-Rheinegold
5. Evergrey-Recreation Day
4. Sonata Arctica-Winterhearts Guild
3. Helloween-Rabbit Don’t Come Easy
2. Kamelot-Epica
1. Brainstorm-Soul Temptation
I just simply love this record, it’s perhaps one of the best ever recorded in the genre and is definitely one that more need to know about. Strangely tending to merge an unexpected sense of classiness into the mix that makes the album all that much stronger, knowing when to unleash the melodies and when to let the music go for the jugular, this is Power Metal that tends to fall into this style much easier than one would expect, as there’s just one highlight here after another. From songs that take an accessibility with the effects and sounds used fitting in wonderfully to their music while not tending to sound like it was written for mass consumption to thrashier songs and a fine mix of the two, and even several that sound like unrecorded Judas Priest songs, this is a well-rounded effort. However, the highlights here are even more expanded by the simply beautiful Trilogy of Lust, comprising as gorgeous a trilogy of songs as you’re going to come across, mixing in classy Power Metal, Oriental experimentation, full-throttle thrashing, melodic moments and the most notable examples of an album-wide trend, memorable solos and choruses that are about as hard to forget as the music created within, combined together within one of the absolutely best production jobs ever, this one is a crime more don’t know about it, and just barely misses out on Album of the Year.
2004-
10. Metalium-As One - Chapter Four
9. Primal Fear-The Devil’s Ground
8. Sonata Arctica-Reckoning Night
7. Dream Evil-The Book of Heavy Metal
6. Iced Earth-The Glorious Burden
5. Mystic Prophecy-Never Ending
4. Heavenly-Dust to Dust
3. Dionysus-Anima Mundi
2. Rhapsody-Symphony of Enchanted Lands Part II: The Dark Secret
1. Edguy-Hellfire Club
After a decent but somewhat disappointing last album, these guys come back with a much more impressive effort this time around that is one of the better releases the genre has put forth in a few years. Mixing in some nice hard-rock aspects, especially in the later half when the songs tend to ease up off the throttle like the first half is far more guilty off, and most notably in the singles released that offers a somewhat refreshing mix on their trademark old-school Power Metal sound that is somewhat catchy in its own right. Carrying on the fine German tradition of writing great songs that go together into a full album experience, the songs here manage to be finely-honed pieces that offer up tons of tempo changes, varying moods and ranges within that are a blast to listen to and feature enough to make this a worthwhile album before adding in the stellar production and great performances that the genre’s known for. This nicely gets them back on the right track and overcomes some stiff competition in the field for the genre’s top prize.
2005-
10. Gaia Epicus-Symphony of Glory
9. Metalium-Demons of Insanity – Chapter Five
8. Primal Fear-Seven Seals
7. Grave Digger-The Last Supper
6. Demons and Wizards-Touched by the Crimson King
5. Brainstorm-Liquid Monster
4. Hammerfall-Chapter V: Unbent; Unbound, Unbroken
3. Communic-Conspiracy of Mind
2. Kamelot-The Black Halo
1. Helloween-Keeper of the 7 Keys: The Legacy
So, everyone’s favorite Pumpkin Warriors have given us part 3 of the series that originally launched the genre twenty years ago, only now with a new line-up that has only one original member, but none of that matters when stepping into this glorious experience. All the great elements are in full-force, from the multi-part epics filled with outstanding guitar solos, marvelous playing and a sense of flow that keeps them moving along nicely and not being boring, despite two fantastic epics over ten minutes in length and a good handful more clocking in around six or over, to their fantastic sense of condensing their style into the shorter singles and, of course, their wacky sense of humor. Whether it’s intention or not, these here make this a great album that really doesn’t seem dazed at all about its length and is another fine Deris-led album in its own right, but more importantly manages to not spit in the face of a killer legacy that came before it.
2006-
10. Dionysus-Fairytales and Reality
9. Celesty-Mortal Mind Creation
8. Dragonlord-Astronomy
7. Evergrey-Monday Morning Apocalypse
6. Edguy-Rocket Ride
5. Fairyland-The Fall of an Empire
4. Heavenly-Virus
3. Mystic Prophecy-Savage Souls
2. Communic-Waves of Visual Decay
1. Dragonforce-Inhuman Rampage
Well, three albums in and they finally did it, making the most of the strong promise they showed on the previous release and delivering some of the finest Symphonic Metal the genre has seen in a long time. There’s really no good starting place to say why this is so good, as practically everything here is stellar. What must be mentioned first, though, is the dazzling display from the lead guitarists, who manage to merge Prog-Metal’s propensity for complexity with Thrash Metal’s speed and whipped together into Symphonic Power Metal’s sense of atmosphere and mood, the result being some of the most technical, innovative yet insanely catchy hyper-speed guitar riffs that stay in your head for days, drumming that’s just out-of-this-world fast and in perfect keeping with their style, expert keyboard playing that’s almost as jaw-dropping as the guitar riffing and topped off with melodic, harmonious vocals that offer up memorable choruses, a wide range of styles and an overall sense of class. As every song on here seems to be played with the sole intent of being faster than the previous one, it never lags and stays interesting the whole way, a sign of a quality album, and should be the start of a marvelous run for them in the future. A near-miss for full-on Album of the Year, but that wasn’t going to be moved at all so coming in second after that one is no mark against this one at all.
2007-
10. Grave Digger-Liberty or Death
9. Helloween- Gambling with the Devil
8. Brainstorm-Downburst
7. Gamma Ray-Land of the Free II
6. Freedom Call-Dimensions
5. Mystic Prophecy-Satanic Curse
4. Gaia Epicus-Victory
3. Kamelot-Ghost Opera
2. Primal Fear-New Religion
1. Iced Earth-Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)
It’s getting extremely tiring trying to keep up with Owen’s bands, as he has a fantastic streak of quality releases going back a decade now and has never appeared on a bad album, yet never manages to stay with a band long enough to really showcase his true potential. Now, having sung on the last two IE releases, including this spectacular effort, will once again not follow tradition since he’s not in the band anymore to make way for their most popular vocalist to return a second time, again leaving Tim the odd-man-out in the vocal carousel of Heavy Metal. With that out of the way, it should come as no surprise from his ‘Priest days that he has an outstanding range, and that’s the most apparent factor in this one, screaming with as much power and clarity as Rob on his best days, crooning soulfully on the more introspective works and generally fitting into the sound like a glove since the material here is still IE to a tee without having to be re-written to fit his style, and that speaks volumes about the quality on display. The melodic Power/Thrash riffs are in full display, the drumming is impeccable and the songs are all quality ragers, yet Tim steals the show and it’s such a shame he can’t continue on since the last effort was just as good as this one. That still doesn’t dampen the fact that this is some quality material that deserves it’s place here atop the list.
2008-
10. Human Fortress-Eternal Empire
9. Edguy-Trinitus Sanctus
8. PowerWorld-PowerWorld
7. Secret Sphere-Sweet Blood Theory
6. Power Quest-Master of Illusion
5. Alestorm-Captain Morgan’s Revenge;
4. Avantasia-The Scarecrow
3. Communic-Payment of Existence
2. Iced Earth-The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2)
1. Dragonforce-Ultra Beatdown
Having rightfully exploded following the previous album that was one of the best releases not only in the genre, but in the entire Metal scene in the decade, the follow-up here is just as good as the previous one, though that one ranks a little higher overall due to a much more cohesive collection of songs than this one. That’s still not to take away the fact that this band seemingly doesn’t know how to write slow songs with simple riffs and unremarkable playing, since it’s apparent all the way through that this is the norm to follow and will no doubt be their calling card, having honed their sound to a fine-tuned machine and are just playing around with that style nowadays. While that lowers the impression this time around, it still leaves the group with the same pluses this time as the last one, from the technically-proficient guitars spitting out hyper-speed riffs and solos that are utterly complex and memorable, fantastic drumming and powerful vocals over the top of a top-notch Symphony of elegant Power Metal, and it makes no less an impression this time as last since it’s still so much fun. That makes it now two in a row for them, and the future looks to only get better for these guys.
2009-
10. Mob Rules-Radical Peace
9. Grave Digger-Ballads of a Hangman
8. Crystallion-Hundred Days
7. Holyhell-Holyhell
6. Saidian-Sign in the Sky
5. Stratovarius-Polaris
4. Brainstorm-Memorial Roots
3. Alestorm-Black Sails at Midnight
2. Ravage-The End of Tomorrow
1. Primal Fear-16.6 (The Devil Knows You’re Dead)
The band that pretty much wrote the book on copying Judas Priest, almost to the point of plagiarism at times, they come back with one of their strongest efforts to date, and this year’s Power Metal selection. Led by the best Halford imitation in the game, who at times sounds so much like him that they’re almost identical, a faster groove on the traditional Priest sound and one rabid rhythm section that belts out a strong base to hang everything onto, they’ve got a pleasing sound that stays in your head for days afterward, matched in no small part by their ability to graft strong hooks onto those sections to make the songs even more memorable, and the album, like so many of their others, is a satisfying listen from start to finish. These guys are finally to be commended for their struggle with this one, winning their first ever Power Metal award in a mixture of compensation and worthwhile-ness, and if there’s any justice, it’ll be the launching pad for their discovery over here.
