Formed in 2009 by brothers Andy & Dick Mattson, this quartet creates music in the true spirit of Heavy Metal. Or so this is the intention of Tungsten Axe. But releasing an album of traditional eighties heavy metal that’s full of clichés and with such a poor production is beyond me. Just listening to the sound of the drums made me sick. Add to that boring songs, cliché arrangements and a monotonous singer and you get the picture.
I have sat on this review for some time. Trouble was a long time favorite band of mine (unbelievable gigs at Dynamo Café, Dynamo Open Air and Lido), so I did not want to rush to severe judgement, writing a review without giving the new album enough time. Well, I've had enough time, and I have determined that the best days of the Trouble guys from Chicago are clearly over. Compared to the material that the band has written in the past, this material just isn't in the same bullseye league in terms of quality.
Since Timo Tolkki’s and Stratovarius ways went in another direction in 2008, both parties have not stood still. Stratovarius released the ‘Polaris’ album, while Timo joined forces with André Matos to form Symfonia, who released only one album ‘In Paradisum’. Rumours came and went that Timo would quit the music business, but lucky for us he’s not done that, cause this new project Avalon, has released a masterpiece with this first album.
From that same package again (Atomic Stuff – see reviews of SilentLie, Hypnotechnicall, and Echotime) comes the sophomore album by this Ljubljana based 4-piece Slovenian Melodic Heavy Rock act, which was founded back in 2003.
This Alternative Heavy Rock/ Metal band was founded in Crema (a town squarely between Milano, Bergamo, Brescia, and Piacenza, in the Central North of Italy) under the monicker of Metal Federal Reserve during 2010, and originally consisted of the foursome Simone Picco (singer), Alessandro Cannatelli guitarist), Andrea Brambilla (bass) and Gianmario Oliveri (drums), whom originally had the idea to start a band with Italian singing.
Invasion On Planet 2 is simply a wonderful excursion through the musical space occupied by Space Invaders. The CD is an intricate journey and this German five some have enough panache and flair of their own to leave a lasting impression.
Marcus Jidell you know of course as being the guitarist from Evergrey. Like Yngwie Malmsteen he’s also from Sweden, and a fantastic guitarist. With this album he goes solo. The songs go back to 2005 and were from a project that ended unfinished in 2008. And while I’m absolutely no fan of pure instrumental albums, this one managed to draw my attention.
When I gave this album its first listening session, I hadn't looked into the info yet, and the thing which immediately came to mind, is that they didn't sound like an Italian band at all...which isn't that surprising, as the band hails from Vänersborg – Trollhättan, a place some 88 NNE from Göteborg, Sweden!
Part of that package from Italian promotion agency Atomic Stuff (see also reviews of SilentLie and Hypnotheticall, posted 22/09/2013), I found but little info on this Italian Prog Metal band, except for the facts that it consists of lead singer Alex “Kage” Cangini, guitarist Andrea “Bana” Anastasi, keyboardist Filippo “Phil” Marignano, bassist/ backing singer Stefano
Lübeck (North Of Germany, situated some 65 km NW from Hamburg), May 2009 : guitarist Benjamin Botev decided to found a band which would bring both brutal yet never too simple Thrash Metal. For his initial accomplices, he picks singer Dennis Schwartz (then just recently departed from the now defunct Thrash Metal act Smoking Valves), a bassist known only as Björn, and a drummer denominated as “Pit”. “Initial accomplices”, meaning changes were due in the line-up later on.
