CD

Fifteen years after its original release through Relapse, Hells Headbangers re-releases this beautiful full length on vinyl (double-LP available on black and silver / blue marble wax edition).

Jimi Jamison is without any doubt one of the best rock vocalist on this planet and does not need any further introduction ....unless you are from another planet.He was, along side with Sylvester Stallone (Rocky) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator) one of my first hero's. He certainly was my first rockhero...I must have played the "eye of the tiger" like a trillion times (I was a teenager in the 80's just discovering rock music) & I think I can still sing it word for word...but enough about the past..

No remorse and no regret is carved in the minds of all those taking part of the extreme metal ways of doom/sludge outfit North..

These guys have been around a really long time, and they play a style of classic/power metal that is pretty much what you'd expect.

It is no secret that Shai Hulud (the worms out of Dune’s novels) are one of US pioneer metalcore bands. Starting in 1995, there have been more than twenty musicians playing in this band, and apart from a longer break between, changing line-ups of the band have recorded albums every five years. Their current CD Reach Beyond the Sun shows Shai Hulud from a surprisingly strong side.

This is probably the longest living Sleaze/ Glam band from Greece to date, originally founded in Athens under the monicker of War Machine (taken from the song by the same title on the Creatures Of The Night album by Kiss) in 1999, albeit with a different musical direction.

My personal meaning about German Paganers Wolfchant is an ‘up-and-down’ opinion. Both first albums (Bloody Tales Of Disgraced Lands and A Pagan Storm, released in, respectively, 2005 and 2007, through CCP) were acceptable, yet nothing more. Then they signed to Massacre. 2009’s Determined Damnation for sure was their best effort to date, but Call Of The Black Winds (2011) was a disappointing step backwards.

Tellus Requiem comes from Norway, and with this ‘Invictus’, have released their second album so far. Their music is best described as progressive metal, with a prominent role for keyboards.  That does not imply however that the other musicians are no good, far from it.  Their music bristles with unexpected tempo changes, as well as stylistically changes, going from melodic to quite heavy, and even neo-classical.

If you like a good dose of melodic hard rock, than this band might just be the thing you’re looking for. Composed of well versed musicians like Mikael Erlandsson (Last Autumn’s Dream, Salute) on vocals and keyboards, Perra Johnsson (Coldspell) on drums, and Martin Kronlund (Phenomena, Salute, Gypsy Rose) on guitars, this is a promising new band from Sweden.

It’s been around 3 years since Helloween released a new album, but it has been worth the wait.  While their previous album ‘7 Sinners’ already was a fantastic album, this new one is a masterpiece.

This is their fourteenth studio album so far, and to say the truth they’ve sticked to the concept of their previous albums.  So expect no major experiments or the use of some unusual instrument.  But that does not alter the fact that this band is a well oiled combo.