Author: Antonio Díaz

{mosimage}The Swedish band is back with an excellent live DVD recorded in Warsaw, Poland.

The Swedish band is back with an excellent live DVD recorded in Warsaw, Poland.

After having released in 2007 the studio album Gothic Kabbalah, here comes one year later a superb live DVD recorded in Warsaw that will serve as a testimony of the end of an era in the band, because it was recently announced in their official website that the main members of the band were departing in different musical ways, staying the founder Christofer Johnson as the core to build up a new formation in the future. 

What you can find here is more than 2 hours of an excellent show that goes through the extensive career of the band. Lori Lewis and Katarina Lilja  put a note of glamour with the female voices and the band sounds consistent and having fun in front of quite a warm Polish audience. The stage is not very big, but on the other hand the close contact with the public is clearly perceived. As highlights we can comment the exotic drum solo with two other members of the band joining Petter Karlsson, and of course the final climax of the marvelous symphony To Mega Therion.

If you like symphonic metal, you can simply not miss this one in your collection. Apart from the DVD the concert has also been edited in a double CD version.

Rating 4/5.

{mosimage}Canadian indie pop band features their second studio album.

After the release Apologies to the Queen Mary, Wolf Parade gained quickly a place as a cult indie band. Now, with this second album, the Canadian trying to settle down into the international scene touring also around Europe.  

Founded by ex Frog Eyes member Spencer Krug, who enlisted promptly Dan Boeckner in the vocals, Wolf Parade offers a wonderful and sometimes psychedelically album with certain notes of melancholy spread here and there that surely with make it catch very well with the Finnish pop audience.

Good work with the sound manipulation by Hadji Bakara and songs sharply built like Call it a Ritual or Language City that make this new work a sure success when playing on stage either at festivals or smaller venues. Special mention to the nice artwork of the album that serves to pinpoint even more the oniric atmosphere of this At Mount Zoomer. Some moments in the album like while listening to Bang  your Drum can remind you of The Doors. Not a bad effort.  

Rating 3/5.

{mosimage}The former founder of bands like The Dictators or Manowar features a new album well into the roots of heavy metal.

Beloved by many Manowar fans around the world who would like to see him back with Dimaio and Cia, Ross the Boss has forged an outstanding career as heavy metal and punk rock musician during the last two decades, with many collaborations and new projects with new and old fellas. Now, in August 2008, it is about to see released his new album: New Metal Leader. With Patrick Fuchs doing a decent job in the vocals, the album will give you exactly what you expect, no more no less. This means Ross´cutting guitar riffs all over and a style resembling in many parts of the album the old classics of Manowar. As some of the favorite tracks in the album I would highlight Blood of Knives and the catchy I got the Right.  

The production is well made and taken care by Tarek Maghary and the album sounds consistent, clean and compact. But as usual the question arises: would not be better to hear Ross´efforts back with his Manowar fellas, instead of having an alternative project that sounds pseudo-Manowar? It is up to you to decide after listening to his new album.

Rating 3/5

{mosimage}The guys from Tampere have joined forces with Fullsteam Records to release their second studio album.

Fullsteam Records is well known in Finland for dominating the pop and indie scene with bands after bands that are achieving a kind of “Fullsteam sound”, maybe nothing seen in the country since the times of Love Records. So in a way it is refreshing that they turned their eyes into a project like Medeia, more oriented into a gloomy death metal scene.

Founded in 2002, Medeia as any other small band that tries to head out worked hard at the beginning self producing their first album. Now, with a strong record company backing them up, they are projecting to conquer the European market, and no doubt that this Cult is a good step. Just the artwork of the CD exhales quality, and when you start to listen to the album, you realize that it has a lot to offer far beyond a typical death metal sound. Listen to tracks like Manifestation or The Lowest Filth and you can see how the lyrics are carefully mastered and the touch of experimentation puts the band aside from the risk of resulting boring or repetitive. Even when death metal Is not my favorite style, I must admit I am gladly please with Cult. We wish all the best for the Tampere fellas!

Rating 4/5.

 {mosimage}Here comes the premier album by the French-Finnish band led by the sensual voice of Olivia Merilahti. 

Olivia Merilahti and Dan Levy are the leaders of this new band that in a short time is getting popular all around Europe. If you want to see them on live this summer, they are a perfect excuse to travel to France and enjoy some sun and good wine there. The Do offer a sensual and evolving pop, and certainly the voice and presence of Olivia makes the band stand up from others.

What you will find here are easy listening songs about love, unconformity, and relations all wrapped with a thin lay of sadness. Listen to some highlights like Playground Hustle, Song for Lovers or On my Shoulders. An album easy to feel identify with, specially if you belong to the increasing group of middle age people whose dreams start to vanish into the harsh reality of the world. The band offers a good mouthful of good music; Recommendable!  

Rating 4/5.

{mosimage}The first concept album by English metal gods Judas Priest is based on the peculiar character of Nostradamus.

The album takes a look at the life and the prophecies of the French Michel de Nostradame, better known as Nostradamus; a new and in a certain way risky step in the career if the legendary metal band, but was it needed? The album is featured in a double CD with almost 2 hours of duration, and well, maybe it can be a bit difficult to swallow the first times you listen to it. Halford´s voice masters the lyrics, and the band has been able to melt more orchestrated sounds and colorful intros with the classic Judas sound.

But well, maybe the extravagance can be a bit too hard to listen for not open minded fans. Nostradamus includes 23 tracks that fuss theatrical parts with other riffs 100% classic. It is praising that a band like Judas Priest still had time to experiment, but at the same time, the album can end up being a bit boring. Mention apart for the great artwork done by Mak Wilkinson, which makes by itself the CD worthy to pursue. If you approach this album without prejudices, it can certainly entertain you: if not, maybe you will prefer to stick back to their old stuff.

Rating 3/5.

{mosimage}Stay Heavy Records have signed one of the most exotic bands to step into Finnish festivals last months: the Indonesian Noxa.

Noxa became known for some heavy metal Finnish bands after having the chance to play in last Tuska festival in Helsinki, as well as having other gig scheduled in Tampere. The story of the band is peculiar, since they were discovered in a previous edition of Tuska festival when they travelled all way from Indonesia just to assist to what they considered as the best metal festival in the world. No doubt that the chance to be a part of the fun and perform on stage must have been a milestone in the lives of these Indonesian.  

What you have here is their second album, and what we can say about it… if you see the tracklist you will be impressed cause it comprises no less than 31 tracks + 4 videos! A collection of fast and furious grindcore songs that last no more than 2 minutes. Listen to Brutally Murder or Sinetron Sucks and you will have an idea what to expect. Noxa just like to shoot straight to your brains killing riffs and brutal sounds. A good effort by the Asian fellows, and certainly an exotic note to include in your collection if you like grindcore.

Rating 3/5.

 {mosimage}From the very depths of hell Venom is back with a new album! 

Venom set a precedent in dark metal scene with their first two studio albums. Years later and after many changes in its formation, they are back on the track with the unmistakable voice of their singer Cronos, mastering the album from the initial track Straight to Hell and shouting like the devil itself in the fifth track Hell.  

Good drums work all around the album by Antony Lant like in The Power and the Glory or Hand of God, but sometimes the guitar riffs do not sound as brilliant as they should.

Die hard fans will be certainly pleased with Hell, although not the best album from Venom, a good effort. For others not so familiar with the band this will be simply a good album to add to their collection and a splendid way to discover and review older material from the Englishmen.  

Rating 3/5.

 {mosimage}Mick Box and company pull out a new studio album with an excellent CD artwork. 

One of the reference bands when talking about rock, prog and metal, Uriah Heep, is back with another studio album after one decade.

A rotund start with the heavy first track Wake the Sleeper that sounds powerful and sharp gets mixed with some other songs more in line with the classic sound of the band during the 70s, like Angles Walk Within or War Child, showing once more that Trevor, their bass player, has great songwriting skills, while Bernie´s vocals are standing out all over the album. And added to all this Ioannis ´artwork for the CD is classy and splendid.  

In summary, an album that ranks high in the long Uriah Heep´s career. Surely new and old fans will be pleased with the comeback.

Rating 4/5.

{mosimage}From Sweden comes one of the last sensations in experimental rock and black metal.

If you like dark sounds and experimental music, you are going to be happy with this new release of Cult of Luna. Their new work is just much more than a collection of songs, but a conceptual album with a very interesting background story: As Johannes Persson explains himself; the idea comes while they were rehearsing in an old mental institution and got in contact with a little book from and old patient called Holger Nilsson, sentenced for his wife´s murdered.

So here you find a personal representation of Nilsson´s paranoia in the hands of these talented Swedish musicians. Listen to tracks like Owlwood, The Great Migration or Following Betulas and get knocked by their power; although raw, their lyrics are pretty listenable, so Cult of Luna is definitely a band that can reach quite a wide range of potential followers.

Although I must confess I prefer usually more classic metal stuff, this Eternal Kingdom is a good album and Cult of Luna an interesting band that will surely add a lot of good things to the genre.

Rating 3/5

{mosimage}Lovers of traveling and enjoying new cultures must be happy with the series of music rough guides, centered this one in Japan.

Japan: an amazing country that combines history with modernity. But also the cradle for a huge and often unknown music scene. Trying to shine a light and spreading some more knowledge of Japanese music, The Rough Guide has edited this year their musical guide to Japan. Far from genres like pop, rock or no theater, the 18 tracks that combine the album are predominantly focused on a pseudo-folk style. I could highlight as some of my favorite tracks Subayado Bushi by Nami Makiota or East of Kunashiri by OKI Dub Ainu Band.

The eclecticism of the album is good and bad at the same time, because you can pass instantly from listening to the saddest of the melodies to a new one full of joy. As in every compilation where many different bands are gathered, this probably will disappoint those of you who already have some knowledge about Japanese music and want to go deeper, but it will be an excellent first contact for the other many (me included) who still have to learn a lot about the fascinating Japanese music scene.

Rating 3/5 

{mosimage}The legendary Christian death metal band from Jyväskylä is back on the road with new album and new European Tour.

Formed in 1993, the guys of Deuteronomium have been around for quite a long time. After having a split of 6 years from 2000 to 2006, now they strike back after signing a new contract with Bullroser Records and feature this From the Midst of The Battle.

What you are going to find here are cutting riffs, a powerful work in the drums pushing the lyrics sang raw by Miika Partala, and in general good doses of old death metal for nostalgic and newcomers equally. Try to listen to the introductory Fields of War or to Defending the Faith (in the most pure Catholic death metal style).

Well, I was never a fan of mixing religion and metal music, but if the mix floats your boat, surely you will definitely enjoy with the comeback of this veteran band. And if you want to see them on live in Finland, you will have a chance soon because they will be playing the 23 of August in Tampere.

Rating 3/5