Reviews
9.0
SELLSWORD...With Might and Vengeance
A towering hour of battle-ready power metal, packed with huge melodies, muscular riffs and enough character to justify every minute of its runtime.
5.0
HELLOWEENGiants & Monsters
Helloween's latest offering, 'Giants & Monsters', feels like a band caught between reverence for their past and the daunting task of forging something new.
7.0
PARADISE LOSTAscension
Paradise Lost's latest offering, 'Ascension', delivers a familiar blend of gothic grandeur and crushing doom, though its length proves a minor stumbling block.
8.0
BATTLE BEASTSteelbound
Steelbound delivers a predictably potent dose of power metal, though some familiar tropes threaten to blunt its considerable force.
10.0
HAMMER KINGMake Metal Royal Again
'Make Metal Royal Again' isn't just an album; it's a coronation. Hammer King have forged a monument to power metal, and it resonates with glorious force.
5.0
TAILGUNNERMidnight Blitz
A committed but ultimately unremarkable effort from Tailgunner, delivering flashes of promise without ever fully catching fire.
Visit Croatia
Croatia is the other side of the Adriatic Sea: a country that still has clear traces of a Roman and Venetian past, but has developed a strong identity culture, with its own traditions and artistic movements.
6.0
BLOODBOUNDField Of Swords
A valiant, if somewhat predictable, quest through power metal tropes – Bloodbound’s 'Field of Swords' delivers heroic bombast but lacks true innovatio
9.0
EVERGREYArchitects Of A New Weave
Evergrey return with a masterclass in progressive metal, weaving intricate melodies and crushing riffs into an unforgettable tapestry.
7.0
DYNAZTYGame of Faces
A valiant effort, but 'Game of Faces' feels like a band treading water rather than forging ahead.
4.0
AVANTASIAHere Be Dragons
A sprawling, theatrical odyssey, *Here Be Dragons* offers moments of genuine grandeur but ultimately feels like a retread of well-worn fantasy tropes.
7.0
THE HUHUN
A valiant, if somewhat predictable, second act for Mongolian folk metal titans The HU.
5.0
AT THE GATESThe Ghost of a Future Dead
The Gothenburg titans return, but 'The Ghost of a Future Dead' feels like a spectral echo of their former glory.
6.0
MORTEMMorketid
Mortem’s return is a murky affair, steeped in atmosphere but lacking the visceral punch of their prime.
8.0
MARCO GARAU'S MAGIC OPERAThe Final Flight
A soaring, bombastic journey through Italian power metal, 'The Final Flight' delivers a thrilling experience with moments of genuine brilliance.
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8.0
INTO DARKNESSRoute to the Outer Side
A patient, cosmic death-doom voyage that turns planetary distance into crushing atmosphere and disciplined tension.
8.0
MOONSPELLFar From God
Moonspell sharpen gothic grandeur into a focused, memorable record whose strongest songs balance menace, melody and dramatic restraint.
6.0
PSYCROPTICThe Pulse of Annihilation
Psycroptic remain technically formidable, but this compact set is strongest when precision creates momentum instead of merely displaying control.
7.0
SINSIDAll That Remains
Sinsid deliver traditional heavy metal with sturdy hooks and clear conviction, even when the songwriting leans heavily on inherited forms.
6.0
ARMORED SAINTEmotion Factory Reset
Emotion Factory Reset offers sturdy heavy-metal craft and strong vocal character, but too few songs create lasting urgency.
6.0
MOTIONLESS IN WHITEDecades
Decades balances gothic spectacle and polished metalcore with strong hooks, uneven pacing and occasional emotional weight.