Tag Archives: melodic metal

Album Review – Hellfox / The Spectrum of Human Gravity (2025)

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These four-piece melodeath outfit from Italy is back with their sophomore album, a conceptual journey into the depths of the human psyche, exploring difficult yet universal emotions such as loneliness, self-doubt, and alienation.

Combining heavy and melodic Death Metal foundations with modern textures and acidic synths, Bergamo, Italy-based all-female Gothic/Melodic Death Metal outfit Hellfox is unleashing their sophomore opus, beautifully entitled The Spectrum of Human Gravity, following up on their 2022 debut The Call. Recorded by Alessio Lucatti at Eden Studio, mixed and Mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, and showcasing a very stylish cover art by Eva Marabotti, the new album by Greta Hammonia Antico on vocals, Gloria Naflekt Kaps on the guitars, Priscilla Poe Foresti on bass and vocals, and Federica Fedi Piscopo on drums is a conceptual journey into the depths of the human psyche, exploring difficult yet universal emotions such as loneliness, self-doubt, and alienation through allegorical storytelling and striking visual metaphors, with each song giving voice to a different “face of the self,” capturing the chaos and coherence that define our inner worlds.

Acoustic, serene guitar lines permeate the air in Nautilus before we’re treated to the epic feast titled Seaweed Braids, where their clash of harsh growls and clean vocals works well amidst a Doom Metal-infused sonority; and the metallic bass by Priscilla ignites the also melodic Empty, gradually joined by the pounding drums by Federica and the sharp guitars by Gloria, presenting a good dosage of Alternative Metal added to its core. Water On The Ceiling also presents a spot-on fusion of Gothic and Melodic Metal led by the classic beats by Federica while Priscilla keeps roaring like a she-demon in contrast with the angelic vocals by Greta, whereas Greta keeps embellishing the airwaves with her charming vocals in Pareidolia while Gloria extracts sheer heaviness from her dark riffage.

Then what seems to be a heavy ballad quickly explodes into a feast of Melodic and Alternative Metal titled Atlas, offering more of the band’s trademark paradox of darkness and light represented by the respective vocals by Priscilla and Greta, followed by Six Times Lighter, another song with strong and rumbling bass lines by Priscilla, accompanied by the hammering beats by Federica while at the same time sounding gentle and whimsical. A very modern start ignites the absolutely headbanging The Centipede, where the stringed axes by Gloria and Priscilla will make your head tremble, followed by The Warrior, The Child, The Healer, most definitely the song with the coolest or most poetic name, kicking off with the harmonious riffs by Gloria and being quickly joined by the penetrating vocals by Greta. And lastly, the quartet brings forward the embracing Voices, a decent outro with cinematic vocalizations, but that’s it.

In a nutshell, the music found in The Spectrum of Human Gravity thrives on contrast, with their dual melodic and growled female vocals, distorted layers, and atmospheric electronics merging into an emotional and immersive sound, with influences ranging from Amorphis and In Flames to Dark Tranquillity, embracing vulnerability, rage, beauty, and discomfort in equal measure. If you want to experience all that contrast proposed by the girls from Hellfox, you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, including their tour dates (currently mainly in Italy, but I’m sure we’ll soon see them spread their wings over other parts of Europe and of the entire world), stream their music on Spotify or on any other streaming service, and of course purchase a copy of their excellent new album from the Rockshots Records webstore. You can also click HERE for all things Hellfox, letting the melodious yet visceral sonic duality from their new album reach deep inside your heart and soul and, consequently, firing them up for more first-class albums in a not-so-distant future.

Best moments of the album: Water On The Ceiling, Atlas and The Warrior, The Child, The Healer.

Worst moments of the album: Voices.

Released in 2025 Rockshots Records

Track listing
1. Nautilus – Seaweed Braids 4:33
2. Empty 3:44
3. Water On The Ceiling 3:50
4. Pareidolia 4:41
5. Atlas 3:53
6. Six Times Lighter 4:13
7. The Centipede 4:19
8. The Warrior, The Child, The Healer 4:34
9. Voices 1:19

Band members
Greta Hammonia Antico – clean vocals
Gloria Naflekt Kaps – guitars
Priscilla Poe Foresti – bass, harsh vocals
Federica Fedi Piscopo – drums

Concert Review – Visions of Atlantis (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 04/09/2025)

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Sailors, comrades and buccaneers from every nook and cranny of Toronto gathered this Wednesday night for an electrifying feast of first-class Melodic and Symphonic Power Metal.

OPENING ACT: Seraina Telli

Sailors, comrades and buccaneers from every nook and cranny of Toronto gathered at the always cozy Lee’s Palace this Wednesday night for a cinematic, thrilling feast of Melodic and Symphonic Metal, plus some colorful and vibrant Hard Rock, courtesy of VISIONS OF ATLANTIS with special guest SERAINA TELLI during their Armada Over North America Tour 2025, brought to the city by the iconic Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such a unique experience in the city, and I must say that from all Symphonic Metal bands out there these days, Visions of Atlantis are by far the most entertaining one, and the one I can listen to on a regular basis without getting bored at all. Quite the contrary, right after the show I kept listening to their music instead of switching to something else, just to give you an idea of how exciting the whole night was.

But before those Austrian pirates (seasoned with French and Italian elements) hit the stage, we were treated to the electrifying Hard Rock by Switzerland’s own SERAINA TELLI, a pleasant surprise as I’ve been following her work since she was part of Burning Witches, but I honestly had zero hope of seeing her live with her solo career in Canada. Well, it was amazing watching Seraina on the stage at Lee’s Palace, as she simply kicked ass with her beyond powerful and beautiful voice, colorful looks (which matched perfectly with her 2023 debut solo album Addicted to Color, available on Spotify), and rockin’ moves, and the crowd loved every single moment of her show. Not even the fact the bass lines were pre-recorded took away the energy of her show, with songs like Addicted to Color and Wish You Well masterfully depicting her passion for Rock N’ Roll. There was a funny moment when during one of her interactions with the crowd she asked us to sing with her some sort of “oooh-oh-oh-oh!”, and one guy screamed “what does that mean?” Seraina laughed out loud as she was caught by surprise, sayinbg no one had ever asked her that before, and that moment made the whole show even more intimate and relaxed. Hopefully we’ll see her again soon in Toronto, because at the same time she’s addicted to color, Toronto is just starting to get addicted to her music.

Setlist
Addicted to Color
Wish You Well
I’m Not Sorry
Take Care
I Dare to
Think!
All Your Tears
If No One Else Had Ever Been There Before
Modern Warrior

Band members
Seraina Telli – vocals, guitar
Mike Malloth – drums

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS

It was 9pm sharp when the Austrian pirate ship of Melodic/Symphonic Power Metal buccaneers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS docked in the “port” of Lee’s Palace for one of the most entertaining shows of the year, making everyone at the venue raise their fists, jump up and down, dance, headbang, and even row on the floor, thanks to their awesome pirate gimmick (or maybe they’re real pirates, who knows). Their latest albums Pirates (2022) and Pirates II – Armada (2024) resulted in an amazing live album titled Armada (Live Over Europe) (2025), available on Spotify, and that was basically their setlist for the night. I had no idea how they would behave during their first-ever headlining tour in Canada and in the US, after having a few opening slots like when they opened for Korpiklaani in 2024, but Visions of Atlantis were incredible from start to finish and, therefore, deserve a bigger venue when they get back to the city (as much as I love Lee’s Palace).

Songs like Monsters, Heroes of the Dawn, Where the Sky and Ocean Blend, Clocks, Tonight I’m Alive, Hellfire, and so on (and holy shit, they definitely know how to craft catchy tunes!) sounded thrilling live thanks to the perfect synchronicity between their pirate frontman Michele Guaitoli and their stunning siren Clémentine Delauney, plus their heavy artillery brought forth by Christian Douscha, Herbert Glos, and Thomas Caser. Michele and Clémentine are by far one of the best, most talented and most charismatic vocal duos in heavy music, maybe only losing to Helloween’s iconic vocalists Michael Kiske and Andi Deris (just to give you an idea of how good Michele and Clémentine are), and their clash of vocal styles kept the energy flowing majestically during their entire show. Michele brings power and fun to the stage with his crazy pirate character, while Clémentine is simply hypnotizing, driving the crowd crazy and putting huge smiles on everyone’s faces.

The last part of the show was a very entertaining and demanding one, starting with the pirate ship rowing during Pirates Will Return, the unstoppable jumping during the “jump jump” song Melancholy Angel, and of course the screaming of “HAIL JOLLY ROGER!” and “ARMADA!” during their now all-time hit Armada. I was even tired after the show was over, but a good type of exhaustion, I mean, when you’re tired but very satisfied and happy, got it? And if you ask me, not only they need to return to Toronto sooner than you can say “ARMADA!” with an even bigger headlining show, but they also deserve a spot opening for bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Helloween anywhere in the world. Visions of Atlantis are absolutely awesome, and if you don’t like them, it’s time for you to walk the plank.

Setlist
To Those Who Choose to Fight
The Land of the Free
Monsters
Heroes of the Dawn
Where the Sky and Ocean Blend
Clocks
Legion of the Seas
Tonight I’m Alive
Collide
Hellfire
The Dead of the Sea
Underwater
Magic of the Night
Pirates Will Return
Melancholy Angel

Encore:
Master the Hurricane
Armada

Band members
Clémentine Delauney – female vocals
Michele Guaitoli – male vocals
Christian Douscha – guitars
Herbert Glos – bass
Thomas Caser – drums

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Concert Review – Delain (The Axis Club, Toronto, ON, 03/20/2025)

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Three of the best bands of the current Symphonic Rock and Metal scene worldwide beautifully warmed up the city of Toronto on a cold but fun night of first-class music.

OPENING ACTS: Edge of Paradise and Xandria

Despite the cold rain that fell over Toronto during most of the day this Thursday (after a warm and sunny Wednesday, by the way), the turnout at The Axis Club to see EDGE OF PARADISE, XANDRIA and DELAIN during their North American Tour 2025, another excellent event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, was amazing, with over 3/4 of the venue taken by metalheads eager for some Symphonic and Melodic Metal, plus of course some of the city’s best metal photographers like Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi. Not only that, now that pretty much all the snow has already melted, the time needed to get in and out of the city, as well as to find a parking spot, has improved considerably, allowing fans to get to the venue in time for all attractions. Doors opening at 6:30pm and the first show starting only at 7:15pm also helped a lot, giving people time to grab some merch and drinks before the shows started.

The first band to hit the stage was Los Angeles, California’s own Hard rock band EDGE OF PARADISE, spearheaded by the beyond stunning frontwoman Margarita Monet. They sounded absolutely amazing live, driving the energy level up and properly prepping all fans for the upcoming attractions. Having just released their sixth album Prophecy, the band played a few new songs as part of their setlist, including Prophecy Unbound, Death Note and Falling Light, and the crowd’s response to their new songs couldn’t have been better. This was not the first time the band played in Toronto, and definitely not the last, as I’m sure Maragarita and the boys will return to the city with their Rock N’ Roll attitude sooner than later, and who knows, maybe next time as headliners of their own tour.

Setlist
Prophecy Unbound
The Other Side of Fear
Hologram
Death Note
Falling Light
Give it to Me (Mind Assassin)
The Unknown

Band members
Margarita Monet – vocals
Dave Bates – lead guitar
David Ruiz – rhythm guitar
Kenny Lockwood – bass
Jamie Moreno – drums

From all three bands playing Thursday night, Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany-based Symphonic Metal act XANDRIA is by far my favorite one, in special after the Greek goddess Ambre Vourvahis joined the band back in 2022, with their 2023 album The Wonders Still Awaiting and their 2024 EP Universal Tales being used as the base for their setlist. Songs like You Will Never Be Our God, Reborn and Universal sounded powerful onstage, plus of course the fan-favorite closing song Nightfall, proving they’re more than ready for a headlining spot in Toronto in the near future. As mentioned a few times in other reviews for Xandria, the band’s founder Marco Heubaum nailed it with their new lineup, with Ambre of course being the icing on the cake in their recent “rebirth”, and that translates into sheer admiration, screams and horns high in the air every time they hit the stages of Toronto. The volume of the vocals during the entire night for all three bands, not only for Xandria, was a hit and miss mainly due to their high range, but nothing that would make any of the shows less enjoyable, and of course Ambre killed it as usual for our total delight.

Setlist
You Will Never Be Our God
Reborn
Universal
200 Years
Two Worlds
Live the Tale
Nightfall

Band members
Ambre Vourvahis – vocals
Marco Heubaum – guitars, keyboards, programming, backing vocals
Rob Klawonn – guitars
Tim Schwarz – bass
Dimitrio Gatsios – drums

DELAIN

Diana Leah had big shoes to fill back in 2022 as the replacement of the iconic vocalist Charlotte Wessels for Dutch Symphonic Metal/Rock band DELAIN, but after seeing her live this Thursday in Toronto I must say the Romanian kicks some serious ass and the band was spot-on in choosing her as their new frontwoman. The drumming by Sander Zoer and the grinding riffs and solos by Ronald Landa also sounded fantastic during the entire night, while Diana sounded superb on both new songs like The Reaping and Dance With the Devil, from their new EP Dance With the Devil, and old songs such as April Rain, Not Enough and We Are the Others. The lighting was also on point the entire night for all bands, and in the case of Delain that only made their show even more special for their fans. Just like what happened with Edge of Paradise and Xandria, I’m beyond certain we’ll see Delain again in Canadian lands sooner than later based on the smiles on their own faces and on the faces of all fans at the venue, proving Symphonic Metal indeed has its place in the heart of Torontonian metalheads.

Setlist
The Cold
Suckerpunch
The Reaping
Dance With the Devil
Burning Bridges
Creatures
Sleepwalkers Dream
Stardust
Get the Devil Out of Me
Your Body Is a Battleground
Queen of Shadow
The Gathering
Don’t Let Go
Moth to a Flame
April Rain
Not Enough
We Are the Others

Band members
Diana Leah – lead vocals
Ronald Landa – guitars, harsh vocals
Ludovico Cioffi – bass, harsh vocals
Martijn Westerholt – keyboards, orchestrations
Sander Zoer – drums

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Album Review – Ewiniar / Another World (2023)

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Croatia’s own Melodic and Gothic Rock and Metal real-life couple will take you on a new distinctive sonic journey to the sound of their exciting sophomore album.

Two years after the release of their debut album Burning the Night, Split, Croatia-based Melodic/Gothic Rock/Metal duo Ewiniar is back with their sophomore effort, titled Another World, representing their commitment to reinforcing the band’s standing as a noteworthy musical entity. Produced by the band’s own Marin Tramontana, and mixed and mastered by Theodor Borovski at Slaughtered Studio, the album once again depicts the perfect synchronicity between the real-life couple formed of Katarina Tramontana on vocals and the aforementioned Marin Tramontana on the guitars, bass and keyboards, this time supported by session drummer Hugo Ribeiro, offering audiences another distinctive sonic journey recommended for fans of the most melodic and delicate side of heavy music.

As atmospheric as it can be, the duo invites us all on a whimsical voyage in the opening tune Shattered Illusion, with Katarina already showcasing her vocal potency accompanied by the classy riffs and keys by Marin, whereas Your Name is a Melodic Rock and Metal creation bringing to our ears more of the couple’s charming, captivating sounds, even presenting hints of the music played by HIM and Lord of the Lost, with guest Hugo sounding precise on drums as usual. Marin’s bass lines bring an extra touch of groove to Cyanide, flirting with Alternative Metal, and that fusion of sounds ends up working really well, consequently boosting Katarina’s vocals considerably; followed by Sister Moon, keeping the ambience dark and delicate, with Martin and Hugo’s groovy kitchen reverberating in the air. And once again venturing through the realms of Gothic Rock and Metal, Katarina will mesmerize us all with her vocals in Mistaken, supported by the stylish keys by Marin.

It’s then time to slow things down and invest in a more pensive, melancholic sound in the serene ballad Indifference Begins, with Marin once again extracting delicate yet piercing sounds form his guitar, accompanied by the slow and steady beats by Hugo. Only Darkness Remains is another Gothic Metal extravaganza by such talented couple, presenting minimalist guitar lines, classic beats and the trademark charming vocals by Katarina, followed by Never Again, a thrilling song with an 80’s vibe, in special in its riffs and bass lines, that should sound amazing if played live one day. Needless to say, Katarina steals the spotlight on vocals once again. Then their second to last blast of finesse and dark sounds, titled Shadows Still Align, brings forward more of their 80’s and 90’s-inspired Melodic Death and Gothic Metal the likes of Dark The Suns, Insomnium and Aeonian Sorrow, with Hugo dictating the pace behind his drums; and there’s no better way to end the album than with another power ballad by Katarina and Marin, entitled Watching the Night Go By, exhaling passion, darkness and melancholy to the stunning vocals by Katarina and the Paradise Lost-fueled riffs by Marin.

In summary, Katarina and Marin nailed it once again with Another World (which is by the way available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify), moving forward in their career and showcasing an evolution in their sound while of course still being loyal to their musical roots presented in their debut album. Hence, don’t forget to give the duo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram to let them know how much you enjoy their music, and obviously to grab a copy of Another World from their own BandCamp page, inspiring them to keep embellishing the airwaves and to keep guiding us to different worlds to the sound of their melodious and delicate music.

Best moments of the album: Your Name, Cyanide and Never Again.

Worst moments of the album: Mistaken.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Shattered Illusion 3:29
2. Your Name 3:34
3. Cyanide 3:52
4. Sister Moon 4:14
5. Mistaken 3:44
6. Indifference Begins 4:37
7. Only Darkness Remains 4:35
8. Never Again 3:55
9. Shadows Still Align 4:10
10. Watching the Night Go By 3:56

Band members
Katarina Tramontana – vocals
Marin Tramontana – guitars, bass, keyboards

Guest musician
Hugo Ribeiro – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Anni Kokkonen

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Your love is poison… Running through my veins!

As it’s getting colder and colder in the Northern Hemisphere, we needed a metal lady for the month of December who’s not only used to this chilly, frosty weather, but who can also warm up our hearts with her undisputed talent, charisma and passion for heavy music. Hailing from the beautiful land of ice and snow, commonly referred to as Finland, she’s the lead singer for Symphonic/Melodic Power Metal band Nevicate, and for Symphonic/Melodic Groove Metal band Stormbreaker, as well as a lyricist and a pianist, always putting a huge smile on our faces and inspiring us to raise our horns with her powerful voice and whimsical keys. If you have no idea who Anni Kokkonen is, get ready to be stunned by one of the must-see names of the current underground scene in Finland, taking you on a wild journey through the realms of Melodic Metal in her homeland.

Anni started her career in music as the vocalist for Joensuu, Finland-based Symphonic/Melodic Power Metal outfit Nevicate (which by the way means “snowfall” in Italian) back in 2014, when the band was actually formed. Sometimes labeled as a band that plays “Pop Metal”, the music by Nevicate projects a great deal of musical features including modern EDM, classically orchestrated “drama-music” and dark, mystical Nordic atmospheres, or in other words, it’s a mixture of symphonic tones, pop vibes and electronic elements, with all lyrics revolving around psychological themes, dealing with the fragile human mind and wounds caused by adversity, resulting in a blend of feminine power, masculine headbanging and melancholic moodiness. So far, the band formed of our diva Anni Kokkonen on vocals, Lassi Porali on the guitars and backing vocals, Lumi Ollila on keyboards and backing vocals, Oskari Hevonkoski on bass and Toni Manninen on drums released their self-titled debut demo in 2016, followed by the singles Shattered, in 2017, The Surface, in 2019, and Dewdrops, in 2021, with Anni being responsible for the vocals and lyrics in all of them.

The band began to gain more ground in 2015 after participating and getting more encouragement in a project called Rock Academy in Joensuu, during which the band developed their own personal sound that reaches both catchy and heavy spheres. Having a strong musical background which can be heard from their meandering song arrangements and rigorous co-playing, all band members exploit both their steady musical knowledge and the emotion and interpretation entailed by years of playing experience. If you want to explore in more detail the mystical world ruled by Nevicate, you can find them on Facebook, Instagram, BandCamp, Spotify, and YouTube, where by the way you can watch their videos for the songs Dewdrops, The Surface, and Shattered, as well as other nice videos of making of’s and playthroughs. No idea at all if the band is on hold, if they called it quits, or if they’re just taking their time before their next release, but one thing is certain, and that is we need more of the music by Nevicate.

We can all say that right now Anni is fully focused on her Symphonic/Melodic Groove Metal band Stormbreaker, playing melodic but deliciously aggressive metal music. Founded in 2021 in Joensuu, the band currently comprised of Anni alongside veteran musician Petri Tarvainen on vocals, Jaakko Kauppinen and Tomi Virtanen on the guitars, Tatu Heikkinen on bass and Sami Ratilainen on drums was originally formed as a solo project of Petri Tarvainen, employing a host of familiar traits including a dynamic male and female vocal approach, stunning musicianship, and classic arrangements, being therefore recommended for fans of Arch Enemy, Beast In Black and Nightwish, among others. Earlier this year the band released their debut effort, a four-track EP overflowing adrenaline, harmony and rage entitled Vengeance, available for a full listen on YouTube, Spotify, BandCamp, Tidal and Apple Music, or click HERE for all things Stormbreaker.

Apart form her amazing work with Nevicate and Stormbreaker, we can also enjoy Anni and her hypnotizing vocals as a guest backing vocalist in the 2022 six-track EP Age of Mist, by Joensuu-based Melodic Death Metal band Cerebral Mist. The band is currently inactive due to the death of founding member Antti Parviainen in February 2018, with Age of Mist being finished posthumously by the remaining members of the band four years later to honour him and his work. Hence, you can enjoy the music by Cerebral Mist and celebrate the life of the deceased Antti Parviainen by listening to the EP in its entirety on BandCamp, on Spotify, or on YouTube. Furthermore, you can also enjoy Anni’s powerful vocals as a guest in the single Singularity (available on BandCamp, on Spotify, on YouTube, and on other streaming services), released in 2019 by Finnish Melodic Death Metal act Decrowned.

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Not only a fantastic vocalist, Anni is also a skillful pianist who does improvisations and covers on her Instagram profile @piano_b_onfire, and as Anni states in the profile herself, she plays the piano “just for fun”. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure the fact Anni can play the piano so well is extremely helpful for her when it comes to writing music for any of her bands, and speaking about her influences, she mentioned her own feelings as one of the driving forces in her writing process. “Usually, my current life situation gets me to write down my feelings which gradually develop into a lyric form. Also, whenever I’m touched by some other things that can make me put my thoughts on paper,” commented our Melodic Death Metal diva.

It’s also important to mention how dynamic the duo of Anni and Petri is for Stormbreaker, with Anni not only doing the clean parts in paradox to Petri’s harsh growls, but also showcasing her more venomous side and doing some screams as well, again proving how versatile her vocals can be. Her vocals will remind you of a young Doro Pesch at times, ad also of the iconic Kimberly Goss (of bands like Sinergy and Avernus), and all that range and versatility can be appreciated in all of its glory when Anni hits the stage, as she truly loves to perform live. “Live performances are one of the most important things to us. They tell the listeners what the band is truly about and can easily reach new fans at the same time. And to me being on stage is the best part of doing music,” she commented.

Anni doesn’t only love to be on stage and bring her music to life in front of an audience, but she also believes music videos are another crucial part of any band. “Music videos are a great way to promote bands in order to get gigs, and making them can give new exciting experiences which is always great and motivational,” she said, and we must all agree it’s always great to see a charismatic performer like her on screen, right? And lastly, when asked in one of her interviews if she prefers physical copies like CD’s, LP’s and cassettes, or if she’s a fan of digital downloads, she actually answered both are necessary in our world today. “Both have their pros and cons. Digital downloads are easy to share and spread all over the world but of course it’s a different matter to put an actual CD on a shelf. That’s why we like to make physical copies as well so we can really feel our accomplishment in our own hands.” Hence, what are you waiting for to buy the music by Anni’s amazing bands in digital or physical format, or even both? I’m sure she’ll be more than happy with that, inspiring her to keep creating thrilling and beautiful music, always embellishing the airwaves of her homeland Finland and anywhere else where good music is appreciated with her striking voice.

Anni Kokkonen’s Official Instagram
Anni Kokkonen (piano)’s Official Instagram
Stormbreaker’s Official Facebook page
Stormbreaker’s Official Instagram
Stormbreaker’s Official YouTube channel
Nevicate’s Official Facebook page
Nevicate’s Official Instagram
Nevicate’s Official YouTube channel

“Live performances are one of the most important things to us. They tell the listeners what the band is truly about and can easily reach new fans at the same time. And to me being on stage is the best part of doing music.” – Anni Kokkonen

Album Review – Speed Limit / Cut a Long Story Short (2023)

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These Salzburg, Austria-based veterans are ready to rock your world with their new album, easily switching between Hard Rock, Melodic Metal, classic Heavy Metal and NWOBHM.

Easily switches between Hard Rock, Melodic Metal and classic Heavy Metal, involving bits and pieces of the so-called New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and using a notebook full of exciting topics and fateful memories, Cut a Long Story Short, the sixth studio album by Salzburg, Austria-based Heavy Metal veterans Speed Limit, can be considered a journey through the entire career of a band that started back in the distant year of 1984 and is still going strong after so many decades on the road. Currently comprised of Hannes Vordermeyer on vocals and drums, Joe Eder and Chris Angerer on the guitars, and Chris Pawlak on bass, those Austrian metallers offer a powerful fusion of styles in Cut a Long Story Short, putting a smile on the faces of anyone who lived the golden years of heavy music during the 80’s, or who at least nurtures a deep passion for such important period in history.

The guitars by Joe and Chris Angerer rev up the band’s rockin’ engines in Shine Brighter than the Sun, before Hannes comes ripping with his classic vocals and rhythmic beats in a solid fusion of old school and modern-day Hard Rock; then bringing elements from Melodic Metal and AOR, New Horizon is another horn-raising rock tune by the quartet spearheaded by Hannes’ soaring vocals supported by his bandmates’ spot-on backing vocals. The quartet keeps distilling their 80’s-inspired hybrid of Melodic Metal and Hard Rock in Eye on You, where once again Joe and Chris Angerer do a great job on the guitars, followed by The Lady Is on Fire, highly inspired by the music by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon (plus a 70’s touch, and with their own Austrian rock twist), and the final result is a thrilling composition perfect for their live performances. And more of their melodious but always piercing sounds are brought to our ears in Notorious, with Hannes’ beats being nicely complemented by Chris Pawlak’s rumbling bass.

Destiny’s Calling is another NWOBHM-inspired song presenting the trademark riffage by the band’s guitar duo, sounding very pleasant form start to finish, whereas The Wind Blew in a Memory is too long and too mellow, with the band derailing a little bit from their more visceral Hard Rock, being therefore not as exciting as the other songs from the album. Then back to their more electrifying mode the band blasts our minds with the rockin’ tune Hit the Wall, with Hannes taking the lead with both his soaring vocals and pounding drums, not to mention the striking solos by the band’s axe duo. Furthermore, the album comes with a bunch of awesome bonus tracks, those being Sweet Morphine and Retired Hero, both from the 2017 album Anywhere We Dare and recorded live at Seeham in 2021; a 2020 studio outtake of Ways & Means; and a re-recorded version of Head Over Heels, from the 1992 album Perfect Inspiration, with all songs sounding extremely entertaining and melodic.

The guys from Speed Limit are ready to take you on a rock and metal trip way above the speed limit (pun intended) to the sound of Cut a Long Story Short, and in order to show them all your support simply click HERE to purchase your favorite version of the album, and don’t forget to also follow them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates, and other nice-to-know details about those Austrian veterans. Hannes Vordermeyer, Joe Eder, Chris Angerer and Chris Pawlak are more than ready to rock your world with their newborn opus, and if you consider yourself a true metalhead, simply raise your horns, bang your head nonstop and sing the rockin’ anthems found in Cut a Long Story Short like there’s no tomorrow, fully enjoying such thrilling album by one of the most important names of the Austrian scene.

Best moments of the album: New Horizon, The Lady Is on Fire and Hit the Wall.

Worst moments of the album: The Wind Blew in a Memory.

Released in 2023 NRT-Records

Track listing
1. Shine Brighter than the Sun 4:06
2. New Horizon 5:52
3. Eye on You 4:57
4. The Lady Is on Fire 4:37
5. Notorious 5:19
6. Destiny’s Calling 5:03
7. The Wind Blew in a Memory 7:34
8. Hit the Wall 4:37

Bonus tracks
9. Sweet Morphine (Live at Seeham 2021) 5:16
10. Retired Hero (Live at Seeham 2021) 5:48
11. Ways & Means (Studio Outtake 2020) 6:15
12. Head Over Heels (2023 Edit) 3:42

Band members
Hannes Vordermeyer – lead vocals, drums
Joe Eder – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Chris Angerer – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Chris Pawlak – bass, backing vocals

Album Review – Category VI / Firecry (2023)

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A classic 80’s metal combustion of bold and true female-fronted anthemic Power Metal masterfully brought into being by one of the most promising names hailing from Atlantic Canada.

Hailing from the misty shores of Avalon, also known as St John’s, the capital of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Heavy/Power Metal unity Category VI formed in early 2010 bringing something new to their local metal scene as they are not only the only band from the city that plays Melodic Metal, but also the only active female-fronted Melodic Metal band in their hometown. Now in 2023 the band comprised of Amanda Gosse on vocals, Geoff Waye on the guitars, Keith Jackman on bass, and Patrick Tarrant on drums returns with a full blazing firestorm with their third album and most accomplished release to date, entitled Firecry, offering us all a classic 80’s metal combustion of bold and true female-fronted anthemic Canadian Power Metal. Featuring a fiery cover art by Serbian artist Ivan Radnić (Enchanted Sword, Fractures in the Sky), Firecry is mandatory for fans of Chastain, Warlock, HellionSentinel Beast and Fear of God, among others, a global scale climate-changing metal cyclone that just may melt the North American frozen tundra with its blazing sound.

The quartet wastes no time and kick off their metallic feast with the title-track Firecry, with Amanda already showcasing all her vocal potency supported by the thunderous bass lines by Keith in a lesson in modern-day Power Metal; whereas darker and more introspective than the opening tune, the somber Valkyrie brings forward piercing riffs by Geoff while Patrick hammers his drums in the best Manowar style. Then we have The Vultures Never Came, presenting a sonority that reminds me of 90’s Megadeth infused with elements from Mercyful Fate, while Patrick is on fire behind his drums providing Amanda with exactly what she needs to kick some ass with her soaring vocals, followed by She Runs With Wolves, another solid hybrid of classic Heavy Metal with more modern Power Metal spearheaded by the stylish riffs and solos by Geoff. And Heavy is the Crown is a direct song with all the classic elements from Heavy Metal, albeit not as exciting or inspiring as its predecessors.

Adding a touch of darkness to their sound and feeling even more inspired by the music by the iconic King Diamond, Amanda’s vocals will resonate through the four corners of the earth in Coven while her bandmates smash their instruments in the name of heavy music, and as every album of metal music inspired by the 80’s needs a power ballad, that’s offered to us by Category VI in The Cradle Will Fall, with of course Amanda stealing the show with her powerful vocals while the music increases its heaviness and epicness considerably as time passes by. Burning Bridges carries a beautiful name for a song that exhales Heavy Metal, with all band members being in total sync, in special Geoff and Keith who deliver a thrilling stringed attack; before the album ends with their rendition of Heart’s all-time classic Barracuda (check the original version HERE), and the band did a sensational job with their own version by bringing the same energy from the original one.

Such electrifying Canadian quartet can be found on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details, and don’t forget to also stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify. The excellent Firecry, which can be purchased from the Moribund Records’ webstore, from Season of Mist, from Apple Music or from Amazon, is undoubtedly the band’s strongest effort to date, bringing endless fire not only to their beautiful homeland, but also to any part of the world where our beloved heavy music is truly appreciated.

Best moments of the album: Firecry, The Vultures Never Came and Burning Bridges.

Worst moments of the album: Heavy is the Crown.

Released in 2023 Moribund Records

Track listing
1. Firecry 6:10
2. Valkyrie 6:05
3. The Vultures Never Came 4:10
4. She Runs With Wolves 4:12
5. Heavy is the Crown 3:47
6. Coven 4:52
7. The Cradle Will Fall 4:53
8. Burning Bridges 3:49
9. Barracuda (Heart cover) 4:21

Band members
Amanda Gosse – vocals
Geoff Waye – guitars
Keith Jackman – bass
Patrick Tarrant – drums

Album Review – Elusion / The Fundamental Paradox (2023)

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Let the music from the sophomore album by this Belgian Symphonic Metal trio embrace you, showcasing a continuous evolution of their sound.

Fans of Beyond the Black, Ad Infinitum, Epica and Within Temptation, among several other big names of the European symphonic and melodic scene, will have an amazing time listening to The Fundamental Paradox, the sophomore effort by a Belgian Symphonic Metal band that goes by the stylish name of Elusion. Currently formed of Evy Verbruggen on vocals, Domingo Smets on the guitars and backing vocals, and Frederik Van Mieghem on drums, the trio showcases a continuous evolution of the Elusion sound in their new installment compared to their debut album Singularity, released back in 2019, living up to the legacy of the genre while also carving their name in the underground Belgian scene by offering our avid ears nine solid songs throughout the album’s 42 minutes of music.

In the opening tune …In Love and War we already face a huge dosage of classic Heavy Metal added to their core Symphonic Metal thanks to the incendiary riffs by Domingo, with Evy kicking ass with both her strident clean vocals and her she-demon gnarls, whereas the sound of the rumbling bass will punch you in the head in the also electrifying Chiaroscuro, with Frederik dictating the song’s pace behind his drums, therefore offering Evy the perfect ambience for her soaring vocals. Acrimonious is even groovier and more metallic than the previous songs, with Domingo and Frederik being in absolute sync with their sonic weapons, once again sounding a lot more modern than classic Symphonic Metal mainly due to its Progressive and Groove Metal nuances. And there’s no sign of slowing down as the trio keeps embellishing the airwaves with their sharp music in Adversity, presenting another awesome performance by Evy on vocals supported by the crushing beats by Frederik and all of the song’s background elements.

The first single of the album, entitled Science|Fiction, brings to our avid ears more of the band’s incendiary Symphonic Metal spearheaded by the razor-edged riffage and solos by Domingo; and the tribalistic vocalizations by Evy ignite the next tune, titled From the Woods to the Water, a solid piece by Elusion despite lacking the same energy of the rest of the album. It’s then time to blast a purely European Symphonic Metal tune named In Balance, where Domingo keeps extracting endless electricity from his axe accompanied by the pounding drums by Frederik; whereas enhancing their epicness and emotion, the trio fires the symphonic extravaganza Isochronism, showcasing classic riffs, hammering drums, stunning orchestrations and the always enfolding vocals by Evy. Lastly, after such charming song the band closes the album on a high note with Deafening Silence, bringing forward another round of the metallic guitars by Domingo and the vicious but intricate beats by Frederik.

If you want to know more about Evy, Domingo and Frederik, listen to more of their their music, and stay up to date about their tour dates and plans for the future, you can find those Belgian metallers on Facebook, on Instagram, on YouTube, and on Spotify, and above all that, you can grab your copy of The Fundamental Paradox from the band’s own BandCamp page. After listening to each and every track from The Fundamental Paradox, we must all agree that Elusion are hands down one of the most interesting names of the Belgian Symphonic and Melodic Metal scene, with their newborn opus representing not only a big step in their career, but it’s also another must-listen album made in Belgium, leaving us eager for more of their refined music in a not-so-distant future.

Best moments of the album: Adversity, Science|Fiction and In Balance.

Worst moments of the album: From the Woods to the Water.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. …In Love and War 3:43
2. Chiaroscuro 3:49
3. Acrimonious 4:20
4. Adversity 4:24
5. Science|Fiction 4:05
6. From the Woods to the Water 5:48
7. In Balance 6:23
8. Isochronism 4:29
9. Deafening Silence 5:21

Band members
Evy Verbruggen – vocals
Domingo Smets – guitars, backing vocals
Frederik Van Mieghem – drums

Album Review – Fireproven / Epilogue (2022)

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Let’s all say farewell to this talented Progressive Metal act from Finland to the sound of their second (and last) full-length album.

Hailing from the Finnish capital of Helsinki, the Progressive Metal outfit known as Fireproven has just unleashed upon us their sophomore effort, entitled Epilogue, which is also their last album as in January 2022 the band announced they would be disbanded, thanking their loyal fans for their support through the years. “Sadly, we have to announce that Fireproven will no longer continue. There are number of reasons that led us to this decision but we’re all still good friends, and will continue to keep it that way. We’re going to release our last album later this spring but all shows will be cancelled. We want to thank you all for your love and support during these years. None of this would have been possible without you guys listening to our tracks and showing us your love,” commented vocalist Sanna Solanterä, guitarist Janne Väätämöinen, bassist Juha Väätämöinen, keyboardist Ilari Hannula and drummer Nuutti Hannula, leaving us with the musical freedom and explorations from Epilogue embraced by a stylish cover art by Petri Lampela.

The whimsical keys by Ilari will captivate your senses in the opening track The Maze, being joined by the slashing riffage by Janne and the blast beats by Nuutti, sounding very modern, progressive and melodic from start to finish. Then blending the Melodic Metal from bands such as Epica and Within Temptation with Progressive and Groove Metal nuances we have The Addict, a pleasant, headbanging tune led by the always striking vocals by Sanna; whereas  the metallic, thunderous bass by Juha dictates the pace in King, offering more of the band’s hybrid of Melodic and Progressive Metal with the growls by Juha making a great paradox with Sanna’s vocals. And phantasmagorical keys and pounding drums generate a dense atmosphere in Haunted, sounding very theatrical while Janne extracts pure obscurity from his guitar. Moreover, it’s very different from its predecessors, but still loyal to the band’s core essence.

In Time to Heal, the tick tock on the clock grows in intensity until the music turns into a heavy and aggressive onrush with Juha roaring like a beast alternating with Sanna and her beyond melodic vocals, while sheer adrenaline flows from the breathtaking Dream Catcher, where all band members are in absolute sync spearheaded by the Melodic Death Metal keys by Ilari. After such intense tune, an epic, imposing intro to the slashing riffs by Janne evolves into more of the band’s Progressive Metal in Grace, where Janna once again beautifully declaims the song’s lyrics; and the band offers our ears over six minutes of progressiveness in the form of Waves of Extinction, with a delicate but mesmerizing vocal performance by Sanna as if Dream Theater or Opeth had a female vocalist. Lastly, the keys by Ilari add an extra touch of finesse to the nine-minute aria Unity, where Nuuutti keeps hammering his drums nonstop, providing Sanna with exactly what she needs to shine on vocals while Janne and Juha make an incendiary duo with their stringed weapons.

If Progressive and Melodic Metal with female vocals is your cup of tea, you should definitely take a listen at Epilogue, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, and although Fireproven have just called it quits you can still give a shout to the band on Facebook and on Instagram (and who knows, maybe that will inspire them to get back in action in the near future, right?), listen to more of their music on YouTube, and purchase Epilogue from Apple Music. Unfortunately, as already mentioned, Epilogue is the last album by Fireproven, which means we won’t probably hear from those talented Finnish metallers again unless they decide to come back from the ashes one day. However, they’re definitely going out with a bang thanks to the amazing job done in their new album, leaving their mark in the underground Finnish scene while also bringing a lot of fun and joy to our ears and hearts, all in line with the name chosen for their farewell album.

Best moments of the album: The Addict, Dream Catcher and Waves of Extinction.

Worst moments of the album: Haunted.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. The Maze 4:29
2. The Addict 5:19
3. King 4:11
4. Haunted 5:08
5. Time to Heal 5:08
6. Dream Catcher 4:54
7. Grace 5:40
8. Waves of Extinction 6:29
9. Unity 9:02

Band members
Sanna Solanterä – vocals
Janne Väätämöinen – guitar, backing vocals
Juha Väätämöinen – bass, vocals
Ilari Hannula – keyboards
Nuutti Hannula – drums

Album Review – Sleepers’ Guilt / What Remained (2022)

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Dealing to a large extent with questions about the end of humanity as we know it, this Melodic Death Metal from Luxembourg begins a new era in their career with their thrilling and furious sophomore effort.

Hailing from Dippach, a commune and small town in south-western Luxembourg that is part of the canton of Capellen, Melodic Death Metal outfit Sleepers’ Guilt is back in action with their sophomore opus, entitled What Remained, marking the beginning of a new era in the band’s career with the debut of their new frontwoman Sany Faihrmann. Recorded, mixed and mastered by the band’s guitarist Marc Froehling, What Remained deals to a large extent with questions about the end of humanity as we know it and the challenges we might face in the near or more distant future, all that without being a concept album according to the band itself.  In addition to the classical instrumentation and the usual samples, Sany and Marc, together with their bandmates Chris T. Ian also on the guitars, Philip Rio Ries on bass and Ben Thuy on drums, dare to experiment with more exotic instruments, such as bouzoukis, mandolins, didgeridoos, and cellos, among others, to give the arrangements more opulence, while at the same time the music never loses its heaviness and always demands the listener’s attention.

Futuristic sounds ignite the band’s metal machine in the opening track Posthuman, with Philip and Ben dictating the rhythm with their heavy kitchen while Sany roars nonstop like a true she-demon, whereas Chris and Marc continue to extract sheer electricity from their axes in Wrath of Gods, another Melodic Death Metal extravaganza showcasing all the band’s heaviness, talent and passion for extreme music. As the name already says, Eye of the Storm is indeed a metallic storm by the quintet with Sany’s roars leading her bandmates into the eye of “you know what”, with the band’s guitar duo delivering classic riffs and solos for our total delight, therefore keeping the album at a high level of insanity. Let’s keep banging our heads to the pounding drums by Ben in Freedom Undone, a neck-breaking tune where Sany’s screams sound like a devilish version of Overkill’s Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth; and slowing things down a bit it’s time for the somber Ultimate Sin, not as powerful as the rest of the album but still very melodic, with Chris and Marc showcasing a great performance with their riffs and solos.

Train of Thoughts feels like a heavier, more devilish version of the Melodic Metal played by Stratovarius, with Sany delivering a dark and thrilling vocal performance by roaring deeply accompanied by the classy beast by Ben; and get ready for 10 minutes of high-quality Melodic Death Metal made in Luxembourg with Tides of Fate, starting in a serene, melancholic way before morphing into an experimental sonority and exploding into the band’s core sound with an epic touch, with Sany delivering her usual she-wolf growls while her bandmates keep the atmosphere as dense and electrifying as possible, not to mention their soulful, striking guitar solos. Then blackening their core essence considerably it’s time for the almost pure Death Metal onrush titled Pyre, also bringing to our ears elements from Groove Metal thanks to the amazing job done by Philip and Ben with their respective bass punches and venomous beats. Last but not least, Sleepers’ Guilt offer us all the Arch Enemy-inspired tune The Remains, with hints of the music played by Soilwork and In Flames while Chris and Marc are on fire armed with their guitars, providing Sany all she needs to gnarl like a creature form the abyss.

You can start following such promising name of the Luxembourger metal scene on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all things Sleepers’ Guilt, and also watch their videos and  stream all of their creations on YouTube and on Spotify. Furthermore, above all that, don’t forget to show them your utmost support by purchasing the excellent What Remained by clicking HERE. In a dystopian world, humanity is on the brink of extinction and the machines have taken over. But is it really the machines, or rather those who control the machines? And is there life outside the dystopian illusions, in solitude, amid an exhausted, repellent nature? Simply hit play in What Remained and let the band answer those questions to you, while of course you keep banging your head nonstop to their venomous music.

Best moments of the album: Wrath of Gods, Train of Thoughts and Pyre.

Worst moments of the album: Ultimate Sin.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Posthuman 4:23
2. Wrath of Gods 4:19
3. Eye of the Storm 6:39
4. Freedom Undone 5:52
5. Ultimate Sin 4:29
6. Train of Thoughts 6:04
7. Tides of Fate 10:15
8. Pyre 7:17
9. The Remains 9:24

Band members
Sany Faihrmann – vocals
Chris T. Ian – guitars
Marc Froehling – guitars
Philip Rio Ries – bass
Ben Thuy – drums