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Album Review – Dysease / Era of Decay EP (2023)

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A new Progressive Death Metal entity from Germany is armed with their debut EP, leading us all to a dystopian world that lets us dive into a universe of atrocities, (im)mortality and miseries of our modern-day society.

Formed in 2018 by former members of Iuramentum, Skin Harvest, Morok and Defector in Siegen, a city in Germany in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia, the five-piece Progressive Death Metal act Dysease is dedicated to creating dark and haunting sounds by blending brutal riffs, catchy refrains, and progressive and thrash elements while prioritizing groove and atmosphere to immerse listeners in a dystopian ambiance. Now in 2023 the band formed of René “Wolles” Ax on vocals, Pätrick L. and Rafael G. on the guitars, Dimitri V. on bass, and Lukas Fenster on drums will attack your senses with their debut EP, entitled Era of Decay, leading us all to a dystopian world that lets us dive into a universe of atrocities, (im)mortality and miseries of our modern-day society, all embraced by the first-class, sharp production, mixing and mastering by the band’s own bassist Dimitri V., making the album’s atmosphere and vibe even heavier and more menacing.

A song about the problems in dealing with nature, and the revenge of nature on man, the opening track Unfurl The Plague is a demonic, heavy-as-hell display of Death Metal where René roars deeply nonstop, presenting a serene break before the band returns with their pulverizing sounds, flowing into the interlude Prologue, exhaling melancholy and setting the stage for the infernal Manufractured, based on the 2013 movie Elysium, where a future fictional dystopian world is described, while musically speaking Lukas crushes his drums mercilessly supported by the incendiary riffs by Pätrick and Rafael, being highly recommended for some classic headbanging. Then dedicated to all dictators hungry for power who act against the will of society and are ultimately overthrown, the band brings forth six minutes of Doom Metal-infused obscurity titled Deterrence By Brutality, with Dimitri and Lukas making our skulls tremble with their respective bass and drums, not to mention how demonic the guttural vocals by René sound. Lastly, we’re treated to the menacing The Staring Eye, dealing with the “locked in” syndrome described from the point of view of an affected person, showcasing the always somber riffage by Pätrick and Rafael and, therefore, putting a climatic and absolutely savage ending to the album.

A brand new entity in the world of extreme music, the guys from Dysease are waiting for you on Facebook with news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, and on YouTube with more of their music and videos. However, in order to properly welcome them to our beautiful underground scene, you should definitely purchase a copy of the album from Apple Music or from Amazon, stream it in full on YouTube and on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Dysease. As the band mentions in their amazing debut EP, we’re indeed living in an era of decay, where our society is falling to pieces and everything that’s wrong and evil is taking over the world. Well, at least we have the striking metal music by bands like Dysease to keep us entertained until our inevitable end.

Best moments of the album: Manufractured and The Staring Eye.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Unfurl The Plague 5:39
2. Prologue 0:31
3. Manufractured 5:13
4. Deterrence By Brutality 6:03
5. The Staring Eye 4:25

Band members
René “Wolles” Ax – vocals
Pätrick L. – guitars
Rafael G. – guitars
Dimitri V. – bass
Lukas Fenster – drums

Album Review – Brimstone Gate / Return from the Brimstone Portal (2023)

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This Teutonic army will attack your senses with their debut album, paying tribute to 90’s Black and Death Metal from Norway, Sweden and England while also presenting some modern influences.

Formed in 2020 in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Hamm, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Black/Death Metal horde Brimstone Gate has just unleashed their debut album, entitled Return from the Brimstone Portal, paying tribute to 90’s Black and Death Metal from Norway, Sweden and England while also presenting some modern influences. Recorded by the band’s two founding members Carsten Nachtigall and Michael Gruen, mixed and mastered by Michael “Obelxxx” Elsner, and displaying a classic artwork licenced by iStock and re-worked and designed by Michael Gruen, Return from the Brimstone Portal is recommended for admirers of the music by Belphegor and Zyklon, showcasing all the talent and hard work by Simon Stellmacher (Niflhel) on vocals and bass, and Carsten Nachtigall (Niflhel) and Michael Gruen (Niflhel, Deathstruction) on the guitars and drum programming.

Cinematic, somber and atmospheric from the very first second, Beyond the Gate works as an intro to a horror movie, dragging our souls to the Stygian lair ruled by Brimstone Gate in Return from the Brimstone Portal, exploding into a technical yet visceral form of Death Metal with Simon roaring like a beast, therefore adding an extra dosage of dementia to the overall result; and the guitars by Carsten and Michael bring fire to their music in Voices of the Dead, accompanied by the song’s massive beats in another solid display of German Death Metal. Then spearheaded by the venomous screams by Simon we have Emperor of the Painful Realm, sounding infernal from start to finish to the song’s hammering drums.

The second half of the album begins with another bestial creation by the quintet named Path to Your Liberation, offering Simon’s rumbling bass and the always scorching riffs and solos by Casrten and Michael, and it’s then time for a neck-breaking extravaganza entitled The Void Darkened, displaying the band’s usual savagery spiced up by another demonic drum explosion. There’s no time to breathe as those Teutonic metallers keep darkening the skies with their fusion of Black and Death Metal in Death Arises in the Wind, showcasing more of their piercing, dirty riffs; whereas closing the album it’s time for the six-minute tune Lost Nightsun, sounding bold and austere while led by the deep roars by Simon, albeit a bit too lengthy in the end.

The new opus by Brimstone Gate is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you’re an admirer of extreme music with an epic background story you can purchase a copy of the album (and consequently show all your support to the underground scene) directly from their own BandCamp page. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for tour dates, news and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their incendiary music. Those German metallers are on absolute fire in Return from the Brimstone Portal, the first step in their promising career, and an amazing display of the always entertaining Black and Death Metal scene from one of the meccas of heavy music worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Return from the Brimstone Portal, Emperor of the Painful Realm and Path to Your Liberation.

Worst moments of the album: Lost Nightsun.

Released in 2023 ADG Records

Track listing
1. Beyond the Gate (Intro) 1:33
2. Return from the Brimstone Portal 5:00
3. Voices of the Dead 4:37
4. Emperor of the Painful Realm 4:11
5. Path to Your Liberation 5:26
6. The Void Darkened 5:12
7. Death Arises in the Wind 5:36
8. Lost Nightsun 6:26

Band members
Simon Stellmacher – vocals, bass
Carsten Nachtigall – guitars, drum programming
Michael Gruen – guitars, drum programming

Live lineup
Dominik Zillmann – vocals
Carsten Nachtigall – guitars
Michael Gruen – guitars
Robin Vieler – bass, backing vocals
Daniel Müller – drums

Album Review – Xandria / The Wonders Still Awaiting (2023)

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It’s time to embark on an exciting journey to experience a world of sound never heard before in the universe of the German masters of Symphonic Metal.

The time has finally come to dive into new adventures. Six years after the release of Theater of Dimensions, Bielefeld, Germany-based Symphonic Metal masters Xandria are finally back in action with a brand new opus, titled The Wonders Still Awaiting, the eighth studio album in their career, and the first to feature the Greek goddess Ambre Vourvahis on vocals, Rob Klawonn on the guitars, Tim Schwarz on bass, and Dimitros Gatsios on drums, alongside the band’s mastermind Marco Heubaum. Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and displaying a stylish artwork by Zacarias Guterres, The Wonders Still Awaiting presents 13 tracks in total, clocking at over one hour of music, sounding harder, darker and more epic than all of their previous efforts while holding an intimate setting and range of emotions at the same time. Next to a 40-piece classical choir, authentic Celtic instruments represented by renowned musicians as well as delicate violin and cello contributions, the album is topped by the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir, which marks the first collaboration of this kind in the band’s history.

Gentle keys kick off the opening tune Two Worlds, evolving into a Symphonic Metal feast led by the classy riffs by Marco and Rob and, of course, the striking vocals by Ambre. It’s indeed a beautiful way to start their metallic voyage, whereas  Dimitrio pounds his drums accompanied by the rumbling bass by Tim in Reborn, alternating between heavy moments and gentle passages, sounding absolutely solid from start to finish. Then we’re treated to You Will Never Be Our God, featuring the one and only Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) as a guest vocalist, making a powerful duo with Ambre supported by her bandmates with their precise riffage, bass lines and beats, followed by the title-track The Wonders Still Awaiting, also showcasing a perfect sync between Ambre and the band’s guitar duo, exhaling epicness and adventure. After that, it’s time for a fast and thrilling Symphonic Metal aria titled Ghosts, with the band’s groovy kitchen formed of Tim and Dimitrio kicking some serious ass, and Your Stories I’ll Remember, a charming ballad with touching lyrics declaimed by Ambre (“I have walked this path with you until you’ve gone on your own / And I hope you’ve heard me still when I have said farewell / You will always be a part of what I have become / And whenever I close my eyes I think back of this time”). Then we have My Curse Is My Redemption, presenting another serene start with stylish background elements, flowing smoothly to the stunning vocals by Ambre.

Illusion Is Their Name is another heavy and thunderous Symphonic Metal beast by Xandria, one of the best songs of the album thanks to its endless electricity, piercing riffs and blast beats, followed by another mesmerizing ballad led by Ambre entitled Paradise, with Marco’s and Rob’s minimalist guitar lines adding an extra touch of darkness to the overall result. Let’s all bang our heads together with Xandria in Mirror of Time, uniting their past, present and future in a fierce and entertaining way, sounding and feeling very detailed and dense until the very last second, and there’s no sign of the band slowing down as they bring forward another full-bodied, intense song titled Scars, with its orchestrations walking hand in hand with Ambre’s passionate vocals. Their second to last aria, titled The Maiden and the Child, embellishes the airwaves with a symphonic and vibrant sonority, with Dimitrio dictating the song’s inspiring pace while their guitars overflow heaviness and potency, before their musical journey ends with Astèria, offering poetic, epic lyrics declaimed by Ambre (“I came from far away to save my soul / To flee this war I have always known / Followed paths away from this / The guns, the suffering / This is not the homeland that we need / Bleeding in vain”) while her bandmates generate a wall of symphonic and orchestral sounds that elevates the album’s impact and reach considerably, or in other words, it’s a fantastic story told by Xandria through their music.

Rich in different styles and genres, the excellent The Wonders Still Awaiting comes close to a movie score, sending its listener on an exciting journey to experience a world of sound never heard before in the universe of Xandria. Hence, you can experience all that by streaming the full album on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE or HERE. It’s indeed great to see a band like Xandria getting back on track after such turbulent times in their career, and I’m sure the band would love to hear your thoughts on their new music on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also subscribe to their official YouTube channel. Let’s all hope that Xandria have finally reached their desired and, more important than that, stable shape and form, because after seeing what Ambre can do for the band they simply cannot afford to lose her. It would be a total disaster, I might say. Anyway, at least for now Xandria are not only alive and kicking, but their new album will undoubtedly become a reference in the genre, inviting us all to join them in epic adventures only Symphonic Metal can provide us with.

Best moments of the album: You Will Never Be Our God, Ghosts, Illusion Is Their Name and Astèria.

Worst moments of the album: My Curse Is My Redemption.

Released in 2023 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Two Worlds 7:08
2. Reborn 5:13
3. You Will Never Be Our God 5:11
4. The Wonders Still Awaiting 4:59
5. Ghosts 5:26
6. Your Stories I’ll Remember 6:21
7. My Curse Is My Redemption 5:03
8. Illusion Is Their Name 5:07
9. Paradise 5:02
10. Mirror of Time 6:41
11. Scars 4:07
12. The Maiden and the Child 4:54
13. Astèria 9:08

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

Guest musicians
Ralf Scheepers – vocals on “You Will Never Be Our God”
Ally Storch – violin, cello
Johannes Schiefner – uillean pipes
McAlbi – low whistle
Luki Knoebl – orchestral arrangements
Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir – choir

Album Review – Lifetaker / Der letzte Raum (2022)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

Prolific Grind/Hardcore/Sludge quartet Lifetaker have returned with a sophomoric full length album entitled Der Letzte Raum (“The Last Room”) which will see the light of day later this month on an impressive looking LP, put out via Black Omega Recordings.

If you are going to call yourself Lifetaker you damn sure best have a sound to match the statement, and these German chaos merchants go about proving their mettle over the course of fifteen short sharp bursts of violence incarnate. I’m not massively well versed in either Grindcore or Hardcore so I’ll instead spend my time telling you how the album sounds rather than trying to unpick the bands myriad influences.

And what it sounds like is what I imagine having your face forcibly dragged along a cobbled street at a hundred miles per hour might sound like. A violent uncontrollable maelstrom of bludgeoning beats, Buzzsaw riff-age and a vocal style from the gutters, spewing forth bile and spite at every available moment. And yet at times Lifetaker produces moments of pure unadulterated fist pumping madness such as the delightfully catchy Kehlbiss or the equally as fun sounding Kadaverstille which are surely destined to be pit favourites at any upcoming shows that the band grace.

An absolutely banger of an album from start to finish; chaotic and carnage filled, viciously spiteful and intoxicatingly gratifying. Like a Panzer tank belligerently bulldozing your house and making you ask for more! Plug this directly into my veins and leave me to it!

Released in 2022 Black Omega Recordings

Track listing
1. Bunkerjugend 1:33
2. Patrizidprotokoll 2:31
3. Fleischwolf 1:37
4. Strafisolator 1:11
5. Alpha Antichrist 1:02
6. Kehlbiss 1:05
7. Störfunk 0:49
8. Kadaverstille 1:25
9. Blutopfer 2:05
10. Gottgeburt 1:22
11. Madenvolk 0:55
12. Schlafparalyse 1:42
13. Tempelfaust 1:49
14. Vernichtungstanz 2:22
15. Gamma Mörser 2:15

Band members
Konstantin – vocals
Alex – guitars
Gerrit – bass
Nico – drums

Links
Lifetaker Facebook | Instagram | Linktree | Spotify | BandCamp | YouTube

Album Review – Blind Guardian / The God Machine (2022)

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Seven years after the release of Beyond The Red Mirror, the most respect German Power Metal bards of all time make a brilliant return with their breathtaking twelfth studio album.

Seven years after the release of Beyond The Red Mirror, the multi-talented German Power Metal bards Blind Guardian make a brilliant return and compensate for the waiting time with their new studio album, entitled The God Machine, the twelfth in their undisputed career. Produced, recorded and engineered by Charlie Bauerfeind and Thomas Geiger, mixed by Joost van den Broek and Jos Driessen, mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde, and displaying a classy artwork by Peter Mohrbacher, The God Machine brings everything we learned to love and more in the music by frontman Hansi Kürsch and his henchmen André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen on the guitars, Frederik Ehmke on drums, and session musicians Barend Courbois on bass and Thomas Geiger on keyboards, with each song having its lyrics based on a specific novel, play, series or milestone in their personal lives, such as The Kingkiller Chronicle, Battlestar Galactica and American Gods. “We didn’t want to rehash our style from 1995, but on the other hand we didn’t want to have to continue on our current path forever. The God Machine is a new beginning for us. We’re putting everything back to square one and return to certain patterns that we neglected a bit on previous releases. Look forward to an album that is straighter, more aggressive, but always blessed with highly infectious melodies and hooks,” commented Hansi about the band’s new opus.

The rhythmic riffs by André and Marcus set the stage for the epic Deliver Us From Evil, with Hansi distilling his trademark, powerful vocals from the very first second in a pure Blind Guardian sound with no shenanigans, or in other words, this will be a fantastic opener for their upcoming concerts. In Damnation we’re treated to cryptic words darkly declaimed by Hansi (“They’re like ghosts / The ancient ones / Burning blue’s their sign / It’s all true / Hush don’t cry / Better hide”) while his bandmates deliver first-class Power and Heavy Metal nonstop in a journey back in time to the band’s early days; followed by Secrets Of The American Gods, which starts in a beyond epic, majestic manner before exploding into another headbanging, symphonic Power Metal aria, being therefore tailored for their live setlists. And it’s then time for another explosion of visceral Power Metal by the bards entitled Violent Shadows, where Barend and Frederik’s kitchen offers the band’s guitar duo the perfect atmosphere for their wicked riffs and solos.

Life Beyond The Spheres displays solid instrumental and vocals, albeit it lacks the same punch as its predecessors. The keys by guest Joost van den Broek are spot-on, though, enhancing the song’s kick. Then speeding things up and delivering a beautiful fusion of heaviness, epicness and violence the band brings forward Architects Of Doom, where Frederik dictates the pace while Hansi continues to stun us all with his unparalleled vocals; and Hansi mesmerizes us once again in Let It Be No More, starting in a serene, pensive manner and evolving into a bold and beautiful sonority where André pierces our souls with his guitar solo. The fantastic Blood Of The Elves brings to us listeners powerful lyrics (“Honor, it’s easy to dispose / In this darkest hour we’re alone / From behind closed doors it aims for her / Magic’s reaching out to draw her in / To the eye of the storm / The storm”) spiced up by a traditional, straightforward sound that will please all fans of the band, whereas just like a sinister, climatic ending of a fantasy movie we’re treated to the hammering Destiny, a great way to conclude another sensational work by Blind Guardian showcasing their characteristic vocals and riffs enfolded by gorgeous background elements.

Blind Guardian The God Machine Nuclear Blast Mailorder Vinyl Boxset

Such masterpiece of German Power and Heavy Metal can be appreciated in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but if I were you I would certainly click HERE or HERE to purchase the physical edition of the album, including the superb Nuclear Blast Mailorder Vinyl Boxset, limited to 1,700 copies, which comes with a crystal-clear double LP with red inkspot and black splatter in a gatefold with 24-page booklet, a digipack CD, a board game, a slipmat, a signed card, a sticker and a postcard set. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates, and to stream all of their amazing videos and albums on YouTube and on Spotify. In summary, seven years between two albums feels like an eternity for us fans when the band in question is as amazing as Blind Guardian, but the wait was certainly worth it as The God Machine proves why such German metal machine is so respected and admired in the world of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Deliver Us From Evil, Damnation, Violent Shadows and Blood Of The Elves.

Worst moments of the album: Life Beyond The Spheres.

Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Deliver Us From Evil 5:21
2. Damnation 5:20
3. Secrets Of The American Gods 7:28
4. Violent Shadows 4:17
5. Life Beyond The Spheres 6:02
6. Architects Of Doom 6:20
7. Let It Be No More 4:48
8. Blood Of The Elves 4:37
9. Destiny 6:46

Nuclear Blast Mailorder Edition, Vinyl Boxset bonus tracks
10. Life Beyond the Spheres (Cyber Mix) 6:07
11. Destiny (Lead Guitar Version) 6:42
12. Let It Be No More (Heavy Vocals) 4:49

Band members
Hansi Kürsch – vocals
André Olbrich – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Marcus Siepen – rhythm and acoustic guitars
Frederik Ehmke – drums

Guest musicians
Barend Courbois – bass (session)
Thomas Geiger – keyboards, effects (session)
Joost van den Broek – keyboards on “Life Beyond The Spheres”
Marcela Bovio, Marjan Welman, Olaf Senkbeil, Hacky Hackmann & John “Jaycee” Cuijpers – backing vocals

Album Review – Grave Digger / Symbol of Eternity (2022)

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The mighty Grave Digger go back in time to offer us all a powerful sequel to their 1998 classic Knights of the Cross based on the Knights Templar, the Crusades and the Holy Grail.

One of the most important and creative bands in the history of German rock and metal, the mighty Power Metal institution Grave Digger, is back two years after the excellent Fields of Blood with another headbanging album entitled Symbol of Eternity, bringing to our ears everything we’ve learned to love in their music since the band’s inception decades ago. Produced, mixed and mastered by the band’s mastermind, the iconic Chris Boltendahl himself, at his own studio named Graveyard Studios, and displaying a beautiful artwork by Uwe Jarling, Symbol of Eternity is a concept album based on the Knights Templar, the Crusades and the Holy Grail, working as a sequel to the band’s 1998 classic Knights of the Cross while showcasing once again all the talent and passion of the aforementioned Chris Boltendahl together with his henchmen Axel Ritt on the guitars, Jens Becker on bass and Marcus Kniep on drums.

It’s time to head into the battlefield to the sound of the epic, cinematic intro The Siege Of Akkon before Chris & Co. deliver pure Heavy Metal in the exciting Battle Cry, with Marcus dictating the pace with his old school beats accompanied by the rumbling bass by Jens. Put differently, it’s pure, unfiltered Grave Digger for all diehard fans of the band to sing along with them, and the same can be said about Hell Is My Purgatory, showcasing an addictive chorus vociferated by Chris (“Hell is my purgatory / I’m a sinner, I’m your priest / Hell is my purgatory / Faith unleashed the beast / Hell is my damnation / My holy revelation / Hell is my crematory / Hell! Hell! Hell!”) and a great sync between Axel’s riffs and Jens’ metallic bass. Then pure German metal riffage flows from Axel’s guitar in the also high-octane King Of The Kings, where Marcus once again hammers his drums in great fashion, whereas the title-track Symbol Of Eternity brings forward the band’s usual heaviness and obscurity, displaying a sluggish pace, somber passages and the melancholic vocals by Chris, albeit not as exciting a the rest of the album. After the short Middle Eastern-inspired interlude Saladin, the band returns in full force with Nights Of Jerusalem, offering our ears more of their thunderous drums, dirty riffs and raspy vocals. Moreover, we all know Chris is an amazing storyteller, and he nails it once again in this classic tune.

Heart Of A Warrior presents another beyond catchy chorus (“Take my last breath / Prepared myself to death / In my last hour / I feel the power / And I was sent by God / To be victorious / I got the heart / Of a warrior”) embraced by a classic Grave Digger sonority; while acoustic guitars kick off the mid-tempo, headbanging tune Grace Of God, with its background symphonic element adding an extra touch of epicness to the overall result. Back to a more melodic sonority, it’s time for Axel to extract sheer electricity form his guitar in Sky Of Swords, perfect for banging your head and raising your fists in the air together with the unrelenting Grave Digger, followed by Holy Warfare, a pure Heavy and Power Metal feast made in Germany with an exciting pace and riffage where Marcus pounds his drums as we dive into the battle together with the band. The Last Crusade, the last original song from the album, will darken the skies to the deep, sinister vocals by Chris while the instrumental pieces sound and feel utterly powerful. Last but not least, the bonus track Hellas Hellas, featuring guest vocals by its original singer Vasilis Papakonstantinou, has been a staple in Grave Digger’s sets whenever they played Greece, since the 90’s, and this new studio version kicks some serious ass to the point it should be played anywhere, not just in Greece (and you can compare it to the original version by clicking HERE).

Grave Digger Symbol of Eternity Limited Collector’s Hardcover Boxset

Symbol of Eternity can be savored in its entirety on Spotify, but of course if you’ve always been a loyal soldier of the Grave Digger army you can purchase your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE, including the super limited collector’s hardcover boxset (and good luck trying to find that one available as it’s limited to only 500 copies worldwide) that includes the limited 2CD mediabook, a 115 x 75cm flag, an armband with metallic 3D emblem, an A3 poster, a signed autograph card and a certificate of authenticity. Also, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and their electrifying tour dates, raising your sword together with Chris and his horde whenever they take your city by storm. In a nutshell, Symbol of Eternity might not get even close to being their strongest effort to date, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a powerful and gripping album of old school German Heavy Metal, proving why Grave Digger have been on the road for so many decades and showing us all they’re far from calling it quits. Long live Grave Digger, and may their Power Metal be part of the soundtrack of our lives for all eternity!

Best moments of the album: Battle Cry, Hell Is My Purgatory, Heart Of A Warrior and Holy Warfare.

Worst moments of the album: Symbol Of Eternity.

Released in 2022 ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records

Track listing
1. The Siege Of Akkon 1:03
2. Battle Cry 3:53
3. Hell Is My Purgatory 3:53
4. King Of The Kings 4:43
5. Symbol Of Eternity 5:18
6. Saladin 0:36
7. Nights Of Jerusalem 4:40
8. Heart Of A Warrior 3:46
9. Grace Of God 4:23
10. Sky Of Swords 4:16
11. Holy Warfare 3:43
12. The Last Crusade 5:20
13. Hellas Hellas (Vasilis Papakonstantinou cover) 4:00

Limited Edition Boxset/ Mediabook CD 2 (Live at Metal Hammer Paradise)
1. The Clansman’s Journey 1:31
2. Healed by Metal 4:31
3. The Clans Will Rise Again 5:31
4. Lawbreaker 3:33
5. The Roundtable 5:36
6. The Curse of Jacques 5:09
7. Season of the Witch 5:17
8. Excalibur 5:25
9. Rebellion 5:49
10. Witch Hunter 3:44
11. Heavy Metal Breakdown 8:18

Band members
Chris Boltendahl – vocals
Axel Ritt – guitar
Jens Becker – bass
Marcus Kniep – drums

Guest musician
Vasilis Papakonstantinou – vocals on “Hellas Hellas”

Metal Chick of the Month – Ambre Vourvahis

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I will not give up… I will not stand down!

Greece, France and Germany are three countries well known for their immensurable contributions to rock and metal music, and here on The Headbanging Moose how about we unite all three and have an absolute blast with our metal lady of the month of July? That’s exactly what you’ll get with the talented, gorgeous vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, the new frontwoman for German Symphonic Metal act Xandria, and a woman who definitely knows how to add tons of passion and feeling to her already powerful vocal lines. Having said all that, are you ready to join us and Ambre in this short but sweet tribute to one of the most promising names of the Symphonic Metal scene worldwide?

Half-Greek and half-French, but currently residing in Germany, the mesmerizing Ambre Vourvahis was already singing in choirs and musicals when she was in middle school, saying in one of her interviews that her life has always revolved around music, although she continued her studies in literature and philosophy and concluded it with a philosophy degree while at the same time she was still dreaming of making music, singing and going to concerts (which she confessed she sometimes did instead of going to class, just like all of us metalheads have already done at a given point in our lives). She said she started listening to metal music when she was around 11 years old, saying metal has been a crucial part of her whole life, and let’s say it’s quite easy to notice that by the way she sings, always putting her heart and soul into her performances.

Just a few weeks ago, our Greek goddess was announced as the new vocalist of Xandria, and in her own words, “I am beyond happy to be part of this adventure, I gave everything I had on the songs that are about to come and I love every single one of them. I hope you will do too. I can’t wait to meet you all and hear about your own musical journey.” Combining atmospheric, delicate vocals with harsh, visceral roars, her potent and versatile voice fits perfectly with the new musical direction of the band, which can already be seen in their new single title Reborn (which you can also stream on Spotify). Formed in 1994 in Bielefeld, a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Xandria have already had in their career the impressive number of eight vocalists, those being Nicole Tobien, Lisa Middelhauve, Kerstin Bischof, Manuela Kraller, Dianne van Giersbergen, Lisa Middelhauve, Aeva Maurelle, and now our metal lady Ambre Vourvahis. Accompanied by fellow musicians Robert Klawonn on the guitars, Tim Schwarz on bass and Dimitrios Gatsios on drums, as well as of course Ambre on vocals, the newly formed outfit around band leader, main songwriter, composer and guitarist Marco Heubaum is ready to bring its impressive career to the next level.

“Xandria is reborn… and the first sign of the return to life is the respectively titled song. Like before, Xandria are taking you on a voyage to your imagination, and the emotional and varied voice of new frontwoman Ambre Vourvahis will show you the way there with more facets then ever – prepare for some surprises! The new line up around mastermind Marco Heubaum will definitely start a whole new chapter that is fascinating and fresh, but still genuinely Xandria. Because this is what Xandria always has been – a voyager and explorer in the inspiring world of symphonic and heavy music. And now it is reborn,” commented the band about this new phase in their career, with Ambre also having some words to say about her new band. “I knew the band personally for a long time now and during their break Marco and I started to work on music for a possible project, while at the same time he was writing already some new Xandria songs, and then he thought my voice would fit very well on them, too. In the end we even took some of the ideas for that project into Xandria as it was fitting also really well actually and brought some new elements and diversity.”

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Although nothing is known about the new album yet, Ambre seems to be very excited and can’t wait to meet the band’s fans on the road. “I feel grateful, especially with the overwhelming warm welcome I got so far by the wonderful Xandria fans,” said our raven-haired diva, and I bet you can’t wait to listen to the follow-up to their 2017 album Theater of Dimensions and to see Ambre taking the stages by storm when the band begins their tour to promote their upcoming album. By the way, starting this September the band will embark on a massive European double headlining tour with Austrian Melodic/Symphonic Power Metal band Visions of Atlantis, inviting fans to dive deep into breathtaking soundscapes of Symphonic Metal, and hopefully that tour will also be extended to other places such as North and South America, Japan and Australia. “We want to plan a lot of tours, in as many countries as we can. But especially continue to make music that will be exciting for us and our fans,” said Ambre, also mentioning that she wants to thank all of the band’s fans in person and discover their musical journeys and taste as well, as she really loves to talk about music. Well, I bet you don’t want to miss that opportunity when Ambre hits the road together with Xandria, right?

You can also find Ambre doing the female vocals for Fragment Soul, a Progressive Metal band formed in 2016 in Greece which has another metal lady featured already on our webzine, the charming Heike Langhans, as a special member on vocals. How can she sing in such different bands at the same time, one might ask? Well, Ambre mentioned in one of her interviews that she loves to challenge herself vocally and to try new things, and as she can do both clean and guttural vocals it won’t be a surprise if other musicians and bands start recruiting her to be part of their new albums or live concerts, consequently leading her to visit more and more cities and countries while on tour. Hence, let’s show our total support to Ambre in this new phase of her career, and hope that sooner than later we’ll be able to witness her kicking some ass onstage with her bandmates from Xandria in our hometowns, showing once again why Symphonic Metal has always been the perfect place for skillful and hard working women who rock our world like our up-and-coming Greek vocalist.

Ambre Vourvahis’ Official Facebook page
Ambre Vourvahis’ Official Instagram
Xandria’s Official Facebook page
Xandria’s Official Instagram
Xandria’s Official YouTube channel
Xandria’s Official Twitter

“I trained and developed my singing on my own (especially the harsh vocals) as well as with vocal coaches for many years, and still today – there is always so much more to learn and to achieve so I will probably never stop working with a professional vocal coach.” – Ambre Vourvahis

Album Review – Kreator / Hate Über Alles (2022)

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Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.

Recorded at Hansa Studios and Studio Wong, both located in Berlin, Germany, produced by Arthur Rizk, and displaying a classy, demonic artwork by renowned Israeli artist Eliran Kantor, Hate Über Alles is not just the fifteenth studio album by German Thrash Metal masters Kreator, but the band’s first studio album since their 2017 opus Gods of Violence, marking the longest gap between studio albums in their career, and the first to feature former DragonForce bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who replaced longtime band member Christian “Speesy” Giesler in 2019. And what do I think about the album? Well, let’s say Kreator more than nailed it once again, with the iconic Miland “Mille” Petrozza on vocals and guitar, Sami Yli-Sirniö also on the guitar, the aforementioned Frédéric Leclercq on bass, and Jürgen “Ventor” Reil on drums delivering sheer violence, blasphemy and hatred with a welcome dosage of progressiveness and experimentations throughout the entire album, therefore keeping the fires of German thrash burning bright for our total delight.

Sergio Corbucci was an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer who directed both very violent Spaghetti Westerns and bloodless Bud Spencer and Terence Hill action comedies, and there’s nothing better than the Spaghetti Western intro Sergio Corbucci Is Dead to set the stage for Kreator to kill in Hate Über Alles, with both Mille and Sami kicking some fuckin’ ass with their undisputed thrashing riffage. Put differently, a new metal anthem is born overflowing fury and hatred, and of course without a single second of boredom. Then in Killer Of Jesus we face an endless amount of brutality spiced up by absolutely austere lyrics (“Tell the hordes / I’ve come to save them all / Could their souls be dead / Or why can’t I hear their words? / Goddess of time / Always by my side / Faithless redemption / Is this what they have been praying for?”), with Ventor sounding demented behind his drums in another must-listen to any fan of our good old Thrash Metal, whereas the tribal beats by Ventor ignite the neck-breaking Crush The Tyrants, with Mille flawlessly vociferating the song’s visceral words. Strongest Of The Strong is very exciting from start to finish, with Mille and Sami delivering first-class riffs and solos throughout the entire song, resulting in another serious candidate to be part of their live performances, followed by Become Immortal, where I must say I love how Kreator are honoring all metal legends (including themselves) in their past few albums, with the song’s  galloping pace inviting us all to raise our horns together with one of the most important Thrash Metal bands of all time.

Conquer And Destroy brings forward old school Kreator for diehard fans of the band, and it will surely ignite some amazing circle pits if played live while Mille leads his horde with both his piercing vocals and melodic but razor-edged riffs and solos; and featuring guest vocalist Sofia Portanet, the hypnotizing Midnight Sun is by far the most experimental of all songs, with the final result being utterly captivating as if we were part of an uncanny, bloodthirsty Scandinavian midsummer festival. Demonic Future offers us all another round of wicked lyrics roared by Mille (“In terror, in riots in war / Just when you thought that you’ve seen it all / Awareness turns to repulsion / From everywhere, echoing chants / A requiem for their bitter lands / Just when you thought a sick society / Died in their final convulsions / Fantasies of omnipotence / Erased they’ll become aware”) while the music is that beautiful Thrash Metal we love so much, with Frédéric and Ventor making the earth tremble with their respective bass and drums, and when the entire album is awesome a song like Pride Comes Before The Fall that’s “just” very good becomes the “worst” one, albeit still showcasing of course Kreator’s unique thrashing sounds. And last but not least, Kreator darken the skies and send an apocalyptic message to everyone in Dying Planet, presenting hints of Doom Metal in their core sonority and, consequently, inspiring us to break our necks headbanging in the name of darkness together with Mille and his crew.

Kreator Hate Über Alles Deluxe Box

It’s time to let the hate blasted by Kreator in their outstanding new album flow through you, and you can do that by streaming it in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and obviously by purchasing it from the band’s own webstore or by clicking HERE or HERE, where you can by the way find the limited deluxe box including the red and black splatter double vinyl with etching on side D in trifold cover, a digibook CD, a digipack live CD, a photobook, the artprint and a pin. Furthermore, Kreator are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube for news, tour dates and more of their flammable music. Because in the end as you might already know it’s hate above all, as long as it’s blasted by an undisputed thrashing institution like Kreator.

Best moments of the album: Hate Über Alles, Killer Of Jesus, Strongest Of The Strong, Conquer And Destroy and Demonic Future.

Worst moments of the album: Pride Comes Before The Fall.

Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Sergio Corbucci Is Dead 0:58
2. Hate Über Alles 3:48
3. Killer Of Jesus 4:05
4. Crush The Tyrants 4:10
5. Strongest Of The Strong 4:01
6. Become Immortal 4:23
7. Conquer And Destroy 4:45
8. Midnight Sun (feat. Sofia Portanet) 3:38
9. Demonic Future 4:43
10. Pride Comes Before The Fall 4:48
11. Dying Planet 6:52

Band members
Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar
Sami Yli-Sirniö – guitar
Frédéric Leclercq – bass
Jürgen “Ventor” Reil – drums

Guest musician
Sofia Portanet – female vocals on “Midnight Sun”

Album Review – Axel Rudi Pell / Lost XXIII (2022)

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Mr. Axel Rudi Pell and his henchmen are back with another thrilling album consisting of ten deeply melodic Hard Rock songs.

For more than thirty years, Bochum, Germany-based guitarist and songwriter Axel Rudi Pell has released new albums at regular intervals with his Heavy Metal/Hard Rock band Axel Rudi Pell, and it couldn’t have been any different now in 2022 as Axel and his henchmen Johnny Gioeli on vocals, Volker Krawczak on bass, Ferdy Doernberg on keyboards and Bobby Rondinelli on drums have just unleashed upon us their 21st album to date, the excellent Lost XXIII, following up on their 2020 album Sign of the Times. Mixed by Thomas Geiger, produced by Axel Rudi Pell himself, mastered by Ulf Horbelt, and displaying a classic artwork by Thomas Ewerhard, Lost XXIII consists of ten deeply melodic Hard Rock songs showcasing a number of fast-paced highlights and surprising compositions, putting a huge smile on the faces of all diehard fans of such talented guitarist as well as to newcomers to his metallic world.

Lost XXIII Prequel, one of their trademark intros to pretty much all of their albums, sets the stage for Johnny and Axel to kick some ass in Survive, where Johnny flawlessly declaims the song’s catchy chorus (“Will we survive? / Who is our enemy? / Restrictions for all, can’t you see? / Will we survive? / Searching for destiny / Unchaining the souls to be free / Will we survive?”) while Bobby dictates the pace with his heavy and melodic beats. And let’s keep raising our horns to the dirty and thrilling Hard Rock by Axel and his crew in the dancing tune No Compromise, with Volker and Bobby doing an awesome job with their old school kitchen, whereas the electrifying riffs by Axel will keep penetrating deep inside your mind in Down on the Streets, while Ferdy brings forth those 70’s-inspired keys we all love so much. Johnny will make the hearts of Hard Rock lovers from all over the world melt with the deep, soulful ballad Gone with the Wind, all spiced up by the passionate keys by Ferdy, followed by Freight Train, another song that sounds like a heavier version of Bon Jovi in the band’s career, presenting a solid instrumental always boosted by Johnny’s soaring vocals.

Putting the pedal to the metal it’s time for the high-octane tune Follow the Beast, showcasing an incredibly addictive chorus (“Follow the beast / The end is in sight, the end’s coming near / Follow the beast / Dark clouds all over the sea / Follow the beast / There’s no way out, living in fear / Follow the beast / Stay close to me, don’t disappear”), with Bobby being on fire behind his drums while Axel embellishes the airwaves with his stylish riffs and solos. Then Ferdy’s gentle piano kicks off the romantic Fly with Me, where needless to say Johnny steals the spotlight with another striking vocal performance while Axel extracts sheer passion from his strings, proving metal bands don’t need to play at the speed of light to sound majestic. Johnny takes a break while his bandmates jam in great fashion in the instrumental tune The Rise of Ankhoor, spearheaded by the virtuoso Axel armed with his incendiary guitar, pumping us up for the title-track Lost XXIII, a traditional Axel Rudi Pell aria exhaling epicness, magic and darkness, with Ferdy’s keys nicely complementing Axel’s riffs in a bold and powerful feast full of melancholy beautifully transformed into words by Johnny, putting a stunning ending to the album.

Axel Rudi Pell Lost XXIII Deluxe Box Set

Such beautiful and pleasant album of our beloved Heavy Metal and Hard Rock can be appreciated in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if I were you I would add it to your collection of metal albums by clicking HERE, or even better, you can grab the superb Lost XXIII Deluxe Box Set from Nuclear Blast or from Napalm Records. In addition, Axel and his team of amazing musicians are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, where you can stay updated on their tour dates, and based on the high quality of the music found in Lost XXIII their upcoming shows will surely be awesome. And just like that we have more of the thrilling music by Mr. Axel Rudi Pell to enjoy until the band releases new material, most probably in 2024, for our total delight.

Best moments of the album: Survive, No Compromise, Gone with the Wind and Follow the Beast.

Worst moments of the album: Freight Train.

Released in 2022 SPV/Steamhammer

Track listing
1. Lost XXIII Prequel (Intro) 1:47
2. Survive 5:02
3. No Compromise 4:57
4. Down on the Streets 4:46
5. Gone with the Wind 8:56
6. Freight Train 6:08
7. Follow the Beast 5:02
8. Fly with Me 5:42
9. The Rise of Ankhoor 3:48
10. Lost XXIII 8:35

Band members
Johnny Gioeli – vocals
Axel Rudi Pell – guitar
Volker Krawczak – bass
Ferdy Doernberg – keyboards
Bobby Rondinelli – drums

Album Review – 4 Kings / The 2021 EP (2021)

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Get ready for 13 minutes of a fast and loud fusion of Thrash Metal, Punk Rock and Hardcore made in Germany.

Playing a fusion of Thrash Metal, Punk Rock and Hardcore as fast and loud as those styles demand since the band’s inception in 2015 in the city of Köln (or Cologne, if you prefer), Germany, the five-piece act known as 4 Kings is back in action in 2021 with a brand new EP, simply titled The 2021 EP. Currently comprised of Seth on vocals, Martin and Jannes on the guitars, Marino on bass, and Marcel on drums, 4 Kings (and yes, I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense for a band of five musicians to be named like that) will smash your cranial skull with the four heavy and visceral tracks from their new EP, inviting us all to slam into the pit and, consequently, to develop that severe neck pain we all love so much after some good headbanging, leaving you absolutely eager for more after the EP’s 13 intense minutes are over.

Martin and Jannes begin slashing their stringed axes in Tantrum, being quickly joined by the raspy roars by Seth and the classic Hardcore beats by Marcel, resulting in an old school and straight to the point tune that kicks things off in style. Then adding hints of Death Metal to their core Thrash Metal sound, the quintet delivers the fulminating Winter’s Back, with Marino’s bass jabs and Marcel’s beats generating a massive atmosphere perfect for the crisp riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo; whereas Bay Area Thrash riffs ignite the circle pit celebration titled Braindead, where Seth sounds even more enraged and demented on vocals supported by the classy backing vocals by his bandmates. It’s undoubtedly the most dynamic and diverse of all four songs, pointing to an exciting direction for the band. And last but not least, sinister sounds permeate the air in Under my Skin, with Martin and Jannes cutting our skin deep with their razor-edged riffs, sounding less intense than the other songs but absolutely vile and brutal just the way we like it.

If you want to give The 2021 EP a try you can find it in full on Spotify, but in order to properly support the underground you should purchase a copy of it from Amazon, and don’t forget to also give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel to stay updated with all of their future releases. As aforementioned, The 2021 EP will offer your metallic ears a very good dosage of Thrash Metal infused with Hardcore and Punk Rock nuances, proving 4 Kings (or maybe I should say those five thrashers from Germany) are back and ready to rock no matter what for years to come in the name of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Winter’s Back and Braindead.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Tantrum 2:32
2. Winter’s Back 3:53
3. Braindead 3:20
4. Under my Skin 3:41

Band members
Seth – vocals
Martin – guitar
Jannes – guitar
Marino – bass
Marcel – drums