SONATA ARCTICA – Unia
(Nuclear Blast) Rating: 6.0 A decidedly mature sounding and emotional lyric-filled platter from the Finns, this is more Winterheart’s Guild than Ecliptica, with acoustic guitars and symphonic collaborators outshining the...
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Honest and in-depth reviews of the latest metal albums, singles, and live performances. Discover the best new releases and timeless classics.
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MAPE OLLILA – Once Upon A Nightwish: The Official Biography
(Mape Ollila) Rating: 9.0 The English version of the band’s biography is finally available (and will be on sale at merch booth during this fall’s North American tour). Even though...
BRAINSTORM – Plague Of Rats
(Reigning Phoenix Music) Rating: 8.0 Old friends and BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend alumni, Brainstorm have returned, with album #14, the first since the pandemic casualty Wall Of Skulls, which never received...
AVANTASIA Here Be Dragons – A Power Metal Epic That...
Avantasia, the symphonic metal opera project led by Tobias Sammet, is set to release its highly anticipated tenth studio album, Here Be Dragons, on February 28, 2025, through Napalm Records....
NIGHTWISH – Dark Passion Play
(Nuclear Blast) Rating: 8.0 You’ve got to give the Nightwish guys credit for not going with a Tarja Turunen clone when choosing a new singer. Sure, new voice Anette Olzon...
NIGHTWISH – Made In Hong Kong (And In Various Other...
(Nuclear Blast / Roadrunner) Rating: 8.0 Ah yes, just as I remember it! After successive tours accompanying the Finns across the American southwest and to China, this brings back fond...
RAINBOW – Live In Germany 1976
(Eagle) Rating: 8.5 A year after the ’77 Munich show was reissued, Eagle returns with a second 2CD set from Rainbow, culled from four different gigs (and as such, silence...
NIGHTWISH – Imaginaerum
(Nuclear Blast / Roadrunner) Rating: 8.0 In some ways, this is the most important record of the Finns’ career. Even more so than Dark Passion Play, which had the natural...
RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Black Masquerade
(Eagle Rock) Rating: 7.0 Arguably the worst Rainbow line-up, Blackmore limping along, trying to keep the name alive, single-handedly. Fresh from leaving Deep Purple, for a second time (’93) and...
NIGHTWISH – Showtime, Storytime
(Nuclear Blast) Rating: 8.5 Live, double disc commemoration of last year’s Wacken appearance (15 songs, 95 minutes), the “final” show with then temporary/fill-in vocalist Floor Jansen (Revamp/ex-After Forever), who has...
