REVIEW OF THE ALBUM STARS ALIGNED BY STARGAZERY (23/01/15)

Stargazery is a power metal band from Finland formed in 2005 and releasing their first album in 2011 (Eyes on the sky) and due to release their new album Stars aligned the next 23rd of January 2015.

Stargazery style comes from the melodic 90s power metal with drippings of hard rockish elements, creating anthems with very catchy choruses generally, the voice acts very effective theatrically speaking, with melodic and clean style, backed by sharp guitars, strong drumbeats and keyboards, being the essential sound of the band.

The album starts with Voodoo, being straight away one of the highlights of the band style, as a mid tempo epic shot, it got interesting elements, like the bridge before the solo, where vocals and keyboards make an excellent job; following with Angel of the dawn, slower pace but more powerful in terms of melodic structure with remarkable teamwork between guitars an vocals.

Missed the train to paradise is another great example of pure power metal, with an in crescendo structure to one of the best and most epic choruses of the band, the guitar performance brings memories of Queensrÿche style and the general composition is awesome, one of the best of the album, continued by Invisible, mid and slow shot of low pitched vocal and rhythms changes to get an ascending pattern leading to a good chorus, nothing special apart from the vocal evolution and the keyboard play.

Absolution continues the power metal path, taking some Edguy style on the melodies, comprising awesome guitar riffs and another top chorus to be singed along, the vocal high pitched play is excellent, creating a perfect harmony with the rest of the band, also perfect in the next track Academy of love, ballad of the album being transformed beautifully in another mid tempo powerful chorus, great the progression here and the play of guitar solo and piano.

Painted into a corner starts with a really impressive vocal clean shot in a mid tempo melodic heavy metal in crescendo track, outstanding the keyboard performance and the composition, like Dim the halo, with another catchy chorus.

Bring me the night heralds another good combination between leading melodic vocals and guitar, backed by symphonic keyboards elements, as we continue to the end of the album, the performance of the band improves in every track, being the time of Hiding, with one of the best increscendo mid tempo ballad, including the best vocal interpretation, demonstrating the good qualities of the vocalist, as the Warrior's Inn kicks in with an awesome guitar riff and catchy combination of voice and keyboards melodies, forging an epic chorus that leads to the last and best track of the album.

Dark Lady is the last in line, and despite the fact that is a cover, this is one of the best shots and a gem of the genre, developed in English and another version in Finnish as a bonus track, develops a truly addictive pace and riffs, under the violin melodies ascending to a marvellous chorus, of those to be played again and again, definitely better than the original where every member nail it.

Overall, this album is in general an excellent job by Stargazery, taking the best elements of the old school melodic power of the 90s, creating memorable songs like the highlights Voodoo, Dim the Halo, Dark Lady or Missed the train to paradise; being able to create addictive choruses in almost all the tracks is a really good point, also most of the tracks have mid tempo rhythms being the only thing that could be improved in terms of composition variety, but the general impression is that we are listening to an awesome album that demonstrate that Stargazery worked hard and succeeded with Stars aligned.

8 / 10

Line up
Jukka Jokikokko Bass, Vocals (backing) 
Pete Ahonen Guitars, Vocals (backing)
Marco Sneck Keyboards
Jari Tiura Vocals
Jussi Ontero Drums

Links
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Website

Release by Pure Steel Records

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM "FACING THE FALLOUT" BY SHADOWBANE (16/1/2015)

Shadowbane is a power metal band from Germany formed in 2007 and releasing only their demo Dystopia independently in 2010,becoming a really promising band, and now ready to conquer Europe with their upcoming album Facing the Fallout, due to be release next 16th of January of 2015 via Pure Steel Records.

Shadowbane breath from the flames of the authentic heavy-speed metal mixing German and US power metal effectively, having similarities with bands like Accept, Helloween or Grave digger combined with epic Manilla Road or Queensrÿche, high pitched clean and sharp vocals, contrasting melody and powerful choruses with technical guitar riffs and fast pounding drumbeats.

The album opens with the Red alert instrumental apocalyptic shot linked to Beyond the winds of war, powerful heavy start on the line of Accept including palm muted and galloping riffs, changes of pace and good drum performances, but being eclipsed by Traitor, one of their best tracks, including some outstanding riffs and shreddings (remember the Spanish power metal band Avalanch riffs?) headbanging as hell with an excellent structure, better chorus, and remarkable guitar performance.

Under bleeding skies evolves in a straight high speed heavy metal shot with memories of Judas Priest, very well composed on the bridge and the slow paced chorus, special mention to the vocal work on the clean and sharp styles combining aggressive and melodic sections really well; continued by After the fallout, comprising a mid fast tempo pattern of pure US power metal, amazingly well composed and headbanging and coming back to the German Grave digger influence with Dystopia, totally addictive riffs and chorus, forging a memorable bridge.

Tears down the wall explodes like an authentic speed metal track with melodic power metal added to the mixture, the clean vocals are amazing here as the progression with the guitar shredding and the emphasizing drums create and endless headbanging anthem, linked with another highlight of the band style, Badlands law, mid fast shot with a chorus to be shouted on the gigs, drum and guitar structure reminding to the ram it down era of Judas Priest but keeping the powerful sign of the band.

Last division take the Teutonic riff style and mix it with the US power melodies to create a true masterpiece of sophisticated drum shots, epic guitar performances and outstanding bridge and chorus, to finalise with Source of Grief, accelerating the metal machine to a high speed pace; this last bomb combines very well the elements that Shadowbane have used before,rhythms changes, aggressive and frenetic powerful in crescendo verses that make you break your necks in a breathtaking pulse.

Shadowbane managed a really professional production forging an excellent work in every aspect, the album contains masterpieces like Traitor, Last Division or Source of grief being highlights of the album. Shadowbane will step forward to the top of the true power metal scene with Facing the Fallout.

9 / 10

Shadowbane line up
Stefan - vocals

 Lukas - lead- and rhythm-guitars 

Markus - lead- and rhythm-guitars 

Moritz - bass and backing vocals 

Renè - drums 

Links

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Release by Pure Steel Records

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM LOBOTOMIZED BY BIOTOXIC WARFARE (19/01/2015)

Biotoxic Warfare is a thrash / death metal band from Heraklion (Greece), formed in 2012, and releasing their first EP Baptized in blood and greed in 2013 receiving positive feedback from the media. The band went to the studio in september 2014 to record their debut album, Lobotomized, due to be released the next 19th January 2015 and signed with Slaney Records,

Biotoxic warfare sound comes from the aggressive speed thrash metal taking influences from Exodus, Kreator to Slayer, including some thrashy Venom era style, guitar melodies are feed by pure death metal structures (memories from Death or Obituary) combined with oldschool thrash riffs, followed by a technically perfect drum style, mixing thrash and death rhythms continuously in the album; vocalist give it all in every track, showing an aggressive and powerful attitude with raw harsh mid-high pitched vocals, making the whole combination a pure bomb of headbanging metal.

The album starts with a death metal feeling instrumental track, Mors indecepta, as the evil notes lead to a combo of thrash action where the drums make a remarkable job in perfect harmony with the guitar performance, being a good warm up for Proclaim the gospel of lies, this time death metal guitars riffs explode together with thrash metal drumbeats, awesome fast paced track totally neckbreaking, continued by Baptized in blood and greed, one of the best of the band, as a super fast galloping and furious thrash metal attack, with short and straight vocal shots and changes of pace with astonishing palm muted riffs.

The same headbanging fuel continues with Dysphoric Reality, genuine oldschool thrash that amazingly is transformed in pure death metal at some parts, fast to mid tempo in a good anthem that encapsulates the band spirit.

The acoustic atmosphere surrounds you as the explosion of authentic furious thrash burns your soul with the tittle track, Lobotomized, remarkable guitar play and amazing mid fast drumbeats with added double pedal in an excellent composed structure and followed by another highlight for the band, Lust for hate, included previously in their first EP, the patterns taken here includes death metal drippings under a fast killer thrash fire, but creating a great bridge that leads to one of those chorus to scream and bang the head.

Parasitic life and As we Rot(promises of heaven) follow the same force and even raise up the aggression levels with a more notorious drumbeats in two of the fastest songs of the band that will your necks, special mention to As we Rot, introducing death and growling vocals in a vertiginous fast missile combining successfully all the elements the band have experimented along the album creating an inevitable mosh pit.

Biotoxic Warfare made their point of entry to the main thrash metal scene with Lobotomized, succeeding in terms of crystal clear production with the first album and forging surprisingly good album, if you want thrash metal, with death metal drippings, straight and strong, Lobotomized is what you are looking for.

8,5 / 10

Line up

Mike Kavalos – Vocals 

George “Dimator” Dimitrakakis – Lead Guitars 

Stelios Sfendilakis – Rhythm Guitars 

Panagiotis Polioudakis – Bass 

Orestis Drapaniotis – Drums 

Links

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Release by Slaney Records

Post by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB