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 

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Release by Pure Steel Records

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM DOOM PHILOSOPHY BY SORROWS PATH

Sorrows path is an epic doom metal band from Greece formed in 1993, but just releasing two demos, to come back in 2005 after line up changes and really hard times, releasing the compilation Resurrection in 2006 and their first full length in 2010, the Rough part of Nihilism, receiving truly positive feedback. Four years after, the second attack came the last 12th of September 2014, under the name of Doom Philosophy.

Sorrows Path are comprised by Stavros Giannakos on Bass, Angelos Ioannidis as Vocals,Fotis Mountouris on the Drums and Kostas Salomidis on the Guitar.

The album heralds a well composed mix of doom and epic metal, the guitars in general develop evil melodies and the predominant medium pulsed drums create the perfect doom atmosphere, then is the vocal melodies that make the job of epic and doom drippings, mid low pitched accompanied by orchestral backgrounds here and there.

The album follows this dark introduction with Tragedy, developing a mid tempo modern doom style, combined with a powerful and epic melodies on the vocals, really well performed by guitars and orchestra notes, linked with Dance with the death, one of the highlights of the album, dark and epic doom in its essence forged with a really effective chorus.

Brother of life attacks like a powerful bomb,to bring you to a slow paced doom rhythm, where the orchestra makes a high presence, not on their best tracks though, being continued by another hit Everything can change, this one bring you the darkest side of the band introducing some ultra low vocal tunes under a doom metal environment (with even gothic influences) evolving with intensity and changing rhythms performing mid pitched and even growling vocal techniques.

The king with a crown of thorns develop their best epic side, not being doom at all here but really composing an outstanding piece, the chorus is the best of the album, catchy and intense. The acoustic parts on the guitars are really well performed as well as the progression by the rest of the members of the band, creating a really powerful ending.

The Venus and the moon continues this tendency of epic heavy metal domination with doom roots, keeping a good pace within the rest of the album, and linking the action with Epoasis, this time is a win of the doom side, forging a true slow paced doom metal rhythms, combining drippings of Black Sabbath and Candlemass with a head banging chorus.

Clouds inside me is another epic doom track, with a remarkable job on the drums and the virtuous performance on the guitars being also an intense and effective song connected with Darkness, might be another track that perfect encapsulates the bands sound, being melodic epic in one hand and dark doom on the other hand, good instrumental compositions here as well as great vocal performance.

Damned (O)fish/LSD is the last of the album, instrumental doom missile, and here the band really created a good job on the melodies, even boosting it with progressive elements in about 7 minutes of evil power.

Doom philosophy is for now their best work, for those who like classic doom metal with drippings of epic and power metal, this must be part of your collection. The compositions might need improvements at some parts and the vocals are brilliant but would sound better if it where more powerful, but generally speaking is an excellent work that will leave the listener hungry for more Sorrows path.

7,5 / 10

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Released via Iron Shield Records

Support Sorrows Path buy The Rough Path Of Nihilism and Doom Philosophy

REVIEW ALBUM "EN TIERRA HOSTIL" BY "WILD"

Wild is a heavy power metal band from Spain (Madrid) formed in 2002 by Javier Pastor (guitar, vocals) and Antonio Marcos (guitar), and after years of hard work and changes in the lineup released the first demo in 2007 called "Heavy Metal" with Javier Endara on the vocals and Sergio Sardon on the bass.
In 2009 they release the EP "Calles de fuego" and finally, despite more lineup changes they release their first full length in 2011 called "La nueva orden" and that was the right point to start, positive reviews and the explosion of more new wave of traditional heavy metal bands emerging worldwide made them play several gigs in 2012 and got stronger to record En Tierra hostil released in 2014, signing with the Label Sliptrip records.

The album is a mix of traditional heavy metal instrumental with power speed metal and Spanish power metal on the vocals, the first track "el cazador" is a good proof of that, awesome riffs pure traditional speed power metal and mid pitched vocals work in good harmony creating a headbanging and memorable chorus, followed by La noche del pecado, as genuine heavy metal with influences from Spanish like Angeles del Infierno mixed with epic and power touches, the vocalist makes a better interpretation and a high pitched level that give this track the sign to be one of the best of the band, this track is enriched with the colaboration of Isabel P. from Ecletica and Angel Choco Munoz (Steelhorse) on some vocal parts, outstanding vocals by Endara!

Cruzando el portal is another contemporary power metal with a great in crescendo structure starting with the deep bass sound and strong pounding drums and then the attack of excellent power metal riffs, with the help on the solo by Miguel Coello (Agresiva), good job again on the vocals, demonstrating a good range in lows and highs as we can see in Las marcas del amor, a mid tempo ballad with reminiscences of Rock you like a Hurricane by Scorpions and also the melodic hard rock sound from Sangre Azul with intense chorus, really awesome job.

The tradition talks as the instrumental track Apocalipsis 16-6 begins, being a satisfying guitar asking and answering structure very well produced with good details on the drums, getting ready for one of the strongest bombs by the band, Soy la ley, a mid tempo pure heavy metal blast proper of the German heavy metal style seen on bands like Accept with strong drumbeats, catchy and direct chorus made to sing along on the gigs, but without a break it's time for  Furia en el cielo, a fast tempo speed power metal with some influence by the first power metal albums by Avalanch on the guitar riffs and structure of the song, headbanging from beginning to the end!
La sombra del Terror is another classic heavy power metal more on the side of the new wave of traditional heavy metal bands instrumentals and NWOBHM influence, remarkable riffs and design are admirable in this enjoyable act that lead to the tittle track En tierra hostil, one of the best also in composition and the most true metal spirit feeling with Warrior of the world details and awesome lyrics that talks about revolution and fight for freedom, great solo by Cecilio Sanchez (Ankhara), a good shot of adrenaline that keeps you fighting, here is the power and the glory!

Wild made their best album to date with En tierra hostil, its a missile of pure heavy metal with influences from the speed metal to the strong German power metal driving through true metal with fast and mid tempo structures in most of the cases, the vocals are in good harmony with the band but being more aggressive sometimes would improve in the future. Impeccable job by the guitars creating really astonishing riffs and keeping the roots of the classic heavy metal proving the good experience of the band.

8 / 10

TRACK LIST

1. El Cazador

2. La noche del pecado

3. Cruzando el portal

4. Las marcas del amor

5. Apocalipsis 16-6

6. Soy la ley

7. Furia en el cielo

8. La sombra del terror

9. En tierra hostil

LINE UP

Vocals Javier Endara

Guitars Javier Pastor

Guitars Jaime Nuñez

Bass Jorge Ramos

Drums Javi Gordillo

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REVIEW ALBUM "OF STONES AND STARS" BY CALADMOR

Caladmor is an epic folk metal band from Switzerland formed in 2001 (under the name Pale) and releasing their first album in 2010 called Midwinter and finally this album "Of stones and stars" released in 2013 with the support of Chrigel Glanzmann (Eluveitie) and Joel Gilardini (The land of the snow, Mulo Muto).

The album starts with The curse of the gods as a fast track of sharp guitars that take you to the folk metal world with added dose of epic style which will be the winning strategy of this band, full powerful chorus and great harmony on the vocals, developing a clear contrast between the growling harsh aggressive side with Maede and operistic soprano Babs singing folk poetry, as it  continues with The Raid as a mid-tempo shot with forceful headbanging rhythm that changes between the dark and lights, outstanding theatrical interpretation in this song,

The tittle track begins, Of stones and stars, as a slow pure folk metal taking you to a far away land when the fast guitar and drumbeats of Dawn of the deceiver break the spell and bring you to the mosh pit with one of the most thrashing style rhythms of the album mixed with modern metal influenced chorus, excellent instrumental, guitars do a positive job, as the flutes and pipes virtuous give the folk sign on this track.

Alvissmal begins with doom intro as the slow folk rhythms create the atmosphere again in one of the best chorus in the album, when the acoustic guitars of Laudine's lament change the tune as a lyrical operistic track, very well composed as the electric guitars and strong drums are in-crescendo during the song; outstanding voice in every aspect, developing multiple techniques of singing styles.

The dark riffs make the contrast with Mimir's born with a headbanging mid-temp

o apocalyptic feeling track to continue with another masterpiece, Nymph's Lure, one of the most intense bombs with a great act by the two vocalists making the perfect theatrical section of the Swiss band.

But this is not finished yet, Heralds of doom takes you to the battle with a full epic folk metal shot, marvellous chorus and  including orchestrated background and headbanging action that will keep your fist in the air, epic track that brings you to the Taberna Trollis, mid-fast tempo track with the most catchy chorus to sing along in the gigs, pint of beer in hand! Enjoyable from start to finish with the last track of the album, Helios sky , being like an epitaph orchestrated ending of sophisticated chorus with multiple vocals mixed in a harmonious canon  that shades to the final silence.

Caladmor really are very experienced in what they do, and they demonstrated they can create a masterpiece of pure Folk metal combined with medieval epic metal with refined orchestral structure album, good production also.
Of stones and stars is the work that will take Caladmor to the leading bands in the world of Folk metal scene, every member of the band work in perfect harmony and I have to remark the excellent quality of the two vocals, the interpretation of the themes are really impressive, excellent job.

9 / 10 




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