(9/10) 2018 is the year of two glorious comebacks of Seattle-based bands that released milestone records in metal during the 80’s. Prog masters Heir Apparent is one of them and Fifth Angel is the other one. The latter released a terrific debut in 1986. Songs like ‘In the Fallout’ and ‘Fifth Angel’ belong to the... Continue Reading →
Live report TARJA / STRATOVARIUS / SERPENTYNE, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht – 07.10.2018
On a Sunday evening, Dutch highways led me to Utrecht. It was a Finnish package that drew my attention with former Nightwish singer Tarja and power metallers Stratovarius performing a co-headliner show under the header of ‘A Nordic Symphony ‘18’. Before the Finns entered the stage it was up to the London-based quintet Serpentyne to... Continue Reading →
CD review SHELTON/CHASTAIN ‘Edge of Sanity – ’88 Demo Session’
(10/10) There are releases that are beyond any score or rating. The value of these kinds of releases is far more than what can be summed up to a rate. ‘Edge of Sanity – 88’ Demo Session’ is such an album. The true value of ‘Edge of Sanity – ’88 Demo Session’ is the fact... Continue Reading →
HEIR APPARENT’s Terry Gorle & Will Shaw talk about ‘The View From Below’
October 15th is the day when prog metal veterans Heir Apparent will release their highly anticipated third studio album, 'The View from Below'. Fans of excellent US metal and acclaimed progressive metal were hungry for this release and what was a dream for decades became real. MHMB contacted Terry Gorle and Will Shaw to get... Continue Reading →
New METAL CHURCH album in December
West coast metal veterans Metal Church will release their 12th full length studio album ’Damned If You Do’ via Rat Pak Records on December 7, 2018 and will also be available in Europe via Nuclear Blast and Japan via KING Records. The latest release is the follow up to their highly successful 2016 album ‘XI’,... Continue Reading →
CD review HEIR APPARENT ‘The View From Below’
(10/10) Seldomly it happens that what you wish to happen also becomes real. It seems to stay a dream that never unfolds its beauty. One of these things is a new album of no less than Seattle-based prog metal legends of Heir Apparent. The quintet from the Amercian West Coast had two awesome releases during... Continue Reading →
Classics: RUFFIANS ‘Ruffians’
With this classic, we go back in time even further than with the latest 'Classics' posts. The Delorean brings us back to 1985. In a phase when metal gained momentum and many bands pushed into the market, it was Ruffians from San Francisco that unveiled a brilliant six-track album. Simply entitled 'Ruffians' the debut EP of... Continue Reading →
Classics: MORTAL SIN ‘Mayhemic Destruction’
Who can remember Mortal Sin? The quintet from Sydney, Australia isn't top of mind of everybody, but the ones of you that started their metallic journey in the 80's are familiar with this five-piece powerhouse from down under. Mortal Sin started in 1985 and was described as the 'Australian Metallica'. This gave already a clear idea... Continue Reading →
CD review BRAINSTORM “Midnight Ghost’
(8/10) September 2018 is an important month when it comes to heavy metal music, hailing from the greater Heidenheim area. The German city in the south of Germany is the hometown of two metal acts that are well-known in metal. Undertow will release their new album “Reap the Storm’ on September 21st and it’s know... Continue Reading →
CD review HAMMER KING ‘Poseidon Will Carry Us Home’
(8/10) Even though Kaiserslautern, Germany has no geographical connection to the sea, it’s Hammer King that got inspired by the ocean. The band, consisting out some Ivory Night members, is fronted by former Ross The Boss singer Titan Fox V. In contrary to the assumption of a Manowar copycat and in contrary to the debut, Joey... Continue Reading →
CD review STRATOVARIUS ‘ENIGMA: Intermission 2’
(8/10) I guess that most of you are familiar with Stratovarius' 'Intermission' album from 2001. The record was a compilation that mainly featured live recordings, B-sides and bonus tracks of the Finnish powerhouse. 17 years later, Stratovarius reveals a new album and it's called 'Enigma: Intermission 2'. As with part one, also volume 2 comprises... Continue Reading →
CD review ETHERNITY ‘The Human Race Extinction’
(8/10) Good female-fronted metal bands can’t be found in The Netherlands only. Looking across the borders towards Belgium brings Ethernity on the radar. The band was founded in 2000 by two brothers, Julien and Nicolas Spreutels, and their cousin Francois Spreutels. This family teamwork was enriched by two more members and the band began with... Continue Reading →
CD review THE UNITY ‘Rise’
(8/10) It was a year ago when German-Italian metalers The Unity debuted with a self-titled album. The Unity is the brainchild of two Gamma Ray members, Henjo Richter and Michael Ehre. The debut received very good feedback, from media and fans, with some touring activities helping the band to establish themselves in the German metal... Continue Reading →
CD review BLACK MAJESTY ‘Children of the Abyss’
(7/10) Black Majesty, hailing from Australia, is a band that releases albums on a very regular base. The guys provide new melodic metal songs in a three years pattern and since the latest longplayer ‘Cross of Throns’, has been launched in 2015 it’s time for a new longplayer in 2018. That's the math an here... Continue Reading →
CD review MANIMAL ‘Purgatorio’
(8/10) Gothenburg is known for a vital metal scene. Death metal and especially the melodic version of this extreme metal genre has a solid homebase in Sweden’s’ second biggest city. But the epicenter of Swedish metal has more in the offer. Also more traditional based metal is hailing from Gothenburg and one ambassador in Manimal.... Continue Reading →









