Tag: Traditional

Manacle – No Fear To Persevere Review

In 2016, Canada’s Manacle self-released a preview of their first full-length, appropriately titled Preview. Now, two years later, they’re finally dropping that full-length on Hard And Heavy Records, and it turns out that Preview was

Battleroar – Codex Epicus Review

At the intersection of Blind Guardian and Manilla Road lies Greece’s Battleroar—epic paeans to battle and heroes, historical tales of Ye Olden Days, infectious guitar leads, soaring melodies, bombastic choirs… Codex Epicus is the band’s

Lizzy Borden – My Midnight Things Review

I’m an old fart now—I remember the late 1980s. I remember running across Lizzy Borden when they were featured in Penelope Spheeris’ classic The Decline Of Western Civilization, Part 2: The Metal Years, prancing about

Vhäldemar – Shadows Of Combat (Reissue) Review

Do you like Grave Digger and Helloween? I like Grave Digger and Helloween. Do you know who else likes Grave Digger and Helloween? Vhäldemar likes Grave Digger and Helloween. This fourth album from these Teutonic-toned

Ghost – Prequelle Review

At heart, rock ‘n’ roll has always been theater.  It’s performance, on-stage and under the lights; it’s exorcism and exhibition, a transference of raw emotion from performer to audience through words and action. It’s why

Diamonds & Rust: Tygers Of Pan Tang – Wild Cat Vs. Spellbound

Music of any kind is not just the sounds you hear. The intangibles matter. The context matters. No one will understand exactly why I love Harry Nilsson’s The Point, and I don’t expect anyone to,

Age Of Taurus – The Colony Slain Review

It’s no secret that the apple that is doom metal has fallen a tad out of the public eye. Yes, America is still in love with Pallbearer and his brother, Darryl, and his other brother,

A Devil’s Dozen – Fates Warning

The story of Fates Warning spans decades and is complex in terms of music, musicians, genre definitions, and public perception. On a musician level, this is the story of Jim Matheos, guitarist, primary songwriter, and