Rating: 4.5/5
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Rarely is that classic desired dynamic between vocalist and lead guitarist achieved these days; there’s a certain panache that’s easy to see, yet hard to quantify, and it is so obviously present in Benedictum. Truly, they are as blessed as their name suggests.

Rating: 3/5
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Sure, venture for the finest hooks possible, but know what you’re searching for, and “Red Silent Tides” may not be the best place to troll.

Rating: 3.5/5
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Despite the ostensibly “light” nature of the music, the subject matter feels darker, with an emanating aura of death. This makes sense since Elysium is, after all, a region of the underworld.

Rating: 4/5
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While “The Golden Bough” may not be the magnum opus of Atlantean Kodex, few bands are this strong right out of the gate, and I welcome their destined journeys.

Rating: 3.5/5
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Despite the topical environmental subject matter that draws from a variety of sci-fi sources (many of which I enjoy in and of themselves), something was missing. And you know what it probably was, more than anything else? The last quarter of the album.

Rating: 3.5/5
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Anyone into classic power metal—or… well… “Braveheart”—should enjoy this album. Grave Digger are not a band to be ignored, even with (and due in part to) their 30 years of burying the naysayers (pun? intended?). My only suggestion for future albums is to opt for actual instruments instead of relying so heavily on H.P.’s keyboards.

Rating: 4/5
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Some may accuse the Bostonians of genre-jumping (in case their name didn’t clue you, they are largely known for video game adaptations). But whether or not this strikes any chords of nostalgia, this is some seriously inspired power metal that doesn’t sound too DragonForce-d.

Rating: 3/5 …

Any way you slice it, this is both necessary for longtime fans (especially as the only official live ZP document thus far) and a good cross-section for new fans unfamiliar with the back catalogue. Getting crazy in the nighttime never felt so frenetic.

White Wizzard has lived for three tumultuous years, on a quest to restore truth to the world of Metal. The band harks back some thirty years to the inception of the NWOBHM movement, channeling major players like Iron Maiden and Motörhead, in an effort to forge a sound of their own. While they certainly have the passion and the chops, only half of this debut full-length is strong enough to stand on its own. However, if White Wizzard can keep it together, I suspect monumental growth in the future.

Have you ever wondered what Skid Row would sound like if the band were Finnish dudes, instead of New Jersey natives? I didn’t, until this Helsinki group released their fourth album, and it’s brimming with anthemic might!