Featuring metal icons Alex Skolnick, Mike Portnoy, Mark Menghi, David Ellefson and many remarkable guest vocalists, Metal Allegiance is different from other supergroups as in this case the raison d’être is a passionate celebration of heavy metal and comradery in the scene, consequently the second full length “Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty” is the product of real writing/jamming sessions among friends.

Instant headbanging is mandatory with “The Accuser” featuring vocalist Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder as the main aggressively fast rhythmic core is full of ravenous old school guitar riffs, a sincere homage to primal heavy metal, and obviously you can expect a fair dosage of killer intricate solos.

Featuring Bobby Blitz of legendary Overkill with his signature monstrous vocal delivery “Mother Of Sin” has that traditional thrash metal mood that we always need in our lives skillfully built by the intense rhythmic patterns and spiced up by the memorable intriguing guitar solos.

On “King With A Paper Crown” Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth delivers his renowned viking growls and it’s interesting to hear him sing in such a different sonic context but the song really works and actually stands out in the album due to the somber mood and tasteful melodic lead guitar dynamics flowing through the harsh classic heavy metal grooves.

Max Cavalera channels his tribal legacy on “Voodoo Of The Godsend” which has a fiery death metal tinged core but also extremely darkened tonalities and crispy melodic shredding guitar solos leading to an exciting sonic blend that fortunately includes major arcane tribal percussions.

We heard the unmistakable screams by Mark Osegueda on the first Metal Allegiance album and it’s nice to see him back on “Impulse Control” which shines for the glorious guitar work with loads of perfectly executed classic riffage and majestic soloing and the sensational catchy chorus.

“Power Drunk Majesty (Part II)” is a remarkable surprise featuring Floor Jansen of Nightwish as lead vocalist and she renders everything absolutely epic naturally enhancing the song’s melodic aspects with her soulful delivery and dazzling operatic skills plus the guitar solos here are nothing short of magnificent.

We can all agree that Metal Allegiance is an entertaining successful music endeavor in all-star party fashion so it totally makes sense to continue such unique metal experience and “Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty” will definitely please and unite all faithful metalheads around the world.

The duo behind Mantar, guitarist/vocalist Hanno Klaenhardt and drummer Erinc Sakarya, worked hard to leave an indelible mark in the modern metal scene and the latest release “The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze” aims to spread further the band’s heavy signature style.

The guitar progressions on “Age Of The Absurd” are evidently inspired by multiple metal subgenres combining super harsh riffage and easier entertaining melodies while vocals sound like ravenous screams constantly channeling raw fury.

While “Seek + Forget” keeps a strong distorted angered mood with blackened hints the rhythm sections slow down a bit to enhance a dramatic melodic depth leading to mellow guitars within a grim pensive breakdown.

On “Taurus” a solid combo of venomous growls and infectious guitar riffs build extra darkened textures as the band aims to deliver a vicious rhythmic assault but also experiments with atmospheric arrangements.

“Obey The Obscene” stands out for the atmospheric impending doom that lingers through the frenetic maze of blackened grooves where guitars skillfully combine gritty riffage and grave melodies.

The sludge doom metal force behind “The Formation Of Night” leads to powerful harsh guitar driven grooves always enhanced by a spiteful vocal delivery and a massive rhythmic backbone that will eventually give way to sorrowful melodies and atmospheric despair.

“The Funeral” aptly takes on an atmospheric mournful approach that will influence the overall mood with scattered slower darkened moments and gloomy synths yet there are still loads of abrasive guitar riffs that generate explosive rhythmic sections.

Just like the title implies “The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze” is an incendiary effort that at the same time maintains a rebellious rock spirit and a brutal sonic approach, a successful pathway that Mantar passionately continues to follow inspired by the cleansing power of fire.

 

While Swiss all female metallers Burning Witches are still considered newcomers in the metal scene their music style is profoundly influenced by old school heavy metal as you can easily tell listening to the brand new album “Hexenhammer”.

On “Executed” the frenetic bombastic rhythm is clearly inspired by decades of classic heavy metal with dominant lead guitars delivering the perfect dosage of shredding to spice up the steady crushing grooves as well as melancholic melodic phrases.

“Lords Of War” tends to slow down a bit in order to sound more catchy and slightly ‘happier’,especially during the triumphant chorus, but this doesn’t sacrifice the powerful sonic formula further enhanced by high pitch vocals and flamboyant guitar work.

The mood gets darker on “Dead Ender” as somber tones characterize the steady riffage and consequent mid paced grooves while guitar leads once again stand out with enjoyable melodic accents.

The title track continues to channel classic ‘80s heavy metal and in fact revolves around the catchy & rough guitar driven grooves adorned by intense vocals, solemn warrior style backing vocals and smooth melodic guitars.

“Maneater” has a proper witchy mood fueled by wicked vocals with devilish high pitch while guitars are busy maintaining classic heavy grooves that reach the expected acme with wilder soloing.

It takes courage to cover an unforgettable metal anthem like “Holy Diver” but here Burning Witches deliver a solid version with genuine passion and a flattering cool vocal performance.

It’s nice to see more women in the modern metal scene and on the energetic release “Hexenhammer” Burning Witches proudly represent a timeless genre that will always gather acolytes worldwide.

Thinking about folk metal we can all agree that Finnish superstars Korpiklaani have mastered this art since 2003 therefore the newest release “Kulkija” is bound to generate great interest among the faithful fans.

The initial atmospheric somber tones of “Neito” will soon evolve into a straightforward stomping folk metal rampage built by the soaring rhythmic section and adorned by charismatic violin melodies.

The mood becomes quite gloomy on “Aallon Alla” with a softer melodic ensemble, featuring lovely accordion phrases, that will ultimately acquire entertaining dynamics through a series of energetic rhythmic variations.

“Harmaja” is not necessarily a ballad but definitely has a more sorrowful approach as the magical folk textures naturally express a profound melancholia that constantly influences the heartfelt vocals and the spellbinding combo of dreamy violin melodies and subtle acoustic guitars.

“Kallon Malja” begins with captivating melancholic violin melodies but soon picks up speed as guitars gain a fiery sound following an upbeat rhythm yet additional intricate sorrowful harmonies, emotive vocals and slower darkened moments will continue to convey gloomy feelings.

“Sillanrakentaja” is significantly heavier and darker as powerful guitars follow moody drum blasts leading to exceptionally somber vibes but the inner folk soul will emerge with renewed intensity in the the catchy chorus.

Another round of passionate violin melodies lead the way on “Riemu” which offers a well balanced mix of cheerful folk hooks (stomping and dancing will be required) and softer emotive moments.

“Tuttu on tie” fully embraces a highly melancholic mood as weeping violin melodies become the main focus evoking all kinds of sad and dramatic feelings that inevitably influence the solemn vocals and mellow instrumental passages.

On the 10th studio album “Kulkija” Korpiklaani stay true to their sonic manifesto maintaining a profound devotion for traditional folk music and take the listeners on a magic journey wandering through enchanted forests and dreamy folkloric tales.

It took ten years to find the perfect time to release the self titled debut album but now beloved Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen and Pagan’s Mind guitarist Jorn Viggo Lofstad are finally ready to present to the world their project Northward.

“While Love Died” opens the album giving you a taste of what is yet to come and you will instantly embrace the energetic grooves skillfully built by solid rounds of guitar riffs and Floor’s scratchy rocker style delivery yet there is a melodic soul emerging with noticeable heartfelt intensity.

“Get What You Give” is another entertaining tune that again revolves around gritty guitar riffs and a triumphantly catchy rhythmic section that will later give way to a lovely acoustic momentum but as expected Floor’s voice is the main attraction here with a cool mixture of heavy rock tonalities and smooth harmonies.

“Drifting Islands” showcases a series of inspired shimmering guitar melodies so the rhythm becomes a bit more dramatic and mellow to favor Floor’s duet with her sister Irene yet there are still plenty of dirty rock dynamics and bouncy guitar work especially concentrated in the bombastic chorus.

“Let Me Out” is all about groovy vibes as guitar riffs spontaneously gallop throughout the song to maintain a positive energy and faster vibrant rhythmic segments while the dreamy melodic breakdown evoke a more emotive mood swiftly followed by a bold guitar solo.

While there are some killer heavy guitar riffs and consequent groovy moments on “Timebomb” the majority of the song becomes softer than expected focusing on gentle accessible melodies, introspective atmospheres and melancholic vocals.   

The eponymous final track “Northward” feels intensely dramatic with a power ballad influence and Floor’s enchanting vocals truly shine through the minimalist melodic tapestries while later guitars will gain the deserved spotlight with wilder soloing and refreshing fervent tonalities.

Obviously Floor’s charismatic vocals will be easy to love on this Northward debut release which stands out for the catchy rock backbone and the duo’s enthusiastic & energetic music approach.

In the beginning there were three young Icelandic schoolboys passionate about music that might have not known yet that The Vintage Caravan was foreordained to conquer the music scene and now the fourth studio album “Gateways” will prove once more the band’s creative force and bright future.

Despite the enigmatic initial atmospheric tonalities “Set Your Sights” is ready to hit you in the face with healthy rock grooves courtesy of steady retro tinged guitar riffs that keep on rolling with some heavier dynamics to reach the explosive punch of the solo.

“Reflections” gradually builds up a faster guitar driven groove well supported by the vibrant rhythmic section, where the bold bass lines truly stand out, yet there are several emotionally charged melodic moments as lead guitars and vocals can acquire a sweet psychedelic magic in proper ‘70s fashion.

With a dreamlike introductive arpeggios and soulful vocal harmonies “On The Run” holds a gentle melancholia yet will gain extra crunchy dynamics as the whole rhythmic section is ready to deliver bold rock progressions leading to a generously fuzzy melodic guitar solo.  

“Hidden Streams” offers several soaring rhythmic segments borrowing the catchy vibes of timeless classic rock as guitars gallop relentlessly through hazy and often deeply psychedelic soundscapes.

“Nebula” warmly welcomes you to a proper trippy psychedelic realm where the signature Nordic melancholy is always present as the rhythm becomes dramatically contemplative allowing the brilliant melodic guitar progressions and solo to steal the spotlight without sacrificing a proper dosage of heavier rock riffage.

“Tune Out” feels like the most complex track on the album and certainly gives you a good idea of The Vintage Caravan main music vision. With a distinct bluesy rock influence gentle melodic guitars focus on a softer approach that will eventually acquire complexity through versatile progressions and a powerful rhythmic crescendo while vocals naturally shift between a poetic mood and a rougher seasoned rocker style.

More than ever The Vintage Caravan demonstrates a genuine love for heavy classic rock and that exquisite sense of nostalgia mixed with a refreshing energy and ambitious dreams can be found all over “Gateways”.

Fronted by legendary Max Cavalera, Soulfly has been active for more than two decades and now the band wants to prove that the tribe is stronger than ever, in fact the latest album “Ritual” seems to possess the tribal energy and spiritual strength necessary to leave a mark in the current metal scene.

The title track is the sonic realm where brutal & tribal embrace as it opens the album with the primitive energy of tribal chants and introduces a massive guitar driven groove that feels increasingly heavier and ferocious also due to the relentless shredded guitar solos and Max’s angered vocals.

Featuring Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God “Dead Behind The Eyes” feels rather menacing as extra gritty guitar riffs wildly follow a faster rhythmic assault immersed in apocalyptic atmospheres yet through such brutal momentum Marc Rizzo manages to deliver darkened melodies and fierce soloing.

One of the coolest tracks on the album “Under Rapture”, featuring immensely ominous growls courtesy of Ross Dolan of Immolation, will trigger a non-stop moshpit with the perfect dosage of ruthless guitar riffs and consequent addictive savage grooves constantly guided by the arcane tribal spirit evoked by Zyon Cavalera’s thunderous drumming.

“Demonized” begins with darkened melodic guitars and a slightly contemplative mood but this initial peaceful moment will give way to another solid round of killer guitar riffs & tribal percussions and in general the whole instrumentation and song’s structure showcases profound death/thrash metal influences.

“Blood On The Street” screams tribal at the very beginning with an intriguing combo of flute harmonies and captivating percussions, which will return even stronger in the final part of the song, swiftly followed by steady malevolent guitar riffs and vicious drum blasts built to ensure a headbanging galore.

On the closing instrumental track “Soulfly XI” the mood drastically and unexpectedly changes leaving behind any sign of brutality as spiritual vibes become more palpable through melancholic acoustic guitars and dreamy saxophone melodies.  

It will be immediately clear that Soulfly have somehow acquired a renewed creative force which leads to the impactful soaring grooves that make “Ritual” the right album to triumphantly represent the band’s legacy.