Igors Metal Blog

Band: Moonscape Single:  If Heaven Knows My Name / 2. A Rendezvous in Time? (Alt. Version) Release date: November 25th 2022 Record label: Self released Genre: Progressive Metal, epic metal, melodic death metal From:   Gjøvik, Norway   I was happy to receive 2 tracks from Håvard Lunde of Moonscape for a review.  The first track, “If Heaven Knows My Name” is a solid prog metal track with elements most should find appealing.   I’ve always compared Moonscape with Ayreon, and this track is probably the closest to Ayreon I’ve heard by this band so far, even if there’s only one singer. In addition there’s a very cool synth Aaron Minich (Nekrogoblikon) and heavy riffing that makes me think of Symphony X. If that wasn’t enough, there is a melodic lead guitar that reminds me of Opeth in the transition period from melodic death metal to prog. I like the drums, that I still find hard to believe to be programmed, probably because Håvard Lunde started out as a drummer and t

Originally reviewed for: Epic Metal Blog Band: Cyclopean Walls Album:  Enter the Dreamlands Release date: October 29th 2021 Record label: Steel Gallery Records Genre: Progressive Metal From: International, located currently in Paris, France   Cyclopean Walls is a project by guitarist Yiannis Tziallas, who performs guitars and bass guitars on the record, except for guitar solos by Steelianos Amirides & Stelios Anatolitis on one song. On drums are Jonas Schultz on and Sean Lang (track 5), vocals are handled by Raphael Gazal, with additional vocals by Andrea Krux on one track. Hugor Lee is listed on saxophone, however the saxophone seems to be present only on a few tracks. Yiannis Plastiras did both the composition of the first track and plays Hammond organ on one track. Finally the Esession Strings Quartet performs on the first song.   The first song has to be mentioned separately. Rather than being a metal song, it’s a classical piece that was composed by Yiannis

Band: Siren’s Rain Album: Rise Forth Release date: 8. October 2021 Record label: self released Genre: Dark Folk Metal From: Tacoma, USA       Siren’s Rain was founded in 2014 and has released to EPs: Beneath The Narrows in 2016 and Nightmares From The Abyss in 2019. The band consists of Rena Hellzinger- vocals, harp and percussion, William Beritich: bass, percussion and backing vocals. Scott Eugene Jones: percussion, Michael Heaney: mandolin and guitar, Ed Miller: guitar, nyckelharpa and backing vocals.   This band makes me think of 90s metal bands and Gothenburg metal, particularly Arch Enemy. These songs sound like they were written the old way, in the rehearsal room, not on computers with all parts programmed. This is a band I imagine I could have discovered while looking the cds at my record store when such things still existed. A major part of the sound of Siren’s Rain is the use of folk instruments and folk inspired melodies, as well as the use of folk inst

  Band: Sorceress of Sin Album: Constantine Release date: 6. August 2021 Record label: self released Genre: melodic power metal From: Cambridge, UK        I have followed Lisa and Paul Skinner since before they started the band Sorceress of Sin. This is now their 2 nd album under this name, and I’m happy to review their progress. (You can find my review of their first album here ) The core of the band is the same since the previous album, namely Lisa Skinner on vocals, Paul Skinner on drums, Constantine Kanakis on guitars and Tom Maclean on bass (in studio), keyboards and orchestral arrangements as well as being responsible for mixing and producing this album. For their live shows they are joined by John Turner on guitar and Daniel Mackender on bass guitar.   The songs vary from fast paced heavy metal to epic metal, often with a symphonic side. At 1 hour 1 minute, with 9 songs, it is exactly long enough. No songs are filler tracks, and the epic l

  Band: Gospelheim Single: Into Smithereens Release date: 30 July 2021 Record label: self released Genre: Black Metal / Avant-Garde Metal / Dark Metal From: Manchester, UK    It’s rare to find me reviewing black metal. Being located in Norway, and being in the scene myself, there is a great abundance of bands that place themselves in the genre. However I find most black metal quite uninspiring. In contrast, Gospelheim were able to capture my attention at once the vocals kicked in. While it lacks the keyboard melodies, this track makes me at once think of Arcturus and Borknagar.   The band is a trio, consisting of R.M. - Vocals and Guitar A.K. - Vocals and Bass C.O. – Drums. I believe there are some ambient keyboards as well, however it’s not clear who performed those. The band got together as late as 2019, but it’s clear from the performance that all 3 are experienced and accomplished musicians.   Intentionally or not, they fit

I want to thank Epic Metal Blog and ZYX Music for sending me this album to review. Band: Rhabstallion Album: Back in the Saddle Release date: 12th of March 2021 Record label: ZYX music Germany / Golden Core label Genre: Heavy metal / Heavy rock From: West Yorkshire, UK While Rhabstallion had a song released as early as 1980 (their song Chain Reaction was featured on the sampler album New Electric Warriors), they never got to release a full album before they broke up in 84. With them reuniting in 2018, they finally recorded the album Back In The Saddle, which was released 12 th of March 2021. This album features original members,  Dave Thompson and Stuart Toddington on guitars, Jack Himsworth on drums, Graham Hooper on bass from the 1979 line up. They are joined by Andy Wood on guitar and lead vocals who had previously been in the Rhabstallion line up between September 1981 to 1984.   With many of these songs being from the 80s, I find it natural to com