Black Sites' last album "Untrue" is one of my most listened to album and for good reason, it's progressive heavy metal, which is uncommon nowadays. The Promised Land? follows the same style, but with clear differences. The production is lighter/clearer, vocals are in the foreground and drums are louder. The peaks are amazing, showcasing great songwriting, riffs and catchiness. However, the slower songs don’t resonate with me as much as they should.

Very similar to part one with all the same strengths, but just a smidge below due to being a bit shorter. They flow seamlessly when listened to consecutively and are even more enjoyable that way, provided you don’t mind the 1 hour and 30-minute runtime

Once again there's a prog-death album executed very well (quite many so far this year). Light and pleasing to listen to with the vocalist setting the atmosphere with melodic/airy singing, but contrasted with similar growls to Opeth. The entire album feels spacey (the cover fits very well) and has a little more groove than usual prog-death. While their approach may not be unique, the result is excellent

butchering every style of metal while sounding like a less refined falling in reverse is quite the sight

King was clearly their peak and it doesn't seem they can come back to it. Opera is more poppy and symphonic than ever and the clear vocals from their bassist are replaced by the female Opera singer. Technicality also seems to have been taken back in favor of the "Nuclear Blast" audience. It's still Fleshgod Apocalypse, but not what I loved: Technicality, symphonies and intensity. Listen to King if you haven't already.

Atmospheric black metal with a progressive/post-metal structure and clean prog sections. Black metal sections have a great vocalist with pounding atmospheric instrumentals and progressive parts have female vocals, acoustic guitar, violin, and a serene feel. The contrast between them and stellar production make this album great.

A great combination of epic doom and heavy metal. At points the soundscape is very mellow, epic and striking with clear doomy elements and other times it morphs into surprisingly light and melodic heavy metal sections. Both of them showcase great guitarwork and amazing vocals. Production is also amazing with no useless distortion or weird mixing choices. If you like epic doom metal with heavy (and a little prog) metal influences this album will be great

Great melodies and atmosphere with good shriek style vocals, but the raw and noisy production is a letdown

Dissapointing after two amazing albums back to back. Phantoma leans onto a sci-fi and techno theme which is heavily in contrast to their ideal spoundscape. The melodic death elements are weaker and synths more prevelent. Everything sounds less bombastic and impactful, which was a strongsuit in previous albums.
A generally weaker sci-fi version of their previous two albums, which you should always listen to before this. Although if yearn for more Unleash The Archers, this is just that.

A great new album merits a long review.

The first track “Shadows Flap their Black Wings” instantly showcases the strengths of In Vain. It feels like they have chosen the best aspects from several prog metal bands. The catchiness and melodies akin to Amorphis, orchestration of Wilderun, songwriting of Disillusion and all of it has combined into sounding the most like Borknagar. What makes them unique is the choice to focus on catchiness, but it has led to a sacrifice in some of the ... read more

A great album that suffers from the "wall of sound" production

At its best Sunbather is one of the most immersive musical experiences ever, but the overblown experimentation at points (borderline ear rape in Please Remember) and distant screaming throughout the entire album make it a flawed, but sensational album.

Savage Oath having members from the best of the best in current US power metal (Sumerlands, Eternal Champion and Visigoth) it's excepted from them to put out stellar music. I'd say they somewhat succeeded.

It's clear that the album is focused more on the US power side, rather than heavy metal. This makes it a bit slower, but more anthemic. Nearly everything sounds great, but there isn't a single "wow" moment. I don't like the vocalist, which dampens my overall enjoyment ... read more

This is just a jumble of guitar wanking with weak song structure

A very predictable and stale album. Most if not all mainstream power metal bands make their music sound as much like party music and not actually powerful. DragonForce is in the same boat. The production is very flat and makes the guitars sound like weird synthesizers. The vocalist tries to sing high notes while being a mediocre singer at best. Drumming is as basic as it can be. Thankfully the parts where they highlight the virtuoso style guitars, which basically are the entire focus and only ... read more

From the beginning you can feel the combination of melodeath and melodic BM. The vocals, use of cymbal and blast beats sound very much like black metal, but the guitar tone and clearer production point towards melodeath. The sound is similar to THRON, but the sound is richer and more dynamic. I really like blackened singing and the guitar style of melodic death, so naturally this album would be great. Fast, catchy and most importantly well mixed music.

Sometimes you just have to listen to well made, fun and catchy symphonic-prog-power metal to fill a void in your heart

How does a 50+ year old band deliver genre topping albums!? I'm instantly impressed by the great production, layering and passion that's oozing out of the music. "Vintage" bands have a reputation of making mediocre comebacks, but Judas Priest has risen above the rest.

From the first song you can feel the slight influence of power metal. Possibly a choice to appeal to the current mainstream popularity of it, but I believe the heavy metal should've be complimented with US power if ... read more

A great integration of folk and black metal. Most of the songs begin with a purely folk passage that ultimately leads to a blast beat filled black metal assault. The focus is clearly more into the folk side, but it suffers due to production. The folk guitars especially don't feel as authentic. Especially when comparing to my favourites: Agalloch, Wilderun or Moonsorrow. Folk is approached more in a atmospheric and serene style, rather than authentic and acoustic. The album is great, but I ... read more

The unhinged and unprecise vocals give tons of energy, but don't fit at all with the amazing and tight instrumental playing. It's very obvious in "No Fate"