HOLLOW HAZE - Memories of an Ancient Time review

 HOLLOW HAZE - Memories of an Ancient Time

Scarlet Records

http://www.hollowhaze.com/

HOLLOW HAZE is a band that I have already presented in the webzine and I have to say that it is a band that I appreciate since they release albums that are worked in detail and have certain quality. I know that everything is a matter of taste, but I have to recognize to them that they give it all into the album that they create. So, let us see what their new work has to offer us.

THE COVER: Do you like the theory that ancient alien civilizations helped humans to evolve or even better do you like the movie and the T.V. series STARGATE? I personally love them and this is what the cover of HOLLOW HAZE’s new album brought to my mind. You can see on it a futuristic representation of the pyramid and the sphinx. I think (without being sure since I don’t have the lyrics) that the cover is connected with the lyrics of the album since it is a concept about alien civilizations.

MUSICAL STYLE: HOLLOW HAZE are tagged as a progressive metal band and I think that this is a term that misleads, especially if you think that progressive metal is the kind of complicated nonsense that DREAM THEATER play. On the other hand if you think progress as an experimentation and combination between different musical genres, then HOLLOW HAZE is such a band. Actually, in my opinion the band’s basis is the European oriented heavy/power metal sound and they combine that with some symphonic metal elements and they have a few progressive metal structures in their compositions.

COMPOSITIONS: The new release of HOLLOW HAZE includes 12 compositions all of which belong to the modern European heavy/power metal sound and they have some symphonic metal touches that give to them a dramatic and also epic touch. I believe that the use of symphonic metal elements gives to their sound a feeling that you listen to a soundtrack of an epic science fiction movie. Also the vocals on this album are contributed by Mats Leven, Rick Altzi and Amanda Somerville. I think that this is a release that will be appreciated by the fans of bands like good old EDGUY and AVANTASIA.

CONCLUSION: Once more HOLLOW HAZE can be proud of themselves since they have created an album that brings a fresh air to the power metal genre and it has imagination, catchy melodies and an epic and yet cinematic atmosphere. The fans of this sound will surely love it.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis

FABIANO ANDREACCHIO - #Bass R-Evolution

FABIANO ANDREACCHIO - #Bass R-Evolution

Italian Way Music

https://fabianoandreacchio.wordpress.com/

We are all used to the idea of guitar virtuosos releasing solo albums in order to display their methods and musical style, but a bass player to release a solo album, well this is not something usual. Fabiano Andreacchio is a talented and virtuoso bass player who played in such bands like the BANDITZ, JOHN ROX and MOTHERCARE. Now he decided to release his solo album and play the music that fits to his personality and style better. So let me tell you a few things about it…

THE COVER: Not much to tell about the cover since it is quite simple and ordinary for such solo instrumental releases. It shows the musician with his bass and that’s all folks.

MUSICAL STYLE: It is really hard to describe the sound of Fabiano since he mixes many different styles. I think that he moves somewhere between progressive metal and the technical thrash metal genre spiced up with some fusion and jazz touches.

COMPOSITIONS: In this release you will have the chance to listen to 11 compositions most of which are instrumental and only the last one under the title “Fly Over” has lyrics and vocals. As I mentioned above the compositions are a mixture of progressive and technical thrash metal and they have a lot of grooves and a modern approach. The thing is that they sound fresh and have variety that keeps the interest of the listener without overdoing it in showing off.

CONCLUSION: I am not a big fan of instrumental albums to tell you the truth because I am more of a fan than a musician so I don’t have much experience of the techniques that a musician uses, but on the other hand if something is good and has melodies and it is straight to the point then I have no problem at all. Fabiano managed to release an album that is both technical and yet straight to the point and I think that it applies both to metal fans and musicians that want to expand their techniques.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis

HEATHEN FORAY – Into Battle

 HEATHEN FORAY – Into Battle

Massacre Records

http://www.heathenforay.com/

Well if you are from a country where your ancestors were or had to deal with the Vikings then you can call your music Viking metal and get it over with. On the other hand now if your ancestors were not Vikings or you draw inspiration from other ancient and medieval tribes then you can call the sound Pagan metal. It doesn’t really matter how you call your sound as long as it is good. HEATHEN FORAY from Austria belong to the Pagan metal sound and “Into Battle” is their new release.

THE COVER: When you name your album “Into Battle” then you definitely need to have a cover that will fit to that description and HEATHEN FORAY surely have one. On the cover you can see a medieval warrior standing on a rocky ground (probably the peak of a mountain) holding on his right hand a sword and on his left a red flag. Behind him you can also see some eagles flying. Yep the cover surely looks epic.

MUSICAL STYLE: I think that you can name the sound of HEATHEN FORAY either pagan or Viking metal, it doesn’t really matter since both genres are almost identical (they diverse only in the lyrical themes). The basis of HEATHENS FORAY’s sound is of course melodic death and sometimes black metal, but the interesting thing with these guys is that they dare to enrich their sound with some power metal touches too in the Teutonic power metal way. 

COMPOSITIONS: This is the fourth studio album of HEATHENS FORAY and their first in Massacre Records. The 8 songs that are included here are melodic and yet heavy and as I mentioned above they sound like a mixture between melodic death and power metal. I think that bands like AMON AMARTH, SUIDAKRA and BLIND GUARDIAN are close to the musical philosophy of HEATHEN FORAY.  

CONCLUSION: HEATHEN FORAY might have all these elements that categorize their sound as the Pagan/Viking metal and that is not bad at all, but they also mix in their sound power metal influences and this makes the album likeable even to people who are into more melodic metal genres and yet are thirsty for battle.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis

NOMANS LAND - Last Crusade review

NOMANS LAND - Last Crusade

Massacre Records

http://nomansland.ru/

I think that everyone that is into heavy metal knows that the Vikings were and still are a big inspiration for our sound. These northern warriors who were something like pirates and yet explorers had some beliefs that fit to the heavy metal attitude and these are no others than living free and taking your chances (amongst others). NOMANS LAND is a Russian band who is inspired by the Vikings and they have one more reason than the above mentioned ones. This reason is that the Vikings played an influential role in the Russian history.

THE COVER: The cover is really beautiful and somehow has a comic book feeling. It shows a Norseman upon his horse holding his axe and moving in a misty field surrounded by a forest. I think it works as an appetizer for the kind of music that you will listen to here.

MUSICAL STYLE: I presented in the past previous works of NOMANS LAND who might not be as known as other bands of the Viking metal genre, but they sure have quality and are worth to be noticed by the fans of the genre. This is their fifth studio album and finds them in their new label, Massacre Records. The band has not changed musically since their sound combines folk melodies, a lot of heavy metal elements and of course mainly some harsh and a few clear vocals.

COMPOSITIONS: Here you will find 8 new compositions which have all the elements of melodic Viking metal. I mean that the band doesn’t have a lot of death or black metal influences as most of the bands of this sound, but they move more into the fields of heavy/power metal mixed with folk tunes and melodies. I think that they are closer to such bands like TYR, FALCONER and MITHOTYN.

CONCLUSION: NOMANS LAND is a typical Viking metal band and that is not necessarily bad. On the contrary the band has nice melodies and heavy riffs and in the 40 minutes and more that is the duration of this album they have managed to capture my imagination and travel me back to medieval times. I think that the fans of the Viking metal sound will love them.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis

SHOOTING ANGELS - Deal with the Devil EP review

SHOOTING ANGELS - Deal with the Devil EP

Independent

http://www.shootingangels.ch/

It was in June 2014 in Switzerland that some guys saw the signs of the upcoming Armageddon. They saw that the angels will descent to take over the earth and so they have decided to go hunt them since the hunting period for angels was open. The only thing that troubled them was that they didn’t have the right music to go angel hunting. The problem was solved by creating SHOOTING ANGELS and releasing this 4 track EP.

THE COVER: The cover is in a way the virtual representation of the band’s name. It shows a female angel dirty and wounded on the winds (probably by gun shots) and on the background you can notice a place in flames.

MUSICAL STYLE: This is a hard task for me. SHOOTING ANGELS although a new band has a musical style that didn’t remind me of something in specific. They have of course influences, but they filter them through their personal style. Musically they balance between the hard rock and heavy metal sound and they of course draw inspiration from the 80’s, but at the same time they have a lot of modern elements. 

COMPOSITIONS: The EP as I mentioned includes 4 songs which move musically between the heavy metal and hard rock sound. The band is melodic and yet has heavy grooves and riffs. Also they have a female singer whose voice gives further personality to their sound. I think that amongst their influences there are groups like BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, MOTORHEAD and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY.

CONCLUSION: The beginning of SHOOTING ANGEL as it is reflected on this EP proves to be very promising. It is a band with talent, imagination and above all enthusiasm for the kind of sound they play. I think it is worth the trouble to check them out and recommend them to your friends too. 

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis