ALBUM REVIEW: Orphaned Land – A Heaven You May Create


 

While entertainment of any description is clearly the very least important thing to be mentioned with regards to the Middle East at the moment, Israeli progressive folk metal act Orphaned Land couldn’t have landed on a more suitable time to deliver a further message of hope and unity.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Blind Guardian – The God Machine


 

2019’s fully orchestral concept album Legacy of the Dark Lands aside, it’s been seven long years since Blind Guardian‘s last proper full-length release. Seven years, which more recently included a global pandemic and lockdown periods that for much of the music industry meant nothing but frustration and turmoil, but actually afforded the German power metal act time to concentrate on where to head nextContinue reading


Tarja Announces Reissue of “From Spirits And Ghosts (Score For A Dark Christmas)”


World-renowned singer Tarja will reissue a new version of her previous Christmas album From Spirits And Ghosts (Score For A Dark Christmas), due for release arrives On November 6 Via Earmusic. Tarja tours behind her Christmas album to sold-out audiences all over the world. The release also includes Christmas Together: Live At Olomouc And Hradec Králové 2019. It will be available as a limited, 2CD digipak. Pre-order it here.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Demons & Wizards – III


It’s hard to believe that fifteen years have passed since power metal supergroup Demons and Wizards released their last album. A collaborative effort between Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian and Jon Schaffer from Iced Earth, the two frontmen finally found the time amid their busy schedules to work together once again, returning to the project so widely anticipated by their legion of devoted fans.Continue reading


PODCAST: Episode 74 Jon Schaffer of Demons and Wizards on Their New Album “III”


Ghost Cult’s Keefy caught up with Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth) to talk all about about his supergroup Demons and Wizards, with his long time friend and collaborator Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian)! Their new album III releases on February 21st, 2020 via Century Media Records. Jon talked candidly about the project, the genesis of how he and Hansi first joined forces 30 years ago as friends, his process for composing,the differences between this project and their main bands, why time off and family time are so important to him, Jon’s busy plans for 2020, including creating new Iced Earth music, and more.

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Watch Demons and Wizards Cover Iced Earth’s “I Died For You” with Matt Barlow


Progressive Power Metal supergroup Demons and Wizards performed last night in New York City at the soon to be shuttered Playstation Theater. The band made up of members of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian plays their stellar originals and covers of both home bands in their set. The band was joined by former Iced Earth and current Ashes of Ares singer Matt Barlow for a cover of Iced Earth’s classic “I Died Fr You”! Watch and listen to the great cover and the crowd going off! Continue reading


Blind Guardian Announces Further Details For Orchestral Album


Blind Guardian will release Blind Guardian and The Twilight OrchestraThe Legacy of The Dark Lands will release on November 1st 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The pre-orders go live on July 19th. Check out the cover art below. Promising to be one of the most ambitious projects in metal history, their upcoming release will be well worth the wait. The idea of recording an orchestral album originally formed in the minds of the two leading lights of the Blind Guardian universe – guitarist André Olbrich and singer Hansi Kürsch – during the 1990s. Check out the trailer and the artwork.

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Demons and Wizards – Islington Assembly Hall, London


It’s been twenty-one years since John Schaffer of Iced Earth and Hansi Kursch from Blind Guardian joined forces to create Demons and Wizards. It’s been nineteen long years since they released their self-titled debut album, and it’s been fourteen years since its successor, Touched By The Crimson King (Steamhammer), but after one of the longest prick-teases in metal, the Iced Guardian supergroup has finally arrived to play their first ever show in the UK. Continue reading


Avantasia – Moonglow


The bombastic operatic Metal of Avantasia continues apace with their eighth album Moonglow (Nuclear Blast), and just in case you were in any doubt it opens with a nigh on ten minute slice of pomp that would not sound out of place on Meatloaf’s Bat Out Of Hell 2 (MCA/Virgin). The conceptual nature and fantastical sound of previous album Ghostlights is expanded upon here, helped by the ample time Tobias Sammet was given when making it.Continue reading


Ayreon – Ayreon Universe DVD


If you are familiar with Ayreon, you will probably know that these collaborative works of music are the brainchild of the somewhat reclusive Arjen Anthony Lucassen, and are rarely – if ever – performed live. September 2015 saw the presentation of The Theater Equation, four shows in which the album The Human Equation (Inside Out) was performed in its entirety in front of a live audience. While this was a successful endeavour, we had been assured for years that there would never be a live ‘best of’ performance of Ayreon.Continue reading