ALBUM REVIEW: Nanowar of Steel – Dislike To False Metal


 

Once upon a time in a faraway land called The Eighties, heavy metal fans had long hair, wore denim and leather, possessed a fierce aversion to all forms of hygiene products, and had absolutely no sense of humour whatsoever. So what? if your favourite bands wore assless chaps, furry loincloths, or looked like an explosion in a clown factory. That was fine. It was metal and metal was serious.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Sabaton – The War To End All Wars


Sabaton is a group that has applied their singular, surefire sound to all their works while still making each release entertainingly compelling and special. For over twenty years, this Swedish Power Metal quintet has affected the scene with their fierce vibrato and hard-hitting intensity. They have become well-known storytellers who bring history to life through their knowledgeable lyrics and grandiose style of playing. Their capacity to carry historic war themes through their skillful writing has allowed them to carve into the new genre of Military Metal. They released an album in 2019 called The Great War where they shared tales from World War One. They knew they couldn’t fit all the war’s remarkable events on just one album so now they are getting ready to release a full-length follow up stocked with more stories. The War to End all Wars (both Nuclear Blast) continues the band’s narrative on WW1 and does so with exceptionally exhilarating enthusiasm. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Grave Digger – Fields of Blood


Marking the 40th anniversary of the band, the latest Grave Digger album is a serious return to form and arguably their best release since the glory days of the eighties. Delivering a fresh injection of power metal straight from the highlands of Scotland (where some of the album was even recorded), Fields of Blood (Napalm Records) is a strong statement from a band who have appear to have been taking some of their cues from military-obsessed Swedes Sabaton.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Babymetal – Metal Galaxy


The new Babymetal album starts off with a funky blend of techno video game and chunky 90s metal power chords. It then whiplashes into some futuristic techno power metal thing. The effect is a dizzying display of aural assault. If you aren’t into mind-bending disparate genre mixing, then you probably won’t like Metal Galaxy (earMusic/BMD Fox Records). Continue reading


BABYMETAL Shares a New Video for ‘Shanti Shanti Shanti’


Global metal sensation BABYMETAL has shared a new music video for their single ‘Shanti Shanti Shanti’ from their upcoming album Metal Galaxy out October 11th via earMUSIC. The track comes in the midst of their North American tour that culminates in their first US arena show at The Forum in Los Angles on album release day, where they will bring their huge, Japanese-style production to the States for the first time. Metal Galaxy coming October 11th, features Joakim Brodén of Sabaton, Alissa White-Gluz from Arch Enemy, guitarists Tim Henson and Scott LePage from Polyphia, Thai-rapper F.HERO and B’z guitarist Tak Matsumoto (full tracklisting below). Watch the video now!Continue reading


Sabaton – The Great War


With a career based on stories of warfare and combat throughout the ages, it was only a matter of time until Swedish power metallers Sabaton returned to focus on one specific event in particular. Having previously dealt with different aspects of World War II on Coat of Arms in 2010 and on 2014’s Heroes (both Nuclear Blast), the band have turned their attentions this time towards World War 1 on latest offering, The Great War (Nuclear Blast).Continue reading


Civil War – Gods and Generals


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It has been three very quick years since one of, if not the biggest, power metal acts Sabaton released their crowning glory Carolus Rex (Nuclear Blast), a bastion of bombastic brilliance, and one of the best Euro Metal albums. However, guitarist Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mullback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr departed shortly after its release to establish Civil War with Astral Doors’ vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson.

Power Metal is an odd genre. Everyone is a strong, clean technician and there are so many competent acts, though it is very hard to be exceptional and damn near impossible to be distinctive or unique. Sabaton achieved that latter feat, and not just through having a characteristic vocalist in Joakim Brodén. Considering their contributions, the trio of ex-‘ton’s have done well to try and strike out and find their own voice again and while there are moments, such as ‘USS Monitor’ where you can imagine Brodén’s voice enhancing the chorus (Johansson, with a higher pitched Kai Hansen meets Biff Byford reedy voice, doesn’t have half the charisma of the Sabaton man), in the main they have managed to clear enough space to pitch their own towel on the crowded beach of Power Metal.

So, half the battle won, and Gods and Generals (Napalm) begins well enough with a rapid fire pairing of ‘War of the World’ and ‘Bay of Pigs’. However, things quickly go downhill, with the duo of ‘Braveheart’ and ‘The Mad Piper’, which it has to be said are simply fucking naff and frankly embarrassing; keyboard led, nursery rhyme melodies, (not to mention the dog-shit bagpiping) and lyrics that can’t have taken more than five minutes to write. Fortunately things do pick up and by the time the more epic ‘Schindler’s Ark’ comes around, a track with a vocal nod to legendary David Coverdale, and a musical tip to Angra, the early missteps are nearly forgotten, if not forgiven.

But, as I said, it’s easy to be a decent power metal band, but it’s hard to standout; one, because these are narrow lines we’re trapped between, and two, because the very best prove how big the gulf in class is. Civil War has a heritage to hook people in, but they need to improve the music to get them to keep coming back.

 

6.0/10

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STEVE TOVEY