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LATEST UPDATE: 7-3-09
(note added, see below)

NOTE: Watch for a rating/review update on 7-10-09 which will feature the new Chris Caffery, KOB, Crescent Shield and many others!



LATEST CD RATINGS, UPDATED 6-26-09:

Anabioz - Through darkness 3/5 (folk metal debut from Russia with “beauty and the beast” vocals, a la Alkonost; strong musically, but merely decent vocally)
Andem - Daughter of moonlight 4.5/5 Andem Review
Anubis Gate - The detached 3.5/5 (progressive/power metal band’s 4th CD that’s very well done in all areas, but it doesn’t quite reach the “excellent” level for me)
Arakain - Restart 3/5 (decent thrash comeback with slight modern elements from these eternal Czech Republic legends who have been around since 1982) - MICHAEL
Aspire - In defiance of fortune 2.5/5 Aspire Review - TOM
DGM - Frame 4/5 (another exciting CD from this long-running progressive power metal band; their previous ‘Different shapes’ is a bit better, but this really grew on me)
Domina Noctis - Second rose 3.5/5 (catchy 2nd CD of female fronted gothic metal that’s recommended to fans of the style, and it’s an improvement over their debut)
Dream Theater - Black clouds & silver linings 5/5 Dream Theater Review - DAVID
Dreamzfate - Rize 3.5/5 (2nd CD with powerful melodies, soaring vocals, and great song arrangements; similar to Cage, Twisted Tower Dire and ASKA) - MICHAEL
Dystera - Journey into the shades 3.5/5 Dystera Review
Exsecratus - Tainted dreams 4/5 (awesome symphonic power metal debut with tons of speed and mostly female vocals, but there are fairly brutal male death vocals too)
Invictus - Persecution 4/5 Invictus Review
Metal Law - Lawbreaker 3.5/5 Metal Law Review - CRAIG B
Metal Witch - Risen from the grave 4/5 (fine self-released traditional German metal debut for fans of Unrest, Metal Law, etc., but with some thrashier bits too) - KIT
Mortifier - Underground noise 3/5 (Ohio thrash debut with old-school tendencies, but is a very short CD; for fans of Overkill, Dark Angel and Razor) - MICHAEL
Niobeth - The shining harmony of universe 3/5 Niobeth Review
Shadows Entwined - Divine darkness 3.5/5 (great power metal debut from the U.S. with some fast-paced songs; will definitely appeal to fans of Cellador and Zephaniah)
Spinal Tap - Back from the dead 4.5/5 (grand dads return with 5 new tracks and updated classics; best metal packaging ever, with paper doll pop-out stage!) - MICHAEL
Stratovarius - Polaris 4/5 Stratovarius Review - CRAIG B
Vindicator/Metal Witch - Outbreak of metal vol. 1 4/5 Vindicator/Metal Witch Review - KIT
Vindicator - There will be blood 3.5/5 (musically compelling old-school power/thrash debut a la Deceased meets 'Kill 'em all'; vocals and production need work) - KIT
Winterborn - Farewell to saints 4/5 (excellent 2nd CD of melodic metal with a slight progressive edge, and it’s more consistent than their debut; similar to Cloudscape)
Wiszdom Stone - Rise 4/5 Wiszdom Stone Review - MICHAEL


PREVIOUS CD RATINGS, UPDATED 6-12-09:

Angband - Rising from Apadama 2.5/5 (Iranian band's debut CD in the vein of Iced Earth and Control Denied; not very competitive though) - KIT
Black Hawk - The invasion 3.5/5 (old-school German traditional metal in the grand tradition of Noisehunter, Gravestone, Tyrant, etc.; cool "Detroit rock city" cover) - KIT
Candlemass - Death magic doom 5/5 Candlemass Review - KIT
Disaster Peace - s/t 3/5 Disaster Peace Review - KIT
Loudness - The everlasting 3.5/5 Loudness Review - MICHAEL
Nasty Tendency - Wild and nasty 3.5/5 Nasty Tendency Review - KIT
National Suicide - The old family is still alive 3.5/5 (enjoyable, somewhat unique Italian retro-thrash debut with a pervasive early Overkill influence) - KIT
Primal Fear - 16.6 4.5/5 Primal Fear Review - SEAN
Renegade - Straight to the top 2.5/5 (2nd CD of uneven Italian traditional metal with Dan Beehler-type vocals; marred by drastic swings in style and quality) - KIT
Revolution Renaissance - Age of Aquarius 3/5 Revolution Renaissance Review - JOHN
Saint Deamon - Pandeamonium 4/5 Saint Deamon Review - SEAN
Saintsbleed - The mighty monster 3.5/5 Saintsbleed Review - TOM
Saratoga - VII 3.5/5 Saratoga Review - KIT
Tomorrow’s Eve - Tales from Serpentia 4/5 Tomorrow’s Eve Review


PREVIOUS CD RATINGS, UPDATED 5-22-09:

Aftermath (Swe) - Tides of sorrow 3.5/5 (upbeat female fronted symphonic/gothic/power metal debut with terrific vocals and strong songwriting; very promising start)
Alestorm - Black sails at midnight 4/5 Alestorm Review - CRAIG B
Amederia - Sometimes we have wings 4/5 (powerful atmospheric/gothic/doom metal debut with “beauty and the beast” vocals and a massive Draconian influence; killer!)
Arnion - Fall like rain 1.5/5 Arnion Review - CRAIG B
Ashent - Deconstructive 3.5/5 (2nd CD of progressive metal with some moments of power metal; quite good, and it continues where the debut left off)
Atomic Tornado - Tornado eye 3/5 (Japanese-language power metal debut a la Concerto Moon, Prophesia, Black Masquerade, Azrael, Double Dealer and Seven Seas)
Betoken - Venom empire 2/5 (3rd CD blending heavy metal, gothic metal and power metal; a bit better than their previous CD, but the songwriting is really lacking)
Black Messiah - First war of the world 3/5 (folk-oriented black metal with some decent arrangements and melodic structure; their 4th CD) - MICHAEL
Bloodbound - Tabula rasa 4/5 (awesome 3rd CD with vocalist Urban Breed back in the band; one of the catchiest and most consistent heavy/power metal bands out there)
Delain - April rain 3.5/5 (bombastic 2nd CD of female fronted symphonic/gothic metal; very solid, but I prefer their debut ‘Lucidity’, which I find to be more memorable)
Epsylon - The gift 3.5/5 Epsylon Review
Fastkill - Nuclear thrashing attack 3.5/5 (hyperfast thrash from Japan in the vein of Living Death, Gammacide, Vio-lence and Rigor Mortis; their 2nd CD) - MICHAEL
Heaven & Hell - The devil you know 3.5/5 Heaven & Hell Review - CRAIG B
Lazarus A.D. - The onslaught 3/5 (decent "new thrash" debut comparable to Testament, Warbringer and The Absence, with some groove) - MICHAEL
Legenda Aurea - Ellipsis 4/5 (outstanding 2nd CD of female fronted symphonic power metal; features a fantastic new vocalist, lots of crunch and a tremendous production)
Mastercastle - The phoenix 4/5 (excellent female fronted melodic power metal debut with some neo-classical segments and plenty of catchy songs; highly recommended)
Metalucifer - Heavy metal bulldozer 3.5/5 Metalucifer Review - MICHAEL
Natural Spirit - Sita rosa 3.5/5 Natural Spirit Review
Oakenshield - Gylfaginning 3.5/5 Oakenshield Review - CRAIG B
Obereg - From the depths of the times 3.5/5 (Russian-language heavy metal debut that’s most comparable to Gran-Kurazh; contains a fair amount of highlights)
Seven Seas - Imagination 4/5 Seven Seas Review
Swashbuckle - Back to the noose 3.5/5 (great 2nd CD of humorous pirate shtick for fans of Running Wild, Sodom, Whiplash and Tankard) - MICHAEL
Thresher - Here I am 3.5/5 (fairly awesome Christian thrash debut 18 years in the making; recommended to fans of Sacred Reich and Powermad) - MICHAEL
Troy - World in flames 4.5/5 Troy Review
Wolf - Ravenous 4/5 Wolf Review - CRAIG


PREVIOUS CD RATINGS, UPDATED 5-8-09:

Blade of the Ripper - Taste the blood 3.5/5 (2nd CD with gritty, dark, catchy and fast anthems to stalkers and Satan; too bad the production is wretched) - KIT
Clenched Fist - Tribute to the brave ones 3/5 Clenched Fist Review - KIT
Cynic - Traced in air 3/5 (2nd CD that’s a decent comeback, but isn’t as impressive as ‘Focus’; for fans of Believer, Atheist, Pestilence, Death, etc.) - MICHAEL
Dark Quarterer - Symbols 3.5/5 (5th CD with enduring melodies and lengthy songs, which never grow old and are in the classic NWOBHM style) - MICHAEL
Dawn of Winter - The peaceful dead 3/5 Dawn of Winter Review - KIT
Desert Sin - The edge of horizon 3.5/5 Desert Sin Review
Dragonsfire - Visions of fire 4/5 Dragonsfire Review - MICHAEL
Etrusgrave - Masters of fate 4/5 (impressive mystical epic proto-metal debut from ex-Dark Quarterer guitarist in the early 80s style of Manilla Road or 'Battle hymns') - KIT
Fairyland - Score to a new beginning 4/5 Fairyland Review - SEAN
Falchion - Chronicles of the dead 3.5/5 (2nd CD of folky death metal from Finland; a bit deathier than the debut, but still good) - KIT
Fatality - Metal as hell: Chapter 1 3/5 (decent U.K. thrash debut similar to early Metallica and Anthrax, with hints of Dungeon and some hard rock elements) - MICHAEL
Gwyllion - The edge of all I know 4/5 Gwyllion Review
Halcyon Way - A manifesto for domination 2.5/5 (melodic groove metal debut from Georgia with nice vocals; too modern-rock sounding for me in places though) - KIT
Impellitteri - Wicked maiden 3.5/5 Impellitteri Review - SEAN
Lion's Share - Dark hours 4.5/5 Lion’s Share Review - KIT
Nathania - Weight of obligation 3.5/5 (2nd CD of European-style prog/power from Thailand with a Swedish singer; reminds me of Prototype in the thrashier spots) - KIT
Red Right Hand - Plotting your death 3.5/5 Red Right Hand Review - KIT
Septem Voices - For you 3.5/5 Septem Voices Review
Warbringer - Waking into nightmares 3/5 (the band’s sophomore CD, with more deathrashing riffs in the vein of Demolition Hammer or Malevolent Creation) - MICHAEL


PREVIOUS CD RATINGS, UPDATED 4-24-09:

Adagio - Archangels in black 3.5/5 (progressive power metal band’s 4th CD, which contains their usual symphonic/neo-classical elements, but a new vocalist)
Aghonya - Oxygen 3.5/5 (exciting female fronted symphonic/gothic metal debut with a progressive side; overall is like a mix of After Forever and Ebony Ark)
Airborn - Legend of Madog 3.5/5 (3rd CD of power metal with plenty of speed and some fun choruses; has a few average songs, but most of the songs are winners)
Amok - Downhill without brakes 4/5 Amok Review - CRAIG B
Autumn - Altitude 4/5 (smooth, memorable and thoroughly enjoyable 4th CD from this female fronted gothic metal band; features a talented new vocalist)
Crimfall - As the path unfolds 3.5/5 Crimfall Review
Epitafiya - Hostages of system 2/5 (disappointing 2nd CD of Russian-language heavy metal that’s without the power metal presence of their debut and is boring at times)
Evil Masquerade - Fade to black 3.5/5 (4th CD from this melodic heavy/power metal band, which has less of the interesting neo-classical parts, but the songs are great)
Excelsis - The standing stone 3/5 Excelsis Review - CRAIG B
Gaisen March - Big march 4/5 Gaisen March Review
Hildr Valkyrie - Shield brothers of Valhalla 3.5/5 (mesmerizing female fronted atmospheric/folk metal debut comparable to Fearlight, Alkonost and Orkrist)
Ironwood - :Fire:Water:Ash: 3.5/5 Ironwood Review - CRAIG B
Lunatica - New shores 3/5 (4th CD of female fronted symphonic metal that has a commercial vibe and even some progressive elements, but I enjoy many of the songs)
Magica - Wolves & witches 3.5/5 (female fronted band’s 4th CD, and 2nd in the gothic metal style; definitely contains better songs than their previous ‘Hereafter’)
Mystery (The) - Soulcatcher 3.5/5 (female fronted power metal in the vein of Benedictum, older Warlock, and maybe Dawn of Destiny in spots; their 4th CD) - MICHAEL
Obscure - On formaldehyde 3.5/5 Obscure Review - CRAIG B
Powerdrive - Freedom of speech 3.5/5 (Swedish thrash/power metal debut like Paradox and Symphorce, but with vocal hints of Ralf Scheepers or Tim Owens) - MICHAEL
Prophesia - Eye of the storm 3.5/5 Prophesia Review
Queensryche - American soldier 3/5 Queensryche Review - MICHAEL
Shiranui - Crime & cross 3/5 (2nd CD of Japanese-language neo-classical power metal that’s in the typical style, but there’s a Rhapsody of Fire influence vocally)
Skelator - Give me metal or give me death 3.5/5 (great U.S. thrash in the vein of older Slayer, Overkill and Metal Church) - MICHAEL
Steel Rage - Double life 3.5/5 Steel Rage Review
Temple of Sin - Ohm 3/5 (decent Brazilian heavy/power metal debut for fans of Angra, Viper, Almah, Tribuzy, etc.) - MICHAEL
Wizard - Thor 4/5 Wizard Review - CRAIG



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