Song Of the Day - XXX - Top 7 Female Metal Singers

Being one of the most famous harsh female voices in Metal, and for more than 10 years now the lead singer in the Swedish Gothemburg Metal band Arch Enemy, the German born Angela Gossow is one of the great female voices of Metal.

Arch Enemy - We Will Rise

Song Of the Day - XXIX - Top 7 Female Metal Singers

Being the one of the founders and singer of Dutch Symphonic Gothic Metal band Within Temptation since 1996, Sharon den Adel is one of the great female voices of Metal.

Within Temptation - Memories

Welcome, Miguel!

As you might have noticed by the name signing the Stryper review, or more likely by the much more funny and juicy writing style of it, this blog has a new contributor.
Me and Miguel work at the same company and have exchanged Metal bands tips for more than eight years now.
We have some common tastes, but also a good deal of genres that are disjoint, so it felt very natural for me to invite him to contribute to the blog, as a way of enlarging the spectre of Metal genres that it covers.
It's a great pleasure to have him on board!

Song Of the Day - XXVIII - Top 7 Female Metal Singers

Being the main voice of Dutch Symphonic Metal band Epica since 2002, and probably the prettiest lady in Heavy Metal (here come the Tarja fans again!), Simone Simons is one of the great female voices of Metal.

Epica - Another Me In Lack'ech

Stryper - The Covering

01. THE SWEET - "Set Me Free"

02. SCORPIONS - "Blackout"

03. BLACK SABBATH - "Heaven and Hell"

04. UFO - "Lights Out"

05. KANSAS - "Carry On Wayward Son"

06. DEEP PURPLE - "Highway Star"

07. KISS - "Shout It Out Loud"

08. OZZY OSBOURNE - "Over The Mountain"

09. IRON MAIDEN - "The Trooper"

10. JUDAS PRIEST - "Breaking The Law"

11. VAN HALEN - "On Fire"

12. LED ZEPPELIN - "Immigrant Song"

13. "God" (Original)

It can't be easy being Stryper. The fact that they chose to stand for something as unpopular in metal as Christianity, has meant that most of the time you couldn't notice the music for the amount of flak firing from detractors everywhere. Still, these guys must really enjoy the strife as, 28 years after the band's formation, they decided to release an album that is all about the music, with a lignup of songs which is sure to raise a few eyebrows among some of their followers.

You see, “The Covering” is a covers album where they decided to pay homage to many of the bands that have musically influenced them: and you do get a veritable who's who of the early days of hard'n'heavy here: from 1970's Led Zeppelin to early 80's Iron Maiden, you journey through Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen and Judas Priest to name just a few.

So, how well did they fare? Well, quite well in my opinion: Unlike a lot of covers by other bands, Stryper stayed quite true to the original songs, opting only to give them the occasional twist to make them cohesively sound like... well, Stryper. So, on top of the fuller sound that today's production allows, you do get extra guitar harmonies and vocal layers (that have always been the band's signature) placed for good measure here and there. The whole band sounds extremely tight, the soloing is fierce and a special word has to be said on Michael Sweet's voice: unlike, say, Dave Coverdale or Axl Rose, it's amazing how well this guy's pipes have held up after all these years. Seriously, he will still send your dog running with those high notes as he did in the 80's!

Highlights are hard to pick and they will mostly depend on how much you like each original and how inflexible you are to, say, hear “Heaven and Hell” not sung by Dio or the solo of “Over The Mountain” played by someone other than Randy Rhodes. In my opinion, these two songs do rank as some of the best here, together with the ubiquitous “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas and “The Trooper” by personal favourites Iron Maiden. Conversely, the cover of Kiss' “Shout it Out Loud” is probably the most indifferent to me because I'm not a huge fan of the original.

They opted to close the album with an original track, which is the closest they have been to their early sound this side of 1990. A solid (if unspectacular) song that leaves little doubts to where they still stand both musically and ideologically: a fast, heavy song simply called “God”.

A truly atrocious cover hides a surprisingly good album, that may be of interest to both fans of the band and classic-rock lovers alike.

Song Of the Day - XXVII - Top 7 Female Metal Singers

Being the main voice of Italian Gothic Metal band Lacuna Coil for 15 years now, Cristina Scabbia is one of the great female voices of Metal.

Lacuna Coil - I Like It

Ava Inferi - Onyx

01. Onyx
02. The Living End
03. A Portal
04. ((Ghostlights))
05. Majesty
06. The Heathen Island
07. By Candlelight & Mirrors
08. Venice In Fog

Released in Europe the 14th of February, and in the US a day later, the fourth full length release of the Portuguese Gothic Doom Metal band, Ava Inferi, is their more mature and solid release to date.
Rune Eriksen's composition and guitar playing style are blending increasingly better with Carmen's voice, creating a gloomy atmosphere, like a dark Avalon, that echoes throughout the entire album, which is very consistent in how it sounds, without ever being boring.

The title song, Onyx, and Majesty are the highlights of the album, followed at close range by The Living End and By Candlelight & Mirrors.
In Majesty, Rune's guitar duels with Carmen's voice which makes it a very interesting and unique song.

All in all a highly recommended album to everyone that likes Gothic Doom Metal, from one of the solid values of Portuguese Metal.

Song Of the Day - XXVI - Top 7 Female Metal Singers

I had no feedback yet from last weeks Top 7 Folk Metal bands, so I'll keep stretching the line here and go into more shaky ground in terms of taste. This week, the theme is my Top 7 Female Metal Singers, in no particular order.

And I start with the most difficult for me, because in my heart she doesn't deserve to be here, because she doesn't feel Metal, she simply found in Metal a way to make money selling records. But in my head I know that I can't leave her out, because her voice is definitely in the Top 7, and she is singing Metal songs.
So I decided she goes first, so I can get over it and move forward to real Metal band singers.

Some of you may have guessed I am talking of Tarja (some of the others will hate my guts, but I don't care).

Tarja Turunen - I Walk Alone

Song Of the Day - XXV - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

The last band of my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. I'm sure there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

In Extremo - Horizont

Song Of the Day - XXIV - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

Another band of my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. I'm sure there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

Dalriada - Ígéret

Song Of the Day - XXIII - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

Another band of my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. I'm sure there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

Turisas - Stand Up And Fight

Song Of the Day - XXII - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

Another band of my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. I'm sure there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

Equilibrium - Der Ewige Sieg

Song Of the Day - XXI - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

Another band of my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. I'm sure there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

Moonsorrow - Raunioilla

Song Of the Day - XX - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

Another band of my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. I'm sure there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

Eluveitie - Inis Mona

One Song a Day: Metal Edition

Today I found out this group in Facebook where two bold Canadian metalheads are adding a new Metal video per day, and they are doing it non stop for almost a year now.
They put some well known bands but others are a complete novelty, all of them with great quality.
Really worth joining in!

Go join it here.

Song Of the Day - XIX - My Top 7 Folk Metal Bands

Another week, another theme in the Song Of the Day. This week it's all about Folk Metal.
I'm putting here my Top 7 Folk Metal bands, one per day, in no particular order.
This Top 7 is limited by my taste and by the bands I know, please feel free to use the comments feature to disagree with me. Maybe there is something great out there that I'm not aware of.

Ensiferum - Twilight Tavern

Song Of the Day - XVIII - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

We finish the week with a version of Tears For Fears hit Shout, done by the American Nu Metal band Disturbed.

Please feel free to send links to other Metal covers of songs of other genres, be it 70s and 80s Pop or any other genre that is not Metal.

Disturbed - Shout (Tears For Fears)

Song Of the Day - XVII - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

Today I have something a bit different, and even surprising.
A Disco hit from the 70s, from Boney M. completely revamped by Battle Folk Metal band Turisas.
An amazing cover that I couldn't leave out of this week set of covers.

Turisas - Rasputin (from Boney M.)

Song Of the Day - XVI - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

It's not something that I like, to give the Song Of the Day air time twice to the same band in so short amount of time, with so many great bands out there.
But in a week dedicated to Metal covers of Pop songs, this version of Wuthering Heights from Kate Bush, played by Brazilian Power Metal band Angra, here still with the incredible voice of André Matos, just couldn't be out.

Angra - Wuthering Heights (from Kate Bush)

Song Of the Day - XV - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

Today, I decided to bend a little my own rules and dive into the 60s to show you this cover from Danish Heavy Metal band Volbeat playing Dusty Springfield's hit I Only Wanna Be With You.

Volbeat - I Only Wanna Be With You (from Dusty Springfield)

Song Of the Day - XIV - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

Another Pop classic, this time from Pet Shop Boys, in the powerfull voice of Kai Hansen from Power Metal band, Gamma Ray.

Gamma Ray - It's a Sin (from Pet Shop Boys)

Turisas are coming to Portugal in May

Finnish Battle Folk Metal band Turisas has announced in their website that they will tour the Iberian Peninsula in May. This tour will include two shows in Portugal:

• 24 May - Lisboa,
  Cine Teatro Corroios
• 25 May - Porto,
  Hard Club

Song Of the Day - XIII - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

Today another Power Metal band, Freedom Call, reinventing the eighties classic Dancing With Tears in My Eyes from Ultravox.

Freedom Call - Dancing With Tears in My Eyes (from Ultravox)

Stratovarius - Elysium

01. Darkest Hours
02. Under Flaming Skies
03. Infernal Maze
04. Fairness Justified
05. The Game Never Ends
06. Lifetime In A Moment
07. Move The Mountain
08. Event Horizon
09. Elysium
Bonus tracks:
10. Castaway (Japan bonus)
11. Last Shore (Collector's Edition bonus)
12. Hallowed (Collector's Edition bonus)

Released worldwide in 14th of January, Elysium is the 13th full length album of Stratovarius, the 2nd after the troublesome departure of guitar player and main composer, Timo Tolkki. If the previous release (Polaris) was the joint effort of a band without their main composer to rise again from the ashes, this new release is more solid and witnesses the emergence of a new main composer for the band in the body of Tolkki's replacement in the guitar, Matias Kupiainen, leaving for Timo Kotipelto most of the lyrics.

What to say about Elysium? It's not Destiny, Visions, or even Infinite, but oddly enough, with all these changes, it's still Stratovarius. I think part of it is due to the unique tone of Kotipelto's voice, and also the way Johansson handles the keyboards, but other part I believe is something that is already part of the band as a whole, no matter who is composing or who is playing, and that was quickly embodied by the new members.
So I believe that this record is the second step of Stratovarius second life, and maybe in the future they can present us something as good or even better than the best of the band previous life, they are going in the right direction, but Elysium is not at that level yet.

One last word about the title track, Elysium, with it's 18 running minutes is the best song of the album, and the one that better portraits the revival of one of the legendary Symphonic Power Metal bands out there. It's a long song but never gets boring and is definitely worth listening, even if Stratovarius is not really your cup of tea.

Song Of the Day - XII - 70s and 80s Pop Covers

There is so much great Metal music, that I felt lost when trying to decide the Song Of the Day for each day. So I decided to start having some weekly themes, narrowing my universe of possibilities.

This weeks theme is 70s and 80s Pop covers done by Metal bands.

We start the week with a great Power Metal band, doing a cover of one of the most famous Pop bands of the 70s and 80s.

Avantasia - Lay All Your Love on me (originally from Abba)

Both guitarists leave Mors Principium Est

I don't know what is going on with Mors Principium Est guitar players, but since 2006 the two guitar player spots in the band already had six owners.

Yesterday, the band front-man, Ville Viljanen, announced in their web site that both Tomy Laisto and Kalle Aaltonen have left the band, which is looking for new guitarists.

For me, this is really bad news, since I really like the Melodic Death Metal done by Mors Principium Est. Hope the guys can turn the tables and get out of this stronger.

Song Of the Day - XI

After yesterday introducing my favourite band in the South America, today is time to introduce my favourite North American band.
So good that they sound much more European than American, they have at their service one of the best male voices out there. I bet many have already guessed, but I'm talking of Kamelot.
Here is one of the first songs I heard from them.

Kamelot - Center Of the Universe

Song Of the Day - X

In April I'm planning on starting a series of posts with a tour on the American continent, starting in Brazil.
I will probably discover a lot of great bands, but right now, these guys are my favourite South American band.

Angra - Heroes Of Sand

Song Of the Day - IX

Last month (when I was still too busy to notice) Portuguese Gothic Doom Metal band release their fourth full length, with the title Onyx.
Under the experienced guidance of the Norwegian guitarist, ex-Mayhem, Rune Erickson, now living in Portugal, they have really grown as a band, and this looks like a solid release (still haven't listened to the whole album).

Ava Inferi - Majesty

Song Of the Day - VIII

Yesterday was released the new Children Of Bodom album, Relentless Reckless Forever.
Have to listen to it, but the first impression on this song, Ugly, is good.

Children of Bodom - Ugly

Song Of the Day - VII

Sabaton plays today here in Portugal. Too bad that I'm unable to go see them.

Sabaton - Primo Victoria

Niklas Engelin has been confirmed as In Flames new guitarist

Engelin has a long story of connections with In Flames.
He already was part of the band in 1997-1998, after Glenn Ljungström left and before Björn Gelotte switched the drums for the guitar.
After that, he has toured with the band in 2006 - 2007 and in 2009, to fill in for Jesper Strömblad while he has been struggling with its alcohol addiction.
Strömblad eventually quit in February 2010 to focus on his recovery, and now Engelin has been confirmed as the full time replacement.

Niklas Engelin also played Guitar in Melodic Death Metal band Gardenian, since it's foundation in 1996 until it was disbanded in 2004. He is currently also guitarist of the Gothenburg Metal band Engel, which he founded in 2004.

Song Of the Day - VI

The last Song Of the Day about the MS Awards 2010, I promise! :)
This last one to highlight the second year in a row that a Portuguese band gets nominated for the best Doom Metal album category.
In 2009 Process Of Guilt grabbed the award. This year Mourning Lenore didn't got that far, but this is just their debut album, so great things can be expected from this band, and from the Portuguese Doom Metal scene.

Mourning Lenore - Reminiscence

Song Of the Day - V

Enslaved got my vote for best Black Metal album with Axioma Ethica Odini and also won the award.
From that album, here is the beautiful Ethica Odini. The band had a contest for the best fan video for this song and this was the winning video.

Enslaved - Ethica Odini

Song Of the Day - IV

I already talked about Alcest here, in my chronicle about France.
Today I place here another song from the 2010 album Écailles de Lune because it won the best Post-Metal/Avantgarde Metal album in MS Awards 2010 (and got my vote).

Alcest - Écailles De Lune (part I)

Song Of the Day - III

Another MS Award of 2010 where I hit the jackpot was in the debut album category. Barren Earth with Curse Of The Red River (for me also the best Melodic Death / Gothemburg Metal album of the year) won the award, but I'm not sure if a new band composed of musicians with years of career should be allowed to participate in this award. For a debut album, is an extremely mature and solid release from the Finnish band.

Barren Earth - Curse of the Red River

Matt Barlow leaves Iced Earth (again)

Iced Earth vocalist Matt Barlow has decided to leave the band again after the summer festivals, due to conflicts between the full agenda of the band with several concerts and tours and his family life.

Matt was with the band from 1992 until 2003, when he left for about the same reasons. Then he returned in 2007, when they assumed the band would do less tours.

But the fact that the record labels take the giant share of the records income, forces bands, in order to survive, to do as much concerts as they possibly can, which led to Barlow leaving Iced Earth again after the summer.

The band is now looking for a new singer, as it is unlikely that Tim Owens, that replaced him the first time he quit, is available to return to the band, after the way he was fired when Barlow decided he wanted to return in 2007.

Song Of the Day - II

The Core genres of Metal are not really for me, and don't expect much of those genres here in the blog, but today I open an exception for Heaven Shall Burn.
After listening to all the nominees to the Hardcore / Metalcore / Deathcore award in MS Awards 2010, I ended up voting for them (they won, by the way), because it was the more acceptable sound for my taste, by far, and because of this fantastic video (I voted for it in the Best Video category, but it didn't won)

Heaven Shall Burn - Combat

Song of the Day - I

For me, a cover has to be a challenge. The band doing it must take the chance and leave its area of comfort, and take the risk of doing their impression of a song very different from what they usually do.

Metal bands doing covers of other Metal bands, is not for me. So I was a bit disappointed that this great cover didn't won the Best Cover Song category at the MS Awards 2010.

The Foreshadowing - Russians

Metal Storm Awards 2010 - Winners announced

After one month of open votes between their members, the Metal Storm portal announced the winners for the Metal Storm Awards 2010.
You can check the winners here.

I voted in all categories, but it seems that in some genres my taste differ from the majority of the voters. :)
See here my votes:

Best albums by genre

Alternative Metal: Imicus - Animal Factory

Black Metal: Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini (won the award)

Death Metal: Demiurg - Slakthus Gamleby

Doom Metal: Mourning Lenore - Loosely Bounded Infinities

Extreme Doom Metal: Ankhagram - Where Are You Now

Gothic Metal: Soulgrind - The Tuoni Pathway

Grindcore: Landmine Marathon - Sovereign Descent

Hard Rock: Human Temple - Murder Of Crows

Hardcore / Metalcore / Deathcore: Heaven Shall Burn - Invictus (won the award)

Heavy Metal: Volbeat - Beyond Hell / Above Heaven

Industrial Metal: Unheilig - Grosse Freiheit

Melodeath/Gothenburg Metal: Barren Earth - Curse Of The Red River

Pagan/Viking/Folk Metal: Equilibrium - ReKreatur

Post-Metal/Avantgarde Metal: Alcest - Écailles De Lune (won the award)

Power Metal: Rhapsody Of Fire - The Frozen Tears Of Angels

Progressive Metal: Haken - Aquarius

Sludge/Stoner Metal: High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine (won the award)

Symphonic Metal: Ansoticca - Rise

Thrash Metal: Overkill - Ironbound

Other awards

Clandestine Cut Of The Year: Catuvolcus - Terres De Sang

The Best Cover Song: The Foreshadowing - Russians (Sting cover)

The Best Debut Album: Barren Earth - Curse Of The Red River (won the award)

The Best DVD: Amorphis - Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes

The Best Video: Heaven Shall Burn - Combat

The Biggest Letdown: Wintersun - Time (for not being released yet) (won the award)

The Biggest Surprise: Gwydion - Horn Triskelion