HammerFall - Crimson Thunder (SOtD DXXVIII)

Crimson Thunder was the fourth release from HammerFall.
It was also the last good release from the Swedish Power Metal band before their music became really boring.

HammerFall - Riders Of The Storm

Lacuna Coil - Comalies (SOtD DXXVII)

Comalies was the third full length from Lacuna Coil, and the one most mentioned by the fans as their favourite.
It's a good album, but then again, most of the albums from the Italian Gothic Metal band are, and I clearly prefer Karmacode to this one.

Lacuna Coil - Heaven's A Lie

Luca Turilli - Prophet Of The Last Eclipse (SOtD DXXVI)

Luca Turilli used his own name to designate the band of guest musicians that was his main side project from Rhapsody Of Fire.
With the split of Rhapsody Of Fire and the birth of the new Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, he has closed all the side projects bearing his name.
For the history of this side project remain 3 full lengths, being Prophet Of The Last Eclipse the second one. Has always with Luca's work, top notch Symphonic Power Metal.

Luca Turilli - Prophet of the Last Eclipse

Thyrfing - Vansinnesvisor (SOtD DXXV)

Vansinnesvisor is the fourth release from Thyrfing.
The Swedish band was the first one I heard playing Viking Black Metal, and is still one of my favourites in this genre.

Thyrfing - Kaos Återkomst

Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (SOtD DXXIV)

Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence is the sixth album from Progressive Metal gods Dream Theater.
Not one of the highlights of the band, but yet with some remarkable songs.

Dream Theater - Solitary Shell

Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera (SOtD DXXIII)

A Night At The Opera is the seventh album from Blind Guardian.
At the time, it was a deception for many fans of the German Power Metal band. After three albums that were filled with some of the best Power Metal being done at the time, and each one better than the previous.
But in retrospective, you can't go wrong with an album that includes this song...

Blind Guardian - Battlefield

Nocturnal Rites - Shadowland (SOtD DXXII)

Shadowland is the fifth full length from Nocturnal Rites.
It was the return of the Swedish band to Power Heavy Metal, after a small incursion into the Trash Metal genre.

Nocturnal Rites - Shadowland

Warmen - Beyond Abilities (SOtD DXXI)

Warmen is the side project from Keyboard magician Janne Wirman, mostly know for his work as member of Children Of Bodom.
I am the proud owner of a copy of Beyond Abilities, the second full length from the Finnish Progressive Power Metal band.

Warmen - Beyond Abilities

Threshold - Critical Mass (SOtD DXX)

Critical Mass is the seventh full length from Threshold.
They are the UK master of Progressive Metal. The Dream Theater from Europe.

Threshold - Critical Mass

Mezarkabul - Bir (SOtD DXIX)

After the acclaimed 2001 album, Unspoken, the Turkish Heavy Metal band Mezarkabul released the album Bir, their fifth, in the following year.

Mezarkabul - Bir

Dream Evil - Dragonslayer (SOtD DXVIII)

Dragonslayer was the first album from the Swedish Power Heavy Metal band Dream Evil.

Dream Evil - Chasing the Dragon

Falconer - Chapters From A Vale Forlorn (SOtD DXVII)

Chapters From A Vale Forlorn is the second release from Falconer.
This was the record that made me discover the Folk Power Metal band from Sweden.

Falconer - Enter the Glade

Mourning Beloveth - The Sullen Sulcus (SOtD DXVI)

The Sullen Sulcus is the second full length from the Irish Doom Metal band Mourning Beloveth.

Mourning Beloveth - The Words That Crawled

Desire - Locus Horrendus - The Night Cries Of A Sullen Soul (SOtD DXV)

Locus Horrendus - The Night Cries Of A Sullen Soul is the rather long title from the latest full length release from Desire, already 10 years ago.
The Doom Metal band from Portugal has release an EP in 2009, so hopefully they are working on a soon to be released full album.

Desire - (Love Is) Suicide...

Shaman - Ritual (SOtD DXIV)

Ritual was the first release from Shaman.
The Brazilian Power Metal band was formed mostly by ex-members from Angra, that had left the band.

Shaman - Distant Thunder

Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance (SOtD DXIII)

Celestial Entrance was the second full length from Pagan's Mind.
The Progressive Power Metal band from Norway is an example of stability as their five members are with the band since it's foundation, 12 years ago.

Pagan's Mind - Through Osiris Eyes

Sirenia - At Sixes And Sevens (SOtD DXII)

At Sixes And Sevens was the first album from Sirenia.
The Symphonic Gothic Metal band from Norway had just been formed by Morten Veland, following his departure from Tristania.
To those that were familiar with the work of the composer and guitarist, this record is no surprise, and feels like a following from 1999 Tristania's release Beyond the Veil.

Sirenia - At Sixes And Sevens

Iron Savior - Condition Red (SOtD DXI)

Condition Red is the fourth full length from Iron Savior.
I had bougth the German Power Metal band's previous release, Dark Assault, and it had been a deception. Also, Kai Hansen had left the band, and I had always prefered Gamma Ray to Iron Savior, so my expectations to Condition Red were low.
Oddly enough is a good album, much better than Dark Assault.

Iron Savior - Condition Red

Insomnium - In The Halls Of Awaiting (SOtD DX)

2002 was the year of the first release from Insomnium, In The Halls Of Awaiting.
This Finnish Melodic Death Metal band is one of my biggest flaws. I must had been in a really bad day when I first listened to one of their songs, because I decided they weren't good enough and simply ignored them.
Recently I decided to give them a go again, and have completely loved everything I have heard from them.

Insomnium - In The Halls Of Awaiting

Freedom Call - Eternity (SOtD DIX)

Eternity is one of my favourite Power Metal albums, and definitely the best album from Freedom Call. It was the third full length from the German band.
A pure cheesy but true Power Metal album, full of catchy riffs and memorable songs.

Freedom Call - Land of the Light

Novembre - Dreams D'Azur (SOtD DVIII)

Dreams D'Azur was the fifth release from Novembre.
The Death Doom Metal band from Italy hasn't released any material since 2007.

Novembre - The Dream Of The Old Boats

Avantasia - The Metal Opera Part II (SOtD DVII)

After the surprise caused by The Metal Opera in 2001, The Metal Opera II in 2002 wasn't really a surprise. It was the confirmation that Tobias Sammet and his guests, under the name Avantasia, knew how to make one of the best Symphonic Power Metal out there.

Avantasia - The Looking Glass

Amon Amarth - Versus The World (SOtD DVII)

Versus The World was the fourth full length from Amon Amarth.
Far from the great level of production of their latest releases, it's still a great album from the Swedish quintet, the most brutal of the Melodic Death Metal bands.

Amon Amarth - Death in Fire

Rhapsody Of Fire - Power Of The Dragonflame (SOtD DVI)

Power Of The Dragonflame was Rhapsody Of Fire's fifth full length.
To me, this was the last album from the Italian Symphonic Power Metal band that didn't felt a bit like more of the same.
Here is their most powerful ballad...

Rhapsody Of Fire - Lamento Eroico

Star One - Space Metal (SOtD DV)

Star One is one of the multiple projects from Arjen Anthony Lucassen. The giant Dutchman has reunited a cast of notorious participants for this project, mainly in the Progressive Metal area.
Space Metal was their debut release.

Star One - Intergalactic Space Crusaders

Dark Moor - The Gates Of Oblivion (SOtD DIV)

The Gates Of Oblivion was the third full length from Dark Moor.
It was the last one of the Spanish Symphonic Power Metal band with the haunting voice of Elisa Martin.

Dark Moor - Nevermore

Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos (SOtD DIII)

Natural Born Chaos is considered by many as the best Soilwork album.
It was released right in the middle of the most productive period of the Swedish Gothemburg Metal band, when they were releasing an album per year.

Soilwork - The Bringer

Nightwish - Century Child (SOtD DIII)

Century Child is the first Nightwish album after Marco Hietala has joined the band, taking over the Bass duties but also the male vocal duties, relieving Tuomas from that burden.
Hietala is an awesome singer and I think it was an awesome acquisiton for the Finnish Symphonic Power Metal band.

Nightwish - Bless the Child

Suidakra - Emprise To Avalon (SOtD DII)

Emprise To Avalon was Suidakra's fifth album, and one of their best ones.
As usual with the German band, this record contains some great Melodic Death Metal filled with Folk influences.

Suidakra - Darkane Times

Sentenced - The Cold White Light (SOtD DI)

The Cold White Light is probably the best Sentenced album ever.
The Finnish Suomi/Heavy Metal band disbanded in 2005, and many suspect that this album, and the feeling that they would never be able to do another one that good, was one of the reasons to it.

Sentenced - You Are the One

Rapture - Songs For The Withering (SOtD D)

Yesterday was the second anniversary of this blog and today it's the 500th Song Of the Day post.
Haven't prepared anything special, due to lack of time, but wanted to point out the occasion and state that this blog is alive and kicking!

Songs For The Withering was Rapture's second album. The Finnish Melodic Death Doom Metal band doesn't release new material since 2005.

Rapture - Nameless