Have Alia Tempora created a new mainstream?

Besides being blessed with so many metal music coming in it's also a pleasure to go beyond the borders of this music genre. Having started out with Pop music in my childhood days the love for refrains that stick in my mind stayed inside of me when I moved on to Metal music some years later.

Alia Tempora mix different elements into their sound for the open minded music fans.

Alia Tempora made me think back of those Pop music days when the brand new single "Fake It Till You Make It" found it's way into my inbox. The constant pumping beat forces the attention to constantly stay present. In the further duration time more and more synthetic elements are packed into the music. 

One by one they draw you more and more away of the melodic metal basis into a space of danceable music.Sometimes the beat changes into patters not always expected making it a even more exciting time to listen and explore the single release. Pay attention to the vocals - some metal flies in when you least expect it.

Make sure to add this single to your Spotify collection. The full album called "Prismatica" should see the light of day this summer 2023.

CD Review: Metalsteel - Beyond The Stars (Clasic Heavy Metal, 2017)

A concept record taking things back to basics. No heavyweight production, no special effects overload. Just pure music crafted directly of the instruments of those loving Heavy Metal music

The wonderful frontcover artwork for Metalsteel's "Beyond the Stars" album, (c) by Metalsteel, used with kind permission

Summary
This album has set a view on the power of the songs alone. You can feel that the composers of the slowenian band Metalsteel prefer their art to be pure and to be delivered this way to the listener.

Thus said the songs need to stand stronger than ever to reach the audience and they do with much ideas, variations and sing-along choruses. The last element like all the music stems from the musicians themselves. There are no choirs pushed up to sound big on this record but the backing vocals introduce the message with such emotion that they will adress you instantly and invite to sing along. Think of being at a show and you just can't help but need to add the choir all around you.

The songs span a wide sort of feelings, from softer half-ballads (End of the World) to straight midtempo tracks but most of the duration the double bass power set's the motor for the music and keeps it coming fast. The lead vocals change on some parts to the more rough direction, something warmly welcomed because it brings in a fresh touch.

My favorites are the title song making me imagine being on a journey beyond the stars myselves and the track "Materialist No More" with it's more edgy guitars and hard riffing mixed up with variations ranging from fast to midtempo and even soft parts.

Purchase-Link & Preview-Track
Fans that love the pure but also modern sound will welcome this silver disc the same way I do. Let's have some good feelings and rock out to this straight. The hardcopy in a beautiful digipack package comes around for ten Euros directly out of the band's hands at www.metalsteel.net

Listen to one track with the video below to get a idea of Metalsteel's sound.

Contact and Tour Dates
Make sure to see them live starting end of February 2018 in their homecountry Slowenia. All dates are up on their homepage or tune in to the social world of Facebook to be notified of a show near you.

We lost track show T-Shirt artwork creation process

Have you ever thought about how difficult and time-consuming it is to draw a T-Shirt design, one of the many that we love to wear everyday? Melodic metal band We lost track have taken up this topic and put together a timelapse video that shows that.

While you can listen to a powerful yet very direct and not too complicated track of the female fronted combo you can spot the creator Timon Kokott drawing the band's T-Shirt design. I never thought this would take so long and require so many detailed work to have a finished product in the end. It's always impressive to see how dedicated creating art is.

Find out more about the band We lost track with a look upon their website or check 'em out on Facebook.

Chris Tsangarides performs bass&keys on new King's Call record

Some producer of records have become icons for themselves. But did you know that legend Chris Tsangarides will also perform the Bass Guitars and Keyboards on the upcoming King's Call release? Plus all the mixing, mastering and the production also ran through his hands.

I guess a lot of you guys out there will want to know about "ShowDown" the upcoming album of melodic metal band King's Call so here is the first single for some fast checking out how this collaboration sounds like.


"ShowDown" will be released physically and digitally on 27 November 2017 by Lions Pride Music. Digital copys are up for pre-order on iTunes and Amazon.

Here is the cover, track list and some more detail info for the third release of the band:

The front cover of ShowDown, cover done by Joey Polycarpo, (c) by Kings's Call, used with kind permission

Tracklist: 1) Who am I, 2) Looking in the mirror, 3) Get out, 4) High time, 5) Principle of love, 6) S.O.S, 7) Showdown, 8) Shout it out, 9) Cry on the wind, 10) Rocking in the free world (Neil Young Cover [only on physical version]), 11) Hope.

King's Call Line Up:
Alex Garoufalidis: Vocals, Guitars
Chris Tsangarides: Bass, Keys
Asec Bergemann : Drums

Special guests:
Michael Bormann: Lead & Backing vocals
Tony Carey: Keyboards

Guest Musicians:
Additional vocals & back up vocals: Miriam Busse, Vivi Thill, Stephan Kabisch
Additional Hammond organ: Stephan Kabisch

Front cover by: Joey Polycarpo
Layout by: C.S. Management & Promotions
Mixed, Mastered & Produced by: Chris Tsangarides

Make sure to keep track about what's going on via Facebook or the website of the band.

SpiteFuel release slightly dark-toned single

Sometimes snippets circulate early letting you guess about the quality of a upcoming release. SpiteFuel did the same for the "Sleeping with wolves" release and combined it with a show announcement at the Live Factory in Adelsheim, Germany that will take place on the upcoming weekend (03. December 2016).

The cool thing is that the trailer only gave few cuts out to the listener so not much was given out too soon. Anyway I liked it this way and the fact that the band not only invited to their upcoming performance but also mentioned the other bands on the billing, too. Such a treat is not to be found often these days.

Anyway right now we're given the full title track of the "Sleeping with wolves" single. I can only recommend to listen to this one, it's a burner for all those loving melodic but also heavy and slightly dark metal music. It's great to hear the band kept the focus on developing a unique style with a positive basic tone but not forgetting the real world and working parts of how it's like to live on today's planet earth in with the sound. Just listen to the heavier and slower riffing in the verses and the massive variations on the vocals to find out what I'm talking about.


The 3 track Single contains with the title track for the first time a taste for their new album, which will be titled "Second To None" and will be released in spring.

As a bonus, this 3-song single contains a bombastic, orchestral soundtrack version of the titletrack, arranged exclusively by Arkadius Antonik (SuidAkra, Realms Of Odoric), as well a re-recording of "Never Surrender“.

The cover of the "Sleeping with wolves" single. Cover artwork by Fabian Schwarz with additional work by Travis Smith, (c) by SpiteFuel, used with kind permission

The single is available as a fine tradtional packed Compact Disc in the MDD mailorder and at the liveshows of the band. In addition you can get it as download with some bonus content (Cover, booklet and CD tray graphics as well as the "Never surrender" videoclip in MP4 format) for only 2 Euro on the Bandcamp page of SpiteFuel.to shorten the waiting time on the album . No matter which format you prefer, tracks 2 and 3 are always single exclusive songs.

Maybe this is also a nice idea as a christmas or St. Nicholas gift? Remember that Bandcamp offers the gift option directly at each product page - it's easy to find directly underneath the "Buy now" button.

Make sure to check SpiteFuels Facebook page to keep track of upcoming shows and the next steps 'till the album release in spring 2017.

Lyra's Legacy expand sound to a much wider range

Some time ago we had a review of Lyra's Legacy first output (the mini album with the same name as the band) up here for reading. Since then the band was in the studio and was closed liped about how they would move on soundwise.

Happily the silence has ended now and the band gives some insight into what's coming up with the new release in the form of a brand new music video. The moving picture is given the title "Prisoner" which will also be the name for the upcoming album which is scheduled for release in 2017.

The bandlogo of Lyra's Legacy, (c) by Lyra's Legacy, used with kind permission

The band has surprised me in a very positive way with this song. It represents a massive development the band has gone through in the recent time. The soundscape the band produced is much more powerfull and most of all tighter than on the first offering. This is sourced a lot of the rhythm section. But the overall guitars have strengthen in the pressure and the vocals also show more depth yet it all is wrapped in a warm sound package which prevents it from sounding just hard and cold.


The band has some shows coming in the next time. Make sure to see them to have a look on their live presence for yourselves. Here are the dates:

29. October 2016
Brothers of Metal BOM 2016
Langerwehe, Germany

12. November 2016
Eisenfest VI
JZ Schwelm, Germany

25. November 2016
Metal for Mercy on Stage
Witten, Germany

03. December 2016
Metal Journey
Falkenheim Lüdenscheid, Germany  

09. December 2016
KULT on Tour
Eckhaus Kettwig, Essen - Germany

Let's keep a further eye on this band using the world wide web site of the band or joing them on Twitter or Facebook to stay in touch.

CD Review: Celestial Ruin - Pandora EP (2016)

Do you remember the myth of the box of the Pandora? It is greek mystery about a ancient box holding a lot of evil. In today's context it is often used as a phrase expressing that with a small decision one can cause a lot of negative consequence as a result.
How would it sound like if you opened up the box of the Pandora? The symphonic band Celestial Ruin has created a record that could be a soundtrack to such a experience. Open the box right now. There's no risk for you this time but a lot of great music you can find...


Summary

It's a deep and meaningfull record. Besides the obvious female symphonic surface this output has a lot more to offer than similar EPs. It starts with the song structures which build up in a more clever way. It's far more subtle and you need to listen closely so you won't miss out on the fine elements that are kept inside.

The songs build up step by step through a good part of the duration and often redemption awaits at the end rewarding you for your listening patience. Overall the music comes around in a slower tempo compared to other band's of the same genre but if you prefer a intense, emotion-breathing atmosphere over fast rhtyhm patterns you will find a lot of satisfaction through listening to the Pandora EP.

It's a intense experience reflecting a lot of passion that has gone into the making of Pandora. You'll feel this when you take a closer ear to the guitar solos, the powerfull vocals and the overall fine-tuned sound package the whole band banned on tape.

The cover of Celestial Ruin's Pandora EP, (c) by Celestial Ruin, used with kind permission

Meaning of the lyrics

Lyrically the EP talks a lot about life experiences. They are thought out in detail and every track comes with a deep and meaningfull message. I'll list up a resume statement below so you have a idea of what the lyrics are all about.

Vocalist Larissa Dawn comments on the tracks of the EP:

“All the lyrics on "Pandora" were written about unleashing destruction into the world. Chaos caused by all the pain that negative emotions can create. A sort of cause and effect scenario. Each of the songs tells a different story and explores what happens when you make the wrong decision or fail to make any decision at all. Remaining stagnant and letting the world collapse in on you. The only song that kind of swerves from this theme is "No Quarter", this song is more of a movie told through song. It follows the story of infamous pirate Davy Jones and the battle that ensues between him and a rival ship.

Pandora has a much darker feel to it and I hope it paints different pictures in peoples minds when they hear it. I want them to be able to imagine exactly what is going on, like it's their own personal movie.”


Purchase-Link

You can pick up a digital copy of "Pandora" through the band's homepage or order one of the silver discs that are available there as well. Alternatively you can buy a digital copy via iTunes.

Please support such outworked creations with your purchase. Bands can only survive and continue with your own personal support. They'll thank you with more music and concerts taking you far away from your everyday troubles.

Connect with Celestial Ruin through the well known social channels such as Facebook, Twitter or add them on Youtube to your watch list.

CD Review: Lyra's Legacy - Lyra's Legacy EP (2014)

A great first EP combining sharp guitars with a lot of fine melodies, a excellent rhythm section and many vocal variations. It's the tension between the heavyness of the guitars and rhythm patterns on the one hand and the harmony of the voice on the other that makes this band so special.

Short Introduction

Lyra’s Legacy was founded in 2008 and consists of five musicians from North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. Every band member brought in their individual musical experience from previous bands like Heavenfall and Frozen Fire.

Since 2011 Lyra’s Legacy is playing gigs and festivals e.g. “Metal for Mercy On Stage”, “Realms of Metal” or “Brotherhood of Metal” and shares the stage with bands like The Name, Gloryful and Ivory Tower.

Lyra’s Legacy represents sophisticated and melodious metal and inspires the audience with their melodies, musicality and power. They've put out a three track EP under the title "Lyra's Legacy".

The cover of the Lyra's Legacy EP, (c) by Lyra's Legacy, used with kind permission

Summary

A compact and razorsharp three track EP is what we have here. All songs go straight into your ears and will make you headbang to them all the way. On the contrary there's lot's of room for emotions and slower sections with keyboards giving it a silker touch. The vocalist uses a wide range of variations for his performance which makes the tracks even more enjoyable. There are surely not only some high pitched notes in the vocals but also a lot of midtone as well as some sing-along choruses to be found.

Player and Purchase Link

The whole release is up for a free listening session on the Soundcloud service so there's no need to buy the stuff without testing. If you like what you hear you can purchase a copy on a silver disc for 5 Euro plus shipping and handling. A band shirt is available for 10 Euro plus shipping and handling.

You can order these goodies through the band's Facebook page, through the band's contact Email form or contact Andreas Denz at his Facebook account to order your copy.


EP Overview

Mirror Of My Life
Powerfull compact starter, very riff packed, few keyboard inserts. The fine outworked vocals show much variations in them and the refrain invites to sing along,

Breath Of A Winter Night
A epic beginning but it changes quickly to faster riffing, free power riffing follows. It's a very direct number going all on it.

Utopia
The final song starts slow and then goes over straight into a pure powerfull riff rollercoaster providing the listener with sharp, straight, hard, powerfull and intense moments.

The band Lyra's Legacy, (c) by Lyra's Legacy, used with kind permission

Links

Check in to the band's website for all the latest tourdates and also tune in to Facebook for even more regular updates.

Crystal Ball let you sneak into the new album "LifeRider"

Finally a brand new album from swiss melodic metal band Crystal Ball is coming into sight. Entitled "LifeRider" is has been produced, mixed and mastered by Stefan Kaufmann (ex-Accept, ex-U.D.O.). The album will feature a duet with Battle Beast's Noora Louhimo as well as guest musician Stefan Kaufmann on acoustic guitar.

Crystal Ball's "LifeRider" will be released on May 22, 2015 via Massacre Records and will also be available as limited edition digipak with exclusive bonus tracks. The video below let's you listen to the song "Paradise" in it's entirely.

If I compare the new song to the older material of the band it sounds much more grown-up in my ears. The dream-like parts of the sound have been removed to give place for a more riff-oriented sound. The vocals surprised me with the high pitches at many parts of the song. That sounds a bit like in the old metal tradition where high notes belonged to the sound of nearly every metal vocalist.

The band will be on tour in the next months, here are the exact dates:

• 04.04.2015 DE Cuxhaven - Hapag-Hallen
• 22.05.2015 DE Mannheim - 7er Club
• 23.05.2015 CZ Sokolov - Koupaliště Michal
• 28.05.2015 CH Luzern - Konzerthaus Schüür
• 29.05.2015 CH Wetzikon - Hall Of Fame
• 30.05.2015 CH Aarburg - Musigburg
• 19.07.2015 FR Saint-Julien-en-Genevois - Stade des Burgondes (Guitare En Scène Festival)
• 25.07.2015 CH Röthenbach - Waldrock Open Air
• 07.08.2015 CH Brienz - Brienzersee Rockfestival
• 08.08.2015 CH Gossau SG - Rock On! Music Festival
• 15.08.2015 CH Wettingen - Tägerhard
• 11.09.2015 CH Boswil - Chillout

Also make sure to follow the band via their Homepage, Facebook or Twitter.

Free livestream of Soul Healer record release party today

Don't miss the livestream of the record release party of the finish melodic metal band Soul Healer today 10:15 CET (info: show starts on 22:15h for all of my german readers).

Just make sure to tune in at the streaming page at the official website of the band.

SoulHealer are celebrating the release of the new album “Bear The Cross” with a release gig at their hometown Kajaani on Saturday 18 October. To give all the fans around the world the chance to be a part in this special event, the show will be streamed live as video all around the world.

Never heard of the band before? No problem, just check out the video below to see if you like their music. :-) And if you do, hit the Like button for the band on Facebook as well.