CD Review: Tad Morose - March Of The Obsequious (Power Metal, 2022)

Reviewing a album of the swedish power metal icon Tad Morose has been a dream I always had. So you can easily imagine how I felt when the "March Of The Obsequious" album hit my inbox. I've been more than excited when the download started. Have I been disappointed or am I glad about the new songs?

A look upon the present line-up of Tad Morose.

To make it short. Tad Morose deliver quality music. They've always sticked to the formula to release music worth listening to.

This also goes for the new album. It heavily hits the same route that the predecessors of the "new" era that the Revenant LP started have set up.

The music is comprised of pure metal riffing. The drums and bass guitars heavily follow on the trails of the compositions. I think it's a no-brainer up to this point for many metal heads.

Inside view on each track

The title track and "Witches Dance" benefit of the vocals and go in straight without doubts. It's just with track number three that things become a bit harder. The high pitched vocals climb to the max on this tune. That's of high quality but sometimes I would like to see them set a bit lower because it can be a bit too much of it all at times.

This goes very much for the next number, too. A solid midtempo song but the vocals leave a feeling of overload behind.

Happily the next one "Dying" offers more variations, some even a bit unusual for the Swedish band.

"Escape" returns to the fine tradition of compact riffage mixed up with power pushing drums - a combination that leaves room for evolution of the track through it's duration. Such songs go in quickly. 

The cover art has become darker than on all the previous releases.

"A Trail Of Sins" comes with nice melody blocks and solid riffing. I think those melodies should point a bit to the old Tad Morose Records, those days where the band still used keyboards. I love those songs and it's cool to see the band pays sort of hommage to those days when they started releasing music (yet at a more progressive level).

This calls for more and the band heeds to this with "A Quilt Of Shame". A good midtempo creeper with a lot of changes in the vocals. Sometimes these composition feels like a journey in my mind.

"The Legion" unvels itself as a midtempo and very loud vocal oriented song. The mix sets a spot on the vocals that aim for high peaks. Once again I think less could have been more here. High vocal performance is great but please not that often.

The album closer shows few softer notes coming in at the start and changing into rougher territory shortly afterwards.

This scheme carries on through the whole song. A good idea to finish the record in a more unusual way.

Is it worth it?

The whole album is mixed to a loud volume so make sure to chose the volume control carefully.

Most songs are great but I'd like to hear the band mixing the next album a different way with less loud high vocals. It could make the music more variable this way.

Besides that don't hesitate to give "March Of The Obsequious" a try because it's still a well outworked album with some fine surprises for those who are longtime fans of the band.

You can listen to the full record on a digital service of your choice. This overview offers links to Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music as well as to Spotify and Apple Music.

The webshop of GMR Music holds the chance to order physical copies on Vinyl, undead Compact Disc and even a Digipack with signed card and pin. 

CD Review: Emissary: The Wretched Masquerade (Power Metal, 2022)

This band combines it's very strengths to bring on something like I've not heard in a longer time.

The cover already gives you food for thought about it's meaning.

The instruments of the US band feel like hey hold a talk to each other. It's all centered around the crunching riffs and the other musicians add, follow but sometimes also contrast to this. But it's far more than this. 

It all stems of a power and passion for music that cannot be heard on every Compact Disc. Just take "In Solitude". It goes far deeper than the usual release. It fires a bunch of feelings towards the listener with it's rawness and power of riffs on the one hand while the other spreads emotions through the vocals and the ever changing drums. 

It's great to hear the songs aren't set in long duration. They follow a compact route keeping the pressure and pureness intact. The album lives of it's ideas. Emissary often have a own way to write the material and that's what keeps me on the stereo. 

The stuctures on songs like "Ruler Of Defiance" follow a unusual pattern and are filled with little snippets (means melodies of the guitar) and textures (raw riffs) not to be heard otherwise. It feels like the band created something on their very own.

The sound is loud and clear. I recommend not to hear the songs on a high level. You'll be able to enjoy all the efforts the band put in more with less volume. This record lives of it's contrasts of heavy music and the fine melodic vocals and melodies on the guitar.

"The Wretched Masquerade" is a all killer no filler release so it's well worth the purchase.

Grab a copy on CD or cassette directly out of the bands hands and have a teaser with the player below.   

The band kindly still let's you download a second disc with old band demo's if you buy a CD copy.

Vinyl copies should be available at a later date.

Memories Of A Dead Man answer the questions of life

These days so many great people die. Recently Martin Birch passed away. Many of you know him as the iconic person behind the production, egineering and mixing desk of Iron Maiden.

So what's the meaning behind all of our lifes? Memories Of A Dead Man have put out a new single that has some answers in the video. Behind the riffladen heavy music stand's a thoughtout message that Ben described in his own words with a look upon the cover picture of the upcoming album of the band:

I've hardly ever spotted a deer on a album cover. It quickly grabbed my attention.

"The cover would be on a "picture"  of the decline of our society, the subjects are often around human psychology and our flaws and weaknesses.  The deer is a symbol of purity and innocence that we, men unfortunately no longer have  ! "

Make sure to listen and watch closely. You may spot some unexpected instruments on this one like a saxophone solo section. Follow the band further on Facebook to see what happens next. The album release is set for October 2020.

Video premiere: Calibre - The Agony (Metalcore, 2019)

We often forget how important freedom of speech is. In countries like the one I live in (Germany) it seems normal but there are others were it's dangerous to express your opinion. So it's a great honour for me to be able to present a premiere of a band based in Tehran, Iran today.

These guys dare to live their dream of metalcore music. And they do it with much passion. The video shows how detailed and precise they go to work when crafting new music in the studio is on the schedule. Besides the great riff filled music it's the range of vocals that impressed me most.

It's great to hear cleaness in all the darker toned vocals and it adds a lot to the atmospheric feeling. There's so much expression in those parts that it made me watch the digital single "The Agony" again and again. The sound production is great and you can hear all of the instruments and details very well. That's not to be heard everywhere.

Calibre (metalcore) is one of the best bands out of Tehran, Iran (!) ,​ the band was formed in 2015 by Hamid Saleh. ​

After three instrumental shows during 2015-2016, Amin Yahya Zadeh joined the band as vocalist, and the band had more sold-out shows in 2017-2018. ​

In early 2018, the band started to work on their own stuff leading to Calibre’s debut album The Storm Inside. It took almost a year.​

The Storm Inside contains 8 tracks and will be released worldwide through Downfall Records in late December 2019.​
Their sound is loaded(!), with catchy riffs, heavy drums, growls and clean vocals!​
-Their songs and lyrics are about human feelings, and the struggles we all have inside. ​

Make sure to keep a eye at the band Calibre on Facebook or through a look at the website of Downfall Records.

The Kreoles preview new abum with a outstanding vocal performance

The Kreoles preview the upcoming new abum with the release of a song that is a combination of a straight forward rock / metal track that incorporates a outstanding complex vocal performance

The Kreoles mix up powerful riffs with much rhythm drive and tempo all along with unusual vocal performance structures and much variations. I've seldomely heard something going in so directly while also being so complex in the musical depths. It takes some moments to come to he full picture but it pay's off in the end. Give it a chance and you'll know what I mean.

I'm glad to be given the chance to share one track of the new record in advance here on my blog.



One year after the release of their debut ‘Touch The Sun’ (Valery Records, 2014), The Kreoles recently went back into the recording studio to give shape to what will be their second effort called "Psycho". It will be released via Sliptrick Records on September 20th 2016.

The idea behind The Kreoles took form throughout 2011: the purpose is giving life to a new musical path, in order to cause an almost-new style. The word Kreoles means new creation indeed.

The Kreoles is a musical project created and founded by Ivan McSimon who has already had some experience in the field of music in his previous works. McSimon’s olden collaboration included high-famed artists as Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius), Andre Matos (Viper, Angra, Shamaan), Doro Pesch and Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane, Iron Maiden).

The band The Kreoles, (c) by The Kreoles, used with kind permission

The outstanding voice that can be heard in this combo is named Valentina Merlo. Futhermore McSimon is backed up by Marco Francesco D’Elia on bass and Davide Piccolo on drums: these two guys bring the perfect rhythm section to all McSimon’s pieces.

Make sure to keep in touch with them via Facebook or check their homepage from time to time.