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Helstar - The King of Hell

Year: 2008
Genre: Power/Speed Metal
Tracklist:

1.	The King of Hell	06:28
2.	The Plague Called Man	04:53
3.	Tormentor	05:13
4.	When Empires Fall	03:53
5.	Wicked Disposition	06:13
6.	Caress of the Dead	05:04
7.	Pain Will Be Thy Name	03:47
8.	In My Darkness	05:37
9.	The Garden of Temptation	08:53
Total playing time		50:01

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he return of the American outfit Helstar within the heavy metal scene
was already announced last year by means of the compilation album 'Sins
Of The Past', on which the band had placed a large number of their best
songs in a re-recorded version. They had also added two new songs in
the shape of 'Tormentor' and 'Caress Of The Dead', which sounded very
promising in my opinion.

Besides 'Tormentor' and 'Caress Of The Dead' this 'The King Of
Hell' record contains seven other tracks, which truly showcase the
sheer class of this band. After a mysterious intro the title track
explodes out of your audio set and you're immediately hooked on the
fantastic complex riffs of both guitarists Larry Barragan and Rob
Trevino, who are in great shape on the whole album by the way. Also
world-class singer James Rivera announces himself by means of a
gruesome scream and clearly demonstrated why I rate him as one of the
absolute best vocalists in the heavy metal scene. He has a very unique
sound, which fits perfectly within the complex music of Helstar. Also
drummer Russel DeLeon deserves special recognition because his
passionate drumming is absolutely awesome.
You don't get any chance to recover from the title track, because
'The Plague Called Man' announces itself, again a great metal track
which reminds me quite a bit of another band that James used to play
with in his career, namely Destiny's End (their both records 'Breathe
Deep The Dark' and 'Transition' are must-have items for real heavy
metal freaks by the way!). Great fast riffs, beautiful solos, powerful
vocals and again an impressive Russel DeLeon. If they can keep up this
quality level during the whole record, I'm afraid they can take me away
to the hospital immediately. 'Tormentor', known from 'Sins Of The Past'
follows, in which the extensive and innovative solo part is the
highlight. On the next song 'When Empires Fall' the fast pace is a
little bit gone, but that doesn't mean that the intensity is no longer
there, on the contrary! If you like tempo and variety, then 'Wicked
Disposition' is a perfect match, what riffs and solos! Also the other
four tracks on offer ('Caress Of The Dead', 'Pain' (by far the best
track on the album, talk about intensity!!!), 'In My Darkness' and
'Garden Of Temptation') are of an exceptional high quality and account
for the fact that the intensity level of 'The King Of Hell' doesn't
drop for a single moment.

It may be obvious that every serious heavy metal fan must go out and buy this album

Dragonheart - Underdark

Year: 2000
Genre: Power Metal
Tracklist:

1.	Arcadia Gates	05:06
2.	Battlefield Requiem	04:55
3.	Dynasty And Destiny	04:00
4.	Tied In Time	04:42
5.	Night Corsaries	05:01
6.	Sir Lokdunam	05:57
7.	Underdark	05:56
8.	New Millenium	05:34
9.	Mists Of Avalon	05:57
10.	Gods Of Ice	04:15
Total playing time		51:23

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Dragonheart - Throne of the Alliance

Year: 2002
Genre: Power Metal
Tracklist:

1.	The Beginning	02:09
2.	Throne of the Alliance	04:24
3.	The Blacksmith	05:06
4.	Ghost Galleon	05:41
5.	Facing the Mountain	00:23
6.	Mountain of the Rising Storm	04:08
7.	Mystical Forest	04:48
8.	Into the Hall	01:20
9.	Hall of Dead Knights	05:18
10.	Betrayal in the Coast of Raven	05:04
11.	...And the Dark Valley Burns	04:49
12.	Sunrise in the Akronis Sky	06:19
Total playing time		49:29

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Dragonheart - When The Dragons Are Kings: The First Ten Years

Year: 2008
Genre: Power Metal
Tracklist:

Disc 1
1.	When the Dragons Are Kings (New Song)	04:20
2.	Arcadia Gates (New Version)	05:15
3.	Mists of Avalon (New version)	05:39
4.	Night Corsairs (New version)	05:16
5.	Silent Sentinel (Demo 2003)	04:51
6.	Eyes of Hell (Live at Curitiba Master Hall 2005)	03:45
7.	Calling the Dragons (Mix Brasil 2004)	05:27
8.	Tied in Time (The Gods of Ice Demo 1998)	04:05
9.	Sir Lockdunan (Demo 1999)	04:58
10.	... And the Dark Valley Burns (Throne of The Alliance Version)	04:49
11.	The Blacksmith (Live at BMU 2002)	05:30
12.	Ancient Oracle (Demo 2003)	04:59
13.	Ghost Galleon (Demo 2001)	05:33
14.	Dynasty and Destiny (The Gods of Ice Demo 1998)	04:20

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Gary Hughes - Once and Future King part.2 [Rock-Opera]

Year: 2003
Genre: HeavyPower Metal-Hard Rock
Country: Italy
Format: mp3@192
Size: 80 Мб.
Tracklist:
1. Kill the King - D.C. Cooper
2. There by the Grace of the Gods (Go I) - Gary Hughes
3. I Still Love You (I Still Do) - Gary Hughes
4. Oceans of Tears (I've Shed for You) - Lana Lane
5. Rise from the Shadows
6. Believe Enough to Fight - Bob Catley, Sabine Edelsbacher
7. Hard Way - Doogie White
8. Pagan Dream - Sabine Edelsbacher
9. Demon Down - Doogie White
10. Deius [Instrumental] - Gary Hughes
11. Without You - Sean Harris
12. Once and Future King] - Harry Hess
Total playing time: 56:02
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The second and final part of Gary Hughes' Arthurian Rock opera dives
even deeper into the world of Epic Hard Rock. Personally I feel this
one has a little edge over Part I, as it is a little more diverse and
experimenting. It is still a mystery to me that this release was split
into two, when they clearly belong together. So my advice is to get
them both and sit down and listen to them back to back to get the full
experience.

New singers on part II are:
DC Cooper (Symphorce) as King Aelle
Sabine Edelsbacher (Edenbridge) as Nimue
Dougie White (Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen) as Mordred
Harry Hess (Harem Scarem) as Epilogue Narrator

And the survivors from Part I:
Gary Hughes as King Arthur
Lana Lane as Guinevere
Irene Jansen (Karma) as Morgana
Bob Catley (Magnum) as Merlin
Sean Harris (Diamond Head) as Galahad
Naturally the musicians from Ten are back, as is special guest Arjen Lucassen and they make sure that the music is high class.

Carrying on where the story left of the bombastic opener Kill the king
packs a powerful punch with DC Cooper in usual great shape. Throughout
the album all these singers do their best to capture the essence of the
story and transfer it to the listener with much emotion. The finest
example of this is the pinnacle of the album, the closing title track Once and future king.
Usually Gary Hughes excels at writing epic ballads, but here he really
outdoes himself. This song is majestic and timeless and Harry Hess
delivers a chilling performance. The guitar solo in this song is
heartfelt and brings the song full circle, making this one song I will
never grow tired of.
More highlights include the raging fast and powerful Rise from the shadows
with Irene Jansen. An exciting future lies ahead for this girl. Sabine
Edelsbacher also manages to put her own stamp on the album. Her
operatic voice is really smooth and a nice contrast to the other
singers, though I don't really think her voice fits the evil part she
has been given. Believe enough to fight contains very
strong performances by both Bob Catley and Sabine in a wonderful duet.
More female goodness comes with Lana Lane who sings the enchanting Oceans of Tears with much emotion.
Being a nitpicking kind of guy I feel the need to mention the huge There by the grace of the gods where Gary Hughes does a great job, but unfortunately the chorus is a little overused. Demon down
faces the same problem. While Dougie White gives the song a good groove
most of the song is based on a much used guitar riff and the chorus is
one of those that miss some more melody.

Part I and II together form a fascinating tale told through an epic
musical journey. Before the release of this concept my overblown
expectations were set for nothing short of a masterpiece that would
surpass my favorite work of Gary Hughes to date, the classic Middle Earth
sung by Bob Catley. Middle Earth still holds that honor and I must say
that at first I was slightly disappointed when I got something that was
"just" excellent. Shame on me... :)
Now I appreciate this work of art for what it is; A fine example of a
Hard Rock Opera with many faces and feelings to dig into. It will take
a while to get really into it, but I can assure you many exciting
moments await those who do.

Gary Hughes - Once And Future King Part.1 [rock-opera]

Year: 2003
Genre: Heavy\Power Metal-Hard Rock
Country: Italy
Format: mp3@192
Size: 70 Мб.
Tracklist:
1. Excalibur
2. Dragon Island Cathedral
3. At the End of Day
4. Reason Why
5. Shapeshifter
6. King for a Day
7. Avalon
8. Sinner
9. In Flames
10. Lies
Total playing time: 50:31
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This is the long awaited multi-singer project from Ten songwriter and
singer, Gary Hughes. Once and future king is his take on the Arthurian
legend and my expectations were extremely high for this one. I can't
say that they have been completely fulfilled yet, I still have to
listen to the second part to make my overall judgement. But this first
part is a high quality release that will no doubt please all those who
are already fans of Gary Hughes. For those who don't know Gary Hughes,
this is as good a time as any to make that discovery.
I would describe the music on Once and future king Part I as Hard Rock
with many symphonic elements and a heavy, epic quality in many songs,
but above all, the songs are ruled by Gary Hughes' unique sense of huge
sweeping melodies. Everything from ballads to heavy, powerful hymns can
be found here and the songs are catchy and quick to enter your mind. In
fact, I was a little surprised at how straight forward many of the
songs actually are.

A big point of interest is the variety of first class singers involved. The following people participate in Part I:
Damian Wilson (former Threshold, Ayreon) as Prologue Narrator
Gary Hughes as King Arthur
Lana Lane as Guinevere
Danny Vaughn (Tyketto) as Lancelot
Irene Jansen (Karma) as Morgana
Bob Catley (Magnum) as Merlin
Sean Harris (Diamond Head) as Galahad

The story is well thought out and has an overall dark atmosphere. Each
song adds a layer to the intriguing tale and the dark story is told
with conviction through the various singers.
The opener Excalibur takes us back in time with
a symphonic keyboard intro (played by Arjen Lucassen by the way) before
a fast bass line and drums are joined by a furious guitar riff. Damian
Wilson's haunting tone of voice fits this song brilliantly and it works
as a great start to the album. Also the hardest song on the album by
far.
Dragon Island Cathedral follows, and this is epic hard
rock at its best. From start to end it is a pleasure and definitely my
favourite song of the album. A brilliant guitar riff underlines the
main melody of the song and Gary Hughes' deep voice smoothly fits with
the music giving it that epic quality. The chorus is also one of the
record's finest.
After this things slow down and At the end of the day
sees Gary Hughes and Lana Lane embarging on a beautiful duet in this
ballad, complete with heartfelt guitar solo. The song works and
storywise it builds the relationship between Arthur and Guinevere. The
little piano outro works great, setting a feeling of foreboding.
After this amazing start the album unfortunately take a couple of dives into more familiar territory. First, The reason why is a mid-tempo love song about Lancelot's infatuation with Guinevere who is to become Arthur's queen. Second, two tracks later Avalon
lets them finally live out their love. Danny Vaughn sings both songs
and it's not like I have anything against the guy. It's just that these
songs are nothing special and I don't feel they have the same quality
as the rest of the songs at all. Nor do they manage keep the atmosphere
established by the tracks that have run before, and unfortunately I
find myself skipping past these two. They are not as interesting as the
other songs and never get out of the, here, fatal "sweet love song"
mode. I feel like they could just as well have been included on any
other of Gary Hughes' solo releases where they would have fitted just
fine.
While this is enough to make me lose my grasp on the atmosphere these
two stumbling blocks are not enough to ruin everything, not by far.
When I saw Irene Jansen doing background vocals on the Star One tour I was quite impressed. And on Shapeshifter
she impresses me again. She quickly guides the album back on track and
uses her wide range to give the song a mystical quality. While it is a
pretty simple song, there is something drawing about it and I look
forward to hearing more from Irene in the future. Great guitar work in
this one too.
Bob Catley as Merlin literally almost takes the crown in the power ballad King for a day. His voice is melodc, powerful and emotional and as always a joy to listen to.
Hhmmm, there is something about the start to Sinner
that takes me back in time to Queen's "I want it all". Well, I won't
complain about that :) Anyway, a great heavy guitar can be found in
this track, which sees Sean Harris as Galahad, comdemning the two
lovers.
In flames has Bob Catley using a the dark charisma of his voice to undeline the lyrical content, and finally the melancholic Lies is
a perfect closer of this first part. Gary Hughes' voice is filled with
withdrawn emotion and the epic melody is very beautiful. With a finish
like this, my expectations are set extremely high for the second part,
which will be released in October.
The instruments are handled by the musicians from Ten and they all do a
terrific job. Especially Chris Francis on the guitar has some great
moments. The production is full and warm, fitting the music very well.
The songs on the album are very well connected and like I said, Avalon and The reason why
are the only real downpoints. I know that both are necessary to proceed
the story, but musically I just don't find them very interesting. I
wish something had been done to make them go beyond that "standard love
song" mode they are stuck in. A little surprise, some experimentation
or maybe just a killer rabbit to spice up the action a little... :)
When the rest of the songs are of such high quality and the album
overall is excellent and highly enjoyable, a couple of more standard
songs aren't enough to stop me from declaring this project a success so
far. Most songs manage to capture a unique atmosphere and now I can't
wait to hear the second part and conclusion to the 2 disc set. I have a
feeling that the best is yet to come...

Jewel - Revolution In Heaven

Year: 1991
Genre: Melodic Speed/Power Metal
Country: Netherlands
Format: mp3@CBR320kbps
Size: 120MB
Tracklist:
1. Below the Belt 03:10
2. Dirty Bitch 02:41
3. These Boots (Are Made For Walking) (Nancy Sinatra cover) 04:00
4. Circle of Despair 05:48
5. Blasting Glory 04:03
6. Lonely Without You 04:26
7. High Speed Pursuit 04:48
8. Road to Katmandu 05:16
9. God's Heart Attack 04:03
10. Warpaint 04:20
11. The Vietnam Requiem 09:35
Total playing time: 52:10
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Biography: here

Jewel - La Morta (+bonus)

Year: 1988
Genre: Melodic Speed/Power Metal
Country: The Netherlands
Tracklist:
01 La Morta
02 Blacque Moon
03 Mystery Of Fate
04 Kings Of Tomorrow
05 Sympathy For The Devil (Live) [bonus]
06 Don't Let Them Take Back Control [bonus]
07 Lost In A Memory [bonus]
08 Mirage [bonus]
09 I Dream On [bonus]
10 I've Been Trying [bonus]
11 Excalibur [bonus]
Tracks 6 to 9 are from the pre-Jewel band Sword
Track 10 and 11 are from the Sword 7"
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You know, Holland has got a healthy lack of real metal legends, but if I may name one, it has to be the band around guitarist Henky Bakker and vocalist Rick Ambrose: Jewel. Their so-called 'classic thrash' was - like the descriptions indeed suggests - a kind of heavy/thrash metal with lots of influences from classical music (just think of a tune like 'Little Paganini', that sadly enough is not on this re-release). Besides the cool music Jewel was especially famous (or should I say notorious) for their outrageous live shows under supervision of singer/clown Rick, who by means of lots of joking around and the use of bizarre stage props turned every gig upside down into a big party. King-size beer cans, serpentine spray cans, demonstration boards, trampolines (for improved stagediving), an intro-tape with the theme song of the Muppet Show, everything was used to amuse the audience and let them actively take part of the show. Seriously, this was always a real treat in an era were most Dutch bands acted like a bunch of scarecrows when on stage. Sadly enough the band never got their well-deserved big break, and after some successful tours and albums Jewel split-up in 1993.

Included on this 'La Morta' EP re-release there are of course all the original tracks from original 1988 release (just like every other release under the moniker 'Dutch Metal Cult Series' nicely remastered), but this sucker also holds some nice bonus tracks, like a cover from the Rolling Stones classic 'Sympathy For The Devil' plus six songs from the band when they were still called Sword. Now honesty forces me to admit that not every tune from the Sword days is that cool (I mean, 'Mirage' and 'I Dream On' are nothing compared to the mighty 'La Morta'), but on the other hand I really glad that the B-side from the first Sword single, 'Excalibur' is included (1983). Until recently I only had that one somewhere on some dusty piece of tape, and that is no place for one of the coolest tunes from that grand metal year.

Solar Eagle - Solar Eagle (EP)

Year: 1988
Genre: Power/Speed Metal
Country: Canada
Format: mp3@CBR192kbps
Size: 30MB
Tracklist:
1. See 03:34
2. Dimensional Charter 07:05
3. Tree of Snakes 04:27
4. Lost Season 05:56
Total playing time: 21:02
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Kinetic Dissent - I Will Fight No More Forever

Year: 1991
Genre: progressive power / speed metal
Сountry: US
Tracklist:
1. Cults Of Unreason 03:29
2. Banished 03:43
3. Melanin 02:58
4. 12 Angry Men 04:22
5. Social Syndrome 03:35
6. I Will Fight No More Forever 03:39
7. Novocaine Response 05:04
8. Testing Ground 04:35
9. Reworked 07:06
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Review: here

Cloven Hoof - Dominator

Year: 1988
Genre: Heavy Metal/Power Metal
Tracklist:

1.	Rising Up	04:48
2.	Nova Battlestar	05:41
3.	Reach For The Sky	05:31
4.	Warrior Of The Wasteland	05:15
5.	The Invaders	05:25
6.	The Fugitive	04:20
7.	Dominator	04:42
8.	Road Of Eagles	06:08
Total playing time		41:50

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Tension - Breaking Point

Year: 1986
Genre: Power/Speed/Thrash Metal
Tracklist:
1.One Nation
2.Wrecking Crew
3.Reach for the Sword
4.Angels from the Past
5.W.O.C.
6.Shock Treatment
7.The Downfall of Evil
8.Metal Paranoia
9.Seduced
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This is Tom Gattis'(Wardog, Ballistic) first band. An impressive speed/power/thrash release along the lines of Overkill, Metal Church, Agent Steel, etc. It's perhaps a bit premature to talk about thrash here, but the energy and catchiness of the songs will keep you entertained. In the middle the album loses momentum for a while, introducing slower numbers ("Angels from the Past", "Shock Treatment"), but quickly makes up with "The Downfall of Evil": the best and the thrashiest track here.

Dawn Of Destiny - Rebellion In Heaven

Year: 2008
Country: Germany
Genre: Power Metal
Length: 60:54 Min
Filesize: 140 MB
Tracklist:
- Angel Without Wings
- Ending Dream
- Days Of Crying
- Tears
- Last Day
- Rain
- Save Us
- Lost
- In Between
- Inquisition
- Heaven's Falling Down
- Perceive Me
- Unexpected Guest
- Where Are You Now
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Order Of Nine - A Means To Know End

Year: 2008
Genre: Power Metal
Country: United States
Format: mp3@CBR192kbps
Size: 59MB
Tracklist:
01. Single Shot
02. A Means To Know End
03. Devotee
04. In The Know
05. An Offered Hand
06. Ghost Of Memories
07. Gods At War
08. Ninth Knight
09. Show No Remorse
10. Last Dance
Total playing time: 42:42
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Pennsylvania, U.S.A. based Order Of Nine originally got their start as Templar, a band that was heavily influenced by early Queensryche material and even did a cover for a Queensryche tribute album a few years back. The band's third album Season Of Reign saw them finally hitting their stride. A Means To Know End, the band's latest release offers up some of the best old school heavy metal that I've heard this year. Taking influences from early Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, especially albums like Sin After Sin and Stained Class, Order Of Nine also adds some solid and muscular U.S. power metal "meat" to their sound. Combining the amazing guitar talents of Scott Haggerty and Steve Pollick with the "throaty" Geoff Tate/Blaze Bayley like vocals of Michael DeGrena, Order Of Nine's metal is chocked full of exciting and interesting riffs, very technical lead harmonies and just enough shredding lead guitar work to even satisfy the Yngwie fans out there.

The "old school" metal feel jumps right out of the gate with the first track Single Shot. A song about a hitman, the U.S. power metal style combined with a retro midrange boosted guitar tone gives the band a Priest/Accept type of sound. Reckless and almost thrash metal like interludes crop up now and again and most tracks feature extended instrumental breaks and amazing lead guitar work. The Queensryche influences surface quite frequently with the title track, A Means To Know End being a prime example. With a quiet intro, the track slowly builds in heaviness and with the atmospheric heavy riffs, gives the song Warning era QR qualities. Speedier segments also remind me of Priest's Dissident Aggressor. A Beyond The Realms Of Death type of arrangement awaits the listener with Devotee, a track that shows the more creative and atmospheric side of the band with it's epic feel. An Offered Hand is Order Of Nine's finest hour. One of the best "pure metal" tracks I've heard in a long time, the killer main riff borrows a bit from Yngwie's Evil Eye yet is much more pounding and heavy. Moody and catchy with speedy instrumental segments Michael DeGrena's sheer and total command over his voice vaults this track into epic Maiden territory. Ghost Of Memories also bounces back and forth between clean guitar segments and galloping riffs with huge emotional vocals and amazing harmony lead guitar work. Gods At War once again visits the U.S. power metal sound yet with an abstract Queensryche feel as well as neo-classical elements. Show No Remorse also has the U.S. power metal feel and Dio-era Sabbath is front and centre for the odd time signatures and ominous riffs for Ninth Knight.

Although keeping "true" to the traditional heavy metal sound, Order Of Nine also uses some drop D tunings to add extra atmosphere and heaviness yet avoids the "trappings" of the typical modern metal sound that severely overuses that sort of tuning. The way Iron Maiden songs grab the listener and takes them on a journey with epic and thematic instrumental passages is exactly the feel I get when listening to this band. They have a strong grasp on how to produce quality and exciting heavy metal with a vocalist that gives them more of a tougher sound than is the norm nowadays. The production job is huge, giving the band a big powerful Mystic Prophecy like sound with the lead harmonies propelled by multi-tracked chunky riffs. Lots of bands like Mystic Prophecy, Cryonic Temple and even Hammerfall have the same sort of sound yet Order Of Nine's songs seem to have a lot more "substance" and longevity with repeated listens. Unlike some others in the traditional metal genre, Order Of Nine doesn't have to hide behind a huge production job.....they actually write some great songs.

Zoic - Total Level Of Destruction

Year: 1996
Genre: Power Metal

Country: Sweden
Format: mp3@CBR192kbps
Size: 54MB
Tracklist:
1. Intro 01:39
2. No time 04:27
3. What do you believe in 03:47
4. Madmen 04:14
5. Warlords 04:10
6. Lost my faith 05:17
7. Ravens death (instrumental) 03:00
8. Words was spoken 04:29
9. Never be the same 04:32
10. St: Dilo'n (instrumental) outro 04:01
Total playing time: 39:36
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Sacred Oath - 'Till Death Do Us Part - Live In Germany [live]

Year: 2008
Genre: Power Metal
Country: United States
Format: mp3@VBR220kbps
Size: 97MB
Tracklist:
1. Two Powers
2. The Omen
3. A Crystal Vision
4. Queen Of The Night
5. Magick Son
6. Prophecy
7. Words Upon The Stone
8. The Ferryman's Lair
9. Battle Cry
10. Rising From The Grave
Total playing time: 56:00
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Playing in Europe for the very first time as part of the Keep It True Festival IX in November 2007, Sacred Oath was able to fulfill a life-long dream of playing overseas. Judging by the amount of singing by the crowd, it was a long time coming for this band to finally get to play there. Till Death Do Us Part is an honest no bullshit live album that sounds exactly as if you were standing right out front; there's no studio enhancements whatsoever. Combining the best of their first album, A Crystal Vision with some of the best tracks off the band's latest album Darkness Visible, what you get here is a greatest hits live type of package. Two Powers, The Omen, A Crystal Vision, Magick Son, The Ferryman's Lair and Rising From The Grave come from A Crystal Vision with Darkness Visible material in the form of Queen of The Night, Prophecy, Words Upon The Stone and Battle Cry. Also included is the video for the track Words Upon The Stone. Sacred Oath offers up a fierce and energetic set on this album with a killer up front and thick Accept style guitar tone. Rob Thorne's voice is powerful and strong with the whole production (mixed and produced by Rob himself) showing the band in fine form.

Sacred Oath is an honest traditional heavy metal band that was a big part of the development of the U.S. power metal sound. Cranking this live CD up really loud brings to light just how great this band really is and what a shame it is if you have never heard them. As far as live albums go, this is their equivalent of Live After Death or Unleashed In The East in that it shows just how fierce this band is in a live setting and for the most part, the songs sound better live than the studio versions. With a couple of new members and a newfound energy and enthusiasm, Sacred Oath is currently enjoying a "second life" so to speak with the band planning on entering the studio very soon to record yet another album. Fans of their A Crystal Vision album should grab Darkness Visible and this live album Till Death Do Us Part. If not, you're missing out on a new chapter for this band and one that sees them sounding better than ever.

review courtesy of Metalreviews.com

Sacred Oath - Darkness Visible

Year: 2007
Genre: Power Metal
Tracklist:

1.	Words Upon the Stone	05:47
2.	Battle Cry	02:53
3.	Queen of the Night	06:10
4.	Darkness Visible	06:02
5.	Prophecy	05:03
6.	Calm Before the Storm	05:21
7.	Unholy Man	06:00
8.	Death Is Inevitable	04:47
9.	Beyond the Edge of the Flame	05:07
10.	The Golden Dawn	06:12
Total playing time		53:28

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Sacred Oath was originally formed in the mid 80's with a couple of demo releases, Sacred Oath (1985) and Shadow Out Of Time (1986) to their name before their first full length album A Crystal Vision in 1987. That particular album was a huge success but unfortunately, the band fell apart in 1988. A Crystal Vision went on to become one of the most sought after U.S. power metal releases with the band achieving a cult-like status. Fast forward to 1998 and with the help and persuasion of Sentinel Steel Records, the band re-recorded their classic first album and released it as A Crystal Revision, a package that included the original recording as well. In the summer of 2005, all four original members Rob Thorne (guitar/vocals), Kenny Evans (drums), Pete Altieri (bass) and Glen Cruciani (guitar) entered the studio to record Darkness Visible, only the band's second album in almost 20 years.

Sacred Oath plays the sort of traditional metal that feeds off of the classic metal sounds of Iron Maiden, Saxon, Mercyful Fate, early Metallica and Megadeth as well as some of the earlier Queensryche albums. This band is pure U.S. power metal and is proud of it. Chugging and galloping riffs grace many songs with lots of Maiden-like guitar harmonies and leads. The sound and production of this album gives it a "long lost 80's classic" vibe and literally puts the band right back to where they left off with A Crystal Vision in 1987. Every track has lots of solid riffs, instrumental breaks and tempo changes galore that add a sense of excitement and unpredictability to their songs. Battle Cry and The Golden Dawn feature speedy and galloping early Maiden style riffs with Prophecy having an arrangement similar to Maiden's Remember Tomorrow. The abundance of tempo changes, instrumental breaks and lead solo breaks show the more "progressive metal" edge of Maiden as well as some older Queensryche influences with the overall tone of the songs. Queen Of The Night sees everything from Saxon styled riffs to more speedy and galloping riffs for the solos and the title track, Darkness Visible as well as Death Is Inevitable pay homage to the great U.S. thrash metal of the mid 80's with more of an Anthrax/Metallica vibe yet with riffing styles reminiscent of classic 80's Mercyful Fate. Thundering heavy Sabbath tones eminate from Beyond The Edge Of The Flame and mixed with quieter interludes, Maiden's Children Of The Damned comes to mind. Lead vocalist Rob Thorne has a great voice for this type of metal. Combining the styles of Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray) with a bit of Joey Belladonna (ex-Anthrax) and the falsetto screams of King Diamond and Rob Halford, he's in much stronger form here than on the A Crystal Vision album.

Like listening to a long-lost underground classic from the 80's, Darkness Visible is a real gem if your a fan of traditional heavy metal and especially the origins and roots of U.S. power metal. Solid new releases by bands like Testament and Metal Church have helped fuel the resurgence in popularity of more traditional heavy metal. Newer bands like Wolf and to some extent Stormwarrior are doing a fine job of trying to keep the flame alive for more traditional metal as well but Sacred Oath is the real deal. They were there when it all started and were a big part of the evolution of that classic metal sound. Not a filler track to be found on this album, it's a virtual riff-fest and a real delight to the ears of someone like myself who will always have a soft spot for very well written and well played heavy metal. Fans of their classic A Crystal Vision album should waste no time in picking this one up!

review courtesy of Metalreviews.com

Dark Empire - Humanity Dethroned

Genre: Power/Thrash/Melodic Death Metal
Country: United States Of America
Format: mp3@CBR320kbps
Size: 133MB
Year: 2008
Tracklist:
1. Eyes Of Defiance 05:06
2. No Sign of Life 05:05
3. Humanity Dethroned 05:12
4. The Forgotten Sin 08:26
5. Faded Dreams 05:30
6. Salvation Denied 05:16
7. Prelude 03:14
8. Haunted 05:28
9. Possessed ( We are one) 05:10
10. Closure 06:47
Total playing time: 55:14
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Opener Eyes Of Defiance comes spinning out with a meaty melodic riff and instantly I noticed that the guitar tone is much heavier, a lot more gritter than before. Of course there are still rollicking solos that command attention but the harder tone is the first noticeable change from round one. There is also an increase in the harsh vocal department. I’m glad the band decided to experiment more with this vocal tool. They comprise maybe a third of the vocals on the album but the way that they are used is surgically precise. This isn’t like with many other bands where you have some guy bellowing like a pissed off ape to sound heavy for heaviness’ sake. Certain lines are emphasized and given conviction. The title track is a scathing slab of contempt directed at those that abuse their power and deceive and lie. With lyrical content like that it is no surprise that harsh vocals are used predominately here.

Dark Empire flexes its’ epic muscle on two occasions throughout the album. The first instance is the eight minute long The Forgotten Sin. When I think of this track, progressive rock circa 1977 comes to mind. During the verses, singer Jens Carlsson, has a flowing roll with the melody and the way he weaves it just screams Genesis, Styx and others of their ilk. Eight minutes is also ample time to let this song expand and there are many riffs to be found for the curious hunter as well as a short drum solo from former skin smasher Samus Paulicelli (currently with Abigail Williams). For epic moment number two we have the four song concept arc, The Apparition Sequence. My head clicks subconsciously and Fates Warning springs to mind. Already expectations are lofty (kind of like Ray Arch's vocals aha!) and I get exactly what I expected. A high quality piece that has an interesting story and uses a main melody theme on various instruments that appears at just the right moments throughout that bring this all together. A proper intro song, Prelude, is a guitar solo dominated, piano infused induction into Haunted. This and Possessed (We Are One) are two rather speedy numbers. Both make liberal use of harsh vocals. Those seventies prog rock comparisons come roaring back with the finale Closure. I suppose that this would be considered a ballad but To Be With You it ain’t. Acoustic guitar drives this track even when the electricity kicks in a quarter of the way through. And when it does it kick in it brings with it the best solo of the album. After a double bass assault in the ending flourish, this album ends in an unexpected but pleasant fashion, with a fading piano note.

Albums like this reaffirm that despite the crap that gets picked up by the boatload these days, there are still dedicated small independent bands like Dark Empire that can pump out the goods. If you bitch about how there is no more good metal coming out these days then get Humanity Dethroned. It shut me up for a few weeks.

Vodu - The Final Conflict

Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Year: 1986
Tracklist:

1.	Contradictions	02:30
2.	What an Irony	03:04
3.	How Can You Believe	06:50
4.	This is Not Your World	05:27
5.	Endless Nightmare	03:29
6.	Nuclear Delirium	05:53
7.	Final Conflict	05:27
8.	Let Me Live (I Dont Wanna Die)	03:41
Total playing time		36:21

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Amon-Ra - In The Company Of The Gods

Year: 1992
Genre: Traditional/Heavy/Power Metal
Tracklist:

1.	Intro Into Infinity
2.	Graveyard Of The Dragon
3.	Forever
4.	Middleground
5.	Season's Of May
6.	When The Glitter Fades Away
7.	Cloak & Dagger
8.	As The Mirror Cracks

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