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REVIEW: Serious Black – Mirrorworld

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , , , on September 1, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

Serious Black, the “All-star-group-but-not-a-supergroup-in-that-sense” coming literally out of nowhere slamming down like an asteroid, are back already a year after their critically acclaimed debut album “As Daylight Breaks”. It’s been quite the year for them – good highs touring with bands such as HammerFall, Gamma Ray and Kamelot – and now it’s finally time for them to grace us with a second album – “Mirrorworld”.

And buckle up folks, “Mirrorworld” is an album that will take you for a ride.

It all begins a bit cautiously, you are slowly getting into the ride, the more adventurous ride I’d say – building up the excitement before stopping for a brief moment – then starting again. It builds up the tension, the excitement, prepares you for what is yet to come – and then unexpectedly throws you into the first song of the album, “As Long as I’m Alive”, that starts off as a statement, to the world – to the fans, to everyone.

It continues on in the, on the more aggressive side, “Castor Skies”, which is essentially a very typical metal song with bombastic choruses and hammering drums. After this – the ride slows down, and we are thrown into the highlight of the album. The heartbreak songs. “Heartbroken Soul” which brings the thoughts back to Cinderella’s 80’s hit “Nobody’s Fool”, with a bit of KISS’s “Forever”, it’s like mash of the two but with Serious Black’s own imprint on it. The song is followed up by one on a similar theme – “Dying Hearts”. There’s something about these two songs that simply catches me, drags me into and keeps me there.

Noteworthy, is Urban’s vocal work in this album. While I am familiar with some of his work with Bloodbound, I don’t think I’ve ever really heard him being so versatile as I find him on this album, especially with these two tracks. It’s almost to the point where I don’t recognize it being him and that’s a pretty good thing for me personally – showing the different sides of one persons talent.

The pace is picked up in “You’re Not Alone” which fills the function of giving you a hint of hope after dragging you down in the heartbreak sever, and then an echoing, almost Amaranthe-like intro starts off to prepare you for the titletrack – The “Mirrorworld.” A song dealing with the emotion of being locked up in a situation you can’t get out of, suffocating you and trying to find your way. It’s followed up by “State of my Despair” which follows up the theme of the previous one, before wrapping up the album with “Unborn Never Die”.

To conclude it all, while still being in the spirits of “As Daylight Breaks”, it’s elevated. It’s better, bigger and essentially, taking more space. It’s got cheerful and big songs with adrenaline pumping lyrics as well as low key songs with touching lyrics and I also sense a little bit of 80’s inspiration – unintentionally or not, I love it. The album has a clean production and a good consistency throughout the album – there really aren’t anything I can complain about. Well done, boys!

seriousblack
(Label: AFM Records)

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// Sara

 

 

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Delain – Moonbathers

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , , on August 30, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

Delain, the Dutch metalband most famous for “We are the Others” are finally back with their fifth studioalbum “Moonbathers”, following up the success of “The Human Contradiction” and EP “Lunar Prelude”. For me personally, since I heard “The Glory and the Scum” I’ve been waiting like crazy for this album, and it’s finally here!

Listening to “Moonbathers” is like watching a movie – it’s start off with it’s opening track “Hands of Gold” which is a foreboding song about the adventure yet to come, introducing our hero and perhaps also our villain – in this case portrayed by Alissa White-Gluz. Our first encounter with the hero and the conflict is shown in the second track – “The Glory and the Scum”, giving us an idea what is about to come, and the conflict just culminates in “Suckerpunch” before it’s slowed down and dawned upon us in “The Hurricane” and “Chrysalis: My Last Breath” where our hero gets betrayed.

The climax of the movie, the battle of the movie, starts off with “Fire with Fire” where our hero sees red in her eyes and gets prepared for the ultimate showdown which takes place in “Pendulum”. But then it happens. “Danse Macabre”. Our hero lost. Heroes don’t always win, and heroes don’t always wear capes. A shot at redemption is given with “Scandal”, despite being a Queen cover fits the narrative perfectly, before our hero and the villain break down in “Turn the Lights Out” and finally reach the settlement, and let the credits roll with “The Monarch”.

Not only are the songs placed the way they are to give you this kind of narrative, but the musical arrangements of this albums help enhancing the image of yourself watching a movie, where you let your imagination paint the graphics.

With all of that being said, it’s a very very good album. What gets me the most is all the arrangements. Every single song, every single arrangement behind it just leaves you speechless, sitting there not sure what to feel – you follow the feeling of the music and takes you both up and down, without even paying attention to the lyrics at first. And once you do, you get drawn into a dark world, but not without the little light in the dark – which was also the inspiration for the title, “Moonbathers”, for those of us who find comfort in the dark rather than the light.

I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is – but this album simply speaks to me. Perhaps it’s on a more personal level rather than anything, but I can only salute Delain for bringing us this musical masterpiece of an album for us all to enjoy, laugh and to cry to. Thank you Charlotte, for understanding all of us moonbathers.

Delain-Moonbathers-52319-1

// Sara

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Demonarchy

Posted in CDs, Uncategorized with tags , on August 29, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

Today it arrived! My Delain Moonbathers box, I’ve seriously been waiting for this box ever since the album came out. I’ve been wanting to dig into this album right away. The single, “The Glory and the Scum” got me so excited for the album so what can I say aside FINALLY!

CDis

So this is the little box. I must admit I was happy to see it was a bit smaller than Sabaton’s gigantic box, and it’s all made out of wood, which gave it a more… authentic touch.

So, what’s in it?

CD

First and foremost, the album! I was happy to see it wasn’t a gigantic earbook, but simply one of these mediabooks – so it fits in my recordcollection, haha. Finally, finally I have the album in my hands. I’ve been waiting.

pendant

A Delain pendant. At first when I saw the image I was a bit worried, because it looked rather big, but this – this is the perfect size. I like it!

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A wallflag, with the “Moonbather” motive. I prefer not to open them until I’m going to use them, so sorry for the, well, shitty image!

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Lastly: A 7″ single of “Chrysalis” and “The Monarch”. This was a nice extra touch – apparently, it’s supposed to be silver, I have yet to find out when I open it!

So, that was that! I’m glad it finally arrived so I got the album most importantly!

// Sara

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Sabaton – The Last Stand

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , on August 28, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

So finally, after a few ifs and buts it’s time for me to write about this album as well. “The Last Stand” is the 9th studioalbum from Sabaton and is, as the title suggest, dealing with the topic of famous last stands, the final battles. I must admit, I did have quite high expectations on this album – as I’ve always come to have when it comes to Sabaton.

At first listen, I was a little taken aback by “Sparta”. The more recent opening tracks has been pretty fast, in your face kind of songs, while this one is… how do I put this, slower? It’s calm in a way, the calm before the storm perhaps. But it is very, very big, or large, on the other hand.

The album picks up it’s pace a bit already in the second song – “Last Dying Breath” and keeps on in a pretty usual Sabaton-kind of manner. It’s very big – as usual – big choirs and epic arrangements, but it’s also pretty bland. It’s just… like one line. Songs melting together at times, aside for the few oddies like “Ballad of Bannockburn” which is probably the most out-there song on this album.

Something that makes me a bit torn about this album is how easy it is to place some of the songs on previous albums. It’s not simply that the sound is similar, but down to the fact that I can say “Ah, this is this song!” the most obvious one being “Winged Hussars” – basically the result of “The Carolean Prayer” and “The Art of War” having a lovechild, with the only exception of “Ballad of Bannockburn” who’s completely off the trails, as far sa Sabaton goes.

It’s a very, very typical Sabaton album. You got the big, epic songs like “Sparta”, “The Last Stand” and “The Lost Battalion”, the songs that are a bit more low-key and heavier such as “Hill 3234” and “Rourke’s Drift”. However, perhaps I’m just cheated by “Shiroyama”, but this albums feels… a bit softer? Perhaps it’s the added layers and layers of keyboards that gives me this feeling, but I would have no problem seeing “Shiroyama” in Eurovision, for instance.

Something though, that I simply loved and that took my breath away on the first listen of this album – “Diary of an Unknown Soldier”. I’ve already told you many many times about how much I love the orchestral arrangements before “Nightwitches”, and this sort of intro to “The Lost Battalion” just left me breathless. That kind of build up before a song… Sabaton, they know how to paint with music. Perhaps I’m the only person in this world feeling this kind of passion, but I just cannot get over how amazingly made that combination was.

My personal favorite song on the album, on the other hand, is “The Last Stand”. I love the cheerfulness, the epicness, the melody lines… I can’t even begin to describe how amazing this song is. Seriously get’s my adrenaline pumping.

I’m a bit torn. It’s a fine album, and as a fan I really love it. As a critic, I’m not THAT impressed with how similar it is at times, but on the other hand – I’ve been listening to this album non stop since it was released, so I guess that says something. All I can say is – I love Sabaton more than anything in this world, and that didn’t change in the slightest with this album.

Sabaton-The-Last-Stand

// Sara

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Winged Hussars

Posted in CDs, Uncategorized with tags , , on August 23, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

I’ll make a quick break in writing about Sabaton Open Air because of an unexpected early delivery in the shape of the Tank Edition The Last Stand! It was expected tomorrow, but gladly, for me, it arrived today! Seriously, I came home from work for a quick lunch when I saw the big package from Nuclear Blast and my insides essentially exploded. And now, several hours later I finally got to sit down with it and go through it.

The first thing that greeted me when I opened the box was a Rhapsody of Fire album, more to be exact “From Chaos to Eternity”. At first I was confused, and then I remembered it was the surprise CD that Nuclear Blast would throw in. Amazing! And I’m so happy it actually wound up being a band I like a bit, and wanted to check out more for some time since I got “Into the Legend” through AFM.

rhapsodyoffire

Move on to the big box! First and foremost, it came nicely packaged in a, well, almost stylish box! Will be awesome once you start decorating an apartment, you know?

ladan

When opening the box, the first thing that greets me is the photo, that actually turned out to be a twosided photo. On the one side, it’s the “The Last Stand” motive, and on the other side it’s a picture of Sabaton. I must admit, I have yet to decide what side I’d want to put up. I actually really love the artwork of “The Last Stand”, so I might as well fram it that way.

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Next up was the large fold out poster. I’m stuck with this one, because it was big, but I did expect it to be bigger. I’m not disappointed though, it’s still a good size!

poster

And then it was the vinyl. I’ve been waiting for this, to be able to crank out “The Last Stand” on vinyl… Seriously, I can’t wait to do it. I’ll probably do it tomorrow or something.

vinyl

Then, I was greeted with the three picks. These are actually an item I never really understood, but I guess it’s sort of fun? They looked pretty nice, though.

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And lastly… the earbook. And ok, so let me tell you something funny about this.

Ever since the “Carolus Rex” album, I’ve been fancying these little books Sabaton makes – you know, the albums that looks more like a real book rather than a CD case. It’s sort of unusual for me, who don’t even like digipacks, but I guess I remember the feeling of standing in the line for the signing session in 2012 and learning more about the Caroleans in that line than I ever have in school, and I just like that feeling you know? So I got the album, as I already told, on Sabaton Open Air. I was a little worried, that I’d end up with complete doubles but then I saw a picture of this album and saw they weren’t the same. Oh yay.

I just didn’t realize how different they were.

You see, I do have a small section, next to my leopard patterned CD stand where I put oddly shaped CD cases, like Taylor Swift’s “Red” or Sabaton’s “The Art of War” you know, the edition that included the book by Sun Tzu. However, I am not sure at all that this earbook version of the CD will fit there.

hugeearbook

IT’S SO HUGE! Yes, you are all free to laugh at me. I have actually never had an earbook version of an album before, and now I’m starting to get a bit scared about the Epica pre-order I’m about to place… I sort of you know, like regular albums that fit into regular CD stands, haha! Oh dear god.

I did notice I’m missing my dogtag, so I’ll go over the box again some other time to make sure it isn’t in there, and then talk to Nuclear Blast about it.

However, I am sooo pleased with this order, and now I’m just eagerly awaiting the tank itself. I’m so excited! I just love these sort of special editions.

// Sara

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REVIEW: Kissin’ Dynamite – Generation Goodbye

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , , , , on August 15, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

It’s been two years since the success of “Megalomania” and a lot has changed since – the most noteworthy being the break with their management. Since then the band has dealt with everything themselves – promotion as well as organizing, and now lastly, producing their album completely on their own, letting them control everything and get exactly the sound they want. “Generation Goodbye” is a eleven songs long album that, according to guitarist Ande, “represents a feeling of longing, break up and a new start”. With this information in hand, it’s safe to say that the album is probable the most honest and genuine album they have produced so far.

I have two things to say about this album: Musically, it’s a roller coaster ride from start to finish. It starts off initiating, the music almost preparing you for dystopia with bombastic choruses telling you “Here we are, here we stand”, giving you this doomsday feeling, before being sped up and taking off with “Hashtag Your Life”, then slowing down in the powerballad “If Clocks Were Running Backwards” before going up the rails again only to unleash in “She Came, She Saw”, only to be slowed down again for “Masterpiece”, taking off and then dying out in the serene, but bombastic “Utopia”, draining you on the little mental energy you have left.

Lyrically, however, it’s a clear battlefield. The lyrics goes from, practically criticizing society in songs like “Generation Goodbye” and “Hashtag Your Life” to heartbreaking songs about lost love in “If Clocks Were Running Backwards”. There are songs about being a warrior in your own private battlefield – your life – in songs like “Somebody to Hate”, as well as a few partyhymns.

My personal favorite song on this album is “She came, She saw”. A seductive piece of music who sends you into the deepest corner of the filthiest stripclub you can find, being conquered of the feeling of wanting something you can’t have. The music is stirring up emotions in you, leading you in on this seductive path leaving you drained in the climax of the chorus.

It’s a pretty solid album – but it’s not necessarily better, nor worse, than the previous one. Aside some heavier lyric material, it’s not a lot of surprises. While most of the songs are very good – and they are really good – it sadly leaves the “bad” songs a bit more mediocre, leaving the album a little bit scattered for my opinion. And I’m not sure how I feel about them repeating the same trick in almost every song -It’s leaving it a little bit predictable, you know?

Overall, it’s a good album. It’s a very enjoyable album, the different songs keeping it interested while listening to it in a whole go. And like I said – the good songs are really, REALLY good, which make it worth it! I’d recommend it, most certainly if you are into 80’s kind of rock.

kissin_-dynamite-generation-goodbye-104212
(Label: AFM Records)

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// Sara

 

 

 

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Maximalism: Built to Last

Posted in CDs, Uncategorized with tags , , , on August 11, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

So! Today has been a bit of an eventful day since not one, but TWO of my favorite bands has unveiled the artwork and tracklist for their upcoming albums!

First up, I’ll start with HammerFall‘s new album “Built To Last“, set to be released on November 4th.

hammerfallbuilttolast

So here it is guys! Makes me think of “Glory to the Brave”, colorwise, and it’s different to see Hector in such a positing! I’m not going to say too much since I can honestly say I don’t remember every single cover in my head, but he usually just stands there. The tracklisting, however, is as follows:

1. Bring It!
2. Hammer High
3. The Sacred Vow
4. Dethrone And Defy
5. Twilight Princess
6. Stormbreaker
7. Built To Last
8. The Star Of Home
9. New Breed
10. Second To None

Well, the names sounds very typical HammerFall ish, so I’m really just excited about this coming! I must admit, the cover itself didn’t really stirr up a lot of emotions more than that I had completely forgotten they were actually coming out with new material, but yeah, I’m excited!

Secondly, and what actually got me REALLY going is this:
Amaranthe‘s upcoming album “MAXIMALISM” which is set to be released on October 21st.

amaranthemaximalism

And ohhh damn. Baby. Like, damn, the artwork is so simple (Although I’m IN LOVE with the all seeing eye, the people who understand will understand) but I just… I love it.

I think it might be the color rather than the artwork itself, but when I see this, just by looking at it, I feel a burning passion and fire inside, and I just want the album RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW so I can listen to it – preferably in a living room with dim lights on a major soundsystem together with Sophie. Damn! How can one get so excited by a cover?

Moving on to the tracklist:
01. Maximize
02. Boomerang
03. That Song
04. 21
05. On The Rocks
06. Limitless
07. Fury
08. Faster
09. Break Down And Cry
10. Supersonic
11. Fireball
12. Endlessly

On one side, it feels very Amaranthe-ish with very simple names but there are a few standouts – “That Song” and also “21”. The first one seems like a super-odd title, almost something I’d expect Lordi to put out. It’s easy to judge it just on it’s name, but it feels sooo out of place. And “21” just seem very interesting because of the number… Intriguing.

There’s a slight chance my excitement for HammerFall was beaten a bit by Amaranthe’s powerful cover, but honestly – this fall is filled with so many releases, starting now in August with Delain and Sabaton, September holding Epica, Lordi and Serious Black then Amaranthe, Sister, HammerFall… it’s a babyboom of albums! So much new. So much.

But it’ll sure as hell be a musicfilled one, and I guess that’s the perk.

// Sara

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REVIEW: Dynazty – Titanic Mass

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , , on April 15, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

So it’s finally here you guys! Dynazty’s fifth album, second with the new sound. “Renatus” (2014) really ambushed me BIG TIME last time, seeing I was expecting their previous sound. But seriously, all for the better. “Renatus” was such an amazing album, that despite being a band I don’t follow all that closely, it still holds a position as the most played album.

So, you could say that once I saw “Titanic Mass” being in the making I started getting excited, and once I had seen the video for “The Human Paradox” I literally couldn’t contain myself in wait for this album. I mean, “The Northern End” is really one of the best songs in modern metal history, but this sounded extremely promising.

Today was the day when it finally came in the mail, I couldn’t wait to put in the player to hear. So, lets get to verdict, shall we?

titanicmass

The album is opened by no other song than “The Human Paradox” which set the bar quite high, if you ask me with it’s big choruses and catchy melody lines, a bit of a slap in the face if you like. It continues onto in this tempo right into the second track of the album “Untamer of your Soul”, and seriously, what a rush this song is!

And most of the album goes in this vein – it’s a lot of “Renatus”, in the single “Roar of the Underdog” I’m certain you can literally hear some pieces from “Run Amok”. What I would want to say and add to this though, is that some of it’s material is a little bit heavier than the preceeder. The titletrack and “Keys To Paradise” are a few songs that proves it, but it still a whole lot of catchy melodies and epic choruses.

However, there’s one song on this album that my heart beats a little extra for.

“I Want To Live Forever”.

When taking notes I called it  a battle song, because that’s how it started off, but it just blossomed into this epic sort of song that just builds up all through the verse and just explodes in the chorus. Have I mentioned in this post yet how much I love Nils Molins vocals? I’m pretty positive his voice alone are a major reason I love this band as much as I do.

But all this aside – this is a worthy follow up to “Renatus”. Quality songwriting, flawless performance from the bandmembers (can we just appriciate Egg’s capability of doing double bass with one foot?) and the mixing is just as flawless as the rest. I was not disappointed, that is for sure. Holy hell. I now have two of these amazing albums, with what could possibly be the most underrated band in Sweden today. Why aren’t they getting any more recognition?

Seriously, get out and get it!

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// Sara

 

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REVIEW: Brainstorm – Scary Creatures

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , , , , on January 15, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

German band Brainstorm was founded in 1989 by Torsten, Milan and Dieter, but it was first in 1997, following a few EP releases and a lot of live shows they finally released their debut album “Hungry” which received a lot of good critics. Ten studio albums later, we find ourselves here with their most recent release – “Scary Creatures”.  Question: Will it be better than their previous, “Firesoul”?

It starts out pretty heavy with “The World To See”, and it’s a bit… creepy, you know, like Lordi creepy? It felt like a good start, so I had every intention to like this album. Sadly, this wasn’t the case.

The thing is, pretty much all the songs seem promising at first, but then they lose it all in the chorus. I’m not sure what it is – perhaps I had too much expectations on the album due to previous works and because of the label the label put on the album, but the album is lacking something – and it’s lacking in the choruses. But if we are going to look away from this for a moment – it’s a pretty heavy album.

But it’s not only bad. There are two songs that actually are pretty cool – “Take Me To The Never” which carried a pre-chorus to die for, and the titletrack “Scary Creatures” which was a really good track. Something that does bother me a little bit about the album is the mix. I can’t seem to get over how… I don’t like the mix that much, in all honesty.

So to sum it up. It’s a heavy album, but also a decent album. If you like Brainstorm you should most definitely give it a go, but it doesn’t outrun it’s proceeder, “Firesoul”

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(Label: AFM Records)

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// Sara

 

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REVIEW: Rhapsody of Fire – Into The Legend

Posted in CDs, Music, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , on January 13, 2016 by Sara Hammerzmith

Italian symphonic metallers Rhapsody of Fire started their career already backin the ’90s, then under the name Rhapsody, but due to legal issues they had to rename the band. The band has a strong backcatalouge and and now back with their fifth album after the name-change.

The album opens up with a powerfull opening hymn, with a tint of premonition in what is about to happen, and it completely EXPLODES into the opening track “Distant Sky”. And my god, what a song. The build up with the pre-chorus, with it being stopped and continued and then exploding into the the gigantic chorus… Well, I guess we can simply say they made a great first impression.

And it only gets better. The songs are majestic and epic, they have great choirs and magnificent musical arrangements. The way they have inducted the strings orchestra and choir, together with amazing work by the talented people (The guitarsolo in “Into the Legend” is giving me eargasm after eargasm) in the band can’t be anything but closing to a masterpiece.

While the album has an amazing continuity, all songs are not the same – some songs has a more folk-element to them (“A Voice In The Cold”) and some are more aggressive and forward (“Winters Rain”) and then we have the long last experimental piece at the end – “The Kiss of Light” which is a 15 minute piece mixture of metal, opera and atmospheric music, showing off the broad talent of the band.

Than can I say other than this album being a pure masterpiece? Well, it’s perfect. I’m consider myself lucky to have been able to review this album, and I can’t wait to dance around the place to the tunes on this one.

RH_ITL-C_1500x1500
Label: AFM Records

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// Sara

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