This German band has coined a catchy tag for their style of music: ProMeRo, which stands for Progressive Metal-Rock. It’s a memorable descriptor designed to announce their presence as a hybrid band that incorporate several different genres into their sound (besides progressive, metal, and rock, the group also mixes in modern rock, dabbles in death metal, and slips in some symphonic subtleties). Unfortunately, the acronymic tag is better than the actual music.
The press release claims Crow 7’s sound resembles “the good old rock of the ‘80s.” Yeah, well, McDonald’s can claim their Big Mac tastes like filet Mignon, but that don’t make it so. This album has as much in common with ‘80s rock as Paris Hilton has in common with a starving street urchin. What this album really sounds like is progressive rock slathered with the slick, beefy production so popular today peppered with some death metal growls to increase the intensity and up the modern metal appeal. Hard rock and power metal chops also come out to play once in awhile, but at its core this is modern prog with about as much interest in the ‘80s as the Pope has in exchanging his rosary beads for anal beads.
The musical mash-up Crow 7 attempted is laudable, even if it must be considered a failure. So many artists are content to cower in the comfort zone and crank out exactly the same thing as a thousand bands before them, so kudos to Crow 7 for having the guts to go against the grain and attempt something adventurous. The problem lies not with the innovative concept itself, but in the execution of that concept. While the members are all very skilled and the production is impeccable, there is an absence of energy and a hollow void where the hooks should be. With its tendency toward brooding seriousness, the progressive metal genre sometimes struggles to hold listener interest, and this is a struggle thatSymphony of Souls fails to overcome due to a scant supply of interesting songs.
But “scant” does not mean “absent.” Sift through the endless supply of tracks. Seriously, fifteen tracks is overkill—and you will uncover a handful of decent songs. “Street of Slaver” and “The Guide” both sport solid enough chorus hooks to make them stand out, though “solid” should not be confused with “good.” Sure, these songs are more listenable than the other dullards on the album, but that is damning with faint praise. Joining them in the “solid” category is “Dirty Lies,” a rocking mid-tempo number that avoids slavish commercialism by adding a progressive touch to the chorus as well as some growled backing vocals. “Breed of the Crime” brings some appreciable metal credibility to its sonic output despite the symphonic keys and violins accentuating the back of the mix, while “The Final Ride” brings a burst of double-kick adrenalin. Still, even if all these songs are awarded a passing grade, there are still ten songs remaining, and few people will be satisfied with that kind of lopsided ratio.
Symphony of Souls strives to be all things to all people and ends up satisfying none. Credit to the band for daring to do something different, but the cool idea is crippled by flawed execution and a disjointed approach to too many broad genres. The prog practitioners won’t appreciate the death metal dynamics. The hard rock crowd will be bored by the long songs and lack of catchy hooks. The heavy metal component doesn’t make an appearance often enough to satisfy the headbangers and the growled vocals do not offer enough compensation. And the symphonic elements are too much of an afterthought to impress that demographic. The band may describe themselves as ProMeRo, but a better phrase would be “jack of all trades, master of none.”
Track Listing
1. Symphony of Souls
2. Street of Slaver
3. Shiva Sigh
4. The Guide
5. Kingdom of Calm
6. Spawn of Evil
7. Dirty Lies
8. Virtual Reality
9. Great Spirit
10. Winter Breeze
11. Breed of Crime
12. Ocean of Fire
13. Winner of the Quest
14. The Final Ride
15. Where Do We Go Now
Mar 10, 2012 19:17
All Exclusive Heavy Metal |Power Metal
NOW!NEW ALBUM!
British heavy metal singer Blaze Bayley (WOLFSBANE, ex-IRON MAIDEN).
When asked about the recording process for his new album, "The King Of Metal", Blaze said, "I don't like to spend a lot of time in the studio, I don't feel it's a very creative environment. I like to spend most of my time on an album in the writing process and the composing. I feel that's the bit that really counts. I'm always thinking of the audience, the fans and how I'm going to perform the songs live."
When asked if he could offer any insight as to what the new album will sound like, Blaze said, "It'll be a bit different to what I've done before because I'm producing it. There will be a lot of heavy metal, as you would expect from a Blaze Bayley album. We decided to have no rules; if we feel something is appropriate to sing or play, we will. It's all about the vibe and passion. I'm very hopeful it will turn out to be my best work."
You can listen to the entire interview using the SoundCloud player below.
Blaze has announced that he will be accompanied by the following musicians on his upcoming "King Of Metal" tour:
Bayley is currently at Fear Studio in Ravenna, Italy recording his new studio album, "The King Of Metal", for a spring release. A European headlining tour in support of the CD will kick off in early March in Belgium.
In a recent interview with Metal Blast, Bayley stated about "The King of Metal", "This album is a bit more back towards my classic metal style; it's closer to the 'Silicon Messiah' and 'Tenth Dimension' albums. Although I didn't plan it that way, this is how it has worked out. . . I've been working very closely with a young guitar player called Thomas Zwijsen, who has co-written most of the songs, and it has worked very well. Now, the title track, 'The King Of Metal', is dedicated to the fans, because they are the real kings of metal. Without the fans, there's no heavy metal, and I think that people trivialize that and even disrespect heavy metal fans, compared to fans of pop or jazz. I've called the album 'The King Of Metal' as a tribute to heavy metal fans, thanks to whom it has been possible for me to have such a wonderful career and spend my life as a professional singer."
Blaze last year parted ways with the rest of his band in order to pursue a career as a solo artist and the lead singer of WOLFSBANE. He explained the decision by saying that "the mental, financial and emotional strain of keeping the BLAZE BAYLEY band together has proven to be too much for me and has taken a terrible toll on my mental health. . . It has been an upsetting, frustrating and sad time because the BLAZE BAYLEY band will not be going on any more, but it is also for me a huge relief and a time to look forward."
1. The King Of Metal
2. Dimebag
3. The Black Country
4. The Rainbow Fades To Black
5. Fate
6. One More Step
7. Fighter
8. Judge Me
9. Difficult
10. Beginning
Band Arcara
Info: A Matter Of Time
Style: Melodic Hard Rock / AOR
Years: 1997
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 134.36 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Lost In Time.
02 - Eternal Affair.
03 - Never Tell Your Dreams Goodbye.
04 - Walk Away.
05 - Fight Ain't Over.
06 - A Matter Of Time.
07 - Blonde & Blue.
08 - Far Cry From You.
09 - Let It Ride.
10 - Love In The First Degree.
11 - Believer.
12 - Gunshy.
Band Common Bond
Info: Anger Into Passion
Style: Pop Rock / AOR / CCM
Years: 1987
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 87.72 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Anger Into Passion.
02 - In My Youth.
03 - The Great Divide.
04 - Smile And A Tear.
05 - See The World.
06 - Tarry.
07 - Free From Me.
08 - Face To Face.
09 - Walls Of Doubt.
10 - The Promise.
was born and raised in Memphis, a town where the music flows through the streets like rainwater. He grew up listening to the Beatles, but couldn’t help being influenced by the sounds of Memphis: Sun Studio, Beale Street, jazz, rock and blues. Just down the road from Beale and Sun is another musical landmark, Ardent Recording Studios.
Sound of the Broken was recorded at Ardent Studios and co-produced by Horn alongside James Joseph (Todd Agnew) and Curry Weber (Todd Agnew, Joy Whitlock).
Horn’s desire to serve through music has resulted in his role as the worship leader in his home church, Christ the Rock Community Church in Memphis, and an understanding of his calling.
Artist: Jeremy Horn
Album: Sound of the Broken
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Genres: Rock, Rock/Pop
Format | Bitrate: MP3 | 320 Kbps
Size: 74,7 Mb
Tracklist:
01. Sound of the Broken
02. Now Is the Time
03. Only God Who Saves
04. Sons and Daughters
05. Surrender
06. Emptied
07. Where You Are
08. Faithful
09. Father of Lights
10. This Reflection
Band The Carolyn Hester Coalition
Info: Magazine
Style: Rock
Years: 1970
Info: 320 kbps
Info: 85 mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
Rise Like Phoenix
Dedicated
Plant The Crops In The Garden
Beadmaker
St. James Infirmary
Just Follow Me
(Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay
Sir Robert, The Lost Knight
Calico Sky
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Band Neil Diamond
Info: Stones
Style: Rock
Years: 1971
Info: 320 kbps
Info: 75 mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
I Am...I Said
The Last Thing On My Mind
Husbands And Wives
Chelsea Morning
Crunchy Granola Suite
Stones
If You Go Away
Suzanne
I Think It's Gonna Rain Today
I Am...I Said (reprise)
Band Commander
Info: The High'n'Mighty
Style: Heavy Metal
Years: 1987
Info: MP3 CBR 320 kbs
Info: 106.84 MB
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 Knights Of The Round Table.
02 Wizard.
03 High'n'Mighty.
04 We're Ready.
05 Terror.
06 Return Of The Goths.
07 Kill The King.
08 Die By The sword.
09 The Blade Shines On.
We give you important news, after several years as a Fifth Amendment and a disc on the market we decided to go a step further in this harsh world and have announced that Fifth Amendment will become from now Phoenix Rising, name under which edit our 2nd album called MMXII (2012). This album is the first of a record contract already signed for threealbums with the German disográfica Sonic Attack / Force UG Music. The album will be released in late March on a double CD containing versions in English and Castilian disk.The record attempt a conceptual history and you can clearly see the evolution of the group. It has been produced mixed and mastered by Fernando Enrique Asensi andMompó.
You can hear the single advance
Band Phoenix Rising
Info: MMXII
Years: 2012
Info: Spain
Time: Power Metal
Info: mp3@CBR320kbps
Info: 112 Mb.
Tracklist:
1. Tenebris Revelantur
2. Agoraphobia
3. The Chosen One.
4. Last Eternal Night
5. Fury and Rage
6. My Love Still Remains
7. Abaddon
8. Exodus
9. Lost Souls
10. Nova Era
Hysterica, Sweden’s self-proclaimed “girls made of heavy metal,” are back with their second full-length album, titledThe Art of Metal. The all-girl traditional metal band may have garnered attention by being, well, an all-girl traditional metal band, but that only goes so far in a genre where the metal has to do the talking. Fortunately Hysterica’s brand of heavy metal speaks quite loud and clear and proves that this band is more than just a collection of pretty faces.
The Art of Metal continues the in your face heavy metal style we heard on the debut Hysterica album (2009’s Metalwar). It’s all bombastic guitar riffs, chugging rhythms, fantastic melodies (they are from Sweden after all), and shout-along choruses about kicking ass and being a warrior for metal. The vocals are mostly clean – a mix between softer singing and a more forceful style – but there’s also a measure of death metal growling (quite similar to Arch Enemy’s Angela Gossow) that adds an extra metal punch to a few of these songs. Highlights include “Breaking the Walls,” “Fighters of the Century,” “Hysterica” and the closing anthem “Daughters of the Night,” but the whole of The Art of Metal is really rock-solid. You’re going to bang your head to this one.
While there’s an undeniable “gimmick factor” at work with this band (they’re certainly not downplaying their gender or looks in the promo photos after all), you can’t deny the fact that Hysterica has the musical chops to back it up. The Art of Metal is a very solid slab of traditionally minded heavy metal that’s on par with recent releases from White Wizzard, Cauldron, Enforcer and Benedictum. It may be cheesy, but it still kicks ass!
Genre: Heavy Metal
Band:
Hell’n (d)
Bitchie (g)
SatAnica (b)
Anni De Vil (v)
Marydeath (k)
Track Listing:
1. Breaking the Walls
2. Fighters of the Century
3. Live or Die
4. Spirit of the Age
5. Message
6. Fear of the Light
7. Force
8. Heels
9. Hysterica
10. Daughters of the Night
The first anniversary of the disastrous earthquake in Japan will be on March 11th, 2012. The aftermath of this catastrophe is still apparent, and to the present day the Japanese people are facing the impact of the events. The population of the affected area has not been able to completely return to their everyday live and the people are still grateful for our help.
Some of Europe’s leading Rock artists have united to join a campaign initiated by singer Tommy Heart (Soul Doctor, Fair Warning) and recorded a tremendous new version of the classic Beatles song “Help”. The EP “Help! For JAPAN” will be released in Europe on the German label Avenue Of Allies in early March 2012. All income from the sales of this project will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross.
This EP includes the following four songs :
HELP!
HELP! (Tommy Heart Version)
HELP! (Guitar Version)
HELP! (Extended Version)
The musicians: Don Airey (Keyboard & Piano, Deep Purple), Leo Leoni (Gitarre, Gotthard), Neil Murray (Bass, ex Whitesnake), Hena Habegger (Drums, Gotthard)
The singers: Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia), Bob Catley (Magnum), Andi Deris (Helloween), Torstein Flakne (Stage Dolls), Marc Storace (Krokus), David Readman (Pink Cream 69), Claus Lessmann (Bonfire), Oliver Hartmann (Hartmann), Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Bernhard Weiss (Axxis), Michael Kiske (Unisonic), Tony Mills (TNT), Carsten Lizard Schulz (Evidence One) and Tommy Heart (Soul Doctor, Fair Warning),
The solo guitar players: Cede Dupont (Downspirit), Kyoji Yamamoto (BowWow), Helge Engelke (Fair Warning), Roland Grapow (Masterplan), Leo Leoni (Gotthard), Henny Wolter (Nitrogods), Robert R. Rodrigo (Airless)
All “HELP!” versions produced and mixed by Tommy Heart, Tommy Remm & Rene Schostak (Valicon).
Vocal Arrangement by Tommy Heart.
Solo Guitar Arrangement for “Help” (Guitar Version) by Helge Engelke.
Audio mastering by TMM/Tom Müller Berlin/Germany.
Cover artwork “Help! For JAPAN” designed by Kai Swillus.
Please support us on this project by publishing these news and clicking on the ‘like button’ on the facebook site mentioned below!
Coming from things at roughly the same direction as, say, the guys in Riverside playing Opeth songs in a Katatonia covers band Enochian Theory are fine additions to the European prog metal canon – except they are as British as taxes and bad weather. The band wear their influences proudly on their collective sleeves although weave their own thread into the tapestry to come up with an overtly appealing album.
Formed towards the tail end of 2004, Enochian Theory are a massive talented three-piece consisting of Benedict Harris-Haynes (vocals, guitars and piano), Shaun Rayment (bass) and Sam Street (druns and percussion). The band already have two releases under their belts – their 2006 EP ‘A Monument To The Death Of An Idea’ and 2009’s debut album ‘Evolution: Creatio Ex Nihilio’, both self-released although the latter was picked up by Mascot and re-issued by the label in 2010 – and have maintained a fairly consistently high profile across the prog metal world both through well-received tours and a mass of highly complimentary reviews. Their second full-length offering ‘Life… And All It Entails’ should build nicely upon these solid foundations, presenting itself as it does as a full-blown challenge to the genre leaders to sit up and take notice.
With songs ranging from the introspective and alienated (opener ‘This Aching Isolation’, for example) to the more hard-edged and malevolent (‘For Your Glory’) ‘Life… And All It Entails’ encapsulates the beauty and majesty of contemporary progressive metal. The musicianship is flawless, the songs ebb and flow and twist and turn without ever losing their accessibility… It’s not so much an album as a masterclass of the genre. But that’s not to say it lacks soul: if you want to zero in on a highlight, check out the pairing of brooding and passionate ‘Nisi Credideritis, Non Intelligetis’ and its next-in-line, the cutting voice-overed instrumental ‘The Motives Of The Machine’: in just two songs the band say more themselves than many bands can manage in a whole album.
I’ve got a feeling that ‘Life… And All It Entails’ is just the tip of the iceberg for Enochian Theory. There’s a lot more hidden depths to reveal themselves yet.
Band Gotthard
Info: G
Style: Hard Rock
Years: 1996
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 130.45 Mb
Info: Switzerland
Tracklist:
01 - Sister Moon.
02 - Make My Day.
03 - Mighty Quinn.
04 - Movin' On.
05 - Let It Be.
06 - Father Is That Enough.
07 - Sweet Little R'R'.
08 - Fist In Your Face.
09 - Ride On.
10 - In The Name.
11 - Lay Down The Law.
12 - Hole In One.
13 - One Life, One Soul.
