EDEN'S CURSE - Trinity

This is the new album of the band, following their very good 2008 release, The Second Coming. The band is playing Melodic Metal, but with a certain attitude, something that makes their music interesting to the end. The diversity of the compositions, and the various Progressive elements that they have in their music, is something that we enjoyed most during the listening. There are songs that are fast and catchy, songs that are more mellow and songs that have a more complex structure, to make things less predictable. No matter the style though, the band is doing a great job in every aspect, from the rhythm section, to the excellent performance of Michael Eden. There are no weak moments here, nor things that sound boring or repetitive. The production is as clear as it should be, and puts the final touch to the album. It's amazing how they managed to create songs that all have a very loose pattern and plenty of room to evolve. Listen to songs like No Holy Man, featuring James LaBrie, Black Widow with Andi Deris, one can't help but notice that they are more than capable of serving both styles with quality and enough ideas. A very good cover of Rock 'N' Roll Children at the end of the album is a nice addition to the already good result. If you like Melodic stuff, this is a very good release. Check them out.

9/10

EMERALD SUN - Regeneration

Emerald Sun is a band that comes from Greece and exists for over a decade. This is their second release so far, following their 2007 release Escape From Twilight, and although I haven't heard their previous release, this one is an effort that shows quality and talent. The band is playing Power Metal, the one that listeners can easily participate and sing along. The music is well performed, the melodies are plenty and catchy enough, and the singer lacks the accent most Greek singers have, which is something very good. The arrangements are well worked, and the songs are very good, leading to a 12min epic song at the end of the album, that shows the talent of the band in every aspect. The album also contains Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For A Hero, given in a more Power Metal perspective, leading to an equally enjoyable song. One of the negative things of this album, is the lack of originality, something that doesn't spoil the fun in anyway. A good album, full of music that will make you bang your head with the rhythm, with no weak points or fillers, that will please all fans of Melodic Power Metal. Check them out.

8/10

SUIDAKRA - Stone Of The Seven Suns (2011) - new video

SATOR - Under The Radar

It all started back in the early 80's somewhere in Sweden, where Sator first saw the light of day, and it's now, almost 30 years later where they come back with their latest release which is their 8th so far. What I liked in this album is the ability of the band to write songs that might sound simple and easy to get into, but are clever enough and have a way to stick into your mind. Their music is what Rock 'n' Roll is supposed to be, clear and straightforward, with enough melodies, and parts to sing along. There are enough excellent ideas here, and the band is doing a very good job, exploring them to the best possible way. The band is quite talented and this is obvious from the first to the last minute. Listening to tracks like Your Up Gets Me Down, or The Get Out, makes you wanna bang your head with the rhythm while drinking a couple of beers with friends. Their music is a perfect mixture of the groove of ACDC with the feeling of Ramones, all wrapped up into a more shinny package. The dual vocals work very good for the music, , while the rest of the band is also doing an excellent work as well. If you are looking for some straight Rock 'n' Roll, old fashioned enough, well performed and with no weak points, then look no further.

9/10

SHAKRA - Back In Track

With a new frontman, the Swiss Hardrockers, Shakra, come with their 8th release so far. My worries about new singer John Prakesh and what to expect from this new release, soon vanished. The opening track is a straightforward Hard Rock anthem, one of those you sing along while driving, in the usual style of the band. Melodic Hard Rock, well performed, full of catchy moments, and parts to sing along, is what to expect into this album. The singer is very good, and his voice fits perfectly with the style of the music. John Prakesh has a more harsh vocal, which gives a more "dirty" feeling the music, while on the more melodic tracks, also manages to give an excellent vocal performance. The arrangements are very good, there's diversity in the music, and there are enough interesting ideas that the band explored in this album. The music sounds fresh, a bit more hard than their previous release, but also bears all the trademarks of the Shakra sound. There's good music here, there's talent, tons of melodies, well performed songs, and maybe not a less good moment. An album that will please everybody, either fans of the band, or Hard Rock fans in general.

9/10

KATANGA - Moonlight

Katanga is a band that comes from Germany, and exists for more than a decade but this is only their second full length so far, following their 2006 debut Darkchild. Katanga is what you would call Gothic band, who have extended their music horizons, and incorporated enough Metal elements into their music. Although keyboards are the main thing here, there are moments where things are getting much heavier, and this gives a good diversity to the album. Of course, like every good Goth album, atmosphere is everything, and this is also the case here. Haunting female vocals, narrating parts, and excellent keyboards create this atmosphere, which is present from the first to the last minute of the album. The arrangements are very good, melodic and with a dark feeling, and the ease the band goes from slow to more aggressive themes, is working really well. Most of the songs are in German, something that prevented me from getting into the meaning, but somehow helped in the creation of the atmosphere I mentioned before. The production is shinny and clear enough, and puts the final touches to the music. An album that is Gothic in general, but contains enough Metal, and has a way to sneak into our minds. Check them out cause they are good.

8/10