LUNARIAN – Burn the Beauty

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3YyILgRcUSxqmjStt8DZPg Symphonic goth-inspired metal from Italy courtesy of the quintet named LunariaN is what we have here, and this is a rather competent and solid piece of work where the vocals of Aylin (Trail of Tears, ex-Sirenia) serve as the highlight throughout. While all the usual ingredients such as symphonic keyboards,…

SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL – Starstruck

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/sicknbeautifulband/ These industrial hard rockers from Italy released this energetic output titled Starstruck containing several meaty tunes a few months ago, and I must say that I found it a rather refreshing and inspired listen. With its crunchy riffs, impassioned vocals, and explosive rhythm section, the LP contains both heart and…

PYRA – Pyra

RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://lnk.to/pyrapyra I was ridiculously excited about receiving and reviewing this suffocatingly dark and utterly bleak debut EP by the recently conceived black/death metal outfit from Italy named Pyra. The early press releases sounded most promising and enticing, but did the actual musical entity live up to my expectations and where exactly…

EDGE OF FOREVER – The Days of Future Past – The Remasters

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/edgeofforeverband/ This neat triple-CD set containing remastered versions of the first three records by Edge of Forever is an enjoyable listen and a pretty cool collection of well-written heavy metal/hard rock tunes with plenty of good vocal melodies, epic-sounding keyboards, and tasty riffs scattered across it. While some of their musical…

FROSTMOON ECLIPSE – Rustworn

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://smarturl.it/rustworn This sparkling new EP by the Italian black metallers Frostmoon Eclipse is a deeply atmospheric gem, and it is fabulous to see that their uniquely evocative brand of contemplative, pitch-black melancholy remains intact. I was thoroughly impressed with “Worse Weather to Come” (2019) and “Rustworn”, which contains two new songs…

LIONVILLE – So Close to Heaven

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://nb-no.facebook.com/LIONVILLEofficial I am quite fond of the previous offering by the Italian outfit named Lionville, more specifically the album titled “Magic is Alive” from 2020, and so naturally, I was looking forward to the follow-up. Thankfully, “So Close to Heaven” is just as good if not slightly better than its predecessor,…

EDGE OF FOREVER – Seminole

RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL:  https://www.facebook.com/edgeofforeverband/ Italian hard rockers/heavy metallers Edge of Forever are back with a new opus, and let it be known that I am thoroughly impressed with how melodically strong and energetic this record sounds. The songs and lyrics revolve around Native American culture and what awaits you are an abundance of hooks,…