Conflicted – Never be Tamed
If you like your power metal on the heavier side (Symphony X, Kamelot) this one is recommended. Never Be Tamed is a varied debut that should be on every progressive/power metal fans’ want list in 2011!
Reviews
Buzzov*en – Revelation:Sick Again
If you’re familiar with Buzzov*en, you pretty much know what to expect here, and you’re going to love tracks like “Never Again”, “Symptom”, and “Junkie” . If you’re not familiar with the band, Revelation: Sick Again is as good a place to start as any of their other albums. Mean-spirited, drug-and-booze-fueled Southern hatesludge that blazed the trail first. Rock solid.
Augury – Concealed
Bound in a new digipak format, featuring updated artwork, a remastered sound and two new bonus tracks consisting of demo tracks to their 2009 album, Fragmentary Evidence, Concealed still has the same crushing effect today as it did seven years ago.
Pentagram – Last Rites
Last Rites is the album that many of us had hoped Pentagram would someday make but never thought they would. It is heavy, hooky and one of the nicest surprises of 2011.
Fair to Midland / Periphery / Scale the Summit @ the Mod Club, Toronto ON, March 29th 2011
Natalie Zed reviews the March 29, 2011 performance by Fair To Midland, Periphery and Scale The Summit at Toronto’s Mod Club.
FINNISH METAL TOUR Wrap-Up: March 10, 2011 in Charlotte NC/ March 11, 2011 in Raleigh, NC
“Being the last night of the tour, we were treated to various members of the other bands taking the stage. Mikko from Barren Earth/Swallow the Sun jumped on stage at the very beginning and sported a pig nose and a leather police cap. Other guys who joined Finntroll during the evening were Olli-Pekka Laine and Janne Perttilä from Barren Earth, Petri Lindroos from Ensiferum, and Keijo Niinimaa of Rotten Sound. Even as the last songs were sung, there was a mood of excitement, gratitude, and celebration. Finntroll played their heart out for everyone. Skrymer in particular was trying his best to avoid smiling, but couldn’t help but crack a few.”
Justin Richardson reviews the final two dates of the FINNISH METAL TOUR 2011 that happened in early March in Charlotte, NC and Raleigh, NC
Argus – Boldly Stride the Doomed
Boldly strides Argus, lookout!
Dying Fetus – Infatuation With Malevolence (reissue)
Relapse has remastered the album and it sounds phenomenal compared to the original. The instruments are crystal clear and the drums and bass have more weight to them giving the music more depth.
Timo Tolkki – Saana: Warrior of Light Pt. 1
Metal it ain’t but as far as music and letting your artistic side loose, Timo Tolkki has done a fantastic job with this album. It really is beautiful.
KEN Mode/ Vilipend/ Purity Control/ Black Faxes @ the Garrison, Toronto ON, March 25, 2011
“The vocals for KEN Mode were absolutely terrible, buried under the instruments and rendered completely toneless. The mix was also bad in general, making the tight three-piece sound muddy. If this was anyone’s first experience witnessing the band, I can’t imagine they would have gotten much of an inkling of how passionate and precise they are live. That said, they gave what they had, making due under less than ideal circumstances. The band members maintain an incredible chemistry between each other that’s only stronger now that Thérèse Lanz (Mares of Thrace) has joined the band as their bassist.”