All About The Metal

ALBUM REVIEWS: April 2020

 So, because I must listen to hundreds of bands by now and I'm always finding new ones, April is getting its very own album reviews chapter this year. These are the eight albums: 

State of Deception by Conception (April 3rd)

 This was one of my anticipated for the year since Roy Khan is officially back in the music scene and I had a feeling this album was going to be really good. I was not disappointed, because this album was great. My favorite songs were definitely "Waywardly Broken" and "Anybody Out There", and Roy's voice sounds exactly the same as it did on Poetry for the Poisoned by Kamelot ten years ago. It's like no time went by at all. The only thing that kind of disappointed me was that the album seemed too short, but that could just be because I was enjoying it that much. 

The Dark Delight by Dynazty (April 3rd) 

 To be honest, when I heard this album was coming out, I'd never listened to Dynazty before (I knew Nils Molin was in another band besides Amaranthe, I had just never listened to them before), but I decided to listen to this one anyway. I'm glad I did, because this is the best album I've heard so far this year. None of the songs were anywhere near bad; I think 'Waterfall' would have to be my favorite, but I had a hard time deciding because they were all great. And then there's Nils himself; that man is a vocal powerhouse, and he shines on this album. Because I'm a fan of Amaranthe, I'm used to hearing him as part of a trio, and I hadn't realized how amazing he could be as the sole vocalist of a band until they starting releasing songs from The Dark Delight. This is an album I would absolutely recommend. 

Chapter I: Monarchy by Ad Infinitum (April 3rd)

 Ad Infinitum are a new symphonic metal band and Chapter I: Monarchy is their debut album. I literally found out about this band a week before the album came, but I decided to listen to whole thing after hearing a couple of songs. The songs were all pretty good, and their singer Melissa Bonny has a great voice. Because I've heard a lot of symphonic metal before, I didn't see this as anything too original, but I like them, and I would recommend them if you're a symphonic metal fan. 

Awaken by Gloom (April 8th) 

 Gloom are a gothic metal band from Slovakia, and Awaken is their third album. I think this is a band that really needs more attention, because Awaken is a really enjoyable and well-written gothic metal album. Their music reminds me a bit of Paradise Lost's gothic rock albums, and they also remind me of Deathwhite and Nicumo, both of whom were in my last album reviews chapter, so if you happened to listen to either of them and liked them, you might also like Gloom. 

Human :||: Nature by Nightwish (April 10th) 

 I have a lot of mixed feelings about this album. I personally wasn't a fan of 'Noise' or 'Harvest' when either of them came out, and when I listened to the full album for the first time, I was disappointed, because to me it pretty much felt like Endless Forms Most Beautiful Part 2, and that wasn't something I had been hoping for. I do really like the songs 'How's the Heart?' and 'Pan', but other than that I wasn't too big a fan of anything from this album. I would not it was bad, but I don't think it's ever going to be one of my favorites. 

Enigma by Fallen Arise (April 10th)

 Fallen Arise are a symphonic/gothic metal band from Greece, and although this was their third album, it was their first with their current female vocalist Fiona Creaby. Enigma has a nice mix of symphonic elements and a gothic mood, and Fiona's voice fits perfectly with it. "Forever Winter" was my favorite song, and that's the one I would recommend the most. 

Crimson by Volturian (April 24th)

 Volturian was recently formed by members of the bands Frozen Crown and Sleeping Romance, but I found out about them because I'm subscribed to the record label's YouTube channel. The song 'New Life' caught my interest when it was released, which is why I listened to Crimson. I really enjoyed the song 'Haunting Symphony', but other than that I didn't like this album. I just found it to be underwhelming and it didn't hold my interest for too long. 

Essentia by Victoria K (April 24th)

 This is a symphonic/gothic metal band worth listening to. This started out as Victoria's solo project a few years ago, but later evolved into a full band. Essentia is their debut album, and I think it's worth listening to if you're a fan of symphonic or gothic metal. 'The Haunting' is my favorite track and it's what made me decide to listen to the full album when it was released, but the rest of the album is just as good. Victoria's voice actually reminds me a lot of Amy Lee from Evanescence, so if you're a fan of Evanescence you might like this. 

 There a bunch of albums coming out this month I was planning to listen to, plus there's three in June because two May releases were postponed to June. I've decided I'm going to make two separate chapters, and in the June chapter I'll also include my top ten albums for the first half of the year. These are the ones for May:

Leaves of Yesteryear by Green Carnation (May 8th) 

Black House by Secrets of the Moon (May 8th) 

The Song of Desolation by Thy Despair (May 8th) 

Obsidian by Paradise Lost (May 15th) 

Hereafter by Tyrant (May 15th)

ECLYPTIC: Wake of Shadows by Illumishade (May 15th) 

The Broad and Beaten Way by Sinisthra (May 15th) 

Her Chariot Awaits by Her Chariot Awaits (May 22nd) 

Valhalla by Wolftooth (May 22nd) 

Rise Radiant by Caligula's Horse (May 22nd)