I consider myself a bit of prog geek but I've not heard of Everon before. They're a neo-progressive band formed in the 90's and their influences are Marillion, latter-Rush and bands such a IQ, Pallas and Pendragon. The traits of neo-prog are keyboard/guitar driven songs which have shifting musical moments and intelligent, witty and emotional lyrical content.
They released their last album North in 2008 and from there they went on hiatus, well main man Oliver Philipps basically stopped writing music for a bit and as he is the composer of everything Everon were in stasis. That's not to say they haven't been busy Philipps has worked as a producer alongside Everon drummer Moschus, they have worked with Delain, Ad Infinitum, LEAH and Imperia.
These collaborations have paid dividends on Shells, as LEAH lends her Celtic lilting to Pinocchio's Nose and Imperia singer Helena Iren Michaelsen adds excellent vocals to a number of the tracks here, helpful as she also happens to be Philipps' wife.
They released their last album North in 2008 and from there they went on hiatus, well main man Oliver Philipps basically stopped writing music for a bit and as he is the composer of everything Everon were in stasis. That's not to say they haven't been busy Philipps has worked as a producer alongside Everon drummer Moschus, they have worked with Delain, Ad Infinitum, LEAH and Imperia.
These collaborations have paid dividends on Shells, as LEAH lends her Celtic lilting to Pinocchio's Nose and Imperia singer Helena Iren Michaelsen adds excellent vocals to a number of the tracks here, helpful as she also happens to be Philipps' wife.
Like many bands who are in the Neo- Prog scene, the vocals are often idiosyncratic to the music, here at times they're almost spoken on Broken Angels and elsewhere in opposition to the cinematic music which has baroque elements, electronic elements, AOR, folk and bags of emotion.
The most resonant part of the album is the euphoric, Until We Meet Again, written in tribute to drummer Moschus who passed away during recording. The eight tracks he recorded here are his lasting legacy, and the triumphant return from Everon. 8/10
The most resonant part of the album is the euphoric, Until We Meet Again, written in tribute to drummer Moschus who passed away during recording. The eight tracks he recorded here are his lasting legacy, and the triumphant return from Everon. 8/10
Airforce - Acts Of Madness (ROAR-RPM)
It's been five years since Airforce released and album. Now in 2025 they bring us another load of NWOBHM in the 21th Century. The hook of Airforce is that they feature Doug Sampson behind the kit. If you know your metal history then you'll know Doug was the original drummer of Iron Maiden before Nicko took over the throne. They double down on their Maiden connection with a cover of Strange World from the Iron Maiden debut album.
Musically too it's pretty close to the British metal legends sounded for the first two albums on tracks such as The Fury, though this also shows the evolution Airforce has had over the years with a tonne of keyboards. Cursed Moon, Sniper and Heroes meanwhile bring a bit more of what Airforce are known for. They lost a lot of the album after producer Pete Franklin passed away but Jezz Coad stepped up and rescued the old sessions to finalise this release.
So Acts Of Madness is another heavy rocking record from these British veterans, still packing the vim and vigour of the 80's NWOBHM sound but with their years of experience honing it into a slicker style they have now. 7/10
Dirkschneider - Balls To The Wall RELOADED (Reigning Phoenix Music)
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Accept's most famous album, their fifth record, Balls To The Wall, former original Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider has re-recorded the album alongside some famous friends.
Now there are a few issues, Balls To The Wall was released in 1983, Udo hasn't been the singer of Accept since 2005 (but really 1997), at least Dirkschneider's bassist Peter Baltes played in Accept until 2018, as well as playing in the original version of the band.
Does anyone really need a new version of this album? Other than say Dirkschneider himself, who can now lay claim to royalties from these songs again so long as these versions are played. I suppose the hook for this record are the guest vocalists, Udo's vocals aren't the same as they were, snarling like an angry pitbull now, which suits his own material but not the classics he already defined.
The guests do well to add interest, be it Biff Byford (Saxon), Joakim Brodén (Sabaton), Mille Petrozza (Kreator), Michael Kiske (Helloween), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Doro Pesch, they're chosen to add their unique vocals to these songs but let's be honest a lot of them sound similar to Dirkschneider's snarl.
Balls To The Wall Reloaded shows how well most of these songs from 1983 stand up in 2025, (maybe not Losers And Winners, who writes letters any more?) but really it's a piece of cash-in nostalgia with a few guest stars. 5/10
Vigilhunter - Vigilhunter (High Roller Records)
Trad/power metal from the USA with Vigilhunter being the vehicle for Alexx Panza, he has sung for Hitten and Jack Starr's Burning Starr and now he sings and plays guitars on this album alongside Mirko Negrino on bass, Mattia Itala on guitar and Marcello “Cell” Leocani on drums.
This debut album has drawn comparisons to Queensryche (early), Crimson Glory and Fates Warning, and they're all clear as day, Shadow Rider (Vigilante) having that fist-in-the-air chug, Curse Of The Street is Queensryche all over while Sacrifice For Love sits as a ballad with more Tate-like emotion in the middle of the record.
While US power metal these days takes from thrash, Vigilhunter are inspired by the bands who took from NWOBHM and also were part of the early days of 'prog metal'. Vigilhunter's debut is a welcome throwback to when US power metal was in its infancy, it bristles with boisterous electricity, plenty of air guitar moments and great vocals hooks. 7/10
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