Billy Jeffs is a bit of genius, he's the multi-instrumentalist and creative force behind Memories Of Old and his mind and talent seems to always create unbelievably impressive and epic power metal. They release their debut The Zeramin Game in 2020 and it showcased the talent of Jeffs but with album number two he goes bigger. The melodic guitars, rampaging drums, twinkling keyboards, sweeping orchestration and backing vocals, all come Jeffs, who is a master of them all creating the bulk of the sounds here.
However on Never Stop Believing there's been a few changes as Noah Simmons comes in on vocals adding the theatrical, soaring cleans power metal always needs. Rhys Morgan joins on bass, giving the rapid gallops to the faster numbers and then the grooves to the fist in the air middle pace anthems. There's also some additional keys from Anthony Thompson and guitars by Wayne Dorman who add their virtuosity to the record. The scope is massive here, a conceptual piece there's a storyline that bonds the tracks together the reoccurring motifs that come through across the record to link the concept.
You can hear the influence of the likes of Twilight Force, Rhapsody, Fragony and Power Quest, writing large over this record. In fact Alessio Garavello of Power Quest co-produces, mixes and mastered the album so that's probably why it has a similar bombast. It would be easy to start pick out tracks on this record but it needs to be heard in it's entirety like all good concepts. Cinematic scope and boisterous power metal in glorious harmony, these Memories Of Old will live long in the heart of any self respecting power metal fan. 9/10
Glasya - Fear (Scarlet Records)
A 14 track concept record, Fear is the third album from Portuguese symphonic storytellers Glasya. The album is about a woman overcoming her fears, we are brought inside the mind of the protagonist as she embarks on her empowering odyssey through the operatic vocals of Eduarda Soeiro.
With the strong storytelling vein and that soaring soprano there's influences from Epica, Beyond The Black and fellow Portuguese band Moonspell whom Eduarda is also a live member of and whose Fernando Ribeiro provides some guest growls on two songs.
Concept albums are built on guest performances and this one is no exception, along with Ribeiro there's also some from Michele Guaitoli (Vision Of Atlantis), Sara Leitão (Dark Oath) and classical tenor Filipe de Moura, all of them adding extra characters to the narrative. Fear weaves a dark tale of self discovery and does it with some great symphonic metal. 7/10
Elettra Storm - Evertale (Scarlet Records)
Delivering their debut album only a year ago Elettra Storm are one of the newest members of the Italian power/symphonic metal scene. They return with their sophomore release Evertale which according to the band is "more defined and cohesive." Lyrically inspired by fantasy journeys, stories of war heroes and ancient beings, Evertale has a mix and master from DGM man Simone Mularoni, who gives every performance the chance to shine.
Be it excellent vocals of Crystal Emiliani who soars above these symphonic, sometimes progressive, flurries of European power metal which draw from Stratovarius and Battle Beast, the breakneck pace driven by Matteo Norbedo's drumming (Master Of Fairytales). The melodic highs of Crystal joined by the rougher/lower croons of Francis D. Mary who also provides the guitar along with Matteo Antoni, the rest of instruments coming from Davide Sportiello who plays all of the keys and also the bass, giving this record it's rhythm but also the cinematic tones too.
There's plenty of bluster for power metal fans, they get the lead out like Sonata Arctica did in the early days, with galloping drums and light speed riffs, but there's maturity too, a few proggy mid-pace tracks and a big ballad, One Last Ray Of Light which fully shows off those vocals. Evertale brings bit more substance to Elettra Storm, the talent has always been evident but on their second album they're more comfortable to flaunt it. 8/10
Reveal - The Age Of Knowledge (FC Metal)
Spanish power metal band Reveal follow up their 2023 album Still Alive with new EP The Age Of Knowledge. A five track blast through guitar driven heavy metal, the inspiration of Angra and Rage can be heard on the album.
It's tough but melodic the riffs of Tino Hevia showing why he's a bit of a legend in the Spanish metal scene while Swedish vocalist Rob Lundgren lets loose with the lungs that have gained him over 200k subscribers on YouTube.
The Age Of Heavy Metal gains a lot of it's energy from the classic heavy metal genre but there's enough melodic moments and even some synths to keep power metal fans happy too. There's experience on offer here and while they aren't breaking any new ground, Reveal play heavy metal they way they want and you cannot fault them for that. 7/10
However on Never Stop Believing there's been a few changes as Noah Simmons comes in on vocals adding the theatrical, soaring cleans power metal always needs. Rhys Morgan joins on bass, giving the rapid gallops to the faster numbers and then the grooves to the fist in the air middle pace anthems. There's also some additional keys from Anthony Thompson and guitars by Wayne Dorman who add their virtuosity to the record. The scope is massive here, a conceptual piece there's a storyline that bonds the tracks together the reoccurring motifs that come through across the record to link the concept.
You can hear the influence of the likes of Twilight Force, Rhapsody, Fragony and Power Quest, writing large over this record. In fact Alessio Garavello of Power Quest co-produces, mixes and mastered the album so that's probably why it has a similar bombast. It would be easy to start pick out tracks on this record but it needs to be heard in it's entirety like all good concepts. Cinematic scope and boisterous power metal in glorious harmony, these Memories Of Old will live long in the heart of any self respecting power metal fan. 9/10
Glasya - Fear (Scarlet Records)
A 14 track concept record, Fear is the third album from Portuguese symphonic storytellers Glasya. The album is about a woman overcoming her fears, we are brought inside the mind of the protagonist as she embarks on her empowering odyssey through the operatic vocals of Eduarda Soeiro.
With the strong storytelling vein and that soaring soprano there's influences from Epica, Beyond The Black and fellow Portuguese band Moonspell whom Eduarda is also a live member of and whose Fernando Ribeiro provides some guest growls on two songs.
Concept albums are built on guest performances and this one is no exception, along with Ribeiro there's also some from Michele Guaitoli (Vision Of Atlantis), Sara Leitão (Dark Oath) and classical tenor Filipe de Moura, all of them adding extra characters to the narrative. Fear weaves a dark tale of self discovery and does it with some great symphonic metal. 7/10
Elettra Storm - Evertale (Scarlet Records)
Delivering their debut album only a year ago Elettra Storm are one of the newest members of the Italian power/symphonic metal scene. They return with their sophomore release Evertale which according to the band is "more defined and cohesive." Lyrically inspired by fantasy journeys, stories of war heroes and ancient beings, Evertale has a mix and master from DGM man Simone Mularoni, who gives every performance the chance to shine.
Be it excellent vocals of Crystal Emiliani who soars above these symphonic, sometimes progressive, flurries of European power metal which draw from Stratovarius and Battle Beast, the breakneck pace driven by Matteo Norbedo's drumming (Master Of Fairytales). The melodic highs of Crystal joined by the rougher/lower croons of Francis D. Mary who also provides the guitar along with Matteo Antoni, the rest of instruments coming from Davide Sportiello who plays all of the keys and also the bass, giving this record it's rhythm but also the cinematic tones too.
There's plenty of bluster for power metal fans, they get the lead out like Sonata Arctica did in the early days, with galloping drums and light speed riffs, but there's maturity too, a few proggy mid-pace tracks and a big ballad, One Last Ray Of Light which fully shows off those vocals. Evertale brings bit more substance to Elettra Storm, the talent has always been evident but on their second album they're more comfortable to flaunt it. 8/10
Reveal - The Age Of Knowledge (FC Metal)
Spanish power metal band Reveal follow up their 2023 album Still Alive with new EP The Age Of Knowledge. A five track blast through guitar driven heavy metal, the inspiration of Angra and Rage can be heard on the album.
It's tough but melodic the riffs of Tino Hevia showing why he's a bit of a legend in the Spanish metal scene while Swedish vocalist Rob Lundgren lets loose with the lungs that have gained him over 200k subscribers on YouTube.
The Age Of Heavy Metal gains a lot of it's energy from the classic heavy metal genre but there's enough melodic moments and even some synths to keep power metal fans happy too. There's experience on offer here and while they aren't breaking any new ground, Reveal play heavy metal they way they want and you cannot fault them for that. 7/10
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