To quote Will Farrell’s Ron Burgundy character in the film Anchorman: well, that escalated quickly. It’s an apt quote to describe Blues Pills’ meteoric rise to fame, who, after three EP’s of tantalizing teasing have now finally released their first self-titled album. Sounds from the Dark Side takes a look at the goods on offer.
Category Archives: RP
Accept – Blind Rage
Thank the Metal Gods that Accept decided to return in 2009 with Blood of the Nations, an album that still ranks easily amongst the best these Teutonic metallers ever released. The same could be said about the equally stunning Stalingrad. In 2014, Accept returns again with their third post-reunion album, and it might just be the best yet.
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Judas Priest – Redeemer of Souls
Six years after their last album, and three years after the start of their supposedly last and appropriately titled Epitaph tour, British metal masters Judas Priest return with a new recording line-up and a new album. But can Redeemer of Souls measure up to past material? The answer is two-fold. Continue reading
[Live Review] Ghost, Melkweg Amsterdam
The last time I saw ghoul rockers Ghost live was in 2011, when they supported Paradise Lost on their Draconian Times anniversary tour. Opus Eponymous had just been released and the band were already creating a buzz in the metal scene. At the time, Ghost was seen as not much more than a joke band that would last one, maybe two albums before the curtain would fall. A lot has happened since then. Continue reading
Sounds from the Dark Side top albums of 2014 (until now)
Hey y’all, summer solstice lies behind us so it’s time to saw the year in half. These are our top albums of 2014 until now and in no apparent order. Metal, Latin, Hip Hop-Jazz, Western funeral march music… we’ve got it all! Continue reading
Freedom Call – Beyond
Freedom Call are the purveyors of the cheesiest German power metal you have ever heard. The moniker “happy metal,” originally deigned to designate Helloween’s brand of metal, never was more appropriate than it is for each and every album this particular band puts out. Here’s our review. Continue reading
Sabaton – Heroes
To be completely honest, the longevity of Swedish war-themed metallers Sabaton continues to amaze me. I first learnt of the band through their sophomore album Primo Victoria and I clearly remember my younger self thinking, “Well, this is neat, I wonder how long they’ll last.” That was nine years and five albums ago, and the band’s popularity has sky-rocketed since then, and it doesn’t seem like Sabaton’s popularity is going to wane any time soon. Continue reading
Edguy – Space Police: Defenders of the Crown
These days, Tobias Sammet is probably better known worldwide for his Avantasia metal and/or opera’s than his main band Edguy, but that doesn’t mean the band does not release albums on a tidy schedule. And whilst the albums since Hellfire Club (2004) have been a bit hit and miss, eschewing the rollicking power metal of yore for a more hard rocking approach, there’s always a certain amount of quality and fun on offer. Space Police: Defenders of the Crown is no different in that aspect. Continue reading
Gamma Ray – Empire of the Undead
On and on rolls the power metal train, with just about every German power metal band firing shots one after another. And what’s more: all those bands are releasing unexpectedly strong and heavy albums. It’s as if some Holy Spirit of metal has touched these bands, showing them where their roots lie and that there’s no shame in writing fast songs with double bass drumming (I’m looking at you, Edguy and Sonata Arctica). German metal institution Gamma Ray is the next in line. Continue reading
Sonata Arctica – Pariah’s Child
Before we dive into this review, there is a confession I have to make. I really, really enjoyed Sonata Arctica’s Stones Grow Her Name (2012), a record that is much maligned for being too weird, faux artistic and soft. And whilst I do love the earlier power metal efforts (up to and including Reckoning Night), I think Unia is by far the strongest album the Finnish band has put out. Then again, I also think A Matter of Life and Death is the best album Iron Maiden has released since Powerslave. Perhaps I’m just a sucker for classic metal bands who dare to tread outside of their safety zone and into a more daringly progressive area, which is exactly what Sonata Arctica has been doing for years now. So, with that out of the way, let’s check out what’s on offer this time. Continue reading
