EVERGREY A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Napalm Recordson May 20th, 2022 

Quick Background

The Swedish heavy metal band Evergrey is celebrating over 25 years of metal mastery. The band is led by founder, singer and guitarist Tom S. Englund. While he is the only founder member left, the 5-piece line up has been stable since 2014 having released 4 albums before this one with the current formation. Evergrey can mostly be considered a progressive (power) metal band, but they are far from happy metal, actually the band's lyrics have always been of the darker sort, and the same can be said of the band's imagery. While I am a big fan of their sound and I own many of their records, to me they are a bit of a "best of" band, I love many songs, but I don't love any album in particular.  

A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)

A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament) is their thirteenth studio album and Napalm Records debut and it is the follow-up to the highly successful 2021 full-length, Escape of the Phoenix. Which I personally did not care so much for it. Despite having one of my favorite songs of 2021: "Eternal Nocturnal". The new effort features 10 songs and clocks in at 51 minutes. It's a more concise record than the previous, one so to me a good start. 

The album opens with "Save Us" displaying a strong and heavy guitar work backed up by some subtle keys. During the bridges 'Hey! Save us!' the fans joined them as the band recorded hundreds of voices that ended up on the final result. The chorus is emotional and catchy as we come to expect from Evergrey. This was the first video single out of the album. "Midwinter Calls" was the second and it features some more heavy riffs and it is overall another strong song with again very nice melodies, specially during the verses. I don't love the 'Oh Oh' parts, but ok. Also I must point out the higher level of the guitar solos on this album. Both Tom Englund and Henrik Danhage seemed to have stepped up their game and that led to more trading solos than ever before. "Blindfolded" is the third and last video of their trilogy. It's also really the first episode of this three-piece story. It's another heavy and strong track. It's quite cool that such a strong song is placed that late on the album, it speaks to the quality of A Heartless Portrait". 

Those songs are heavy but there's also another side of the band and with "Ominous" Evergrey goes melancholic and darker and progressive. A beautiful song. Here it's another example of the cool guitar solos I talked about. "The Great Unwashed" and specially "Wildfires" are both more on this side as well. "Call Out The Dark" brings the keys to the forefront with a cool riff. And it deliver one of the best chorus on this album. Very catchy and groovy song, no wonder it's one of their singles. 

The heavy riffage is back with the sort of title track "The Orphean Testament", the longest song on the album with 6:30 minutes. The other kind of title track is "Heartless". An up-tempo heavy song with another catchy chorus. A highlight in this song tome is the bridge after the second chorus, it's a variation of the chorus but more atmospheric and it demo how much of a great singer Tom Englund is. It's a beautiful passage. And actually all over the album his performance is excellent, it's great to see that he keeps improving and expanding his techniques. 

The Picky Guy

I enjoyed this album quite a lot and I don't have specific issues with it, but if I were to pick on something, maybe "Wildfires" was an unnecessary closer and I'd be fine without it.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Less than a year after the previous record Evergrey delivered one of their strongest albums in years, it can even become my favorite. The album flows greatly and I could sense I'd be hooked on it after the first listen. And since them it only grew on me. An overwhelming journey through progressive heaviness and searing emotionality is repeatedly accented by sonic melancholy and gripping lyrics. There's a lot of heaviness in this album but masterly combined with melancholy and slower moments. Besides it's very catchy and musically featuring strong riff and solos. Very good album, 83/100. A progressive metal lesson without overdoing it.

SCORE: 83/100

Genre: Progressive Metal

Released by Napalm Recordson May 20th, 2022 

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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MISERY INDEX Complete Control | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Century Media Records on May 13th, 2022

Quick Background

Misery Index is an American death metal band formed in 2001 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, by Jason Netherton (bass, vocals) as the only original member left. Misery Index's music is best described as death metal with strong hardcore punk and grindcore influences. Its lyrics tend to be highly critical of prevailing power structures in modern culture, everyday life and the ills of modern society. In 2020, the band signed with Century Media Records.

Complete Control

Complete Control is their seventh album following 2019's Rituals of Power. The new endeavor which was recorded in late 2021 features 9 tracks in 34 minutes. The longest song on the album, "Administer the Dagger" with almost 5 minutes, features a intro to the album within it. A slow build up from clean guitars to half tempo hardcore influenced verse. Some cool thrashy riffs come in and we are at fast tempo to get that mosh pit going. From the get goal one of the best features of the band's sound is apparent, the dynamic of the vocals being constantly traded by Netherton and Mark Kloeppel (guitar, vocals) and often they song together to give that extra punch. I think this works really well as both are aggressive death metal growls but in different styles. The single "The Eaters and the Eaten" features that same dynamic very clearly and it's a groovy and aggressive song with rhythmic changes that work very well. The title track has a traditional heavy metal feel to it and it rocks. A groovy and yet very heavy song. Darrin Morris on lead guitar doesn't overdue on the solos, but as in this song, they are usually short and melodic and in my opinion very welcomed. "Rites of Cruelty" brings a slightly different element, melo death metal, it kind of reminds me of At The Gates. The highlight on the B side is definitely the single "Infiltrators", one of the shortest songs on the album with only just above 2 minutes it's a punky thrash avalanche perfectly suitable for a live set list. The album closes with another short one, "Now Defied!" another blast in the years with a clear Slayer flavor. 

The Picky Guy

For what the band sets themselves to accomplish, I have really not a lot to complain  here. It's not mind blowing and I think side A is stronger, but it's an enjoyable death metal from star to finish. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

The album flows really well and sounds modern but still organic as in its core it is a heavy and straightforward death metal record. It's dynamic and heavy with provoking lyrics and executed very well. All in all, a good album, 81/100 and it certainly deserves a try.  

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Death Metal / Grindcore

Released by Century Media Records on May 13th, 2022

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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The Number Of The Beast 40th Anniversary Cassette | Throwback Album Review

Released by Parlophone Records on March 18th, 2022

Quick Background

The 40th anniversary of Iron Maiden’s classic third album, The Number Of The Beast was celebrated with a commemorative cassette release on 18th March 2022. This seminal recording, first released in the UK on 22nd March 1982 - and the first to feature Bruce Dickinson as vocalist and last with Clive Burr on drums – catapulted Iron Maiden to international stardom and set them on course for the spectacular trajectory of success which the band continues to enjoy to this day.

The cassette is comprised of the 2015 remastered recordings of the original eight songs on the album, with front cover colour art based on the 1982 C-60 cassette release plus a re-designed & updated inlay. Ultimately it’s a tribute to a watershed album that sold in its millions in record stores all around the world; a celebration of those bygone times and a fitting souvenir for the fans who have loyally followed the band ever since. I of course bought it and listened to it a couple of times in cassette before this review. It's been fun to listen to it on cassette. The clicking noise to start and stop the tape, the flipping of it for side 2, and the background noise between songs and during quieter passages, all of it makes it a very nostalgic experience and I loved it. 

The Number Of The Beast was not my first Maiden album, I was too young when it was released. But probably around 1986 I listened to the album for the first time. It's not my top 3 Maiden album, but I still love it. It is a bit overplayed and some of the songs I've seen live too many times. But when I stop everything to listen to the album from beginning to end, it is after almost 40 years, still a goose bump experience.

The Number Of The Beast

Just one year after Killers, one of the most acclaimed metal album of all times was released. Back to the 4 songs on each side format and almost ticking 40 minutes, the album was mainly written by Harris. In addition to the fact that this was Bruce Dickinson's debut in Maiden, what's also very important for their sound is the fact that Adrian Smith already co-wrote 3 songs (2 with Harris and 1 with the drummer Clive Burr ).  The Harris/Smith duo delivered two of the best Maiden songs ever: "The Prisoner" and "22 Acacia Avenue". "Gangland" is not that great, but it doesn't interfere the overall experience. 

With the range and versatility of Bruce, Steve Harris upped his game and also Adrian Smith brought his style and song writing to the table. Clive Burr was a beast behind the kit and the twin guitars riffs in 3rds or 5ths or the transitions from one guitar solo to the other are always memorable. Martin Birch got a huge sound and performance from those then so young, talented and hungry guys. Not often mentioned the album has a secrete weapon: how perfect Adrian Smith vocals work as backing vocals for Bruce. It's all over the album and it's majestic.  

Let's go through it track by track. 

Side 1

1. Invaders

"Invaders" is about an invasion of England as seen through the eyes of a Saxon. Looking back, it feel weird to hear Maiden singing about Vikings. It's a straightforward metal song with about 3:30 minutes. I really like the intro of this often underrated song. The sound of the bass and the drums are so powerful from the get go. I also find the verse and pre chorus really strong. But indeed the chorus is underwhelming compared to the other songs on the album or records from those years. In that sense it may be the weakest album opener of their 80's albums and it has never been played live. Even the TNOTB tour was opened with Murders in the Rue Morgue. 

2. Children Of The Damned

Despite the acoustic guitars and soft start, this song is far from being a ballad. And despite being just over 4:30 minutes if quite a progressive song. Having the verse and chorus only sang twice, and fast paced guitar solo but a bridge and outro section that ends the song in super heavy fashion with Bruce screaming his lungs out. Based on science fiction films from the 80's the lyrics are also dark. All in all, it was one of my favorite Maiden and  metal in general songs of all time. Nough said. 

3. The Prisoner

Inspired by a British television show of the same name the song starts with a sample of the series first episode. Then the incredible drum intro from Burr, the Hammersmith video comes immediately to my mind, this intro, OMG is so amazing. The verses are great and the chorus is just perfection. How awesome it is that the first time around only half is sung? It build the suspense and the expectation for the second time around. And only on the third and final time we get the full chorus. Brilliant. The instrumental break is a variation from the intro and that smoothly turns into the base for the guitar solos. 

4. 22 Acacia Avenue

Here Adrian create a simple but memorable guitar riff and overall an amazing guitar song. In terms of song structure it's also quite progressive.  We get first the two amazing verses based on the intro riff, then we get this other amazing an fast riff which serves as the base for a long pre-chorus section, by the time we get to the chorus the anticipation is built and it's such an explosion. And we only hear the pre chorus and chorus twice in the whole song, and again with another riff we have the pre solo bridge and then the solo. A long one that goes from calm to heaviness hinting to what we would get even more in 1986's Somewhere in Time album.  We get the pre-chorus again but no more chorus, it actually leas us to another guitar solo that is even more interesting due to the bass below it and for a moment on the foreground. Again, this another of my favorite Maiden songs of all time. 

Side 2

1.The Number Of The Beast

Obviously one of the most iconic songs in metal. From the narration to the intro verse emphasizing Bruce's vocal to the memorable riff with a flanger effect to the immortalized scream. This song is a classic, although, I don't have to listen to it very often anymore. When the drums come in full and we go to the heavy verses, it's pure energy. The very fortunate writing choice from Steve to have the chorus sang half the same, half differently, it's brilliant, and even more so that only on the third and last time we hear six, six, six on both sentences. Only to get us back to the intro verse to close the song full circle. Moreover the instrumental break is one of their best ever. Two guitar solos with that awesome breakdown in between and then a bass solo to close it. And the song is not even 5 minutes long. 

2. Run To The Hills

Their first single out of the album released on 12 February 1982 is a phenomenal hit and a visit card to the world of what Bruce was capable of. One of the most iconic drum intros in metal and a chorus that can shake arenas. 

3. Gangland

The only song credited to Clive Burr (and in this case with Adrian Smith), Glangand doesn't get much credit, Steve and Bruce have both declared that including this song instead of Total Eclipse, was a mistake. Never played live, it became a deep cut in their discography. While not a fantastic song, it has its moments, for example I love the bridge. 

4. Hallowed Be Thy Name

The album closes with a song that I consider to be a perfect metal song. An epic closer that changed metal and probably my life (and of millions). I've listened to it so many times when I was young. I learned on the guitar and used to play it with my high school band. Nowadays I'm a bit fatigued from it, but when I take the time sit and appreciate it, it's goose bumps every time. The twin guitar riffs are just perfection. There are many of them but they are all variants of the same main idea so we get attached to them but not bored. Bruce performance and the lyrics are a match made in heaven, the emphasis on his voice in the first verse was a magical choice.  The fact that the song doesn't have a chorus speaks for it self. Or you can consider that last two sentences when the Hallowed Be Thy Name is sang twice to be the chorus, then we basically have a 6 min build up to sing one of the mot amazing melodies ever written for a metal song. And often screaming this brings me tears. I also must say that the instrumental break before the chorus tricks you to think it's time to sing, but no there always one more time creates such an amazing experience when we finally can say yeah yeah yeah hallowed be thy name.  

The Picky Guy

The only problems with the album are the album opener being not as strong as most of their songs from the 80's and having chosen Gangland over Total Eclipse. Nowadays the final concern here it's fatigue. # of the 8 songs are played in pretty much every single show. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

The amazing thing about Harris music writing here is that he is able to create repetition which is key for song likability but he makes subtle or sometimes very visible changes to avoid that it becomes boring or repetitive. This balance is perfectly achieved in this album. Their ability to be inventive and progressive and yet heavy and condensed is exceptional. Listening to the 2010's albums and we know that's not achieved anymore. Moreover the album cover is beautiful and very innovative for their time. In 1982 nobody was writing music like this. There's of course UFO, Deep Purple, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath influences, but this was so new and fresh. 

All in all, "The Number of the Beast" is perfection, one of the best albums of all times. All songs are masterpieces and "Children of the Damned" one of my all time favorites. The arrival of Bruce and his amazing vocal range and technique gave Harris the freedom he wanted to combine heaviness and power with melody and progressiveness. The guitar duo Murray/Smith was like a perfect marriage and by now the riffs, solos and twin guitars rose to new levels. I mean, how perfect is the solo sequence of the title track?! Like their debut The Number closes with a 7 min epic track "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (one of the best album closer of all times).  TNOTB became a template to thousands of bands and 40 years later brings me to tears and gives me goose bumps. Now in cassette brought a further touch of nostalgia. 

SCORE: 98/100

Genre: Heavy Metal

Released by Parlophone Records on March 18th, 2022

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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WATAIN The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Nuclear Blast Records on April 29th, 2022

Quick Background

Watain is a Swedish black metal band, formed in 1998. The band's core lineup has remained stable since their formation, consisting of Erik Danielsson (vocals, bass), Pelle Forsberg (guitars), and Håkan Jonsson (drums). Watain has been known to perform live using candles, pyrotechnics, and, akin to numerous black metal acts, limbs and bones of animal carcasses. I remember lots of candles and pyrotechnics when I saw them live but no carcasses or blood. 

The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain

The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain is Watain's 7th studio album following 2018's Trident Wolf Eclipse. The new endeavor, recorded inside an old church on the Swedish countryside, features 10 tracks in 50 minutes and it was written by the founding trinity. There's only one short instrumental "Not sun nor man nor god" that splits the album in two halves. For the rest, 9 black metal songs in their core. It is also the first Watain album to be recorded live with a full line-up completed by A. Lillo, H. Eriksson and E. Forcas. I'm not always into black metal production values, but this album sounds great to me. There's just enough reverb to give us the somber aspect of the album, but not too much to the point that distracts me from the music. The result of all those choice is a very authentic and organic record. 

The album opens with two short and straightforward black metal tracks. "Ecstasies in night infinite" is almost a thrash song (e.g. early Slayer) and get things rolling at very high tempo. And "The howling" which opens up with a hard rock riff but soon tremolo picking, brings us back to pure black metal territory. 

But to me the album shines with their longer and more dynamic songs. The over seven minute track "Before the cataclysm" being the best example. From a cool slow intro it flows into blast beats for the initial verses. But soon we go into groovier parts, sludgeier slow tempo section and calm passages. In sum, there's a lot going on here and it's all glued together by great riffs and guitarwork. "Black cunt" a mid tempo song with double speed sections is also a nice dynamic song with a varied drumming moving away from only blast beats. It's actually quite a groovy track. "Serimosa" slows things down a bit and it fits the album flow perfectly. It's obviously a dark and somber song despite the tempo. So much so that I can picture a horror movie scene while listening to it. It's brilliant. "We Remain" is the third single and features guest vocals by Farida Lemouchi (ex. The Devil’s Blood, Molassess) and guest guitar solo by Gottfrid Åhman (ex. In Solitude, PÅGÅ) which is partially on a clean guitar, so it does stand out. It's a melancholic borderline gothic metal song at slow tempo and featuring an atmospheric sound due to the choir-like singing at times.  "Septentrion" closes the album in almost seven minutes. I love the drum beat on this one, it's a very black and roll song. 

Overall I really liked the drum and guitar work on this album. Danielsson's voice is pure black metal and you can actually understand the words. The album cover gives the buyer no doubts that it's black metal  

The Picky Guy

"Leper's grace" and "Funeral winter" while not bad songs at all, are certainly my least favorites. I tend to prefer their more adventurous and dynamic songs. Other than that not much to complain about this album.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Watain delivers a pure but modern black metal album that should be pleasing fans. I liked the production, the song writing and the delivery. They flirt with progressive territory in half of the songs and that's the half that I prefer. The album flows very well and those 5 songs are well mixed with shorter more direct songs so overall a dynamic and pleasing black metal for old schoolers. A good album, 81/100 and recommended for black metal fans and newbies. 

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Black Metal

Released by Nuclear Blast Records on April 29th, 2022

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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