Moonspell's 'Far from God' - Album Review

I always find it a bit strange when a live encounter with a band that you were not all that familiar with previously ends up being the peak of your enjoyment of them. It has happened to me quite a few times over the years. You see a band live, either as a support act or at a festival, which you had either never heard of before or were only familiar with in name only, really enjoy them - only to never enjoy any of their albums anywhere near as much. I never really understand why this happens. Some bands do come across better live than on record, but ultimately the same songs drew you in in the first place. There must have been something special about that 45 or so minutes on stage that elevated the band above their usual station - but it is often hard to figure out why. I mention this phenomenon, as the subject of today's review is one of those bands for me. Back in 2022, I went to see Paradise Lost live in Bristol. The show ended up being memorable for many reasons, largely as I got stranded in Taunton overnight on my way home due to Storm Eunice. Paradise Lost were great, though, but the support act, Portugal's Moonspell, were also excellent. I had heard of Moonspell prior to the show, and had perhaps even listened to a couple of their songs due a friend being into them, but I essentially knew nothing about them before seeing them live - save for the fact that they were a gothic metal act. They pretty much blew me away that night, largely due to the huge voice and presence of frontman Fernando Ribeiro, and I thought that I had discovered a new favourite band. That was not to be, however, as everything that I have listened to by Moonspell since that evening 2022 has never lived up to my initial excitement. 2015's Extinct is a fairly strong album, with its title track being a true anthem, but I really struggled with the scrappiness of 1995's much-lauded Wolfheart and 2021's Hermitage, their most recent album until last month, just seemed quite dull. I have a couple of their other albums, but given that I struggled with what I had already heard I have not bothered with them yet. Even Extinct, which I do quite like, somewhat fell flat compared to that 2022 show - and I had tickets to see the band locally later that same year, but their surprisingly lengthy UK tour ended up being cancelled, perhaps unsurprisingly, which rather put the lid on my efforts with Moonspell. When it was announced earlier this year, though, that the band were releasing their first album since 2021, I decided to was time to try again. Sometimes getting into a new album is a good way into a band - so I picked up Far from God, the band's thirteenth studio album, when it dropped last month. Reviews have called the album a real return to form and a return to sound of the band's heyday - quoting both 1996's Irreligious and 1998's Sin/Pecado as comparisons. I am not familiar with either, but I am aware of their status in the band's canon as fan favourites - and Far from God is quite different to their other albums that I have heard to date. This latest effort is a much more atmospheric and overtly gothic release - with less of a full-blown metallic approach, despite the use of harsh vocals here and there. This is the band's second album with their current line-up, with long-time bassist Aires Pereira and fairly new drummer Hugo Ribeiro once again joining core three since 1995: Fernando, guitarist Ricardo Amorim, and keyboard player Pedro Paixão. I cannot say that this album has blown me away, but I have certainly found things to enjoy - so there may yet be hope for me and Moonspell.

There are moments here that remind me of The 69 Eyes, if the sleaze influences of the Finnish band were stripped away. Vocally there are comparisons, which I would not have made when considering the other Moonspell albums I have heard, and there are also clear links back to bands like Type O Negative thanks to that somewhat 'romantic' feeling that gothic music can sometimes conjure up. Kicking off with Cross Your Heart, a creeping, mid-paced number that does not exactly start the album with a bang - instead allowing an atmosphere to settle in nicely. Hugo's rolling drumming settles into a nice groove early on, over which some swirling guitar melodies from Amorim create an early hook. There is no big riffing here as chiming guitar melodies and aching leads form the basis of the song's main musical hooks - whilst a prominent bassline and some subtle synths create a dense soundscape. Atmosphere is a big part of this album, and the opening song has it in spades - with the hypnotic guitar melodies worming their way in, whilst Fernando sings clean, his deep, crooning vocals having something of a sultry quality. The dark verses see him really pushing the lower end of his range - whilst the chorus feels a little lighter, with brighter guitar tones and more of an overtly sing-song approach vocally. There is something quite infectious about the song, despite it never feeling like an anthem and without the presence of any real metal. This is old-school gothic rock from the 1980s with a bit of a modern, metallic twist - with the atmosphere doing a lot of the heavy lifting as the album settles in. The title track follows, with dense synths creating a bed for Fernando's opening, semi-whispered spoken word delivery - before a mid-paced, harder rock, drum beat kicks in, over which some more clean guitar melodies, albeit with a little more bite, are laid. Structurally, the song is similar to the opening number insofar as it largely uses atmosphere to make its point - although the bass playing of Pereira does a lot of work here, especially during the verses. There is something very Sisters of Mercy-esque about the attack and tone of the bass playing during the verses, over which Fernando adopts a similar spoken word approach to how the song opened - whilst the chorus is much more diverse musically, thanks to a memorable guitar hook and shimmering synths. As the song progresses, too, the first crunchy guitar rhythm takes over - with a tougher sounding bridge section adding a little bit of a metallic edge, before a bit of an effects-heavy guitar solo. There is nothing here that is truly heavy, but there is certainly more bite as the song progresses - edging towards metal as the gothic textures remain steadfast. Biblical opens with some more prominent bass playing, with Pereira creating an early groove above some bass drum hits as Amorim's guitar fades into view. Effects-heavy chords and some little chugging motifs recall Pink Floyd at times - whilst the first verse, with its stark, percussive backing actually reminds me of the approach Fish took on his last couple of solo albums. The song is a grower, then, with the bass doing lots of work early on - whilst Fernando feels restrained, his voice almost mumbled, whilst Amorim adds occasional flair. Things become cinematic as the song progresses, with walls of synths later sitting behind an expansive guitar pattern before everything is once again pulled back for another sparse verse. When the chorus kicks in later, though, the song explodes with a more metallic feel - with tougher riffing, the first use of harsh vocals on the album, and a pretty busy guitar solo that follows. The transition feels natural, though, and the heaviness is welcome.

The Great Wolf in the Sky opens sounding immediately more ominous, with cold synths, pulsing electronics, and, soon, a more urgent-sounding guitar melody that creates a discordant feeling. The song remains largely mid-paced, though, but there is something more spooky about the overall arrangement. The synths often take on horror movie-esque textures, sometimes soaring above the rest of the band, whilst the snappiness of the bass underneath everything gives the song a feel of it being faster than it actually is. The guitars come and go, adding that discordant melody as and when - whilst Fernando sticks to his lower register. As is often the case in rock and metal, the chorus feels slower overall than the rest of the song - with slightly warmer synth textures and a bit more of a theatrical vocal approach. Like the last song, though, there are heavier moments later on - with some chanted harsh vocals tapping into that early sense of urgency, even if a later guitar solo feels much more beautiful overall thanks to some violin added by Alicia Nurho underneath. Your Promise of Light returns to a slower opening, with something of a slow, shuffling drum groove opening things up - with Hugo really accenting each hit of the snare. Subtle synths and dark guitar melodies soon join in - whilst the bass is surprisingly low key this time. Fernando, leaning into the slower vibe here, returns to that semi-whispered approach used elsewhere - but this is a song that sees him move through the gears vocally. The song never really shifts from its shuffling groove, but the overall grandness of the song expands - with the guitars, bass, and keyboards all becoming just a bit more intense as the song moves forward, with Fernando both crooning and utilising his harsh vocals. Despite the song growing, though, it also never feels ashamed to go back to its simplistic beginnings. The opening drum groove really becomes the focus again during some quieter moments - with the tone of the song constantly shifting. It is quite a hard song to latch onto as a result, particularly given the constant underpinning groove, but the amount of variety that plays around a core theme is quite impressive. For the Love of Mortals immediately feels a bit lighter in tone thanks to some chiming guitar melodies and a percussive drum underpinning. Nothing on this album feels genuinely upbeat, but there is something a bit airy and floatier about this song - especially during the early verses which see the guitars drop away, and Fernando crooning against some simple keyboard textures and the aforementioned drum groove. The song is quite easy on the ear, then, with that classic gothic romanticism shining through - particularly in Fernando's simple vocal melodies. Anathema-esque guitar hooks made up of repeated notes and classic gothic melodies become more prominent later on, but the song's overall core approach largely remains untouched - whilst a lot of focus is later given over to a guitar solo which does actually soar quite a bit, setting up a slightly more upbeat instrumental section to follow. This part of the song is about as bouncy as the album gets, and it includes some of Amorim's best guitar playing on the album in my opinion.

Our Freedom to Fall opens with something resembling a strident, hard rock riff. Genuine moments of metal have so far been quite rare on this album, largely relegated to bursts of harsh vocals, but this song overall feels much more crunchy. The album's core approach remains, but the opening guitar riff feels a  bit more power chord-driven than has been typical elsewhere - whilst the verses are backed by a slow-moving, somewhat doomy crunch. The song really chugs along, then, with Fernando's gothic croon during the verses a nice contrast to the tougher guitar rhythms backing him. Given the overall heaviness, though, harsh vocals are utilised much more liberally here. There are extended more metallic sections with barked vocals and a heavier guitar backing - whilst Hugo even includes some quite fast double bass drumming at times. This is not an extreme metal song, and there are breaks between each bout of heaviness, but, nevertheless, given the album's relative lack of heaviness, these double bass drum-driven moment do feel surprisingly powerful. Melodic guitar soloing and snappy riffing is switched back and forth throughout, too, but the song never really feels fast despite the bursts of double bass drumming - ensuring the album's core sound remains. The album then comes to a close with Reconquista, a song that opens with some slow-moving guitar patterns, quite hard-hitting drumming, and some all-enveloping keyboard playing. There is quite a big sound established from the off, then, but the album's core sound remains - even if some of the heaviness from the previous song creeps in here again. It is as if, after quite a few more melancholic songs, the band wanted to end things with a bit more of a bang. Fernando makes even more liberal use of his harsh delivery - essentially sticking to it throughout the verses. The hard-hitting drumming helps, whilst the slow-burning guitar riffing also retains some of the last song's toughness. The harsh vocals never really let up, even during a somewhat more expansive chorus, although there are occasional moments that utilise that semi-spoken word approach used elsewhere during the album. A much more typical rock guitar solo, with screaming, bluesy bends and some shredded motifs, is also included here - as if the band is just really pushing their true rock credentials throughout this number. Even so, the song is not exactly anything close to being extreme metal - it just feels more intense and makes more use of metallic overtones than anything else on the album, building from the vibe of the previous number. Overall, then, there is a lot to like here - even for me who continues to struggle with Moonspell despite desperately wanting to recapture the spirit of that 2022 support slot. This album and Extinct I have now largely enjoyed, even if neither have blown me away, so I think I need to go back to the albums Far from God has been compared to in reviews. Still, being able to enjoy this album is a positive in itself - and the overall atmosphere that it creates it does so very successfully, showing the big-sounding, romantic gothic music will always be popular.

The album was released on 3rd July 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Far from God.

Anette Olzon - Birmingham Review

After something of a break in July, save for my big Metallica weekend away at the start of the month, August has been busier again when it comes to gigging trips away. Last week contained what will likely end up being seen as some of the best trips of the year, as Arch Enemy laid waste to The Underworld in Camden on a hot Monday night - and I am not long back from another trip away, this time to Birmingham. Getting home today took much longer than it should have, due to CrossCountry essentially not running any trains due to a power failure at their main office. This meant having to travel via London, which added around two and a half hours to my journey - which is not quite doubling it but it is not far off. I could have done without that, really, but thankfully I was aware of the issue very early on - which meant that I ended up leaving Birmingham as early as I could have, before most would have even cottoned on. It certainly could have been a lot worse, but I am glad to be home nevertheless. Sometimes, bad journeys make me question whether the reason for the trip in the first place was worth it. I would say that this one was, and, in years to come, it will be the gig that I remember in any case - not the journey home. Significant disruption on the railway seems to be becoming more of a regular occurrence, though, and for a regular train traveller this is extremely frustrating. Anyway, that is enough about the UK's railway infrastructure - as it is time to focus on the reason for the trip in the first place, which was a rare UK appearance by the former Nightwish frontwoman Anette Olzon. I say a rare UK appearance, but, in truth, her current tour has been something of a rarity. Since leaving Nightwish acrimoniously mid-tour back in 2012, Olzon has kept a low profile in terms of touring. She has remained active in music, releasing a handful of solo and collaboration albums, but live appearances have been quite rare. I think that she retrained as a nurse and essentially kept the music side of things going as a hobby - but over the past year or so she has been ramping back up her live activity. The catalyst for this was an invite to tour in South America last year - focusing on the two albums she released during her time in Nightwish: 2007's Dark Passion Play and 2011's Imaginaerum. I get the impression that she was hesitant to do so, having not toured properly since leaving Nightwish, but ended up accepting the offer - and had a great time being back on tour. The successful South American shows led to offers in Europe - so her current tour was planned, which included two UK shows. The Birmingham show made the most sense to me, so I snapped up a ticket as quickly as I could. I have always been a fan of Olzon. She was Nightwish's singer when I started getting into the band - and I saw her with them in 2009 in London. I think that it is easy to forget now, given that she has long earnt her place in Nightwish's history, that some fans never really took to her - with some of those early shows around Dark Passion Play's release being quite the struggle for her due to the negative attitudes of some. That 2009 show was great - but it was the only time that I saw the band live with Olzon, as by the time I next saw Nightwish live in 2012 she was gone. A tour focused on her two Nightwish albums, then, was always going to be a personal treat - and I was, in particular, looking forward to hearing her sing songs from Imaginaerum. The venue of choice was The Asylum - somewhere I had not been for many years. Given Nightwish's popularity, it seemed a venue on the small side - but it ended up being about right for the turnout. The place was not rammed but it was not sparse either - although I did think that she would have been a bigger draw than it turned out.

Given that the venue operates as a nightclub on Saturdays, too, it meant that the show started and finished early. Everything was done and dusted by about 9:15pm, which was very early even for such situations, so that meant that the evening's sole support act Lost Gravity came on at 6:30pm. Based in London, although fronted by Brazilian musician Breno Val (vocals/guitar), Lost Gravity's simple, harder rock sound was quite the contrast to the symphonic metal which was to follow. Val was the focal point throughout, playing the guitar and singing, whilst the rhythm section just did their thing largely in the background. Lost Gravity turned out to be one of those bands that are fun enough to see live for a while - but are unlikely to impress long-term. I cannot ever see myself listening to the band's albums in my own time, but for 45 minutes last night they did not outstay their welcome. Their music sat somewhere between riffy hard rock and the lighter end of traditional heavy metal - with some decent riffs and the occasional hooky chorus thrown in - but really it was a very meat and potatoes set. There was nothing especially standout about Lost Gravity, but Val came across as very enthusiastic and likeable - which certainly helped to draw the crowd along with him. When they first hit the stage the room was not all that full, but it did fill up as they were playing - and there was something of an atmosphere generated as their set progressed, even if the excitement levels never really boiled over. I got the vibe that most in attendance likely felt similar to me - as there was certainly a sense of casual enjoyment in the room, with appreciative applause, but that is about as far as it ever went. The last song of the night did end up generating a bit of a sing-a-long, which was nice to see - but overall Lost Gravity never set the world on fire, instead just passing the time before the main event.

Due to the early finish, the changeover between the two sets seemed to fly by - and it was not long before some orchestral music was filling the venue. The lights went down, and the four musicians that are currently backing Olzon on this tour took to the stage - with drummer Kiko Lopes soon launching into the punchy intro for 7 Days to the Wolves. All of the musicians, aside from a new guitarist, whose name I could not find, that joined the tour part-way through, were those that backed Olzon in South America. They were all from Brazil, but none of them were known to me. All of them were certainly competent, with special recognition needing to go out to bassist Filipe Duarte who did a pretty decent job replicating Marko Hietala's vocals, but they were very much a backing band - with Olzon being the star of the show. Over the next 90 or so minutes, she and the band ran through 13 Nightwish tunes - and there was a great atmosphere in the room from the off. I did feel that the mix was never quite right, with either the guitars or the keyboards low in the mix at any one time, but Olzon sounded powerful - and very similar to how she did close to 20 years ago. There was none of the stage show of a Nightwish gig, with Olzon just letting the music do the talking - as well as coming across really well in between the songs. It was clear that she was having a great time singing these songs again and, despite the place not exactly packed, everyone was singing along. It was a show that meant quite a bit to a lot in attendance it seemed - and I really enjoyed hearing some of these songs live for the first time ever, or for the first time for a number of years. An early highlight for me was the riffy Ghost River - one of the more guitar-heavy Nightwish songs. It is one of the band's few songs with a proper, knotty riff - and the guitarist did a good job bringing it to life. Bye Bye Beautiful had already been retired by the time I saw Nightwish live for the first time, so it was good to shout along with it finally - whilst the pop metal of Amaranth is still pretty much a staple of Nightwish's setlists. Duarte sang quite a bit during the first half of the show. No-one else really has Hietala's primal roar, but Duarte did well - with the slower drawl of the rarely-played Rest Calm sounding pretty good thanks to his efforts, before the slow-burning chorus was more the realm of Olzon. I think that the song was rarely played live by Nightwish, so it is great that the underrated song was given some love on this tour. Likewise, Turn Loose the Mermaids was never played live by Nightwish - and the folky ballad was really a showcase for the warmth that Olzon brought to the band during her tenure, and it contrasted the rollocking instrumental piece Last of the Wilds. The night was really flying by as I was enjoying hearing so many of these songs live, with another big highlight being Meadows of Heaven - another very rarely played number, and one that really soared with dense orchestral swells and Olzon's powerful vocals. The night was not perfect, though, as the band seemed to loose their way during Scaretale for a bit, which reminded everyone that what they were witnessing was not a slick Nightwish show, but these moments were rare - even if the guitarist at times also seemed to be having trouble with his gear. Despite all the greatness that had come before, it was the penultimate number that was my overall highlight. At one point, The Poet and the Pendulum was likely my favourite song - and it is responsible, at least in part, for my love of all things prog. I had seen Nightwish do it live a couple of times, but seeing it live again was just as much of a treat as it was the other times - with Olzon really giving her all during it, showcasing power early on before the delicate closing section arguably saw her at her best. That could have been it, but there was time for one more in the form of Last Ride of the Day - with the fast-paced, bombastic number ending the show on a real high. The setlist was: (N.B. all of the songs below are Nightwish songs):

7 Days to the Wolves

Storytime

Ghost River

Bye Bye Beautiful

Amaranth

Rest Calm

Last of the Wilds

Turn Loose the Mermaids

Meadows of Heaven

Sahara

Scaretale

The Poet and the Pendulum

Last Ride of the Day

Imaginaerum

It was 17 years since I last saw Olzon on stage, and she still has it in her to deliver a powerful symphonic metal show. She and her band are never going to be able to compete with Nightwish in terms of spectacle, but the two albums she was a part of deserve to be featured more - and she is currently doing a great job shining a light on them again. The night ended up being something of a nostalgic evening for me, and likely everyone else, and I would likely make the effort to go and see her again should she tour again in the future.

Winter in Eden's 'Never Untold' - Album Review

It feels like quite a while since I last reviewed some symphonic metal. Considering how important the genre was to my initial musical development, I have certainly strayed away from it somewhat - and it also feels like a less popular genre more generally these days, outside of some of the long-established big hitters. At one point it really seemed to dominate the more melodic end of metal, but like some subgenres it burnt quickly and brightly - and it was certainly one that, perhaps more than most, attracted quite a few second-rate imitators of the subgenre's best. A new Nightwish or Within Temptation clone seemed to come out every other week at one point, but now new symphonic metal releases feel quite rare - so it feels good today to be covering one. It also feels like a while since I last reviewed a UK-based melodic metal act. As I have said on this blog before, progressive, power, and symphonic metal bands are quite the rarity here - with someone like Threshold likely the country's biggest export over the years when it comes to those big three melodic metal genres. Many of the UK's melodic metal bands are not all that well known - and I think that it is fair to say that the Durham-based act Winter in Eden falls into that category. Whilst I have never fallen head over heels in love with the band, I have been following Winter in Eden since 2010 - when I saw them at that year's iteration of the Cambridge Rock Festival. Their debut album Awakening must have been hot off the press at the time, but I came home from the festival with a copy - and it was something that I ended up quite enjoying over the next few months. The next few years were relatively busy for the band, with 2012's Echoes of Betrayal and 2014's Court of Conscience following - and I also saw the band live a couple more times, once again in 2010 in Leicester and back at the Cambridge Rock Festival in 2014. I enjoyed all of the band's albums, and they delivered live, but they never became a true favourite - and not long after Court of Conscience their activity slowed down quite considerably. I thought that they had perhaps quietly broken up, despite the occasional update relating to a fourth album, so I was quite surprised when Social Fake (which I reviewed here) dropped in 2022. I enjoyed the album quite a bit, but activity following its release was again limited - and in 2023 the band formally broke up, basically citing life constantly getting in the way. Thankfully, though, this break up was short lived. Married couple frontwoman Vicky Johnson and keyboard player Steve Johnson had planned to continue writing music under the name Never Untold - but eventually decided, following encouragement from the fans, to carry on as Winter in Eden, with Never Untold instead becoming the name of the band's fifth album. Whilst the Winter in Eden of old was always a band, with all members contributing, the Johnsons always seemed like the main driving forces - so this new-look Winter in Eden which is essentially spearheaded by them makes sense. None of the previous members of the band have returned, meaning that Never Untold is the band's first album without bassist Ian Heddle, but there are some musicians here that have helped the Johnsons flesh things out. With Vicky on vocals and Steve on keyboard and bass guitar duties, the guitar playing has been split between Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation; For All We Know; Oblivion Protocol) and Arun Kamath (Wolfcrusher; Screaming Beast; Beyond Salvation), whilst the drums have been played by Owen Alec Ashworth (Beyond Salvation), who had occasionally played live with the band in the past.

Jolie's presence is certainly something of a coup, although he is no stranger to the band - having previously produced Court of Conscience. He is not the only 'name' involved here, either, as the album was co-mixed by Jos Driessen, who has mixed albums by bands like Blind Guardian, Epica, and Powerwolf, and famed producer Joost van den Broek (Sun Caged; After Forever; Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution). Winter in Eden might be a humble band, but they have some big-name friends - and Never Untold is another enjoyable album from them. It continues on the crunchier, tighter sound established on Social Fake, with the band putting together another bite-sized slab of melodic, crunchy, but fairly restrained symphonic metal. The bombast of the genre's biggest hitters is largely absent here, but the three-part Sleepwalk which kicks things off does show ambition. First part In Plain Sight opens things up, with a distant guitar riff that fades in - before the band crash in and a mid-paced, crunchy tune is born. The main riff is pretty groovy, which sets the tone for the whole song, whilst industrial programmed percussion loops add to sparser instrumental breaks - which differ nicely from the crunchy verses, backed by a snaking bassline and subtle keyboard symphonics. Vicky has always been a pleasing singer. She might not be the most powerful of vocalists, but her melodic voice is easy on the ear - and she has a knack for crafting memorable vocal melodies. She utilises her lower register somewhat during the verses here, before pushing herself a bit more during the chorus - which is a little more bombastic. A heavier instrumental bridge later sees some tougher riffing and faster double-bass drumming - but Winter in Eden always sit at the more accessible end of symphonic metal, and this opening track is a great example of such. The Curse continues on the Sleepwalk trilogy, with dense keyboards setting an early tone - before clean guitar melodies rein in the toughness of the previous track. A folky guitar melody provides an early hook, and even when the band kick in proper a similar version of the same melody is retained. Unlike many symphonic metal bands who are content to let the guitars just chug along, Winter in Eden have often had more interesting guitar arrangements. The main lead here is a strong hook, even though crunching rhythms remain ever-present, whilst another strong groove backs the song's verses - which is made more interesting by a synth lead at times. The folky intro is sometimes returned to, with percussive drumming creating a dynamic approach, whilst a melodic and fairly lengthy guitar solo from Kamath elevates the song further. The Sleepwalk trilogy is then rounded out by the brief Gone, which is essentially just a coda to the two previous numbers that sees Vicky singing against some keyboard swells. There is something of a darkness to the short number, but it works well given the chunky riffing that came before. Nobody is the first stand-alone song, then, with an opening that feels somewhat more dramatic. Crunchy guitars provide the main rhythms once again, but Steve's keyboards are much more bombastic and overtly symphonic here - and this approach continues throughout the latter parts of each verse and into the chorus. As such, there is something of a lushness to how this song sounds. The band, overall, just sound a bit bigger here. The guitars have real weight behind them - and there is also much more double bass drumming from Ashworth during choice moments. Subtle vocal harmonies also help the song to sound bigger - with the song just upping the stakes in a number of different ways.

My Imagination opens slowly, with the sound of a ticking clock - before a snaking guitar lead forms the first musical hook atop a strident hard rock beat and driving keyboard melodies. Like the previous song, this is a number that feels more overtly symphonic. The synths might not be as bombastic as they were during the previous number, but there is an overall richness to the overall sound that allows the band to sound grander than they sometimes do. The combination between the relative dryness of the guitar tones utilised and the warmth of the synths, including some twinkling melodies, does a lot of the work in that regard - but the strut of the rhythm section allows for a strong sense of purpose, too. This is a song that really pushes forward in a positive way, then, with Vicky really showcasing what she can do during a hooky and sultry chorus. Her tone really suits songs like this, and the subtle guitar leads that underpin the chorus only help to reinforce that majestic sound previously mentioned. The mix of the guitar and keyboard playing here is excellent, and the song is an overall highlight thanks to that and the big chorus. Silence opens with some quite hypnotic, repeated lyrics from Vicky - laying down a simplified version of the later chorus early on. This features the full band, but once the song transitions into the first verse most of the instruments are stripped away - leaving Vicky singing alone against Steve's piano playing. There is something of a sombre feel to the verses, then, even when later iterations feel a little bigger due to a drum and bass backing, but strings do enhance them as they move forward - with dense and shimmering keyboard arrangements a strong backing to the vocal and piano focus. The chorus is memorable thanks to the repeated vocal hooks, but it is probably not one with a huge amount of staying power due to how simple it is. It is easy to enjoy in the moment, though, and Vicky does show a bit more vocal diversity here, too, thanks to some higher-pitched vocals during later chorus renditions - especially during the song's powerful closing moments which see the pace upped and plenty of double bass drumming. The band's typical crunch returns in Prove You Wrong - a harder-hitting track with crunching guitar rhythms and dancing string melodies. The band's true symphonic side is on show during the intro and some of the instrumental breaks, then, but in general the verses are much more guitar driven - with a simple crunch allowing Vicky to sing again in a slightly lower register. There is plenty of weight here, then, which is enhanced by some choice moments of double bass drumming, but the chorus feels much more melodic - with a slightly faster pace and a repeated piano hook that worms into the brain. Pulsing synths are also utilised during a later instrumental break to re-introduce a symphonic warmth - before Jolie lays down something of a guitar solo during a more bombastic longer instrumental moment. The closing moments of the song up the heaviness overall, too, with some harsh vocals thrown in in the background - courtesy of another Johnson by the name of Thomas.

Rise returns to something of a folky approach, at least early on, with a strangely screaming guitar lead that somewhat sounds like uilleann pipes. There is a toughness to this song's folky feel, though. There are no acoustic guitars or slow-burning sections this time, with it instead being a somewhat faster and tougher song overall - just with a few folky melodies here and there. The guitar crunch feels more pronounced than ever, and there is a darker toughness to parts of the track - with some discordant little guitar motifs to add a more overtly metallic feel. Where this song really excels, though, is during its chorus. There are a number of strong choruses on this album, but Rise's might be the best one - thanks to Vicky's big melodies, wordless vocal moments, and a great mix of guitar toughness and dancing keyboards. Majesty and heaviness combine nicely here, with the song being another overall highlight. Impossible Dream returns to a more piano-based approach. After the crunch of the previous song, this is a number that slows the pace down - opening with shimmering synths, to which some piano is soon added. There are strong ballad vibes throughout this number, and the pace never really picks up - but there is still some weight added by some drawn out guitar chords as well as some mournful riffing later on which is topped by some piano flurries and chiming synth melodies. I like the fact that the band still managed to add some weight here - as that feels like their core approach. It would have been easy for this number to just have been a piano ballad, and those quieter moments are welcome, but the dynamic approach is more fitting overall - and helps to keep the band's core, tougher sound feeling pretty well established throughout the whole album. The album then comes to a close with Show Me, a song which opens with some slow-burning guitar leads - but once Ashworth lays down a big drum fill the song gets going proper, with staccato verses built around a snappy little guitar riff and some bursts of double bass drumming. There is a drive to the piece which is not given away by the initial guitar hooks, then, but essentially the song is more of the same when the band's core sound is considered. That mix of toughness and melody that keeps everything else going here is back again in a big way - although there are some stronger moments of symphonic synths at times, including during a slightly choppy instrumental bridge section that later morphs into another strong guitar solo from Kamath. Much of the band's material is on the mid-paced side, too, but this one does feel a little more urgent without ever being truly fast - and it feels like a song seeing the band upping the levels a little as the album comes to a close. The song feels like an album closer, then, with a little more of an epic feel - even if the core Winter in Eden sound is still very much on show here. Overall, then, Never Untold keeps the Winter in Eden train moving forward in a positive direction. There is definitely a snappiness to this album, as well as the previous one, which was perhaps not featured on the band's first three albums - but the tightness works well given the band's core sound. That crunch and the relative restraint shown in terms of bombast helps to set Winter in Eden apart from other symphonic metal acts - and this album sees the band once again playing to their strengths, even following the hiatus and line-up changes.

The self-released album was released on 3rd July 2026. Below is the band's promotional video for Sleepwalk 1.1 - In Plain Sight.

Deep Purple's 'Splat!' - Album Review

I spoke fairly recently on this blog about the greatness of some veteran bands' late career album runs. Too many bands just seem to have decided that they are now old and have nothing left to say, or seem unwilling to adapt to a modern music industry where pampering A&R departments and big advances to record new albums do not really exist. Those bands who have adapted and remain creative should be celebrated, then. Uriah Heep are probably the band that is currently on the greatest late career run, in my opinion anyway, but there is also a strong case to say that Deep Purple should have the crown. Given the eight year gap between 2005's Rapture of the Deep and 2013's Now What?! (which I reviewed here), at one point it deep seem as if Deep Purple's days as a creative force were done. Now What?! changed that, though, and kick-started a late-career run that is now five albums, not including 2021's pandemic covers album Turning to Crime, deep. This period has seen the band work with famed producer Bob Ezrin, who really seems to get the best out of Deep Purple as they are today. There are certainly decent songs on albums like 2003's Bananas and the aforementioned Rapture of the Deep - but they pale in comparison to the early releases of the Steve Morse era, let alone anything that came during the band's main 1970s and 1980s commercial peaks. Now What?! changed that, though. It is still likely my favourite of the current run, just because of how fresh it seemed at the time, but all of the albums that followed have added something positive to the overall Deep Purple canon - mixing the band's classic hard rock sound with a whimsical approach and progressive rock influences. Even a line-up change could not negatively impact this run - with Morse being replaced by Simon McBride back in 2022 following the former spending 28 years in the band. Quite the contrary, in fact, as McBride seems to have given the band yet more energy. Morse was great in Deep Purple, but his jazz fusion and progressive rock background perhaps always meant that there was a point of difference between him and the rest of the band. McBride comes from much more of a hard rock and blues background, though, which perhaps makes him, on paper, a better fit. He was certainly not a star before joining Deep Purple, but those in the know likely knew of him thanks to his presence on the scene for many years - including stints with bands like Sweet Savage and Snakecharmer, as well as working with various current Deep Purple members outside of the band. We are now four years into the McBride era, Mark IX as it is known by fans, and its second album Splat! was recently released. Mark IX got underway proper in 2024 with =1 (which I reviewed here) - a strong album that saw Deep Purple largely continue on the sound established on Now What?! and the Morse-era albums that followed, albeit with a bit more of a focus on riffs. Two years on, and Splat! essentially treads the same path. As was the case then, too, Splat! feels driven by the band's two newest members, McBride and keyboard player Don Airey - although the latter has now spent 24 years in Deep Purple. Airey has really been the driving force for years, with the three classic-era members seemingly happy to let him take the lead - adding their class and experience to allow for that classic Deep Purple vibe to establish itself as it always seems to, no matter who is in the band at any one time.

Splat! appears to be quite a lengthy album, with 13 songs included, but, as it is just over 50 minutes long, no song ever really outstays its welcome. The songwriting is tight, then, but there are still progressive rock influences - even if this album is perhaps the chunkiest the band have done for some time. Deep Purple have remained a rock band, but they rarely truly roar like they used to. They still do not here, but the riffier nature of the last album has been built on further. Such is on display right away on lead single Arrogant Boy, a pretty hard-hitting number that opens up the album. A pacy, shuffling groove starts things off - with McBride laying down a gritty guitar rhythm whilst Airey creates the main musical hook with a classic-sounding Hammond organ pattern. There is a strong hard rock groove throughout the song, but it really focuses on hooks, too. There are limited moments of instrumental showboating, aside from a back-and-forth between the guitar and keyboards later, which culminates in some neo-classical keyboard bombast, but instead the verses and chorus are snappy. Frontman Ian Gillan sounds great here. He has long adapted his singing style to suit his age, with the verses here full of that classic off-beat humour and wordplay that he is known for. Rumbling organ backs his snappy melodies, especially during the chorus, whilst the rhythm section keep the groove going. This song may be less riffy than some of Deep Purple's numbers, but there is still a toughness present - with the organ doing most of the heavy lifting. Those wanting something a bit tougher will love Diablo, a mid-paced, riffy track that opens with a barrelling, bluesy guitar and organ combo that has plenty of the classic Deep Purple sound on display from the off. Country star Keith Urban adds some additional guitar to the track, but it is unclear exactly why or what he offers to this song that McBride could not - I am sure that the main riff and later solos are all McBride, whilst Airey again has plenty to say with some blistering organ runs and more back-and-forth solos. This later instrumental section is quite lengthy, underpinned by some excellent bass playing from Roger Glover, and the way that it later morphs back into the song's main riff works nicely - in time for Gillan to strut his stuff during one last groovy verse, which even features some slightly demonic vocals from him. The Rider is somewhat similar to the previous number pace-wise, but it is less riff-driven - with the song instead getting underway with a darker groove, immediately setting the tone for a pulsing verse. The guitars and bass have a satisfying crunch, whilst the hard-hitting drumming of Ian Paice adds that jazzy flair that has always underpinned Deep Purple's harder rock sound. Whilst the previous couple of songs felt hookier thanks to strong choruses, this song is more atmospheric and vibe-driven. The chorus here is less interesting, but the atmosphere conjured by the heavier feeling and plenty more organ playing still ensures the song is memorable - whilst McBride's guitar solo later also has a darker, more controlled feel. The Lunatic picks up the pace somewhat, getting underway with a more snappy mid-paced guitar and keyboard pattern that is pretty hooky and forms the basis of the verses. There is a simplicity to this pattern, but the song later expands on it, creating instrumental moments around it - which showcase the band's progressive influences in my view. This song certainly feels a bit knottier musically than anything heard here so far, aside from maybe the solo showcase in Diablo, with the song's shuffle, hard rock backing, and progressive tendencies all coming together nicely. Gillan delivers during another strong chorus, too, which is more cinematic than overtly hooky, whilst lengthy organ and guitar solos yet again impress.

As is often the case with these newer Deep Purple albums, many of the songs here take a few listens to fully appreciate - but The Only Horse in Town was one that stood out from the off. It is very much typical of the band's recent core sound, with a strutting mid-paced groove driving everything whilst Airey's organ does most of the musical heavy lifting. Unlike some of the band's other songs, though, there is definitely a bit of a pop sheen here. The chorus feels sweeter than is often the case for Deep Purple, but it does not feel out of place - with Gillan instead just letting some easy-on-the-ear melodies flow. The driving organ hooks are memorable throughout, whilst the general rhythms throughout keep the song ticking. McBride's solo is one of his best, too, really channelling the feel of Ritchie Blackmore at times. Sacred Land opens slowly, with atmospheric synths and some Eastern-tinged keyboard melodies - but soon the rest of the band kick in and the song morphs into a creeping hard rocker. Ironically, there are shades of Rainbow's Gates of Babylon in the song's structure and Eastern influences, but Sacred Land is less epic - instead going for more of a typical Deep Purple groove despite the slower pace and atmospheric approach. Gillan's current vocal abilities perhaps limit this song from reaching its potential, but I still like his current approach in general - I just feel that a different singer would have probably made more of the song's chorus. Airey's synth solo is great, though, as it is different to his usual organ-based approach - shaking things up somewhat. The Beating of Wings shakes things up a bit further, too, with Airey swapping his organ for an electric piano - playing percussive counter-melodies in between movements of the song's slow-burning, bluesy guitar riff. This is one of the most guitar-driven pieces here, then, with the piano adding colour. The piano sound and approach reminds me somewhat of Led Zeppelin's No Quarter - but the song overall is more bluesy and rocking than that effort, and there is a fun, laid back, even lazy approach to the groove - which is later enhanced by McBride's quite lengthy guitar solo. Deep Purple have always had a bluesy side to their playing, but it does not always rear its head - so it is nice to hear those influences in a bigger way here. Guilt Trippin' also opens slowly, firstly with some piano melodies before a guitar melody takes over - under which the band joins in, getting the song underway proper. Once it gets going, the song is one of the hardest-hitting here. Paice's drum grooves feel heavy, whilst the guitar and organ presence is weighty - often adding faster riffs and melodies. There are some great guitar and keyboard interplay moments here, but perhaps the main point of difference is Gillan's vocals. He attempts the more screaming sound that he used to be known for, and pulls it off surprisingly well - even if vocal effects and layering are likely doing some heavy lifting. It gives the song a potent feel, which is later built upon during a powerful instrumental moment with faster-paced guitar soloing and boogie piano runs. Scriblin' Gib'rish returns more to a core mid-paced sound, but the toughness of the previous number is somewhat retained - with McBride's crunchy guitar rhythms nicely backing the verses, whilst barrelling guitar and keyboard melodies are utilised throughout as punctuation between vocal-led sections. Vocally, the song is less memorable. Gillan's vocal delivery does sit nicely within the grooves, but there is not really a chorus here to latch onto. There is quite a lot going on musically, though, with warm synths and organs creating a strong keyboard backing - with the synths being used as a lead which is rarity for Deep Purple.

On the home strait, now, and Jessica's Bra is immediately an upbeat number - with a memorable organ motif that kicks things off and surfaces again throughout the song pretty regularly. This is one of those songs that sees Deep Purple acting in a more whimsical and slightly silly manner - but this is how the band have occasionally operated for many years. Gillan gets to showcase his off-kilter lyric writing here, and his storytelling vocal delivery is a big part of what makes the song fun. A classic shuffling groove and the aforementioned organ motif keep things musically interesting - but later McBride lays down what is maybe his fastest and most venomous solo on the album, which seems a little strange given the song's overall vibe. This is clearly just the band having fun, and that feeling shines through. Third Call slows the pace down somewhat, instead going for a much more overtly groove-based approach. Big riffs and musical moments are reined in somewhat, with the track again going for a bluesier feel. There are harder-hitting sections later on, with huge washes of organ and held guitar chords, but early on the verses have a shuffling, laid back feel with Paice's drumming doing a lot of the work - whilst sparser guitar leads and organ melodies intertwine around Gillan's laid back, lyrical delivery. The song has a bit of a different feel, then, but I like how it grows pretty organically throughout - and it does explode later into a strong solo section with some furious organ playing from Airey. My New Movie is much more typical of the current core Deep Purple sound - although there is perhaps something more overtly old-school-sounding about it. I could really see this song sitting on 1973's Who Do We Think We Are, as it seems to channel the slightly left-field sound that made that album a bit of a headscratcher back in the day - but the unmistakable Deep Purple hooks from the 1970s and today are still present, with a swinging chorus that really lodges in the brain and another really great solo from McBride. Classical keyboard interludes and a pretty heavy groove thanks to Paice and Glover's work add a lot, too, with the song being something of a late album highlight. The album then comes to a close with its title track, another piece led by some excellent Paice drumming - and there is also a bit of a darker tone here at times. It is not as dark-sounding as The Rider, but there is something really bassy and griding about the organ riffing this time - with plenty of crunch also added thanks to McBride's guitar playing. Hookier, lighter moments are included, with a keyboard-heavy bridge later leading into a buzzing keyboard solo - but overall the song has more of a creeping feel that sounds quite different to most of the rest of the album. It does not really feel like a great concluding piece, though. I like it when an album's closing track feels like something of a definitive statement, and that is not really the case with Splat!. It just somewhat ends, and it would have likely been better if the closing track had felt more epic and lengthy compared to the rest of the album - but this is not a massive negative overall, the ending just feels a bit abrupt and strange as a result. Overall, though, I really like this latest Deep Purple album - as I have done with everything released since Now What?!. Like most of these recent Deep Purple albums, it takes a few listens to fully appreciate, but the songwriting is tight and the musicianship of Airey and McBride in particularly really shines through. There are plenty of hooks, riffs, and solos to keep me coming back anyway, and fans of Deep Purple will just be able to enjoy how this long-standing band continues to find ways to be creative in their seventh decade as a band.

The album was released on 3rd July 2026 via earMusic. Below is the band's promotional video for Arrogant Boy.

Dominum's 'Night Is Calling' - Album Review

I generally consider myself pretty on the ball when it comes to the current metal scene - at least when it comes to the more melodic metal end of the genre. I cannot profess to be an expert on the more extreme end of the metal world - but I am generally pretty up to date when it comes to progressive, power, and symphonic metal. As such, it may surprise some that I was not familiar with the German power metal four-piece Dominum until last year - when I saw them live in Bristol opening for Battle Beast. In fairness to me, Dominum have only been around since 2022, and have something of a gimmick which I generally try and avoid these days, but I had not even heard of them before they were announced as being a part of that Battle Beast tour - and I had not even bothered to check them out beforehand. I had enjoyed the pretty traditional European power metal of Majestica that opened the night - but my heart sank when I saw four musicians taking to the stage wearing zombie attire and masks, so I was very much ready to not enjoy the next 45 or so minutes. Quite the contrary, though, I ended up really enjoying Dominum's set. They might be a gimmicky band, but the stage patter of frontman Felix Heldt, in character as Dr. Dead, revealed that quite a few of the songs had deeper and more human meanings than they might have originally seemed - plus they were all just full of hooks. I later saw one reviewer describe them as a bit of a mix between Ghost and Sabaton sound-wise. Whilst not a 100% accurate description in my opinion, I certainly understand what that reviewer meant - and I cannot really think of a better one. The band are not as intricate nor as enigmatic as Ghost, nor as they as consistently hard rocking and bombastic as Sabaton. There are certainly shades of both bands in Dominum's sound, as well as plenty of other influences from the worlds of pop, rock, and metal. Heldt also has a behind-the-scenes career as a producer and songwriter - and when I realised that he was one of the main names behind Visions of Atlantis' last couple of studio albums, things began to fall into place somewhat. He has also worked with bands like Freedom Call and Warkings - with all of these influences helping to fuel the strange, melodic, and spooky world of Dominum. Given that the band only formed in 2022, too, they have been busy. Their third album dropped last month, following 2023's Hey Living People and 2024's The Dead Don't Die. 2025 was seemingly spent largely on the road, but having something new to enjoy so soon after seeing the band last year is a treat - and that aforementioned third album Night Is Calling has been on pretty regular rotation over the past month or so. I have largely moved away from silly power metal, and there is certainly a dose of silly in Dominum's sound, but there also appears to be more substance than night be expected - although how long they can keep the gimmick going remains to be seen. Heldt is certainly the driving force here, although Robin Felder, who seems to regularly work with Heldt as a songwriter, is also responsible for a lot from behind the scenes. Dominum's line-up has remained the same since the off, too, with guitarist Jochen Windisch, as Tommy Kemp, bassist Korbinian Benedict, as Patient Zero, and drummer Marcos Feminella, as Victor Hilltop, all joining Heldt again on album number three.

I picked up the band's other two albums not long after seeing them, but I did wonder if cracks would start to show on album three. So far, though, I feel that Night Is Calling is as strong as the two albums that came before - and some of my favourite Dominum tracks so far are on this latest effort. The poppy, atmospheric, power metal sound previously cultivated remains here - but there is perhaps a bit more bombast this time, with the power metal sounds here more overt. There are some different roads taken, too, and the opening number The Circus Is in Town showcases a more vaudevillian approach - mixing crunchy mid-paced metal with traditional clown music and some of that bombast. Heldt opens the song, and album, with a whispered version of its chorus - before an industrial, mid-paced guitar riff takes over, over which the aforementioned clown music is laid. The clown melodies are very familiar, and have been used to represent the circus for years, but they work well here in small doses - whilst the verses feel heavier thanks to the somewhat industrial guitar tones and a slightly effects-heavy vocal from Heldt. There is a toughness to the verses, then, but the chorus feels brighter - with plenty of synths and a more typical vocal from Heldt. His voice is layered with effects to inject that industrial feel during the chorus - which feels poppier overall. The song's relatively heavier feel is later added to thanks to a breakdown section, which includes some harsh-adjacent vocals. Dominum rarely do things of this nature, but it works well here - and the whole song feels a little different for the band. As such, it might seem like a strange album opener - but the sounds work well together. Doctor Doctor, which follows, feels much more expected - with the core Dominum sound forged on the past two albums pushed to the fore here. Some juddering, hooky synths open the song up - before a big drum roll leads into the verse, with chugging guitar rhythms and an alluring Heldt vocal. He has a slight poppy, gothic approach to singing at times, with the verses here exemplifying such - before the chorus ramps up the overall power, injecting more of a traditional power metal sound. The vocals during the chorus are grittier at times, too, despite a call-and-response style utilised - whilst a later wordless vocal mid-section acts in place of a guitar solo or similar to create a late-stage hook. Dominum are not a band that show off musically all that often - with essentially everything on the album angled towards ensuring that all of the hooks crafted hit hard. Perhaps my favourite track here is Children of the Night, a much more overt power metal anthem - with strong gothic overtones. Like the opening song, this song opens with Heldt whispering part of the chorus - before a pretty tight guitar riff takes over. The guitars throughout the album are generally crunchy, with big riffs not the order of the day, but the riff here feels a little more involved - and this helps the song to feel a little heavier overall again. The bass largely comes to the fore during the verses, which are more mid-paced overall with strident vocals - whilst the chorus explodes with power metal bombast, jagged guitars, and smooth, stabbing synths. Heldt's ability to craft a huge chorus is on show here - and the melodies throughout this song really stick in the brain. This song stood out to me from the off, and it remains a real favourite - with a relatively rare guitar solo adding some extra juice to the track.

Nosferatu is another strong song, opening with some staccato, gothic synths - before a fairly heavy guitar rhythm takes over. There is a bit more for the guitarists here, with plenty of heavy and rhythmic guitar playing throughout - and there are even feature guitar leads thrown in. Musically, the band just feels a bit more fired up here. There are passages of double bass drumming, spicing things up, whilst the different guitar approaches keep things interesting. There is quite a lot going on here vocally, too. Heldt adopts a bit more of an unhinged approach this time, with quite a lot of variety in his delivery. There are screamier moments alongside gothic, crooned sections - whilst the chorus sees him return to his poppier approach. The chorus here is perhaps not as hooky as some of the album's best, but there are still plenty of strong vocal moments - and the guitar playing throughout helps to create further interest. Opening with piano melodies and some more reserved vocals, Dark Melodies has more of a melancholic feel at first. Shuffling guitars and drums soon join in, and the verses are characterised by this slightly off-kilter feel - whilst the piano and vocals continue to dominate. There is little proper heaviness early on, with ballad-esque vibes during parts of the verses - allowing for a more atmospheric feel. The song ramps up towards its chorus, though, which is much more band-orientated - and any ballad vibes drop away. The chorus is bombastic and tougher, despite a measured, mid-paced feel retained, whilst more guitar leads are thrown in for effect. Later verses feel a bit fuller thanks to a stronger bass presence - and this is another song which channels some vaudevillian vibes, although not as expressly as the opening song did. Piano is retained during the album's title track, although it feels more upbeat, Sparks-like, as the song gets going. Unlike the previous song, then, this is more of a proper rocker - with staccato verses backed by the aforementioned piano and a bigger overall sound. There is quite a bit of energy throughout, then, with the song moving towards a powerful, metallic chorus. Marina La Torraca (Phantom Elite; Exit Eden; Battle Beast) duets with Heldt here, singing during the second verse and later chorus renditions. Her powerful voice adds quite a lot to the song, but it is somewhat strange that she is included here given that she was not Battle Beast's singer when Dominum toured with them. This matters not, though, as the combination of her and Heldt's voices works well - with the urgency of the chorus sticking thanks to the pair of them. Another favourite song in the form of Jack the Ripper follows. It is another really old-school-sounding Dominum song - with a great mix of gothic melodrama and pop metal hooks. It starts slowly, with pulsing synths and Heldt's delicate vocals - as the band slowly move through the gears as the first verse proceeds. Powerful basslines and chunky guitar rhythms later add depth, whilst the drumming creates a fun groove, but it is the chorus where this song shines. It is another candidate for best chorus on the album - with Heldt going all-out with a big choral approach and plenty of grit. The faster pace of the chorus just helps the hooks to stick, too, whilst a riffy and somewhat symphonic mid-section later add some proper power metal vibes. The hooks are to die for here, though, and that is really what makes this song tick. Everything else just adds flavour and makes the song better - but those core chorus hooks are what drew me in from first listen.

All of the band's previous albums have included a cover, and this album is no different with Michael Jackson's Thriller getting the Dominum treatment. This is fitting, given the song's famous video - and Dominum's version works well - with crunchy guitars replacing the original's classic synth bassline, whilst the dramatic, gothic synths of the original are repurposed. Dominum's version feels slightly faster, which suits the album, but it is instantly recognisable as Thriller - even if Heldt will never be in the same league as Jackson as a singer. Heldt does a great job, though, especially when he adds some grit during the chorus - which just feels more metallic overall thanks to the faster pace and some double bass drumming. It is a shame that the narration from the original was not recreated somewhat - but overall the band's take on the classic song is fun. Devil's Son is probably the last great track here, and the pace is picked up to allow for a much more metallic approach. There is more of an urgency to Heldt's vocals this time, especially early on during the first verse - which takes a while to build up. Later verses are more hard-driving with double bass drumming and crunchy riffing - but there is a staccato, stabbing vibe to the first verse, which contrasts nicely with the fast-paced and energetic chorus. Heldt utilises his grittiest vocals during the snappy chorus, which also features some hooky, wordless vocal melodies, and this is another chorus that takes hold from the off. The song gets a little more majestic as it moves along, too, with a symphonic bridge section that slows the pace down somewhat. The final two songs are not up to the levels of quality generally shown here in my view - with I Don't Drink Wine feeling a bit bland compared to what came before. The song's chorus is quite good, and it has a quite epic feel that works well - but I do not think that the rest of the song really stands up to it. Some interesting riffing does join in later on, but I do not find that the song opens with a bang - and the verses are just a bit on the flat side. The chorus does get better which each listen, so it may be that, in time, the song moves further up in my estimations, but, as things stand, it is one of my least favourite efforts here. A big opening hook and some more interest during the verses would have really helped in my view. The album then comes to a close with Endzeit, a decent track overall, but, again, not one that feels as strong as much of the rest of the album. What is interesting about this one, though, is the return of the industrial sounds from the album's opening number. The riffing feels a bit more mechanical here, whilst colder synths and textures are generally utilised throughout. As such, there is quite a strong contrast between the heavier moments and the more poppy sections. The riffing is sharp, and Heldt splits his time between smoother and grittier vocals nicely - but something about the song does not hit as hard melodically. The chorus is pretty decent, but it does not pop like some of the others do - and there is perhaps less fun on show here overall. It is still a decent tune, though, especially as it showcases a bit of a different side of the band's songwriting approach - thanks to the more in-your-face riffing and industrial synths. Overall, though, Night Is Calling is another very strong album from Dominum that builds on what came before, whilst ensuring that a core sound is retained. The experimental moments here are fun, and the plentiful big choruses make the album a joy to listen to. I am somewhat surprised that this band is not bigger than they are already, but they are embarking on a proper headline tour later this year - and I am hoping to get to Bristol should it make financial sense to do so.

The album was released on 3rd July 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Doctor Doctor.

Arch Enemy - London Review

Over the past few years, I have seen Arch Enemy live regularly. I have now seen them live seven times overall, but four of those have come since 2022 - starting with a co-headline show at the O2 Academy in Brixton with Behemoth that year. Two shows at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith followed, once as a co-headliner with In Flames and second as a headliner but backed by a strong bill including Amorphis and Eluveitie, with the band having long established themselves as one of the big hitters of the European metal scene. I started following the band in the late 2000s, when 2007's Rise of the Tyrant was their most recent release, and even then they were pretty big. Of late, though, Arch Enemy seem to have rise through the ranks further - with the Alissa White-Gluz era, that ran between 2014 and 2025, seemingly pushing the band higher up the food chain, even if, in my view at least, some of the albums released during her tenure as frontwoman felt less inspiring than what had come before. That being said, though, last year's Blood Dynasty (which I reviewed here) was an album I enjoyed more than I expected to. The two albums that preceded it may well be my least favourite Arch Enemy releases, despite some strong songs, but Blood Dynasty felt tighter and hookier overall - and it ended up capping the White-Gluz era nicely when she left the band late last year at the end of their European tour. I certainly did not see the line-up change coming, but I was not hugely upset by the news. I liked White-Gluz in the band, but I only genuinely really like two of the four albums that they put out during her tenure, so perhaps a shake-up was no bad thing. I was pretty hyped when it was announced earlier this year that former Once Human frontwoman Lauren Hart was going to be taking her place. Whilst I was never a massive Once Human fan, I always liked Hart as a singer - and I saw her live a few times with Kamelot during the couple of years she acted as their touring female vocalist. The song Arch Enemy released to introduce Hart as their new singer, To the Last Breath, impressed, too. It was very much Arch Enemy-101, but the hooks were strong - and it certainly got me more excited than many of their other songs from more recent years. Not too long after Hart was announced as the band's singer, too, Arch Enemy announced a European tour over the summer - which included some small club shows in between larger festival dates. With a new singer in tow, they clearly wanted to turn the clock back somewhat and play some venues that they had not played for a long time. This tour was not the first run of shows with Hart, as some long-standing Asian dates followed not long after she was announced, but it felt like the first 'proper' tour in a way - given that it looked to be a lengthy trek with something of a unique identity in terms of venues. Two UK shows were included, and when I saw that the band would be playing at The Underworld in Camden I knew that I had to try and get a ticket. They went on sale the same day as the tour was announced, and I was lucky enough to get one. The show sold out in about two hours, which is not surprising considering that the venue is significantly smaller than those the band tend to play these days. They last played The Underworld back in 2002 - so it was with excitement that I headed up to London again yesterday and joined the queue snaking around Camden not too long before the doors were due to open. The venue opened around 20 minutes late, which was annoying, but what was more annoying was the long wait that followed. The door time was 7pm, but Arch Enemy did not come on until 9pm - and there was no support act. This made for a dull couple of hours, but thankfully the venue's air con was doing a good job - and I got a t-shirt whilst waiting.

I got a spot about three-quarters of the way back on the main floor - as I have long learnt that trying to stand in the 'upstairs' bit at The Underworld during busy shows essentially means having very little view. I had a pretty good view from where I was - and, despite the sold out crowd, a modicum of personal space. I had wondered if the floor would essentially turn into one huge mosh pit, but thankfully that was not the case - with excellent moshing etiquette observed, ensuring that everyone enjoyed the show and an excellent atmosphere was present from the off. Given this atmosphere present, the long wait was soon forgotten when Arch Enemy took to the stage - and from the off the sound was excellent. A synth-heavy intro tape soon morphed into the percussive stomps of the brief Tear Down the Walls - which was a clue that the oldie Silent Wars was going to kick things off. Setlist-wise, the next 100 or so minutes were a really treat for classic-era Arch Enemy fans. Lots of songs that had not been played live for quite some time were included - including the thrashy opener Silent Wars and the more anthemic Taking Back My Soul which followed. A number of songs that I had not seen the band do live before were played - with only three songs from the White-Gluz era, which has dominated recent setlists, being retained. It is unclear what future setlists will look like, especially following the band's next album, but it is clear that they wanted to have some fun on this small rooms tour - and treat long-time fans with a setlist for the ages. I have already mentioned how good the sound was, but it really was crystal clear. Everything could be heard in the mix, and Hart powered above the band - her excellent harsh vocals really doing justice to material from all eras of Arch Enemy. In my view, she is a better fit than White-Gluz. Her growls are closer to that of classic frontwoman Angela Gossow's, and she even adopted a guttural bark to sing the one Johan Liiva era number played in full. She came across as humble and likeable, too, something which White-Gluz never seemed - so I feel that Hart is a real upgrade in all departments. This is not meant to dismiss White-Gluz's contributions to the band over the past nine years, as I saw the band numerous times with her and she always gave her all - but she, in retrospect, often seemed a bit standoffish and sometimes there seemed a lack of chemistry between her and the rest of the band. Hart seems a great fit, then, and she was given a huge welcome by the London crowd - with a couple of chants of her name breaking out at various times during the night. This was mostly down to the fact that she just nailed song after song.

Die-hard fans loved hearing songs like The First Deadly Sin after so long - but even setlist staples of recent years such as Ravenous and War Eternal sounded fresh. Bandleader Michael Amott (guitar/vocals) seemed really fired up, too. His Michael Schenker-on-speed guitar playing style was on full show, with solo after solo hitting the spot - whilst Joey Concepcion (guitar/vocals) played the shreddier side of the band's leads with aplomb, even if one of The Underworld's famous pillars meant that I did not always have a great view of him. I have already mentioned To the Last Breath, but it really shows that the future of Arch Enemy is bright - with the new anthem being greeted as warmly as any of the classics. The White-Gluz era songs were also well received, with The Eagle Flies Alone later in the set getting plenty of love. The band largely just let the music do the talking, but Hart spoke to the crowd a few times - and it is clear that she already feels at home in Arch Enemy, despite coming across very humble and happy to be there. She joked with those in the front row and had a great stage presence throughout - hyping up a return to the dark past during the oldie Bury Me an Angel and bringing out a flag to fly during Under Black Flags We March before realising there was barely any space to do so. The size of the room did a lot in terms of shaping the show, then, with everyone in attendance soon drenched in sweat despite the air con doing its best. The band seemed to love it, though, with plenty of jumping during the anthemic No Gods, No Masters - with even Amott at some point taking the microphone to briefly talk to the crowd about how special the show was. As the set reached the final quarter, there were still surprises to come. The brief instrumental I Am Legend was another rarity, but instead of being paired with Out for Blood as it is on 2005's Doomsday Machine it was paired with Dead Bury Their Dead - which featured an extended bass-led instrumental mid-section which allowed Sharlee D'Angelo (bass guitar) a moment in the spotlight. The choppy and melodic Burning Angel was another oldie that was great to finally hear live - before the main set came to a close with We Will Rise, a song which does not feel like it has been played live in recent years as often as it should have been. This was the end of the main set, but there was, of course, time for more - with the band coming back on stage after a couple of minutes to launch into the thrashy Blood on Your Hands - a personal favourite of mine that I was really happy to finally hear live. The crowd loudly shouted the chorus back at the band, in a fashion which made its lengthy absence from the setlist seem strange, before there was a brief respite in the form of the melodic instrumental Snow Bound. This was Amott's guitar showcase - but, as it so often is, it acted as the intro for Nemesis, the closing anthem that rounded out what was a truly excellent night, capped off by a instrumental rendition of part of Fields of Desolation as is often the case. The setlist was:

Tear Down the Walls

Silent Wars

Taking Back My Soul

The First Deadly Sin

Ravenous

War Eternal

To the Last Breath

Blood Dynasty

Bury Me an Angel

Under Black Flags We March

The Eagle Flies Alone

No Gods, No Masters

I Am Legend/Dead Bury Their Dead

Burning Angel

Dead Eyes See No Future

We Will Rise

-

Blood on Your Hands

Snow Bound

Nemesis

Fields of Desolation

Enter the Machine

I have enjoyed seeing Arch Enemy each of the previous six times, but number seven last night was the best by far. Seeing the band in such an intimate setting was a real treat - with a setlist that was so different from anything else the band had been doing in recent years. I imagine that some of these songs will go back into hibernation again after this tour, which makes last night extra special - but I do hope that the band is not as neglectful of some of their older albums as they have sometimes been going forward. I was pleased to see My Apocalypse dropped, too, as it has never been a favourite of mine - although I do note that is included in the festival set being played on this tour, which differs quite a lot from the setlist shown above. Arch Enemy have survived another member change, and, so far, seem to have come out the other side stronger - and I cannot wait for what is to come.

Masterplan's 'Metalmorphosis' - Album Review

Given that I have covered quite a lot of power and progressive metal on this blog over the years, it is perhaps surprising that I have never written about the German five-piece Masterplan before. In truth, up until recently, Masterplan were just not a band that I knew all that much about. I remember hearing the title track of 2010's Time to Be King around the time it was released, and really liking it, but I never pushed on further - and did not actually listen to one of the band's albums in full until earlier this year. Given the band's links to Helloween, too, the fact that I largely ignored Masterplan until recently seems extra strange. Originally conceived as a side project of then Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch, the band took on a life of its own in 2001 when the pair were fired from Helloween - releasing their self-titled debut album in 2003. When I heard Time to Be King in 2010, I am not sure that I was properly familiar with Helloween at that point - so I was more interested in then-frontman Jørn Lande who I was already quite the fan of. When I did become a fan of Helloween, too, it took me a while to catch up to the Grapow and Kusch eras. I started with the band's most recent work and the late 1980s classics - so getting around the band's 1990s/2000s albums followed somewhat later. As such, I was less clear on the Helloween link to Masterplan - but even when I learnt more about Grapow and Kusch's eras of Helloween I still did not check out the latter properly. A part of this is just down to the sheer amount of music that there is to listen, but I think that it also comes down to the fact that Grapow is probably the Helloween songwriter that I connect with the least. He certainly wrote some strong songs for the band, as did Kusch, but his songs rarely jumped out at me as much as the songs written by the classic era members, Andi Deris, and Grapow's successor Sascha Gerstner. As such, a whole band largely based around Grapow's songwriting did not really appeal - but I have likely been missing out on a solid and enjoyable band as a result. Grapow's Helloween contributions have certainly grown on me, and Masterplan is not just about him - even though he is the band's leader and the only person to have appeared on all of their albums. Keyboard player Axel Mackenrott has been in the band since 2002, but clearly came in after work on Masterplan finished - and the current line-up has been in place since 2016. A decade of stability has followed quite a lot of chopping and changing, then, with co-founder Kusch dropping out in 2006 and the band is now on their third frontman - with Rick Altzi having been in place since 2012. I actually picked up 2013's Novum Initium quite a few years ago, but never got as far as actually listening to it - but I will be going back to it soon, as I have been enjoying the band's new seventh album Metalmorphosis, which dropped back in June. It is their first album of original material in 13 years, since Novum Initium, and their first one at all since 2017's PumpKings - a Helloween covers album that Grapow seemed to put together out of spite given that he was not invited to be a part of the on-going expanded version of Helloween. Metalmorphosis is the band's second album with the current line-up, then, which debuted on PumpKings - with bassist Jari Kainulainen and drummer Kevin Kott joining Altzi, Grapow, and Mackenrott. I cannot compare this album to what has come before, but Metalmorphosis is certainly a strong and enjoyable crunchy power metal effort - that occasionally flirts with progressive metal trappings. This is not upbeat power metal - but instead is more of a gritty effort along the lines of bands like Gamma Ray.

Most of the songs here were written by the band as a whole, but three of them were written by Grapow and outside writers. Grapow also produced, mixed, and mastered the album - showcasing his position as bandleader - whilst he also contributed some lead vocal moments alongside Altzi. Kicking off with Chase the Light, with dancing gothic strings setting a dark tone - as percussion slowly builds up, creating a film score feel as the album gets underway. Grapow's guitar soon fades into view, adding some crunching rhythms, before the band kick in proper - behind a chugging riff, groovy double bass drumming, and plenty of keyboards. Despite the double bass drumming and the energetic guitars, the song never feels all that fast. It is a bit more upbeat than a typical mid-paced track, but it does not exactly speed into the distance - and this crunchy, energetic feel largely represents the album's core sound. Altzi is not really a singer that I was all that familiar with before hearing this album, but his deeper, raspy voice certainly follows on from Lande in terms of a similar overall approach - although Altzi is perhaps more power metal coded with a slightly smoother delivery. He really shines during the hooky chorus, which slows the pace a little, whilst Mackenrott shifts his attentions to some more organ-like textures to create a more metallic base. Grapow adds some pre-chorus vocals occasionally, his heavily German-accented vocals adding a surprising edge to the track. A little goes a long way with his voice, but he shows off properly later with a fluid and shredded guitar solo - and later chorus renditions feature more of a lead guitar presence. Electric Nights feels a little more up-tempo and bouncy - with a hooky guitar lead setting a more overtly melodic tone, whilst shimmering keyboard tones deliver a strong power metal feel. Despite the energy of the opening guitar lead, the song is similar pace-wise to the opening number. There is a pleasing, kinetic feel to the track even though the pace is not all that fast - with the verses feeling a bit more stripped back at times, with just a punchy drum beat and Kainulainen's bass playing backing Altzi. These moments still feel energetic - but when the band kick in the power returns, and the later chorus is another hooky moment with smooth vocals, subtle guitar leads, and a somewhat majestic feel. Mackenrott's keyboard playing is not as in-your-face as such often is in power metal, but he is constantly there to add a depth to the sound that makes Masterplan feel big and powerful. Shadow Man, after a brief piano intro, slows the pace down compared to the previous couple of numbers - with a muscular riff driving everything, although at a pace that gives doomy vibes. There are certainly shades of epic doom bands like Candlemass on show here - especially thank to Altzi's theatrical and powerful vocal performance. He definitely sounds a little like Lande on this song, but I think his approach to melody is a bit different - as exemplified by the later chorus which is a bit on the smoother side compared to the heaviness of the song overall. As such, the song is a really good mix of the heavier end of Grapow's songwriting alongside a strong melodic approach - with doom and power metal sitting side by side to create something powerful.

Bound to Fall, opening with a bit more of an overt keyboard presence over some simpler guitar riffing, is more of a mid-paced rocker. The guitar riffing is generally less interesting throughout this song - with the song's intro seeing the shimmering keyboards taking on a more prominent role. Despite this, though, the keyboards are not really doing anything too interesting. They are mostly just playing an atmospheric role albeit much more prominently - and I would have rather had something more of a proper riff or melody instead to create some interest. Overall, too, this song just feels a bit less interesting compared to what has come up to this point. The chorus is pretty good, as most on this album are, but nothing else really jumps out at me. There is much less interest from a musician perspective, with no real guitar or keyboard riffs, with the song instead being something of a chug - which only really comes alive during the chorus. Pain of Yesterday immediately feels much more interesting, with an Eastern-tinged keyboard melody sitting above a groovy guitar pattern backed by some occasional double bass drum rolls. There is a real epic feel throughout the song, and it feels like it ups the band's cinematic side compared to everything else heard on the album so far. Mackenrott's playing shifts back and forth between the aforementioned lead playing and a dense atmospheric backing - whilst the darkness of the guitar riffing showcases the heavier side of Masterplan. This is one of those songs that sounds a bit like a heavy metal version of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. The keyboard melodies have a similarly Eastern tone - and Grapow's later guitar solo follows similar melodic cues, whilst feeling a bit more overtly melodic and less pace-orientated than some of the other solos here. Despite all of this, though, the chorus is one of the weaker efforts here. It feels a bit drawn out and less hooky than it could be, despite some strange gang vocals mixed into the background, so the song does lose a point or so for this. With a better chorus, the song would have likely been one of the best songs here. The album's title track follows, with a spacey synth melody opening things up - before another groovy, juddering riff takes over, with the synths providing melodies in the background. Picking up the pace again somewhat, driving double bass drumming and darker guitar chugs provide a tough verse backing for Altzi's vocals. There is a pleasing pace to the verses, although Altzi's smoother vocal delivery is surprisingly downbeat - but the contrast between the two approaches works pretty well. The band are back on their chorus game here, though, with a slower-burning, more anthemic chorus seeing the pace slow down for a period - whilst Altzi delivers some rumbling, powerful vocals. The song is slightly on the longer side compared to the others here, too, so the chorus and solo section really feel like they have space to breathe. Through the Storm, like the opening number, opens with some dramatic strings - but it is not long before one of Grapow's most venomous riffs takes over. There is a heaviness to this riff, but it is a pacy one - meaning that this song is one of the fasted cuts here. Masterplan are generally more of a crunchy power metal band as described, but this track is much more up-tempo - giving a more typical European power metal vibe. Mackenrott's keyboard textures are a little brighter, too, so as to really lean into such a sound - although they are fairly low in the mix, to allow a heaviness to remain present. Hooky vocal harmonies during what is another strong chorus allow for more melodies to establish themselves - whilst Grapow's fast-paced solo is a busy one.

Ghostlight returns to the album's more typical feel - with something of a crunching, mid-paced vibe thanks to some juddering, crunchy guitars and subtle synth undertones. Given the toughness of the guitar riffing, though, Altzi utilises the gruffer side of his voice. He is certainly a singer that can do quite a lot of different things. His smoother chorus delivery elsewhere on this album contrasts nicely with the grittier approach taken here - whilst his chorus vocals on this song are more powerful, allowing for something of a more epic approach. The chorus is the best part of the song, as it is another that perhaps lacks some big musical hooks. This is mostly a rhythmic and more mid-paced effort - but it does really allow Altzi to shine, and his vocal performance here is likely one of his best on the album as a result of the amount of space that he has to play with. The Call is the album's longest cut, at just over eight minutes. Most of the songs here are around the four-to-five minute work, so this song hints at a more progressive metal feel overall. As such, and given the presence of another really strong chorus, the song is one of the overall highlights here for me. It actually starts out quite humbly, with little to write home about early on, but the song morphs into a pretty powerful effort - with a chorus that really reaches for the sky. The overall arrangement is much more dynamic than anything else heard on the album, too. There is little on this album that is not pretty heavy. There are no ballads here, nor are there many moments that just slow the pace or strip the heaviness away, but this song does that - with a mid-section that sees clean guitars and Grapow's vocals creating a more atmospheric bridge moment, before the band crash back in again and Grapow launches into a big solo. As such, it is nice to have some variety here. I would not call Masterplan a progressive metal band, but this is certainly a song that includes plenty of progressive influences. The arrangement has a lot more room to breathe, and the length of Grapow's solo also brings many progressive metal bands to mind. Throw in the aforementioned big chorus, too, and the song is a winner. It may well be my favourite cut here, despite the lack of any real big riffs early on, and Grapow's vocal section resurfacing later on, this time heavier, also works really well. I wish there was a bit more on the album in this vein. The album then comes to a close with Rise Again, a much more typical Masterplan song - returning to the four minute approach of most of the rest of the album. Despite that, though, the song is another strong one. The opening instrumental section is instantly memorable, with screaming guitar leads, some synth interjections, and a strong groove from the off. Like many of the songs here, this is a pretty energetic number which feels a little faster than mid-paced without ever feeling fast. There are just strong headbanging grooves here, whilst some of Altzi's vocal melodies are a bit more on the urgent side at times. He slows down for another pretty strong chorus, which has a powerful keyboard halo to make it sound big, whilst the song climaxes with  a strong, marching rhythm and some more big vocals from Altzi. The album ends on a high, then, with two of its stronger tracks, but overall Metalmorphosis is an album that I have been enjoying. There are some weaker moments here, and it has not blown me away, but for a slab of crunchy, melodic power metal there is a lot to like here. Altzi really shines as a vocalist, and the songwriting from all involved is largely pretty tight. I would certainly like to check out some more from this band - so I seem to have a few albums to catch up on.

The album was released on 26th June 2026 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chase the Light.