Album: The Power Cosmic

Review: Metal is very open to cross-breeding. We've seen hybrids such as death/prog, thrash/black, power/prog, folk/death, etc. However, I think that Bal-Sagoth is one of the first bands to fully take on the challenge of black power metal. The result?

I personally think that this album is one of the most interesting things in my collection. It features some grizzly vocals and blindingly good atmosphere, while it also clings to that amazing power metal melody. The commitment this band has to their music is stunning.

This album is definitely worth a spin, and I'm sure that…

Album: Fatal Portrait

Review: Acquired tastes in vocals include many; Kevin James LaBrie of Dream Theater and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth are the two that spring to mind for me, personally. Both are highly ranked in my favorite singers list. However, one man whose vocals are often regarded as cheesy, crappy, and even girly is the Satanic man known as King Diamond. He is by far one of my favorite metal solo artists, and his music is brilliant.

All of his albums follow a storyline, and his debut is no exception. This album contains some of the greatest moments in…

Album: Accelerated Evolution

Review: Devin Townsend, acclaimed to be the mad-scientist of the metal world, has done some fantastic work in his career, but I think that this is one of his finest. This album contains everything that one would hope to expect from a progressive metal god such as Devy. This album contains some bone-crushing HevyDevy moments, as well as some softer ballad-esque selections.

This was the first album I had ever heard from the man, and it inspired me to get his entire discography of both his solo career and his band Strapping Young Lad. This is an…

Album: Soul Taker

Review: New Jersey may not be home to many metal bands, but of the ones that have spawned from that area, Attacker reigns as one of the best. Attacker is a power/thrash metal band with a voice like Axl Rose and riffs like Megadeth. The band may sound generic to the unskilled ear, but for mega metal fans such as I, they have landed a pleasant spot in my disposition.

I can't say that there's a whole lot about this album that stands out as being new, but one thing that I do know is that it…

Album: Judgement

Review: Some albums just take some time to get into. That was the case for me and this record. Anathema is a doom metal band that features mellow guitars and light-hearted vocals, yet depressing lyrics and a good atmosphere. The band really has a nice spot in the legions of doom metal.

This album in particular is definitive when it comes to creating a dreary, hopeless atmosphere. Why exactly is unknown, but these songs are simply fantastic and very nice to listen to no matter what mood you are in. I found that this is a nice album…

Album: Hysteria

Review: There are certain albums out there that seem to lack a whole lot of musicianship, yet they are incredibly fun and a blast to listen to. That would be Hysteria, by Def Leppard. This album lacks just about everything that a serious musician would view as unique or progressive, yet this album packs in so much catchiness that it's IMPOSSIBLE to not enjoy.

The albums lyrical themes cover matters such as women, fame, riches, and sex. Nothing on this album particularly jumps out as being new, but a great deal of this album does stand out…

Album: Tribute to the Gods

Review: Usually when a band releases a cover album, it bombs. The situation was no different in the eyes of many people when it came to this record. Iced Earth's appropriately-titled Tribute to the Gods just so happened to be the last recording that Matthew Barlow participated in with Iced Earth. Hell, it was his last recording overall. The man went out with a fiery bang, singing the songs that influenced him and inspired him.

This album in particular features some very big name songs, such as "The Number of the Beast", "Highway to Hell",…

Album: Twilight of the Idols

Review: I am into strange sounding bands, and one of my weirdest encounters would be the appropriately titled "The Lord Weird Slough Feg". The band features some of the most interesting folk metal that this world has ever heard. I think that this is a band that many people can get into, but open-minded people find themselves being more easily turned on by the music.

One thing that stands out in this band would be the vocals. This guy sounds like he could be in any sort of band he wanted to. He could be…

Album: Wishmaster

Review: Nightwish is a band that has been with me since I began my trek into metal. I found that the operatic female vocals really contrasted nicely with the pounding riffs and crazy solos of power metal. The band has really landed themselves a nice spot in the music industry.

This album was released when the band was in their prime, and all of the songs have a charming quality. Tarja is certainly one of metal's finest female vocalists, and it seems that her voice can do anything. She has a certain sense of beauty and feminine brutality…

In addition to recognizing my absolute favorite songs, I've decided that I might as well feature the 'underdogs' as well. These are songs that I find to be good, yet not impact-worthy. All of the songs in this series are notable.

1. Genesis- Harlequin

I am a big fan of Genesis, and my favorite album by the progressive rock band is Nursery Cryme. Among the best songs on the album include "The Fountain of Salmacis", "Harold the Barrel", and "The Return of the Giant Hogweed". However, one of the songs that is often left out of compilations is…