#melodicmetal — Public Fediverse posts

#NowPlaying #Evergrey

I really dig this album and next month a new release is coming! I'm really curios how it will sound like :D

https://album.link/gwm4qdchfmwqp

#metal #progressivemetal #melodicmetal

10/10 review for Timeless Rage - My Kingdom Come
https://metalallovertheworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/review-timeless-rage-album-my-kingdom.html
do you agree?

What do you think about our darker take on the genres?
#powermetal #symphonicmetal #progressivemetal #melodicmetal

Metalheads Forever Magazine‬ invited us for an interview about our Dark Symphonic Power Metal endeavour.

https://mhf-mag.com/interview-with-germanys-dark-symphonic-power-metal-band-timeless-rage/

Also on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km77Zbjld2A

#powermetal #symphonicmetal #progressivemetal #melodicmetal

One month ago Timeless Rage released the Dark Symphonic Power Metal concept album "My Kingdom Come" with a full music video for the title track
current highlights:
- German Metal - Rock - Charts top 30 since 4 weeks, now at position 24
- loved by the press: many 85/100 review ratings and listed in top 5 releases of March
- 132.000 views for title track video on YouTube
- 78.500 streams on Spotify
https://linktr.ee/timelessrage for more

#powermetal #symphonicmetal #melodicmetal #progressivemetal

There was a time in my youth when bands like California’s Atreyu, Killswitch Engage and their ilk were all I wanted to listen to. Whether this was due to the novelty of the sound in its era, coinciding with my novice experience with metal as a whole, or perhaps the reflection of my own earnest angst resonating from the common themes of the scene, records like As Daylight Dies or Lead Sails Paper Anchor marked core albums in my metallic upbringing. However, with only two exceptions, I never kept up with any of these bands as time passed. My tastes shifted and evolved. For a time, I forgot entirely about Atreyu, until the itch to sing a few of their songs in the car became too much to bear. And so, when I saw Atreyu were not only still active, but about to release a new record aptly entitled The End is Not the End, I had to know how almost 20 years of time away changed my appreciation for Atreyu.

One thing that 20 years did not change was Atreyu’s style. Since my introduction to them with Lead Sails Paper Anchor, an album I still hold in high regard for better or for worse, they firmly entrenched their metalcore base with poppy beats, addicting choruses, and earnest, if ham-fisted, lyrics. Thankfully, they also boasted one of the better vocalists in a style hell-bent on employing whiny tenors with unrefined technique, both in harsh and clean styles. If anything, Brandon Saller has only gotten better with time and practice. The rest of the lineup shifted and swirled until settling into its current form in 2020,1 but other than a marked uptick in pop-centric songwriting, Atreyu preserved the core of their 2007 sound remarkably well.

This both works in their favor and leaves me cold. On one hand, killer hit-makers that are impossible to resist (“Break Me,” “All for You”) recall the shockingly effective simplicity of post-grunge-pop acts like Daughtry or Shinedown at their peak. On the other hand, a distinct lack of unique ideas or distinct identity for the vast majority of its 45-ish minute runtime (with the exception of “Ego Death” and “Children of the Light”) leaves me starving for something of substance. At times, as in the generic “Death Rattle,” small songwriting choices (the crowd-core “MOTHERFUCKER” shout being one) cause a minor recoil in my spine as it recalls the more embarrassing moments of my teen years. However, album standouts “Children of Light” and “In the Dark” evoke a legitimate callback to classic In Flames-style melodic death metal, rippling with energetic gallops and even a cool tandem guitar/saxophone solo. These songs don’t go so far as to abandon Atreyu’s pop sensibilities or cheesy lyrics, but they are big fun nonetheless and are sure to please crowds mightily.

Yet I struggle to recall anything from The End is Not the End once it… well… ends. As happy as I am pulling my favorite songs like “All for You” or “In the Dark” for playlist duties—which would eventually allow them to find purchase in my memory—I can’t help but stew in disappointment that nothing here sticks with the immediacy of past bangers like “Doomsday,” “When Two Are One” or “Falling Down.” I can appreciate that The End is Not the End is an altogether more hopeful and uplifting record compared to that angsty, bitter predecessor of my youth, but the shift in tone hasn’t helped the songwriting. On that front, The End is Not the End sounds like Atreyu going through the motions, spinning their wheels, and making very little forward momentum. In turn, I found very little here to grab onto and even less that grabbed me first.

I still want to go to bat for these guys. As many times as I’ve heard my comrades and co-conspirators belittle Atreyu, I can’t help but protect the soft spot I have for them. At the same time, The End is Not the End is not going to convince any of the naysayers, and hasn’t won me over either. There are great songs here with choruses that I would have a blast belting out at a drop of a hat. A couple of small sparks of unexpected heft remind me that Atreyu are, indeed, part of the metal landscape, albeit on the poppiest fringe of the core region. All in all, though, I’m not going to think at all about The End is Not the End 20 years from now. Alas.

Rating: Disappointing.
DR: Use Your Imagination | Format Reviewed: Streamfarm
Label: Spinefarm Records
Websites: atreyuofficial.com | facebook.com/Atreyu
Releases Worldwide: April 24th, 2026

At The Gates - The Ghost of a Future Dead (24-bit HD audio)

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-a-future-dead-24-bit-hd-audio

#deathMetal #melodicMetal #metal #archEnemy #atTheGates #centuryMedia #gothenburg #gothenburgSound #melodicDeathMetal #dortmund

At The Gates - The Ghost of a Future Dead (24-bit HD audio)

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-a-future-dead-24-bit-hd-audio

#deathMetal #melodicMetal #metal #archEnemy #atTheGates #centuryMedia #gothenburg #gothenburgSound #melodicDeathMetal #dortmund

At The Gates - The Ghost of a Future Dead (24-bit HD audio)

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-a-future-dead-24-bit-hd-audio

#deathMetal #melodicMetal #metal #archEnemy #atTheGates #centuryMedia #gothenburg #gothenburgSound #melodicDeathMetal #dortmund

At The Gates - The Ghost of a Future Dead (24-bit HD audio)

https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-a-future-dead-24-bit-hd-audio

#deathMetal #melodicMetal #metal #archEnemy #atTheGates #centuryMedia #gothenburg #gothenburgSound #melodicDeathMetal #dortmund

In 2019, I accidentally stumbled upon St. Petersburg’s wacko dark cabaret metal freaks Tardigrade Inferno’s debut Mastermind, depicting an adorable evil water bear as mascot. You can imagine that I was immediately hooked. Their legitimately heavy riffs and whimsical songwriting kept me coming back for more when Burn the Circus dropped four years later. That release doubled down on original material backed by a more focused metallic spirit, and all the better for it. Initially, it sounded like third installment, Hush picked up right where Burn left off. However, gone is my beloved little tardigrade. What could this mean?

While Tardigrade Inferno’s sonic formula remains largely the same as it was on Burn the Circus—albeit with the addition of accordions and kazoos and one very unexpected burst of blast beats (“I Am Eternal”)—it’s clear that they moved away from their titular character on Hush. A darkness follows that disappearance, reflected in the dour and morbid attitudes imparted throughout Hush’s 45 minutes (“Dead Fish Smile”). Absent the maniacal main character that gave Tardigrade Inferno’s music life, direction, and purpose, Hush’s storytelling feels aimless and shallow. Thankfully, those trusty hooks, bouncy riffs, and infectious choruses entertained me just enough as I navigated through an uncomfortable grieving period for the Tardigrade Inferno I once cherished.

Hush by Tardigrade Inferno

After a time, I felt ready to embrace Hush, knowing it wasn’t going to offer the same wacky storyline as previous records spun. However, I never escaped my disappointment that Tardigrade Inferno chose an album of vignettes, pulling from a wide gamut of fairy tales and ubiquitous monsters, as their solution. Cuts like “Deadly Fairytales” and “Goor” hammer that generic storytelling home musically as well, though there are small moments in each that make for a great idea or an ear-catching setup (see the howling vox and silent rests in “Goor”). Others like “All in Your Head” and “I.C.D.,” in contrast, expound upon the natural horrors that plague the human mind in the real world. While that topic works quite well in metal writ large, Tardigrade Inferno don’t sell it with the same compelling gravity or subversion as other acts who adopt this exuberant cabaret influence (like Pensees Nocturne or Sanguine Glacialis). Consequently, Hush lacks substance and excitement for a good chunk of its duration.

However, there are a number of cool ideas, new tricks, and fun details found here that Tardigrade Inferno could, and should, take advantage of on future endeavors. The title track is a certified bop, with a bouncy riff backed by fun synths and a sticky chorus that I can’t stop involuntarily repeating. “Subatomic Heist” is a bizarre little number that brims with vibrancy and energy as well, and it’s no surprise that it also calls back to those virtually unkillable microscopic creatures of past installments. Similarly, the proggy and doomy closer “I Am Eternal” foreshadows a tardigrade resurgence inside off-kilter melodies, unorthodox songwriting (for this band, at least), and gorgeous lead guitar work. Naturally, returning to the critters and characters that gave Tardigrade Inferno its primary appeal also gave this song the backbone and direction it needed to feel worthy and interesting. This, in turn, further exemplifies the issues that plague all of the songs on Hush that make no such return.

I’m not normally one to recommend a band revisit past ideas or themes. In fact, I am a firm proponent of a band sticking to their guns and finding their way whenever they make a potentially divisive shift from past work, either musically or thematically. In this case, however, I think killing off their main character and the silliness that came with it—not to mention the dearly missed conceptual storytelling—doomed Tardigrade Inferno’s third outing. Hush isn’t unsalvageable, as it has nifty ideas and some new songwriting tricks and fun instruments that fit well into Tardigrade Inferno’s sound, but it’s missing the direction and compelling arcs that made their first two records successful. My wish for Tardigrade Inferno is therefore to ditch the horror stories and rebuild the circus, for the show must go on!

Rating: Disappointing
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: tardigradeinferno.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/tardigradeinfernomusic
Releases Worldwide: March 5th, 2026

Re:O – Reverie

Some music outlets release full-length albums, while others are bound to share singles, which is perfectly fine if those tracks are catchy, memorable, and engaging. If you compare those two formats, you can notice that it’s far more difficult to release standalone singles than albums, mainly because there is no room for mistakes. The separate track acts as a showcase where each element needs to shine in order for a song to stand out, while in the case of full-length albums, you can always add those filler numbers to fill the gaps in between. With the tenth single recently released via all streaming platforms, Re:O proves that you do not need to have a comprehensive collection of songs stacked together to demonstrate your tremendous songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing abilities. Quite the contrary, you just need a track like “Reverie,” a perfect showcase where fascinating skills, talent, creativity, experience, and knowledge collide harmoniously. What makes this composition so catchy, memorable, and irresistible is that collision between several different yet complementary subgenres of rock and metal music. Re:O merges together only the finest properties of melodic metal, alternative rock, synth rock, and hard rock, crafting a soundscape that leaves you speechless even after the song comes to an end. But as usual, many other factors also play a significant role in this sonic equation, making it a perfect melodic metal composition worth spinning over and over again.

On their tenth standalone single, Re:O play with tension and release, that push and pull technique where you stumble upon calm, soothing, relaxing, ethereal, otherworldly soundscapes, and then, all of a sudden, you’ve been transported directly into a completely different universe with the appearance of heavy, powerful, aggressive instrumentations. Still, even during those heavier moments, you’ll notice a layer of melody and harmony floating above. During those segments, Re:O demonstrates impressive songwriting and composing abilities, as “Reverie” arrives with a perfect structure, decorated with all those cleverly constructed segments, brilliant ideas, and outstanding orchestrations. Of course, the first thing you’ll notice when you press play is how Rio Suyama’s magnificent voice shines in the limelight. She skillfully elevates every sonic and rhythmic maneuver, commanding attention and guiding listeners through every section of the song by flawlessly balancing low, mid, and high notes. Besides decorating and emphasizing all those segments and orchestrations, she contributes more than necessary emotional depth and complexity to an already intricate song structure. In the meantime, the collision between lush synths and heavy guitars shapes a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. On one side, you’ll hear how all those clean, jangly, ethereal, luxuriant synth leads, themes, melodies, and pads bring the otherworldly vibes, while the generously distorted, aggressive, heavy guitar riffs resonate on the other side. You’ll also notice the subtle addition of a chorus effect on guitars, spicing up all those riffs without removing that heaviness from them. Everything is so carefully, thoughtfully, flawlessly assembled that you’ll get the feel as if you stepped into a completely different dimension.

You’ll also notice how the bass guitar is perfectly blended with the electric guitar during those heavy moments and is more audible during calmer segments. Those equally impressive low-ends lurk beneath synths and guitars, offering more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while simultaneously serving as a binding element that connects the mentioned instrumentations and rhythmic patterns. This particular instrument brings all the warmth, depth, density, groove, and detail without overwhelming other instruments. Of course, this composition wouldn’t sound complete without an exceptional drumming performance. You’ll hear how all those wisely assembled, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics emphasize each theme, melody, harmony, and bassline with precision and finesse. Every kick of the snare, hit of the bass drum, accentuation of the hi-hat, and splash of the cymbal plays a significant role in bringing more dynamics, power, and groove to this impressive track. With their tenth standalone single, Re:O not only showcase their tremendous songwriting and composing abilities but also demonstrate how brilliant ideas and impressive musicianship can bring even more innovation into melodic metal and rock music. They prove that these particular genres, when done right, can still sound fresh, unique, and exciting, like they were the first time you’ve heard them on the radio. “Reverie” is not only one of the finest tracks you’ll hear this year, but a rock-solid proof that Re:O are torchbearers of the modern melodic rock sound. You should immediately place this masterpiece on your music radar.

https://youtu.be/I3Zf02NiwKg?si=0aEkRMeHPrKJMoXQ

https://open.spotify.com/track/7L1X4VJb7qJuNPWxbToP7G?si=56c1ddd69795459a

#ALTERNATIVE #melodicMetal #MELODICROCK #METAL #MUSIC #REO #REVIEWS #ROCK

Heathen’s Eye – Port Inspiro Review

By Angry Metal Guy

Written by: Nameless_n00b_607

The past is a vast well of knowledge and inspiration, but dwelling in it too much has its perils. Not enough of your spin on things can make your album sound generic and stale, while too much can alienate your target audience. Genres with accessible melodic songwriting are a precarious balancing act in this regard, and standing out becomes even more of a trial by fire. Swedish band Heathen’s Eye is boldly trying to make their mark in these well-traveled lands with their debut Port Inspiro, the Esperanto title meaning ‘inspired by the past.’ Can this freshly formed team of experienced musicians sail through time without getting lost along the way?

The heart of Heathen’s Eye beats comfortably within the late-’80s/early-‘90s borderlands between melodic rock and metal. On the metal side of things, the songwriting channels the anthemic nature of Accept’s Metal Heart. Electrifying guitars by axe wielder Göran Hamrin, accompanied by the soaring baritone vocals of Robb Lindh, are Port Inspiro’s driving force, bringing a welcome Jornian attitude to the record. While Lindh is not Lord Jørn—and occasionally trades away his strengths for versatility—his voice fits the genre like a glove, being often reminiscent of a more rock-oriented Johan Längqvist (Candlemass). In between the heavier bits are traces of Magnum and Journey piercing through, with Mikael Andersson’s wide synth arsenal drifting from bright and nostalgic to dark and mystical between songs. Despite leaning towards the softer end of the metalverse, Heathen’s Eye shows they can still riff, with some unexpectedly hefty guitar and drum work (“Mirrorman,” “Blind”) adding appropriate counterweight to the album.

Confident veteran musicianship makes Port Inspiro turn out to be more varied and ambitious than it seems at first glance. “Ghosts of Yesterday” and “Monsters” both recall the subtly progressive melodic side of acts such as ‘90s Fates Warning or earlier Queensrÿche. This side of the record makes it a good companion piece to something like the recent A-Z album, albeit leaning less towards prog and more towards AOR. When Heathen’s Eye ups the speed and energy, a hint of power metal influence is noticeable too. The record reaches a particular apex when all these separate elements get to coalesce and transcend (“Firepriest”). While I wish the album had more bursts of glory in this vein and spent less time in its mid-paced comfort zone, the material’s catchiness mostly makes up for the lack of speed. The band’s influences coming from more than one place significantly increase the album’s replay value, and a smooth blend crafted by experienced hands keeps the ship well afloat.

Port Inspiro is an enjoyable experience overall, but it suffers from some pacing issues. At 63 minutes, the album quite convincingly sprints past LP length. Its plentiful hooks and variety offer a convincing illusion of brevity, but most songs here fall in the 5–6-minute range, and some do overstay their welcome (“Monsters,” “Time to Deliver”). The pacing also becomes apparent in the album’s clunky middle, where several songs in a row feature lengthy intros, suggesting a mild case of Steve Harris-itis. Another place where the pacing is problematic is that Heathen’s Eye places two ballads almost next to each other. Cutting the somber, stylistic pariah “Lost in the Wind” would result in a more cohesive album. Ultimately, none of these are huge issues, and the album is still a pleasant journey with all 12 tracks ranging from solid to very good. The warm and vibrant production job at a surprising DR10 helps to make Port Inspiro cozy listening from start to finish.1

If Heathen’s Eye can further zero in on their songwriting, their good formula here could very well turn into a resounding triumph. Port Inspiro celebrates the past while also combining the band’s influences in interesting ways. It might not be innovative—it doesn’t intend to be—but it does succeed in its main goal: it’s fun. And while some extra trimming and urgency would have further improved the record’s pacing, it still manages to feel shorter than it is. Even with occasional missteps, Port Inspiro is a comfortable listen that has plenty of tunes combining anthemic and creative, inspired by but not stuck in the past. I’ll be curious to see if they can take what they’ve learned and follow up with an even stronger package; momentum is on their side.

Rating: Good!
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: V3 MP32
Label: Pride & Joy Music
Websites Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 27th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Accept #AOR #Candlemass #FatesWarning #HeathenSEye #Jorn #Journey #Jun25 #Magnum #MelodicMetal #MetalHeart #PortInspiro #Queensryche #Review #Reviews #SwedishMetal

Flummox – Southern Progress Review

By Kenstrosity

Originally slated to be my main Thing You Might Have Missed feature, Tennessee avant-garde metal quintet Flummox’s fifth LP Southern Progress caught me completely off guard. Attracted to the prompt “their most obnoxious album yet,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first exposure to Flummox’s work. I figured it might be weird, but it’s also distinctive, fun, and infectious. Fearlessly creative, deeply detailed, lyrically cutting, and stupidly intelligent, Southern Progress rapidly became my favorite record released so far this year. It doesn’t seem likely now that anything out of the metalverse this year will surpass it.

Southern Progress embodies a rhizomic system of inspirations and influences that, when harnessed by Flummox’s wacky brains, emerges from the soil as something wholly unique in style, sound, and intent. My best attempt to contextualize this material would involve names from the progsphere like Fair to Midland, Native Construct, Pink Floyd, early Queen, and Mike Patton; purveyors of the extreme such as Strapping Young Lad and Slugdge; avant-garde touchstones like Mr. Bungle, Igorrr, and Diablo Swing Orchestra; genre-jumpers such as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard; and even cinematic composers like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.1 Ultimately, though, there is no comfortable comparison. Flummox are a singular entity of weird, wild, theatrical metal capable of nailing every bizarre idea they throw at me, such that in less than a week, I had a majority portion of Southern Progress’ 57-minute runtime pinned to my psyche. All the while, its candid exposition of the queer and genderfluid experience in the Bible Belt (“Southern Progress”) struck a chord so rarely plucked by music on this sphere, and its inspired exploration of the neurodivergent experience as one of its parallel plot lines (“Executive Dysfunction”) gave me an easy avenue to resonate even more deeply with its voice.

The tricky reality of Southern Progress is that 750 words is woefully insufficient to encompass all that Flummox achieves, but its primary triumph is in universal songwriting excellence. Music like this marks a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion—and an ambitious undertaking—but Flummox makes it look effortless as they balance the beauty of melodious, theatrical compositions with the livid, frothing rabidity of searing, off-kilter riffs, thunderous rhythms, and revolutionary attitude (“Southern Progress,” “Femto’s Theme,” “Long Pork,” “Executive Dysfunction”). While these elements are familiar to anyone with experience in the metalverse, their twisted forms instead leave a vivid impression of something altogether more eccentric and uncanny (“Southern Progress,” “Nesting Doll,” “Locust Eater,” “Coyote Gospel”). Well-defined structures and concrete themes play their part in making sure these warped representations stick. Presenting every unhinged idea, cynical line, and explosive outburst inside a digestible package makes Southern Progress somehow even stranger and more enthralling for its deceiving accessibility (“What We’re In For…,” “Always Something Going Down,” “Siren Shock,” “Flumlindalë”).

In spite of its unquestionable adoption of metallic methods, Southern Progress is an intensely theatrical affair unfit for the genrephobic, but is nonetheless something everyone should experience at least once. Challenging in a different way than Imperial Triumphant or other known creators of what certain pundits call “not music,” Flummox is similarly fearless in their exploration of style and technique, and equally meticulous in application and execution. To that end, Southern Progress’ music is mutated and maniacal, but grounded through several root elements: emotional depth, societal awareness, thoughtful critiques, and artistic integrity. More than just a vehicle for that cogent societal commentary, the potent passion that each member of Flummox hemorrhaged into Southern Progress is unmatched by all except the unfuckwithable technical quality of their writing and performances. The fact that this intangible factor boasts such strong presence inside of, and coalesces so harmoniously with, the tangible product proves that Flummox’s dedication, attention to detail, and intentional artistry contributes meaningful substance and significance not just to Southern Progress on its own, but also to the greater body of metal as we know it today.

It is for this reason that Flummox’s Southern Progress isn’t just an excellent album, but also an important one. Aside from its high artistic merit, Southern Progress is a timely and fierce challenge against the dehumanization of queer, gender-nonconforming, and even neurodivergent communities across the American South—and, by extension, the country—especially by organized religious (read: Christian) entities. But it’s also a celebration, a triumphant expression of pride and love and resilience that only comes from openly and unashamedly discovering, struggling with, and ultimately embodying all that you are in spirit, body, and mind. Everyone deserves to know this feeling without fear of stigmatization, fetishization, violence, or isolation. Southern Progress is an unorthodox and fun, but wildly effective, advocate for that cause.

Rating: Excellent!2
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Needlejuice Records
Websites: flummoxed.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/flummoxband
Releases Worldwide: April 11th, 2025

Show 2 footnotes

1. Specifically, Zimmer’s work for Rango’s OST. ↩
2. You should expect to see me within a year or so, Contrite and ashamed that I didn’t award this the coveted Iconic score! ↩

#2025 #45 #AmericanMetal #Apr25 #AvantGarde #BlackMetal #DannyElfman #DeathMetal #DiabloSwingOrchestra #ExperimentalMetal #FairToMidland #Flummox #FolkMetal #Gospel #HansZimmer #Igorrr #ImperialTriumphant #KingGizzardAndTheLizardWizard #MelodicMetal #MikePatton #MrBungle #NativeConstruct #NeedlejuiceRecords #PinkFloyd #ProgressiveMetal #Queen #Review #Reviews #Slugdge #SouthernProgress #StrappingYoungLad