#reviews — Public Fediverse posts

Elli Noise + Javier Blake ►Betty Boop | División Minúscula

https://musicwayatx.com/2026/09/22/elli-noise-javier-blake-%e2%96%babetty-boop-division-minuscula/

Elli Noise + Javier Blake ►Betty Boop | División Minúscula

https://musicwayatx.com/2026/09/22/elli-noise-javier-blake-%e2%96%babetty-boop-division-minuscula/

Interview: Youth Avoiders Talk ‘Defiance’ Album, Paris Hardcore & Their Return

By Adam Lentz | 9.22.2026 Photo: Jean-Pierre Roux I don’t remember who, but someone texted me, “There’s a new…
#France #FR #Europe #EU #Paris #aor #Death #doom #emo #Features #hardcore #indie #industrial #Interviews #lists #metal #Music #noise #Pop #punk #rap #Reviews #rock #Songs #thrash
https://www.europesays.com/france/82750/

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146697/ Stranger Than Heaven Preview | GameQuarter #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 155

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 You, Me and the Movies react to Swordfish – Let’s be clear here. No matter how much the movie critics rejected it, the 2001 film Swordfish remains very entertaining to watch and the creativity behind it made it memorable. I still remember the sudden impact the movie had on the public shortly after it opened in cinemas twenty-five years ago…a lot of moviegoers were stunned by the elaborate explosion early in the story and many people were so impressed with John Travolta’s performance as Gabriel, they forgave him for his involvement in the super bad movie Battlefield Earth. Considering how entertaining Swordfish really is, there are still too few movie reaction videos of it on YouTube. Fortunately, You, Me and the Movies posted their Swordfish reaction video and I encourage you all to watch it.

https://youtu.be/vjyZLhox-0U?si=FhL39ZbHq7OmOVId

#2 Totally Whatever reacts to From Russia With Love – My favorite among all the James Bond movies of the late Sean Connery is still From Russia With Love. I enjoyed the film’s approach on espionage storytelling laced with Cold War political influence mixed with thrills and misadventures that are grounded that were believable. Some people find it boring while others enjoyed it for what it is. That said, I encourage you to watch Totally Whatever’s reaction video of the 1963 James Bond movie.

https://youtu.be/nXMXTqKdqGA?si=rlqNDKPkNBcVXGuw

#3 The Dream Team of 1992 and their Impact on the World– In the history of basketball, nothing can ever be more groundbreaking than the Dream Team of 1992. I’m talking about the American basketball team that played in the Olympic Games with NBA legends like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley to name some. Behind the scenes, getting the NBA legends to work together as a true team was challenging due to egos and, fortunately, serious adjustments were made over time. To rediscover the Dream Team and how they impacted the whole world through basketball, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/guBkL4ei5aw?si=4OFP3X_wtEUmTX0U

#4 Traditional and Popular Edo Cuisine in Japan – When it comes to Japanese food, have you ever heard of Edo cuisine? Edo cuisine refers to the style of cooking that developed in the city of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period (1603–1868). Unlike the refined, slow-paced banquets favored by the imperial aristocracy in Kyoto, Edo cuisine’s development was shaped by a booming population of hasty merchants, construction workers and the samurai. As such, Japan’s original street food culture came to be. In modern Japan, there are places where visitors can find and enjoy Edo cuisine. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details.

https://youtu.be/kahaeci0t1E?si=gS4w755gNIgfjbAc

#5 Arcade Games Made to Suck Money from Players – If you were fond of playing games in the video arcades, chances are you may have felt like you spent too much money on playing one or two particular games that did not reward you enough in terms of fun. Indeed, there were arcade games that were design to absorb as much money from players, especially those who are obsessed with completing them or getting satisfied from the gameplay. Watch and learn from the video below.

https://youtu.be/xtvXIHjRYks?si=FN0vMnq7u4swXzBv

#6 Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64 – Console gaming in the second half of the 1990s was indeed a wild period. While the PlayStation eventually outsold the competition, there are indeed very distinct features and unique gaming experiences that the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64 offered to gamers. The two said consoles also have unique game designs as the people behind Sega and Nintendo’s respective offices had their own approach on designing them. For another round of retro gaming, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/c5ql4xu9jc4?si=w3Y5M2Zhv8h_YV-l

#7 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Rhinestone – Have you ever seen the 1984 comedy film Rhinestone? The first time I saw it was on local TV and I was really laughing at the scene wherein Sylvester Stallone started singing so wildly in a rural community whose residents love country music. This movie has a colorful performance by the late Dolly Parton (who died recently) and there is indeed chemistry between her and Stallone. By today’s standards, this comedy is considered by Stallone fans an anomaly given his huge success in 1980s Hollywood cinema with action films. If you really want to see comedy from Stallone and Parton, I encourage to watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

https://youtu.be/TkhSpp2uBP8?si=XFqxO6qqP3fwHkUx

#8 EOM Reacts to early X-Men movies – Were you able to watch the first three live-action X-Men movies as they were released within a 6-year period? I did. I saw X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) in different cinemas in two cities. Each cinematic experience was entertaining but as a long-time X-Men comic book reader, I could tell that liberties were taken on the characters, settings and other elements. In recent times, YouTube EOM Reacts posted his reaction videos of the three mentioned X-Men movies and they are fun to watch one-by-one. I encourage you to watch them now.

https://youtu.be/4FvqrA_eJDU?si=XUD97s8glEYw9DZX

https://youtu.be/UTtG-B4IUog?si=vuEjI9Er1FEQlzhi

https://youtu.be/9I8iOc-pX0g?si=rBKxAUO_lmIp1cqI

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Gen Z and their dislike of private equity in the restaurant business…
What they are doing is having an impact and they are doing it in a very clever way.

https://youtu.be/bBRcQRSTDAI

#resist #resistance #activism #food #reviews #genZ #shopLocal

Gen Z and their dislike of private equity in the restaurant business…
What they are doing is having an impact and they are doing it in a very clever way.

https://youtu.be/bBRcQRSTDAI

#resist #resistance #activism #food #reviews #genZ #shopLocal

Gen Z and their dislike of private equity in the restaurant business…
What they are doing is having an impact and they are doing it in a very clever way.

https://youtu.be/bBRcQRSTDAI

#resist #resistance #activism #food #reviews #genZ #shopLocal

Gen Z and their dislike of private equity in the restaurant business…
What they are doing is having an impact and they are doing it in a very clever way.

https://youtu.be/bBRcQRSTDAI

#resist #resistance #activism #food #reviews #genZ #shopLocal

Gen Z and their dislike of private equity in the restaurant business…
What they are doing is having an impact and they are doing it in a very clever way.

https://youtu.be/bBRcQRSTDAI

#resist #resistance #activism #food #reviews #genZ #shopLocal

https://www.europesays.com/uk/1217329/ Sea Sleeper – Burden of Antlers Review #20 #2026 #AmericanMetal #BurdenOfAntlers #DeathMetal #Dysgnostic #Entertainment #Gojira #Mastodon #music #ProgressiveDeathMetal #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SeaSleeper #SelfReleased #Sep26 #UK #UnitedKingdom #Veilburner

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review (2026): Cinema-Quality Action Cam

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-mission-1-ils-camera/

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review (2026): Cinema-Quality Action Cam

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-mission-1-ils-camera/

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review (2026): Cinema-Quality Action Cam

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-mission-1-ils-camera/

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review (2026): Cinema-Quality Action Cam

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-mission-1-ils-camera/

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review (2026): Cinema-Quality Action Cam

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-mission-1-ils-camera/

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146525/ Gerucht: Microsoft komt vandaag met nieuwe herstructureringen bij XBOX #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146478/ TINY METAL 2 Preview | GameQuarter #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146456/ Final Fantasy VII: Revelation is zo’n honderd uur lang #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

https://www.alojapan.com/1542752/splendid-89-tokyo-and-shin-denki-magical-girls-the-art-of-astraea-oratio/ Splendid ’89 Tokyo and Shin-Denki Magical Girls: The Art of ‘Astraea Oratio’ #discussions #entertainments #eSports #guides #Interview #LeagueOfLegends #lol #mobile #news #overwatch #pc #Previews #ps4 #reviews #strategies #Tokyo #TokyoNews #trailers #videos #walkthroughs #XboxOne #東京 #東京都 ©INVEN At TGS 2026, held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 20, NC officially presented its new subculture title developed by Dynamis O

Splendid ’89 Tokyo and Shin-Denki Magical Girls: The Art of ‘Astraea Oratio’

©INVEN At TGS 2026, held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 20, NC officially presented its new…
#EuropeSays #Japan #JP #Tokyo #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #Interview #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #Reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
https://www.europesays.com/japan/95263/

With 65 Million Copies Sold, ‘Blue Lock’ Holds Pop-Up Store at The Hyundai Seoul

Comprehensive content company Haksan (Haksan Publishing) (CEOs Dong-Hoon Jeong, Wook Jeong, and Young-Ah Yeo) will host the final…
#EuropeSays #Korea #KR #Hyundai #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #HyundaiGroup #HyundaiMotorGroup #Interview #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
https://www.europesays.com/korea/163275/

Kakao Games signs MOU with Quasar Zone for Chrono Odyssey PC optimization

©Kakao Games Kakao Games has joined forces with Quasar Zone to establish a detailed, data-driven PC optimization environment—including…
#EuropeSays #Korea #KR #Kakao #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #Interview #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
https://www.europesays.com/korea/163211/

2026 Naver Webtoon High School Tournament Selects 8 Final Winners

The eight final winning works of the ‘2026 Naver Webtoon High School Tournament,’ a contest aimed at discovering…
#EuropeSays #Korea #KR #Naver #Discussions #Entertainments #Esports #Guides #Interview #Leagueoflegends #Lol #Mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #Previews #PS4 #reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Videos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne
https://www.europesays.com/korea/163209/

https://www.europesays.com/africa/437835/ Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis developers go behind the scenes in new documentary #discussions #Egypt #Entertainments #esports #Guides #interview #LeagueOfLegends #LOL #mobile #news #Overwatch #PC #previews #PS4 #reviews #Strategies #Trailers #Vidéos #Walkthroughs #XboxOne

«Chaos Remains», el segundo álbum del virtuoso guitarrista Mexicano Edu Barrera | vía #NaciónProgresiva

https://nacionprogresiva.wordpress.com/2026/09/22/chaos-remains-el-segundo-album-del-virtuoso-guitarrista-mexicano-edu-barrera/

#reviews

Ni singles comerciales ni consumo rápido: Playgrounded firma su obra más cerebral y profunda con «A Flower To Water» | vía #NaciónProgresiva

https://nacionprogresiva.wordpress.com/2026/09/22/ni-singles-comerciales-ni-consumo-rapido-playgrounded-firma-su-obra-mas-cerebral-y-profunda-con-a-flower-to-water/

#reviews

Restaurant Review: Sungho Korean Soul Food https://www.diningandcooking.com/restaurants/30272/ #Food #RestaurantReviews #Restaurants #reviews #SoulFoodKitchen #SoulFoodKitchens #SoulFoodRestaurant #SoulFoodRestaurants #tenderloin

Restaurant Review: Sungho Korean Soul Food https://www.diningandcooking.com/restaurants/30272/ #Food #RestaurantReviews #Restaurants #reviews #SoulFoodKitchen #SoulFoodKitchens #SoulFoodRestaurant #SoulFoodRestaurants #tenderloin

Restaurant Review: Sungho Korean Soul Food https://www.diningandcooking.com/restaurants/30272/ #Food #RestaurantReviews #Restaurants #reviews #SoulFoodKitchen #SoulFoodKitchens #SoulFoodRestaurant #SoulFoodRestaurants #tenderloin

Sonidos Frescos: The Latest in Latin Alt & Global Grooves

https://musicwayatx.com/2026/09/21/sonidos-frescos-the-latest-in-latin-alt-global-grooves-26/

Today in Music History 9/21

https://musicwayatx.com/2026/09/21/today-in-music-history-9-21/

LG’s 2026 premium OLED TV drops to all-time low of $1,599

Image credit: LG LG’s 65-inch C6 OLED, one of the best bang-for-the-buck in OLED TVs, is $1,599 on…
#EuropeSays #Korea #KR #LG #advice #buyersguides #LGGroup #news #reviews #technology #TIPS
https://www.europesays.com/korea/162917/

Crítica: Rebelión en la granja (Animal Farm) | #RollingStoneES

https://es.rollingstone.com/critica-rebelion-en-la-granja-animal-farm/

#angelstudios #animalfarm #cineytv #crítica #rebeliónenlagranja #reseña #reviews #santabarbarafilms

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146262/ Microsoft patenteert systeem om advertenties te tonen tijdens rustige momenten in games #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

CONOSUR presenta self-title, su nuevo álbum de estudio | #RollingStoneES

https://es.rollingstone.com/conosur-presenta-self-title-su-nuevo-album-de-estudio/

#cineytv #conosur #músicanueva #noticia #reviews #selftitle #álbum

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146256/ Ontwikkelaars schrijven over de toekomst van Bungie #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

https://www.europesays.com/ie/699506/ Valkyrie’s Fire – Out of Darkness Review #2026 #30 #AmericanMetal #DiabloSwingOrchestra #EclipseRecords #Éire #Entertainment #IE #Ireland #Music #Nightwish #OutOfDarkness #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #Rhapsody #Sep26 #SymphonicMetal #SymphonicPowerMetal #Valkyrie'sFire

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146226/ Wilderdark Preview | GameQuarter #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

Most of my AMG time recently has gone to tech issues 1, but I’ve been wanting to write again. Valkyrie’s Fire’s debut Out of Darkness lured me back with a Nightwish namedrop, which is a dangerous promise, for all that it sounds enticing. In principle, I’m a big fan of power metal, symphonic metal, and indeed symphonic power metal. Alas, as I wrote in my section of the Nightwish ranking, symphonic metal is plagued by terrible, boring bands. It’s much easier to ape the style than it is to write great songs. I don’t know why this is such a problem for this genre in particular, but it doesn’t need to be this way, and so hope springs eternal.

Valkyrie’s Fire avoid this problem on two axes. First, Out of Darkness isn’t actually that beholden to Nightwish tropes, with the possible exception of “Skylark.”2 Yes, they do the duet vocal thing a lot and one of them is a soprano. But the core style they establish early on (“Evermore,” “Valkyrie’s Fire,” etc.) reminds me a lot more of Rhapsody’s many iterations, replete with neoclassical twiddling. Second, and more importantly, this is good actually. It’s fun in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The songs are well-written and memorable. They experiment with a variety of genre embellishments. Some songs have a core-y twist that evokes a little Avenged Sevenfold (meant positively!—”Burning Sky,” “I Will Rise Again”). Others use cello and acoustic guitar to add a folky feel (“Bone and Thorn”), or more delicate piano (“Shattered,” “I see the Angels Fly”). This keeps things fresh and stops any one song sounding too much like all the others.

There is one classic symphonic metal trap Valkyrie’s Fire do fall solidly into, though: a regrettable inability to edit. Out of Darkness is over 70 minutes long, and it really doesn’t need to be. By track twelve, my attention span is definitely strained, and there are still fifteen minutes left of the record. With tighter editing, there’d be a punchy 45-minute album here. I get that it’s hard, as none of the tracks here are total clangers. I probably wouldn’t miss “Valkyrie’s Fire” or “Nocturne,” and many others could use editing down (“Bone and Thorn” is a pretty folk piece but doesn’t need to be seven minutes, “Cascade” could shed a couple of minutes, ten-minute closer “I Will Rise Again” gets a bit too theatrical). This isn’t universal—”Dark Moon” is nearly seven minutes but carries its length well, “Burning Sky” is a neat four—but it does affect most of the record.

I’ve mentioned before being drawn to well-performed duet vocals, and Valkyrie’s Fire are excellent here, with Bettie Floyd on soprano and Adam Sanders on baritone. The vocal melody writing is really good. They use alternating phrases, harmonies, and counterpoint to great effect. This works particularly well combined with Salem Belladonna’s piano and cello on the Clair Obscur-via-doom-metal “Shattered,” where Floyd is at her best. Her range spans from the symphonic metal standard soprano to a poppy tone that reminds me a little of Diablo Swing Orchestra’s current vocalist (“Labyrinth”). There’s one or two bits of vocal direction I don’t quite get on with (just a couple of phrases in “Evermore” and “Valkyrie’s Fire”), but it’s a very minor blip.

I’m really pleasantly surprised by Out of Darkness. My genre cynicism was mostly unfounded. I often find the mark of a good record is finding lots of bits of it slipping into my head when I’m doing other things (versus having one line going irritatingly round and round). Out of Darkness has done that. Most years, there’s at least one record that reminds me I still love symphonic/power metal. This is very nearly that record for 2026, but the marathon length just adds a tiny bit too much mental effort to listening to it. If Valkyrie’s Fire can kill their darlings next time around, I’m sold.

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Eclipse Records
Websites: valkyriesfire.com | facebook.com/valkyriesfireofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

Most of my AMG time recently has gone to tech issues 1, but I’ve been wanting to write again. Valkyrie’s Fire’s debut Out of Darkness lured me back with a Nightwish namedrop, which is a dangerous promise, for all that it sounds enticing. In principle, I’m a big fan of power metal, symphonic metal, and indeed symphonic power metal. Alas, as I wrote in my section of the Nightwish ranking, symphonic metal is plagued by terrible, boring bands. It’s much easier to ape the style than it is to write great songs. I don’t know why this is such a problem for this genre in particular, but it doesn’t need to be this way, and so hope springs eternal.

Valkyrie’s Fire avoid this problem on two axes. First, Out of Darkness isn’t actually that beholden to Nightwish tropes, with the possible exception of “Skylark.”2 Yes, they do the duet vocal thing a lot and one of them is a soprano. But the core style they establish early on (“Evermore,” “Valkyrie’s Fire,” etc.) reminds me a lot more of Rhapsody’s many iterations, replete with neoclassical twiddling. Second, and more importantly, this is good actually. It’s fun in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The songs are well-written and memorable. They experiment with a variety of genre embellishments. Some songs have a core-y twist that evokes a little Avenged Sevenfold (meant positively!—”Burning Sky,” “I Will Rise Again”). Others use cello and acoustic guitar to add a folky feel (“Bone and Thorn”), or more delicate piano (“Shattered,” “I see the Angels Fly”). This keeps things fresh and stops any one song sounding too much like all the others.

There is one classic symphonic metal trap Valkyrie’s Fire do fall solidly into, though: a regrettable inability to edit. Out of Darkness is over 70 minutes long, and it really doesn’t need to be. By track twelve, my attention span is definitely strained, and there are still fifteen minutes left of the record. With tighter editing, there’d be a punchy 45-minute album here. I get that it’s hard, as none of the tracks here are total clangers. I probably wouldn’t miss “Valkyrie’s Fire” or “Nocturne,” and many others could use editing down (“Bone and Thorn” is a pretty folk piece but doesn’t need to be seven minutes, “Cascade” could shed a couple of minutes, ten-minute closer “I Will Rise Again” gets a bit too theatrical). This isn’t universal—”Dark Moon” is nearly seven minutes but carries its length well, “Burning Sky” is a neat four—but it does affect most of the record.

I’ve mentioned before being drawn to well-performed duet vocals, and Valkyrie’s Fire are excellent here, with Bettie Floyd on soprano and Adam Sanders on baritone. The vocal melody writing is really good. They use alternating phrases, harmonies, and counterpoint to great effect. This works particularly well combined with Salem Belladonna’s piano and cello on the Clair Obscur-via-doom-metal “Shattered,” where Floyd is at her best. Her range spans from the symphonic metal standard soprano to a poppy tone that reminds me a little of Diablo Swing Orchestra’s current vocalist (“Labyrinth”). There’s one or two bits of vocal direction I don’t quite get on with (just a couple of phrases in “Evermore” and “Valkyrie’s Fire”), but it’s a very minor blip.

I’m really pleasantly surprised by Out of Darkness. My genre cynicism was mostly unfounded. I often find the mark of a good record is finding lots of bits of it slipping into my head when I’m doing other things (versus having one line going irritatingly round and round). Out of Darkness has done that. Most years, there’s at least one record that reminds me I still love symphonic/power metal. This is very nearly that record for 2026, but the marathon length just adds a tiny bit too much mental effort to listening to it. If Valkyrie’s Fire can kill their darlings next time around, I’m sold.

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Eclipse Records
Websites: valkyriesfire.com | facebook.com/valkyriesfireofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

Most of my AMG time recently has gone to tech issues 1, but I’ve been wanting to write again. Valkyrie’s Fire’s debut Out of Darkness lured me back with a Nightwish namedrop, which is a dangerous promise, for all that it sounds enticing. In principle, I’m a big fan of power metal, symphonic metal, and indeed symphonic power metal. Alas, as I wrote in my section of the Nightwish ranking, symphonic metal is plagued by terrible, boring bands. It’s much easier to ape the style than it is to write great songs. I don’t know why this is such a problem for this genre in particular, but it doesn’t need to be this way, and so hope springs eternal.

Valkyrie’s Fire avoid this problem on two axes. First, Out of Darkness isn’t actually that beholden to Nightwish tropes, with the possible exception of “Skylark.”2 Yes, they do the duet vocal thing a lot and one of them is a soprano. But the core style they establish early on (“Evermore,” “Valkyrie’s Fire,” etc.) reminds me a lot more of Rhapsody’s many iterations, replete with neoclassical twiddling. Second, and more importantly, this is good actually. It’s fun in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The songs are well-written and memorable. They experiment with a variety of genre embellishments. Some songs have a core-y twist that evokes a little Avenged Sevenfold (meant positively!—”Burning Sky,” “I Will Rise Again”). Others use cello and acoustic guitar to add a folky feel (“Bone and Thorn”), or more delicate piano (“Shattered,” “I see the Angels Fly”). This keeps things fresh and stops any one song sounding too much like all the others.

There is one classic symphonic metal trap Valkyrie’s Fire do fall solidly into, though: a regrettable inability to edit. Out of Darkness is over 70 minutes long, and it really doesn’t need to be. By track twelve, my attention span is definitely strained, and there are still fifteen minutes left of the record. With tighter editing, there’d be a punchy 45-minute album here. I get that it’s hard, as none of the tracks here are total clangers. I probably wouldn’t miss “Valkyrie’s Fire” or “Nocturne,” and many others could use editing down (“Bone and Thorn” is a pretty folk piece but doesn’t need to be seven minutes, “Cascade” could shed a couple of minutes, ten-minute closer “I Will Rise Again” gets a bit too theatrical). This isn’t universal—”Dark Moon” is nearly seven minutes but carries its length well, “Burning Sky” is a neat four—but it does affect most of the record.

I’ve mentioned before being drawn to well-performed duet vocals, and Valkyrie’s Fire are excellent here, with Bettie Floyd on soprano and Adam Sanders on baritone. The vocal melody writing is really good. They use alternating phrases, harmonies, and counterpoint to great effect. This works particularly well combined with Salem Belladonna’s piano and cello on the Clair Obscur-via-doom-metal “Shattered,” where Floyd is at her best. Her range spans from the symphonic metal standard soprano to a poppy tone that reminds me a little of Diablo Swing Orchestra’s current vocalist (“Labyrinth”). There’s one or two bits of vocal direction I don’t quite get on with (just a couple of phrases in “Evermore” and “Valkyrie’s Fire”), but it’s a very minor blip.

I’m really pleasantly surprised by Out of Darkness. My genre cynicism was mostly unfounded. I often find the mark of a good record is finding lots of bits of it slipping into my head when I’m doing other things (versus having one line going irritatingly round and round). Out of Darkness has done that. Most years, there’s at least one record that reminds me I still love symphonic/power metal. This is very nearly that record for 2026, but the marathon length just adds a tiny bit too much mental effort to listening to it. If Valkyrie’s Fire can kill their darlings next time around, I’m sold.

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Eclipse Records
Websites: valkyriesfire.com | facebook.com/valkyriesfireofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

Most of my AMG time recently has gone to tech issues 1, but I’ve been wanting to write again. Valkyrie’s Fire’s debut Out of Darkness lured me back with a Nightwish namedrop, which is a dangerous promise, for all that it sounds enticing. In principle, I’m a big fan of power metal, symphonic metal, and indeed symphonic power metal. Alas, as I wrote in my section of the Nightwish ranking, symphonic metal is plagued by terrible, boring bands. It’s much easier to ape the style than it is to write great songs. I don’t know why this is such a problem for this genre in particular, but it doesn’t need to be this way, and so hope springs eternal.

Valkyrie’s Fire avoid this problem on two axes. First, Out of Darkness isn’t actually that beholden to Nightwish tropes, with the possible exception of “Skylark.”2 Yes, they do the duet vocal thing a lot and one of them is a soprano. But the core style they establish early on (“Evermore,” “Valkyrie’s Fire,” etc.) reminds me a lot more of Rhapsody’s many iterations, replete with neoclassical twiddling. Second, and more importantly, this is good actually. It’s fun in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The songs are well-written and memorable. They experiment with a variety of genre embellishments. Some songs have a core-y twist that evokes a little Avenged Sevenfold (meant positively!—”Burning Sky,” “I Will Rise Again”). Others use cello and acoustic guitar to add a folky feel (“Bone and Thorn”), or more delicate piano (“Shattered,” “I see the Angels Fly”). This keeps things fresh and stops any one song sounding too much like all the others.

There is one classic symphonic metal trap Valkyrie’s Fire do fall solidly into, though: a regrettable inability to edit. Out of Darkness is over 70 minutes long, and it really doesn’t need to be. By track twelve, my attention span is definitely strained, and there are still fifteen minutes left of the record. With tighter editing, there’d be a punchy 45-minute album here. I get that it’s hard, as none of the tracks here are total clangers. I probably wouldn’t miss “Valkyrie’s Fire” or “Nocturne,” and many others could use editing down (“Bone and Thorn” is a pretty folk piece but doesn’t need to be seven minutes, “Cascade” could shed a couple of minutes, ten-minute closer “I Will Rise Again” gets a bit too theatrical). This isn’t universal—”Dark Moon” is nearly seven minutes but carries its length well, “Burning Sky” is a neat four—but it does affect most of the record.

I’ve mentioned before being drawn to well-performed duet vocals, and Valkyrie’s Fire are excellent here, with Bettie Floyd on soprano and Adam Sanders on baritone. The vocal melody writing is really good. They use alternating phrases, harmonies, and counterpoint to great effect. This works particularly well combined with Salem Belladonna’s piano and cello on the Clair Obscur-via-doom-metal “Shattered,” where Floyd is at her best. Her range spans from the symphonic metal standard soprano to a poppy tone that reminds me a little of Diablo Swing Orchestra’s current vocalist (“Labyrinth”). There’s one or two bits of vocal direction I don’t quite get on with (just a couple of phrases in “Evermore” and “Valkyrie’s Fire”), but it’s a very minor blip.

I’m really pleasantly surprised by Out of Darkness. My genre cynicism was mostly unfounded. I often find the mark of a good record is finding lots of bits of it slipping into my head when I’m doing other things (versus having one line going irritatingly round and round). Out of Darkness has done that. Most years, there’s at least one record that reminds me I still love symphonic/power metal. This is very nearly that record for 2026, but the marathon length just adds a tiny bit too much mental effort to listening to it. If Valkyrie’s Fire can kill their darlings next time around, I’m sold.

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Eclipse Records
Websites: valkyriesfire.com | facebook.com/valkyriesfireofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

Most of my AMG time recently has gone to tech issues 1, but I’ve been wanting to write again. Valkyrie’s Fire’s debut Out of Darkness lured me back with a Nightwish namedrop, which is a dangerous promise, for all that it sounds enticing. In principle, I’m a big fan of power metal, symphonic metal, and indeed symphonic power metal. Alas, as I wrote in my section of the Nightwish ranking, symphonic metal is plagued by terrible, boring bands. It’s much easier to ape the style than it is to write great songs. I don’t know why this is such a problem for this genre in particular, but it doesn’t need to be this way, and so hope springs eternal.

Valkyrie’s Fire avoid this problem on two axes. First, Out of Darkness isn’t actually that beholden to Nightwish tropes, with the possible exception of “Skylark.”2 Yes, they do the duet vocal thing a lot and one of them is a soprano. But the core style they establish early on (“Evermore,” “Valkyrie’s Fire,” etc.) reminds me a lot more of Rhapsody’s many iterations, replete with neoclassical twiddling. Second, and more importantly, this is good actually. It’s fun in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The songs are well-written and memorable. They experiment with a variety of genre embellishments. Some songs have a core-y twist that evokes a little Avenged Sevenfold (meant positively!—”Burning Sky,” “I Will Rise Again”). Others use cello and acoustic guitar to add a folky feel (“Bone and Thorn”), or more delicate piano (“Shattered,” “I see the Angels Fly”). This keeps things fresh and stops any one song sounding too much like all the others.

There is one classic symphonic metal trap Valkyrie’s Fire do fall solidly into, though: a regrettable inability to edit. Out of Darkness is over 70 minutes long, and it really doesn’t need to be. By track twelve, my attention span is definitely strained, and there are still fifteen minutes left of the record. With tighter editing, there’d be a punchy 45-minute album here. I get that it’s hard, as none of the tracks here are total clangers. I probably wouldn’t miss “Valkyrie’s Fire” or “Nocturne,” and many others could use editing down (“Bone and Thorn” is a pretty folk piece but doesn’t need to be seven minutes, “Cascade” could shed a couple of minutes, ten-minute closer “I Will Rise Again” gets a bit too theatrical). This isn’t universal—”Dark Moon” is nearly seven minutes but carries its length well, “Burning Sky” is a neat four—but it does affect most of the record.

I’ve mentioned before being drawn to well-performed duet vocals, and Valkyrie’s Fire are excellent here, with Bettie Floyd on soprano and Adam Sanders on baritone. The vocal melody writing is really good. They use alternating phrases, harmonies, and counterpoint to great effect. This works particularly well combined with Salem Belladonna’s piano and cello on the Clair Obscur-via-doom-metal “Shattered,” where Floyd is at her best. Her range spans from the symphonic metal standard soprano to a poppy tone that reminds me a little of Diablo Swing Orchestra’s current vocalist (“Labyrinth”). There’s one or two bits of vocal direction I don’t quite get on with (just a couple of phrases in “Evermore” and “Valkyrie’s Fire”), but it’s a very minor blip.

I’m really pleasantly surprised by Out of Darkness. My genre cynicism was mostly unfounded. I often find the mark of a good record is finding lots of bits of it slipping into my head when I’m doing other things (versus having one line going irritatingly round and round). Out of Darkness has done that. Most years, there’s at least one record that reminds me I still love symphonic/power metal. This is very nearly that record for 2026, but the marathon length just adds a tiny bit too much mental effort to listening to it. If Valkyrie’s Fire can kill their darlings next time around, I’m sold.

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Eclipse Records
Websites: valkyriesfire.com | facebook.com/valkyriesfireofficial
Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2026

Star Wars Zero Company review: All systems go for the most exciting Star Wars game in a while
Zero Company is the best of the Star Wars galaxy in a long, long time
https://www.sidequesting.com/2026/09/star-wars-zero-company-review-all-systems-go-for-the-most-exciting-star-wars-game-in-a-while/
#Reviews #BitReactor #Review #StarWars #StarWarsZeroCompany #ZeroCompany

Star Wars Zero Company review: All systems go for the most exciting Star Wars game in a while
Zero Company is the best of the Star Wars galaxy in a long, long time
https://www.sidequesting.com/2026/09/star-wars-zero-company-review-all-systems-go-for-the-most-exciting-star-wars-game-in-a-while/
#Reviews #BitReactor #Review #StarWars #StarWarsZeroCompany #ZeroCompany

https://www.europesays.com/be-nl/146135/ De nieuwe DLC van BALL X PITT belooft nog meer spektakel #BE #België #Belgium #games #gaming #Nieuws #nintendo #pc #playstation #previews #reviews #Science #ScienceAndTechnology #ScienceAndTechnology #Technologie #Technology #Wetenschap #WetenschapEnTechnologie #WetenschapTechnologie #xbox

‘Phoolan’ Review: A Biopic About a Rebellious Indian Feminist Is Undone by its Ramshackle Structure
#IndieWire #Criticism #Movies #Film #Phoolan #Reviews #TIFF

https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/phoolan-movie-review-1235217971/

‘Phoolan’ Review: A Biopic About a Rebellious Indian Feminist Is Undone by its Ramshackle Structure
#IndieWire #Criticism #Movies #Film #Phoolan #Reviews #TIFF

https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/phoolan-movie-review-1235217971/

‘Phoolan’ Review: A Biopic About a Rebellious Indian Feminist Is Undone by its Ramshackle Structure
#IndieWire #Criticism #Movies #Film #Phoolan #Reviews #TIFF

https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/phoolan-movie-review-1235217971/