Kamelot’s recent line-up change has probably been one of the most shocking moments for the band’s fans. Signature vocalist Roy Khan has left gigantic shoes for Tommy Karevik to fill. This second record with Karevik behind the microphone could be a turning point in the band’s career. ‘Haven’ might even mark the beginning of a new Kamelot era.
The Gothenburg, Sweden, based Hardcore Superstar is nothing of what the name suggests. The aggressive “hardcore” genre we sometimes hear in metal is something completely different when compared to what Hardcore Superstar makes. With their so-called “Street Metal” these Swedes have managed to get some great mainstream success. Now they want to go back to their roots with the release of their tenth record ‘HCSS’.
This band has changed their line-up so many times, I can’t recall seeing an extreme case like this. Nightrage exist since the beginning of the zeroes, with its debut album ‘Sweet Vengeance’ released in 2003. But ever since then the band has shifted almost constantly, with an amazing list of previous, session and touring musicians. And then I don’t even mention the Guest musicians! But Nightrage is back with another line-up and a new album: ‘The Puritan’.
I have been talking about how many great new albums and bands are coming from Belgium these days. Lately we had Guilty As Charged, Ethernity and Ostrogoth to name a couple of them. But lo and behold, another Belgian band sent their record to fall onto my doormat. Waiting For releases their debut album called: ‘The Hexen’.
New and unknown progressive rock and metal bands are always welcome. But sometimes you got these older and more experienced musicians that feel the need to do some solo work. You had the Liquid Tension Experiment with members of Dream Theater and Neal Morse, former vocalist and keyboard player, went solo as well. In between the work he does as the vocalist of The Flower Kings, Hasse Fröberg wanted to do his own stuff. That is where ‘HFMC’ sprouted.
A lot of bands these days start a Kickstarter campaign to finance their new record. We hear a lot of the success stories, about the already well-known bands, or new bands that manage to pull off an amazing campaign. But last week we had a chance to talk to a band that started a Kickstarter, but the campaign failed, because of various reasons. Brothers Dennis and Robbin van de Bor had the time to tell us how you get over such a disappointment and how they managed to still pull of the release of their self-titled debut album.
In the modern Metal industry the so called female fronted metal bands are mostly long haired women with a high soaring vocals. Bands like Nightwish, Amaranthe and Within Temptation have thrived on that genre for quite some years now. But Scarved is delivering us something completely different. This female fronted rockband, formed around vocalist Caro, delivers us the powerful rock album ‘Dynamite’.
Most of us will know the heavy and Powermetal that originated from Germany. With bands like Helloween, Primal Fear and many others the soaring vocals and fast, technical music has become well known all around the world. But sometimes there are new bands that tap into this particular barrel of inspiration to create new music. The Swedish Lancer is one of those bands. By using the old-school Powermetal, but giving it a modern touch on ‘Second Storm’.
The band Iris Devine is one that has been talked about, a lot. Through a Kickstarter campaign these Americans succeeded to fund ‘Karma Sown’ and they have now confirmed a one time show with progressive giants Haken. Fans of progressive rock and metal have been talking about this band. Let’s find out if they can deliver.
Last year the Belgian Thrash Metallers of Guilty As Charged released their debut album called ‘Leap Of Faith’. Doing everything themselves, without any help of a label at all. It’s a big step and also a great adventure for a young band like this. Hoping for a place in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam, bassist Hannes de Caluwé has found time to talk about everything that’s going on. “It all took a lot of time and it has absorbed quite a lot of money, too, but we’re very proud of what it has become!”
