2015

“It consumes a lot of your time, but what else should I do? Watch TV?”

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With a small fanbase, but with lots of energy, the Amsterdam based Orange Outlaw released their very first album ‘Desert Wolf’, halfway down 2015. Dedication, interest and the drive to be out there has seen the band release their debut album independently. Now, half a year later, it’s hard to see what has happened with the ambitious hard rock band. Guitarist Dirkjan de Wit knows why: “We were, and still are, incredibly unknown. We’ve done everything about the album ourselves!”

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My Refuge – A Matter Of Supremacy

MyRefuge_Cover[A Matter Of Supremacy]

It’s no secret that Italian progressive and symphonic heavy metal bands grow on trees. That’s exactly the reason there are so many of them coming from the Mediterranean country. Kidding aside, for a symphonic heavy band to stand out is fairly difficult. The latest addition of My Refuge and their debut album are no exception. With the likes of Rhapsody (of fire), Angra and many more, lesser known bands, an album like My Refuge’s should be ‘A Matter Of Supremacy’.

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Skeptical Minds – Omega-Thanatos

Omega Thanatos Cover Print

Last time we discussed a record, we were talking about Phantasma, a trio of musicians which included a short novel on their album ‘The Deviant Hearts’. Including a book with the album turned out to be a fantastic choice, but also an interesting one. How could a band make a record so very special, that everyone should have to buy the physical copy and not just download one? The Belgian band Skeptical Minds got the idea to include a comic book with their latest effort ‘Omega-Thanatos’.

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Overall Loudness Fifteen Best Albums of 2015

Hello Overall Loudness readers,

As the final hours of the year pass slowly by, we present to you our very own top 15 of 2015.
We’ve chosen only the bands that we actually reviewed, with the scores we gave them during the year in mind.

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Shane Gaalaas – Bitter Suites From The Red Room

sg_bitter_booklet [更新済み]

There’s been a year between the release of his singles and the actual release of Shane Gaalaas’ new solo record. It’s the fourth solo album that the Canadian drummer and multi musician has released. Apart from his work with renowned musicians like Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth and Jeff Kollman. All these years touring and recording with these amazing people finally gave Gaalaas the courage to record his first, fully instrumental solo album ‘Bitter Tales From The Red Room’.

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Energy Of The Elements – 30:03 DeHuman Rise

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Quite recently, Vly guitarist Karl Demata gave an interview in which he said that Italian progressive music is quite complex and bombastic. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I can personally tell you that not only the progressive Italians are complex, the symphonic metal musicians from the Mediterranean country are quite exquisite as well. From the city of Turin comes the symphonic metal formation called Energy Of The Elements and recently they released their debut album called ’30:03 DeHuman Rise’.

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Phantasma – The Deviant Hearts

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Quite recently we reviewed the new Melted Space album, which was a grotesque record with no less than seventeen guest musicians and vocalists. It didn’t make that much of a devastating impression, but the music was amazing. And now there’s Phantasma, the product of the soul of only three people. Backed up by an entire 100 page novel by Delain vocalist Charlotte Wessels, here’s ‘The Deviant Hearts’, and it’s a rollercoaster of emotions.

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Orange Outlaw – Desert Wolf

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Energy, power, passion and love for music. That’s what this Dutch band is all about. Straight out of Amsterdam, the rockers of the new Orange Outlaw are here to conquer the world with an old school mix of powerful hard rock meets heavy metal. Three years after the band got together their debut album is finally here. I’m not sure you can find a “real” ‘Desert Wolf’ in Amsterdam, but the album gives you almost more than you can handle!

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Ython – Titanomachy

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The Belgian metal scene is blooming like never before. I honestly don’t know why, but all of a sudden the Belgians decided to go and make some amazing heavy metal music. Following the releases of Temptations For The Weak and Guilty As Charged, who both partook in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam, is the independent release of Ython’s debut album ‘Titanomachy’. Let’s see if these Belgians have the potential to become titans.

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Mammoth Storm – Fornjot

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There’s something going on that I cannot wrap my head around. No, it’s not the bizarre name of this band, how strange Mammoth Storm may sound. But it has to do with the fact that I just, barely a week ago, reviewed the new album by Draconian. A doom album with a great amount of good tracks. And now I find the name of Draconian bass player Daniel Arvidsson on the Mammoth Storm line-up as well. The reason you play in two bands is clear to me, but releasing two albums at the same time? Why? And how good is this debut album called ‘Fornjot’?

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