SKULLSHIFTER
Track One: I, Punishment
Track Two: Engines
Track Three: Here In Hell
Three songs, presented by SKULLSHIFTER. Three songs of power……three songs. I want MORE. I can’t wait to hear what they have in store for their next release. Catch them live, if you can….I’m sure they put on an intense show.
RATING: 8.5 of 10
WEBSITE
LEGION
Track One: Shadow OF The King
Track Two: Illusion
Track Three: The Watcher
Track Five: Medicine Man
Track Six: Colors (You and I)
Track Seven: Heart of Stone
Track Eight: Stay Away (From the Night)
A perfect eight songs does just the right job in delivering the goods in style. I look forward to future releases from this band. Hail Legion!!!!
RATING: 9 of 10
WEBSITE
ARCTIC FLAME
Track One: Steel Angels
Track Two: Levellers Wish
Track Three: Kingdom Of Illusion
Track Four: Miseys Mystery
Track Five: Battle Of Heaven And Hell
RATING: 9 of 10
WEBSITE
GODS OF FIRE
Track One: Welcome To Hell
Track Two: City Of Gold
Track Three: Hyperion
Track Four: The Long Walk
Track Five: Digital Neon
Track Six: Eternally Strong
Track Seven: Nectar Of The Gods
Track Eight: Prometheus Unbound
Check out GODS OF FIRE…..they kick ass, and based on their website, put on aa KILLER live show. I can see this band going far…they just need more recognition. Hail GODS OF FIRE…and fear the WRATH OF THE GODS!!!
RATING: 9 of 10
WEBSITE
OF INFINITY
Track One: The Voice Without
Track Two: Shadow of a Lie
Track Three: It’s Only For Forever
If this three track demo is a glimpse of what Of Infinity are capable of, then Century Media, Nuclear Blast, and Noise Records better pay more attention to them, as they have “SIGN ME” written all over themselves. Truly a nice addition to the female fronted metal bands of today. Perhaps one day we’ll see Of Infinity touring with the likes of Nightwish, Sinergy, or Mastermind. Only a next release will tell.
RATING: 8.5 of 10
WEBSITE
Here In Hell
© 2005 Independent Release
Wasting NO time, “I, Punishment” opens with very heavy and tight guitar, bass, and drum. I can hear elements of early Fear Factory (Demanufacture era). The vocals are fast, aggressive, and to the point. At times, I can hear influences of Agent Steel (Omega Conspiracy era) in Tom Nolz’s vocals. The chorus is both powerful and heavy; you cannot help but to sing along (and kick the shit out of someone too). This song is a GREAT opening track to get things going.
The opening riffs of CJ Scioscia kick ass here, accompanied by Dan Davie’s pounding drums. Tom (also plays guitar) comes in with a heavy rhythm section and J. McCafrey’s tight bass. The guitar work at the 2:30 mark really speeds things up, then leads into an Iron Maiden-like guitar riff. This song demands some serious head banging. BEWARE: listening to this song while driving encourages fast and reckless behavior…..YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
Slow, atmospheric melodies open “Here In Hell”, only to pick up the pace (as I anticipated) almost immediately. Chugging, heavy guitar with pounding bass and drum command serious thrashing. Once again, the vocals are aggressive and powerful. The occasional Iron Maiden riff is executed in just the right places. I liked the bass/drum breakdown at the 3 minute mark, right before it blasts into an awesome power chord. The double bass drums are killer, and the vocal execution here have balls and power….THRASH ‘TILL DEATH!!!
Shadow Of The King
© 2005 Legion Records
Sounds of a thunder storm lead into the opening guitar melodies of the title track, “Shadow…”. Classic old-school 80’s metal reigns supreme here. Vocalist Mike Bunk reminds me of a cross between Mike Vesera of Loudness and Biff Byford of Saxon. The chorus is very catchy, with added guitar hooks. The guitar solos involve a lot of palm muting, reminiscent of Helloween’s “Keeper…” albums, compliments of Francesco Adamo and Joe Adamo. It seems we have yet another “metal brothers” assault, just as Raven or Tempered Steel.
A killer guitar riff opens this song. The drum and bass work can really be heard here, and they simply shine through compliments of Collin Bianchi and Nick Marinou respectively. This song has very strong guitar work though out, especially after the chorus. Thoughts of Yngwie Malmstein come to mind, from the “Marching Out” album, for both vocal execution and guitar work. Absolutely amazing stuff here! My only complaint is the production job on this song. Some of the guitar parts, when switched off, fade out or sound almost echoed.
Some Eighties reminiscent keyboard open this song, which follows the path of it’s predecessors having KILLER guitar work. Palm-muted guitar work remind me of White Snakes “Here I Go Again”, but altered a bit. Mike Bunk really exercises his high octave vocal range here. The Adamo brothers really let it rip here, yet maintain the somewhat soft feel of this song. An Iron Maiden-like riff closes out the song.
Track Four: Deny Yourself
Opening with a Saxon-like riff, Legion unleash the metal in “Deny…”. Mike belts out a killer scream, which leads into the first verse of the song. A lot of Saxon influence is heard here, an it simply rocks!! This song demands uncontrolled head-banging! More Helloween guitar work is heard here; this song simply kicks serious ass. Get up off your ass and bang that head!!!
Keeping up with the pace, “Medicine Man” continues Legions metal fury. Collin really keeps the pace of this song at exactly where it should be. As expected, the guitar work is absolutely amazing. At this point, I have come to expect nothing less from this band. Each and every song so far as left a remarkable impression.
Here’s Legions first attempt at a ballad, and I must say, it rocks!! Some slow acoustic/electric guitar opens, followed by some guitar lick in just the right places. The lyrics are nothing new here, as far a ballads are concerned, but that’s not really the main focus of a ballad anyway. The song structure stays true to what’s important: the guitar parts are emotional and almost react to each vocal line. Any band can sing about lost love or heart-break….Legion do this with style.
More elements of Yngwie Malmstein can be heard right from the opening guitar licks of “Heart…”. This song has both attitude and balls. Just like “Deny…”, this song is a fist pumping metal attack. I thought this was going to be another ballad based on the song title, but it’s not….it’s an in-your-face, balls out metal song.
Another fast paced song is the album closer for Legion, in “Stay Away…”. Just like it’s predecessors, this song offers a soaring vocal performance, out of this world guitar hooks and leads, and a strong drum and bass backbone. More Yngwie Malmstein and Helloween influences can be heard here, however (sorry I didn’t mention this before) Legion DOES maintain their own sound…otherwise, we would just have a clone band.
Demo 2005
© 2005 Independent Release
Opening with a powerful Rob Halford-like scream (compliments of Dave Lowe), “Steel Angels” waists NO TIME bringing on a FULL METAL ASSAULT. Really…this kicked my ass in before one minute of the song was over. The heavy and melodic guitar demands fist pounding attention, as does the POUNDING drum which immediately had me headbanging. This drum work sounded familiar, and with good reason. Mr. Mike Paradine is BACK!!! Mike used to drum for BALISTIK KICK, and has now co-founded ARCTIC FLAME. Knowing that Mike was in this band lead me to the realization that this band would have balls & would kick ass. Now, the guitar work is FAST, melodic, and heavy, like something out of a Judas Priest album on steroids. Rod Mariani and Don Dioro work really well as duel axemen, which already has made itself evident in this first song. There are a LOT of powermetal bands out there that just shred out, leaving you with cybernetic guitar solos faster than the speed of light. This eliminates the essence of soul and emotion in guitar playing. Rod and Don have captured this sole, adding a touch of old-school sounding metal too. Dave Lowe can hit those high notes, yet can also sing with passion and power. Going from mid-range to high range with ease seemed to be no problem for Dave. Jeff Scott’s bass plays along tightly with Mike’s drumming, which adds to the overall heaviness of this song. KICK ASS!!
Continuing the melodic onslaught, “Levellers…” has elements of Iron Maiden’s Powerslave album. Dave’s vocals are strong and aggressive throughout, complimenting the heavy guitar perfectly. Mike’s drumming is thunderous; he just pounds the shit out of his drums in this song. The guitar melodies played throughout the song are killer, and the guitar solos
rip, thanks to Don and Rod. Toward the end of the song, Dave shows his broad vocal rang by singing in a higher octave than he was singing in throughout this song. Truly a great song with that old-school feeling to it, “Levellers…” showcases ARCTIC FLAME’s talent.
Based on the opening tunes of this song, I thought this would be a ballad or slow-paced song. The electric/acoustic guitar and melodic guitar solos really slowed the pace down, but in a cool way. A lot of atmosphere and melody made this a nice build up for the electric surge, as I am calling it. This song got really heavy and melodic. Everything from the drums, bass, guitars and vocals are fucking KILLER in this song. Once again, Dave delivers a stellar vocal performance. This song had me head-banging and humming out loud to unknown lyrics. The guitar melodies at the two & one-half mark are awesome. If this doesn’t make you want to clad yourself in leather and go NUTS, then you’re deaf!!
Guitar work a-la Iron Maiden’s Fear of the Dark prevails here, as the soloing and rhythms are both melodic and 80’s reminiscent. All I can say at this point is that ARCTIC FLAME has been persistent and true to their sound…..I know what to expect from songs and I know it will rock.
The opening guitar work sounds like something out of an unreleased Grim Reaper album; I was immediately hooked. I remember this song’s live performance from when I first saw ARCTIC FLAME at The Hook in Brooklyn. The live version was great, and so is this studio version. With my foot tapping, head banging, and a big smile on my face, I indulged in this song’s spectacular essence. The chorus is sung with POWER and emotion. Some evil vocal effects add a nice touch to the atmosphere and idea of the song. The lyrics are great; the musicianship is tight; the listener wants more!!!!
WRATH OF THE GODS
© 2004 Black Thirteen Recording Company
Soaring vocals and melodic heavy guitar reign supreme with opening track “Welcome…”. The chorus here is VERY catchy; one listen to this one and you’re singing along. The guitar work of DJ Blood Sacrifice and Saucy Jack is outstanding….epic, melodic, and awesome!! The vocals of Prometheus are soaring and melodic, reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson meets Dio. The keyboards add a nice atmospheric touch, compliments of DJ Blood Sacrifice. The drum and bass needed a little more volume, but they are tight and in time together, compliments of Fra Diavolo and Doctor Time respectively. The lyrics reflect on the “Silent Hill” video game series, which was cool. A good album opener which leaves the listener wanting more.
A tribute to the 1972 masterpiece “Aguirre, The Wraith Of God” by Werner Herzog, “City…” shows how GODS OF FIRE can really entice its audience. I am unfamiliar with this story, however after listening to this song and reading the lyrics, I am intrigued to read up on this masterpiece. This particularly reminds me of the way Iron Maiden creates factual-based songs on stories and history AND maintains to keep things interesting. GODS OF FIRE have done just that. Opening with some beautiful acoustic guitar, this song only then launches into a fast and furious metal frenzy. Once more, the chorus is very catchy and the melodies are outstanding. Prometheus really shines through on his vocal capabilities here. An absolutely AWESOME guitar melody is played after the second verse, which is very reminiscent of Iron Maiden’s Powerslave era.
Opening with some killer guitar work, “Hyperion” waists no time bringing on the metal! Complete with a catchy chorus and tight musicianship, this song really stands out. Based on the Dan Simmons’ novel of the same name, “Hyperion” tells the story of a man who is growing younger through time, rather than older. DJ Blood Sacrifice and Saucy Jack really shine through on their guitar parts, reminiscent of Iron Maiden at times. The mixture of melodic and aggressive vocals with harmonic guitar really adds a cutting edge for GODS OF FIRE, which is a nice break from all the similar sounding bands today.
Drawing influences, once again, based on the events in a novel, Gods of Fire deliver a powerful and emotional song in “The Long Walk”. Written by Steven King, “The Long…” is a story about a soldier’s struggles through the war he is fighting in. This song begins with some slow, acoustic guitar and some chugging electric. This paints a picture of a marching soldier. After the first verse is sung, the pace quickens led by a single guitar riff, which is then joined by heavy melody. 
The keyboard adds great atmosphere. This song really demands some serious head banging! The chorus is memorable and catchy (as I have come to anticipate from this band now). The duel guitar break at the 5 and a half-minute mark is awesome!!! Elements of Helloween and Iron Maiden can be hears here. Some melodic high screams accompany the ending guitar solos. The song winds itself down with some more solos and a killer scream reminiscent of Rob Halford.
Keeping a steady pace, “Digital Neon” opens with mid-paced guitar, which is shortly followed by melodic vocals. Once more, Prometheus shows his broad vocal range, belting out some high pitched screams and some aggressive vocal melodies as well. The chorus has some great guitar licks and is nicely executed by additional backing vocals by the other band members. This is an emotional song and really kicks ass. The drum and guitar work really quicken after the second verse, and the overall heaviness of the song increases.
This song is full of intrigue and melody…here’s why: “Eternally…” is loosely based on the true story of Ray Brent Marsh, who believed he was the main character in H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward”. Combine this idea with heavy, chugging and melodic guitar, passionate vocals, and killer effects and you have one hell of an interesting song. The musicianship here really shines through. The rhythm demands constant head banging and the vocals are sung in killer melody and time.
A killer Iron Maiden like guitar melody opens “Nectar…”, which immediately leads into chugging heavy guitar and the first verse. This song proclaims metal with its battlecry!! The chorus is sing-along with catchy guitar hooks. Prometheus hits some killer high notes during the chorus. The duel guitar solos after the second verse are incredible (thanks DJ and Saucy!). Put on the studded leather gauntlets, the denim, and the leather and BANG THAT HEAD. We’ll rule the world again!!
Deemed as the official set-closer for GODS OF FIRE is “Prometheus…”. Some cool guitar opens the track with closely followed drums. The beat seems to slowly quicken, getting attention and adrenaline pumping a bit. The chorus KICKS ASS, as does the guitar melodies played along to it. If this doesn’t get you off your ass, nothing will. The vocals are executed with aggression, melody, and power. The guitars are amazing, and the drum & bass stay in close beat to each other. This is a heavy song with all great elements. Too bad this is the last song….I wanted more!
THE ESSENCE OF INFINITY
© 2004 Independent Release
Blending heavy guitar melodies with absolutely amazing keyboard work, “The Voice…” hints toward an amazing demo for Of Infinity. Vocalist Alessandra has an absolutely stunning voice that soars and carries itself in such a terrific way. The guitar work of Nazareth is the perfect opposite of Alessandra’s vocals. Here you have both light and heavy elements, blended together with the added touch of atmospheric and enrapturing keyboard. Take the magic and atmosphere of Angel Dust, the beauty and gentle touch of Evanescence, and the musicianship and melody of Kamelot and you will find yourself listening to Of Infinity. The lyrics can only be described as deep and powerful. “The Voice…” is a song I can listen to over and over again; it just grabs you and takes you on an enthralling ride of atmosphere, imagery, and emotion. Just think…this is only the first track!!
Opening with slow acoustic guitar accompanied by beautiful violin, “Shadow…” paints a majestic feeling, which is then turned upside down by the sudden heavy guitar. Such a drastic change in mood and atmosphere might not usually work, however Of Infinity executes this change with ease and delight. 
Both the beautiful violin and the heavy & melodic guitar blend together very nicely, adding to the whole feeling of this song. Toward the end of the song, Alessandra sings some very sweet and melodic vocal lines along more acoustics and piano work. This song just comes full circle. I enjoyed the time change at the five- minute mark, which leads into a killer guitar solo. I can picture this song live with a killer light show. Brilliant…absolutely brilliant!
Haunting piano opens this track with added electric guitar. Alessandra’s voice sweetly carries out each vocal line, especially at the chorus and when “They said, it’s only for forever” is sung before the chorus. The guitar solo is emotional and really enhances the feel of the song. Some solo piano closes out the song, reminiscent of Virgin Steele. Killer atmosphere and musicianship make this song a nice ending to this demo.
