AFM Records

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    Kissin’ Dynamite – Addicted To Metal (2010)

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    The current revival/rehashing of ‘traditional’ metal genres such as Trash Metal, old-school Black Metal, and old-school Heavy Metal, has been reaching the point of being extremely ridiculous. Every four out of ten releases we get have to do with some kind of new band playing old-school music. Now, it’s surprisingly shocking to us when we actually get a band trying to do something new and exciting.

    Kissin’ Dynamtie hails from Germany and they formed back in 2002 to play… ‘traditional’ Heavy Metal, what a shocker. The band actually is very good at what they do and they capture the old-school sound perfectly. Some people are calling this band the next-best thing after Edguy (for German Heavy Metal), and while we can agree that musically this band is pretty solid, they have no originality at all.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Big Ball – Hotter Than Hell (2010)

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    Who ordered and nicely cooked AC/DC clone?, apparently AFM records did with Big Ball. While the band never denies, and even encourages, the label of AC/DC clones, we find them to be good at capturing AC/DC’s sound and essence and providing a tiny-little-bit of their own into “Hotter Than Hell”, the band’s first full-length release.

    As the band states, if you hate AC/DC you will hate us, so if you do then stop reading and move on to the next review. Big Ball is a pretty decent clone/tribute band to AC/DC and even the vocals sound strikingly similar to earlier the earlier style of Brian Johnson, but sometimes get a bit raspier and sound more like Udo Dirkschneider, still not bad.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Solution .45 – For Aeons Past (2010)

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    After being kicked out of Scar Symmetry, Christian Älvestam didn’t get mad, he got even. Putting together Solution .45, a band that features musicians that are involved (or have been involved) with tons and tons of other bands, most notably: Jani Stefanović guitarist from Miseration (Christian’s other project) and Rolf "Stuka" Pilve on drums also from Miseration and Essence Of Sorrow.

    You will get a complete feeling of Déjà vu when you start listening to “For Aeons Past” since it sounds almost identical to what Scar Symmetry used to sound when Christian was in the band. We don’t say that cloning your old band is a bad thing, but I think that Solution .45 has gone a bit too far in this department. However, we loved Scar Symmetry with Christian, therefore we love Solution .45

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Dark Age – Acedia (2010)

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    Apparently we had this little gem of an album sitting on our ‘to review’ folder for quite some time and it just recently got its deserved play time. We really regret not having enjoyed this fine release when it was released since it features a very interesting combination of Melodic Death Metal with what you can call ‘pop metal’ influences.

    This German band has been known for releasing ‘average’ Melodic Death Metal bands, but until this release they will either standout more or be hated by their previous fans. Fusing electronic elements and clean vocals we get a bit of a ‘pop metal’ feeling to this album, and while this prevails through most of the album, the underlying foundations of the music are very much like their earlier stuff: melodic riffs and catchy song structures.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Masterplan – Far From The End Of The World (Single) (2010)

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    After a one album absence we have Jørn Lande back on the vocals for Masterplan, and this single shows a nice preview on how good the band’s next release “Time To Be King” will be. Featuring two versions of the title song and another cut from the upcoming album, we have to say that this single is short and sweet, and it will create great expectations for the full-length due out on the end of May.

    With the band’s original line-up sans Uli Kusch, “Far From The End Of The World” is an epic track that will surely be one of the best of the album, since we think it can’t get better than that. Featuring a fast pace melody and epic keyboards to start, we are again introduced to the brilliant voice of Jørn Lande at its finest.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Jon Oliva’s Pain – Festival (2010)

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    With the Spotlight shining on the Bay Area Trash Metal scene once more we have legendary bands releasing their finest releases to date like Exodus and Heathen. We also have other bands resurrecting like Forbidden, all this activity has made other bands like Kaos want to make another push to establish themselves as major players of the scene.

    Kaos has been around since the late 80’s releasing demo after demo until their first album saw the light of day in 2000 with “Vision Beyond”. After that the band signed to Relentless Records in order to release “Kaos Among Us”. Fast-forward to 2010 and we get the band’s latest offering with “The Pits Of Existence”, an album that clearly captures the old-school feeling and it’s marked to push Kaos into the spot light.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Theatre Of Tragedy – Forever If The World (2009)

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    After going back to a more Gothic Metal sound with “Storm”, Theatre Of Tragedy is back after three years with “Forever If The World”. The band’s latest release is a step up from “Storm”, but it still never compares to the band’s last great album “Aegis”.

    “Forever If The World” has a bit of a feeling like “Aegis” but it gets watered down with some weird parts featuring electronic elements, like in “Astray” and the feeling is over. However this album is still very solid and it has memorable tracks like “Frozen” and “Hollow” just to name a few.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Shakra – Everest (2009)

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    Shakra brings us their rock influenced heavy metal from Switzerland. “Everest” marks their 7th full length release, and you can hear that in the quality of their music. This album contains 13 tracks of pretty solid rock/heavy metal that will surely please the followers of this band, and that will appeal fans of the genre of music.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    The New Black – The New Black (2009)

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    The New Black hails from Germany, and their music style is a very unique blend of many different musical elements that create something in between classic rock and groove metal. And even if the band’s sound is more main stream it’s still a pretty darn good sound. I think this band has created a very unique fusion of genres, and they are not afraid of adding whatever they think will make the songs sound better (like on “Simplify”).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Doro – Fear No Evil (2009)

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    “Fear No Evil” is Doro’s latest release after 25 years if doing music. If you are a metal head and you don’t know who Doro is, I would suggest you start listening to a different type of music, or at least do your homework. Doro’s latest album is a very good one indeed. While I have to agree that Heavy Metal has never been one of my favorite genres, I recognize and accept a good release when I hear one. “Fear No Evil” is full of heavy metal ballads and great songs.

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