Tag Archives: Melodic metal

Another Round Bar and Grill – Richmond, VA FREE METAL FRIDAY!! This should be a thing all over the country to encourage local and regional bands to get out and show off their style. I love that Another Round incentivizes bands and fans to come out for a night of cool music. No cover should  Continue Reading »

Out Of Darkness is a Florida-based four-piece band operating primarily in the Classic Power/Progressive Metal realm, though that is nowhere close to everything they bring to bear on this record. The songs are shaded with Modern and Melodic Metal, bringing a classic sound into the new age. Recently, The band took the time to answer a few questions I posed to them in hopes of getting a better feel of who they are as a whole. Their responses pleased me, not just because they answered politely, but because they gave in depth, poignant answers (and cited some of my favorite bands as influences!). Read through and you will see this is a complex band with big ideas and bigger dreams. May the Metal Gods smile upon them!

Grave Heist/Coronary Thrombosis/Sickbay/Sacrificial Betrayal – Another Round RVA – Richmond, VA, March 2, 2024

Out Of Darkness is a Florida-based four-piece band operating primarily in the Classic Power/Progressive Metal realm, though that is nowhere close to everything they bring to bear on this record. The songs are shaded with Modern and Melodic Metal, bringing a classic sound into the new age. Initially formed in 2020 by Brent and Eric, they have expanded their line-up to include Dan and Bill, rounding out the sound. After releasing their debut EP, Seize The Day, in 2020, Out Of Darkness took time to craft their debut full-length LP and make sure they got everything to sound exactly as they wanted it to. The result is a very solid offering that has everything from gentle, ballad-like tones to a distinct heaviness that will immediately burrow into your brain.

Unmothered was formed in Austin, Texas, in 2013. The COVID pandemic hit them pretty hard and they partially split with the core of the band relocating to Columbus, Ohio. Most of the sound is Fuzzy-Doom Metal, but they bring in elements of Sludge and Melodic Metal to craft a broader, deeper sound that touches different parts of the brain. Multiple short instrumentals on this album allow for a quick rest, giving the brain time to prepare for what comes next.

Lower 13 describes themselves as a Melodic Metal Power Trio. After listening to them, I will not be trying to argue anything different as I heartily agree with them, though I’d expand that description a bit to include some additional influences from Thrash, Death, and Power Metal. With a combination of clean and harsh vocals, powerful rhythms, and intricate lead work, Lower 13 blends multiple disciplines into a tasty feast of Heavy Metal that contains something for everyone on the Metal Spectrum.

Blazoner is a three-piece band hailing from Fredericksburg, Virginia. One thing that is immediately noticeable is that all three members provide vocals, putting them in a category not often used; vocal Power Trio. This allows for some very interesting voice usage, including harmonic and dissonant themes where they use cleans to offset grit and distortion. Blazoner weaves through many styles and genres, including, but not limited to, Doom, Heavy, Thrash, and Melodic Metal. Heavy riffing is bolstered with equally heavy rhythms that wrap around the electrifying vocals to create a sonic wave that will wash over you and leave you waiting for the next wave to bring another crash of audible heaviness.

Dovorian is a lockdown project of Adam Sayer. Adam writes and records all instruments with additional inputs by Tom S. Englund of Evergrey handling vocal arrangements and lyrics, and Jonas Ekdahl, also of Evergrey, on drum programming. The album also features Johan Niemann (Evergrey) on bass for “Heathens” and Vikram Shankar (Silent Skies, Redemption) with a piano performance and writing on “Someone Like You.” The inclusion of members of Evergrey and the outstanding skills of Vikram add even more elegance and finesse to an already fantastic album.