Xandria - Sacrificium

Xandria's latest cover seems to say "Somebody run an' tell Mordechai there's another one o' them dadburn firebirds in the cathedral again!"There are times when I just can't listen to symphonic metal, and then there are times where I can't seem to get enough of it. Where that line divides the two sentiments I have no idea. But it must lie somewhere in how the symphonic elements blend with the metal aspect of the music. You can't just come into the metal studio with your keyboard loaded up with a "maximum strings" patch. Authenticity plays a huge part in how the music will be received; either it will sound majestic or cheesy, and the difference is all too critical to success.

Luckily there's no problem with Xandria's arrangements. Taking a cue from other successful genre bands like Nightwish, the proven formula of female lead vocalist, epic keyboards, and (best of all) some very tasty, dirty guitar for just the right amount of heaviness as if to say "hey, don't forget we're a metal band!"

With their sixth studio album Sacrificium, and the recent addition of vocalist Dianne van Giersbergen, Xandria is clearly bucking for the lead position in the symphonic metal genre. From the pretty epic opening title track, clocking in at a little over ten minutes, the band sets the tone. They're here to rock and they're not screwing around, that much is clear. And even when things mellow out for a moment, the stillness is threatened with a contained fury. You always have the feeling that big heavy riffs are being held in check like wargs in Saruman's pit, waiting to be let loose and lay waste to everything in sight. That's where Xandria really excels. The epicness can only be held back for so long, and when it gets released, it's...well, epic. Genre fans should definitely pick this up if they haven't already.

The Bottom Line: German symphonic metallers Xandria are poised to take on the current king of the hill, Nightwish, with furious guitars and majestic keyboards all held together by the confident, powerful soprano of Dianne van Giersbergen. Go get 'em.

Tracks To Make You Consider Getting A Velvet Waistcoat: Sacrificium, The Undiscovered Land and Little Red Relish

- Genghis can not do justice to vests...

Arkona - Yav

"Hey, Genghis, where the hell can I find me some good Russian pagan/folk metal", you say? Hmmm....I have said it many times, metal's got something for just about everyone. And if you happen to be into, say Russian pagan/folk metal with a slightly progressive aspect to it, Arkona's your jam. Their latest album, Yav, comes after a three year absence, but these guys, while they may take a little getting used to, are actually pretty good. Most of, if not all, the folk melodies are played on authentic medieval instruments giving the album an otherworldly sound, a melding of the old and new.

Lead vocalist Masha "Scream" Arkhipova leads the lads of Arkona with an at times Enya-like etheral quality, while other times she slips right into guttural fury though it can get lost in the mix. But it's when the band goes on extended musical interludes (songs average about seven and a half minutes) that things can get more interesting, with progressive-inspired jams that get satisfyingly heavy.

The Bottom Line: If you're looking for some pagan/folk metal (we know you're out there) and aren't too concerned about knowing all the lyrics, you should check out Russia's Arkona. Their medieval modern sound works well while standing out in a crowded world of heavy metal bands.

- Genghis needs to get back to practicing his mandolin...

Marty Friedman - Inferno

Been wondering where the hell Marty Friedman went? Well, he's back, tough guy! And he's ready to shred your face...off...your face.Ex-pat Marty Friedman virtually disappeared 15 years ago after a memorable stint with Megadeth leaving the newer of his converts wondering "where can I get more of this guy"? Certainly older shredheads know of his legendary work with Cacophony and even his work in between playing with Megadeth, which included one of my favorite instrumental albums of all time, Scenes.

The closest he comes to the Eastern leanings that began to show on that highly Asian-influenced album (co-produced by Kitarō, no less) is Undertow with Greg Bissonette and Tony Franklin, one of many impressive collaborative efforts. Horrors, co-written by his old Cacophony co-hort Jason Becker, is unsurprisingly an amazing piece of work complete with acoustic interlude à la [Becker's] Air. The world beat-friendly Wicked Panacea bears a delightful, heavy Latin flavor thanks to guest Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, who are known for their strong connection to heavy metal music. Lycanthrope features some shred-off exchanges between Alexi Laiho and Marty that never descend to mere brinksmanship. There are plenty other moments on this album where Marty is content to share the stage with his peers rather than just name drop on the label while wanking away. Simply put, this album is a great example of how a great shredder can grow into a bonafide master musician that serves his muse - rather than just hoisting up her shirt from behind to show off her tits to the crowd.

Oh, one final note to give you an idea of Friedman's inventiveness as a collaborator, musician and songwriter: check out Meat Hook with jazz-metal saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby (Shining) where Marty and Jørgen trade off some amazing phrases in a frentic but controlled solo section that builds to an abrupt climax. Great stuff.

The Bottom Line: Marty makes a triumphant return to American ears with a highly collaborative album that shows an impressive and very satisfying degree of diversity and depth. Friedman's matured nicely into a shredder's shredder and I couldn't be happier about it. Arigato, Hebimeta-san!

Tracks That May Make You Appreciate Instrumental Guitar Albums Again: Wicked Panacea, Meat Hook, Sociopaths, Lycanthrope, and Horrors

- Genghis is is digging through his cassettes...

Bloody Hammers - Under Satan's Sun

Bloody Hammers know how to capture that groovy occult horror vibe from the 70s, as demonstrated by this awesome poster cover.If nothing else, you've got to admit that North Carolinians Bloody Hammers don't slack. Having formed in 2012, they've released a full-length album every year, bringing us to their third, Under Satan's Sun. And their Sabbath-y, bottom-heavy groove is perfectly augmented by the Southern rock tempos you might expect out of Asheville. Throw in the occult/horror vibe of classic 70s films like Suspiria or The Wicker Man and you're on to something.

Ringleader, Anders Manga embodies the tone of the band completely, his victorian top hat crowning his 'chicken-fried gothic' look. His voice even fits the music well, sounding eerily like a long lost brother of the late Peter Steele. But what matters is that the music has a sound all its own, fitting amongst the scads of other retro bands without sounding like a group of bandwagon hoppers. This is a band tailor-made for the costume party to end all costume parties next Halloween. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll never sounded so cool.

The album is laid out like a horror movie, but it's not necessarily a concept record. The bass is quite prominent on pretty much every track, as if the band was playing in the belly of some great beast. There's a definite Southern rock groove to it, with some cool surf beats thrown in as on The Last Alarm. It all conjures up images of demonic go-go girls gyrating in bone cages while Anders glares at you from under the brim of his hat. Seriously, the music is cool, but the atmosphere is almost another band member in itself. Retro-rockers should definitely check this out.

The Bottom Line: Bloody Hammers knows what sound it's going for and hits the mark perfectly. While the retro train may be getting a little over-crowded, there's always room for those that innovate rather than imitate. So rock on, you groovy ghoulies.

Tracks To Crank While Chatting Up Hot Hippie Chicks At Your Next Kegger: Death Does Us Part, The Moon-Eyed People, Under Satan's Sun and Dead Man's Shadow On The Wall

- Genghis really wants to watch some Groovy Ghoulies now...

Metal Inquisitor - Ultima Ratio Regis

This guy looks like Sauron going for an evening run. Wow, I wonder how many album covers Tolkien single-handedly inspired...Fans of classic NWOBHM-style tunes may already know of Metal Inquisitor and their commitment to that sound. And with their fourth studio release, Ultima Ratio Regis, that commitment rocks on with tunes that pay glorious homage to the heyday of such legendary acts as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Saxon.

Something that's both a blessing and a curse for this German band is how well they do what they do. If you try to sound like a classic NWOBHM band and stink at it, you end up being laughed at or, worse, ignored. But ironically, if you do it as well as these cats do, you face the possibility of being ignored as well; lost in the shuffle as if you were one of those countless bands from "back in the day". But there's real talent here, as you can't ignore the skill it takes to define your target and hit it with such pinpoint accuracy. It would be much easier to claim your influences by the aforementioned legends and add the usual modern fretboard wankery or genre-bending twist to it that so many bands do now as a given, losing the purity of the source material.

Ultima Ratio Regis (Latin for "the king's final argument", which used to be inscribed on Spanish cannons) succeeds by the band knowing precisely where it wanted to go and refusing to deviate for the sake of some imagined obligation to innovation for innovation's sake. And I'm happy to give a hearty horns up to that. Rock on, motherfuckers.

The Bottom Line: Metal Inquisitor eschews today's trends of mixing genres and the heresy of digital studio wizardy, instead opting to walk the path of the metal gods before them. So what do we call this, The New Wave of The New Wave of British Heavy Metal? Fair enough, just keep playing!

Tracks To Play While Patching The Holes In Your [Vintage] Denim Jacket: All of them

- Genghis really wants to go back in time to the classic concerts of his youth...