Neuraxis - Asylon

NeuraxisAsylon2011~If a band changes all its working components, is it still the same band? Do they necessarily have the same artistic vision as their predecessors? If the band still continues to make great music, honestly I don't care. Such is the case with Canadian tech-death stalwarts Neuraxis. Their music has evolved to sound tighter, more technical and more modernized, redefining the term “

Ultimatium - Hold Your Ground

UltimatiumHold Your Ground2011-As far as I know, Ultimatium has been a well-kept secret in the world of power metal for a good long while. 2008's Hwainoo was a very strong album that unfortunately didn't reach as far as it deserved. I didn't even realize that these fellows were still active until about a month ago, and now I'm holding their brand new demo in my hand. I'd heard that the sound had

Solisia - Ordinary Fate

 SolisiaOrdinary Fate2011-I wonder if the title of this album betrays some kind of open self-awareness by its creators, for, and I'm not trying to be witty here, this is really quite ordinary. The problem is: this type of female fronted band grows on trees by now and unless you're Nightwish and you invented the genre, or you have a more-than-average-looking singer, you have to be innovative or

One Without ~ Sweet Relief

One WithoutSweet Relief2011~One of my favorite things in the whole world is when bands let you into their world, a few minutes at a time, by posting behind-the-scenes video footage. I love this stuff and I gobble it up like an addict. Depending on how they approach their little video tidbits, the band can really make you feel like you're with them, and this provides you with a close connection

Solar Fragment - In Our Hands

Solar FragmentIn Our Hands2011-In this day and age, we put a whole lot of labels on our media. If something is not considered fit for minors to view, we put a big "parental advisory" label on it. Heck, I've even seen some iTunes albums labeled specifically as "clean" (and I think it bit sad that we need to use that). At this point in time, I'm considering employing a "Caution: Mind-Blowing" for