Congrats on your first official review! I'm not all that familiar with neoclassical power metal, aside from Yngwie Malmsteen if he counts (and I guess bits of Stratovarius go in that direction), who would the big names in that subgenre be?

Written by musclassia on 25.09.2020 at 01:01

Congrats on your first official review! I'm not all that familiar with neoclassical power metal, aside from Yngwie Malmsteen if he counts (and I guess bits of Stratovarius go in that direction), who would the big names in that subgenre be?

Thanks! Yngwie definitely counts in my book and Stratovarius does indeed have some touches of it as well here and there.

Then there's Majestic which is a Swedish band. They made 2 albums around the 2000s. As far as I know, they don't exist anymore.

Eternity's End also has 2 albums. Their first is really good. The second I remember being a bit underwhelmed by (but I might have to give it another listen to really make up my mind).

And my personal favourite is Iron Mask. Dushan Petrossi's second band (Magic Kingdom being the first one he founded). Honestly I overall prefer the Iron Mask stuff over the Magic Kingdom stuff. Diabolica is a fantastic record imo and easily one of my favourite power metal albums of the last couple of years.

Magnitude 9 has a couple of records but I've only heard one so far.

There are probably a couple more, but those are all the ones (apart from Kenziner) I know. So I'm always excited when there's a new one coming out.

By the end of the year there should be a new Iron Mask album. I'm really looking forward to that one.

Written by tominator on 25.09.2020 at 01:49



By the end of the year there should be a new Iron Mask album. I'm really looking forward to that one.

Cheers for the suggestions; I'll keep an eye out for this one then for sure!

Well well, look who is on the main page now

Can't say I'm that interested in the band or the genre in general, but I can make an exception this time

Written by RaduP on 25.09.2020 at 10:13

Well well, look who is on the main page now

Can't say I'm that interested in the band or the genre in general, but I can make an exception this time

Not going to lie, seeing my name on the main page looks kind of strange.

Written by tominator on 25.09.2020 at 10:29

Not going to lie, seeing my name on the main page looks kind of strange.

You'll get used to it

Welcome to the front page! We could surely use some more melody there

Like Radu, I am not the biggest fan of the style (although I did like Yngwie when I was younger) but I will listen to this. I totally agree with the roller-coaster comparison, I find the lack of flow and the single-speed albums to be a bit boring regardless of style.

I did like a lot their first 2 records, they were neoclassical proggy and had a misterious sound to it, mostly because of low budget production I guess.

Listening to Phoenix, I think that mistery is mostly gone but the songwriting is quite good, so I agree that they have lost some personality but overall is very enjoyable album.

And to the list of recomended Neoclassical --> Adagio and everything Richard Anderson did (Majestic, Space Odissey, Time Requiem etc...) is highly recomended. Does anybody knows whatever happened to him?

Written by nikarg on 25.09.2020 at 11:17

Welcome to the front page! We could surely use some more melody there

Like Radu, I am not the biggest fan of the style (although I did like Yngwie when I was younger) but I will listen to this. I totally agree with the roller-coaster comparison, I find the lack of flow and the single-speed albums to be a bit boring regardless of style.

Thanks

I've noticed that with some of my friends as well. Some absolutely love Neoclassical stuff, and some don't like it at all.

Honestly, the last couple of years I find that the single-speed issue is something I get across more and more. And I think I'm starting to tolerate it less these days. Too often it results in an album with not enough depth to it.

Written by Callisto on 25.09.2020 at 11:37

I did like a lot their first 2 records, they were neoclassical proggy and had a misterious sound to it, mostly because of low budget production I guess.

Listening to Phoenix, I think that mistery is mostly gone but the songwriting is quite good, so I agree that they have lost some personality but overall is very enjoyable album.

And to the list of recomended Neoclassical --> Adagio and everything Richard Anderson did (Majestic, Space Odissey, Time Requiem etc...) is highly recomended. Does anybody knows whatever happened to him?

Right, Adagio is one that also falls under the Neoclassical category. Completely forgot about them! For some reason I always think of them as a progressive band. Tbh the only album I've listened to from them was Underworld and that was quite some time ago. I really should give their other work a spin some time.

Don't really know about Richard Anderson. I'm only familiar with his Majestic project. But according to Wikipedia his last album was released in 2006. Seems like he isn't making new music these days.

Just finished listening to it and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I did not expect the songwriting to be this good.

Written by John_Doe on 26.09.2020 at 15:57

Just finished listening to it and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I did not expect the songwriting to be this good.

Yes, this is imo an allround solid album. Very competently put together. And like I mentioned in the review, I find it an enjoyable record throughout. It just misses some variety in speed and a production that has a little bit more character.

So yeah, I feel like it doesn't really have the staying power of an album that I will keep listening to in the future, but I enjoyed every listen I gave it. so far.

Great album. Nowhere near the magic of their first release tho... That's when bands (or labels) weren't afraid to dial the neoclassical to 11.

Also a great newer neoclassical band is Moon Reverie

Written by JÄY on 27.09.2020 at 17:14

Also a great newer neoclassical band is Moon Reverie

Thanks for the recommendation. Definitely going to check them out one of these days.