The Viking in the Wilderness - reviews and news

(17:45; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. Midnight Hunter 4:41 2. Steelbladed Avenger 4:12 3. Midnight Hunter (Instrumental) 4:42 4. Steelbladed Avenger (Instrumental) 4:10 Line-up: Kai Hagemann - vocals, keyboards Zacharias Drosos - guitars Nino Helfrich - guitars Thies Jacobsen - drums with: Rich Gray - bass German band Inner Axis have a history that goes back to the late 1990's, at first operating under the moniker Midgard, but then switching to Inner Axis in 2008. Since then the band have released two full length albums. This year they are out with the double single "Midnight Hunter / Steelbladed Avenger", possibly in advance of a third full length studio production. Both tracks document a band that has a firm foundation in more traditional varieties of heavy metal. An energetic variety of 80's heavy metal may arguably be a foundation here, with tight and energetic runs and surges with more of a power metal expression used liberally in both songs as well as a slightl...

(39:00; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. Serial Killer 5:47 2. Eye for an Eye 5:46 3. Antihero 5:34 4. Prior 2:49    5. Scream for Me 5:47 6. Unforged 4:44 7. Fight for Your Life 5:03 8. I'm Away 3:30 Line-up: Chrys - vocals Thommy Scar - guitars Mika Alva - guitars Chris Anthrope - bass Nico Alva  - drums German band Unforged was established as recently as 2019, and have obviously had the major part of their band development so far while the historical pandemic have made such undertakings a tad more problematic than usual. This fall the band was ready with their debut album "Eye for an Eye", which was released through German label Fastball Music. While I see the band are self-described as a modern metal band, I would beg to disagree ever so slightly in that regard. To my ears at least this debut album has a distinct retro feel to it, of the kind that begs for a Bay Area reference. Or, in other words, I regard this album as one exploring a rather classic variety of thr...

(64:12; Fastball Music) Track list: 1. Stay Free 5:30 2. Danger Zone 3:56 3. You Never Know Why 5:12 4. Behind the Clouds 6:28 5. Magical Touch 3:37 6. Steelheart 4:55 7. Soultrail 5:23 8. Breakout 4:36 9. Fire & Soul 7:51 10. Out of Control 4:30 11. Believe 5:32 12. 100 Mann und ein Befehl 2:50 13. Xmas Is Special 3:52 Line-up: Guido Stocker - guitars Ela Sturm - vocals Danij Perl - bass Christian Antwerpen - drums with: Rolf Munkes - guitars Hermann Focke - drums JoJo Brunn - keyboards German band Bodyguerra has a history that goes back to 2010 from what I can see, and they released their debut album "Freddy...Nothing as It Seems" back in 2013. Some years down the line a new version of the band was formed, now opting for the slightly revised band name Guido Stoecker's Bodyguerra. Come 2021 and they are ready with the second Bodyguerra album "Fire & Soul", which is set for an October release through German label Fastball Music. While one might get the i...