I love this album! I heard they are working on another but it has been a long time. There was another band called Twisted Into Form that had some former Spiral Architect members that released an amazing album titled Then Comes Affliction to Awaken the Dreamer that was more accessible and hooky. They too have dragged their feet on a 2nd release as well.

Sonata Arctica - Eclipse (1999)
I remember hearing this when it came out and how it blew me away. 25 years later it still blows me away. It's just so well done, songwriting is great, arrangements are great, guitar playing is great, the cover is great, the name is great, everything is great!
The soloing makes me think of EvH, how his solos felt so naturally fitting. Like they could not be any other way. The guitar/keyboard duels are great fun too.
The most striking part is however how incredibly intense it is. It's filled to the brim, without ever being too much. I get out of breath just listening to it. You can tell it was made by young people.
All the hooks and sing along choruses adds up to, naturally, 6/5

A typical song: The 8th Command
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE8Lrxgh9kc

Sonata Arctica - Silence (2001)
I hate it!
Everything sounds completely flat. No riffs, extremely thick layers of keyboards and lazily programmed drums. I think they are using the same drum track for all the fast songs.
And the lyrics! What is he singing? Is it his diary, badly translated? A poet he is not. How about this gem: "Walking in the cool night air without underwear." No one in the team caught that?
There's one good song and that's an old one, San Sebastian. 2/5

A typical song: Weballergy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdBYa_GAE2A

Ahahhahaahha, I love your listening diary man! Please continue forever!

You might be the first person I've seen who holds the same opinion on the second Sonata record. Everyone seems to love it, whereas it sounds like an incredible step down from the debut to me, and not even really something I ever revisit.

Thanks! I probably will.

On a surface level it seems to be pretty much exactly like Ecliptica: speedy power metal and heartfelt ballads, but upon closer listening the difference is obvious. Firstly, the drum machine that takes away all dynamics. Secondly, the vocal melodies. There are enough words to fill half a shitty novel here. You can't make memorable melodies out of that. Thirdly, where's the guitar?

Spiritual beggars - Demons (2005)
Those who doubt Michael Amott's abilities need to check out this groovy album where he's doing stoner/70s rock/rock together with the manliest of manly vocalists, JB Christoffersson, and backed by loads of gorgeous Hammond organ. 5/5

A typical song: Throwing Your Life Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VnEDzC4DSw

JB Christoffersson is my personal God!! I've discovered him thanks to Spiritual Beggars!

Indeed. The Beggars are fantastic.

As he should be!

Squealer - The Prophecy (1999)
Depressive power metal. You didn't know that existed, did you? But here it is. While power metal lyrics usually deals with heroic tales and self-empowerment, this is about deceit and self-doubt. They are quite unique both in sound and song structures, sometimes sounding almost like a less focused Savatage trying to play thrash.
The one thing I don't fully like are the vocals. I don't think he is using his natural voice anywhere on the album. It's mostly a gruff, raspy voice a la Chris Boltendahl, or a Hetfield impression. Not bad, but not great either.

A really unique feature on this album is having a cover song in the middle of it that actually fits. I dislike pretty much all covers on metal albums, but their rendition of Enjoy the Silence blends in nicely with the overall sound and theme. It could have been even better if the singer didn't do a Dave Gahan voice for most of it.

A fine album with a fresh sound. 4/5

A typical song: The Meaning of Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiUWztzFkTM

Star One - Space Metal (2002)
The singing by Russell Allen, Damian Wilson, Dan Swanö and Floor Jansen on these fantastic songs are nothing short of spectacular. Songs aren't the right word though, these are dramatized stories (based on space movies) where the music is the back drop.
The coolest part is the Vangelis-like synth sounds. They really heighten the space atmosphere. 5/5

A typical song: High Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeUfHqz7Cvk

Star One - Victims of the Modern Age (2010)
The same singers, doing the same amazing job. The music is heavier, a bit proggier and more cinematic. The theme here is dystopian movies.
I haven't listened to this one as much as Space Metal, but I believe this is a grower. 5/5

A typical song: 24 Hours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCIsIbBhhkM

Steel Attack - Where Mankind Fails (1999)
Ah, the early days of Swedish power metal when all you needed was a big heart, youthful enthusiasm, guts, and a wish to conquer the world. The singer does a terrific job here (for an ex-death metal drummer). Despite lacking all technical abilities he makes it work due to sheer will and a confidence of steel. He also manages to come up with some really great harmonies for the backing vocals.
In fact, this is what I think many long running and veteran bands lack, the willingness to throw yourself out from 10,000 feet and hope it will fly. Sometimes routine and time tested ways works well, but it's never exciting. 5/5

A typical song: Heading for the Lair
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGi2nfTfuAc

The first two Steel Attack records are amazing and super underrated. Totally agree with your review.

Yep, Arjen hit it out of the park with these two. Just perfectly executed, killer melodies, fantastic production, ultra-talented performers, etc. The latest Star One is also damned good.
I used to prefer Ayreon to this project, but today the opposite is true.

^ Sadly, the third Star One is just a bit too Ayreon-ish. I havne't been able to get myself to dig it. I love the first two. Let's see what Arjen comes up with Soeterboek soon... The first single is bluesy hard rock, very much in Whitesnake style.

Steel Attack - Enslaved (2004)
First of all, this is a completely different band now. Only the guitarist remains from the original line-up and he wasn't a founding member, although he played on the first album. Seeing how much the music has changed too, they really should have changed name.

By all metrics this should be a 5, but it isn't. Fast heavy metal with lots of dark riffs and twin guitars, great solos, great drumming and good vocals. But it doesn't come together. I have a hard time putting my finger on what it is, but the vocal melodies are so unmelodic, with lots of strange jumps. They don't come natural at all. I think it has to do with them experimenting (and failing, obviously) with non-diatonic harmony.
There are good bits: the drummer goes full prog metal drumming most of the time, the guitar playing is great and there are some hooky choruses, so 3/5.

A typical song: Out of the Flame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvmBm_gzxh8&t=329s

I knew you were going to give this one a high score, this album is incredible. Fun fact: I was a school student when I found out about this band and album and by that time I only could listen to music with very cheap earphones (like these). Years later, when I listened to this album again with good headphones I was blown away with all the layers of sounds, arrangements and melodies that were going on simultaneously.



Bruh...

I've been down with the sickness, but now I'm back!


Steel Attack - Diabolical Symphony (2006)
This is not an easy listen, but they finally make it work. At first it seems to be exactly like the previous album, but there are much more melodies here, albeit quite subtly.
New drummer is competent but unspectacular, the guitar playing is great once more. 4/5

A typical song: Sanctimonious
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pj6F1Bxu1M

Steel Attack - Carpe DiEnd (2008)
And two steps back. Again with the unmelodic melodies. Add to that nothing but boring riffs, tempos like sleepy snails, surprisingly stale drumming by Peter Morén from Tad Morose and loads of unfitting keyboards, and we are left with diEnd of this incarnation of Steel Attack. According to MA, they are back to their original line up. Nothing recorded, but we'll see if we can get some more good music from this. We can always hope. 1.5/5

A typical song: Perpetual Solitude (Yeah, you won't make any friends playing music like this!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkQhKebPhHI

Steel Prophet - Dark Hallucinations (1999)
Here's another favourite band of mine. Clean, precise riffing, twin guitar leads, adventurous song writing and even interesting bass playing. Add to that a singer that could challenge both Midnight and John Arch on their best days and you have a band that lives up to the term "underrated".
My one minuscule complaint is that the drummer is slightly overplaying. But that's easily compensated by this being a concept album. That always gives bonus points. 5/5

Not a typical song per se, but a good representation of their sound with the fast, clean bits on the one hand and the hyper melodic sing-along chorus at the other extreme: Strange Encounter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szy9R0v92PY

Steel Prophet - Messiah (2000)
While the previous album had lots of variation within the songs, here the variation lies between the songs themselves instead. And yet the songs are very similar. The ideas are prolonged and more subtle.
They seem to have some sort of drummer problem similar to Spinal Tap. There's a new drummer on every album. This one is doing a good job as well, but I still think that simpler drumming would accentuate the songwriting and guitar arrangements. Oh well, maybe on the next album. 5/5

A typical song: 07/03/47
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLd7GoTpaPw

Steel Prophet - Book of the Dead (2001)
Finally they got a drummer that understands not to overplay and that just compliments the song. On the other hand the songwriting is more basic and straight ahead here. They have taken off all the excess parts and keeps it (relatively) bare bones. Hat trick, 5/5

Guess what band inspired them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWrfDN6CK3A

Stillborn (Swe) - The Permanent Solution (1991)
Lots of Sabbath riffs and a bit of Type O Negative. It's good, but not really my style.
The singer is 100% a rock singer which throws me off a bit. Maybe I would have liked it better with more aggressive vocals? 3/5

A typical song: Father Of Lies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeSgI566DVs

Stone - Stone (1988)
As you all know by now I am no fan of regular thrash. That being said, this is crap by any standards. There are a couple of thrash riffs, but it mostly sounds like a punk band covering Venom. Which actually would be a fun listen, or at least funny. This is just boring. 1.5/5

A typical song: The Day Of Death
It sounds exactly like playing a 45rpm single on 33rpm. Too slow, too long, too monotonous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyJ7PK9V73I

Supreme Majesty - Tales of a Tragic Kingdom (2001)
Ah, back to some good old Swedish power metal. How many of you know of this band? They came from nowhere and disappeared without a trace three albums later. Maybe they didn't have any usp, just well played and well written songs. The sound is a bit like a slightly toned down Nocturnal Rites.
I can swear I heard several of these songs back in the 80s. Not only for the DX7, but also the singers timbre. So typical Swedish. Judging from the smile on my face this is 5/5.

A typical song: Towards the Northern Star, and then a nice ballad that shows how metal/AOR should be done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXrwy6g ... II&index=3

Supreme Majesty - Danger (2003)
More of the same goodness. Some more power metal bits and the singer has gotten better. Mainly because he's pushing himself to go harder. I like that! 5/5

A typical song: Heroes of Our Lands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P27ZrrZdfDY

Yep, Steel Prophet is the definition of "underrated" for sure. One of my personal favorite prog/power bands. I haven't liked their newer albums much, or at least I don't remember much from them outside of it all just being decent and serviceable, but those first six albums are very strong with "Dark Hallucinations" being a highlight.

Beware has a different singer and horrible sound. Omniscient is incredibly weird and Rick's voice is deteriorating.
Having R.D. Liapakis on vocals makes them not Steel Prophet anymore.

Supreme Majesty - Elements of Creation (2005)
They are leaning a bit more into heavy metal here. They have also acquired a neoclassical guitarist so at times the sound like Nation. It's a shame they didn't keep going. 5/5

The last song on the last album: The Bitter End
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggg9WdXBniM

Suidakra - The Arcanum (2000)
This is like Dark Tranquillity in a good mood. There are folky bits, but they are not that prominent. They are most notable in the bouncy rhythms. It's good but it's sort of dull. Not in the boring sense, but that it's not sharp. 3.5/5

A typical song: Wartunes
https://youtu.be/7CAp6yB9rKY?t=21

This thread always reminds me of Gregg Turkington and his attempt to get in the Guinness Book of World Records by watching 500 movies in 500 days.

hopefully he was still able to get in more than one viewing of "Oh, God" during that amazing feat.

Haha didn't think of that. One album a day for three years straight!
Not that it's world record worthy though. Neither is watching a movie a day. Not that hard.

Suidakra - Emprise to Avalon (2002)
Here they really get the folk metal thing working. It doesn't sound contrived or silly. Two things that bug me: electronic drums and the vocals. The growly vocals work, but I can't help but think that it would have been better with all clean vocals. Imagine having Hansi singing here! 4/5

A typical song: The Highking(sic)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dSSnoZKE64

Wasn't done before Turkington did it though. If it were so easy, there would have already been a record for it.

Suidakra - Signs for the Fallen (2003)
Now they just sound like In Flames. Not bad, but not necessary either. 3/5

A typical song: Signs for the Fallen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuSAI8MqkDc


Suidakra - Command to Charge (2005)
They are progressing backwards. Not only have they morphed into metalcore, they have morphed into incredibly boring metalcore. 1.5/5

A typical song: Second Skin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ZZtv_oDXY

Dan Swanö - Moontower (1998)
I don't know what to call this, and I don't know what to think about it. I read somewhere that this was supposed to become the last Edge of Sanity album, but that can't be right. At times it sounds like prog rock, but most of the time it's just rock with a very proggy organ in the forefront.

It also sounds very plain on a cursory listen. Nothing that stands out or really breaks the mold. But it's enjoyable in a sort of warm and cozy background noise way. And I'm not sure that's a good thing. The bits where he uses clean singing do stand out a bit and it gives the music much more character. As the saying goes: more clean singing is always better. Especially when its Dan Swanö who does the clean singing. 3 or 4/5

A typical song: Uncreation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF_42zfAEOM