I can give it a 0 here and now. Without even hearing it.

Rainbow - Rising (1976)
Historic importance aside, my subjective take in the album.
The negatives: Stargazer isn't last on the album! What were they thinking there? It is too short. Two more songs could have made it more dynamic. I'm surprised Glover didn't write anything. Do You Close Your Eyes isn't very good.
The positives: The use of synthesizers. Blackmore's twin guitar leads (I believe the harmony leads in Deep Purple were all done together with Lord). Stargazer.
4.5/5

Stargazer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmJIccPWnEk

Raise Hell - City of the Damned (2006)
I don't like thrash, but mix it with something else and I'm all over it. Technical thrash, power/thrash, melodic thrash, black thrash, I love it!
This album I would describe as thrash/heavy metal. They used to play death/thrash, but here they acquired a singer who can sound just like Charles Rytkönen, and they do have lots of thrashy bits but also slower songs. The compositions aren't conventionally straight forward, that's why I wouldn't categorize this as power/thrash.

When I first got it I didn't really like it, but after several listens it has turned out to be a great album. 5/5
(side note: the drummer was a founding member of Mystic Prophecy.)

Give it a listen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywokniz ... cMpvWFfqC8

Ram - Death (2012)
(Disclaimer: I haven't heard Lightbringer)
I don't know if this is this is retro metal, or if it's just heavy metal in the 2000s. Although there's quite a bit of 70s Priest riffing, it's a whole lot heavier than most retro bands.
There's something unorthodox about their songwriting and the vocal melodies which makes this a not easy listening, it really demands your attention. But on the other hand it might make for more replayability. Time will tell. 4/5

A typical song: Flame of the Tyrants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKQjG4Qh2PA



Ram - Svbversvm (2015)
This one is much more conventional, and as such not quite as interesting. Still good songs though. 3.5/5

A typical song: Eyes of the Night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmVO2Qgjld4

Well, you got my attention.

So what do you say, retro or not?

Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus - Itku pitkästä ilosta (2000)
I really like the sound of this. Don't know how to categorize it though. Rock/sludge without the anger?
Problem is it gets too monotonous after a couple of songs, since it doesn't have much harmony and all vocal lines are all pretty much the same. 3/5

A typical song: Rajaton rakkaus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6d2CZ3Hv1Q

I haven't listened yet, probably won't for a while, but I really want to hear it.

Redshift - Cataclysm (2019)
Found this prog metal band thanks to the youtube algorithm, and what a find it is! It got bits of death metal, some (non-offensive) djenty riffing, some neo-prog, some heavy metal and prog metal for days. The singer is doing a great job with different voices, and the musicianship from this trio is outstanding. The ambitions are sky high and the album is self released. 5/5

A typical song: Invasion (yes, it's an end of the world theme)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4pqtdOoeFo

Reptilian - Thunderblaze (2002)
I imagine this started when a bunch of ridiculously talented seasoned metalheads were bored one day, and one of them got the idea of recording a metal album. And so they went for a fun couple of days in the studio.
The only thing I can think of is missing is identity, something that stands out. Several of these songs would fit perfectly on an Impellitteri album, an Axel Rudi Pell album or an Yngwie album.
The two shredders going at it are just pure joy to hear. 4.5/5

A typical song: Thunderblaze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzj2HUDXfM0


I will upload the album to youtube in a near future, stay tuned.

Requiem - The Arrival (2002)
Finnish power metal. 3/5

A typical Finnish power metal song: Broken Alliance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39jjAoIKSLE

Requiem - Mask of Damnation (2003)
If power metal doesn't go over the top it doesn't really have any purpose. Take away the speed here and all you're left with is the most bland and uninteresting music.
There are 40 bands on the Archive named Requiem. That should tell you something. 2.5/5

Bland power metal: Mask of Damnation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0XrJKL9RPY

Rhapsody - Legendary Tales (1997)
Italian power metal. 5/5

A typical Italian power metal song: Land of Immortals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3L17cr37TQ

Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands (1998)
I don't know why people talk shit about Rhapsody, this is excellent! I criticized Dark Moor and Angra before for having to much of everything. This has more of everything, but I think everything has it's place here.
Since metal is about being extreme and it doesn't get much more extreme than this, Rhapsody is as metal as it gets! 5/5

A classic song: Eeemerald Sword
https://youtu.be/4vtu-MoeTLQ?t=74

Both of those reviews are 100% accurate. And I'm hoping to see a couple of more similar ones next

I can't tell if the first two Rhapsody's are actually their best or if I like them best because they're the first two I heard.

I don't think there's a wrong answer with any of the first four, but if I had to pick, I'd go with Power of the Dragonflame (which I think is the one I heard last?). The fact that it doesn't have a major hit like the other three (Land of Immortals, Emerald Sword, and Dawn of Victory) makes it a more even listen for me.

Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory (2000)
They are toning down the symphonics here, which means they are still the most symphonic band of them all, but not as much. Definitely their heaviest yet.
For some reason I find the vocals to be better than before. Not that they were anything less than great previously. I'd describe them as cleaner and bigger. Other than that it's just as good as ever. 5/5

An almost normal power metal song: Holy Thunderforce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYzYo-XJfUI

Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret (2004)
There is a line between silliness and the absurd, and here they took a giant step over that line. This is more like an audio book with nature sounds, bird song and some flute interludes. I don't think the actual "metal" songs have any guitar in them, just orchestra and possibly some drums underneath somewhere.
As a medieval adventure musical I guess this is alright, but as a metal album... 2/5.

A typical song: Unholy Warcry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU2GcuAm6EI

Riot - Inishmore (1998)
Here's a case of the right man in the wrong place. Mike DiMeo has got a good voice for bluesy hard rock, but he has no business being in a metal band.
The songs are good, some good riffs, a couple of really goose bump inducing guitar solos, but the production is mellow, and the only one going hard is Bobby Jarzombek. It's like they intended to make a hard rock album but forgot to give Bobby his ADHD medicine.
In fact, with different arrangements and a normal drummer this would have been a great hard rock album. As a Riot album this gets 3.5/5.

A typical song: Kings Are Falling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5op8JVT4OIg

A good album and DiMeo's best but my least favorite era of Riot.

never understood why people rate Rhapsody's Symphony II lower than the others, other than that it's more orchestral. It's got a lot of their best stuff on it.

I don't think it's as bad as some people make it out to be, it may be that it just gets cast in a more negative light in comparison to some of the albums that preceded it because those records are bigger favorites. Also I imagine some people just find the increased emphasis on the symphonic/orchestral parts a bit too much, even for Rhapsody standards.

Because it's more orchestral. It's got more orchestra and talking than guitars.

Riot - Immortal Soul (2011)
The old line-up is back and they just nail everything! Tony Moore - one of my favourite vocalists - is giving it his all. I imagine he was as exhausted as a mile run competitor after each song recorded. The songs are perfect, the guitar playing awesome and Bobby Jarzombek being the best drummer in the world.
This is one of those albums where I keep questioning how is it possible to be so good. 6/5

A typical song: Riot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxjJgBnN7zQ

and some of their best music

Riot - Unleash the Fire (2014)
This makes me so happy. They keep going in honor of Mark, and the album is just about as good as the last one. All the homages to Mark and the Riot history is heartwarming. 5/5

A typical song: Metal Warrior
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Zky0QdNdg


Riot - Armor of Light (2018)
This was a huge let down! It severely lacks quality control. There are good choruses and good riffs, and that's it. The rest is just filler. Nothing that pops out and shines, no attention to detail, just going through the motions.
I usually don't care that much about the lyrics. If it sounds good and it fits the song, it's good. But the lyrics here goes from bad to cringe to awkward. It starts of well enough in the first two songs, then comes a Jesus song. That's not very Riot. Then the song Heart of a Lion about king Richard Lionheart. It reads like an essay written by a twelve year old. Then another Jesus song, Armor of Light. And so it continues. This is not acceptable. I want to speak to the manager.
Realistically, this is a 3. But emotionally it's 2/5

A song: Heart of a Lion
https://youtu.be/goCiCyCw_-U?list=PLHTo ... YLHiDcUo5M

It was one of my first metal albums and music in general, I associate it very strongly with my high school days, all the songs are bangers but Riot still gives me chills.

Great start to a life of metal.

Risen Prophecy - Voices from the Dust (2019)
Here's a quite unique band. Somewhere between Primordial and Dark Forest. They are listed as thrash/power, but there aren't much thrash here. I'd just call it epic metal. There are some d-beat, blasting and fast bits, but mostly it's mid paced.
Their biggest usp is the vocals which are straight up declaiming (if that's the right word), and it's done with such conviction that you know he's being serious. He does have a great singing voice though, and all the choruses are sung, and they are big. I believe there is some sort of Babylonian theme here.

I think this is an album that won't wear out on repeated listens. 5/5

A typical song: The Flames of Consummation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GpqGZFwcLc

Running Wild - Death or Glory (1989)
I'm not a Running Wild fan, but this album is great! It's got this raw energy and simple yet effective riffs. It would have been close to perfect if it wasn't for the really boring instrumental track. 4/5

A typical song: Bad to the Bone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG-KO6yQGtM



Running Wild - Pile of Skulls (1992)
This just sounds unengaged. Rolf must have pulled these riffs from his big box of rejected repetitive riffs. The vocal lines are lazy and unimaginative. The drums are either a drum machine or Stefan Schwarzmann recorded them in his sleep. Horribly boring. That goes for the whole album as well. 2/5

A typical song: Like a Virgin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOU0PuBTmOI

Rush - Permanent Waves (1980)
80's Rush is not my favourite Rush. This is still classic Rush, but in tune with the current new wave-sound. It's a bit too mellow though. 4/5

A song that is not The Spirit of Radio: Free Will
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urBpdyFCZmo (Is that a censored cover?)



Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
This one has both a more distinct sound and more distinct songs. 5/5

Lyrics still worth considering: Vital Signs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh5RSv52g6U



Rush - Power Windows (1985)
I don't like this one at all. Way too much synthesizers and electronic percussion, and this sound is already past it's prime having been done by Genesis and Don Henley and others by 1985. Uncharacteristic for Rush to be behind like this. 2/5

A typical song: Manhattan Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhE8VQlczS4

Sabaton - Fist for Fight (2001)
This is the self released cd which I ordered directly from the band back in 2001. So I was a fan of the band before it was cool and before it was cool to hate on them!
What a success story this is. Formed in 1999 just before power metal took off, with a singer that absolutely can not sing. And people love them. You have to wonder what they were thinking when they got Brodén to sing for the first time.
"- Hey, that sounded awful, but we'll go with that." And the rest is history.

The album is both fun and funny. Fun in that it is shock full of high octane true metal hymns about the glory of metal. Funny in that Brodén sings so badly and you can hear that he is really, really trying to sing well. To his credit, it's done with conviction and heart, and he really means it.
The music is nothing but great though. 4/5

A typical song: Metalizer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c029o31r9lk

This album is absolutely awesome. My favorite Running Wild album is surprisingly their debut Gates To Purgatory, and I didn't discover it until about 15 years ago, after I had already been listening to them for years. I was blown away at how much it didnt sound like Running Wild. No pirate anything, and it was fast thrash. I recommend it to everyone.
https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/R ... atory/1447

Sacred Oath - Darkness Visible (2007)
US power metal. First album 1987, second album 2005 (re-recording of first album). Still going.
Good songs, great vocals, lots of riffing and twin guitars. Their problem seems to be that they aren't sure of their identity. Overall it's quite heavy, Maiden-y US power metal, but then there's a Fates Warning light song, another one is groove metal. I haven't heard any of their other albums but they seem to be worth checking out. 4/5

A typical song: Calm Before The Storm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3-m_Fj8YTk

Sanctuary - Refuge Denied (1988)
I can see why they were denied refuge. This doesn't make sense. Is it supposed to be thrash? Then why is it so slow. Are the songs supposed to be this incoherent? What's up with Warrel's unmotivated high notes at infrequent intervals? I can for the life of me figure out the relationship between the music and the vocal melodies. Why are they covering White Rabbit? It sucks! A not very strong start for our beloved Warrel. 2/5

A typical song: Ascension to Destiny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn2xD8tCzxM



Sanctuary - Into the Mirror Black (1990)
Here we go, the birth of Nevermore.
Warrel's vocals takes the front seat, as it obviously should be. Or is it even the lyrics that drives the album? I don't know, but it's brilliant. 5/5

Hard to pick a typical song since the album flows like a unity: Seasons of Destruction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SojFKe20E3s

Savage - Loose 'n Lethal (1983)
This band could have been legendary had the whole album been in the same style as the opener Let It Loose. It's incredibly fast and furious for 1983. Quite raw and ugly, but not in the Venom way. Unfortunately the rest of the album is just semi-melodic NWOBHM.
The album cover should really get them bonus points, but alas: 3/5

The atypical song: Let It Loose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2ALi80nj7A

Does this mean Fist for Fight is the only Sabaton album you own? Just curious why that might be - if you liked them so early, did you not want to buy Primo Victoria? They definitely weren't disliked for their sound until at least a few albums in I'd say.

One album of this is enough, same as I only have one album by Dream Evil. It gets more than a bit samey.

Savage Circus - Dreamland Manor (2005)
What do you get if you mix Persuader with Piet Sielck and Thomen Stauch? Answer: Persuader with Thomen Stauch on drums. No more, no less.
It sounds a lot like When Eden Burns, but any song could be thrown in on any album (except the debut) and nobody would raise an eyebrow. The songs are good, but with a project like this at least I would expect something extra and that the sparkles would fly. It ended up being a slightly less aggressive Persuader album.
Oh well, at least we got a Persuader ballad out of it. 4/5

A typical Persuader song: When Hell Awakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMLkf15mCkw