#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
Listen: CRIMSON GLORY Release New Single “Beyond The Unknown”; Official Audio

https://bravewords.com/news/listen-crimson-glory-release-new-single-beyond-the-unknown-official-audio/

#CRIMSONGLORY #Listen #ReleaseNewSingle #album #newalbum #newrelease #single #review #announcement #vinyl #BraveWords #metal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
Listen: CRIMSON GLORY Release New Single “Angel In My Nightmare”; Official Audio

https://bravewords.com/news/listen-crimson-glory-release-new-single-angel-in-my-nightmare-official-audio/

#CRIMSONGLORY #Listen #ReleaseNewSingle #album #newalbum #newrelease #single #review #announcement #vinyl #BraveWords #metal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
REVIEW: CRIMSON GLORY’s “Chasing The Dragon” Single – “Ready For New Adventures”

https://bravewords.com/album-reviews/review-crimson-glorys-chasing-the-dragon-single-ready-for-new-adventures/

#REVIEW #CRIMSONGLORY #ChasingTheDragon #Single #album #BraveWords #metal #music

Crimson Glory 26 Yıl Sonra Yeni Albümle Dönüyor

#CrimsonGlory #progmetal #prog

https://los-endos.com/crimson-glory-26-yil-sonra-yeni-albumle-donuyor/

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
CRIMSON GLORY Announce April Release Of First New Album in 26 Years, Chasing The Hydra; Title Track Lyric Video Streaming

https://bravewords.com/news/crimson-glory-announce-april-release-of-first-new-album-in-26-years-chasing-the-hydra-title-track-lyric-video-streaming/

#CRIMSONGLORY #AnnounceAprilReleaseOfFirstNewAlbum #Years #album #newalbum #newrelease #video #announcement #vinyl #streaming #BraveWords #metal

Steel is a sucker for a band trying their absolute best to bring back the bountiful glory of the 80s metal sound. Enter Greek retro fiends Leatherhead and their second full-length crusade, Violent Horror Stories. I happened to stumble upon their lead single “V.H.S” while scrolling on YouTube and mistook them for yet another thrash revival group, but I was mistaken. Though this is often speedy, high-energy stuff, it plays out more like a loving nod to the salad days of US power metal than any kind of beer and BO thrash-fest. Over the course of Violent Horror Stories, the listener can expect to be reminded of early Queensrÿche, Agent Steel, Crimson Glory, even John Arch-era Fates Warning, but you know, faster. In short, this was not the sweaty leather I expected to try on for size this week.

Things open with the aforementioned “V.H.S.” which pays homage to all those “found footage” horror gems of the 90s and 00s while walking a fine line between an all-out thrash ethos and the over-the-top speed-power of Agent Steel. The guitar work is crisp, sharp, and reeks of early days Annihilator as frontman Tolis Mekras goes ALL in with his ample high-pitched vocal destruction. His enthusiasm and commitment to excess make the song all the more entertaining, especially as things speed up to the point where the band seems as if they’re losing control. After this jolt of high voltage, the pace dials back for the riffy and still quite zippy “Summoning the Dead,” before launching into the extra fun Agent Steel meets Savatage charge of “The Visitors,” which finds Tolis doing some Jon Oliva-esque oddball screams. This one is irresistible fun for one and all and I keep going back to it again and again.

The album’s big centerpiece is the 7-minute mega-epic “Children of the Beast,” where all restraint is jettisoned in favor of MOAR. Moar large scale vocals, moar guitar solos, more unchained emotions, moar of every fucking thing. And you know what? I like it! It rocks that same regal coolness that early Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory exuded back in the day, and it’s even more of a spectacle than Holdeneye at an $8 all-you-can-eat BBQ stand after a 3-day juice cleanse. Tolis delivers the goods with an emotionally-charged performance, building peaks and valleys as the guitar work impresses with its scope and scale. The last 2 minutes are like a rocket ride to Valhalla with an overserved Thor fighting a much drunker frost giant in the backseat while you’re trying to navigate, and you know that’s a good time! Elsewhere, “Crimson Eyes” sounds like something Sumerlands could have included on their debut, and “Something Wicked (This Way Comes)” sounds a whole lot like it fell off Agent Steel’s debut Skeptics Apocalyse. With no dead space or filler, the skinny 37-plus minutes of Violent Horror Stories is a fast-paced, high-octane spin with little getting in the way of a good time unless you struggle with high-register vocal antics.1

Tolis Mekras is the center of the Leatherhead experience, with his impressive, if not always completely controlled, vocals injecting themselves into your ears like an overpowered mining laser. He reminds me of Arthur W. Andersson of Trial at some points, and Alpha Tiger’s Stephan Dietrich at others, but the main point of reference has to be the ever-mysterious John Cyriis of Agent Steel. As with any vocalist of this ilk, he’ll be a love or hate factor, and he’s sure to alienate those who want everyone to sound tired and listless at the mic. Keeping up with Tolis, guitar tandem Thanos Metalios and Jim Komninos bring Olympian thunder down with a never-ending stream of 80s-centric speed, thrash, and classic metal riffs loaded with big hooks. There’s a lot of Jeff Water-esque noodling and speed-pluckery in the material, and it makes me wish Waters was able to write songs this entertaining after 1990.

Violent Horror Stories sounds like a bunch of friends having an absolute blast making unhinged metal for the filthy masses. Leatherhead have chops and an ear for hooks, and you will be entertained by the glorious end product of their labors. This pairs well with bands like Ambush, so don the appropriate headgear, put this on blast, and start smashing your skull into the wall in the name of all things metal. You won’t be sorry, but you may be unconscious.



Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse
Websites: leatherheadgr.bandcamp.com/album | facebook.com/leatherheadofficial | instagram.com/leatherhead_band
Releases Worldwide: February 13th, 2026

https://youtu.be/eodHN1ffbVk?si=-Va4y7mMLSaxfQW1

#Midnight #JonOliva #CrimsonGlory #Savatage

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
Watch: CRIMSON GLORY Performs “Valhalla” At Rock Hard Festival 2025; Pro-Shot Video

https://bravewords.com/news/watch-crimson-glory-performs-valhalla-at-rock-hard-festival-2025-pro-shot-video/

#CRIMSONGLORY #Watch #Performs #album #newalbum #concert #festival #EP #video #announcement #BraveWords #metal

Black Soul Horde – Symphony of Chaos Review

By Steel Druhm

Has it really been 4 years since Horrors from the Void dropped? The third full-length from Greek trve metal/power unit Black Soul Horde was a rollicking, rowdy mash-up of 80s traditional metal, power, and all things trve. Old-timey Manilla Road influences coexisted alongside Agent Steel and Jag Panzer idioms, and newer retro acts like Visigoth and Eternal Champion. This was more than an olde head like Yours Steely could resist, and the fun factor and broad sword quotient got it stamped with a fat 4.0. Now we get the follow-up, which has some mighty big war booties to fill. The Horde haven’t changed their approach for Symphony of Chaos, so all the same elements are in place and ready to rake for our hearts, minds, and black souls. Will the siege equipment be as stout and formidable this time? Let’s kick those wooden tires and see what we’re dealing with here.

Things kick off to a gloriously 80s start with “Lady of Shadows,” which at once reminds me of Crimson Glory and Trial (Sweden), with a spicy coating of Eternal Champion’s loincloth. It’s instantly catchy and enjoyable, fusing the best bits of classic 80s metal and Euro-power for a sound that’s tougher and sturdier than you’d expect. Jim Kotsis tops it all with his odd, high-register, nasal-as-fook vocals. “What the Night Invokes” keeps that good times rolling with hints of Sanctuary and a bigger dose of Eternal Champion. I’m not sure what Kotsis is singing about, but it sounds like he keeps hailing Mole Man or Moth Man, and either way, I support it. When “A Scream in the Snow” hits, things reach the next level. This is such a classic throwback metal tune that it shakes my primate brain into fatty mush and makes me want to throw ape cake at friends and foes alike. If you aren’t sharpening your raiding axe by the halfway point, I don’t want your weak ass on my Viking Cruise. The riffs have teeth, and Kotsis provides just the right blend of machismo and gloss as he takes the chorus to the house.

I’ll say this about Symphony of Chaos: the hits just keep on coming. “The Creatures of the Night” is another stellar slab of classic metal with a power metal infusion. The badass and bitey guitar work reminds me of Wolf, and there’s just the right punch and hook factor to sell it like cheese-coated bacon. “Wrath of the Pharaohs” is an absolute snobberknocker of trve metal wonder merging early Annihilator vibes with Steel Prophet dramatic bombast. “Death’s Parade” is another headbanger’s delight where Kotsis uncorks death vocals at key moments, and the chorus is grand and mighty. The album is pretty damn consistent, with only “Julian Graves” and closer “Dance of the Eternal Shadows” sinking below the high level of their peers slightly. At a tight 43-plus minutes and with all songs in the 3-5 minute window, things move and groove with urgency and pop.

Costas P. and John T. bring a lively and potent guitar magic to the material, tossing out beefy 80s riffs and seasoning them with power frills and trve grit as needed. There are plenty of inspired moments that greatly elevate songs, and they have a knack for bringing the right amount of heavy metal thunder at key junctures. Jim Kotsis continues to impress with his odd but versatile vocals. Sometimes a dead ringer for Lance King (ex-Pyramaze, ex-Balance of Power), other times quite like Jason Tarpey (Eternal Champion), with Warrel Dane-isms popping up too, he’s got the kind of voice that’s perfectly suited to what Black Soul Horde are doing. As with Horrors from the Void, it’s the slick songcraft that wins the day and takes this from a cute retro rocker to that next level of essential metal.

Symphony of Chaos is one of the most consistently entertaining “heavy metal” albums of 2025, and were it not for a few minor step-downs in writing, this would be another 4.0. Honestly, it almost got there anyway. There are great cuts here, and enough pure metal glory to fill the hearts of the faithful. Black Soul Horde have that “it” factor and know how to deliver the retro metal goods better than most, and Symphony of Chaos is another testament to their mastery of the olden ways. Get this shaggy altered beast in your ears and run with the pack.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Vinyl Store
Websites: blacksoulhorde.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blacksoulhorde | instagram.com/blacksoulhorde
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025

#35 #BlackSoulHorde #CrimsonGlory #EpicHeavyMetal #EternalChampion #GreekMetal #HeavyMetal #HorrorsFromTheVoid #Oct25 #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SymphonyOfChaos #Trial #VinylStore

Wings of Steel – Winds of Time Review

By ClarkKent

I know what you’re thinking: how is it that ClarkKent is reviewing Wings of Steel instead of Steel Druhm? Believe it or not, he let me review it. After all, he’s not the only steel-named writer in these halls. For those not steeped in DC universe lore, my nickname is Man of Steel—though Steel, in his fatherly way, prefers to call me dumbass, like Red Forman in That ’70s Show. But I see symbolism in his gesture of letting me review this, like he’s taken me under his wings—of steel. Not that he has wings. I don’t have wings either, but I can fly, so it’s fitting that I get to review the sophomore effort from this sensational group out of L.A. Last time we saw them two years ago, they were but a duo. They have since added a drummer, Damien Rainaud, as well as a couple of other uncredited musicians pictured in the band photo. Read on to find out if it’s safe to bask in the breeze of Winds of Time, or whether you’d best stay upwind.

The additional member(s) and a label does come with a slight change in sound—but no worries, Winds of Time is still pure ’70s and ’80s anthemic classic metal worship. This time around, they have a much more focused attack. Where Steel found the genre shifts on Gates of Twilight “scattershot,” this time around, you get very little of the epic doom or bluesy stuff and mostly speed metal and power ballads. This is full-on Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Crimson Glory, and Queensryche worship. Wings of Steel demonstrate their speedy prowess right from the get-go on opener “Winds of Time.” This ten-minute epic shows off their catchy and dynamic songwriting, as the song twists and turns organically, swapping from speed to ballad and strung together by at least three fast and furious solos. If you love blustery solos, then you best prepare to get blown away by Winds of Time.

Wings of Steel know how to grab your attention, whether it’s on the Painkiller-era, adrenaline-fueled “Saints and Sinners,” or the Mötley Crüe and Ozzy Osbourne-style ballad of “Crying.” It’s not just the energy of the one or the tear-inducing effect of the other. These tunes will have you belting along with the heart-pumping choruses while shredding a mean air guitar. The lyrics, at least those I could pick out, are a mix of rousing and moving. “To Die in Holy War” takes a play out of the Iron Maiden book in its ability to tell a poignant story. It combines some doleful guitar riffs with powerful blast beats and furious, energetic riffs to convey an anti-war message.1 The true showstopper is the phenomenal closer, “Flight of the Eagle.”2 Aided by a killer melody and brilliant chorus, this song slowly, methodically builds up to a climax that rocked my socks and had me in tears. It’s that good.

Impressive as the songwriting is, the musicianship is also top-notch. Leo Unnermark evokes Dio and Midnight, bringing a charismatic energy to his vocal performance. He attacks every note with confidence, from soft croons to high in the sky screams, and, at least to my ears, his voice never strains. Even if it does here and there, so what? The guy is having a blast and it shows. On the kit, Rainaud’s drums punch with force and his blast beats are relentless, but he also shows a more sensitive side when the album requires it. Parker Halub handles axe duty with aplomb. The riffs are great, and he helps tracks stay lively through the use of ’80s squeals and harmonics that give songs like “Burning Sands” a feeling of constant kinetic motion. These guys are all playing their A-game.

With all that’s come in the preceding paragraphs, there’s no doubt Wings of Steel have achieved greatness. Yes, there’s still some room to improve. Song lengths could be tightened here and there, and the tune “Lights Go Out” sounds like a piece of epic doom inspired by Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” and it sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s not a bad song, but it brings a completely different vibe from the rest of the record. Still, the surrounding material on Winds of Time is strong enough to whip up hurricane-force gales and demolish that poor score counter. These guys have improved on an already really good debut—next time I might not be so lucky to claim it from our overlord ape.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: RFL Music Entertainment
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: October 17th, 2025

#2025 #40 #AmericanMetal #CrimsonGlory #Dio #HeavyMetal #IronMaiden #JudasPriest #Midnight #MotleyCrue #Oct25 #OzzyOsbourne #Queensryche #Review #Reviews #RFLMusicEntertainment #Rush #WindsOfTime #WingsOfSteel