🗡️ETERNAL DAGGER 🗡️
We are incredibly proud to present in collaboration with metal.de the third single from our upcoming third album ETERNAL DAGGER which releases in less than a month!

This is the eponymous title track ETERNAL DAGGER, an epic journey towards the stars and back again. Join us in the discovery of the unknown, the exploration of the wicked, and the uncovering of musical secrets that should have remained undiscovered.

ETERNAL DAGGER releases June 19 on Dying Victims Productions on LP/CD/MC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMIMkLKUu9c #IronKobra #HeavyMetal #EpicMetal

Self-Titled Saturday | Wintersun (2004, Finland)

...And we're back! As I’m struggling with words a bit these days – and because we still have a handful of self-titled albums left on The List – I’ve decided to resuscitate last year’s Self-Titled Summer series, albeit as more of a reincarnation for random Saturdays. As before, I’m going to try to keep it basic and just point out some brief(ish) facts, letting you fine readers dig further as desired. And so, for our first STS 2.0 spotlight, we’re going to take a look at number 1134 on The List, submitted by Yuki. This is the debut album of the "extreme majestic technical epic melodic metal" band Wintersun, at this stage essentially the one-man project of Jari Mäenpää, previously of folk metal band Ensiferum.

Want to read more? See the full spotlight on the Fediverse at @1001otheralbums.com or on the blog: https://1001otheralbums.com/2026/05/23/self-titled-saturday-wintersun-2004-finland/

Want to skip straight to the music? Here's a Songlink: https://album.link/i/1456964736. Also, a remastered/refined 2.0 version was released in 2017, so here's that Bandcamp: https://wintersun.bandcamp.com/album/wintersun-20

Happy listening! 🤘

#Wintersun #MelodicDeathMetal #SymphonicMetal #EpicMetal #metal #Finland #music #1001OtherAlbums

Self-Titled Saturday | Wintersun (2004, Finland)

As I’m struggling with words a bit these days – and because we still have a handful of self-titled albums left on The List – I’ve decided to resuscitate last year’s Self-Titled Summer series, albeit as more of a reincarnation for random Saturdays. As before, I’m going to try to keep it basic and just point out some brief(ish) facts, letting you fine readers dig further as desired. And so, for our first STS 2.0 spotlight, we’re going to take a look at number 1134 on The List, submitted by @Yuki. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Point of origin(s): Finnish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jari Mäenpää started this band as a side project while he was in the folk metal band Ensiferum (as the vocalist and second guitarist), and then made it his full-time gig when they fired him in 2004 due to scheduling conflicts between the two projects. The s/t album we look at here was the debut, and was essentially a one-man show plus Kai “The Grinder” Hahto on drums.
• Tasting notes: According to Mäenpää, this is “Extreme Majestic Technical Epic Melodic Metal”. And by ‘tasting notes’, please note we perhaps aren’t meant to actually taste this one – as the liner notes state (with a happy face behind): “Please buy this album, don’t suck it! Or else…you’re a sucker!”
• Standout track: “Death and the Healing” (but, also, they’re all excellent)
• Where are they now?: Soon after the release of s/t, the lineup would round out with Teemu Mäntysaari on guitars and Jukka Koskinen on bass. Both Hahto and Koskinen would later join symphonic metal band Nightwish and then both effectively leave Wintersun to solely play in Nightwish, and Mäntysaari joined Megadeth in 2023. In their 20+ years, Wintersun has released three additional studio albums, the most recent being 2024’s Time II, as well as a remastered/refined 2.0 version of the s/t put out in 2017 that seems to have been well-received by fans.
• Websites: Bandcamp, Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Metallum

Happy listening!

• Songlink: Wintersun – Wintersun
  • Bandcamp: Wintersun – Wintersun 2.0 (remastered, additional intro track plus slightly different track order)
• Discogs: Wintersun – Wintersun

Lunar Shadow - The Pall of a past World

I really like the opener, however the whole album is a truly immersive journey. Epic metal with a touch of Maiden and Trouble. Melancholic and playful. Great record!

A really valuable contribution to the current wave of more traditional Heavy Metal. The music is subtle with only occasional really heavy or fast parts. But it never feels "too little".

https://lunarshadow.bandcamp.com/album/the-pall-of-a-past-world

#music #reviews #heavymetal #epicmetal #vinyl @metal

Look at that cover. It looks like the sort of neon-drenched fever dream burst straight from the mind of an unmedicated, hyperactive toddler whose special interests are cyborg dinosaurs and laser-wielding ninjas that promises the sort of maximalist, power cheese pungent enough to stink up any room. Luckily for us, German fromagers Victorius have been honing their brand of hook-forward, Saturday-morning-cartoon power metal for years. Their 7th album, World War Dinosaur, is a continuation of the band’s deeply unserious “space ninjas vs. holy dinosaurs” storyline showcased on records like Dinosaur Warfare – Legend of the Power Saurus, Space Ninjas From Hell,and Dinosaur Warfare Pt. 2 – The Great Ninja War. I’m all for ridiculous imagery and album concepts, as long as they don’t overshadow the compositions themselves. Can Victorius manage to avoid being crushed under the weight of their own cheese?

On World War Dinosaur, Victorius demonstrates a seasoned knack for crafting straightforward, yet satisfying, dinosaur-themed power metal bangers. The band’s execution of their over-the-top subject matter is less garish than one might expect, eschewing lengthy spoken-word sections or lore-heavy character backstories in favor of poppy power metal with dinosaur-specific hooks. Tracks are fast-paced and built around the tried-and-true power formula of hyper-melodic guitar/synth hooks over galloping drums, with huge, festival-ready singalong choruses, and Victorius are masters at transitioning seamlessly between the expected sections. It’s easy to get lost in the Galneryus-esque haze of dino rippers on songs like “Raptor Squad Attack,” “Brachio Bazooka Battalion,” and “Dino Power Resistance,” which fully lean into their concept. There’s a simple joyousness to be had in listening to well-executed, catchy power metal, and it’s only made more fun by the blatantly absurd subject matter.

Luckily, Victorius aren’t just coasting on a dumb (read: brilliant) gimmick; they actually play like a band that’s been around the block. Vocalist David Bassin, who’s sounded a bit weightless in the past, finally shows up swinging. Here, he sounds confident and inspired, helped by stacked vocal harmonies and gang shouts, which appropriately heighten big moments. Bassin’s soaring tenor absolutely shines while belting out ludicrous lines on ridiculous choruses (“World War Dinosaur,” “Dino Race From Outer Space), leading the charge and treating the “dino vs. ninja” subject matter as if his life depended on it. Beyond the choruses, it’s the truly infectious non-vocal melodic lines that stand out on repeated listens. Guitarists Dirk Scharsich and Flo serve up sharp, memorable leads that weave throughout the songs, with the opening fanfare of “Kingdom of the Strong” and “Lost Legacy” serving as highlights. Throw in the usual bombastic orchestration and gloriously tacky synth work, and suddenly these compositions coalesce into something that’s still sugary and familiar, but hit just a bit harder than your typical middling power metal.

I only wish World War Dinosaur saw Victorius take more musical and conceptual risks. Every song is in the 3-4 minute range, and nearly all of them follow the tried and true power metal formula. There are some mid-tempo cuts like “Evil Mean Megalodon” about a cybernetic shark/submarine of all things, but most tracks feel incredibly similar. This extends to the concept as well, which seems to exist primarily as dinosaur-covered wrapping paper over some standard power metal lyrics about war and battles. There seems to be very little about the actual dinosaur-ninja war as promised, with no narrative progression present, just several songs about dinosaur war units (“Raptor Squad Attack,” “Brachio Bazooka Battalion,” “Prehistoric Panzer Power”), one song about laser ninjas (“Lazer Ninja Thunderstorm”) and a vague conclusion about “fighting forever” (“Lost Legacy”). None of this really detracts from the fun, chorus-focused power metal on display, but it does feel like a minor missed opportunity to elevate the record beyond the sum of its parts.

Nonetheless, World War Dinosaur is a well-crafted, entertaining and incredibly campy slab of power metal. Victorius aren’t charting particularly novel territory, but they’re clearly familiar with the elements that make this style so enjoyable and the over-the-top concept helps to make the whole package more exciting. For those in search of some accessible power cheese to brighten their day, look no further.



Rating: Good!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Perception Records
Websites: victoriusmetal.net | facebook.com/victoriusmetal
Releases Worldwide: April 17th, 2026

IRON KOBRA 2026 – The Eternal Dagger Era

Ela – Six String Slaying & Haunting Screams from Sto'Vo'Kor
Björn – Thundering Drums of Doom
Steffen – Guitar Carnage on the Altar of Harmony
Matze – Four Strings of Apocalypse

📸 Kai Ski of The Serpent Sun Tattoo
#HeavyMetal #SpeedMetal #EpicMetal #IronKobra #EternalDagger

TREMBLING DUNGEONS

We're proud to introduce the first single TREMBLING DUNGEONS off of our upcoming album ETERNAL DAGGER in conspiracy with Dying Victims Productions and presented by DEAF FOREVER!

ETERNAL DAGGER will be out June 19th and is up for pre-order at Dying Victims Productions now! #HeavyMetal #SpeedMetal #EpicMetal
https://youtu.be/modFaAVuKiQ?si=Q6L6Md5Y8mK6SLt3