Baguette of Bodom

One of those Scandi freaks

Yer Metal Is Olde: DragonForce – Inhuman Rampage

By Baguette of Bodom on February 15, 2026 in Yer Metal Is Olde, Power Metal, 66 comments

“Wait, the funny Guitar Hero III song is turning 20? What the fuck? Yes, indeed—what better way to kick off 2026 than to make the masses feel Olde? <DragonForce needs little introduction to anyone who existed during the ’00s. Born from the remnants of black metal band Demoniac in 1999, British guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman have always been the tandem at the center of the band with their Yngwie-esque “more is more” philosophy. Valley of the Damned and Sonic Firestorm already got significant attention, but 2006’s Inhuman Rampageis the one that made the band infamous.” DraGONES!

Battering Ram – Time Masters Review

By Baguette of Bodom on January 23, 2026 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, 19 comments

“Occasionally, pet projects and casual fun bands can take a very long time to gestate into something more serious and tangible. Spain’s Battering Ram has had quite a long journey to get to their self-released debut album Time Masters, starting from their formation in 2008 and their demos in the early 2010s. Over this time period, their ambitions have also grown. Evolved from just another thrash metal band, Time Masters is a sci-fi concept album looking to fuse epic heavy and power metal with technical thrash metal.” Time is the fire in which we burn.

Amalekim – Shir Hashirim [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Baguette of Bodom on December 23, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 40 comments

“You may be wondering what on earth I am doing willingly touching a black metal album, let alone complimenting one. Well, you know what they say: never let them know your next move. Mysterious Polish-Italian collective Amalekim garnered praise in these hallowed halls with their 2023 release Avodah Zarah, our own Thus Spoke calling it a highlight during a weaker year for the genre. Naturally, I disliked the album, which tends to be a good sign for the average black metal fan. I was nevertheless surprised to see Shir Hashirim released to little fanfare or label promotion after such a positive reception 18 months prior.” Pole vaulting.

Suotana – Ounas II [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Baguette of Bodom on December 19, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, 29 comments

“Remember the Finnish melodic death and power metal fusion of the late ’90s and early ’00s? Bands like Children of Bodom, Kalmah, and Norther were all the rage for a short while. You even had stuff like Ensiferum for a folkier interpretation, or Catamenia for the blackened side of things. The truth is that it never really left. Suotana is one of the bands keeping this sound alive and well, and they have more history than one might think.” Increasing your death power.

Dragon Skull – Chaos Fire Vengeance [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Baguette of Bodom on December 17, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 40 comments

“Greece is a surprising hotbed for power metal-adjacent sounds, providing recent gems such as Sunburst last year and Sacred Outcry’s 2023 masterpiece. Dragon Skull is a newcomer to these fields of glory, introducing their burly heavy/power style on their promising self-titled EP as recently as 2022. Now, three years later, they were finally ready to unleash their debut Chaos Fire Vengeance on the world. And oh my, what an entrance it is.” Wengeance is best served on fire.

Dolmen Gate – Echoes of Ancient Tales [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Baguette of Bodom on December 4, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Heavy Metal, 32 comments

“You can never have too many swords. This has always been the truth, and Portugal’s Ravensire was well aware of it, following in the triumphant heavy metal footsteps of fellow countrymen Ironsword for three albums. Even when fate would strike down Ravensire in 2020, drummer Alex and guitarist Nuno remained undeterred. They formed a new lineup under the Dolmen Gate banner and got to work immediately.” Sword hoarders.

Bloodbound – Field of Swords Review

By Baguette of Bodom on November 21, 2025 in Reviews, Power Metal, 24 comments

“Bloodbound has always been a band with a confusing identity. These Swedes lit up a storm with debut Nosferatu in 2006, an underappreciated heavy/power gem fusing the best of Iron Maiden’s gallops with the hooks of Helloween and HammerFall. The golden pipes of Urban Breed (ex-Tad Morose) were the cherry on top. However, the curse of unstable lineups would strike. Urban Breed would leave for one album, rejoin for the odd-but-good, progpower-meets-Kalmah melodeath sound of Tabula Rasa, and promptly leave again. A decade of struggles followed.” Blood on the 20-sided dice.

Esprit D’Air – Aeons Review

By Baguette of Bodom on November 12, 2025 in Reviews, Alternative Metal, Electronic Metal, 11 comments

“Electronic music and metal joining forces is often treated with suspicion. Not electronic in the ‘band member finds a Casio keyboard in their cellar’ sense, but a genuine fusion of the two with synthesizers on the forefront. Esprit D’Air is one of the more recent bands making waves with their take on this mix. A Japanese band formed in London in 2010 and spearheaded by Kai (The Sisters of Mercy—yes, that one), they’ve quickly formed their identity around a catchy blend of alternative metal, J-rock, and trance, among other stranger things.” Strange days.

Aquilla – Sentinels of New Dawn Review

By Baguette of Bodom on October 31, 2025 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Power Metal, Speed Metal, 29 comments

“The Polish metal scene is much better known around these parts for its bludgeoning death metal than for classic metal worship, and Aquilla is looking to change that. Formed in Warsaw in 2015, their debut Mankind’s Odyssey was unleashed on the masses in 2022, delivering NWoBHM with a dose of ”80s–’90s speed/power metal influence. Sophomore album Sentinels of New Dawn promises a similar but more epic brand of sci-fi thunder. With a couple EPs and a full-length already under their belt, how does Aquilla navigate this set of space war stories?” May cause Aquilla Lung.

Blizaro – Light and Desolation Review

By Baguette of Bodom on October 27, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, 21 comments

“What do you get when you combine old school doom with older school horror movie soundtracks? John Gallo of Orodruin asked this question roughly twenty years ago, and the answer became known as Blizaro. Despite the years of experience accumulated, the discography of this mostly solo project is quite brief; Light and Desolation is only Blizaro‘s third full-length. Time, ever the unfair mistress, treats everyone quite differently. Some artists have a lot to re-learn, others are able to pick up right where they left off. With nine years having passed since their previous album, how has the hourglass treated the intriguing and slightly bizarre concept of Blizaro?” How Blizaro, how Blizaro.