Symphonic Metal

Christiano Filippini’s Flames of Heaven – Symphony of the Universe Review

By Twelve on November 17, 2025 in Reviews, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 18 comments

“Choosing new music to review is an interesting process. Once you pick a thing, you’re pretty much locked into it. So I try to forecast: what will I be okay with listening to over and over again for the next week or two? Having just reviewed Lykke, I was very much in the mood for something more upbeat, and I didn’t have to read far past the band name Christiano Filippini’s Flames of Heaven to know Symphony of the Universe fit the bill. Indeed, when I requested the files for review, Dolphin Whisperer, overheard the request. “Is that Italian power metal?” he asked. “It sounds like Italian power metal.” “I didn’t check,” I answered. “But yes.” We were right.” Most don’t expect the Italian inquisition.

Tempestuous Fall – The Descent of Mortals Past Review

By ClarkKent on November 14, 2025 in Reviews, Funeral Doom, Symphonic Metal, 16 comments

“In 2012, Australia’s Dis Pater released the debut record for his third active—at the time—one-man project: The Stars Would Not Awaken You by Tempestuous Fall, a work of epic funeral doom. The following year, Pater released what might be the strangest split I’ve heard of: a three-way between his own active projects. It ended up being a “[three] men enter, one man leaves” kind of deal, with Midnight Odyssey being the lone survivor. In that time, he has contributed to several other bands, from a Greek black metal group, Kawir, to a Slovakian black metal group, Aeon Winds, as well as a whopping nine LPs for Midnight Odyssey. Yet something about the funeral doom of Tempestuous Fall must have called Pater back. Backed by classical symphonic elements, it turns out he had rather ambitious goals for sophomore album, The Descent of Mortals Past.” Fall of mortal hearts.

Qrixkuor – The Womb of the World Review

By Kenstrosity on November 5, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 47 comments

“Four and a half years ago, Qrixkuor’s debut LP Poison Palinopsia took me by complete surprise, shoving its way inexorably towards a #3 spot on my Top Ten(ish) of 2021. Merging elements of psychedelia, black-and-white horror/thriller OSTs, and cavernous death metal into one gnarled abomination, the UK duo evokes an ever-contorting grotesquery put to music. After 2022’s follow-up EP Zoetrope, which left me cold by comparison, I waited with bated, anxious breath for the next long-form opus. At long last it looms just over the horizon, The Womb of the World.” Womb bathing.

Glasya – Fear Review

By Twelve on October 24, 2025 in Reviews, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 10 comments

“It’s been a fair minute since Glasya last graced these parts. The Portuguese symphonic power metal band first appeared in these halls in 2019 with their debut, Heaven’s Demise. I was personally not impressed, I’m sad to say—it offered little in the way of originality, and my feeling was that Glasya sounded like a hodgepodge of their contemporaries. Still, the band is one of genuinely talented musicians, and I believed at the time the project had promise. Six years later, they’re onto their third full-length, Fear, and I couldn’t help taking a look, curious simply to know if Glasya has come into its own in 2025.” Glasya half full?

Terra Atlantica – Oceans Review

By Kenstrosity on September 23, 2025 in Reviews, Folk Metal, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 54 comments

“I had almost forgotten about German four-banger Terra Atlantica since I last covered them five years ago. Once my memory refreshed, I recalled what compelled me to snag Age of Steam in the first place: my love for steampunk. Far from the most dedicated—and perhaps even farther away from the best—piece of media based on that universe, Terra Atlantica nonetheless did sound appropriately grounded in a world propelled by superheated water. But their songwriting was too inconsistent to make a big splash with this sponge. With follow-up Oceans in tow, is their hope that Terra Atlantica will hoist my sails properly this time?” From steam to water power.

Hasard – Abgnose Review

By ClarkKent on September 8, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, 26 comments

“Audiences flock to horror films or novels to see or imagine perilous situations that put lives in danger. There’s a thrill in vicariously experiencing that existential threat to one’s life. Horror in music is a little different. There are musical scores, like for Jaws and Psycho, that enhance the terror of the imagery, and there are also horror-themed albums, especially in metal. The horror in the latter mainly involves gory cover art or the use of frightening sound effects à la Fulci or Ice Nine Kills. Hazard, however, takes a different approach with his Hasard project: writing music meant to terrify in a real, non-campy way.” Hasard pay.

Lord of the Lost – Opvs Noir Vol. 1

By ClarkKent on August 8, 2025 in Reviews, Glam Metal, Gothic Metal, Industrial Metal, Pop Metal, Symphonic Metal, 31 comments

“Chris Harms has been in the music business since 1999, but it wasn’t until founding Lord of the Lost in 2007 that he seems to have found his home. I say this not because I am familiar with him or the band, but because Harms has released ten full-length albums, three orchestral albums, four live albums, and one compilation since forming Lord of the Lost. Probably Lord of the Lost’s biggest claim to fame is their participation at Eurovision in 2023, representing Germany, where they unfortunately placed last in the final round. But wait, isn’t Eurovision for pop music? Why are these guys being covered on Angry Metal Guy? Apparently, they’re metal enough to sign to Napalm Records and also have toured with KMFDM and Iron Maiden. And now with Eurovision in the rearview mirror, Lord of the Lost look to return to their darker roots with Opvs Noir Vol. 1, the first in a planned trilogy.” Pop-rock recovery.

Anfauglir – Akallabêth Review

By Killjoy on July 1, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, 72 comments

“How much effort should be required to appreciate a piece of art? The Silmarillion, a posthumous compilation of mythology and historical accounts relating to J. R. R. Tolkien’s timeless fantasy universe, is generally regarded as a more difficult read than its more cohesive and narrative-focused predecessors. Still, the rewards for such dedication are said to be great, and the rich lore also serves as a creative wellspring for many an artist. Anfauglir, an anonymous duo tucked away somewhere in the United States, presents its own daunting work of art: a 72-minute symphonic black metal album patterned after Akallabêth, one of the main parts of The Silmarillion chronicling the rise and fall of the island kingdom Númenor.” Long, blackened, and nerdy.

Darkyra – Life Force Review

By ClarkKent on June 24, 2025 in Reviews, Gothic Metal, Hard Rock, Symphonic Metal, 11 comments

“Sometimes life takes you to unexpected places. Gina Bafile, who dubbed herself Darkyra Black and founded the band Darkyra, saw her dreams become reality with the release of two albums in 2014 and 2015. Her band started touring in her hometown of Australia shortly thereafter, and apparently, her shows were popular enough to make plans to take them to Europe. Unfortunately, life took a turn for Bafile. In 2016, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to take an indefinite break from her music. Now, nearly 10 years later, Bafile is back at it with the release of her third Darkyra album, Life Force.” Live, laugh, record.

Masseti – Odds and Ends Review

By Iceberg on June 17, 2025 in Reviews, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, 22 comments

“When prog and symphonic metal meet in just the right way, they click together like puzzle pieces. Prog’s technicality and excess are balanced by the melody and atmosphere of symphonic metal. Symphonic metal’s penchant for straightforward structure and synth-reliance is buoyed by the dynamism and rhythm-bending of guitar wizardry. Tiago Masseti, the man behind his eponymous band, Masseti, is seeking to walk the line between these two styles on his debut album, Odds and Ends.” Blends and loose ends.