Heavy Metal Resource Reviews-Nestor, Issa, New Horizon, Orden Ogan, & Kryptos

Index

There are a lot of bands out there that embrace the 80's and the fun that that era offered. Most of those bands write in a similar fashion. To me, Nestor is that and much more. I was a huge fan of the debut from a few years back, but they really hit this new album out of the park. This band not only writes in an 80's style, but to me they capture the magic of that era perfectly. I hear so many influences with this record, from Journey to Chicago, and many others. It's pure melodic hard rock bliss in my opinion. Definitely take in the videos as well. If you lived the 80's like I did, you will have a fun time with what the band recreated visually. This album is definitely a front runner for melodic hard rock album of the year, and there is some strong competition out there. I think this band is special and as mentioned, turned things up to the next level with these songs!

Release Date: May 31, 2024

I am relatively new to Issa's music and I am really enjoying the journey. I find the music to be of very high quality and in an 80's vein. Issa's vocals are top notch. You can feel the power and she wraps her singing into the structure of the music making these songs very infectious. The flow of the music is really good and I felt this album continued to grow each time I listened to it. The musicians that help her deliver each song are very good and you can feel the chemistry. With what I have been exposed to at this point, you can tell how consistent Issa is with each album, the sound and style, and the confidence that comes through each record. If you are already familiar with previous records, you'll have a pretty good idea where 'Another world' is. The songs sound fresh and are fun to go back to time and time again. Another great melodic rock record!

Release Date: June 7, 2024

Second metal album that features Jona Tee and Nils Molin on vocals this time around. If you are a fan of epic tracks, you are probably going to dig this album a lot. If you dig deeper into each song, you'll realize that the title 'Conquerors' is appropriate and means much more than just conquering in a military way. Conquering space and other things are the themes that run through each of these songs. I feel that the album is delivered absolutely brilliantly, but the other elements of the music such as subject, structure, etc. will take you on an even more substantial musical journey. Take your time with it and try to figure out the inspiration of each track. It is very rewarding when you absorb yourself into it. I also liked the inclusion of the Iron Maiden epic 'Alexander The Great 356-323 B.C.' The band did an amazing job on this as well as the album in general!

Release Date: June 14, 2024

It's good to see Orden Ogan return to the power metal scene with another great album. The band are now releasing through Reigning Phoenix Music and the latest album brings some interesting twists with it. Fairly basic in it's approach yet heavy and to the point. The Orden Ogan sound is intact and starts relatively quick with the opener 'Kings Of The Underworld'. It actually caused me to start the song over as it starts so fast. Musically, if you are a fan of the band, you are going to like this record. I mentioned twists. The band actually tapped a fan from Uruguay who had been doing covers of the band's songs and tapped him for his creative input. I hadn't heard of that type of thing before and I'm sure it brought an interesting angle to the writing process. The results are excellent and this album should end up being another Orden Ogan classic!

Release Date: July 5, 2024

The Indian metallers have returned with a real banger of an album. 'Decimator' is the band's seventh album to date and the second one I have become familiar with. The music is fairly traditional from a metal standpoint with lot's of heavy riffing and a thunderous low end. I feel the music is fairly catchy to the ear and memorable. The only lighter moment is the instrumental 'Solaris' which shows a different side of the band's capabilities. The rest of the album is headbanging stuff that at times can be a bit more frenzied in tempo, but nothing that I would consider leaning more towards the thrash sound. To me this is a solid power metal with traditional elements and sound. With the bands that Kryptos has shared the stages with being quite commendable, it's just a matter of time before these guys take it to that next level. Excellent metal album!

Release Date: July 5, 2024