Heavy Metal Resource Reviews-House Of Lords, Arctis, Devin Townsend, DGM, & Fate

Index

Hard to believe, but House of Lords has just released their 12th studio album. This album is true to their form and has some great material. I've said this in the past, but will repeat here. I typically like just about everything this band releases. For me it comes down to great albums and then albums that are a step up from there. Like their 'Indestructable' album, this one is that next level album for me. Everything just clicks and did from the first spin. It is also not the type of album that is so accessible that you grow tired of it quickly. As I have taken more listens to it, it continues to grow a bit stronger each time. Tracks like 'Cry Of The Wicked' reminded me of the self titled Lynch Mob album which I was a big fan of as well. Just a very smooth listen start to finish with great performances and songwriting overall. With that being said, very easy recommend!

Release Date: October 11, 2024

I didn't know who this band was until a few weeks ago. Stumbled into a promo video on YouTube and was interested immediately. In terms of sound they would kind of fit in with Amaranthe or Metalite and vocally being female fronted, I was thinking Edge of Paradise or maybe even Follow the Cipher before Linda Toni Grahn departed. The songs have a bit of a modern feel and a fair amount of melody throughout the listen. As for a bit of background information, the band is Finnish and 'Arctis' is their debut album. For those familiar with One Desire who we love, Jimmy Westerlund produced the album. This is just a great record. I have spent some decent time with it and have felt that the band, although new, sounds years ahead of their tenure. If you like the female fronted rock and metal genre, you will probably want to check this gem out!

Release Date: November 1, 2024

Another ambitious effort from Townsend. If you are familiar with his last few albums, expect more of that type of thing. Heavy in places and a bit more atmospheric in others. There are some videos available, so you don't have to go into this one guessing. Actually, you don't really even need to do that. Most fans know his style and this is definitely within his creativity and formula. I bought the more deluxe version which comes in a large hard bound book chock full of art. It also has a bonus disc with some demoes that sound pretty polished and have some length to them. The other mentionable is the Blu-Ray with an Atmos mix. I tend to migrate to these packages as I have a setup and really enjoy the enhancements. Devin put some effort to not only the music but into the visual and dynamic aspects as well. If you enjoy his more recent stuff, you'll probably want this!

Release Date: October 25, 2024

I have really grown to love this band. Being progressive in nature, you can expect the usual intricacies, but I don't find DGM to always be predictable either. That is a huge point with this album. The band decided to surprise everyone with a somewhat different approach. They do show their usual intensity in places, but in my opinion, there is a bit of a 70's progressive vibe going on here. You could mention some of the 70's greats like Kansas and maybe even Jethro Tull. Plenty of flute throughout which was interesting and added to that nostalgic sound. I found this album to be very captivating. I looked around a bit out of curiosity at other reviews to see if I was isolated in my thinking and I was not. A lot of people are really digging this direction. It will be interesting to see what they do next, but for now, this is a really fun ride!

Release Date: October 18, 2024

Nice to see Fate still being an active force in the melodic hard rock scene. My first exposure with the band was with the AOR gem 'A Matter of Attitude'. They have released plenty of material in between and the latest has a bit more of an edge to it. Peer Johansson is back on vocals after departing a decade and a half ago. The band feels complete and the music benefits from it. As mentioned, the music has some decent intensity and if you would like to compare with Johansson back in the fold, 'Scratch 'n Sniff' comes to mind stylistically and sonically. Obviously, they are not the same album, but 'Reconnect 'n Ignite' holds it's own with good songs and that familiar Fate delivery. A fusion of melodic elements and their usual heavy edge and sound. In my overall opinion, this is a decent addition to the band's catalog!

Release Date: October 18, 2024