Review of Metal Years - Power Metal

I've always thought that compilation discs were pretty damn cool, until CD burners became available to the public and made the idea even better by allowing you to make your own. Hell, I remember back in the day I use to always throw together "Best of" tapes from an assortment of other tapes. My how technology has come along, it's come so far along that it will probably be the end of us all. And until "the end" stops mocking all of us and finally comes along to take us all by surprise, we all have music to keep us sane and to stray our minds away from all the negativity in the world. Granted I'm not a fucking psychiatrist or anything, but I'll prescribe a good dose of metal to any and all people having a bad day. It works folks, believe me. Alright, on to the topic at hand here. The Metal Years series brought to you by Spitfire Records courtesy of Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Metal Blade and Candlelight amongst others. This is the first set of three in the series with Death Metal, Black Metal and Speed Metal coming soon. The first disc on the table here is the Power Metal compilation. The names on this album are sure to appeal to any and all power metal fans keeping in mind that you think all of the bands on display are actually power metal. Some songs on this "Best of" release that are favorites of mine include Blood On My Hands by Demons And Wizards, The Politics Of Ecstasy from Nevermore, The Wonders At Your Feet by Dark Tranquility and Moonshield by In Flames (see www.spitfirerecords.com for complete track listing on all three discs). Seeing/hearing In Flames and Dark Tranquility on the Power Metal disc kind of threw me off a bit; I've always thought both bands fell within the death realm, but what do I know? Other tracks I thought could have been left off this one include tracks by Gamma Ray, Iron Savior, Hammerfall and Nocturnal Rites. Not because they're not power metal, but because the tracks just don't appeal to me. Onward to the Progressive Metal disc, and let me tell you this one starts off with a killer track from Opeth entitled Demon Of The Fall. Here again, I would have thrown them on the upcoming Death Metal disc but their "progressive" nature has them here, and I guess that's not all that far off, really. By far the best track on this album, other bands joining Opeth on this one are Jag Panzer offering Take To The Sky, Crimson Glory bringing Astronomica to the table and Statovarious throwing Hunting High And Low our way. Again, my choices would have been a little different as to which disc a lot of these bands should be on, but what's important here is that many fans will be bewildered at seeing so many of their favorite bands/tracks on this progressive masterpiece. Last but not least is the Gothic Doom album with many tracks from bands I'm not too familiar with. We have Colossal Rains by Paradise Lost, Beyond The Veil comes our way via Tristania and Perpetual Desolation is performed by The Sins Of Thy Beloved. Some of my favorites on this one include songs by Anathema and Cathedral. This one is pretty doomy and gloomy, and is sure to please any fans of this metal sub-genre. In the end it's not about what someone else's tastes are rather than what brings out the metal grimace in you. The simplicity of it all is right in front of your eyes. If after checking out the complete track listing for these discs and any or all of them appeal to you, add them to your collection. If not, you can always throw your very own compilation disc together. That way you're sure to like every track on there. Spread the metal…

Release Details

Metal Years

Power Metal

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