The Swedish saviors of heavy metal HammerFall let the hammer strike again, radiating power on all artistic levels with their twelfth studio album, Hammer Of Dawn! When HammerFall released their debut album, Glory To The Brave, in 1997, they not only brought a breath of fresh air into the metal scene, but also managed to trigger a gargantuan boom for traditional heavy metal. Up until today, HammerFall has released several massive albums bursting with distinctive strength that assuredly won’t disappoint, just as can be expected of Hammer Of Dawn.
Hammer Of Dawn starts off with remarkable opener “Brotherhood”, a hymn echoing the deep friendship of bandleaders Joacim Cans and Oscar Dronjak, but also serving as a shout-out to their loyal Templars…

The German symphonic metal band Beyond the Black return with their fifth full length record, the self-titled Beyond the Black. German Symphonic Metal shooting stars Beyond the Black look back on a stratospheric success story. Already their 2015 debut album hit like a bomb in their home country. Songs Of Love And Death besieged the German Top 15 for weeks and lead up to the band being awarded the Metal Hammer Award 2015 for "Best Debut". It's successor Lost In Forever (2016) entered the German charts on #4 right away and paved ways for a huge tour from Germany over countries like UK, Russia or Japan. Since the band's live debut in 2014 they have played the world's biggest Metal festival Wacken Open Air several times and toured as a support act for heavyweights such as Aerosmith, Korn, Scorpions, Saxon or Within Temptation.

With a special surprise the German power metal band Rage rewards its fans for their loyalty and patience during the long waiting period due to the pandemic: In time for the big co-headlining tour with Brainstorm in October and November 2022 and as an appetizer for what will be heard there, singer/bassist Peavy Wagner and his band mates Jean Borman, Stefan Weber (both guitar) and Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos (drums) will release an EP 'Spreading The Plague' with three previously unreleased new songs and three worthwhile bonus tracks.

After the long gap between records, there’s no rust as Stratovarius aims to reclaim their position as one of power metal’s elite acts. One thing that’s been the case for their entire career and remains evident on Survive is that the band knows how to write catchy songs. The album is packed to the gills with giant hooks and singalong choruses. Survive is still a very enjoyable power metal album and a welcome return for Stratovarius.

Seven years after Beyond The Red Mirror and almost three after the orchestral opus Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra: Legacy of the Dark Lands, Blind Guardian invites you to their personal twilight of the gods. "After Beyond The Red Mirror and Legacy Of The Dark Lands, we knew we couldn't push the orchestral side of Blind Guardian any further," vocalist Hansi Kürsch says. The new directive while creating The God Machine was fairly straight-forward but ever so welcome: "Less orchestration, more punch." In 2022, the opulent arrangements and powerful choirs still exist; yet they are used in a much more selective, focused and resonant manner. The God Machine marks another pinnacle in Blind Guardian's impressive discography by not attempting to pretend it is still the nineties yet instead successfully relying on the muscle memory of this period.

Legendary German power metal band, Blind Guardian return with The God Machine, the band’s twelfth studio album and first ‘regular’ studio album in seven years, following Beyond the Red Mirror in 2015. The God Machine will be released on September 2nd, 2022 via Nuclear Blast.

Grave Digger have been an integral part of the German heavy metal scene for over 4 decades. Chris Boltendahl, Axel Ritt, Jens Becker and Marcus Kniep are not only a fixture in the live area, they also regularly deliver high-quality heavy metal albums. On their latest album "Symbol Of Eternity" they continue to spin the story of the Crusaders… after dealing with it on the album "Knights of the Cross" they are now devoting themselves again to the legendary history of the Templars. Razor-sharp riffs, opulent choir arrangements and the distinctive voice of Chris Boltendahl are components of Grave Digger's new work. All the hallmarks that have characterized the band for 4 decades are continued on the new album and make "Symbol Of Eternity" an original and heavy album.

After releasing their vibrant fifth studio album,Viridian in 2020, TEMPERANCE – maestros of modern melodic/symphonic metal delight their devotees with the persuasivnew offering Diamanti, to be released on November 19, 2021 via Napalm Records. With Diamanti, the exceptionally skilled Italian outfit once again showcases their extraordinary ability to merge brilliant vocal melodies, hefty power metal guitar riffing and symphonic soundscapes in perfect harmony – all dressed in modern surroundings. This an offering fans of bands like Amaranthe will fall in love with immediately!

With their latest chart-topping studio album, Wanderers (2019), and the recent release of their first ever live BluRay/DVD, A Symphonic Journey To Remember, symphonic metal visionaries VISIONS OF ATLANTIS have, without a doubt, proven that they are on top of the scene. Now, the band sets sail on another adventurous journey and new exciting chapter, marking a turning point of their discography with the upcoming album, Pirates, out May 13, 2022 via Napalm Records. With their eighth full-length, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS deliver their most confident and honest record so far, proving that they have definitely stopped wandering to finally unleash their rebellious side and a free spirit untamed as the seven seas. The band invites its listener to join on a marvelous ride through intriguing soundscapes and hauntingly beautiful melodies along with smashing symphonic heaviness, that musically and lyrically embodies a form of transition and self-discovery.

Animus is the third album by the Italian power metal band Moonlight Haze. Moonlight Haze is a power symphonic metal band from Italy founded in 2018 by Chiara Tricarico and Giulio Capone, vocals and drums/keyboards respectively. The lineup also includes Alessandro Jacobi (also bassist of Elvenking) and Alberto Melinato and Marco Falanga on guitars. Lyrically-wise it's an introspective and intimate work, but at the same time it looks at the world outside - willing to bring a bright message of vitality and rebirth. Hence the title, 'Animus', a Latin word that has different meanings: vital force, conscience, soul, mind and courage as well. The album was released on March 18 via Scarlet Records.

Alongside Switzerland’s Celtic Frost and Sweden’s Bathory, Germany’s Helloween were possibly the most influential heavy metal band to come out of Europe during the 1980s. By taking the hard-riffing and minor-key melodies handed down from metal masters like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, then infusing them with the speed and energy introduced by the burgeoning thrash metal movement, Helloween crystallized the sonic ingredients of what is now known as power metal. Sadly, just as they were on the verge of breaking to a wider audience — even flirting with American success — the band’s meteoric rise was rudely interrupted by internal strife and a string of bad business decisions. These blunders kept them from ever regaining their original momentum, but Helloween took their hard-knock lessons in stride and continued to prosper in the international metal arena on their own terms. More importantly, they remained the benchmark by which most every power metal band is still measured.

Alongside Switzerland’s Celtic Frost and Sweden’s Bathory, Germany’s Helloween were possibly the most influential heavy metal band to come out of Europe during the 1980s. By taking the hard-riffing and minor-key melodies handed down from metal masters like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, then infusing them with the speed and energy introduced by the burgeoning thrash metal movement, Helloween crystallized the sonic ingredients of what is now known as power metal. Sadly, just as they were on the verge of breaking to a wider audience — even flirting with American success — the band’s meteoric rise was rudely interrupted by internal strife and a string of bad business decisions. These blunders kept them from ever regaining their original momentum, but Helloween took their hard-knock lessons in stride and continued to prosper in the international metal arena on their own terms. More importantly, they remained the benchmark by which most every power metal band is still measured.