WarWolf are hailing from Cologne, Germany and this is their debut full length opus. The band was formerly known as Wolfen from 1994 to 2021. This one contains ten songs. The music of WarWolf can be described as old school Teutonic heavy metal with a steely breath of power metal thrown in the song structures for good measure. If I must describe it and compare it to some band it would be a mixture of Grave Digger and Wizard. The first comparison is in order, because the album is produced by none other than Chris Bolthendal, Grave Digger singer. The music is up tempo, warrior stomping metal, with great melodies and vocals that are not so high and screaming but singing, tough yet melodic. Lyrics deal with vampires and werewolves, kind of Underworld movie thematics with songs like Daywalker, Nosferatu, Clan Of The Undead being highlights of this album for me. The title song, besides being the longest song on this opus is also a bit similar in parts to Sign Of The Cross by Iron Maiden. Maybe it is just me, but I can hear similarities in some parts. In all, this is a decent metal album. Nothing special, but decent.
A Dance in Yellow is a one man band or project if you want, hailing from Germany. This opus is the second full length and it contains intro and outro plus nine more stories told as songs. The music of A Dance in Yellow is basically melodic death black metal with lost of prog metal influences here and there and impressive musicianship, especially guitar work and vocals which range from death metal growling to black metal extreme singing and screeching, also some almost gothic singing I can hear in some song parts. Lyrical side of things is somehwere in Robert W.Chambers and H.P.Lovecraft influenced atmosphere of horror and listening to this one almost made me physically feel the cosmic horror and ancient ones lurking upon mankind. Atmosphere is vital with endeavors like this opus and here A Dance in Yellow manage to create a horror like prey upon unsuspecting individual listening to this opus. So, close your eyes, open your darkened hearts and souls, look to the sky, see the stars aligned and enter the world of bleak darkness and pain, but also enlightenment. Personal favorites: Fire and Steel, Born of the Ancients, Torn Apart.
Holly Would Surrender are from Hamburg, Germany and this is their new e.p. out with SBÄM Records and I am so glad that I found out this band with this new release. This one contains ten songs of energetic melodic pop punk, not unlike nineties old school legends, I would compare it to Face To Face or Bracket if I had to compare their music to some bands. That means uplifting and positive sweet melodic songs, beautiful choruses, heartfelt emotional lyrics with dose of humor and fun. My personal favorites are Doing Fine and Never Surrender, but also Throw It Away. Songs are faster but not your fast hardcore skatepunk, rather punk rock uplifting tempo, musicianship is great and vocals and backing vocal harmonies are just perfect to make your heart flutter and your face lit up with joy and smiling when you are having a bad day and you just want some music to cheer you up and bring back hope. Nice one, indeed.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 