Album after album, Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx have continuously carved in stone their reputation as true leaders of the Scandinavian led 80's hard rock revival.

I could highlight all songs here but I stand out "Rise Above", "Anthem For America", "The Power", "Reach Out", my favourite "Street Lethal", "In The Middle Of Nothing" and "One Fire, One Goal".

To the rhythm of the thunder, they rise above with 9 extraordinary melodic rock songs. Album of the year!

Eclipse has released their #8 album back in October through Frontiers Music.

Even though the ballad "Carved In Stone" is way below average compared to the other songs, their new album gets very close to the maximum rating.

We have another winner by the kings of melodic rock, it doesn't matter if they have the same formula over and over again.

Their second chapter didn't take long to be released after the very good first chapter.

I would stand out song "Unstoppable" which is my favourite and one of the best songs I've listened this year, what a song! Other highlights are "Inferno", "Afterlife", "Animals", "Into The Night", "Son Of Wallachia" and "My Justice, Your Pain".

If you're a fan of symphonic metal with female vocals, make sure to check this out!

Just one year after their brilliant "Viridian", the Italian modern melodic/symphonic metallers of Temperance has release their album #6.

Lots of songs to highlight, my favourites are "Pure Life Unfolds", "Diamanti", "Black Is My Heart", "You Only Live Once", "I The Loneliness", "The Night Before The End" and "Follow Me".

In the end, this is another brilliant album by this Italian band, the chemistry of the 3 vocalists works so well in all songs and here they have done it again.

More than 30 years of history in metal and still Brainstorm captivate huge musical enthusiasm and power metal to your ears.

This is their best album to date and here we have 10 bombastic power metal songs, my favourites being "Solitude", "Escape The Silence", "Turn Off The Light", the amazing "Glory Disappears", "My Dystopia", "Holding On" and "I, Deceiver".

When I though their previous album was their strongest together with 2000's "Ambiguity", they have done even better this time.

This exciting musical project put together by Frontiers shows Nando Fernandes on vocals and Jens Ludwig (Edguy) on guitars.

This brings back memories of Edguy and Masterplan and the highlights are "The Tempest", "Someday Somehow", "Dead Bond", "Song Of Hope", "Surrender", "Turn The Page" and "The Source".

Nando Fernandes has already showed his amazing talent on Brother Against Brother together with Renan Zonta, here he gets all the vocals and I'm glad to see he's being finally recognized in the metal scene.

I've seen their videos drop out on YouTube back in September and I knew something good was coming

Nestor brings very good melodic rock and the highlights on the album are "On The Run", "Kids In A Ghost Town", "These Days", "Firesign" and "1989".

Just call the police or a record company, these guys can't be an Indie release.

Supposed to be released in October last year, we saw the light of day of Manimal's album #4 in December.

Heavy metal a la Judas Priest and Primal Fear is what the Swedes of Manimal have delivered once again. What's not to like? The highlights are "Burn In Hell", "Armageddon", "Slaves Of Babylon", "Chains Of Fury", "Evil Soul" and "The Inevitable End".

This is another brilliant album by them but "Purgatorio" was slightly better in my opinion.

Insania returns after a lengthy hiatus with their fifth album, packed with speed/power metal.

Some fillers are found here and I would highlight songs "Praeparatus Supervivet", "Moonlight Shadows", "We Will Rise Again", "Entering Paradise" and "The Last Hymn To Life".

It's very nice to see them back.

The debut album of Wonders is the work of Lunesu's brothers of Even Flow and was release back in November through Limb Music.

Marco Pastorino is one hell of a singer and here he shines again. The highlights are "Good & Bad", "Pretender", "Beyond Redemption", "Freedom", "Where The Sun Doesn't Shine" and "Fragments Of Wonder".

Prog metal mixed with power metal is what we have found on this great debut album, on which my only complaint would be on the production side.

After their brilliant debut album back in 2019, NorthTale released their sophomore album back in November.

Out goes Christian Eriksson and here we have Gui Hirose delivering the vocals, which his voice fits better on the band's sound than the aforementioned vocalist. The highlights are "Only Human", "Wings Of Salvation", "Future Calls", "Midnight Bells", "Eternal Flame", "Ride The Storm" and "King Of Your Illusion".

Their new album is slightly better than their debut.

These prog Australians don't stop, 4 albums in 28 months and they all are of an outstanding quality.

No fillers on this 9-track album and my favourites are "And The Beauty They Perceive", "Untide", "Waves" and "Son Rise".

I think this is their best album out of the four released in these "short" period. What's next Dean?

Once a Helloween Italian cover band until their 2016 debut album, five years later we have their 5th studio album.

There are no fillers on this power metal album, Tomi's vocals are made for this type of music. Many songs to highlight but I would stand out songs "Holding On", "The Pinheads", "2204", "Pleasure Paradise (Oh La La)" and "Eastwood Ravine".

In the end, I've enjoyed this one way more than the new Helloween album!

Germany's promising newcomers, featuring the beautiful Nastassja Giulia on vocals, released their sophomore album back in August.

The mix of modern and symphonic metal that we had on their debut album, now we are 100% modern metal on their new album. The highlights are "Crystallize", "Alien", "Bulletproof", "Black Butterfly", "Dynamite" and "Crush".

I still think this very good and Nastassja's vocals is one of my favourites from the female metal scene, but I've enjoyed the debut album a bit more.

Some singles have been dropped by this Australian band since 2020 and last October they have released their debut album.

The highlights are "Wait For The Night", "We Fall", "Daze Of Delirium", "Last Goodbye" and "Stronger".

As I'm a big fan of the first three Pegazus albums, it's very nice to see Danny Cecati back in a rock/metal album. Here we don't have the power metal of his former band but a more melodic rock/metal style.

Long-time American prog metallers have released their 15th studio album back in October.

The highlights are "The Alien", "Answering The Call", my favourite "Invisible Monster" and "Awaken The Master".

This one is definitelly better than some of their previous albums and I would rank a little bit higher than their previous "Distance Over Time", which was already a step forward and bringing back the good old Dream Theater.

Call it Rhapsody or Rhapsody Of Fire, this is their 14th studio since their debut "Legendary Tales" back in 1997.

The highlights are the first three songs as well as "Maid Of The Secret Sand", "Infinitae Glorae", "Magic Signs", "I'll Be Your Hero" and "Chains Of Destiny".

Second album with Giacomo Voli on vocals and in my opinion, this one is better than his debut with the band.

Swiss quartet Second Reign release their debut album "Gravity" back in October.

Listened to the debut album of this Swiss band and this really shocked me at the first listen, very impressive album with catchy songs. The highlights are "Uninvited", "Let Me Breathe", "Wrong", "Another Night", "Dark Matter" and "The Big Lie".

Don't miss this one out if you're into hard rock bands like their countrymates Shakra and Gotthard.

Beast In Black has shocked the power metal scenario back in 2017 with their debut album and now 4 years later, they bring their 3rd studio album.

There are many highlights but my favourites are "Bella Donna", "Hardcore", "One Night In Tokyo", "Revengeance Machine", "To The Last Drop Of Blood", Manowar's "Battle Hymn" and Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us".

I didn't like their new album that much during the first listen but after a couple more spins, I find this one to be very good just as their debut. Their pop-disco oriented metal can be judged by some but it doesn't matter to me. Bring it on!

Anthemic power metal is what the warriors have come up again on their third effort.

This is slightly better than "Revenge" but "Reborn" was a masterpiece in my opinion. The highlights are "We Are The Fire", "Fight", "Spartacus", "Deus Lo Vult", "Ave Roma" and "Where Dreams Die".

We had their "Reborn", their "Revenge" and now the "Revolution", let's see the warriors "Rise" next!

Six years after their latest album, the legends of the NWOBHM have released "Senjutsu" back in September

I'm not a big fan of their long songs with almost the same slow intros and sadly I could only highlight "Stratego", "The Writing On The Wall", "The Time Machine" and "Days Of Future Past".

The last album I did enjoy from them was "Brave New World" back in 2000, thanks Iron Maiden for all your classic albums but this is just another Ok album.

Long-time German veterans Rage are back with their 24th studio album.

The highlights are "Virginity", "A New Land", "Arrogance And Ignorance", "The Age Of Reason", "Monetary Gods" and "Mind Control".

This one is better than their previous two albums but still hard to top their classic albums, but welcome back Rage!

Eldritch has been active since 1991 and they have come up with their 12th album last November.

These Italians have not disappointed again and the highlights are "The Cry Of A Nation", "Circles", "Fear Me", "The Awful Closure" and "EOS".

A mix of power, prog and modern metal is what we've found on this new Eldritch album.

Leverage has already changed their sound back in 2019 with a different line-up and here they have again done some changes tending to a prog side.

The song "Emperor" is one hell of a song, the chorus sticks in your head at first listen. Some songs fail to deliver the same quality and I would also highlight songs "Do You Love Me Now", "Under His Eye" and "Galleria".

This is their least album that I've enjoyed but still it's a good one.

Second solo album of Anette Olzon (former Nightwish vocalist) with the nonstoppable Magnus Karlsson on guitars.

Some songs like the opener are come and go and nothing that keeps you enthusiastic. The few highlights are "Sick Of You", "I Need To Stay", "Who Can Save Them" and "Hear Them Roar".

A rather Ok, pop-influenced symphonic metal album by this Ms. Olzon.

Formed in 2004, these Swedish metallers hailing from Bollnäs and with lyrics covering fantasy, dragons and dark themes, they have now come up with their 9th album in 17 years.

This is their best album with Patrik on vocals along with "In The Name Of Metal". The highlights are "Creatures Of The Dark Realm", "When Fate Is Calling", "Death Will Lead The Way", "Kill Or Be Killed", "March Into War" and "The Wicked And The Weak".

I didn't like that much their previous album due to high amount of chants used on the chorus, which here they have limited.

The Swedish power metal quintet Metalite puts itself back on the metal dance floor and set out to reinvent classic melodic metal by unleashing their new album.

There are no fillers here on this disco-oriented melodic metal and the vocals by Erica is just brilliant once again. The stand-out songs are "A Virtual World", "Cloud Connected", "Beyond The Horizon", my favourite "Peacekeepers", "Artificial Intelligence", "Running" and "Synchronized".

I just want to move to Ibiza and enjoy this another masterpiece done by Metalite.

From the ashes of Tempestt (heavy/prog metal at the best quality), it rises Spektra with straight forward melodic rock, the only change on the line-up is having Canale on the bass.

There are no fillers here and my favourites are "Runnin' Out Of Time", "Just Because", "Breakaway", "Don't Matter", "Forsaken", "Behind Closed Doors" and "Lonely Road".

Spektra's debut is just as brilliant as Tempestt's only album back from 2007.

Hardline has released back in July their 7th studio album and we all know what to expected from them.

The album starts with my two favourite songs "Fuel To The Fire" and "Surrender". Then we have a mix of some ballads and some rockers throughout the album with other highlights being "Heavenly", "Waiting For Your Fall" and "The Curse".

Johnny has been one of my favourite vocalists since I've discovered ARP back in the late 90's. The guy never disappoints and again we have his brilliant vocals on a new Hardline album, but something is missing to get a higher rating like their previous album and their debut masterpiece did.

Famous finnish drummer Mirka Rantanen has come up with the idea to celebrate his 50-year anniversary with a solo album with some guest vocalists that he has played over the years.

Favourite songs are "The Beat (feat. Riku Turunen)", "Desperate Cry (feat. Johnny Gioeli), "Sheriff Of Ghost Town (feat. Marco Hietala), "Never (feat. Kimmo Blom)", "Caught In The Middle (feat. Danny Vaughn)" and "No Reason (feat. Marc Quee)". Unfortunately the song "In Times Of Despair" feat. my queen Elize is the worst on the record, he could have written a better song to show off her skills.

This is a very good selection of rock vocalist on this project led by Mr. Rantanen.

The wolves are back with their 8th studio album, released last July through Napalm Records.

The album starts with the anthemic anthemic "Faster Than The Flame" and goes on with a great selection of power metal songs such as "Beast Of Gevaudan", "Dancing With The Dead", "Alive Or Undead", "Call Of The Wild", "Undress To Confess" and "Reverent Of Rats". There's just one complaint here from me which is the song "Glaubenskraft" sang in German, which is below average.

Powerwolf was the last concert I went before the pandemic strike here in Brazil, what a concert that was February last year and what an album this new one from the wolves of Germany is.

Germany's Sonic Haven, a new band conceived and fronted by vocalist Herbie Langhans (ex-Sinbreed) and also drummer André Hilgers (ex-Rage) released back in May their debut album through Frontiers Music.

My favourite songs are the heavier stuff found here with the highlights being "Back To Mad", my favourite "Keep The Flame Alive", "I Believe", "Blind The Enemy" and "From White To Black".

This is a good to very good debut album with a mix of power and melodic metal fronted by the hard-working Herbie Langhans.

Cruzh started back in Sweden on 2013 and released their debut album in 2016, 5 years later they bring their sophomore album with new vocalist Alex Waghorn.

The highlights are are "Tropical Thunder", "We Go Together", "Turn Back Time", "New York Nights", "All You Need" and "Moonshine Bayou".

The first three songs shows off that we're in for a melodic rock treasure but then some songs are just Ok, which puts this album at a little above the 8 score.

Inspired by the late 80's rock scene bands, Nitrate is the brainchild of song writer Nick Hogg (bass guitar) from Nottingham, England.

The highlights are "Danger Zone", "Renegade", "Big City Lights", "Children Of The Lost Brigade", "Addicted", "Alibi" and "Edge Of Surrender". Definitely Nitrate's best album so far, maybe because we have Alex Strandell on vocals. A softer side from what we can hear from him on Crowne.

Will there be a new vocalist on an upcoming album? Let's wait and see...

Brother Against Brother is a pairing powerhouse brought by Frontiers Music in the same spirit of the well-received Allen/Lande project.

When Frontiers announced this project of the current best Brazilian vocalists, I was eagerly waiting for the release and I just can't stop listening to this album. All 11 songs are amazing but I would stand-out songs "Two Brothers", "What If", "City Of Gold", "Deadly Sins", "Demons In My Head" and "Valley Of The Kings".

Renan Zonta is one of the shining stars of the melodic rock/metal scene and Nando Fernandes is finally getting the attention he deserves. I hope Frontiers doesn't make this a one album only project.

Orden Ogan has been on the road since 1996 but it was only back in 2015 with "Ravenhead" that I started listened to them.

They promised to have their best songs written on their new album and they did it. My favourite songs are "Heart Of The Android", "In The Dawn Of The Al", the catchy "Inferno", "Let The Fire Rain", the beautiful ballad "Alone In The Dark" and "Hollow".

Their new album took a while to be released, it was first announced for late 2020 but then it arrived back in March, this was worth the wait and it's on repeated plays since then. This is definitely their best album so far!

This new project or band features some stellar cast from Sweden such as Alexander Strandell (Art Nation vocalist), Jona Tee (H.E.A.T. keyboardist and also leading guitarist here), John Levén (Europe bassist) and Christian Lundqvist (The Poodles drummer).

All songs are amazing here but the stand-out songs are "Perceval", my favourite "Sharoline", "Unbreakable", "One In A Million", "Sum Of All Fears", "Make A Stand", "Cross To Bear" and "Save Me From Myself".

I'm simply amazed by the work these Swedish melodic hard rock supergroup have come up with, this is a joy to listen to. Bring another one guys!

Approaching nearly 25 years of existence, Italian power/progressive metallers Secret Sphere are back with a new studio album.

A mix of power/prog metal sound is what we can find here and the highglights are "Lifeblood", "Life Survivors", "Alive", "Against All Odds", "Thank You" and "Solitary Fight".

Even though I prefer Luppi's vocals over Messina's, this is a brilliant record. It might be the best Secret Sphere has come up with Messina on vocals.

The pumpkins are united again and I was eagerly waiting for the final result as my expectations was very high.

We have some very good songs but there are some fillers on this almost 80-minute album, songs such as "Mass Pollution", "Rise Without Chains" and "Cyanide" could easily be dropped out while "Out For The Glory", "Fear Of The Fallen", "Angels" and "Skyfall" deserves a huge highlight.

This is a very good album from the pumpkins but I'm afraid it will not make my top-20 albums of the year.

W.E.T. truly epitomizes what melodic rock has become in the new decade since 2009 and here we have their fourth album.

Of course we have those usual catchy choruses, but they have done it better in the past. The highlights are the first "Big Boys Don't Cry", "The Moment Of Truth", "The Call Of The Wild", "Beautiful Game", "Coming Home", "How Do I Know" and "One Final Kiss".

I love all W.E.T. albums and this is just another one, but this is the least that I've enjoyed, still it gets a very high rating.

Written by none other than the very talented Danny Rexon (Crazy Lixx) comes this debut album of the new rising star Chez Kane.

"Rocket On The Radio" is just brilliant and that chorus line was made for the 80s. Other highlights are "Get It On", "Too Late For Love", "Ball N' Chain", "Midnight Rendezvous" and "Dead End Street".

This is a top signing by Frontiers, definitely sounding a lot like Crazy Lixx with female vocals. I'm looking forward to more albums by this very talented girl.

Hailing from Austria and active since 2010, Dragony has released their 4th full length album back in January through Napalm Records.

And what a way to start the album with a new power metal hymn such as "Gods Of War", a fantastic song. There are no weak tracks here and I would highlight almost all the songs, but "Magic", "Darkness Within", "A.E.I.O.U.", "Golden Dawn", "Battle Royale" and "Legends Never Die" together with the opener are the definite stand-out ones.

They have done even better than their already brilliant third album, definitely a contender to be in my top 10 list.

Longtime Pretty Maids vocalist has come up with his first solo album earlier this year.

On his solo debut, we get another majestic performance from him and the stand out songs are "Real", "One Shot", my favourite "Before The Rise Of An Empire", "Picture Yourself", "I Prophesize" and "When Dreams Are Not Enough".

Anything with Ronnie on vocals we can for sure expect some greatness coming and he has done it again. Stay strong Ronnie!

This British melodic power metal band active now for 13 years have released their third album last month.

What these guys have delivered is a mix of melodic, prog and some dark moments, for sure this a brilliant album. There are no weak tracks here and I would highlight the melodic "This World Is Burning", "Last Of Our Kind" and "Beating Hearts", the proggy "Flesh And Blood" and "Another Eden" but also the darker "The Future, Tonight" and "Steal The World".

I hope they don't take another seven years to release a new album.

Founded back in 2012 from the Balfour brothers, Maverick are now back with their fourth album.

I really enjoy David's vocals and these Irish presents us 10 well done melodic hard rock songs, the stand-out songs being "Falling", "Thirst", "Never" (my favourite), "Switchblade Sister", "Angels 6" and "The Last One".

Their previous album was already a bombastic one and this one is just as good. My only complaint here is the album being too short.

Swedish rockers Creye returned with their second studio album back in January.

Their sophomore is definitely much better thant their debut and has 12 melodic tunes worth the listen. My favourites are "Broken Highway", "Carry On", "Face To Face", "Lost Without You", "Closer" and "The Greatest".

If you are into the bands Scandi bands such as Art Nation and One Desire, this is definitely worth the listen.

The German veterans of heavy metal have released their new album last January and now is time for a quick review.

Mr. Wolf knows how to deliver some metal hymns and here he brings a couple more, like songs "Zombie Apocalypse", "Overnight Sensation", "It Sucks To Be You", "How Do We Sleep" and "Not My Problem". Unfortunately there are two songs that I really dislike, "The Undertaker" and "The Best Is Yet To Come".

This one is a little bit better than their previous one but still hard to match with the brilliant "Blind Rage" album.

After six years, Joel Hoekstra is back with a new album under the moniker Joel Hoekstra's 13.

A couple of fillers are found here and the highlights are "Finish Line", "I'm Gonna Lose It", "Hard To Say Goodbye", "Lonely Days" and "Cried Enough For You".

I've listened quite a few times to see if I could give a higher rating since it has Russell Allen on vocals, but unfortunately it didn't. The debut album was much better than this one.

Geoff Tate (ex-Queensrÿche vocalist) and Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere guitarist) are back with a new Sweet Oblivion album two years after their debut was released.

Geoff is once again delivering such good vocals, the highlights are "Strong Pressure", "Let It Be", "Another Change", "Remember Me", "I'll Be The One" and "Fly Angel Fly".

Just as good as the debut album, nothing amazing but I have nothing to complaint as well.

Magnus Karlsson, known as Primal Fear guitarist and many other projects, have fronted this female Metal Opera and released the album last March through Frontiers Music.

Frontiers lets us believe that this is an ambitious new project by Magnus Karlsson and I was hyped on this one, even though Elize Ryd is not here. Unfortunately some of the vocals here just don't do it for me, but there are some good songs like "Come Out Of The Shadows", "Into The Unknown", "Evil's Around The Corner" and "This Is Not The End".

If this is really not the end, as the last song might warn us, I just hope that Magnus can change the line-up a bit and get Elize Ryd, Jennifer Haben, Cristina Scabbia and Nastassja Giulia on the next chapter.