Reviews

69 CHAMBERS..'WAR ON THE INSIDE'

(Nightmare Records/SPV) Reviewed 15th June 2009

It's time to rock and Swiss rockers 69 Chambers have a winner here. Fronted by the sexy Nina Tremi (that is her on the cover!), 'War On The Inside' gets underway with the heavy and catchy 'The Day Of The Locust'. The heaviness continues with 'Bloodaxe' while 'Thinking About You' provides quite a poppy and catchy chorus. A fave track of mine on this cd however is 'Ex Nihilo', which starts of with a rather atmospheric and haunting vibe, before the guitars crash in. The second half of the record, although remaining heavy, does slow down a bit, but overall, this album offers up a good dose of modern female fronted hard rock/heavy metal. It is an interesting release and I am hooked! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SABINAS REX..'A ROCK OPERA'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 24th February 2009

This is an 8 track promotional highlights cd, which although gives a good idea as to what is on offer on 'A Rock Opera', it is difficult to get a handle as to what is going on, as this is not the full album. However, I feel that after listening to this, I would like to get my grubby paws on the full release as and when available. This New York based band is led by project mastermind Vlado Kormos, and this masterpiece that was composed between 2004 and 2008, shares male and female vox (angelic female vocals by Cara Lynn Robinson by the way). It is imperative to know the story of 'A Rock Opera' to be able to sit through the collection of tracks, as each of the singer’s vocal styles does fit with their individual characters quite nicely. The music on offer I would call classical european symphonic orchestral rock/metal, right up my alleyway really, and what I hear on this promo, would also appeal to any AOR fans out there. Taking into account the rather awesome intro (Church organ, synths and the like), I understand that there will be 20 songs on the full release, and the songs on this promo release seem to be the rather more laid back ones. In summary, I like this, so check out www.myspace.com/sabinasrexopera to find out what it is all about, as I feel this has the makings of a classic. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SACRED..'THE BEAUTIFUL HORROR'

(Independent release) Reviewed 24th Sept 2006

In a nutshell...Sacred we believe are London based..lead vox shared between Virginia Van Kan and Jemima Price. This release is choc full of radio friendly pop/rock anthems from start to finish, with subtle gothic and electronic elements here and there. If a major label got behind this band, they will be MASSIVE, making a lot of the current UK chart material look rather pathetic in comparison!! The cd is only available via myspace.com...so what are you waiting for. Totally mind blowing! 9/10 (Reviewed by Aimee)

SAGE..'IN VAIN'

Independent Release) Reviewed 9th November 2007

Molly brought this band to my attention. Sage are fronted by Tracey Sage and are a power metal band. This lass they call Tracey has a helluva voice. 'In Vain' is only a 5 tracker that presumaby showcases this band's ability. And that ability ain't bad either. My fave track is the sorta latin influenced 'Graves'. This mcd is worth looking into further via cdbaby, or check them out on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/sage4. 7.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

SAINT LIPS..'LIKE PETALS'

(Renaissance Records) Reviewed 26th August 2008

Here is one helluva album that has crept up on me and caught me by surprise. Saint Lips fronted by Valentina Barletta are from Roma in Italy, and play a kinda new wave/rock/power pop type of music. 10 tracks, 34 mins and not a filler in site. This is cool stuff from this band and is as catchy as hell. Just listen to opener 'Desert Ship' for confirmation of this. And the title track carries on where the opener finished. Other fave tracks of mine on this little opus are 'Sev69' and 'More Fun', excellent stuff! I have listened to this album a fair few times now, and I am having trouble finding fault. This may not be a record for the out and out goth or metal fans out there, but this will appeal to many who enjoy catchy rock music with a summery vibe. Get that sunroof down and turn up the volume. Cool! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SAINTS OF RUIN..'FAIRYTALE'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 4th May 2008

The Saints Of Ruin are based in San Francisco fronted by Ruby Ruin, and are a band that will take the world by storm. I have the honour of reviewing their 5 track cd 'Fairytale' that the band so kindly sent me. And this is totally awesome melodic gothic metal, and I cannot wait for a full length release. Why? because based on this little gem and if there is any justice, world wide recognition will not be too far away. This mini album will have a broad range of appeal too, appealing to the melodic rock fan out there aswell as the more gothy types. 'Fairytale' kicks off with the ultra catchy 'Inside My Head' (and the song will bounce around inside your head for ages), followed by one of my faves, 'Labyrinth'. The cd ends with the haunting ballad 'All For You'. And before you finish with this review, check the band out at www.myspace.com/saintsof ruin .This cd can be purchased from cdbaby.com and is well worth the purchase money, while record labels had better start forming an orderly queue here, to avoid disappointment! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

SAINTS OF RUIN..'NIGHTMARE'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 10th December 2009

Saints of Ruin is a Californian Gothic Rock band who are not only friends of us here at Ravenheart Towers, they also produce some flippin' good music. A while back (May 2008), I reviewed their EP 'Fairytale' and I knew then that this band was something a little special. I reviewed the EP as "awesome melodic gothic metal". I must now say that not only does this, their debut full length cd carry on the excellent work of 'Fairytale', the band has moved forward leaps and bounds with this new release. Fronted by Ruby Ruin, with my 'email buddy' Tommy Dark on guitars, we have an awesome cd on our hands here. And I understand that there is also European label interest. The album gets under way with the catchy 'Ashes', which will straight away give you a feel for the music. The cd moves along quite nicely, with one of my fave tracks being the heavy sounding but equally melodic 'End Of Days'. The catchy 'Be My King' has a dance floor feel to it and should in-fact be given the dance remix treatment me thinks (think about it Tommy!). This album has everything and will appeal to a wide range of rock fan. 'A Murder Of Crows' got me thinking I was in the Australian Bush for a moment, and is another cool track from an album chock full of corking tunes - I also like 'Never Go Away' and this song must sound great live. I love it! Word of advice...go to cdbaby.com and buy this cd, you will not be disappointed! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SATYRIAN..'THE DARK GIFT'

(Lion Music) Reviewed 20th December 2006

The Dreamside and The Bloodline are two of my favourite bands. So are Satyrian. And they all have a common link being vocalists Kemi Vita and Roman Schonsee. This album is an EP featuring 38 minutes of dance remixes of tracks from Satyrian's debut cd 'Eternitas'. I have noticed that on a certain website, this cd got a pasting. Well, Aimee and I are very open minded regards music, and I myself (and Aimee) do like these remixes that would fair quite well on the dance floor at any decent club. May be not one for anyone unaquainted with the band, and perhaps not for one who cannot listen to anything other than rock or metal, but anybody who is open minded regards their musical tastes, and of course any fan of Satyrian, should give this a listen. This is a pretty good offering. We like it! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

LYNN CAREY SAYLOR..'YOU LIKE IT CLEAN'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 10th May 2007

I had not heard of Lynn Carey Saylor until I heard this release. One may be mistaken for thinking that this could be a country album. But that could not be further from the truth. This album is actually a melodic pop/rocker's wet dream. And it features none other than Brian May on a couple of the tracks. The cd kicks off with 'Million Miles' and it is obvious from the word go what path this awesome slab of plastic is going to tread. Second in 'This Is Your Life' is already a fave of mine, and you will be humming it for ages after too. Third track, 'I Wasn't A Friend', well it is personal. Just listen to the lyrics. And take on board what you hear. The Pat Benatar re working of 'We Belong' has Lynn's own authority stamped all over it. And this is the first track featuring Brian May. The second being 'If We Believe'. This 11 track album finishes with the awesome 'Blink Of An Eye'. This album is very very good. Please support this independent artist by purchasing this cd from cdbaby.com or Lynn's website, the link can be obtained from her myspace site..web addy on our opening page. I myself cannot stop playing it!! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

SCARLETT..'INSANE'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 5th January 2010

After years of working in film and television, including 3 seasons on Star Trek: Voyager and six seasons on the hit sitcom REBA, Scarlett Pomers (www.myspace.com/scarlettpomers) has grown into a stunning young lady that has become a Rock powerhouse, and has given us the 5 track EP 'Insane' as a consequence. And I like what I hear on this release. Five tracks of catchy rock spanning close on 20 minutes. Kicking off with the foot tapping salvo of 'Sweet Lunacy' and 'Garden', this little cd is a good un. 'War' is another catchy song with cool guitar solo, while in style, I would compare Scarlett to Ravenheart faves the Saints of Ruin. And that cannot be a bad thing to my ears! I like this cd and all the five tracks on it, and I look forward to a full album if there is one on the cards in the future. I wish Scarlett all the very best meanwhile - she deserves it. This EP is out on January 7th, so get it from cdbaby.com. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SCYTHE OF ORION..X-lives

(Independent Release) Reviewed 7th September 2009

Scythe of Orion hail from Finland, the mecca of symphonic metal, and this little self produced opus came to me via Nicky at Fireworks zine. Fronted by Anu Kaunisto, we have an interesting little release here. Basically, this little bit of plastic comprises of 5 tracks, kicking off with 'The Open Space of Imagination'. Okay, one can argue that this has been done before, but so what. Anything that wanders into my domain that I like, is most welcome. Next track in 'Shadowland', slows things down just a little. More atmosphere with a piano solo mid track, but a decent number! Like the opener, 'Journey' musically reminds me of Nightwish, although Anu's vocals are quite distinctive. 'Behind The Cloud' leads you into believing this is a piano led ballad, until the guitars kick in - almost a progressive metal feel to this track with violins too! The title track then rounds things off quite nicely. To summarise - I would like to hear more from this band as and when - an interesting listen and recommended to fans of the genre! 7.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SELLISTERNIUM..'FURY'

(Renaissance Records) Reviewed 30th June 2008

Sellisternium come from Poland, and I would classify 'Fury' under a progressive gothic rock/metal category, with a definte nod towards Pink Floyd and Dream Theatre on occasion. I think the Pink Floyd influences are there from the start - just listen to opener 'Depression And Me'. This release produces some quite decent instrumental passages throughout, while the melodic vocals of Anna Pietrzak are quite palatable. However, do not expect a release full of catchy hooks and melodic choruses, because if you are, you will be rather disappointed. I like to call this type of music, "thinking persons music". As a consequence, 'Fury' will not appeal to everyone. But if you are open minded towards your music, live with it, and it does become a little gem. Another goodie from the Renaissance Stable. 7.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

THE SHIVER..'INSIDE'

(UK Division/PHD) Reviewed 30th July 2008

Italian band The Shiver was born in November 2004, Three boys, with a girl Faith on voice. From the beginning, The Shiver were well known in the music scene of their city. In 2005 they made the demo 'SHADES CHANGING', 10 tracks of very intense music. The Shiver's music indeed is dark rock with metal waves and a melodic voice. Their debut album proper 'INSIDE' contains 9 new tracks. The sound is essential and powerful, and the songs are various, with metal influences and also ballads. The songs being melodic as well. My faves being 'XXI Century Decay' and 'Edge of Atmosphere'. The Shiver is a young and fresh band, with the intention to make it in the music world, and good luck to them. 'Inside' is an impressive record so go and buy now. It has a UK release so your local cd store should have it or be able to get it! A pleasant surprise. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SIEGFRIED..'NIBELUNG'

(Napalm Records) Reviewed 1st January 2010

Seeing as the album is entirely in German, I had better explain what it is all about. Shortly after the Roman Empire crumbled legend tells us that a Burgundian royal family called the Nibelung settled in Worms, Germany. Their most famous descendants were King Siegfried and his Queen, Brunhilder. This legend then got so mixed up with countless different Germanic and Norse tales that it is impossible to tell fact from fiction, and unlike the contemporary King Arthur, they never coalesced into a consistently coherent story and cast of characters, no one can even agree on the spelling of Brunhilder, let alone who she was. The main crux of the saga was a ring of gold that gave the owner world domination, and the various battles fought for its possession (where’s Indiana Jones when you need him?). The most famous adaptations are Wagner’s ‘The Ring’, and of course, ‘What’s Opera Doc’ with Elmer Fudd’s immortal, ‘Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, (all together now) KILL THE WABBIT!’ However, this Austrian warband certainly take these legends seriously, creating an almighty, epic, symphonic metal soundtrack to these stories. Three singers help to portray the various characters, Werner Bialek – melodic male, Bruder Cle – aggressive male, and the undoubted star of the show, the seductive Sandra Schleret (Elis) with her rich, soaring, semi operatic vocals. Alex Krull (Leaves Eyes, Atrocity) supplies his customarily exemplary production job, and indeed the closest parallel is with Leaves Eyes, only with more menace, power metal and drama. I’ll put it like this, in a punch up between the Vikings and the Nibelung, my money’s on the Nibelung. The album is made up of nine epic anthems that swirl from terror to soaring refrains to orchestral gothic grandeur. They conjure up images of battles, knights, maidens, castles, blood, despair, greed, power, love and hate, helped by the excellent artwork. ‘Brunhild’ (see what I mean about the different spellings) and ‘Totenwacht’ (please excuse the pronunciation) are choir drenched melodramatic showcases for Sandra’s extraordinary voice. This album batters the brain with its aural assault, in the nicest possible way, and is a damn site more fun than sitting through 15 hours of Wagner. Being on Napalm there is no need to go on an epic quest to Valhalla and battle Wotan, King of the Gods, to get a copy; it is easily available from all the usual outlets. 9/10 (Reviewed by Philip Wooldridge)

SILENTIUM..'AMORTEAN'

(Dynamic Arts Records) Reviewed 10th February 2009

Slipping quite nicely into the Symphonic Gothic Metal/Progressive genre, here we have a half decent release that has recently found it's way into Ravenheart Towers. Silentium hail from Finland (no surprises there) and can trace their roots back to the 90s, and this I think will be their fifth full release. 2009's 'Amortean' is an awesome slab of plastic that should grace any femme lover's music collection. Uptempo opener 'Leave The Fallen Behind' does exibit some Nightwish influences, but is an awesome openener nonetheless. 'The Messenger' slows it down but at the same time showcases Riina Rinkinen's lovely voice. 'A Knife In The Back' is a great atmospheric track, and yep, I am a sucker for the awesome female voice, and this gal has just that. Other faves on what can best be described as a beautiful record include 'The Fallen Ones With You Tonight' and 'La Fin Du Monde'. Great stuff, and what I want to know is how our Scandinavian friends keep coming up with the goods? Worth checking out!! 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SIRENIA..'NINE DESTINIES AND A DOWNFALL'

(Nuclear Blast) Reviewed 26th February 2007

Certainly a lot more accessible than their earlier material, if AOR went gothic,this CD by Sirenia may be a good example as to what that genre may sound like! The vocals of Monika Pedersen are a joy to behold as she belts out some of the catchiest songs I have ever heard on a gothic album. She is helped on occasion by the vocals of Sirenia's master mind Morten Veland. The Sirenian Choir is featured on many of the tracks to help to add that gothy feel. All the tracks on this cd are awesome, while the European single 'My Minds Eye' would I am sure not sound out of place on UK radio! Although perhaps not appealing to the hardest gothic metal fan, I can only plead to anybody impressed by this review to check this cd out. Ravenheart Music's album of 2007! It's in the reckoning. We shall see!! 9.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SIRENIA..'THE 13th FLOOR'

(Nuclear Blast) Reviewed 22nd January 2009

Sirenia pull it off again. Their last effort 'Nine Destinies and a Downfall' picked up a 9.5/10 review here at Ravenheart HQ, being a catchy piece of gothic pop/metal - Goth goes AOR I think I called it. 'The 13th Floor' carries on where 'Nine Destinies' left off. Kicking off with 'The Path to Decay' I know right away that I am going to enjoy this release. Then we have the pop metal sensibilites of 'Lost in Life' followed by the gothic sounding 'The Mind Maelstrom'. Once again, The Sirenian Choir features on this release, and yep before I forget, they have a new vocalist. The angelic Ailyn replacing Monika Pedersen in the vox dept, although their styles are similar. 'The Seventh Summer' continues the good work, being another catchy and somewhat heavy gothy track. 'Beyond Life's Scenery' keeps the momentum going, and I have to say that I cannot criticise this release at all. Other fave tracks are 'The Lucid Door'...damn it, they are all that good. BUT just listen to the track 'Sirens of the Seven Seas'. Cool! Anyway, JUST BUY THE ALBUM! I suppose fans that enjoyed Sirenia's earlier heavier stuff (and I did too by the way) may well still feel a bit chuffed, but I am sure given airplay on UK rock radio, this band could and should break the metal market here. I would like to see the label really get behind them here. Once again the genius who calls himself Morten Veland, contributes the male vox throughout, plus bass, keys and programming, etc. This is a good listen, it is accessible and and is sure worth a 10/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SKEW SISKIN..'PEACE BREAKER'

(Monongo Music) Reviewed 8th December 2008

"Peace Breaker" by Berlin based high octane rockers Skew Siskin (fronted by Nina C Alice), hammers you in places where you never thought you would ever get hammered, and is a hard rocker's sexy dream! What more can I say. Kicking of with the awesome 'Metal In Your Face', and yep, that sums up this awesome piece of plastic. It is metal in your face. I defy anybody to tell me otherwise. The record features 13 hard hitting, hi energy and melodic songs, with an appearance on guitar from Wolf Hoffman (Accept) and song writing contributions from Lemmy (Motorhead) and Ivan Kral (Iggy Pop and Patti Smith). And if you thought the opener was great, you barely get a chance to recover your breath when 'We're An Institution' blasts out of the speakers. This high octane pace continues throughout the 50+ minutes, with barely time to pause for thought. Get those air guitars out (you will need them), turn up the volume, annoy the neighbours and rock. Aimee, my Ravenheart partner in crime (who arrives back from Australia next weekend) has seen Skew Siskin live in Germany. Her words..."Awesome", which sums up this album! Get it!! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SKYLARK..'DIVINE GATES PART III - THE LAST GATE'

(Renaissance Records) Reviewed 15th June 2008

Italian rockers Skylark (pictured) is one of these bands that has been around some while, and has escaped my radar, that I admit does on the odd occasion malfunction. They are a metal band fronted by the lovely lass Kiara, and have released a hat full of albums, and have even toured with Nightwish. 'Divine Gates Part III - The Last Gate' is their latest offering and is a cool metal release. Kiara's vocals are so angelic that you have to wonder whether you are actually with the angels when listening to her. The cd contains faster metal tracks like 'The Scream' and 'All Is Wrong', the slower and awesome ballad 'Believe In Love', and more mid paced rockers like 'Dying Inside' (a song I swear I have heard before) and 'Time'. This album is awesome, it is totally melodic and it is right up my alleyway. Renaissance Records are sure releasing some awesome titles at the moment and this is one of them. If like me, this band is unfamiliar, then it may well be worth checking out 'In The Heart Of The Princess', which is a best of package 1995/2005. As for 'Divine Gates Part III'. Support Femme Metal and buy it! You will not be disppointed! I wasn't!! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SKYTAH..'GYPSY MENTALITY'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 7th Sept 2007

This album is a pleasant surprise. Adrienn Pastzor's powerful vocals remind me in places of Anneke Van Giersbergen, formerly of The Gathering. But there again, like The Gathering, Skytah is from that rock mecca they call Holland. This cd is a mix of mid paced and slower accoustic based tracks, although with some strong electric guitar work aswell by Ben Humpig. Just listen to the awesome title track...I hear Boston influences there. The momentum is carried through 'I'm Not' and one of my favourites 'Chi-Flow'. Ben Humpig (who so kindly got this cd to me) it seems is a pretty decent guitarist by all accounts. The album varies in pace throughout, with the slower 'Iron Solace', the reggae influenced 'Liberation' and the rockier Te Vagy Nekem being other faves of mine. I do very much like this cd. It may not be one for you 100% metal heads out there, but it is yet another strong independent rock release, together with a decent production. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

GRACE SOLERO..'NEW MOON'

(Wohone Records) Reviewed 12th May 2008

Grace Solero offers up 12 tracks of accoustic driven melodic modern rock, and this record is a very fine effort indeed. I know very little about Grace, but vocally (and powerful vocals they are too), I am sort of reminded of Skunk Anansie, and indeed to a small extent Ayin Aleph and Alanis Morissette aswell. The musicians that make up this band have come from far and wide, and have made London their home. There is not really a filler on 'New Moon', so my advice is to track it down and listen to the excellent tunes and lyrics on the album. You will not be disappointed. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

SOLNA..'SENT FROM HEAVEN'

(Wild Recordz) Reviewed 7th January 2009

World tours with Queensryche and now with "SOLNA", Ms. Pamela Moore has been there!!! 'Sent From Heaven' is a 6-track EP featuring songs that are taken from the soon to be released full album 'Eurameric'. This EP also includes 1 exclusive bonus track, 'I Light A Candle Too', and limited to only 2,000 copies worldwide. And what an amazing 26+ minutes this is, featuring: Mr. Ralf Scheepers (Vocalist with "Primal Fear"), Alex DeRosso (Guitarist for Don Dokken and Kelly Hansen's "Perfect World"), Fabrizio Grossi (International Recording Artist/Tony Harnell's "Starbreaker"/Steve Vai), Eric Ragno (Pink Cream 69's David Readman/Ted Poley), Tim Harris (Malicious) and Zane Petersen (China Blue). 'Sent From Heaven' is the hardest rock that Pamela has ever backed, and this release will leave you wanting more. This is prime Heart meets Ratt, and was mixed by Fabrizio Grossi (known for his works under Europe's Giant "Frontiers Records" label), mastered by Greg Reierson (Powermad) and produced by Zane Petersen. Go to cdbaby.com, and get it. I love it and if this is a taster of what the full cd will sound like, I cannot wait. What a start to 2009!! 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SOLNA..'EURAMERIC'

(Wild Recordz USA) Reviewed 6th February 2009

On January 7th I reviewed an EP by Solna...a project by Zane Petersen (China Blue/Malicious) and fronted by Pamela Moore. This EP being a taster of what is to come (and can be bought from cdbaby.com by the way). I am now very proud to be able to review what is to come! This being the full album (USA version) which will pick up a release Stateside April 23rd, with European and Japanese release dates to be confirmed. Solna not only features the aforementioned Pamela Moore, but also has within it's ranks Alex De Rosso (Dokken) and Rob De Luca (Sebastian Bach). And the whole lot is mixed by Fabrizio Grossi (Starbreaker/Steve Vai), who also took up bass duties on some tracks. And there are other top class musicians featured aswell. The music on offer here is awesome melodic hard rock of an extremely high calibre, with top notch production to boot. Pamela's vocals are totally mind blowing, as is the musicianship in general. I cannot speak highly enough about this release. Check out 'Blinded By The Rain', the hideously catchy 'Where Are You Running', 'Woman In Love' and 'Sent From Heaven' to prove my point. And the ballads..listen to 'Feel Alive', being a duet between Pamela and Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), 'Light A Candle' and the awesome 'Dreams'. We have melody on this record, heaviness, ballads and guitar solos to get your teeth around. This is a melodic hard rocker's sexy dream, and it has to be a must buy for any fan of melodic hard rock. Okay, it is not released yet, but do not worry, Ravenheart Music will remind you music lovers out there when the release is due. I so happen to like this record if you haven't worked that one out by now. Get the EP from cdbaby to tie you over, while the full album has to be a 10/10! Powerful and stunning!! (Reviewed by Dave).

SOLSKUGGA..'GARDENIA'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 9th January 2009

"Enter my garden, where you will find only the truth". Solskugga is a very lovely lass and she hails from Sweden. 'Gardenia' can best be described as ambient electronic rock. And it is pretty cool to my ears. Not the sort of music you head bang too, but certainly the type of music to sit down and have a good chill out. The record kicks off with the cool 'Intuition', while third track in 'Love and Affection' picks up the pace a bit. 'Empty Street' and 'Blind' proves what an awesome voice Sol has. The voice of an angel! I have 145 tracks by Evanesence on my iPod at home, lots of demo stuff etc, and Sol kinda reminds me of very early Amy Lee/Evanescence. There are further tracks that show that this girl has what it takes, including the title track. I understand that Sol has signed a deal with the new US based label Cauldron Soundwerx. With the right promotion, she could do well. Check out her myspace site at www.myspace.com/solskugga and then place an order. 8/10

SOL SKUGGA..'FAIRYTALES AND LULLABIES'

(Independent Release) Reviewed of 26th August 2009

SOL SKUGGA is a Swedish act whose 'Gardenia' cd picked up an 8/10 review here at Ravenheart in January (2009). Now it is time for the lovely lass to unleash her 'Fairytales and Lullabies' record onto the public. And what a cool laid back offering this is. Certainly an album to chill out to with a glass or six of wine! Now what about the music itself. The cd kicks off with 'Say It' and this is possibly one of the rockier numbers on the album, and it screams hit single. This track is followed by 'So Strange' which to me would go down well in the clubs, especially as a remix. Thereafter, things slow down a wee bit, and what I like about this album is this girl's awesome vocals, and the generally laid back vibe of her music, that includes the use of violin etc. Her cool vocals are showcased on many of the tracks including the folky sounding 'Burn Her', the lovely 'I Wanna Know', and the awesome 'Simply Me'. Like the recent Mojave album, it is a refreshing change when something like this comes my way, and it proves that we at Ravenheart are not just a bunch of metal heads. I have known Sol for somewhile, and to be honest, it is a real pleasure to know her and she deserves huge success. The album gets released 1st October, so get it! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SONIC CATHEDRAL..'A WORLD OF SIRENS'

(Sonic Cathedral.com) Reviewed 4th September 2008

This is the first compilation I would have reviewed for Ravenheart Music. 'A World Of Sirens' has been released by Sonic Cathedral. 32 tracks of awesome Femme fronted Rock and Metal spread across 2 cds, including tracks by After Forever, Sylver Mist, Anadies, Epica, La-Ventura, Skeptical Minds and Ayin Aleph. This is a very good buy, and is a good mix of music across the rock/metal genre. Check out www.soniccathedral.com/ and then buy it! 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SRDJAN BRANKOVIC'S EXPEDITION DELTA

(Prog Rock Records) Reviewed 16th August 2009

After listening to the Roswell Six I had a look at the Progrock Records website and found this gem. Srdjan Brankovic is a Serbian musician who’s a very busy man, playing guitar on, and producing, a vast number of records. This prog rock project is not technically female fronted, so don’t sue me under the trade descriptions act, but does feature a number of guest female singers, including my favourite singer on the planet, Sabine Edelsbacher from Edenbridge. The music is big melodic rock, Asia. Journey, Foreigner, Heart, with strong Ayreon and Dream Theatre influences. There are a host of guest keyboard players, many of which will be very familiar to you, including Joost van den Broek (After Forever), Eric Norlander (Roswell Six, Lana Lane), Rene Merkelbach (Kingfisher Sky, Mother Earth by Within Temptation), and Richard Andersson (Angtoria). A very enjoyable listen and if you like the Roswell Six, big melodic songs, and lots of fantastic synth solos (and I do!) this is also worth seeking out. 8.5 out of 10 (Reviewed by Phil Wooldridge)

ANDI STARR..'NEW WARM WORLD'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 7th September 2009

It is time to chillax and listen to the new album by Andi Starr. Andi is from California and is a classically trained pianist, who is a dab hand on the accoustic guitar, as this release (her 5th I think?) proves. Hailed as a cross between Jewel and Tori Amos, do not expect a blasting of metal from this record. Instead, drift away on a sea of tranquility and rid yourself of life's everyday problems. And the lass also plays more or less everything on this record, and several of the songs here are recorded live and in some cases in just one or two takes. Kicking off with the title track, this offers up perfectly the sort of music that is to follow. If you are into the aforementioned acts, and enjoy Enya and the like, check this out (www.myspace.com/andistarr). Highly recommended for lovers of melodic-gentle folk rock. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

KAREN STEVER..'PLAYGROUND ISOLATOR'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 4th May 2008

Multi-instrumentalists Karen Stever and Frank Gryner (A Perfect Circle, Rob Zombie) team up to produce this solo record. Raunchy female vocals over a heavy rock/orchestral back-drop. And Karen has one helluva powerful and captivating voice too. 'Playground Isolator' puts the listener through a journey of the pain and persistence of battling one's demons, in a place of loneliness. There are many highlights on this album, kicking off with the awesome 'Sicko', that deals with one's addictions, 'Dream Baby Dream', 'Thanks To Me' and 'Ride Of Your Life' amongst many others. And the tracks merge into one another quite nicely on this release. This is a solid record that can be purchased at cdbaby.com. And I ask, why is this lass unsigned? I wish some label executives would crawl out of their caves and flippin' well wake up! 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave).

STORMGARDE..'THE ANSWER'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 16th April 2009

Melodic female fronted metal from Germany fronted by Sabrina Grochocki, and with similarities to Nightwish as a reference point. Okay, people and critical reviewers will no doubt argue that all this has been done before. Yep it has, but I myself cannot get enough. The title track kicks the record off and the music continues in a similar vein throughout - melodic symphonic metal I would call it. Maybe a little samey at times, but nonetheless, this band are worth checking out for anyone into the genre. Go to www.myspace.com/stormgarde and investigate further! 7.5/10 (Reviewed by Aimee)

STREAM OF PASSION.. 'THE FLAME WITHIN'

(Napalm Records) Reviewed 13th May 2009

Originally the brainchild of Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon etc), Stream of Passion are led by Mexican girl Marcela Bovio, and this is their second studio release. And my personal opinion here is that the band have matured enormously since their debut offering in 2005. 'The Flame Within' leaves it's predecessor in the dust. With this release, the band delivers the whole spectrum of human emotion - heavy riffs merging with romantic undertones, at times even sounding dreamy and melancholic. And Marcela's voice - truly magnificent. I liked 'Embrace The Storm' with it's subtle progressive undercurrent, but I like this even better with it's straight forward gothic metal approach. This is a must buy, and Napalm Records provide us with another cool album by a truly remarkable band. 9/10 (Reviewed by Aimee)

SUHGARIM..'BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 20th October 2008

This independent effort by South Carolina melodic hard rockers Suhgarim is mind blowing...totally mind blowing. And there is something about Trish Fleury's vocals that I find rather captivating. I will not say much about 'Between Life And Death'. But there are some awesome hard rockers here including 'Hate', 'Fall In Line', 'Deliver Me', 'Decisions' and 'Portland', plus guitar solos to die for. There is enough power here to light up the whole of London, and this album is an awesome band effort. A word of advice...surf to cdbaby.com and buy this album NOW. And then turn up the volume and annoy the neighbours. Awesome and I love it!..9/10 (Reviewed by Dave). And just a little footnote to this review. Their previous cd 'When You Bleed' ain't bad either, with some of the tracks being re-worked onto their latest effort. (Reviewed by Dave)

JANEY SUMMER..'ALONG THE WAY'

(Independent Release) Reviewed 30th September 2008

I daily go onto cdbaby.com to see what there is kicking around, and all I can say is what a little gem I have stumbled across here. Janey is from Bridgewater here in the UK, about 90 minutes down the motorway from Ravenheart Towers. And this girl serves up a very tasty morsel of melodic hard rock, with a voice to die for. Kicking off with 'Between Two Worlds' with it's near gothy intro, it is obvious from the start that we are onto a winner here, and begs me to ask the question as to why the major record labels seem to keep ignoring good rock/metal talent here in the UK! Second song 'Flame', is another awesome song which again showcases Jamey's amazing vocal style. Other total faves of mine are 'Seeing You', the slower 'Lie Along The Way', 'You Rock (My Chemistry)' and 'Sometimes' - what a way to end an album. These all feature on an album to be perfectly honest that is a rock solid release. Check out Janey's myspace site (www.myspace.com/summerock), and then buy the cd! Super stuff, 9/10 (Reviewed by Dave)

SYLVER MYST..'EMOTIONS REVEALED'

(Sirenette Music Industries) Reviewed 16th October 2006

We will just get something straight here. This cd will not have you dancing on the floor, getting the air guitar out, or tapping your feet. Don't expect an Evanescence type melodic rock album. Cos you won't find it here. But what you will find within the wrappings of this cd is some very intelligent music, that produces something new with every listen. OK, it may take a few listens too, but live with it. This is what I would call 'thinking man's music' (or 'thinking lady's music'..sorry Aimee!). A little bit of goth, a little bit of rock, a little bit of metal, even progressive in places too. This record ain't bad, in-fact with successive listens, it is actually quite good!! 7/10 (Reviewed by Dave)