The sign of Leo – Blow up

Singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Martin Erich has been active on the Groningen music scene (the Netherlands) for about 35 years. In the eighties he played in bands like ’12 Inch from Heaven’ and ‘The Happy Few?’ After a silence he founded the band ‘The Sign of Leo’ about ten years ago. During the Corona crisis … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Threads of fate – The cold embrace of the light

‘Threads of Fate’ was formed about five years ago by singer Jon Pyres. Death appears in novels, poetry and music. So also on the album ‘The Cold Embrace of the Light’. Besides doom and prog metal, Threads of Fate also uses symphonic elements. The first few seconds of ‘Beneath A Starless Sky’ are very quiet, … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Time’s Forgotten – Shelter

Time’s Forgotten is a prog rock/metal band from Costa Rica founded in 2004 by keyboardist Juan Pablo Calvo. Their previous singer, Francisco Longhi, was replaced by Priscilla Ruiz. Therefore, ‘Shelter’, their new album, will sound much different from the previous ones. The songs on ‘Shelter’ do not form a story, yet this is a concept … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Ghost Toast – Shade Without Color

Ghost Toast is an experimental metal band from Hungary. In 2020, they released ‘Shape Without Form’. By then, the songs of ‘Shade Without Color’, the album that will be released on March 3, had also been written. Both albums are based on the poem The Hollow Men, by S. Eliot. In short, it is about … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Magnum – The Monster Roars

The English melodic rock band Magnum exists almost 50 years! Of course, there have been several changes in the line-up, but guitarist Tony Clarkin and singer Bob Catley have been there from the beginning. Their artwork has always looked beautiful. After a number of quite colourful album covers, the artwork of new album, ‘The Monster … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Esther’s top 10 2021

01 – Epica – Omega02 – Dave Bainbridge – To the Far Away03 – Blank Manuskript – Himmelfahrt*04 – 7even Bridges – Million Voices*05 – Ben Poole & Guy Smeets – Acoustic duo live*06 – Swallow the Sun – Moonflowers07 – Franck Carducci – Oddity08 – Nick Fletcher – Cycles of Behaviour *09 – Drifting … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Swallow the Sun – Moonflowers

Death-doom metal band Swallow the Sun was formed 21 years ago in Finland.The artwork for ‘Moonflowers’, their new album, is much more special than it seems. Guitarist Juha Raivio painted the moon with his own blood. He added ‘everlasting flowers’ to it. This album was born from deep wounds, which is something Juha doesn’t like … Read more, available in English and Dutch

Marcel Coenen – Guitartalk 2021

Guitarist Marcel Coenen is an essential figure in the prog metal circuit, among other things he is a guitarist with Metal Attack NL. He also plays with the Gary Moore Tribute Band. In 2003 his solo debut album ‘Guitartalk’ was released. The technical possibilities of recording have improved since then, so Marcel’s wish to re-release … Read more, available in English and Dutch