75/100 Genre:  progressive/power metal A year later, Wardrum released a new album, Desolation , featuring a robed figure on the cover just like its predecessor. The energy channeled here is arguably greater, and I catch a hint of Serenity 's Georg Neuhauser in the bridge of "Sign of Treason." Meanwhile, the humming chorus of "Unforgiving" feels almost like an alternative counterpart to "Parental." The progressive elements finally emerge upon reaching "Tide Lakes," which shares a similar tempo and character with "Yesterday" from their debut album, followed immediately by "Urban Storm." This classic proggy style persists through the remainder of the journey, broken up only by the mid-tempo track "Abound in Nothing." Consequently, I feel much more confident citing Vision Divine for this album, proving that they aren't merely playing straightforward power metal. As for the standout tracks, I highly recommend th...

70/100 Genre:  progressive/power metal Wardrum (Greece) plays a brand of power metal that I feel leans toward the classic sounds of Judas Priest and Helloween , as heard on "Crest of the Wave," making precise comparisons somewhat tricky. However, this debut album also carries a distinct progressive flavor, even if it feels a bit subtle at times. For instance, "Yesterday," "Circle of Hate," and "Inner God" can be traced back to the likes of Symphony X , Angra , and Fates Warning , whereas "The Meaning of Forever" feels closer to Vision Divine.  As for the title track, I think it merely utilizes dynamic guitar riffs with an intro characteristic of Orden Ogan , though I'm still debating whether it leans into neoclassical territory or not. Another highlight that stands out as their fastest offering—delivering a USPM or power/speed metal edge—can be found on "Soultrip." Ultimately, the extra appreciation here is solely due t...

65/100 Genre: Melodic power metal This Finnish power metal band returns two years after the release of Beyond Reality . Based on the album title they chose, it only clicked for me halfway through that they were trying to say this album is different from their previous work. There’s no hint of a conceptual flow here; it dives straight into the fast lane, but the hook is held down by "Wings of Icaros," which utilizes those signature Stratovarius -style keyboards. Unfortunately, the subsequent run of "New Life," "Lucid Times," and "Mirror" completely collapses the high-energy atmosphere that had been built up. "World's Child" heats things up again, but it’s immediately followed by the ballad "Sail Away," and the acoustic "Green Fields" as the closer. "Fly" and "Secret Door" sit at a mid-tempo pace, while the most memorable final moment belongs to "We Are One," which features vocal choi...

85/100 Genre: Thrash/Death/Black Metal An absolute onslaught from a lesser-known Hungarian band, Needless —even though the band that pops into my head is Lamb of God rather than Unleashed , Nile , or similar acts. The thrash elements definitely helped my ears adapt to it. Tracklist:  1. Themis Weeps  2. A Grand Transgression  3. Deceit  4. The Feral Cycle  5. The Dark Spirit of Ages

65/100 Genre: death/doom metal While the United States and Europe were being hit by various styles of death metal, an anomaly emerged that disrupted that ferocity, twisting it into a bleaker form through the intervention of doom metal. It isn't a healthy, starving wolf that can still sprint swiftly after its prey; rather, it is a wolf bowed down, hungry, and wounded in the dead of a freezing night or winter season, ready to die and rot. Winter isn't my first death/doom metal band. I just stumbled upon them by chance back on the file-hosting site Zippyshare, and well, much like the dynamic between USPM and European power metal, the social cultures of these two regions heavily influenced the styles on display. Winter stays closer to raw death metal roots, whereas the Peaceville Three—like My Dying Bride , for instance—utilize keyboards, violins, and clean vocals for a completely different aesthetic. That's why this second spin feels much the same: there's a dry, jarri...

80/100 Genre: Melodic Power Metal Dreamtale (Finland) kicks off their career with a pretty solid effort, even if I struggled at first to recall specific similar songs here—even from Stratovarius —if I was just casually listening. However, once I started typing, there were a few connections I could spit out, as follows. The musical composition of "Intro" flows straight into "Memories of Time," which made me think this would be a fully conceptual album, but "Fallen Star" draws a new line with a Power Quest vibe. "Heart's Desire" showcases electric piano tones from the keyboards and features guest vocals from Marco Hietala ( Nightwish ), which reminds me of " Sacrament of Wilderness " and another specific track I still can't quite place. Their next collaborative track, "Where the Rainbow Ends," finally channels Stratovarius —recalling " Hunting High and Low ," I think—alongside slightly dry vocals that lean ...

75/100 Genre: Melodic power metal The Portuguese melodic power metal unit Waterland delivers their second album, featuring synth electronic/dance nuances that carry a eurobeat relevance, even if it feels a bit childish or cheesy. Hey, that's a signature trait of power metal, my friend. The vocals and melodies in " Destiny II " strongly remind me of Haeredium , particularly their track " Breathe ," though that French band leans more toward folk/power metal. Other related acts include Degitx and Beast in Black , but Waterland still holds onto that signature subgenre momentum where the music flows fast and heavy, much like Dreamtale , Power Quest , and the ultimate seniors, Stratovarius . Prime examples include the title track, " A Passage to Eternity ," and " A Rainbow in the Night ," which highlights prominent cymbal taps. Well, even though this is the only full album available on streaming platforms, Waterland simply cannot be overlooke...

70/100 Genre: Progressive metal April Ethereal 's second album ultimately sounds better with a scaled-back instrumentation—aside from the acoustic guitar—making the Opeth -esque style even more apparent. The production quality meets standard levels, so this is highly recommended if you want to give this Polish band a try. Tracklist:  1. Al Azif  2. The Shadow of Nyarlathotep  3. Behind the Wings of Cthulhu  4. In the Strange High House in the Mist  5. Angel of Light  6. July Afternoon

70+/100 Genre:  Folk/power metal In the same year as Unleash the Archers , Alestorm once again raised the Jolly Roger and set out on their second voyage. With Christopher Bowes at the helm as captain, bringing along his keyboards to supply folk elements like traditional Scottish bagpipes alongside his slightly raspy vocals, the band successfully ushered the term " pirate metal " into the modern era. Even though I’ve already cherry-picked a few songs, " Keelhauled " remains the undisputed winner that never fails to get you dancing along, followed by the crowd-singing closer, " Wolves of the Sea ." The others ultimately left less of an impression—such as " Leviathan " and the title track—though there is a fresh touch courtesy of the blast beats on " Chronicles of Vengeance ." Consequently, it looks like it’s time for an update to the favorite playlist. Tracklist:  1. The Quest  2. Leviathan  3. That Famous Ol' Spiced  4. Keelhauled ...

65/100 Genre: Melodic Death/power metal I'm not a huge fan of melodeath interventions or growled/screamed vocals in power metal , even if they do add to a band's aggressiveness. No matter how epic and spirited they try to make it with a blend of three different vocal styles, it's not going to make me consistently appreciate this crossover—even though Unleash the Archers is one of the female-fronted groups I discovered early on. Well, I watched this devastation from the sidelines, and once everything was completely leveled, I left. Oh, the closing piano on the final track, " Four in Hand ," is rather nice. That's all. Tracklist:  1. Eat What You Kill  2. The Ritual and the Reckoning  3. Destroyer  4. The Worthy and the Weak  5. Black Goat of the Woods  6. The Filth and the Fable  7. Tied to a Stag  8. Four in Hand

65/100 Genre:  Folk Metal/rock The recording from this particular German folk metal band sounds distinctly DIY, as the folk instruments like bagpipes and accordion stand out quite prominently across the first few tracks. Solid, heavy riffs only truly emerge in " Rotes Eis ," the two following tracks, and the final cut on the list, "Met." " Ende des Regenbogens " and " Neben Dir " serve as the ballads, while " Satans Waldflöte " works as a rather nice instrumental interlude that fits right in with my current taste. As for the vocals, they aren't harsh or raspy, but they still carry that distinct flavor of European country folk who regularly drink beer. Well, Devil's'musement is decent enough for capturing the atmosphere of small-town life and tiny countryside pubs, rather than the warrior spirit of bands like Turisas and Ensiferum , or the pirate themes of Alestorm . Tracklist:  1. Karten  2. Der Spielmann  3. Lasst uns...

80/100 Genre: Alternative/indie/dark pop Man, this is freezing cold! I almost thought Trevor Something was post-punk when "Self Loathing" kicked things off. But it still seems like a solid recommendation for fans of Joy Division , Radiohead , and anyone else who channels melancholy and depression into mainstream music, giving it that classic "doomer" vibe. "I'm depressed, I'm a failure, I'm a loser, and music is my therapy"—those are the perfect words to live by when spinning Trevor Something . Tracklist:  1. Self Loathing  2. Forever Yours  3. Leave Me Alone

70/100 Genre: Sludge/post-metal The Argentinian sludge/post-metal band, Mërgim kicks off their career with a 14-minute instrumental single that delivers a solid baseline of standard quality. The heavy sludge riffs can be heard from the 03:15-05:15 mark. The title sounds like a Sanskrit word , but when I tried looking it up, it actually means soul/spirit in Albanian . Unfortunately, I only fully locked into the lighter nuances found in the psychedelic-tinged plucking from 01:06 to 03:14. Well, it eventually gets pummeled by the next segment before resuming the psychedelia until the 07:27 mark. Another prominent piece is the drone that stretches from 10:35 until the very end. What exactly is the purpose of it being there? A soul melting away and getting distorted inside some dimension? That’s a bit too abstract to comprehend... Maybe fans of Earth band , Boris , Bongripper , Sunnata , and the like would know better. Tracklist:  1. Shpirti

75/100 Genre: Dark/electropop, new wave I thought Velnopic played instrumental music, but the female vocals provided by Mila Kowalczyk came as a surprise and added some color—at the very least, cutting through the boredom. In fact, when " Mirage Feedback " started playing while I was out walking, it transformed the track into a confidence-boosting soundtrack. Yeah, just like that Patrick Bateman meme . I had my doubts about this release at first, especially regarding the vocals, which felt a bit like AI generation , but they actually sound quite natural and carry a Clairo -esque vibe, so they are highly likely still original human creations. For the most part, the music isn't upbeat, yet it isn't completely laid-back either—think a calmer version of Gorillaz . Yeah, that's likely the influence of house and darkwave , which you can easily spot in the drum beats. Fans of Billie Eilish , Foals , and Capital Cities might want to give this a shot too. Tracklist:  1...

70/100 Genre: Acoustic, folk Marlugubre reminds me of Opeth —who also play progressive death metal—and Agalloch , who similarly incorporate acoustic work, but on this eleven-minute single, the Italian project focuses more on pure acoustic folk. The guitar is accompanied by ambient synth pads, with a flute appearing around the 03:48-04:06 mark, and the melody at the seventh minute carries that very distinctive atmospheric black metal style, similar to the aforementioned bands and Skyfotest as another example. The folklore vibe is further complemented by the cover art, which features a beautiful medieval European painting of a woman. Consequently, there is clearly potential here, but I'm still on the fence even after spinning it a number of times. Tracklist:  1. Remembrance

90+/100 Genre: Ambient Hammock returns to the table with an ambient single whose quality is absolutely beyond question. The flow of pads, ambient guitar, and what sounds like a violin truly spin inside your head, serving as a brilliant soundtrack even if it's just accompanying my usual activity of staring at a phone screen. Just looking at the cover art—a snapshot of the Milky Way—is already enough to stir up emotions, especially if I were to witness that vast expanse in person, or alongside natural landscapes. Yeah, it’s a perfect fit. I'm incredibly glad to have discovered post-rock and ambient. Tracklist:  1. Spinning Through Us 

75/100 Genre: Atmospheric post-black metal/rock Távol is still active, but this particular release seems to have been deleted from their Bandcamp page, so I consider it a lost archive—though it looks like it might still exist on other streaming platforms. I haven't double-checked yet, though. Távol plays instrumental music. The post-black metal flow shows up on "Eksztázis" with its rapid-fire drum patterns, "Árulás", and "Nyár"—which leaves the lightest impression—while "Felemelkedés" features dynamic, progressive-style riffs. Naturally, my top picks don't stray far from my typical preference for post-rock and grand pianos, as heard on "Otthon", "Emlékörvény", and "Ködben". "Álom" then closes the album with pulsing ambient and synths, making it a fitting end to the performance. Well, Távol is still decent with that kind of variety, even if it lacks a specific distinct vibe and feels like somethi...

75/100 Genre: Post-black metal/rock The first and final album from Wounds of Recollection for me to review that I sampled and actually ended up buying—partly due to the "name your price" factor, though I don't consider it the top of the top. In fact, after a few spins, there are only three tracks I can truly call okay. First is "Growing Always Older," which utilizes a post-rock style alongside a speech audio sample, and the title really hits home; then there's the simpler hidden track, "Next to Each Other". The post-black metal side of things? None of it really resonated with me, except for "Irrevocably," though I still can't quite explain why. Another thing to add is that the vibe, atmosphere, and overall execution of this album feel very similar to—or perhaps served as a direct reference for—their subsequent release, Nowhere Else Feels More Like Home (2020). So, it's obviously a safe bet to recommend this band to fans of Sa...

75/100 Genre: Ambient Under the moniker The Ambient Hermit , Scott Lawlor reinterprets classical works into ambient forms. For this release, he tackles the Renaissance-era composer Josquin Lebloitte dit des Prez (1455–1521), known for creating chansons, motets, and motet-chansons. Although the source material is inherently tied to Christianity—like mass songs and the like—Scott transforms these three tracks into waves within a pipe that completely envelop your head. Yes, there is a spiritualistic sensation, but a darker texture emerges when I listen closely, meaning it doesn't entirely satisfy my personal taste. Tracklist:  1. O virgo virginum (Reinterpreted)  2. Pour souhaitter (Reinterpreted)  3. Voud ne l'arez pas (Reinterpreted)

85/100 Genre: Ambient The Australian ambient artist serves up a long, profoundly quiet single that really should have put me to sleep, but late-night stress and the glare of my phone screen kept me from resting. I hate running on low sleep, just as much as I hate waking up late. With a tiny sliver of guitar drone peeking through at one point, Gregory Paul Mineeff immediately reminds me of Carlos Ferreira , and this is naturally a perfect fit for fans of Steve Roach , Brian Eno , Brian Grainger , Bing Satellites , and any ambient music that focuses on softness and silence. Tracklist:  1. Pulse (Continuous mix)

Could this be the beginning of The Lazy List getting even shorter than the rest? Well, the first attempt feels pretty bad because the picture painted for each release is getting blurrier and blurrier. For this edition, we’re still within the realm of metal, and I’m trying to organize the order based on their scores. Who is actually going to look at or dig through the bottom section anyway? Tell me. Break This Cycle - Break This Cycle (2015) Genre: Metalcore/Deathcore Score: 75/100 Tracklist:  1. Fear is My Fire  2. Release the Beast  3. The Definition  4. The Will to Stay  5. The Enemy is Me Ad Chasma - Ad Chasma EP (2024) Genre: Post-black metal/hardcore Score: 70+/100 Tracklist:  1. Génesis  2. Quemar la Mano  3. Ascender al Ocaso Behrial - Floating Chrysanthemum (2023) Genre: Experimental/Atmospheric death metal Score: 70+/100 Tracklist:  1. Floating Chrysanthemum  2. Skeletons of Society Adder's Fork - Apparitions (2024) ...

75/100 Genre: Symphonic power metal The Japanese music scene truly feels amazing and holds its own unique, magical effect over listeners, especially when fronted by a female vocalist like Schönberg here. As a power metal band, their point of reference is naturally Europe—which can be seen right from their name, similar to Versailles . The formula they use is also quite close to Pathfinder , namely classical riffs and several symphonic interludes. Schönberg doesn't emphasize speed the way that band or their predecessor, Dragon Guardian , does; instead, they deliver through Naru's singing , particularly on the tracks featuring the word Rosa . Well, her style is somewhat comparable to Fuki ( Unlucky Morpheus , Light Bringer ), meaning she doesn't quite hit a full soprano register , staying just below that typical standard. It doesn't need to be grandiose, but her melodies still find a way into your soul. And... as usual. A few songs have risen to the surface during t...

85/100 Genre: Symphonic power metal Pathfinder could easily become an icon of Polish power metal through this debut album. Fast classical riffs and epic fantasy symphonies bring the spirit of Rhapsody (of Fire)  to life, accompanying Przemyslaw Uliczka ’s lead vocals, which sound similar to Tommy Reinxeed / Majestica . This is further elevated by guest female vocals from Agata Lejba-Migdalska , who frequently sings in a soprano register. Harsh, raspy vocals are also used to portray certain characters, which I clearly don't care for, even if it is for the sake of a concept story or something similar. This performance also shows up during the main act on the title track, which is actually the flagship song. Another interesting moment is the similarity of the melody and riffs on " Undiscovered Dreams " to a certain song that I still struggle to recall to this day. After typing this out, looking at the bigger picture, this album truly deserves more appreciation. They stand...

70+/100 Genre: Experimental , drone/post-rock Maybe Sabers isn't as dynamic as GY!BE here, but they are still relevant, and I dare say I'd recommend them to fans of that band along with another similar outfit, Earth . An experimental silence stretches out from the first track, and then a harsh, heavy atmosphere slowly begins to blow in on " Golden Green ". The true post-rock offering is only heard through " Lion Pose " and " Emeritus "—yes, wrapped in that drone/doom metal vibe. To be honest, there was a bit of annoyance when going through the first two opening tracks, but at the very least, I haven't reached my breaking point yet. It's a decent album despite can't pick any. Tracklist:  1. Loess Kindchen  2. Golden Green  3. Lion Pose  4. Emeritus  5. Untitled

75/100 Genre: Sludge/stoner metal/rock Okay, one last album from Sunnata , Zorya . I don't know what the actual factor is that influences the vibe of this album. However, the second and third spins show the best distribution of solid, signature sludge/stoner metal distortion compared to their other releases. The spiritualistic atmosphere is still there, like in the middle of "Beasts of Prey" and the title track, but it feels just right—not overly drawn out. This is interesting. If I had written the commentary straight away last night, it probably would have ended up in fourth place, but now I admit it. Zorya stands as Sunnata 's best album as a whole, even though by the time this commentary ends, I'll probably just abandon it anyway. Lol. Tracklist:  1. Beasts of Prey  2. Zorya  3. Long Gone  4. New Horizon  5. Again and Against

70/100 Genre: Stoner metal/rock Higher, higher, higher ... One of the things I say most often is that I no longer care about lyrics, meaning that crucial part of a song only gets caught and comes alive during specific moments. A prime example is " Lucid Dream " from Sunnata 's third album. The lyrics above managed to creep in while I was nursing a headache, smoking a cigarette, and trying to figure out what to type regarding the prominent Indian cultural vibes —heavy with Hindu spirituality —without any heavy distortion in their whole discography. It feels like I'm being told to float away, higher, higher, until I'm completely flew away . Then, " Scars " answers my cynicism with a decent dose of guitar distortion from the 04:57 mark until the end. Well, the other tracks revert to their usual formula, nothing truly heavy; even " The Ascender " only delivers a moderate amount, evenly spread throughout the song. The instrumental bits, "Intr...

90/100 Genre: Shoegaze This is the only release from the Oita -based shoegaze band, Parasol . Its known members are Emi (vocals, bass) and Tsuchiya Tatsuro (vocals, guitar). Parasol is just a small band that happened to be on Bandcamp, and their EP was available for free download, but in my eyes, this band served as my introduction to both shoegaze and Japanese shoegaze . As for Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine ? I don't know them, and I don't care. Emi's soft yet emotional vocals—especially on the ultimate summer anthem, " Summer Rain "—have remained timeless ever since I discovered them. Harsh guitar distortion is only present on the opening instrumental, "Glitter", which I immediately tossed aside long ago. Well, that’s this EP for you. One of the most phenomenal releases of my entire life. Tracklist:  1. Glitter  2. Close My Eyes  3. Sometimes  4. Waiting  5. Remember  6. Summer Rain

70+/100 Genre: Minimal ambient/electronic, soundtrack Music plays a crucial role in cinema, and post-rock/ambient completely changed my perspective on audio-visual works—to the point where I now prefer listening to the music rather than watching the actual visuals. Another issue is my habit of consuming freebies, making it incredibly difficult to find film soundtracks tailored to my taste for free. Parallelis , a lesser-known artist from New York, provides exactly that with this EP. There is no information available regarding this short film by Jon Roberts , but the accompanying music mostly feels like it flows in quiet minimalism. Take " Static/Motion ", "[Do not look outside]", and " Play/Pause ", for instance. "[Do not look at the sky]" sounds cold, carrying a hint of tension within its minor-key piano. The music then starts to pulse on " Isolate/Youth " and the electronic-based "[Do not make noise]". Well, I’ll just take...

70+/100 Genre: Progressive Death Metal/Rock One of the essential and phenomenal albums in the progressive metal world. There are even memes out there of people orgasming while listening to this extraordinary album. Yes, not just an eargasm due to how pure the bliss is—so, what about me? I’ve already forgotten which tracks I tried in the past, aside from the Pale Communion album, but the acoustic intro of " Harvest " serves as my only flashback point and the safest bet for my ears. What else? Yeah, yeah, yeah, the opener, " The Leper Affinity " is good, cool, dynamic, and emotional when the clean vocals kick in. The title track acts as a solid, signature prog-death metal finale. "Bleak" leaves behind some noise at the very end, so I obviously and completely ignored it altogether. The follow-ups, " The Drapery Falls " and especially " Dirge for November " are the closest options to my preference of death/doom metal . Meanwhile, " ...

55/100 Genre: Acoustic/indie, anti-folk In terms of quality—both the production and the DIY nature of the release, which looks questionable even in the indie market—an artist typical of The Clairo House usually resides on Bandcamp. But hey, what’s wrong with them going straight to mainstream platforms? Without aggressive promotion and a strong hook, though, it’s a waste of time. Not to mention if The Clairo House simply doesn't care about a music career at all, and just wants to upload. Whether it gets listened to or not doesn't matter. Out of 21 tracks, not a single one hits home. If they had made this an instrumental album, it might be more worth considering. Well, it's just for fun, basically. Because some people don't give a fuck.  Tracklist: 1. laying out in the sun 2. swirls 3. i lost my face 4. seems sad 5. what to do with a boat 6. i was born in a church in switzerland 7. checkers 8. most likely george 9. i'm finally singing! 10. you can look at the s...