• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

November 2024

• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

A Tortured Soul: Lucifer's Fate

Heavy Metal

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Pure Steel Records/HRRL Records
www.myspace.com/atorturedsoulmusic
www.puresteel-records.com
Review: Craig Hartranft,  04.18.2010

If Mercyful Fate and Judas Priest had a bastard child, it quite possibly could be Milwaukee's A Tortured Soul. Mix in a little dark doom metal here and there, and you have their second release Lucifer's Fate, a behemoth of neo-traditional heavy metal that would make King Diamond smile (if he really could). And speaking of the Danish Dark Lord, vocalist Mike Black's six octave range is the real deal. Equally stirring is the searing guitar work from Nate Gorenc and Ryne Schultz, proving A Tortured Soul to be a true classic melodic metal machine. Better, there's a rhythm and precision throughout the arrangements and in the musicianship that makes Lucifer's Fate seriously efficient and entirely engaging. Songs like Dark Chapel, Fallen, Lucifer's Fate, or Ritual bristle with this engaging power, reminding of the character of Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny. Sometimes A Tortured Soul moves like a power metal juggernaut with Rust a perfect example, and also another example of Black's Diamond/Halford skill. Frankly, the only lackluster track is the finale, Winterkill, which seemed a bit confused and unremarkable. Regardless of this Lucifer's Fate is rather impressive, and some of the best New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) I've heard so far this year (and from America no less). Very recommended!

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

A Tortured Soul's Lucifer's Fate is rather impressive, and some of the best New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) I've heard so far this year (and from America no less).

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]