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

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• 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 ]

Powergame: Masquerade

Traditional Heavy Metal

4.0/5.0

Facebook
Iron Shield Records
Released: 18.01.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 16.01.2019

Formed by guitarist and vocalist Matthias Weiner in 2012, Powergame flys the flag of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal in the best German tradition. The band dropped a demo in 2013, Raw Heavy Metal and their debut long player, Beast On The Attack in 2015. Now the foursome returns with their second effort, Masquerade for Germany's Iron Shield Records.

Powergame

There's little doubt, Powergame is channeling the icons of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. The band got their name from a Tokyo Blade song and cite Samson, Raven, Angel Witch, Demon, and Iron Maiden, among others, as musical influences. Additionally, in their music, Powergame has all the elements of traditional heavy metal: twin guitar harmony and leads, a strong and galloping rhythm section, and clean classic heavy metal vocals. All these things are wrapped in melody, harmony, and rock groove. If anything, Powergame's strength is definitely in their twin guitar power. In the end, Powergame knows their metal genre and executes it quite well.

As for the songs, many if not most have the gallop of power metal. You'll feel the need for speed with Legion Of The Dead, Powergame, Masquerade, and Baptized In Fire And Steel, which has a strong bass line. Within Ghost Town, the guitar lines are sharp and distinct at the start and continue to power the song throughout. In the middle of the album you'll find a heavy, guitar-driven instrumental. At the end, Powergame offers a satisfying cover of Scorpions' Blackout. All in all, with Masquerade, Powergame delivers some strong and entertaining traditional heavy metal with plenty of twin guitar fury. Recommended.

Flotsam And Jetsam: The End Of Chaos

Thrash Power Metal

3.5/5.0

Flotsam And Jetsam, the underdogs of American thrash metal, are still fighting and clawing within the heavy metal underground. Years from their unappreciated ... [ Read More ]

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

All in all, with Masquerade, Powergame delivers some strong and entertaining classic and traditional heavy metal with plenty of twin guitar fury. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]