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August 2020

• Simon Says : Spin This (Reissue)
• Josh Ramos : My Many Sides
• Lionville : Magic Is Alive
• Dukes Of The Orient : Freakshow
• Black Rose Maze (Rosa Laricchiuta) : Black Rose Maze

• Thundermother: Heat Wave
• Stormzone: Ignite The Machine
• Starblind: Black Bubbling Ooze
• High Spirits: Hard To Stop
• Arctic Rain: The One

July 2020

• Damnation Angels: Fiber Of Our Being
• Primal Fear: Metal Commando
• Blazing Rust: Line Of Danger
• U.D.O. with The Concert Band of The German Armed Forces: We Are One
• Morse/Portnoy/George: Cover To Cover Anthology

• Pinnacle Point: Symphony Of Mind
• My Heavy Memory: Clarity
• Lonely Robot: Feelings Are Good
• Jet Jaguar: Endless Nights
• Domination Black: Judgement IV

• Shining Black: Shining Black Featuring Mark Boals and Olaf Thorson
• Tokyo Motor Fist: Lions
• Enuff Z'nuff: Brainwashed Generation
• In/Vertigo: Sex, Love & Chaos
• Michael Grant & The Assassins: Always The Villain
• Judicator: Let There Be Nothing

June 2020

• Bloody Heels: Ignite The Sky
• Alizarin: The Last Semblance
• Pale Divine: Consequence Of Time
• Long Distance Calling: How Do We Want To Live?
• Kenziner: Phoenix

[ More Music Reviews ]

Shining Black: Shining Black

Melodic Heavy Metal Rock

4.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 10.07.2020 | Released: 10.07.2020

The roots of new band, Shining Black, go back to 2014 when Italian metal band Labyrinth needed a new vocalist, after Roberto Tiranti left the ensemble. The band chose veteran vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt). His tenure lasted 3 years, but he and Labyrinth guitarist Olaf Thorson (also, Vision Divine) remained friends and kept in touch. Thanks to the prompting of the music gurus at Frontiers Music, the duo finally gathered to form Shining Black.

Mark Boals and Olaf Thorson

It goes without saying that both of these artists are exceptional at their craft. But Shining Black isn't a clone of Labyrinth, Ring Of Fire, or Royal. No, their sound traverses the genre of melodic heavy metal, with bits of power metal, and definitely infused with hard rock groove. Obviously, in the song composition emphasis is placed upon the principal players' strong points: Boals' voice and vocal arrangements and Thorson's rhythmic riffs and soaring solos. But there's also some power and groove from the rhythm section and a nice synth layer for accent and embellishment. The result is some solid and entertaining melodic heavy metal rock.

You'll find this quickly with The House Of The Fallen Souls, but also with the big beat and heavy Shining Black, the fast grooving Carousel, and the rather catchy melodic metal of Just Another Day. Alternatively, a song like Where Are Your Gods turns more upon melodic power metal with its quick pacing. Shining Black also offers a fine metal anthem with The Day We Said Goodbye, featuring acoustic guitar, strong guitar lines and, after the three minute mark and a ripping guitar solo, a fine piano segue. Wrapping up, the duo of vocalist Mark Boals and guitarist Olaf Thorson is a strong musical combination, and Shining Black delivers exceptional melodic metal rock. Get it, easily recommended.

The duo of vocalist Mark Boals and guitarist Olaf Thorson is a strong musical combination, and Shining Black delivers exceptional melodic metal rock. Get it, easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

I was really hoping Dukes Of The Orient, featuring vocalist John Payne and keyboard player Eric Norlander, would not be a one-off project. Their 2018 self-titled debut album was pretty fandamntastic ... [ Read More ]

Once more we trip back to the early Nineties to revisit another American hard rock band. Spread Eagle rose from the mean streets of New York City to offer, what many called, East Coast Street Metal. The ... [ Read More ]