You’ve heard me rant about the horrors that lurk in the promo sump come December, and how it’s mostly sub-basement black metal made by those who live on gas station pizza rolls. That kind of low-target high-risk environment is why I noticed the offering from German trve metal act Olymp and took action upon it rashly. Before we go any further, I need to point out that Olymp (I assume short of Olympus) is a truly godawful name. It also sounds like an erectile dysfunction medication. The fact that their sophomore album is titled Rising makes the comparison all the more… turgid, while also suggesting an entire marketing campaign for gas station dick pills. Also, that album art is next-level BAD. On the plus side, it’s probably not AI-generated. Poor moniker and dubious art choices aside, Olymp play a burly, beefy, 80s-centric variant of trve heavy metal with elements of Cirith Ungol and Manilla Road in the DNA. They also hit the same ground as their fellow countrymen, the long-running cheeseball power warriors, Wizard. That means Olymp teeter on that razor edge between serious and trve and over-the-top, cheddar-infected cornballery, which is a tough place to make a glorious last stand. But all hope is not lost, Olympi-Won!

After a table-setting instrumental, the Olymp ethos is unveiled on “Olive Wreath.” It involves hammering you relentlessly with beefy riffage as Sebastian Tölle delivers a rough, raw bellow that’s more shout than sing. He sits somewhere between the legendary Tim Baker of Cirith Ungol and Matias Nastolin of Desolate Realm, and his gruff style generally fits the sound and adds an extra layer of toughness. At times, “Olive Wreath” reminds me of long-forgotten German speed metal fiends Iron Angel and Deathrow, and the guitar phrasing often veers heavily into Cirith Ungol territory. These are all big pluses in my book, and if they gave me a whole album of this meaty broth, I’d happily overlook the issues discussed in the intro. “Thread of Life” is another iron fist to the cranium with burly, simplistic riffs pounding your brain nonstop, and it’s not far removed from what classic Gravedigger did/still do.

Olymp’s style is exceptionally simple, direct, and old school, and when it works, you get cuts like the slam-banging “Orpheus,” which riffs hard enough to shake teeth loose and addle your brain gelatin. The same goes for album closer “White Rose” which is laden with harmonies and flourishes that strongly recall Cirith Ungol. It’s an effective metal chestnut with a nice touch of melancholy. Not every cut pulls off the ancient alchemy, though. “Fire and Brimstone” comes off as really old Saxon and off-brand Manowar sutured together badly, and it’s dumb as hell. “Titan War” is aggressive and punchy, with Tölle sounding more like Tim Baker than usual, but things run too long, and the last few minutes feel tedious. “Olymp” also suffers from a late-song lag. While several songs extend too far considering the number of ideas presented, most tracks manage to avoid the bloat contagion. At 40 minutes, Rising feels like a quick enough spin, and the aggression levels keep it humming.

The biggest snag for Olymp is Sebastian Tölle’s vocals, which are too limited and one-note. As a poor man’s Tim Baker, his raw, ragged shouting works best on the most aggressive numbers, but as the album drags on, his delivery becomes more and more irritating. He isn’t able to elevate the material consistently, and you find yourself wishing he had another gear. The guitar work by Tölle and Armin Amboss reeks of the 80s trve metal era, and they do borrow a lot from Cirith Ungol and Manilla Road while beefing up the tones for maximum impact. Their playing is a highlight and routinely drops nostalgia glitter on those who grew up in the 80s.

Olymp play a style I’m predisposed to enjoy, and I do appreciate most of what they offer on Rising. If they could smooth out some of the rough spots in their songsmithing and improve the vocals, Olymp could become a worthy opponent for the likes of Eternal Champion and Dragon Skull. As things stand, they’re more a rowdy street thug than a noble barbarian. Here’s to rising on command!



Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metalizer
Websites: olymp-band.com | olympmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/olympmetal
Releases Worldwide: December 19th, 2025

REVIEW: OLYMP “RISING”

Release date: 19th December 2025

Label: Metalizer Records

Pablo Rumel

OLYMP are no myth – they are Heavy Metal brought to life. With driving riffs in the tradition of the ’80s, the four guys from Augsburg / Germany get neck muscles moving. Impeccable twin-leads, a roaring bass, and the hammering of thunderous drums finally pull even the last listener up to Olympus. With years of stage experience, as well as the release of their longawaited self-titled album in 2023, the guys have been reinforcing their ambitions for the Metal Olympus since 2018. In 2025, they stormed the stage of VMF Brazil with thunderous power – a performance that etched their name onto the global metal map. Now they follow up with their second album, “Rising”, showcasing their musical evolution and further solidifying their standing in the metal scene.

Review

Prodomos is a brief introduction that opens with riffs and synthesizers, immediately establishing the link to the eighties: a sharp guitar sound that oscillates between American horror punk and the NWOBHM.

Olive Wreath confirms it. This is a pure barrage of an opening, with direct percussion, no double bass and no endless cymbal work. Sebastian Tölle’s voice is angry and energetic, without a highly polished technique, opting instead to alternate between high notes and slightly raspy mid tones. It feels like listening to Tom Araya or Paul Baloff from the mythical early Exodus, but better equalized and with more body than those old recordings. Indeed, the chords are heavy and simple, as are the solos, which do not complicate themselves with large scales.

Thread of Life maintains the same approach. After a few brief bass lines, we hear the attack of the rhythm guitars, with alternating up and down picking, adding small rhythmic twists to reinforce the chorus. What we get is a song that takes the pounding percussion of punk, the vibe of eighties thrash, and the complexity of heavy metal by extending the compositions with solos and different sections within each track.

Fire and Brimstone is built around a fast, chromatic chord, with hard rock nuances and fast sections based on single string palm muting. While it is an effective song that does not seek to reinvent the wheel but rather to recreate early metal, it clearly shows that lead guitar is not the band’s strong point. And this should not be misunderstood. Playing simple or easy parts is acceptable in less demanding styles such as hardcore, but here the lead guitar remains too opaque. There is no clear personal mark from the player, it sounds very flat, and it is not related to speed either. Just ask Jeff Beck or Joe Satriani.

https://youtu.be/PmxH1f5eHU4?si=K94c-uleT46-zDBm

A good opportunity to hear all instruments attacking together comes with Olymp, which offers a minute and a half long introduction with more developed bass lines and more drum fills. Even though the overall performance still tends to be flat, there is the use of double bass or double pedal here, giving the composition more punch and rhythmic drive.

With a cinematic introduction and a tearing scream, Eternal Torment begins. The title already suggests a crushing, warlike and extremely heavy song, and it delivers by introducing semi galloping riffs and chromatic chords from the thrash metal school. The song alternates well between mid tempos and faster passages, but the lead guitar remains buried. The solos feel weak in execution and uninspired, even containing many notes outside the scales, without reaching the kind of dissonance characteristic of Slayer, for example. Even so, Eternal Torment is a suitable track to understand the album’s proposal, as it is the most balanced one.

Titan War follows a similar path. It opens with a fast barrage of rolls and then moves into mid tempo sections, generating denser guitar layers without oversaturating. Although it has a recognizable riff throughout, its development becomes somewhat monotonous.

Orpheus shows a different development, with neo prog accents and more frequent tempo changes, making extensive use of single string palm muted bursts and rapid chord successions. Beyond those details, it is a track that does not differ significantly from the rest.

We reach the end with White Rose, a power ballad, though not in the traditional sense. It alternates clean guitars with distorted sections, features some good riffs and moments that seek to convey strength and power, such as the lament filled high notes delivered by the vocalist. Still, in overall terms, this is not a memorable composition. It is correct, but it does not close the album with a true sense of triumph.

Conclusion

Overall, the album makes it clear that the band has an identity firmly rooted in eighties metal, with solid rhythm riffs, constant energy, and a good understanding of thrash, heavy metal, and punk metal codes. The main strength lies in the foundation. The songs work thanks to their rhythm, drive, and attitude, and there are moments, such as Eternal Torment and Olymp, where the proposal feels more balanced and ambitious. However, the album also exposes limitations that, if addressed, could significantly raise the final result. The lead guitar lacks a distinct character, the drums tend toward an overly flat performance, and several compositions suffer from monotonous developments or endings that fail to leave a strong impression. This is not a bad album, but it is one that calls for more risk, more instrumental personality, and greater attention to detail in order to stand out in a very crowded field.

TheNwothm Score: 6.5/10

Links

Bandcamp:https://olympmetal.bandcamp.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/OlympMetal/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/olympheavymetal/

Label: Metalizer Records

Read More Reviews

• REVIEW: OLYMP “RISING”

  17th Dec 2025

• Review: Wildhunt “Aletheia”

  24th Nov 2025

• Review: Mausoleum Gate “Space, Rituals and Magick’

  22nd Nov 2025

• Review: Hounds “Rise of the Immortals”

  17th Nov 2025

#germanBands #MetalizerRecords #NewWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #oldSchool #oldSchoolThrash

Sceptor “Wrath of the Gods” unboxing

We continue our unboxing series with another slab of German Heavy Metal and that is Sceptor’s new album ‘Wrath of the Gods.” The new album is now available via Metalizer records and here is all the info as mentioned on their site:

Metalizer Records 2025. The 3rd full length Album of the german Heavy Metal Institution. No other band from europe can Play perfect US METAL in the vein of early VICIOUS, JAG PANZER or RIOT. Of Course, Bob Mitchell was not into the band anymore, because of Health Problems. But they replaced him with the amazing voice of Florian Reimann (ex DESTILLERY, GOBLINS BLADE, etc.). Sharp guitars from Torsten “Todde” Lang and powerful hymns that are made for fans of the real HEAVY METAL. Listen to YouTube Songs and get it NOW! 

Get your STILL SEALED copy of this jewel case CD Edition!

Buy it here: https://www.metalizer-records.de/?a=9981&lang=eng

Band facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sceptormetal

Band Bandcamp: https://sceptor.bandcamp.com/

Tracks:

1. From The Abyss
2. Legion
3. Hades & Zeus
4. Slave Of Power
5. Demon Eyes
6. Slow Ride Into The Sun
7. Eternal Death
8. Poseidon
9. Throne Of The Damned

https://youtu.be/hHAA9Nn2PIQ

#GermanHeavyMetal #HeavyMetal #MetalizerRecords #NewAlbum #NewWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #NWOTHM #sceptor #thenwothm #thenwothmCom #unboxing #wrathOfTheGods

Burning Sun – Retribution Review

By Angry Metal Guy

By: Nameless_n00b_607

It has been a much slower year for power metal than I would like. There have been a couple of fun releases here and there, but the volume of quality output has been very low. The classic ‘90s style of guitar-forward and keyboard-minimalist power metal has been significantly lacking in particular, and Burning Sun is looking to change that. Naming themselves after a Helloween song,1 this half-Hungarian, half-Chilean duo is on a mission to tell a classic fantasy story through a legacy sound. Burning Sun’s sophomore album, Retribution, lands only two years after their debut, Wake of Ashes, continuing the story of a paladin named Emaly.2

Burning Sun pays homage to various ‘90s European power metal bands well. While the debut was all about breakneck brightness, Retribution sets its sights towards the guitar grit of Iron Savior and Primal Fear (“Cold Winds,” “Fight in the Night”). The anthemic qualities of Helloween dominate across the board (“Open Your Eyes,” “Shadows Undone”),3 and the occasional Iron Maiden-informed gallops and choruses are a welcome presence. Of the duo, Zoltán Papi4 handles the bass and lyrics, whereas Pancho Ireland doubles as vocalist and guitarist. Ireland has a knack for emulating the classic style of power metal riffage they’re no doubt both fans of, opting for rhythmic hooks rather than lighting up the fretboard. He has upped his vocal game, too, navigating wail and grit in Zak Stevens fashion. Furthermore, he is now the only lead vocalist. Where the debut disoriented itself, juggling three voices, Retribution relies solely on Ireland’s pipes and is better for it. Reducing the number of hands on deck reinforces both vocal and instrumental cohesion.

Burning Sun’s focus on guitars over keyboards is a welcome change from current norms. Power metal of the European variety is often mischaracterized as the over-the-top synth-laden side of the genre, even though it’s never been that simple.5 I love a good mission to Mars, but sometimes remaining at ground level is a better option, and Retribution largely sticks to German conventions. Burning Sun enforces a guitar-first attitude and swears by the triumvirate of soaring anthemic vocals, triumphant guitars, and charming choruses. The culmination of this approach is the stunning Primal Fearesque lead guitar melody on “Cold Winds.” Unfortunately, Retribution does stray from its own design philosophy at times. For example, the moodier ‘80s synth stomper “Aftermath” features some vocal fumbles and feels out of place so early into the album. The voice acting at the end of “Cold Winds” is unintentionally hilarious and breaks immersion—once again confirming that storytelling works best when left to the music and lyrics. The album’s minor drawbacks fortunately never snowball into any major issues, and it never loses its critical fun factor.

Retribution is short and sweet but could pack a bigger punch. I’m a big fan of the trend of younger (and even some older) bands starting to write tight and concise records again, and Retribution is no exception. Below 40 minutes and sans the gargantuan epics that often characterize the genre, it’s a highly replayable breeze. But it feels like Burning Sun is still holding back its full potential. The record does its job well but lacks ambition, and I wouldn’t mind it flying a bit closer to the sun—just a bit more heft, speed, and drama to spice things up throughout. Retribution doesn’t need more songs; its material just needs to rip and tear more. It lacks a true barn burner, the likes of “Steel Tormentor,” or indeed, “Burning Sun.” Cuts like “Heart of Darkness” and “By the Light” are damn close to fortune and glory. Likewise, further production improvements can only help. The sound is better than on the debut, but it could still use punchier drums and more prominent bass. I’m content with what the album delivers, but the flame can and should burn brighter.

Retribution is a fun throwback to the glory days of power metal. Burning Sun isn’t doing anything extraordinary, but they’ve accomplished their goals of writing a good, earnest tale of swords and sorcery. It’s the sort of comfort food that I can never have enough of. The trajectory looks promising for Burning Sun, and I’m curious to see if they can enchant their blades in the future and set aflame the ground beneath.

Rating: Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Metalizer Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Release Date: August 22nd, 2025

#2025 #30 #Aug25 #BurningSun #ChileanMetal #Europower #Helloween #HungarianMetal #IronMaiden #IronSavior #MetalizerRecords #PowerMetal #PrimalFear #Retribution #Review #Reviews #WorldOfWarcraft

Reverend Hound – Deal in Steel Review

By Steel Druhm

Sometimes a promo cover or title compels me to take a chance and grab it though I know nothing about the band. Such was the case when I spotted Reverend Hound bobbing about in the sump. With a name like that, art like that, and a title like Deal in Steel, how could I move on without fully investigating the pedigree of this altered beasty? These little-known German mongrels play a style of metal that owes a great debt to Accept, Grave Digger, and Primal Fear, and on their third album, they aim for a slick, ear-cropping blend of classic Germanic metal, NWoBHM, and aggressive speed. This means fist-pumping riffs, wailing vocals, and arena-ready choruses. That should sound like a good time and if it doesn’t, you’re too grim and serious for fun so get the fuck off the pooch porch. Now, let’s examine how much dog poundage we’re dealing with.

These puppers come out swinging the krautpower on opener “The Night” with oodles of chunky, punchy riffage and many an Accept-ism powering the war charge along with tasty bits of old school power metal. As the guitars sizzle and derange your blood pressure, the feisty vocals of Wolfgang1 Gräbner bring the black leather and glittering steel as he wails and kills, swinging from Udo to Halford with several stops in between. It’s a muscular, take-no-prisoners song loaded with commanding leads, classic harmonies, “Painkiller”-esque dueling solos, and a chorus that’s big and beefy. “Hounds of the Sea” is more of the same and highly entertaining, dotting classic Iron Maiden harmonies around its 7-minute saga. It’s a bit too long, but the writing is consistently sharp and hooks are everywhere. The high point arrives with “Days of Wrath” where the dogs are really let out. It’s the kind of tune you just can’t get enough of and I’ve had this thing on replay for days. The guitar work is so tight and intense, the vocals are so right, and that chorus is a brain-eating ear destroyer. Bad. Ass.

Elsewhere, “Glory” drops the titular commodity in truckloads with a shield splintering style more in line with 80 trve/epic metal than typical Teutonic fare and it works bigly and muchly. The touches of Maiden are the iron croutons on the Manowar t-bone, and the whole song reeks of Conan’s unwashed loinclothery. “Seeds of Faith” demands that you endure an 8-plus minute classic metal epic full of big riffs and powerhouse vocals, and endure it you will because its thrashy, Artillery-esque energy and magnetism are so electric and addicting. If this came out in the 80s, I would have blasted it non-stop until my cassette tape died an unnatural death. Things close with another 8-minute monster called “A Cry for Light” and it delivers a satisfyingly ginormous parting shot, loaded with heroic fret-board work and do-or-die vocals with scads of Brainstorm influence. There are no bad songs here, but a few like “Rain” and “Fallen Angels” hit just a bit less heavily, though the speed metal onslaught of the former is certainly enjoyable. The occasional bloat that worms into certain tracks is not dire and the writing is hook-centric enough to endure it, but you could definitely hack a minute off “Hounds of the Sea” and “Seeds of Faith.” At just under 52 minutes, Deal in Steel doesn’t feel overly long since the songs exude enough wattage and intensity to keep the listener locked in throughout.

I’m quite impressed with Wolfgang Gräbner’s vocals. He’s heavily accented but his delivery is righteous in a rough, slightly unpolished way. The man can roar and enjoys doing so, but never gets to the point where you want to wap him in the nose with a rolled-up newspaper. When he croons on slower moments he sounds a lot like Accept’s Mark Tornillo, but once he goes off the rails he lands somewhere between Paul Di’Anno and Diviner’s Yiannis Papanikolaou, which is a good place to crash. Thomas Meyns and Sebastian Weinstock really go all in with tons of adrenalizing riffage and slick harmonizing. When they aren’t peeling your eyelids off with big riffs they bring you all the Maiden-esque moments you could want. It’s the guitar work that really sells the material and keeps you glued to your speakers from one song to the next. They know how to tear it up in the classic metal way and they have me eating out of their hands on every spin.

It’s always a blast to try an unknown band and get your melon splintered by badass tuneage, and my melon needs stitching because these dogs can hunt! If you want your traditional metal served with a big shot of roids and an overbite, this is the kennel for you. When you Deal in Steel, you best bring your iron game. These rabid woofers sure as Hell did. Good boys!

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metalizer
Websites: reverendhound.com | facebook.com/reverendhound
Releases Worldwide: May 24th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Accept #DealInSteel #Diviner #GermanMetal #GraveDigger #HeavyMetal #HermanFrank #IronMaiden #May24 #MetalizerRecords #PrimalFear #ReverendHound #Review #Reviews