Again, in this article I will be reviewing five of the best tracks I have heard, all in the Metal genre.

Check the previous articles in this series:

> Great “Fresh” Metal Tracks I < for tracks 1 to 5.

> Great “Fresh” Metal Tracks II < for tracks 6 to 10.

Tip: Never listen to well produced METAL music using laptop speakers, better use earphones /Headphones/High end Speakers.

  • 11- Primal Fear – Fighting The Darkness (8:41)

Primal Fear is a German Power Metal/Heavy Metal band formed in 1997 by Ralf Scheepers (Vocals/Ex-Gamma Ray, ex-Tyran’ Pace), Mat Sinner (Bass and Vocals/Sinner), Stefan Leibing and Tom Naumann (Guitars). Their style is a Heavy Power Metal sound with the Halford-esque vocals of Ralf Scheepers that give a feeling of Judas Priest’s Painkiller era (from Last.fm)

The album version of the song is a long eight minutes and forty seconds which starts with piano melody and soft synthesizer effect,  and soon followed by vocals and the following lyrics:

“Awakening – I open up my eyes
Befallen me – doomed to this unlife
Still I am determined not to break
I won’t let go and let it seal my fate”

The track takes the full Rock form seconds later while focusing on the will to keep on going and staying strong when faced with dark thoughts. The track feels like a regular short Rock track focused on a repeating verse but then it all changes with the entrance of a more Symphonic style and Power Metal heavy riffs with guitar pinch harmonics. A very enjoyable track with some recognizable melodies and catchy riffs. After a long trip on changing melody and tempo, the track returns to the chorus for a closure similar to the intro.

  • 12- Vintersorg – The Thesises Seasons (4:47)

Vintersorg is a Swedish Progressive Folk/Avant-garde Metal band formed in 1994 in Skellefteå, Sweden under the name Vargatron (Wolfthrone in English), but was later changed to Vintersorg.The sound of Vintersorg has vastly changed over the years, as his demo and first three albums being Folk/Viking metal with Black Metal influence where their more recent albums,are more Progressive and influenced strongly by 60s/70s Progressive Rock.

This band is one of the weirdest I have heard, they have a very unique distinctive style in the way they make Metal music. Vintersorg seems to push “Progressive Metal” to the limit not with techniques although there is plenty but in song structure and musical movements. The first thing any listener notices in this track (as in any other Vintersorg track) is the clean vocals which seem to be different than most voices in prog; first it feels strange and out of place but give it few listens and it becomes a signature prog voice. The Thesis Seasons features lots of growling and double pedal rhythms along the entire track but always assisted by complex riffing, advanced drumming techniques and sometimes simple piano lines. The bass guitar work by Steve DiGiorgio is amazing through out the track, its is original, catchy and well composed.

  • 13- Trail of Tears – When Silence Cries… (5:10)

Trail of Tears is a Symphonic Gothic Metal/Black Metal band (with Death Metal and Industrial Metal influences) from Kristiansand, Norway. The band was formed in 1994 under the name of Natt (Norwegian for “Night”), but later changed its name to Trail of Tears in 1997. Through most of their career the band emphasized the use of contrasting soprano vocals and death grunt vocals, but with the release of “Free Fall Into Fear” — in 2005 — the band switched this contrast mostly to tenor vocals and death growls, with rare soprano passages.

This track is of simple structure but it holds a lot of drive and anger, easily moving you to somewhere else where Gothic stories are told and scenes are painted. This track is mostly known for the distinctive female soprano voice and the extremely harsh growls of the male vocalist. Any “Gothic”/Symphonic Metal fan will enjoy this one. The melody in the track is simple and you’ll find yourself repeating the chorus and singing alone from start to end. The track ends with a Black/Death short passage which slows down for a soft ending with the track title recitation in style “When Silence Cries”.

  • 14- Subterranean Masquerade – No Place Like Home (7:57)

Subterranean Masquerade is a Progressive Metal band that was formed in 1997 by Tomer Pink, who’s the guitarist and primary songwriter for the band alongside a variety of changing guest and session musicians—including members from bands such as Arcturus, Novembers Doom, Agalloch, and Epoch of Unlight. While mainly described as Progressive Metal, Subterranean Masquerade incorporates elements of Jazz, Psychedelic Rock, and Avant-garde Metal.

One of the best progressive albums of its year (2008) “Suspended Animation Dreams” and this track is one of the best on the album, though not one single track gets less than a 7/10. Subterranean Masquerade’s Prog metal is again different than the “famous” prog of Dream Theater which focuses on speed and advanced techniques more than structure / melody and simply “feel”. You would be amazed how simple this track seems, but with several listens you will notice how complex it is to construct such a track with all the background effects, the hidden instruments and the percussion fills. This track is a journey into several Rock/Metal genres and it flows smoothly and slowly.

  • 15- Dark Suns – You, a Phantom Still (11:14)

Dark Suns is a German Progressive Metal band, founded by Maik Knappe (guitar, backing vocals live), Niko Knappe (vocals, drums), Christoph Borman (bass) and Thomas Bremer (piano). The sound is a mix up of beautiful melodies backed up by a driving double bass, soft spacey passages, unique guitar sound, and great piano work.

A true Progressive Metal band does not settle with one style or a signature no matter how successful it is and Dark Suns is one of those bands. Any listener will know that (s)he is hearing Dark Suns, and you can tell which album it is from a single riff, because with each album Dark Suns are a different band. The album “Existence” is a very recognized dark piece of work in the European Progressive music community (of course unrecognized on “Music-tv” media). Like Subterranean Masquerade the music flows smoothly, seems simple but in fact it is very complex with many layers involved. This track is a very long one with several changes and hints of many styles.