Aerosmith - Classic live 1986 (Usa)
Rating: 75
Aerosmith is unfortunately one of those bands who just won't die... They get softer and softer for each record they release. The old Aerosmith is great though, their last good LP must have been Permanent Vecation. Classic live features some of the better old songs. Aerosmith is one of the biggest influences to new bands like Guns N Rose etc. The first song , "Train Kept A Rollin", is an uptempo rock n' roll song which is great. The next song, "Kings And Queens", is my favorite Aerosmith song. Its mellow and with soar vocals by Steven Tyler but it also got a fast chorus section. The middle section with a bass melody and a great guitar solo by Joe Perry - its easy to hear where Slash (GNR) got inspiration from. "Sweet Emotions" is an classic Aerosmith tune, the intro starts slow with just bass and talk-box but turns into a more uptempo hard rock song like the others. "Dream On" was Aerosmiths first single. "Dream On" is an good "soft" ballad. Side B's first song is the great song "Mama Kin" which you can also find on the Guns N Roses "Lies" record. I quess that "Classic Live" is a great beginning if you want to check out what the Toxic Twins originaly was.

Allegiance - Vrede 1995 (Swe)
Rating: 67
Allegiance is an Swedish Black/Death Metal band with "viking" lyrics. Not unlike Amon Amarth... The first song starts very brutal, but its also got a cool groove. Actually most of the songs are very brutal and it becomes booring. The song, "Hrodvitners Rike", has an cool intro but it just becomes booring after awhile. "Baldersbålet" is probaly the best song on this CD, its not that brutal like the others and it has more interresting riffs and melody lines. "Hedna Stål" and "Nordens Fäder" who is more "sounds" more norse is also in someway better than the others. All in all this is nothing special but it's clearly that they got the potensial tobecome something bigger and better

Artch - Another Return 1987 (Nor)
Rating: 85
Another Return To Church Hill are most peoples favorite Artch record. Until now Artch records may have been hard to get as they originaly only was released on vinyl but now Metal Blade Records are going to rerelease both Artch albums with bonus disc! Some of the songs reminds me of old Helloween and other songs may sound something like Return or Stage Dolls. Anyway this is an great debut. The song, "Power To The Man", with its fast riffs makes this one of the ultimate Artch songs. The tittle track, "Another Return To Church Hill", which also is the first "real" song on this records is a great song, maybe not so original but it sounds good. The song "Reincarnation" brings us back to the theme of the record, which is also a good song with heavy chorus and fast verses.

Artch - For the Sake of Mankind 1991 (Nor)
Rating: 83
Artch second record, "For The Sake of Mankind" is also an great album but many people like their debut, "Another Return To Church Hill", better but I cant decide. The cover shows the Reincarnation wheel and has alot of different symbols like a dog, piano and the Norwegian symbol with the lion. "Appologia" is a ballad played with accoustic guitars and is a good relaxing tune. "Burn Down The Bridges" is my favorite Artch song, loads of different riffs fading into each other and more complex than the other Artch songs. The band disagreed if they should include the Adolf Hitler speach or not but when the rest of the band was left the studio the bass player Bernt Jansen convinced the producer that the band had agreed to include it! The main theme from "Paradox" sounds something like new Metallica or Metal Church with more back to basis grooving metal riffs.

Avantasia - the Metal Opera Part 1 2000 (Ger)
Rating: 55
This is Tobias Sammet's (Edguy) long awaited project. He have managed to get a lot of famous musicians to help him. I can mention a few: Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray, Iron Saviour, Ex-Helloween), David DeFeis (Virgin Steele) Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius). You can read the whole cast here (The one called Ernie is actually Michael Kiske). The music isn't very original but some of it are quite good. The Two last songs, "Sign of the cross" and "The tower", can be viewed as highlights. These are also the most symphonic songs. The others is more traditional German Power Metal like already mention Edguy. Some of the songs he has a more choir like verses where there are different people singing different things at the same time. All in all this is an ok release, nothing more and nothing less.

Ayreon - the Electric Castle 1998 (Hol)
Rating: 95
Arjen Anthony Lucassen must be an musical genius! Progressive rock, metal, whatever you like you will love this one. Togheter with Fish, Damian Wilson, Clive Nolan and a lot of other artist he has created a magnificant concept and of course, magnificant music. Arjen himself playes the guitars, mandoline, bass, minimoog, mellotron & keyboards and he sings and have created almost all of the music and lyrics with a few exeptions. "Across the rainbow bridge", which is one of my personal favorites, got an incredible and psychedelic middle section. Somethimes the music can remind you of an typical Rick Wakeman song then suddenly into a more Dream Theatre or Jethro Tull style. Ayreon's got it all! This Double CD contains music for almost two hours and without any boring moments you HAVE to own this.

Ayreon - the Universal Migrator Pt.1 the Dream Sequencer 2000 (Hol)
Rating: 100
This is my personal favorite record by Ayreon. Musicaly this is more "soft" progressive songs than you can find on "The universal migrator part 2" which is more heavy than the usual Ayreon songs. The lyrical concept is interesting and as the music playes you create images in your head and try to join "The universal migrator" on his journey back in time. The first song, the instrumental "The Dream Sequencer", is a beautiful song and the guitar lines reminds me of the way David Gilmour playes. "My House On Mars", is probaly the best song on this record. Johan Edlund's voice greates an dark atmosphere over the whole song and the analog syntheseziers and Hammonds just make me close my eyes and "pretend" that I am in "My House On Mars". The intro for "One Small Step" is very dreaming and just awesome(that goes for the rest of the song too). "And The Druids Turn To Stone" (features Damian Wilson who also sings on the "Electric Castle") which is also one of the better songs on this CD. Arjen Anthony Lucassen has also got an impressive guest list, here are some of the artist: Erik Nordlander, Clive Nolan, Lana Lane, Neal Morse. I absolutely recommend this one.