When you can shred like Chris Impelliteri, even if you dumb down, you still smoke. The song “Punk” makes fun of punk sellout (late) and rap metal (late).
Third-tier Finnish metal is still pretty good. The synths are a bit corny, and everything’s a little tentative and misty-sounding. And too many leaping elves.
Love the concept (metal with cellos) but always kinda let down by the CDs. In ’96, they covered Metallica tunes. Maybe we’re waiting for something like that.
Doom, with no apologies for atmospheric keyboards, angelic counterpoint to the monster bellow, and piano and acoustic guitar tinkering amidst droning guitar.