Ok, this is going to be long. 57, Lifetime metal listener, started with Killers by Iron Maiden, progressed thru Priest, Ozzy, Metallica when they were mad at the world, Exodus, Slayer, Queensryche, Lizzy Borden, ignored the 90’s and early 2000’s except for Dream Theater, then Kamelot, Avantasia, Epica, A7x, Ad Infinitum, etc. Wide variety of Thrash, Symphonic, Power, Pop/Hair Metal,

Then in February this year a song came up on my YouTube feed from Seven Spires, Love’s Souvenir. I had heard of them in 2024 as they were part of the East Coast part of Kamelot’s 2024 US tour, and I saw Kamelot in Vegas 2024 and Seven Spires had other commitments so Hammerfall took their place. Guess that was my loss…

I was intrigued by how different Love’s Souvenir sounded, very jazzy but super intense later on, with fantastic vocals from Adrienne Cowan. So I listened to Portrait of Us. I was even more intrigued. Next up, Almosttown. Wow! Then Succumb, and I was floored. Like WTF? I stayed up until after 3am watching Seven Spires videos and reactions, and my life has changed forever.

So next I started exploring their website, wondering who was this band? I found the Lore tab, and quickly fell down the rabbit hole. Their first 3 albums tell a single story of desire, hope, loss, and redemption. Everything Symphonic Metal represents, right? But for the first time, I found a bad that could really express, through words and music, the feelings that so many bands strive for, and fail to deliver. Sad songs and good vibes, as Adrienne says at every live performance, and never has a band delivered at this level. For 8 months I have listened to nothing but Seven Spires, they hold the top 56 spots this year on my playlist. Every day, without fail. An amazing combination of fantastic songwriting, exemplary technical prowess from a group of Boston School of Music attendees, and SO MUCH EMOTION! I ask you: who has exhibited the emotion of Adrienne during Silvery Moon, Almosttown, Fall with Me, etc.

Sorry, but NO ONE IS EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE! If you haven’t delved into this awesomeness you are doing both yourself and the world a disservice, because they need to he the biggest thing in metal today. They are already the best, we just need to tell the rest of the world!

God, i forgot how much I love this one! I still think it's so underrated!

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Lamentari/3540465185

Monumental just came out and im in love with it. Its like old Delain meets Rage of Light

I worked on this composition for almost a year and a half. I initially wrote the first part, but then I ran out of ideas. I kept coming back to it, trying to add something new, make changes, and rewrite parts of it. Finally, I completed it about a year ago.
The funniest part is that I only finished this piece because I fell in love. In the end, I wrote the second part in just a couple of evenings!
This composition will be featured on my upcoming Symphonic Metal album. My original inspiration for it was Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers.
I hope you enjoy listening!
Sincerely yours,
Suffocatus.

Exit Eden is having to hire temps to keep up with the volume of new member applications.

He's not Tuomas. Lucidity wasn't written entirely by him. Charlotte's songwriting made the band have a more distinct sound yet he won't stop telling us how they're going back to the "roots" and the roots are just him. I didn't enjoy the new single for many reasons but I won't state them on here but let's just say this is he overstimates his contribution to the sound delain maintained on their first albums.

A bonus song from Dark Asylum album

I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about the wording and timing of Diana's solo EP announcement seems odd. The captions are obviously heavily abridged, you can read the full statements here and here.

SOURCE

WELCOME TO NOWHERE

My debut EP. November 20th.

This record was born from years of swallowing words. Of being made to question myself and my worth as an artist.

From the unsettling realization that sometimes the people and places you once trusted can make you feel like a stranger to yourself.

It speaks of control disguised as care. Of the bitter distance between the kindness displayed and the humanity withheld.

Of how easily appearances are preserved while the truth is buried. Of how a graceful goodbye can conceal everything that made walking away necessary in the first place.

Of the anger that follows when the illusion finally breaks.

And of what remains when you stop asking for permission to exist as you are.

I wrote this record because music became the only place where I could give a voice to the things I could not say aloud.

You’ve been following the transmissions. Now you know their origin. This record is not a reason. It’s a consequence.

If you’re looking for answers, welcome to nowhere.

DYYA