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September 2023

• Kerrigan: Bloodmoon
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July 2023

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June 2023

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[ More Music Reviews ]

The Nightmare Stage: When The Curtain ...

Heavy Power Metal

4.0/5.0

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Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 23.04.2019 | Released: 26.04.2019

Here's what I know about The Nightmare Stage. They're an American metal band. I think from New York. They released their first album Free Admission For The Damned in 2010. The band features veteran journeyman vocalist Scott Oliva from Oceans of Night, Reverence, and Wind Wraith, among others. And, after nine years, The Nightmare Stage returns with their second album When The Curtain Closes.

The Nightmare Stage

As for their metal sound, The Nightmare Stage has many textures. But fundamentally, the foundation is pure heavy power metal, dense with a wall of riffage and embellished by a strong synth presence, quite often symphonic. Their tunes are heavy, yet not foregoing melody, harmony, and some groove. Additionally, within most tunes you'll find essential fiery guitar solos, but also the synth solo as well. Within A Demented Impresario, the two are teamed together in the middle of the song. Within The Infamous, the keyboards lead the vocal breakdown at the center of the song. Later, in the middle of Future I See, symphonic synths undergird, classical piano, and voice. As for that voice, Oliva has a strong vocal presence with fine range and nearly theatrical in timbre. When I add all these things up, I could embellish my description of The Nightmare Stage to, heavy and dense, dark and dramatic, perhaps somewhat progressive, heavy power metal. In this sense, When The Curtain Closes can sometimes have a foreboding and ominous gothic feeling, complete with gaslights and fog, and the whispers of mysterious creatures lurking about New York streets. The album is definitely a curious and interesting listen which you might enjoy.

Leverage: Determinus

Melodic Metal Rock

5.0/5.0

Some 12 years ago, when Dangerdog Music Reviews was only wishful thinking on my part and fledgling review site, a Finnish band was the first to send me an actual ... [ Read More ]

The Nightmare Stage plays dense, dark, and dramatic, perhaps somewhat progressive, heavy power metal, with an ominous gothic feeling, complete with gaslights and fog, and the whispers of mysterious creatures lurking in the night.

Alphabetical Index

Formed in 1999 by singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Erik Martensson, Sweden's Eclipse is well into their third decade of making music. In the recent past, their recordings and reputation have ... [ Read More ]