Review by JD on September 12, 2013.

Opting not to watch my favourite baseball team get their asses kicked all over the diamond on TV, I sat down to do a review of Sinister Realm. Gotta tell you, it is one of my better decisions considering the alternative of seeing my team get literally killed by a team they have no reason to lose to.

Hailing from Pennsylvania, this five piece have been blowing the doors off of that state with its brand of metal. Combining some very Traditional Metal with some Doomier aspects, not to mention a pinch or two of older Power Metal as well – Sinister Realm explodes with everything that is great about metal. Shades of the late Dio,Maiden, Sabbath and the mighty Priest all live on this CD with a life all of its own.

I have a few favorite songs on the album, in fact I love them all, but a couple really have caught this old bangers ears. I appreciate the albums explosive opener, a mid-tempo grinder called 'Dark Angel Of Fate' – strong and catchy with no signs of wimpyness. The other tracks I like are the powerful 'World Of Evil' and the impressive riff that carries 'Cyber Villain' leads to headbanging. The others are good old school metallic goodness, but these are the ones I seem to replay these ones over and over again.

It is good to hear the passion and power that the old school still holds, when the new crop of musicians bring it back to its glory. Regardless of the time that has past, and as all of the new metal develops and comes out – the effect that the old school still comes back and makes us love it even more and appreciates that they are just a relevant as ever. Raise a beer, and the horns – metal still reigns supreme in the form of Sinister Realm.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 9.5
Originality: 9.5
Overall: 10

Rating: 9.8 out of 10