Review by JD on December 30, 2015.

Progressive rock/metal is a growing commodity. It’s pretty much that many of today’s listeners want more substance in their music than has been offered lately and I am one of those people. I love heavy music of many kinds, but I need something that challenges my intellect and explores music effortlessly, not simply beats you pretty much senseless (although I still love the ‘beating you senselessly’ thing quite a bit).

Coming from corporate world jobs (he worked for Google and others before layoffs) and decided to do some work as producer and movie soundtracks before finally releasing his own. Taking his love of the 70’s hard rock/progressive rock and early metal and his banks of synthesizers and guitars, basses… he combined it all into one to produce his opus New Metal From Old Boxes.

Sounding like 70’s heavier prog rock with early 80’s inspired metal all in an instrumental format, it lumbers along like a brontosaurus meandering with some sense of purpose. Songs like "Frankenstein On the Read Line" and the title track are interesting, but most of instrumental album goes nowhere with no direction in many parts, it turns into elevator music with an edge and you find yourself looking for another disk to put in. The man can play, but his writing abilities are far from interesting.

There are better instrumental albums out there leagues better than Mr. Rubenstein’s offering (better off getting Lawrence's Creation). Musicianship is top notch, but that is as far as it goes. Musicianship can never save a boring and uninspired album from being what it is and New Metal From Old Boxes is just plain boring and uninspired.

Rating: 5 out of 10

Review by JD on July 17, 2015.

I have been waiting to review this album from a band I got to like only after seeing one video by accident. Australian prog/power metallers Divine Ascension blew me away, after I saw the video for the incredible song "Answers", and then heard their album after that (As The Truth Appears)… now I get their newest album, and I can’t wait to hear it.

Led by the dynamic vocals of Jennifer Borg, and powered by an incredible line up of talented musicians (Luke Wenczel-Drums, Karl Szulik-Guitars (lead), Robert Inglis-Guitars (rhythm), David Van Pelt-(Keyboards), Jason Meracis- (Bass)), they come from the land down under to offer up a serving of pure metal. Mixing progressive metal with power and a small bit of other styles, Divine Ascension literally is as formulation for what will become the metal of today.

Listening to songs like the Queensryche styled "Sorrow’s Sacrifice" with its simple melody that leads into a gripping hook that keeps the riff in your head long after the song has died off- to the explosive power metal rocker "Dawn Brings No Mercy"- the band is ready to take the world by force, and they do seem as if they have both the earth shattering amount of talent and the balls-to-the-wall drive to do it.

These Aussies have it all, including an original yet still familiar sound that soothes this old headbanger’s heart. Divine Ascension is one of those acts that if given a few small breaks, and perhaps a spot on a tour with a major act that spans the globe, they would reach the brass ring no doubt about it. Even if the band never got an opening slot, just a couple of breaks will propel them into being the band they are striving to be… the best.

Rating: 9 out of 10