Sinister Realm - The Crystal Eye

Sinister Realm's The Crystal Eye from 2011 is available on the newly opened Shadow Kingdom Records Bandcamp. This is traditional Heavy Metal with a doom influence and a few progressive touches. This is also amazingly well crafted and fresh sounding metal; as Cosmo Lee from Invisible Oranges put it

An old feeling returns, one I haven’t felt in a while. Strong riffs, strong solos, strong vocals, strong backs: strong metal

The production is a perfect. It is clear, modern but not sterile, and captures that vintage Heavy Metal sound. This enthusiastic rundown of some of the tracks by Steel Druhm from Angry Metal Guy gives a great feel for the album:

“Wings of Vengeance” Memorable, rocking , NWOBHM-influenced riffs, pounding drums and the outstanding, extra manly vocal delivery of Alex Kristof ... two more fist pumping, barbarian fighting classics (“Swords Held High” and “Signal the Earth”) and a foray into tough, unflinching doom metal (“Shroud of Misery”) ... their big, epic number ”The Tower is Burning.” Its like a poor man’s Stargazer mixed with Heaven and Hell. Its a huge song with a lot of varied moods and amazingly powerful, pure metal moments.

Here's a review of The Crystal Eye from Doommantia, and a interview with Sinister Realm from Invisible Oranges.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]