Victor Smolski's influence on the music of Rage reached one of its higher points on this record!

Since his classical training and his taste for progressive metal materialized in a very evident way in the first half of the album, which is a 21-minute suite of the best symphonic-progressive metal imaginable. If you like this style, it's an absolute must listen.

In addition, sometimes the album brings back the Rage style that we already enjoyed on albums like "XIII" and "Ghosts" but with an extra touch of aggression and virtuosic playing, and it's something that after three more straight forwarded metal albums, is quite refreshing.

The second half of the album is more conventional and continues the style of the previous "Soundchaser", which is not bad at all either.

In addition, this album marked the farewell to the great trio made up of Terrana, Smolski and Wagner, closing one of the most brilliant stages of the band in a very satisfactory way.

Because in the music is what really matters here, and in that aspect "Speak of the Dead" was a triumph!

Best Tracks: Suite Lingua Mortis (strong influences of Symphony X and Savatage), No Fear (great song in the vein of "Soundchaser") and Sole Survivor (the chorus is an anthem)

My Rating: ****

After having been fired from Avalanch, Víctor García presented us this album of pure Power Metal, full of hymns!

Although the lyrics are quite predictable and sometimes even ridiculous, we cannot deny the heavy hook contained in many of the songs on this debut, which undoubtedly contains all of Víctor's metal philosophy and his way of seeing (metal) life.

As weak points, apart from some lyrics, I would mention the weak production (with obvious programmed batteries), and some songs that are clearly below the rest.

Best Tracks: Hoy Gano Yo (an authentic metal hymn), Trono del Metal (mandatory for true metalheads) and Nana (dramatic and intense).

My Rating: ***

Unity was the consolidation album of one of the best formations the band has ever had, with Peavy as leader, escorted by Victor Smolski on guitars and Mike Terrana on drums.

Here the more progressive and less orchestral airs already guessed in "Welcome to the Other Side" are consolidated in a set of high-quality songs, much better produced and focused, where it's difficult to stay with single themes.

It doesn't make much sense to try to explain the quality of the interpretation of the musicians who take part here.

Just listen and enjoy!

Best Tracks: All I Want (a beastly beginning), Down (perhaps my favorite song in the entire repertoire), Dies Irae (operatic and badass at the same time) and Unity (a true bombshell of the best progressive metal)

My Rating: ****

Rage went deeper into the 90s with an album that, although it is still certainly indebted to Metallica, does have a sound much more of its own and also points out some of the things that they will be doing in the future, such as those orchestral touches in Lost in The Ice and also some progressive passages in other songs such as the one that gives the album its title.

Otherwise it is a funny album with a very homogeneous quality, with some intelligent lyrics and it is undoubtedly a small classic of 90s, mandatory for all thrash-speed metal fans.

Best Tracks: Firestorm (fast and furious), Refuge (it gives the name for the alternative Peavy's band), Lost in the Ice (a welcomed innovative track) and The Missing Link (the riffs are really unique)

My Rating: ****

After three years of waiting and a couple of experimental albums in between, Devin Townsend returns with a new album called "Lightwork".

In short, what we have here is a comeback to the most commercial passages of albums like "Addicted!" and "Epicloud", with new age touches in the style of "Ghost", resulting in a somewhat monotonous and uninspired album, whose baroque production is not able to hide.

That monotony is broken by the more progressive Heartbreaker, which reminds me of the more elaborate passages of the much superior "Transcendence", and a kind of homage to his most industrial phase in the interesting Dimensions, which includes a good solo by the always willing to collaborate Steve Vai.

Therefore, the fact that "Empath" didn't quite live up to expectations and that this "Lightwork" is a downright mediocre album, makes me think that the golden boy of prog metal is slowly losing his magic touch.

But hey... We'll always have his great albums from the past!

Best Tracks: Moonpeople (good chorus and great guitar riffs), Heartbreaker (wonderful guitar work and a central part that brings back some of the chaos and genius that made Devin great in the past) and the aforementioned Dimensions (these growls!!!)

My Rating: **