Soen - IMPERIAL (2021) - A Power Metal fan’s first dip into the gray

What am I doing here?

I’ve been a metalhead my whole life. My earliest musical memories are the heavy blues of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, which eventually led me down the rabbit hole of Old School Heavy Metal and, later Power and Symphonic Metal genres.

I’ll be honest: I’ve always been a “clean vocal” guy. If I can’t follow the story, I usually lose interest. I still credit Metallica’s The Unforgiven for probably doubling my English vocabulary as a kid. But lately, I’ve felt the urge to move past the swords and dragons. I want to see what the “modern” scene has to offer, and maybe even explore the heavier, darker corners like Doom or Black Metal.