I could simply use the opening letter that included in the DVD for this review and I guess anyone of you mature enough would have understood what's this all about. Good looks? Yeah truth hurts everybody but like it or not the rules of marketing demand more and more the presence of women in metal business - no matter if look is all they got.
So I have decided to do a different kind of review for this compilation. Before getting dirty I don't have to mention that the label has managed pretty much to gather material from the majority of the known (and unknown) acts of metal that feature a women singer. Thumbs up and indeed the DVD is a must for every club with a projector. Combined with the CD this is a good chance for most of you to have a glimpse on what's in these days. There are many good songs in both DVD & CD but this review is mostly focused in the DVD since the DVD is the media with that offers more information.
So here's my opinion about the songs included in the DVD. The opener is Sleeping Sun from Nightwish (hey after all this is a Nuclear Blast release). Good song - not one of their best - with very good videoclip. However watching the Nightwish dudes dressed up like crusaders is more funny than watching Rhapsody doing the same thing. A totally unknown band to me (and I guess every single metal head out there) L' Ame Immortelle is the second band with the song Fallen Angel. This is not metal and the chick is FAT. No point sticking in this one. Bif Naked was not so much naked as I expected her to be. The gal desecrates Nothing Else Matters. Then we have Angelzoom that once again is not metal and the song Fairyland is LAME. Plus this is one of the WAY TOO MANY video clips where the singer is redhead so the clip is colorless so you can go blind watching the cool hair. Then Lacuna Coil and Our Truth - one of the best songs in the album but then again way too flat compared with their previous works.
After Forever is an OK band in my book though their symphonic parts often overcome their metal side. Being Everyone is a nice and warm video clip. However Floor Jansen is more muscular than the majority of the editors of this magazine. Epica for some reason is still considered a metal band, Simone is hot but the video clip is hilarious. The Xandria singer is FAT. What the heck is going on? I mean you get poser points for having a gal on the mic - why choosing a fat ass one? Leave's Eyes is OK. Liv is one cool lady and maybe the years have started counting backwards for her but still has that fragile and sweet voice. Tristania is too demonic for my ears but the song Libre is a nice one. Vision Of Atlantis and Lost is what I like to call a magic picture. Though their singer is ugly this song is good - actually this is the only good song in their album.
Mandragora Scream is BAD. Damn it I don't see how swords and blades blends in their style. Qntal obviously suck. Their ambient techno gay... something was a nice intermezzo for a toilet visit. Exilia say Stop Playing God and I say Stop insulting my ears with your noise. Lab have an ugly singer - point taken. Lullacry try too hard to sound heavy but their singer (and their music) is destined for the next Barbie soundtrack. Arch Enemy - damn this Angela gal looks too ugly in this video clip, but the song is really good. Crucified Barbara with Losing The Game can't convince what's the noise around their name is all about. Sinergy play kick ass power metal but Kimberly is UGLY!
The grand finale of the DVD saves the day. One of the last honest metal queens around - Doro - delivers Warrior Soul. Not only she still looks good but she is also much more metal than all the rest of the nice (or ugly) looking lads in the DVD. RESPECT.
And some thoughts about the CD. Echoes Of Eternity sound really interesting even though Voices In A Dream is in demo version. Enjoy The Silence from Lacuna Coil is a really good cover version. On the other hand Edenbridge deliver a really cool and bizarre cover with the James Bond cult tune For Your Eyes Only. Apocalyptica and Luca Turilli sounded really cool as well.
In conclusion this is a well crafted collection with average however material.