Thundersteel is pretty much a perfect album. Flight of the Warrior always gets my blood boiling. Makes me miss my long hair like a motherfucker.

Head's up: Swords & Chains Records (US-based) will be stocking the new Arkham Witch and Quicksand Dream albums on CD.

Are any of the post-Timebomb UDO albums worth checking out?

I've seen Riot V twice now and they've been two of my favourite concert experiences; absolutely stellar live band.

Also, Jonpo, I did exactly the same with Matthias Steele. Fucking great album; the singer can channel Shark, Midnight, Halford, Tate, Diamond... anyone he chose to mimmick and he does 'em all brilliantly whilst adding his own noble charm.

Who is Shark?

Yikes!

By "did exactly the same" do you mean also ordered it? Clearly you've heard it and I haven't! I wish they hadn't completely mangled the artwork on the re-issue. The original was so great. The new one is fucking embarrassing.

Mark Shelton from Manilla Road.

You can file most U.D.O. in the Motorhead file of always being enjoyable if that's your sound. I've never been fond of "Timebomb" but if you want to check out his best material after the Accept reunion, definitely go with "Holy".

One of my favorites

Okay, so having heard the new Vicious Rumors in full, I'm sure my earlier post about them looked ridiculously hyperbolic. Like seriously, "Chasing the Priest" and "Take it or Leave It" are the ONLY good songs, everything else just has shit vocal lines and most of the songs have shitty riffs too, a lot of chugging to be had and overall just mediocre and uninspired as hell. That's really disappointing since those two songs really got my hopes up, but oh well. Suffice it to say that Concussion Protocol will certainly not be my AOTY, nor even make it on my Top 10 list.

There is a new Attacker though, I'm gonna listen to it soon. I hope it's better than the new Vicious Rumors!

Made a neat discovery lately, Lethean from the UK. Solid and subtle epic/trad metal from a former drummer of Solstice. Only two tracks up on bandcamp currently, but hopefully we'll get a album or an EP before the band implodes or gets pushed aside

https://lethean-uk.bandcamp.com/releases

I'm a bit late to this, but Wytch Hazel to me sound like a bunch of medieval squires decided to get together and perform some cool mostly 70s style (Uriah Heep influenced, maybe?) about their life's work of crusading and battling and fighting for freedom and their king and such. Just look at their band picture on here, it's absolutely perfect for their sound and lyrical angle. Cool album, generally pretty laid back vibe more than anything.

Yeah it's definitely got a breezy laid back vibe, reminds me of Wishbone Ash a little that way. I dig it, although I think "Psalm" is a misstep. Should have been about 45 seconds long, not four minutes and change.

So. Matthias Steele. Holy god damn. Everything I love in uspm. Totally over the top with some of those skating-on-ice riffs that make Nosferatu so fun. And yeah, just a ridiculously charismatic and theatrical vocalist. Shit cooks.

EDIT: WOW. FATHER HAS RISEN.

Oh yeah, Haunting Tales is one of my absolute top USPM albums, such amazing stuff. Every song is a riff monster, Anthony Lionetti puts in one of the greatest vocal performances ever (WHILE ALSO PLAYING BASS), and it's all so ridiculously tongue-in-cheek and over-the-top that you've got a big grin on your face the whole time. The production is just a little bit thin, but it's not much of an issue for me and everything else about it is fucking amazing. First tier stuff for sure.

Man, Wishbone Ash at their best are fantastic stuff - and definitely another good mention of that vibe I meant that Wytch Hazel are sorta channeling.

I've definitely gotta listen to Matthias Steele more, though Father Has Risen is easily the song that's stood out the most to me. His vocal stylings are great.

Ran into this band/album: http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Wh ... k_Age/7126

Was quite impressed by this one. Good heavy/power metal with some Blind Guardian and Grave Digger in there, etc.

Where have you been, bro?

The new Thunder & Lightning album, The Ages Will Turn, is pretty killer. Big, crunchy riffs and smooth yet aggressive, deep vocals belting out big choruses. I love the way these guys have a darker, more sinister sense of melody without being anything else but power metal. They have their own style and I am digging it: https://tnlmetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-ages-will-turn

Something about the vocals just really turns me off--sounds like it's got some kind of distorted filter over it. The title track has a cool chorus and I would really dig it if it weren't for the vocals.

Yeah, I've heard people say that before. He is a bit of an acquired taste - just the way he sings the melodies with that big, deep voice, it sounds like he should be more of a Chris Boltendahl type, but he's singing very epic and clean. I like it though.

Oh, it's not his range that bugs me--like I said, it sounds like someone in the studio did way too much fiddling with filters and auto-tune on the guy, so his voice sounds really digital and fake. I don't know if that's actually the case, but that's what it sounds like.

Possibly. I had it on pretty low volume because I was in a public place when I was listening.

Waiting on a reissue I guess. It rules. Reminds a lot of the first Cauldron Born album, especially when he hits that midrange croon. I'm smitten, but it's long and dense as fuck. Many more listens necessary.

Youtubes related videos is working surprisingly well for me right now. Found two new gems of epic metal:

Final Sign
Pure timeless USPM (released 2015). Fantastic vocals! It reminds me so much of another band, but I cant put my finger on it? And how about that cover art?!



Hammer King
Sounds as if Edguy decided to start playing epic metal after Mandrake. And that is a decidedly positive description.

I bet hundreds of people will look down on me for asking this, but... are there any bands out there similar to Twilight Force's "Heroes of Mighty Magic"? Not in the sense that it's symphonic power metal, but more like in the sense that it was mixed in a way where the guitars, bass, etc. were in more of a background role while the synths and orchestrations were front and center? And hopefully have better lyrics that aren't so cookie-cutter?

Another song from that Lunar Shadow channel.



Might be worth a look.

Listened to all the albums and EPs of Mary's Blood today at work, and holy shit! This is pretty much exactly what I've been craving these past few months.

Also managed to sneak in the first Trick or Treat album, and again! Holy shit! I can't wait to hear the others tomorrow!

So what's up with this newer Matthias Steele material? Is it tragic? It's hard to imagine Lionetti selling out but there's something about the cover art and titles...it looks like doom metal to me. Curious for opinions from anyone who has sampled it.

Anthem rule. The debut and Bound to Break both really get me going. They didn't have the same backwards-gazing 70s influence that Loudness took a few years to excise. It's just pure adrenaline, Priest-inspired and riffy as a motherfucker.

Decided to check Matthias Steele out as well recently and it's definitely excellent material. ''Father Has Risen'' and ''Return with a Vengeance'' are my favorite tracks so far. Love how the riffs range from wild thrashing mayhem to more catchy midpaced riffs that stick in your head rather easily.

Yeah man it's a show-stopper. I'm having a hard time making it through the full thing in one sitting but that's mostly just my own schedule right now. The first half FLIES by. Father Has Risen is still my favorite but there's something about Shadow of Illusion. The first few minutes reminds me of a (better) take on the style Shelton was using on Throne of Blood. And Magick Wand is just a perfect opener. Sets the tone so well.

I can't shake the comparisons to Cauldron Born. It's so thoughtful and complex and WEIRD. Why has no-one reissued the demo? If it was supposed to be a full-length lets fucking repackage it as one PLEASE. You can take my money right fucking now.

From what I've heard of the new Matthias Steele material (I couldn't make it all the way through either full-length), it's vapid, uninteresting rock. Sounds like a completely different band from the demo and Haunting Tales. Not worth listening to in any way, shape, or form. Which, yeah, is really disappointing, but at least we got Haunting Tales.

Roger that! We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things but I was already leery of these. I'll be avoiding completely.

I'll second the opinion on the later Matthias Steele albums. Mostly just really bland rock music.

I looked up Tony Moore expecting him to have been on a ton of albums since hes in his 50s and sounds so good and charismatic on Immortal Soul. Apparently hes only been on one other full length album besides the two he sings on with Riot. What a shame.

I definitely wouldn't recommend that Faith and Fire album. So bland.

For some weird reason Queensryche's The Warning has clicked with me now. I tried it several times earlier but never found it very appealing. I suppose the guitarwork comes off a bit more restrained at times, when compared to say, early Fates Warning/Crimson Glory. Tate's vocal lines are great though I love that memorable soaring chorus of ''NM 156'' and his desperate performance on ''Roads to Madness''.

I've been saying that all along! It has such amazing atmosphere.

The Warning is simply one of the finest albums ever made and very possibly the best out of their best three albums. "En Force" and "Roads To Madness" are my faves...masterclasses in quality riffing and vocal exultation done with both restraint and pomp.

My favorite track off The Warning is actually "No Sanctuary." Those background vocalizations during the chorus just really work for me, and its bleak atmosphere is a thing of beauty.

My favorite is Before the Storm, easily. The way the final chorus develops is amazing.

Can anyone recommend me some heavy metal with a mystic atmosphere?

Like Manilla Road's "Crystal Logic", and Pagan Altar's "Mythical and Magical" among others.

EDIT: I also want to say Legend's "From the Fjords" is also like what I am looking for.

If you're lookin' for something similar to Manilla Road, Hellwell released an album a few years ago that many folks here were losing their minds over--I thought it was fine, but it has that same atmosphere. Also, a band called Sumerlands released an album this year that very clearly is in the same vein, so you might like that one, as well.