I seriously must be the only person ever to prefer Legend's debut over Death in the Nursery. I like it because it's heavier and more Sabbathy. The guitar harmony riffs in Song For a Soldier and the soft beginning to A Taste of Life are a couple of the highlights of the album.

Hmm, well, you seem to know your shit, so I'm not sure exactly what you're familiar with. Cauldron Born's Born of the Cauldron definitely features some cool basslines, like the intro to this track. Matthias Steele also features some cool basswork, though the bass is kinda low on the mix so it's hard to hear at times. Blacksword from Russia have some interesting bass stuff going on, too. Those are some examples from the top of my head.

Grave Digger have too many broken-english lyrics and stupid chorus ideas. Paragon keep it pretty straight forward while GD seem to veer into joke territory with their vocals. I was never listening to a Paragon lyric and thinking "That was stupid". Destruction has the same problem. Some German bands can't get their diction together. Paragon and Iron Savior sail past what Grave Digger had done. Really, I should love GD more, it's my favorite style but they have maybe one decent track per album for me. The whole deal can get really banal. They are certainly better than Lonewolf and Powerwolf, though. Rebellion are right up there too.

You're saying you DON'T LIKE CHRIS BOLTENDAHL'S ENGRISH?? That's like one of the main attractions of the band! Half of what makes them so fun and memorable to listen to!

I can't actually remember if I've listened to Cauldron Born or not, but I am aware of both them and Matthias Steele. I definitely haven't listened to Matthias Steele and I'm leaning more towards no with Cauldron Born too.

I've never heard of Blacksword but Elric inspired album art can never be wrong.

I'll check them all out, thanks!

I appreciate that it's hard to recommend things without me dumping a huge list of every band I've listened to. I have read through most of this topic and I do also scour through the archives for bands that are enjoyable, so I'm always on the lookout.

Biggest blue balls in the history of metal, Lionetti's minuscule body of work in the genre. Jesus, this guy is probably the best ever but he's done almost nothing. lol

Anyways, so I finally hit up the Helloween Keepers albums again yesterday. It was fun and nostalgic, I think it's been years since I listened to them in full, but I'd probably only slap 70%'s on those. It didn't take long to remember why I gravitated towards Kai and Gamma Ray and kind of shunned the rest of Helloween this entire time, because I really hate a lot of the Weikath tracks on these two albums, some are flat out terrible and annoying. But there's no denying he's trying to be more creative. It is funny to realize the Kai songs on these are the blueprints he'd repeat for years on end with Gamma Ray. The Kiske songs are hilarious too, because of how bad they're trying to be Queensryche all of a sudden. But they're not bad and some of the better tracks. Kiske sounds better on Keepers II. Overall, it felt like there was maybe two good tracks per album, with some bad ones and the rest is okay. Seems comparable to Painkiller's quality in every way to me. Iconic and influential sure, but there are so many better options before and after these came out.

Anyways, the one track that stood out the most BY FAR, was Halloween. Give this one another whirl if you want. It felt like some left overs of Walls of Jericho and had a different tone than the rest of the material... very legit song:



And then I got through Better than Raw today and enjoyed the hell out of it haha. How the times have changed. The guitar work was seriously pretty damn awesome and cool at times too. Maybe I owe Weikath an apology! I don't even know though, who is the driving force behind Helloween after Kai left? I kind of figure Kiske was the main guy with the ever so crappy Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon. Good thing he left. lol

Yeah, that first Omega album is great! Really unique, well executed stuff. I haven't heard Blood Sacrifice, though I should probably remedy that one of these days.

Weikath, yeah. The guy is an inventive, fun songwriter. Even on their recent albums which aren't A-grade stuff, there are always cool ideas and songs to be found. Can't be said for some of his contemporaries.

The debut is legendary in it's own right. I haven't played it in awhile, but I'm scheming on an LP copy which would get tons of play. It's definitely more Sabbathy but somehow I don't find it heavier. It's less varied and nuanced I think. They were a really special act. I'm going to bite the bullet soon and check out their reunion album. Almost always a huge mistake but I feel like if anyone can pull it off they can.

How come their non-LP material sucks so bad? The EP and demo stuff that comes bundled with the 2CD package is traaaaagic.

I remember liking both of those. I can't say I play the debut much, though. Hell, Death in the Nursery is basically my go-to Legend album. They were great live, too, the singer has lost none of his charm and all of his hair.

I've been playing Omen's Feketeben a fair bit this week. It's more basic and bruising than late-80s Pokolgep and they really play up their Accept influences in places... but damn, it's satisfying. 'Hajsza a tuzzel' is obviously a big set-closer and you get sexy Hungarian boys on the cover.

Regarding Weiki versus Kai. Overall, I'd go with Weiki... but it's clear that Walls of Jericho and the EP are their best stuff. After that, though, I'd definitely give the edge to Weiki for being more daring and relying a lot less on self-plagiarism.

Hey Jophelerx,

I managed to listen to Caldron Born, Matthias Steele and Blacksword today, and they were all a good listen. I need to listen to them a couple more times so I can properly digest them, but thanks for the recommendations!

On the topic of Helloween, I actually like every song on Keepers I with the exception of A Tale That Wasn't Right (but it's very rare that I actually enjoy a ballad). I feel Keepers II has both higher and lower points, but I'd probably put it a little higher compared to Keepers I. I also like Kiske's voice (then and now), but I certainly don't think he's the best by any stretch. I would say Walls of Jericho is definitely their best album though, followed by Keepers II.

I've tried the Deris era of Helloween a couple times, but I just can't seem to get into it.

I checked out The Dark Ride today and while it wasn't bad, it definitely didn't hook me in like Better Than Raw did. Maybe give that one or Gambling with the Devil a shot if you haven't? Deris seems awesome to me now honestly. I vastly prefer types like Kiske, but I just don't like Kiske himself much haha. I'd much rather listen to Scanner's first two instead of Keepers 1-2.

I'm going to give Master of the Rings, Time of the Oath, Keepers 3, and Gambling all another go as well sometime soon.

It's almost absurd how diverse Helloween's discography is when you really look at it.

I can't get enough of "Hey Lord!", even though the chorus is sing-a-longy as hell, the song is just so damn fun and catchy.

I sampled The Dark Ride, Better than Raw, and Gambling with the Devil today since you mentioned them. The latter two had some decent riffing in places, but I just don't like Andi Deris at all, completely ruined the songs for me. I mean I'd heard him before but not in quite awhile, I guess I forgot how much I hated him. I'm not a huge fan of Kiske, but I'd take Kiske over him any day of the week. Just not my type of vocalist at all. I've never really liked any Helloween and I still don't, WoJ is their best by far but it's still not that great to me.

Well, Helloween is nothing I'll argue over.

The weird thing about WoJ though is that most (if not all) of the CD releases pack it in with the Helloween EP at the beginning, which is them at their thrashiest. While it's not bad, it's the actual WoJ material that I like the most and think is a step up. Ride the Sky, Guardians, Phantoms of Death, and Metal Invaders are my favorites, the former two especially. Those two wouldn't sound out of place mixed with USPM.

Yeah Andi Deris is pretty bad. There are just so many better bands around than modern Helloween, there's really no reason I'd ever listen to them.

Paragon.

I feel like your last request had me recommending the exact same bands but when the shoe fits....are you familiar with Slauter Xstroyes? Their bassist would be the absolute show-stopping highlight in any other band. But in this very unique outfit he met his match with Kratky. Anyways, the basslines sound like something Geezer would come up with on a speed bender. The interplay between bass and guitar is unbelievable.

For something more subtle I think Dark Age and Sortilege both have really tasteful but killer bass playing on their EPs. They don't demand your attention but once you're dialed into the tone you will hear so many great little fills and runs.

so Fates Warning played Awaken the Guardian last Saturday at Keep It True



ugh, I can't handle this at all.

Spinning Visual Lies for the first time. In a lot of ways it reminds me of an American answer to Thunder in the East. Not as immediately satisfying but a huge production with huge hooks and a lot of midpaced riffing. I'm not sure I understand why people think this is their best but the debut really got the drop on me. This one feels like a grower, despite appearing pretty basic on the surface.

Why the "ugh"? I was there... it was fucking awesome and over all too soon.

I think it was a I wish I was there kind of ugh. Not a ugh of disgust.

This Antiquus album Oblarg recommended to me about 5 years ago finally hit home. I think basically just don't make "Journal entry number..." the first words on your album. No, not even if it's a concept piece. This thing is pretty rad though. Passionate vocals and unbelievably heavy in parts.

Antiquus is a class act. Eleutheria and In the Land of the Blind are both incredible works. Even their weird debut I remember being pretty solid. Just goes to show you the best bands are sometimes the shortest lived...

Alright, well, they're playing the States this year. I can't imagine that the rest of the line-up will be as good as Keep it True, but Fates would make the trip worthwhile anyway.

I really love ANTIQUUS "Land of the Blind". By no means perfect, but ambitious and enjoyable. And those leads take it to another level. Hope they release a follow up at some point.

Yeah, Antiquus is really great, but they're one of those bands I really have to be in the mood for, and the mood doesn't seem to strike me very often. Pretty strange, esoteric stuff, but awesome, Eleutheria and In the Land of the Blind are both top-tier white collar USPM albums. Which is a pretty big feat in this day and age, considering most modern USPM tends to lean towards the blue collar side. Really technical and complex stuff, like Cauldron Born or late 80s Helstar.

It was a moan of pleasure sorry for the confusion, I'm in agreement with you for sure.

Antiquus are a grower of a band it seems. I've steadily gotten more into them - lots of occurrences of just getting a song of theirs in my head and having to go listen!

Went for Vicious Rumors' Warball today, haven't heard that one in awhile. Kicks ass. I still don't know what to think of modern Helstar... but I know I prefer Rivera's material with VR here, Destiny's End, and Distant Thunder.

I guess with Nosferatu it's not too surprising the direction Helstar eventually went. I just wish the USPM/traditional elements were still there, but it's pretty different.

EDIT: Tried playing This Wicked Nest, got very bored midway in. Souls Cry freaking sucks, and is then followed up by an instrumental (I'm pretty over these). Couldn't even finish it. Washed it away with some Destiny's End and the difference is crazy, any random track off those albums blows this whole Helstar album away.

if new Helstar was anything like Nosferatu I'd be pretty happy instead it's a lot of generic riffless chugging and stuff.

Well the upcomping Vampiro from Helstar sounds promising with the Nosferatu references and the return of some dextrous noodling. There's already a track out there called Black Cathedral.

he told us that he actually got a nasty infection and only recovered just in time for KIT. I didn't really notice it consciously there but listening back through youtube i can. He was a tad better in 2012.
ofc it fucking ruled tho

Bit late to the party, but I'm listening to Crescent Shield this morning.

The Stars of Never Seen is pretty good so far.

glad you're liking DE a lot, I've said it before but BDtD was one of my first metal albums and it's still a top notch listen after all these years.

Yeah, still waiting on that supposedly forthcoming third album with what Michael Grant recorded before his death. No news on it in years now, though we did get to hear one rough cut that sounded quite good. Honestly at this point I doubt we'll ever see the whole thing.

Breathe Deep the Dark was the first USPM album I ever heard. I'm honestly not sure how it happened that way, as it's kind of obscure, but I had just gotten into German power metal (mostly Gamma Ray) and someone recommended it.

yeah it was weird for me too. My brother was into metal and he gave me that, Iron Maiden's Dance of Death, and Nocturnal Rites's Afterlife. Some pretty solid albums to start with

re Crescent Shield, I wish I liked their singer better.

Seriously? Michael Grant is probably top 10 for me. He's great in everything I've heard him in.

huh, yeah I don't really like his voice much. Maybe he'll grow on me like Conklin did, I dunno. I'm not sure how to phrase it but Grant seems too tone-limited or something? He can go up and down with his notes but something about his tone always stays the same, and I don't really enjoy the sound of his tone. I don't know much about the technical side of singing so I dunno.

Revisiting Othyrworld's album right now, really good stuff.

People always laud the first Stormwitch album, but Tales of Terror is where it's at. Absurdly catchy, and the only really weak tracks on the album are the last two. Arabian Nights in particular has been stuck in my head for days!

Tales of Terror bores the hell out of me but Stronger than Heaven is a total masterpiece. Every song has hooks for days and they found a perfect burning metal guitar tone for their ultra-classy riffs.