Somewhere Far Beyond is approximately 200x better than Imaginations... for their mid period of beginning to fuse speed and power metal.

I'd put them about on par, although I'd say that SFB does have higher highs than Imaginations. Nothing on Imaginations approaches the brilliance of the title track on SFB, and "Time what is Time" probably beats everything on Imaginations as well. However, I'd say Imaginations is more consistent, in that it doesn't have a "Theatre of Pain," which honestly bores me to tears. I like different things about the two albums to some extent, and put each one on in different moods, but I wouldn't say either is significantly better. I think I may be in the minority on that (I know Xeogred at least agrees with you), but that's my take on it.

I like a few songs off Imaginations, like "I'm Alive" and "Another Holy War," but as a whole it seems really inconsistent to me. Crazy how opinions can vary so much!

SFB is definitely my favorite. I dunno, I really liked Imaginations when I first got it, it was my first BG album, but these days it just doesn't really stick with me as much. SFB's songwriting is way less grandiose, but it's just all-around stronger I think.

I am about the opposite of some of you guys - I still love SFB and everything, but I may have overplayed it way back when because these days I prefer both Imaginations and Tales from the Twilight World if I had to choose. It's that chunky, addictive, pummeling guitar tone for me - so fucking good.

Can we all just agree that, from 1990 to 1994, Blind Guardian were unstoppable?

While my personal favorite is Imaginations... I think picking any album between TFtTW and NiME is a perfectly valid choice.

boo, I think Battalions is also really excellent, some of my favorite speed metal.

What is the best Hank Shermann album besides his stuff with Mercyful Fate?

This.

I'm always flip-floppin' on Blind Guardian albums. I would say that Tales and Somewhere are my faves overall but Imaginations and Nightfall were the two that got me into Blind Guardian, and Heavy Metal in general. Unfuckingbelievable live band, to this day.

Scratch 'n' Sniff! Oh wait, he didn't play on that album...

It's all pretty bad...

- Demonica is like a metalcore/Pantera record.
- Force of Evil's 2 albums are like leftover 90s MF records with terrible, boring vocals from the Iron Fire guy.
- Denner/Shermann's is more aggressive power metal ruined by Sean Peck.

That's my impression too. Thanks. Was hoping I had missed something.

Zoser Mez is really mediocre too.

Heavy Load fans.... Official reissues of their back catalog on No Remose Records in summer 2017!

Announcement on Heavy Load's official facebook.

HEAVY LOAD - DEFYING THE POWERS OF THE DARK SEA

No Remorse Records and Gabriel Management are immensely proud to present something on many Heavy Metal fans' wish list: the most exciting series of re-issues of the decade.

They are widely held as the band that started the whole Swedish Heavy Metal wave with their first album in 1978. In addition, they are regarded as the first Viking Metal band in the world. HEAVY LOAD, a name that electrifies fans around the globe. A band - a name that never ceased to reverberate and fascinate. In fact, a list of the bands that officially admit that they were influenced or inspired by this mythical Swedish act could turn out to be endless.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE LOST HEAVY LOAD RECORDINGS

Due to the famous flood that devastated Thunderload Studios back in 2001 (one meter of water for five hours), the HEAVY LOAD tapes had been evacuated, scattered, misplaced and believed to be damaged beyond repair. After arduous efforts trying to find and restore the tapes, the band´s founding members Ragne and Styrbjörn Wahlquist discovered that the recordings could be re-mastered.
These legendary albums have been out of print since the eighties. Bootlegs with poor sound quality have been abundant, and they are continuously selling in increasing numbers to new audiences around the world. In fact, no licensed CDs have ever been made (despite their often legal appearances) except for the rare Japanese releases from the Eighties. But, for ages, fans, journalists, musicians influenced by the band, as well as people of the music industry have tried to persuade Ragne and Styrbjörn to reissue their original recordings on both CD and vinyl LP. And now, at last, they will.

THE EXPANDED HIGH QUALITY REISSUES

In order to guarantee the best sound quality, the reissued LPs and CDs will be remastered directly from the original analogue tapes. This will be done by Ragne and Styrbjörn themselves at Atlantis Grammofon in Stockholm – one of the few studios that still have the capacity to handle recordings the old analogue way. Now, finally, you will be able to hear the albums the way they were meant to be.
These official reissues will be expanded with bonus tracks. Some of these tracks have never been heard by the public before – demos and songs recorded for the albums which had to be dropped due to the limited playing time on LPs. The reissues will be available both as CDs (in deluxe digipak packages) and vinyl LPs (in gatefold covers). Both the CDs and the LPs will have the same bonus tracks. The CD covers will be coupled with great booklets, designed by the Wahlquist brothers themselves. Both the CD and the LP booklets will feature previously unpublished photos, as well as stories about how the songs came about.

HEAVY LOAD - FOUNDED IN 1975

HEAVY LOAD was founded in 1975 by two brothers: Ragne Wahlquist (vocals, keyboards and guitar) and Styrbjörn Wahlquist (vocals and drums). In 1978 HEAVY LOAD released their first album "Full Speed at High Level" - during an era when the Swedish media and record industry claimed that Hard Rock was dead and that the band was doomed to fail. The Wahlquist brothers’ vision has always been the core of what HEAVY LOAD was all about. So after expanding the band with a second guitarist, they founded their own recording facility, the famous Thunderload Studios, along with their own label, Thunderload Records. On their own label, they released timeless classics such as "Metal Conquest" (1981), "Death Or Glory" (1982) and "Stronger Than Evil" (1983) by HEAVY LOAD.

THINGS TO COME

At last, due to an epic pact between the band and No Remorse Records, the back catalogue will be made available again. This series of ultimate reissues will start in the early Summer of 2017, with their last album "Stronger Than Evil" and continue back through their production.
But that’s not all of it. Far from it! As 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of their debut album, HEAVY LOAD prepares something special. Something special to DEFY THE POWERS OF THE DARK SEA.

HEAVY LOAD Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/heavyloadofficial
NO REMORSE RECORDS: www.noremorse.gr
GABRIEL MANAGEMENT: www.gabrielmanagement.eu — with Bart Gabriel and Chris Papadatos.

Empy...you've been holding out on me. Why have you never told me Leverage exists and that their debut album would rock my socks to next Tuesday and back?!

That's a band I haven't heard about in ages. The singer's other project, Brother Firetribe, is fantastic too - I play them much more these days.



They're basically perfect summer music for driving around. Just fun hard rock.

What's the fastest Chastain album? What's your favorite? I've only ever heard/owned Mystery of Illusion. It has a lot of potential but never quite gets there, for me. I keep thinking I just need to hear the right album.

I honestly don't think there's a super standout Chastain album, some are better than others but it's not night and day, they're pretty similar stylistically and quality-wise, for the first 5 albums anyway. Ruler of the Wasteland is generally regarded as best I think, and it's probably the most memorable to me, and The 7th of Never is not far behind. Just don't go in expecting anything mind blowing, this is a consistent band that released 5 solid B-grade albums but nothing top tier.

Ah, roger that. Maybe I'm looking for greatness in the wrong place. They dance all around it on Mystery of Illusion.

I find myself more smitten with Waiting for the Twilight by Nightmare every week. Their songcraft is subtle but potent. I love bands who can balance catchy hooks with some real burning molten metal. It's not always easy to find. I was originally disappointed that they don't "sound French" but there's something special going on here. Drive Down to Hell and Fool on the Scene really push my buttons.

Voice of the Cult and For Those Who Dare are my favorites. The former is what I understand to be the most highly regarded but it's a close call between any of the 86-88 albums - which indeed do not feature any significant variery in style.

Favorite Chastain song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR9RbDx9Ac4

Highly recommended as well: Leather's Shock Waves album.

Ruler of the Wasteland is the best, but I enjoy all the Leather albums.

Any of you here into Skullview? I got into them thanks to Jophelerex and their debut has been serious fun so far. The guitar tone is heavy as hell, the raspy vocals are full of attitude and music is just pumped up rock-out power metal.

Oh yes. I think there are quite a few of us here who are fans. I've got the debut which fucking rules and Kings of the Universe which sometimes I think is even better. I still really want to hear Consequences of Failure it just sort of never materialized for me. They're a cool band who takes the most basic building blocks of heavy metal and then does them just so damn well. You're right they do know the power of a killer guitar tone too. And obviously Mayor Quimby is a beast of a vocalist. Tons of character and drama.

WATCHING BELOW FROM MY MOONLIGHT THRONE!

Skullview rox, I love Consequences of Failure, totally recommend it. Still gotta hear the debut! Anybody know where to find a copy?

I haven't heard any of those Skullview albums in years but I remember liking all of them real well - only ever had pirated copies though, when I was younger and had no cash. They were always a really fun, riff-smashing trip. Great example of that style done up to 11.

I think Swords & Chains might have it.

Sold out

I'm really excited that Unstoppable Force has finally revealed it's mysteriis to me! I've been having the most slow-burn epiphany on that one over the course of the last few months. Each spin it seemed to make a little more sense. Oddly enough the final factor was jamming The Warning in close proximity. I went back to Unstoppable Force and it was all clear. The riffs are still killer but they dialed back the attention-grabbing factor a lot. The real stars of the album are Cyriis and all the drama inherent in each tune. Even Rager has this coiled-viper feel where everything seems very tense. The whole album is extremely dramatic. I've been listening to it a lot lately and I'm really digging it.

The Warning finally clicked too. Hearing it on vinyl out of some huge fucking speakers made a big difference, as it usually does.

Anyone know any super-atmospheric, gothic, 80's-styled power/heavy metal in vein of Sabbath's The Headless Cross? I've been listening to the album for a month and can't get enough.

Candle mass - chapter vi

Oh yeah, epic doom works, too. Maybe I should asked in the doom thread, but whatevs. Will check.

Looking for bands sounding (even remotely) similar to 2000-03 Tad Morose era with Urban breed.

Meaty, riff-driven power/speed metal with dark sensibility, lots of catchy hooks, a hint of 80s atmosphere and powerful, commanding vocals.

Maybe something that's not already mentioned in the similar artists section of band's page. Morgana Lefay comes close (Manticora do not) but I'd like to know if there's more.

Thanks in advance.

Voodoo Child's Adrenaline might be making a strong case for my favorite French heavy metal album. Everything just fits together perfectly, and the whole thing is almost unbearably catchy.

Fireleaf's album from last year is in this vein - just dark, heavy, headbanging riffs and an aggressive yet atmospheric performance from the band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xHj_t21RsY

Vulvagun's Cold Moon Over Babylon is very sonically similar; very similar vocals and guitar style, but longer songs and a more epic mentality. But I can't picture fans of one disliking the other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFBLbYaN7-U

And check out Tad Morose's own most recent album, St. Demonious; a very fun album even in spite of not having breed on board. Just a ton of catchy, heavy as fuck tunes.

I always thought Brainstorm were in the same ballpark with the Swedes (plenty of US influence instead of the classic German europower style). I'd recommend anything between Ambiguity and Soul Temptation as their best stuff but their discography is generally high quality (up to Liquid Monster at least, which is where I've left them).

My favorite songs from Brainstorm, the oriental stuff:

Maharaja Palace from Ambiguity - power doom awesomeness

Trinity of Lust trilogy from Soul Temptation

+1 for the last Tad Morose although I prefer the previous one.
Tad Morose - Beneath A Veil Of Crying Souls

Finally, I'm a huge fan of Wolf. I wouldn't call them very similar to Tad Morose but they fit the description of what you're asking.
Killing Floor from Devil Seed

Curse You Salem from Ravenous

The Dead from The Black Flame (my favorite Wolf album)

Excellent suggestions, you guys have been really helpful!

Fireleaf definitely hits the right spot. Vulvagun I'll check into, samples from YT sound promising.

I actually have Brainstorm's Soul Temptation album, bought it back in the 00s along with TM's Undead, but completely forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me, I am listening to Shiva's Tears right now. Damn those oriental touches work really well with this music. Aside from this trilogy, Highs Without Lows is a killer song too, vocal parts are catchy as fuck.

As for Wolf, I only listened to Evil Star and loved it, though I remember it was more in the traditional heavy metal vein. Will definitely check into other stuff. Thanks again!

Evil Star and The Black Flame are the best heavy/power metal albums of the 00s IMHO. I absolutely love them.

In case anyone is interested, two years ago I wrote about Wolf and each of their albums before they visited Greece. It's a very clumsy translation (not by me) but it gets the point across. The tone is too personal and a bit antagonistic or even desperate, because it was specifically written for the Greek audience (where the debut had scored 3/10 as shameless Maiden-theft and zero supprt from the major - extremely influential - media) and I had people busting my balls about my love for them. For the record, the concert went very well

Brainstorm's vocals are definitely one of their strong points, I love the sound of the multi-layered choruses and Andy Frank has lots of character. Can anyone provide a few lines about their discography since Liquid Monster, especially compared to the old albums?