Listening to the "new" unreleased Onward album, 'New Fathoms Down,' and holy shit, even given that this is fucking Onward, this completely exceeded all of my expectations. This is leagues ahead of the first three, and I love the shit out of the debut. An incredibly mature record, with intricate harmonies and dissonances, multi-tracking that gives the best of Crescent Shield's stuff a run for its money, and a cohesive whole that's simply sublime. There's a lot of prog metal a la Voivod here - reminds me a lot of Hypnosis of Birds/Covenant-era Holocaust. Mother of fuck this RULES - I'd say it's mandatory for everyone, but I'm sure failsafeman (did he mention it already?) and 2Eagle333 at least will love it. Maybe album of the year, I'll have to give it more time, but the new Portrait would really be the only other contender for that title.

I never got much into the debut, but listening to 'The Ghosts of Might Be Madness' I can definitely hear the Voivod/Holocaust comparison. Other songs are sounding good too. For $10 from the label I'll put this high on my to-purchase list.

I bought the new ONWARD based on some great tracks on YouTube but unfortunately haven't had enough time to digest to it yet. I'm surprised by how good the production is (not incredible but certainly not bad) considering how pieced together the tracks were. Toby's blog really made it sound like an effort to get it completed.

The first album is a modern metal masterpiece. Second has some really great songs too.

I really wish they'd remaster the third one. Amazing songwriting, but really ass production, and this coming from the guy who listens to shitty old demos all day without a complaint.

Just bought "New Fathoms Down" what I heard on youtube sounded great. Also I remember hearing that some Crescent Shield demo's were supposed to be finished and released as an album, has there been any news about that?

Anthem's terribly named Domestic Booty is really awesome. Rather Painkiller-esque, with hints of Germanic speed metal in some of the riffs.

I think that you'll definitely like Magic Circle

Can't say I dig it a lot. It just sounds too uninspired to me and while it does have some undeniable highlights it just comes off watered down compared to No Smoke Without Fire and Hunting Time.

Speaking of Anthem, I've heard Bound to Break recently and that albums just lacks punch compared to what followed. The different vocalist isn't a problem, in fact, he sounds quite as good as the on the 1998-1992 Anthem material, but the songs just aren't quite as powerful sounding.

No, there hasn't been as far as I know. Failsafeman has theorized that they probably don't want to be forced to think too much about their dead friend, which is certainly plausible. I still hope it comes out one day, but we'll see. Crescent Shield is definitely awesome but I'm satisfied with the Onward release for the time being. I haven't listened to it much yet because I don't actually own it yet but it's on its way so I can't wait to start playing it more often and probably review it.

It was my first exposure to the band. Seems I'll have to check out those two albums you mentioned!

Hunting Time and No Smoke without Fire are clearly Anthem's best. Way more consistent than their others.

I think Gypsy Ways holds up just as well as those two albums. They were really on a roll for a couple of albums.

http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Ak ... oia/470434



Can't wait to hear that! The single was so awesome.

Yngwie catches a lot of flack for his masturbatory guitar antics, but he can definitely write some good stuff! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB-5EHb7Wjo

Is anyone aware of any bands or albums that sound similar to Sacred Blade/Othyrworld? I'm leaning mostly towards the side of Othyrworld as it has a much nicer atmosphere, but does such a thing exist?

Definitely check out Opposite Earth, their sole album is basically 'Beyond into the Night of Day' 's cousin. After that you can really only get things that sort of sound like Othyrworld; Full Moon's debut has the relaxed, spacey atmosphere, but mixed with a lot of prog rock a la Rush. Manilla Road's 'Mark of the Beast' also has a sort of spacey, psychedelic atmosphere but it doesn't really have that PM sound either. I might recommend Longings Past's debut, but that similarity is really tenuous; they're often laid back and have Rush influence, but they do something much different with it than Full Moon (or really anyone else in existence). They're sort of like Manilla Road though, so if you like Mark of the Beast check it out anyway. I can't think of anything else that even falls into the same realm; that sort of spacey, laid back atmosphere is almost never done in heavy/power metal.

I've listened to the "big 4" from Manilla Road (Crystal Logic to Mystification), which obviously bear no resemblance to Othyrworld, but I haven't checked out any of their other albums. I also haven't listened to any of the other recommendations you listed, so I will give them all a go. Thank you very much for your help, it will keep me busy for a while.

While I'm on the subject of recommendations, I don't suppose anyone has any recommendations similar to Dark Quarterer? I think it's mostly their combination of raw, heavy production while maintaining a strong sense of melody that does it for me. Is there anything similar that I may have missed?

While I'm recommending things, might as well recommend things similar to DQ. Adramelch is an absolute must if you haven't heard 'em, with 'Irae Melanox' being the album to hit. Also check out Anathema's 'Salem Lunacy' demo, which is essentially an EP with some of the members of Adramelch that basically sounds like a follow-up to IM. Also try Ageless Wisdom from Greece, epic heavy metal with doom influences in a similar vein (check out my review if you like). Also, again, Manilla Road - this time their 'Spiral Castle' release, which I would say is their doomiest, more so than Crystal Logic even.

I have definitely heard of Adramelch, but I don't think I've ever listened to them. I will also check out Ageless Wisdom and Manilla's Spiral Castle. You have been a wonderful help, thank you very much!

Don't worry about it, man. Looking up music is what I do most often with my spare time and heavy/power metal is typically my go to genre, so I have a nearly encyclopedic knowledge, especially when it comes to epic heavy stuff. I never mind introducing people to good music.

Anyone heard any other good stuff in this genre this year? So far I've got Avalon Steel, Portrait, Black Magic, Falconer, and Onward. Anything I missed? You guys mostly know what I like.

The Demon Bitch EP of course! Death is Hanging... actually had to grow on me a little, as it just didn't seem quite as wild as the demo, and I think maybe the production is a little worse (in a way that I have come to enjoy). It has fully eclipsed the demo for me now though. There's more atmospheric weight to the songs, in lieu of some of that wildness from the demo. At this point I always listen to them together anyways, as it almost forms a full album!

I'm loving Vicious Rumors' Welcome to the Ball at the moment. With pretty much every song featuring plenty of punchy riffs, there's an actual catchiness to be found that just somehow works. I'd say my favorite moments on the album are that blistering yet effective guitar solo of ''You Only Live Twice'' and those sing-along-worthy verses of ''Dust to Dust''. Should add this album one to my to purchase list.

Oh yeah, forgot about that one! I definitely dug the demo so I'll have to see if I can track down the EP, thanks for reminding me. If it's even better it definitely sounds like it'll be worth hearing.

I don't know what you like, but I'd put forward Threshold - For The Journey and Ningen Isu - Burai Houjou. I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard both though!

Haven't gotten around to the Ningen-Isu yet although I definitely plan to - their discography is just so huge and dense, I'm still working my way through it, but they haven't let me down yet. As to Threshold - are you talking about the prog one? Because I really don't like modern prog, nor what I've heard of the band. Thanks for the recs though, appreciated.

I am talking about the prog Threshold, yes. The only other 2014 album that I've heard that I think is worth listening to is Armory - Empyrean Realms, but that might be a little flowery for some. With that said, I'm very low on 2014 releases!

EDIT: Turns out Empyrean Realms was a Nov 2013 release, but close enough.

I'll check out that Armory - "flowery" doesn't usually describe things I like, but who knows, I enjoy a hand full of europower bands.

Unrelated: it's that time again! Every so often (maybe twice a year) I start craving speed/thrash. Perhaps the thrash thread would be more appropriate, but usually the thrash I like has a dash of heavy and/or power and/or speed in it, so I figure it's not too out of place here.

Bands/albums I like: Ulysses Siren, Target's 'Master Project Genesis,' Overkill's first two, Holy Terror's debut, Artillery's second and third albums.

Bands/albums I sort of like: Realm's debut, Toxik's 'Think This,' Watchtower's second.

Bands/albums I don't like: Mekong Delta, Annihilator, Forbidden, Coroner, Taramis' second album.

That should give you a good idea, and please nothing obvious. I know a fair amount of stuff as should be evident from my list.

Maybe Laaz Rockit?

Nah, I know 'em. Decent but unspectacular. Thanks though.

Heretic? (The US band that once featured Mike Howe)
Paradox? (German band)

You don't like the first two Annihilator and Forbidden albums? Or early Coroner? That's crazy. That stuff is amazingly good.

What about Intruder - Psycho Savant?

Why didn't anyone ever tell me about Raven and how awesome they are!? Just saw them play a show with Manilla Road(who I had went there to see.) I had not heard of Raven before but they just proved to me that not all NWOBHM bands are washed up has-beens.

Don't know about their recent stuff, but Nothing Exceeds Like Excess is, indeed, bloody fantastic. Like a punch to the throat, except..... You know, good.

An Angra song from the new album has been released. On first listen, I can't say that I'm a fan. It may grow on me though.



Set for a 17th of December release in Japan and a 16th of January release in Brazil and Europe.

It's so fucking weird to be a Manilla Road fan but never even HEARD of Raven. I hope you did yourself a favor and bought Wiped Out last night!

I was supposed to be at that show but it just didn't pan out. A 4.5~ hour drive back from Chicago on a sunday night wasn't in the cards. I know it had to be amazing though. Reggies is my favorite venue.

Well to be fair it wasn't until a few years ago that I even heard of Manilla Road. Unfortunately I had already spent a lot on other stuff and I had to leave at midnight, so I missed the encore. But Raven is definitely high on my priority list now. I plan on donating to their kickstarter for the ExtermiNation album. They played a couple of the new songs and the one "Destroy All Monsters" was my favorite of everything they played that night.

Here is a pretty good quality video of the song:

Ugh, I only have Angels Cry & Holy Land I hope the rest of the post Matos stuff isn't like that.

I still can't get over them having Fabio a their lead vocalist. It's too weird.

The Animator: All except Aqua seem to get good praise They're certainly more overtly power metal than that prog style that they seem to have drifted towards (not that I hate it myself). Rebirth though is especially excellent, and rather like a softer, more "flowy" Holy Land.

Aqua is their best album. So now it gets praise!

I disagree. I have properly listened to Aurora Consurgens and Aqua since our last talk on the matter a while back and I think that Aurora is certainly the strongest of the two. I'd put it up there with Rebirth and Angels Cry as my favourites.



I agree regarding Fabio. He did seem to come off as sounding similar to Edu in that song I think, for better or worse.

I do like Vision Divine - Send Me An Angel (never really properly listened to Rhapsody of Fire), but I don't know if he is particularly the right fit for Angra. I guess we'll soon find out.