Well, I pirated it, I'll give it a listen later today. I don't actually think I've heard this one, I must've been confusing it with one of their other, later albums.

Nice! I appreciate that. I'd probably give it a 79% if I was reviewing it. Its not earth-shattering or anything, but in the context of the time it was released I think its pretty impressive. The band sounds so confident and composed, like they have no idea that the style of metal they're belting out is "dead". Out of the 18 tracks (mine has the Japanese bonus, Nocturnal Vision, which is a corker) I think there were 3 songs I would consider filler. And only ONE of those (Field of Dreams) is bad enough that I'll probably skip it.

From Tony Martins Facebook:

Tony Martin
May i inroduce the new 2012 band, Tony Martin's Headless Cross.... Danny Needham, Geoff Nicholls, Dario Mollo, Myself, and Magnus Rosen. We have one appearance planned this year at the end of July on the east coast of England. More details to follow.

Sounds cool, hopefully they record some good new material

If it will sound anything like Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, it will end up solid probably. Just not sure about the guy's vocals. Hasn't he kinda lost his high register?

Yeah, I'm not really that interested. I've heard a couple of Tony Martin's post-Sabbath bands, and though he sounds good, the songwriting was stale as hell. Just made me want to listen to Tony Martin + Iommi riffs.

Blitzkrieg is solid all around, I just can't get into them as much as Satan's material or whatnot. Just can't beat Russ Tippins / Steve Ramsey.

Ughh, THIS song.

Why did you remind us. WHY!

As far as I've heard, he can still sing; he's not going to be matching up to the standards of 'Headless Cross' and the like, but he's not quite Ozzy either. The main problem is that his recent output with Mollo and the like has mainly been really unoriginal love songs and such, somewhat like a more uninspired 'Strange and Beautiful.' His vocals occasionally work well, but it's hard to tell what level he's at, if purely because the lyrics he's singing can generally not convince at all.

In any case, I was listening through Othyrworld today, and yeah, the Holocaust comparison really did come across on some tracks (eg. more on 'Of the Sun + Moon', less on 'Fieldz the Sunshrine'). They definitely have a similar knack for small touches which enhance the music significantly, as for example with the chorus of 'Of the Sun + Moon.' That section also has a sort of 'open' sound which I tend to associate with Holocaust, and which probably complements the previous similarity as well. The way that the vocals and instruments keep pace so as to create a 'spacey' atmosphere in some of their more ethereal songs, such as OtS+M, is also one of their most prominent features, and reminds me a fair bit of the relation between the pacing of the various instruments on 'Hypnosis of Birds', although the latter was more introspective than spacey (still a bit 'trance-like', though).

On another note, I was going through their lyrics before listening, and they gave me a pretty strong Cyriis vibe for some reason. Not the most immediate association you would make with this band stylistically, but in terms of lyrics and themes they seem fairly similar in a strange way. I suppose that the persistent 'z's could have added to that impression. Still, it does seem that extended rants about an extra-cosmic intelligentsia wouldn't be out of this band's ken. Does anyone else get a similar vibe?

(Saying that gave me a sudden urge to listen to this. LET IT BE DONE!)

Guess I'll have to pay more attention to both bands lyrics to see that comparison. Stylistically I think Othyrworld remind me a bit of Crimson Glory at times, with the whole soft yet heavy ethereal vibe. Hard to make solid comparisons. I'm gonna have to listen to Holocaust again too.

EDIT: I can see the comparison with "Covenant", this stuff sounds awesome. But wow, dabbed a little into "Hypnosis of Birds" and "Primal" and all these albums sound super different at a glance, crazy stuff.

Damn I can't decide with Solitude Aeturnus album I like most. I think musically I kind of like the debut the most, sounds a bit darker, etc, but Rob Lowe stands out even more on the second album with a more refined production and all. The second one seems to have a stronger FW touch to it as well.

This stuff is incredible. Might even like Lowe more than Arch myself! Lowe's approach is so different and fitting, couldn't imagine this stuff any other way. His singing on "The Hourglass" is especially impressive, and every other track...

Can't get enough of how much emphasis is on the classic echo effect with the vocals as well!

The productions in general are just amazing. The guitar lead tone on "Seeds of the Desolate" is so fucking awesome.

There really isn't anything else out quite like this stuff?

Maybe I'd get more replies here rather than my thread I've already made. Anyways..

Can someone recommend me some speed metal like Motorhead England (the album obviously), Warefare, Midnight, Inepsy, Bulldozer, Syphilitic Vaginas, or Speedwolf. I know all of the first wave black metal bands. However I love the way Midnight and Toxic Holocaust kind of add their own bit of black metal. Other genres mixed in is always welcome. I'd go either way on whether it was more thrash or heavy metal (since sometimes the lines are distorted). Inepsy add d-beat and punk to their metal. Speed Metal/Punk is always welcome too. The bands can be older or newer, it doesn't matter. As long as it rips!

Maybe a couple of links to show what I mean?

Midnight - Hot Grave (fucking blistering solo toward the end)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prQB5kKvJQg

Inepsy - Fast Way to Die (SPEED METAL PUNK! \m/)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBPUfN94agw

The more traditional speed/heavy metal is welcome as well! I love it all! I would just like more to listen to and any recommendation is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Chapel is what you need my friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk8N00Z7_B0

They played Tiger! Tiger! definitely. Also, their cover of The Tell-Tale Heart, too, which I'm rather fond of (although the original is better).

So I decided to listen to some Heavens Gate on a whim, and ended up searching their whole discography.
Livin' in Hysteria is german power metal done right : scorching vocals, super melodic solos and general goofiness ! Too bad they went downhill after that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK-nvp_PQvk

Listening to Wuthering Heights for the first time now. The song Demon Desire from The Shadow Cabinet, to be precise. Now, my only thought is; WHERE HAS THIS BAND BEEN ALL OF MY LIFE?!?!

Far From the Madding Crowd is my personal favorite, amazing album, I should review someday, Empyreal only gave it 76%, what a CUNT!!!!

The reviewers in The Shadow Cabinet's review section say that their previous stuff is more folky. Are we talking about Eluveitie levels of folk here? Because that's not really my thing.

Of course not, Eluveitie is lame, basically jump wagon melodic death/folk. Wuthering Heights is quite diverse, prog metal with touches of power, neoclassical and folk.
From Far From the...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU5n-grrkc8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLpY2vOj9cw

From Salt, their latest album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHpR1m7b9b0

Judging from those songs, it seems like this band and I will have a great relationship Plus, the singer reminds me quite a bit of Dio, which is never a bad thing in my book.

I still haven't checked out Heavens Gate but that album cover has really stuck with me. Something about the way the colors pop and that smug dragon with his pipe...really striking.

I'm loving the Othyrworld love up in this bitch. Had another blissful listen today. Its just astounding to have that much atmosphere without sacrificing the muscular riffs. And 2Eagle nailed it, that "open" sound was exactly what reminded me of Holocaust on Covenant.

Oh and I finally rescued my copy of Angel Witch from the PO. It really is as incredible as everyone said.

I actually gave it a 60%; they're not a very good band. They just cram in too much crap and make the songs rather hard to listen to. Shadow Cabinet is better but even that one's a little too oversaturated for me.

Well, that's one opinion I do not share, not the first time with you, I'm used to it

Wuthering Heights? No, Wuthering SHITES.


HA HA HA.

*drum roll*

hah.

I must be the only one with the Solitude Aeturnus boners right now. Maybe because I'm so behind on getting to them. , definitely one of the best discoveries ever though. This stuff is perfection.

Despite being a pretty big doom fan I've never listened to a single solitary second of their music. I'm going to check them out at some point, just for you.

Any moment spent listening to Solitude Aeturnus is a well spent moment.

Yes, I'm quite the SA fan.

I should just say it's probably the best discovery of the entire year already for me, haha. I don't know if I can see this stuff being topped, already feels like they're working their way into my favorites. The combination of early Fates Warning / USPM and doom is way too good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9UuvtSRV24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OHTU2KP8ZA

I won't say it's a complaint since technically these albums aren't that short and loaded with long songs, but wow they just freaking fly by. SO GOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Fans of Portrait and In Solitude ought to check out Trial, new band in that vein. Still, they're pretty distinctive, more aggressive and riff-based than those bands. Unfortunately none of the tracks from their 2012 full-length are on youtube, but it kicks all kinds of ass.

Speaking of Portrait, I'm right now listening to Beast of Fire from the album with the funny title. Pretty cool MF worship with it's own little spins here and there. Not insanely original, but fun.

Nah, not really. Far From the Madding Crowd is probably their "folkiest" album, but even that's mostly just via the melodies. It's not like a lot of modern so-called folk metal that blends so many different instruments into a whole (that may or may not be very listenable).

The first two albums had Kristian Andren on vocals, and he's pretty bland, especially once you've heard their newer stuff with Johansson.

I've searched for years (SA was one of my first metal obsessions when I got hold of a cheap cassette of Beyond the Crimson Horizon many moons ago), but sadly haven't found much. Even their later releases, after 1994-ish, aren't really the same as they moved to more of a traditional doom sound and Lowe started to age and lose the soaring highs of the first two albums. His new stuff with Candlemass, while still very good if you like trad epic doom, isn't even in the same galaxy as his early 90s SA work.

The awesome Russian band Scald sort of had a similar sound, but you've got to be more of a doom fan to like it; there's hardly any truly uptempo stuff like SA liberally mixed into their sound, so it's sort of like if SA had done pure doom from day 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RHVMT2iBp4

From what little I sampled from their earlier stuff, yes, Andren is not nearly as compelling or balls out fucking metal as Johansson. Actually, I think Johansson is quickly becoming one of my favorite power metal singers. The man is THAT good.

On an unrelated note, has anyone else listened to Russell Allen's solo album? It's very cool, laid back, rocking heavy metal, with a bit of a bluesy twist. In other words; it's awesome.

I'm now listening to the new Christian Mistress album, It's pretty cool and not disappointing.

I really like the second Astral Doors album, Evil is Forever. Nostalgic value mostly, but that's my favorite thing he's sung on.

Also this album is good Johansson material.

So here's a local band "Elm Street"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu6dAVeE5Q0

What do you guys think, some cool riffing, not huge on the vocals, sound a bit Mustaine/Hetfield inspired.

Here's a more speedy song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obws3h3C ... re=related

Yeah I discovered them recently, they're definitely worth keeping an eye on. Maybe Australia will actually start putting out decent metal for once!

You don't like TARAMIS - "Stretch of the Imagination"? That's an underrated disc I think.