Orphaned Land. All of it.

One of my friends showed me Jonah Quizz, the first Candlemass vocalist started here apparently. Wow this stuff is killer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggJRQ5xAot4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmQiaWsCU4c

Jonah Quizz is great. I highly recommend the "Jonah Quizz Anthology 1980-1982" comp by stormspell records.

where do all these obscure ass bands keep coming from

can you ever know them all?

The world is a big place.

Man, that's Johan Langquist I'm hearing?! Hell, he sounds quite different compared to what he did in Epicus; generally more high pitched (Dickinson-esque, even) and urgent, but still great! And the rest of the musicians are certainly no slouchs, either. Actually, now that I mentioned Dickinson, I gotta say that this does sound very influenced by Iron Maiden, and it's very good to boot. Will check the whole anthology when I have the time.

Weird that I associate Paragon's Law of the Blade with Diablo 2. I think "Palace of Sin" makes me think of the palace/harem in Act 2.

/off-kilter thought of the week

great album by the way, molten riffs of steel, great vocals and choruses, catchy and memorable.

Was it something you were playing in the background when you first played D2? That's how I got into Pantera.

I associate some stuff heavily with Doom (game). UDO comes to mind, that stuff was a blast with Doom haha.

I associate Orphaned Land's "El Norra Alila" album with the whole Act II in Diablo 2.

I actually just got that Jonah Quizz Anthology from Omega Order (the great heist of 2012). I may be the only person who bought it before any Candlemass albums. Its good, but nothing jaw-dropping. Very very hard rock influenced and pretty upbeat as well, which makes it a great one for the car, cruising around with the windows down.

Got that Classic Chicago Metal comp from Enforcer as well. Really digging it. They're not as doomy as some of the stuff I'd read originally led me to believe. Pretty much just straight up USPM with a penchant for slowing down every once and awhile. Love the rehearsal quality sound of it all (makes sense). Some parts remind me of a less quirky Slauter Xstroyes. It's a real bummer those guys never did more.

Heh, I bought those two at the same time as well.

Hah, very nice! Did you happen to grab the Salem (NWOBHM) comp also? I think its called In the Beginning, a 2CD package. I'm genuinely surprised no one has reviewed these guys. Count_V kept telling me I should get it so I did, then I found out later he had never heard it before hahah. I was a little underwhelmed at first but their Keeper of the Keys suite is pretty god damned epic. I think its like a 21 minute track with all kinds of cool shit going on. Don't know if it was worth the price of admission alone, but it definitely struck a nerve.

No I don't have that. I think I've heard of them though in the past but I can't remember what did I like because I keep thinking about all the other bands with the same name, lol.

So I just stumbled upon Trotyl, a band from Bulgaria that more or less plays USPM (!) with hints of Heavy and Doom mixed throughout. I can't believe I've overlooked these guys, killer riffs and a charismatic, aggressive singer. Listen to Lunatic from the 1988 single of the same name.

Oh, and Xeogred, I remember you asking for something like Solitude Aeturnus awhile ago, let me now proudly present this gem from the depths of obscurity.

I started blasting SA before I checked MA for the day just moments ago, lol.

Listening to this directly after them... not bad, guess I can kind of see the comparison. Vocals leave a bit to be desired next to Rob though, but I guess most would heh. But seriously really cool find and it looks like their albums came out in the 2000's, pretty strange and awesome.

I love how SA's first two have this strange compact but open sound to them, probably thanks to Rob's soaring vocals. Sounds like he's up on some mountain. On the debut, sounds like he's in some dungeon pit.

I'm looking for the best power metal albums of the past year or two.

Specifically, I loved the work from Lorenguard, Forgotten Tales, and Ancient Bards, as well as some more well-known acts like Falconer, Stormwarrior, and Wuthering Heights, but I'm really looking for lesser-known/newer bands.

Any others that come with strong recommendations?

I literally have not stopped listening to that album since I first heard it several years ago. I hear it on my iPod at least one or twice a week. Fucking INCREDIBLE!



This just made my year. The debut was one of my favorite albums of last year. So much fun to listen to at high volume!

Operation: Mindcrime. That is all.

Been listening to that band Platinum a lot lately. Another one album only US metal act. Love the album. Probably a bit trad for a few of you guys, but solid pounding US metal in the vein of Lizzy Borden, Shok Paris, Malice, Banshee et al.
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Platinum/41946

I need to write a review for that album, actually.

?

He's got a point. I should listen to it again soon.

Operation: Mindcrime isn't very good, nor is it very metal. It's a bloated, ballad-heavy mess with a stupid story and hardly a single good riff in the whole thing. There is much, much better metal and prog rock out there. That is all.

*gasp!* Judas...!!

Yeah, Jane Evil (such an original name...heh) is definitely not on the same level as Rob, but she did initially remind me of him a bit. Not SA, but I was pleasantly surprised anyway to find such an obscure band to be that high in quality. I've actually been spinning SA's debut a lot lately, definitely absolutely killer stuff. I'll have to get around to hearing the second album soon.

For anyone else who's curious about Haunted by Angels (the aforementioned band), they sound sort of like a cross between SA and A Tortured Soul to me, with some power metal riffing here and there.

As to the O:M discussion, some of the songs are good to listen to here and there individually, but yeah, not that great. Better than most of Queensryche's stuff, but then that's not saying much. The only Queensryche release I really enjoy is the EP.

I'll agree there's a lot of filler, but I Don't Believe in Love is a great song. Ballads are not bad because they're ballads.

I never said that. Albums, however, are most certainly bad when there are too many ballads. The pace needs to vary for it to remain engaging throughout, and that's simply not the case with Operation: Mindcrime.

Plus "I Don't Believe in Love" is kinda crappy.

Haven't been on a Queensryche binge for a while, but O:M is classy as hell, and packs some really great tunes. "Suite Sister Mary" is just fucking nuts with how ambitious and epic it is - love the Gregorian chants. I also dig "Revolution Calling," the title track, "The Mission," "The Needle Lies," the great "Eyes of a Stranger"...if I'm in the mood for something incredibly bombastic and grandiose, this is one of the albums I'd turn to.

The Warning is also cool as hell. Great riffage going on there. "Take Hold of the Flame"? Awesome shit.

Seems like I agree with you only about 50% of the time.

This is one of those moments where I do. Whole-heartedly.

If you asked me 5 years ago I would have just said the first two real songs and "I Don't Believe in Love," but really the album has much deeper, more intricate gems beneath the surface as well...basically I used to be in failsafeman's camp, but eh, the album grew on me over time.

By the way, Zelkiro, you might like the new Xandria album if you haven't heard it. It's really fucking good.

I've not heard it yet, but everyone who's listened to it seems to say the same thing, so I'll have to try it out eventually.

1. The Warning
2. Rage for Order
3. Promised Land
4. S/T EP
5. Operation: Mindcrime

and the rest I couldn't care less about.

While I agree that OM does have a lot of filler songs, I stick mostly to the songs Emp mentioned, and still think it's a great album. I'm particularly fond of Eyes of a Stranger.

Rage for Order kind of sucks. I'm really hoping it will grow on me eventually, but it's got like 2 good songs and then a bunch of really odd experimentation...eh. Maybe someday.

I'm looking for the best power metal albums of the past year or two.

Specifically, I loved the work from Lorenguard, Forgotten Tales, and Ancient Bards, as well as some more well-known acts like Falconer, Stormwarrior, and Wuthering Heights, but I'm really looking for lesser-known/newer bands.

Any others that come with strong recommendations?

Rage for Order is OK. It has some good songs but some weaker ones, yeah. Overall it's like a lighter, weaker version of The Warning with some experimentation thrown in. It's not their best by a long shot but the good songs are quite good, and the bad ones are easy to skip (like the cover, yuck).

Honestly I was never a fan of Queensryche, I just like that album and a few assorted songs like Queen of the Reich. They're a pretty weak band overall. Especially the abominations they've crapped out in the past few years.

Blergh as soon as I visited and saw y'all were discussing 'Ryche i knew the thread would be in for a slurry of that tired old "Mindcrime sux!" sentiment. Gimme a break.

I won't promise that I'll stick strictly to power metal, buuuut...

2010:
Tarot - Gravity of Light
Kamelot - Poetry for the Poisoned
Iron Fire - Metalmorphosized
The Shadow Theory - Behind the Black Veil
Angra - Aqua
Diabulus in Musica - Secrets
Imagika - Portrait of a Hanged Man
Steelwing - Lord of the Wasteland
Black Majesty - In Your Honor
TANK - War Machine
Skullview - Metalkill the World
The Lord Weird Slough Feg - The Animal Spirits
Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape
Angelida - La Ciudad de los Pajaros
Aperion - Act of Hybris
AnsoticcA - Rise
Hanker - Conspiracy of Mass Extinction
Triosphere - The Road Less Travelled

2011 (fucking phenomenal year):
Arida Vortex - Invisible Tension
Eden's Curse - Trinity
Hibria - Blind Ride
Theocracy - As the World Bleeds
Mystic Prophecy - Ravenlord
Iron Savior - The Landing
Iron Mask - Black as Death
Nightwish - Imaginaerum
Satan's Host - By the Hands of the Devil & Celebration for the Love of Satan
Dragonland - Under the Grey Banner
Riot - Immortal Soul
Iced Earth - Dystopia
Battle Beast - Steel
Bloodbound - Unholy Cross
Speedwolf - Ride with Death
Hell - Human Remains
Jag Panzer - The Scourge of the Light
Visions of Atlantis - Maria Magdalena & Delta
Edguy - Age of the Joker
ReinXeed - 1912
Dreamtale - Epsilon
Manilla Road - Playground of the Damned
Serenity - Death & Legacy
Powerwolf - Blood of the Saints
Symphony X - Iconoclast
Wolf - Legions of Bastards

2012:
Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol
Damnation Angels - Bringer of Light
Lonewolf - Army of the Damned
Diabulus in Musica - The Wanderer
Steelwing - Zone of Alienation
Iron Fire - Voyage of the Damned
Amberian Dawn - Circus Black

People hate Operation Mindcrime?

Crazy bastards.