Thanks to whomever recommend Realm to that one user, fucking hell that band is intense and still can remain musically cohesive. They are like Holy Terror if Holy Terror ever progressed to a third album.

I'm looking for something like Cirith Ungol's King of the Dead instrumentally, but with more standard heavy metal vocals. Musically, heavy metal with excellent, tasteful riffing, a touch of epicness (it shouldn't be excessively bombastic/cheesy), and if the lyrical themes are interesting, even better. It's not that I don't like Tim Baker, but I'm looking for similar stuff with a more traditional approach to vocals. Production must absolutely not be overdone/excessively polished!

Bands like After Forever would be so much better if they dropped the bad harsh growls, faux operatic vocals and pointless symphonics. Floor Jansen for example has a great "rock" voice and it'd be great to see hear her in something more straightforward.

I know I've been promoting them a lot lately, but Skullview definitely fit the bill here, especially the debut. And how about Cauldron Born's debut? I get a similar feeling when listening to the two; neither have completely standard vocals, but much closer than Tim Baker, for sure.

I found a rip of Oblivion's "Rebirth" at strappado the other day, and I've been blasting that thing pretty often. Damn excellent stuff, top-of-the-line demo-only band. Probably the best demo-only USPM out there, along with the mighty Enchanter. If only they had done more.

First one, maybe. The other two are awesome and you know it.

After Forever's Remagine is basically what you said, Wayward, though it's got like one or two songs with growls. I don't think the growls are bad though...the self titled is also very much a straightforward and hook-filled album. Good stuff. Their earlier stuff doesn't really do it for me.

I actually quite like After Forever's material, especially their later material without Mark Jansen.

They're one of my favorite female fronted bands around. They're really dense and hard to get into though, despite the poppiness of some songs. They have a rather erudite and layered sound, especially on Remagine.

Really, aside from Prison of Desire sounding like a lame Epica B-side, the only problem I've ever had with After Forever is the really awkward and poorly-acted spoken scenes on Invisible Circles. They tarnish what is otherwise a very enjoyable album.

Remagine is really the only AF I can stand to listen to nowadays. Catchy PM riffs with some excellent vocals (obviously) - standout tracks are "Boundaries are Open", "Free of Doubt", and "Only Everything". Unfortunately, I paid a hefty price for an original copy of Decipher, and now that I want to sell it I found out that they finally reprinted it and the original isn't worth nearly as much. There are a couple of good songs on that album though, I remember "Intrinsic" and "The Key" being decent stuff. And at least Mark Jansen can growl - the growler on Remagine is one of the most painful things I've had to listen to. I'm not really a fan of any of their other albums. Floor is one of the best female vocalists in PM though, if not the best.

I thought Wyvern (Ita)'s debut would be good after hearing the fantastic title track, but it turned out to be the only good song on the album. Meh. I wish there were still rips of Moon of Steel's debut, Battle Ram's demo, or the first two Glory Hunter demos floating around on the internet, I've had a craving for some good Italian shit. If anyone has those, hit me up with a PM.

Fuuuuck, Wolf's Edge Of The World still slays me every time I listen to it. Any other heavy metal out there with such superb atmospherics?

I'm looking for some 90s power metal in the vein of early Helloween and the like. Something that does have that 90s euro pm sound but is still very much riff-based and shows the speed metal roots. I'm thinking something like Abraxas - The Liaison here. I'm already familiar with Heavens Gate, Lightmare, Seventh Avenue, Rage, Not Fragile, Chroming Rose and several others perhaps more 80s sounding german 90s power metal bands but keep them names coming. Mind you that stuff like Stratovarius and the like is not what I'm looking for (even though I really like the first few Sonata Arctica albums) and bands like Scanner are slightly too "80s" for this particular sound I'm after now.

New Tad Morose song played live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h41TP9egqoU

You're missing the big one: Gamma Ray.

Funnily enough, Seventh Avenue is pretty obviously a Gamma Ray worship band.

Looking for some power metal in a similar vein to 90s Blind Guardian and early Rhapsody of Fire, or possibly like Manowar.

Does anyone have any recommendations for albums similar to stuff by Helstar, old Blind Guardian, Agent Steel, Nevermore, Shatter Messiah, and Angel Dust?

Sounds wicked, and even more aggressive than usual Tad Morose. Also, I gotta say I'm intrigued by the new singer. He, in a way, retains some of Urban Breed's essence, while still being definitely different (I also liked the couple of death growls he added). If this means a new album's on the way, then I'm all for it.

And yes, I finally got hooked on Tad Morose.

Perhaps you'll enjoy The Burden of God by the French Nightmare? It's pretty cool dark, riffy power metal with somewhat Dio-esque vocals. Also, I'm right now listening to their Cosmovision album, which I also heartily recommend.

I came across a new epic heavy metal band from Texas (in Shadow Kingdom's distro) called Graven Rite, and they're pretty fucking great. I love stuff like this so much. Some of you will dig it, I'm sure: http://gravenrite.bandcamp.com/

Good find, they rock pretty hard in the vein of Borrowed Time. Will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Borrowed Time's music is cool. The production on their stuff is goofy though. Sounds like they put a lot of effort into sounding dated.

However much effort it took I'm glad they did it. One of my favorite sounds, the demo is claustrophobic and the 7" is almost airy.

I just want to say Rawhead Rexx are amazing. I've been listening to them for about 6 years now but hadn't had the time really since 08. So today I was reminded of them and have been cranking the debut and 2nd release all day in my hotel room loudly I may add. I travel with a pair Bowers & Wilkins so there loud and fortunately no guests have complained yet.
So I was wondering what the Archives think of the Swiss gods.
If you don't know who they are I highly suggest you seek them out as soon as possible!

I know the band ofcourse but cannot get into them. I like about every third of Land of the Free but there's something about the lyrics and the feel of the music that is off-putting for me. It's like Kai Hansen is doing exactly what his fans are expecting of him without really expressing anything. The music feels too self-informed to me. Also it gets too "anthemic" to my likes very often.

I guess I'll take a listen since it's so highly recommended but I do have some serious problems with listening to a band named Rawhead Rexx

I've frequently touted this as one of the best NWOBHM LPs in existence. It's just so great: melodic, emotive, classic NWOBHM style. Love it. I believe i verbally fellated it in an review some time ago. Not sure what you're after, but some similar-ish NWOBHM might include Bronz or Trespass? Perhaps Marquis de Sade?

I've always wanted to like that Wolf album more because of some cool lyrical themes but I just don't find the band able to keep my interest for a full song let alone a full album. Maybe it's a bit too simple or light-weight for my taste. As for melodic, emotive and relatively light NWOBHM I rather go for Ritual myself.

For some reason it instantly clicked with me and has remained a favourite. I guess some people don't do the more 70s rock based, melodic type NWOBHM. I mean i enjoy the speedier, more aggressive side but dig those really traditional sounding bands that have class at what they do. Jameson Raid is another decent melodic NWOBHM band. Not sure if i'm familiar with that particular Ritual or not.

I mean this Ritual:

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

This is rad, and I'll co-sign on being glad they made it sound old, atmosphere is pretty critical to stuff in that vein.

Also seconding Jameson Raid's goodness, "Just as the Dust had Settled" is a pretty sweet record.

It is, indeed, a classic. It's such a shame it didn't get them any recognition at the time.

Digital Dictator finally got its futuristic hooks in me. My only conceivable explanation for initial lukewarmness has to be because of the title track leading off things, which is still my least favorite by far. At this point I'm digging every song to some extent, but the whole second half of the album takes on a much darker/more interesting tone for me. Worlds and Machines is so damn good it's silly. I also love the way they do the speedier numbers like RLH and Minute to Kill, they really knew how to work up a sense of dystopian future-urgency.

Agreed. Never liked Wolf for much the same reasons.

Wolf on the other hand rock super hard.

failsafeman knows what's up. Great tune for Halloween season, too...

Both Wolfs are awesome, and we'll just leave it at that.

Their songs make me think of ye olde horror films of times gone by (ie, the 80's).

I finally got around to hearing English Dogs (I had avoided them before as I thought they would be rather punkish), and damn, I definitely didn't know what I was missing. Forward into Battle has some of the best riffing I've heard in PM and a fantastic raspy vocalist, along the lines of the guy from Witchgrave. I haven't heard anything about Where Legend Began, but I checked that one out too, and it sounds just as good, if not better! Nerdy fantasy lyrics, very progressive, killer songwriting...where have these guys been all my life?! Excellent stuff, anyway. I guess I'm a bit surprised to hear something this good that I didn't know before. Anyone heard their '90's albums? If so, are they any good? I plan to check them out eventually, but I'm more wary, given how few good 90s PM albums there are.

In a similar vein, how about some good bands with similar vocals to English Dogs and Witchgrave? (I know Venom, Motorhead, and most of their copycats already.)

Their 90s stuff is punk again. The power/thrash disappeared after WLB. It's alright if a bit poppish (namely their 1995 album.)

Here's a song from 1995.

Hell yes, this ripts. Haven't heard the band before. I NEED some more obscure NWOBHM now. Any of you guys know some stuff i might not have heard? Haven't been hunting down any NWOBHM for ages, actually.

Forward into Battle and Metalmorphosis are the only two English Dogs i've ever listened to. Very seldom put them on over the last few years. Always a pretty interesting listen though.

We've been over this before, but NWOBHM Wolf > modern Wolf any day.

What are some albums with brilliant, epic choruses AND awesome riffs like early Fates Warning?

It may be a bit off the mark, but you might want to check out G.I.S.M.'s second album. Their debut was hardcore punk, but this second album has heavy metal style guitarwork while retaining the punk vocal style. Here's the opening track, Good as It Is. Great album.


Cauldron Born - ...and Rome Shall Fall immediately comes to mind. While I prefer the debut, this album certainly has more in the way of the choruses you're speaking of. Check out Finder of the Black Stone, By This Axe I Rule and Blood Bath in the Arena.