That one is indeed off the hook. It's dense but catchy.

I'm inclined to agree at this point. It took me longer to get into than any other Manilla Road album (I still haven't gotten into the newest Hellwell, heh) - over a year, I think, but it finally paid off. Every track is classic, excluding the instrumental and the bonus track, and the atmosphere is fantastic. Voyager would be my 2nd favorite of the new stuff, then Playground. All three are good, but Spiral Castle is just something else.

No love for Atlantis Rising? Such a cool album. I can see the pillars of Atlanis rising from the sea when I listen to it. Voyager and Spiral Castle are badass too. Gates of Fire is drawn out like crazy, and the songs on Playground just aren't up to par.

I'm going to echo that Spiral Castle is certainly my favorite of the post-reunion albums, too. All of the tracks are great (barring the instrumental, which I just tend to skip since instrumental tracks tend to bore the shit out of me) and as mentioned already, the atmosphere is wonderful. I think that I tried to get into that one immediately after checking out Crystal Logic as my first Manilla Road album, and I just remember that not happening, hahaha. I know that I gave it another try in early 2010 and fell in love, though. Hell, Spiral Castle is probably my favorite Manilla Road album along with Mark of the Beast. Hard to pick between those two, though I usually have to go with the latter.

I share the same 2nd and 3rd spots as you do, Jophelerx. Voyager isn't something that I listen to in full often, but it's a good album. Certainly has a fair deal of variation, it's just a lot to listen to. Playground has the more song-based approach of the older albums, so it's really the opposite of Voyager. Has a few great tracks (Grindhouse, Abattoir de la Mort and Art of War) and then the rest are just decent. Gates of Fire (which would be my 4th favorite of the post-reunion albums) is really hit or miss. The first three songs are all fairly great, but after that, a lot of them go on far too long or just aren't that good (or both). Epitaph to the King is beautiful, though. I haven't really listened to Atlantis Rising enough to say much about it, but I don't really have a huge desire to listen to it more from what listening I've done. Megalodon is a cool song, though.

IMO
1. Spiral Castle
2. Atlantis Rising
3. Playground
4. Voyager
5. Gates of Fire

I think Atlantis Rising was the first MR album I heard, got it for cheap in an used store, not quite a fan of the production but the songwriting is awesome.

I don't particularly have a favorite post-reformation MR album. I like 'em all, though I might give the nod to Gates of Fire.

As for older albums, there's no contest. The Deluge is the winner.

Woah, I'm surprised I didn't write that post, Solstafir. That pretty much describes my feelings about the post-reunion albums word for word. Except for Megalodon - that song is terrible. The only songs I like from AR are Sea Witch, Resurrection, and March of the Gods.

Spiral Castle and Voyager are my favorites of the newer stuff and actually my favorite Shelton releases in general along with the Hellwell album...all the other reunion stuff is good solid metal but not really blowing me away, though I'd never say something bad about those albums either really.

I really liked the song from the new band RavenLord. Sounds to me like a mixture of Accept and Evergrey. Catchy traditional heavy/power metal with gruff (?) vocals and a modern edge.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?m ... mID=180771

By the way, has anyone here been able to hear the new Dark At Dawn EP? Their reformation was some of the best news I had heard lately!

hahaha Well, like I said, I've hardly listened to Atlantis Rising, so keep that in mind regarding anything I say about it. I remember Megalodon having cool verses... now I'm thinking about it more and not particularly remembering anything besides those - and it's not exactly a short song, is it? One day I'll get around to really listening to the whole album, I swear.

Holy crap!
I'm listening to the new release from Persian Risk and it is quite awesome. 4 songs in and very impressed.
Does anybody know who's in the band now?

What´s the name of that speed metal album which has the airlplane with shark teeth (or something) cover?

Fatal Violence - Ashes Tell No Tales

Thanks man

I know this should go in the "recent purchases" thread, but I figured you guys would appreciate it a little more. I just got a haul of cassette tapes in the mail and they are not used, but brand new still in the original plastic. Except Bronz which I unwrapped to listen to. These were all either 99 cents or $1.98!


I'll reveal my source in a PM if anyone is interested.

New Brainstorm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QIN4hucspc

Possibly the best working-mans/4-star power metal band ever. They don't do anything jaw-dropping but are so consistently entertaining in their blue-collar songwriting and performances that it almost becomes a spectacle in and of itself. Loved all of their recent stuff I've heard. They seem to have their style and sound down pat.

All those are originals? *drools over Angus and Tyrant* Pretty cool shit, man.

Yep. It looks like they still have some in stock. They also have some vinyl available:

http://www.oldies.com/collection-view/H ... nge_5.html

Damn, they have Helstar and Liege Lord too? I might have to make an order soon. That's too good to pass up.

HAMMER OF DOOM VII (WUERZBURG-GERMANY)
Friday November 9th: Epic Metal

DEMON (UK)
DARK QUARTERER (IT)
DARK AT DAWN (GER)
DESOLATION ANGELS (UK)
WRATHBLADE (GR)

Aftershow: MERCYFUL DIAMOND (doors: 4€)

Saturday November 10th: Doom Metal

PENTAGRAM (USA) (special ‘Relentless’ Set)
THE SKULL (USA)

(feat. Orig. TROUBLE Members)
SOLSTICE (UK)
NECROS CHRISTOS (GER)
HORISONT (SWE)
NAEVUS (GER)
ZODIAC (GER)
COVEN 13 (USA)
ORCUS CHYLDE (GER)

wish I could go.

Cool haul, Fred, Deaf Dealer is awesome!

I wish I could go to that fest, Dark Quarterer is one of my favorite bands

I'm kinda puzzled why Demon are headlining. Do people really like their boring AOR-infected hard rock crap? They have like 4 good songs on those first two albums, though, but a whole lot of filler. Maybe HeavyMetalBackwards is gonna go.

Dark At Dawn are still together?

I didn't know Coven/Coven 13 were touring again, they better do a US show at some point! Dark Quarterer and Desolation Angels are excellent as well.

They're not headlining, that list is just alphabetical. Here's the poster:



I guess they're sorta headlining "epic night", but the other bands there are hardly that big (Desolation Angels are way better, though). Apparently Exxplorer canceled and was replaced by Dark Quarterer and Dark at Dawn though, which is awesome because either band would be better than Exxplorer on their own.

Boo. Again we go with the Exxplorer-hate

Dark Quarterer > Exxplorer > Dark at Dawn

Since when does saying I like Dark at Dawn and Dark Quarterer better than Exxplorer constitute 'hate'? I don't even hate Exxplorer, I just find them pretty mediocre, and after seeing them live a few months ago my opinion didn't change. I haven't heard everything Dark at Dawn have done, but what I have is quite solid and pretty distinctive as far as German power metal goes. Not so much the individual building blocks of the songs, as there's obviously quite a bit of the typical influences in the riffs and leads and vocal melodies, but the way they put them together sounds quite different from their peers. For one they're a lot heavier, more aggressive, and more riff-based than Helloween-derived power metal, which you'd think would put them closer to the Wizard/Paragon/modern Grave Digger camp, but they're a lot darker, slicker, more modern, and less 'epic' than those bands usually are too. Early Manticora with gruffer vocals is probably a good comparison. Anyway, I like 'em.

Dark At Dawn are great, at least the first two albums anyway. Checked out that new EP they did since reforming, not sure if it sounds like their last two albums, but I didn't really like it. Not straight up hard rock or anything, but it sounds like they're more simplified now. Not what I wanna hear from them.

Not sure how I missed this, but Crimson Glory posted a demo of a new song a month and a half ago.

What do you guys think?

Hm, sounds pretty good. At first I was rather nonplussed, but after another listen or two I was on board for sure. It's a weird pick for the first one we get to hear, considering it's a rather dreamy, laid-back, drawn-out track. While "Garden of Shadows" was good, a faster, heavier, more succinct track would've made for a better preview. Of course there's no way Todd La Torre Crimson Glory is going to equal the first two albums, but it sounds like we'll get a solidly enjoyable power metal album.

So Bloodlust's (US) only album from 85, and follow up demo don't hold a candle to their 1988 EP Terminal Velocity. This is speedy power thrash with excellent riffs, and a very fitting vocalist. I know most of you will get a kick out of this stuff for sure.

Listen or die! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QySUZLU2SI

I was looking through the reviews and I saw all the hate for the cover of Wolf's debut, so I'm curious to know what everyone else's reaction is. Personally, I think it's easily their coolest album cover; the old, rugged, strange look of the wolf combined with some badass vultures for fingers is just fantastic; way better than the slick, polished approach they take on most of their covers. Am I the only one who feels that way?

Anyway, I've definitely been digging myself some Wolf lately, it took me awhile to get into them but now I can't get enough. Ironically, though, I find their debut to be my least favorite album of theirs, which sort of gives me the opposite perspective from most of the reviewers. Regardless, though, a damn fun band.

Ehhh, the wolf on the first Wolf album cover just looks goofy. And not even in the good way.

I agree, it just looks amateurish rather than an odd ball personal drawing style.

That cover art looks awesome. All their other covers suck, but that one's just great... it looks like some 1970s hard rock artefact.

It's more reminiscent of a chimp than a wolf.

That cover is the best thing ever.

I'd like to listen to some Slough Feg, I've heard some songs on youtube and I would like an album recommendation.

Most people seem to love Down Among the Deadmen best, but I've never really been one of them. It has a lot of killer riffs and high-flying hooks but there's just something about the whole thing that feels a little cartoony where it should have been more serious. Whereas an album like Hardworlder sounds like a comic book and it fits PERFECTLY with the songs. I think Atavism would also be a really sensible starting point as there are a lot of great songs and the whole thing is fairly short and concise.

Depending on your personal tastes you may, like me, prefer their newer material where they've taken on kind of an older sound, mixing in some Thin Lizzy-esque rocking moments among all the heavy/power goodness. The Animal Spirits would probably make a fine point to dip your toe in amongst the newer material. Ape Uprising! is a really strong album in my opinion, with only the opening track lagging behind the others in terms of quality. Simian Manifesto may be my all-time favorite song of theirs actually, that ending riff is the best thing Lizzy never wrote.

Okay so short answer: Go with Down Among the Deadmen if you're looking for purely heavy/power metal that's kind of bright and super catchy. Check out the two most recent releases if you're interested in a more gritty approach with some nods to 70s classics.

Thanks jonpo. I'll check that album.