Are you high? Neptune rock super hard. Keep in mind you're defending the guy who doesn't like John Arch or Harry Conklin.

Nah, I don't like em at all. The riffs sound pretty generic and the vocalist is pretty whiny. Eh, sue me.

Edit: I think John Arch is overrated anyway. He's good, but sometimes he's just so nasal it makes me wince. Not deserving of being included in the same sentence as Midnight, Danny White, Rick Mythiasin, etc. anyway.

Haha if you say so, pal.

People who don't like John Arch and/or Harry Conklin aren't to be trusted.

On a more or less related note; you know who's an underrated USPM singer? Devon Graves, otherwise known as Buddy Lackey. You know, the Psychotic Waltz dude? That man must have one of the most strange and eclectic yet skilled voices in the whole genre.

Jopherlerx fails at USPM. Failsafeman got soft, he's not even banned yet!

He's certainly not underrated by me. I think Psychotic Waltz's debut still has my highest score of all of my reviews (though it's not my all-time favorite album). Saw them play a three-hour set at KIT this year and it was fucking amazing, Buddy Lackey had this massive stage presence that was just palpable. He nailed the vocals and the flute parts too!

Oh yeah, I was just talking in general, as I don't see him being mentioned that much at all. Also, I'm damn envious that you say PW live

But yes, even on record the man seems to be surrounded by this sort of..... Aura. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think you know what I mean, considering how much you like A Social Grace.

If I fail for not joining the John Arch circle-jerk, then I don't think succeeding is something I'm interested in.

The things I appreciate most about Arch are unrelated to the tone of his voice. I like his voice, don't get me wrong, but what I really love and think sets him apart is the way he weaves his vocal lines into, out of, above and below the music. He's absolutely all over the place and makes choices I've never heard from anyone else. Aside from that he's also an incredible incredible lyricist.

Bingo!

He's one of the most creative vocalists in metal, whether or not you like his tone or if his technique is considered flawless.

Comparing him to guys who are told exactly what to sing and how to sing it is silly. Apples and oranges.

Get with the times, man! I recanted my dislike of Conklin. He's pretty sick. And I keep giving Fates Warning more chances, because I feel like I should enjoy it more than I do. I like him a little more than I used to, but I still have some reservations.

Fair enough about Slander being inconsistent, though. It's got lesser tracks.

ATG is in my top 10 albums. He dominates on that album if anything and it gives me shivers on a few passages. But you guys will certainly look at me funny after I say this, I truly cannot stand the way he sounds on the track 'The Apparition' from the previous album. I mean gods know I love the song and consider it godlike in many ways, but he sounds so odd on that one I just can't past it.

I was in a bad mood/screwed up on meds yesterday, so please excuse any excess rage I expressed.

On a positive note, playing VS's Marriage I, such powerful stuff. "Blood and Gasoline" remains one of my favorite songs ever. Also, been tubing some Steelpreacher material, sounds pretty damn good. Anyone else a fan? I know DRD has a review up. I'll check out <i>Drinking with the Devil</i> soon if I can find a rip floating around, "...Of War and Vengeance" is quite strong and based on DRD's review it sounds like there are some other strong tracks as well.

@Apex: Have you heard Steel Prophet's cover of "The Apparition"? Mythiasian absolutely dominates on that one, although whether or not he's better than Arch is up to the listener's discretion.

Edit: Oops, DRD reviewed a different album. Well, I'll just have to get them both I guess.

Edit 2: Is there anything out there like Motorhead's "Deaf Forever"? Such a damn strong atmosphere, but I have yet to hear anything like it, even the rest of Motorhead's discography doesn't come very close.

From Jag Panzer's facebook page:



Not sure if my body is adequately prepared.

Anybody have any more suggestions for what speed metal albums I should include in my article?

Here's what I've got so far:

http://pastebin.com/jkw1Aa5M

and I'll probably include that Avenger/Rage album someone suggested. Also, I'll probably go up to like 1990 before I jump to post-2000, just haven't gotten there yet. And I SHOULD do a '90s section, so yeah, I guess I'll do post-1990 and then post-2000.

So for '90s: BG's Somewhere Far Beyond, Grave Digger's Excalibur, Running Wild's Black Hand Inn...

I think we will come to odds in what we deem 'speedmetal' you and I but I will help out after I go through my albums and write a list.

I'm including a lot of stuff that's borderline speed metal. Power with elements of speed, black/speed, thrash/speed etc.

I knew going into this that I'd meet controversy with my personal definition, though, so no big deal.

I think the easiest definition of speed metal is that it's metal that's too fast to be just heavy metal, yet not aggressive or melodic/epic enough to be either thrash or power metal, respectively.

Cool thing your doing. You will not go wrong going through this site then, nahsil: http://www.speed-n-power.com/spmml.php It helped me find countless bands in the speed, and (faster) power metal genres. but the site interface is abysmal, and the server is not reliable.

How I classify speed metal, and it is just my own opinion I am not pushing it on others, is both in the guitar work, being more traditional based than thrash, or power, but also in the drumming meeting a certain criteria. The drumming, mainly the snare, needs to be used like so: --X---X---X---X-, or, X---X---X---X---. I don't consider any song using the standard, ----X------X---- a speed metal song regardless of how fast it is played. X of course being the position of the snare hit in the standard 16 bar sequence. That to me is what makes, for example, Painkiller merely an up tempo heavy metal song, and Helloween's Ride the Sky a legit speed metal song. Though both are energetic in their own way. That is basically how I separate metal from speed metal. Perhaps somewhat flawed and open to debate, but I look at is as simple as that.

I think that style of percussion is often present in speed metal, but sometimes the guitarwork can be enough. I'd probably agree that Painkiller isn't speed metal, though.

MASTERS OF METAL, AGENTS OF STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL

Ooo, hadn't heard Atomkraft's debut before, will be including this.

Helstar's Nosferatu 89.
Crimson Glory's Transcendence 88.

For post-2000 I think that Riots Immortal Soul should be represented... It hos some groovier and rockier tracks (of course) but I think it's definitelly a highlight of modern speed metal.

Also Enforcers Diamonds is a great album. But I don't know how you are setting the rules, I guess it's not just listing a lot of good speed metal albums? Haha. But I still vote for Immortal Soul!

For early '80s when the landscape was a little sparse I was trying to list any speed metal (bonus if it was good), but later on I was trying to be pickier and list mainly good speed metal. Classics + some solid albums or whatever.

I love the new Riot but I'm not sure how speed metal it is...pretty subjective, though. If all the songs were like "Riot" maybe...but I know I won't be able to please everyone. I can see it more with Enforcer, that's a possibility.

By the way man you just reminded me of YOUR album! Definitely some solid post-2000 speed metal.

Maybe the new Razorwyre too? Heavy/speed?

Only in top 10? Heretic! ATG is in my top 1 albums.

Some of you bums go to the Doom help thread and give Howie feedback on his newest demo track from Briton Rites: The Wizard's Pipe.

That Phantom album is totally legit. It sounds like what I expected Painkiller to sound like based on everyone's ravings. Graveyard Shift gets stuck in my head so bad. Also, if you manage to carry this speed metal list through the modern times I'd suggest maybe giving Volture a chance? I've only heard the s/t EP but it's gotta be some of the best modern speed metal I've run across.

We already talked about it here, a few pages back.

Also, Nahsil, if you're including post-2000 speed metal you absolutely have to include Ballistic. Oh my god does that album rule.

Already on it. CALL ME EVIL!

Wow, how have I gone this long without hearing Deathrow's Deception Ignored? This is crazy fucking shit, awesome (not related to the speed metal article or even this thread so much since it's thrash, but damn).

^The song Narcotic makes me very happy



Well some days its first in the list but it has some stiff competition.

You guys ever hear the German act, Metal Witch? Their 2008 album is beginning to end consistent, and catchy heavy/speed metal with thrash undertones. Take the heaviest portions of 80's Accept, mix in small amounts of Teutonic thrash and this is what you get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyG5WCkyfHQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0m9xWKp724&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VaFGrfULo0&feature=related

Nahsil, you should also include Forte's Unholy War. Great comeback album.

lol, Oblarg pluggin' Forte's merits. That's something new.

I've been listening to Battlefield and Vampyr again (both from Germany), and loving both these German speed metal bands. Seriously, Battlefield might be one of the coolest girl-fronted bands out there. Rippingly furious speed/thrash with balls. I believe i wrote some brief praise of their first EP a few years back. Check out this gnarly clip(shitty audio).

Vampyr of course, for those who don't know, is a pretty dirty Motorhead/Venom inspired, sweaty and libido-fueled speed act from the 80s. I know they're not top tier, but i do enjoy their brand of music every now and then. How does H/S/P/ Recs feel about this band?

Life has been chaos ever since I moved into my own place about a month ago... haven't been too into metal in awhile too. Anything out there new I may have not heard that might kick my ass? Some new 80's gems uncovered? etc. Metal CPR ASAP.

Xeo, i haven't exactly been in the search and destroy mode of new bands myself, so pretty much have the same vibe goin; keen for recs of bands. Been revisiting mostly a lot of bands i've been into over various periods over the last 6 years or so. Actually right now i'm listening to that Thruster (USA) full length and it's kicking my arts pretty well.

Eh, it's like a poor, updated version of Ample Destruction, no thanks!

Same. Been thinking of Omen a lot lately. Gotta say that's a band I'll be sticking with for life.

^ Yeah, was listening to them recently, lemme spare y'all the conditions of the certain job that i was working, but it was fly as shit, rockin CURSE on one of the ol' ipods ; First time i'd listened to Omen in YEARS - have fond memories of skate road trips in the mid 2000s to 'Battle Cry' and beers.

It's the triggered vocals, right? If you want to put one over on me you gotta make your trolling more subtle than that, Ed.

Actually, the vocals were by far the best thing on that record. 'They Call Me Evil' is a good song, too (with more than a nod to that old Loudness song, Wok 'n' Woll Crazy Nights). Other than that it just isn't very interesting.

The Curse is incredibly good, I reckon it can hold its own against Battle Cry.