Even if Brocas Helm doesn't resort to "clichéd use of folk instruments" (like guitar isn't a folk instrument) they sure sound influenced by weird hippy folk stuff. They're just like Pagan Altar in that they don't overdo it. They do use some instruments uncommon in metal like the bongo drums in Fall of the Curtain. I don't think they sound "medieval" per se but I do get what you mean by that sound and to me it comes from those quirky folk-ish melodies.

And the only thing that summons medieval images in Medieval Steel is their name. Great heavy metal still though.

You guys should check out Infiltrator if you heaven't yet. Solid speed metal from Philly.

http://infiltrator.bandcamp.com/

Hi. I'm looking for young(!) heavy metal bands who have lots of potential and lots of heavy metal attitude. Something like... Razorwyre, I guess. Their debut was amazingly catchy and fun. Anything you'd like to suggest?

Yeah, Razorwyre's debut was catchy as hell! I would suggest you check out bands like Portrait, Wolf, Enforcer, Skull Fist, Striker, and White Wizzard. In Solitude is also worth checking out I guess, but they're closer to the Mercyful Fate sound, so I'm not sure if they're something for ya. Holy Grail is also definitely something to consider, although their sound is much more modern, and even though I like them a lot, I will admit that it sounds like "geek" metal (as one of my buddies put it).

Skull Fist, Enforcer and Steelwing are the best of all new oldschool bands in my opinion

But for more non-"metal metal metal!!!" acts I say Lonewolf and Crystal Vyper (latest album was super)!

Borrowed Time is the best young band I've come across in awhile. The demo/7" comp blows me away every single fucking time. Incredibly thoughtful songwriting with great riffs and catchy hooks. Impeccable shit.

Honorable mention for Volture as well. Their EP is super fun and high energy. It's mostly speed metal until the last song where they unleash a USPM monster.

edit: Oh, and don't forget High Spirits!

Seconding Striker. Listen to their first album and realize you are now obsessed.

Man, the second album of Striker holds more interest for me. The first still doesn't click with me and it kind of pisses me off! Maybe one day.

It may be a few years old, but still new in the scheme of things, check out Immortal Avenger's first EP. it is a more epic take on the heavy/speed sound but some of the best metal to come out in decades.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6YdOKC2FT8

Not sure what to think about this Iron Dogs - Cold Bitch album.

Some interesting heavy/speed but it might be a little too underproduced/raw/retro for its own good.

Hey, what's up? I'm looking for 80s and 90s speed metal in the vein of Battalions of Fear and Follow the Blind and stuff like that. You know, thrashy power metal riffs, energetic vocals, catchy choruses, smoking guitar solos, and, most important, that certain something. I really want it.

Anything you'd like to share with me?

Have you heard Helloween's Walls of Jericho? Grave Digger's Rheingold?

As far as German speed metal goes, Scanner's Hypertrace is just about the best thing ever.

Hmm, what's the first German speed metal album? Gates to Purgatory?

Disregarding whether it's actually pure speed or not, as I'm sure you could make the case that it's at least a heavy/speed hybrid.

Can we ignore Living Death's debut?

Atlain's debut isn't bad German speed, also 1984.

I guess Venom is UK... so yeah, RW's debut or something along those lines? (stuff obviously influenced by Venom).

Well if we really want to be historical I'd say we cannot ignore the first Living Death but if we do it for the sake of discussion then next german speed metal full-length is Backwater's Revelation.

Anyone pay any attention to Agent Steel/John Cyriis lately? There apparently has been something going on. What, I don't know due to Cyriis' bizzare writing style except that Juan and co. may not be apart of the album.

http://www.s-e-t-i.com/new-agentsteel-a ... efing.html

Backwater could never really grab me the way bands like Living Death, Vampyr etc did. I find them a bit boring, tbh.

I can't wait for it even though it will probably be a few years coming seeing as that band's lineup has always been unstable. Their first two albums are the personification of heavy metal, I wonder if Cyrii's voice still sounds as amazing as it did.

I'd rather have a new album by the other guys in Agent Steel, not Cyriis. But I'm sure whatever he makes won't be bad either...I just really don't give a shit about his insane rambling and apparently ridiculous ego acrobatics.

What does any of that have to do with the quality of the music? The stuff they put out well in regard to their most recent album was groove buttrock with some decent faster tracks, Cyriis is one of the best vocalists in heavy metal at the very least his vocals will overshadow some of the chug riffs (if any). The description said the album would follow through their first two and the EP, and while a return to roots description usually ends up the other way- having him back in the band gives me hope that it won't end up in the groove/thrash track like similar acts ranging from Forbidden to the most recent Vicious Rumors.

I've never really been crazy about old Agent Steel that much; it's not bad (in fact, objectively it's very good and well written) but I'm not really a fan of the speed metal style in general - I don't really listen to it much. Cyriis's vocals also aren't my usual cup of tea if I had to pick and choose between various styles of classic metal. Their new stuff is awesome. So is new Vicious Rumors, by the way.

Would you say Venom is speed metal?

They definitely have quite a few songs that fit the mold fairly well, but for this speed metal article I'm writing I've lumped them in with Motorhead, Judas Priest, and Accept as "pre-speed metal." They do have some material that counts, though, I'd say.

My first tried and true speed metal albums for this article are Acid's 1982 self-titled and Raven's Wipe Out.

Just for clarification, I meant that the Backwater debut was the second german speed metal album. It was released before Gates of Purgatory or Living in the Dark.

What the fuck are you talking about

Though the vocals don't entirely fit, Great fucking band. I should have an interview with Steve up within a few days. Just need to fine time to sit down and transcribe it.

Fuck i need to get the rest of the Vicious RUmors discog. Missing a few by them, including most recent, and took years to get the non-Cyriis Agent Steel. Finally got Omega Conspiracy which i found okay but meh, and haven't heard the other one. GREAT band. You're nuts for not being totally into them, Emp.

If it helps, "Agents of Steel" is a fucking classic for sure. Everything else, eh.

Never got why you're not big on early Agent Steel Emp, haha. I mean I can totally see how the new stuff is more your thing, but damn that old stuff is fucking amazing.

But at this point holy shitballs, fuck Cyriis. Guy is a complete lunatic and just completely full of himself after glancing over that new site/article. So he's officially got full control of the Agent Steel name... yippee, ten bucks says another album will never come out, just like all his other promises. So did the rest of the last lineup form something else with Rick or something? Now that I was looking forward to, because ten bucks says they actually would've been able to release something and I'd love to hear Rick singing with kickass music to back him for once (outside of those awesome Steel Prophet demo's).


Ah, well I guess if you're thinking of something that's like pure speed to the core, Venom might not be it. Definitely one of the biggest influences for that stuff, but so were many other bands.

I'll have to check out Acid sometime, think I've heard some of Raven but I'm not sure.

You've been working on this for awhile haven't you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I_vOSPRSQw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp_Pj0lP_iA

The chugging riffs that define bands like this when they return to re-release stuff, duh.

In particular the first track. Shit doesn't do it for me.

Yeah the first track has one riff that could vaguely be called a 'chugging' riff, the second one has exactly zero. That definitely does not make them groove/thrash. The latest album was power/thrash at the most. Complaining about Vicious Rumors playing groove/thrash for their return is just fucking stupid, especially considering Vicious Rumors played actual groove metal during the 90s. If you don't like it, fine, but redefining genre boundaries around your personal likes and dislikes just makes you look dumb.

Yeah, ok I meant to refer to the tendency of overproduction done by these bands in their return to forms, but so what sue me and Razorback has a few more crunchy moments but I'm too much of a louse to dig them up. I didn't even say I hated that much, I just wish a band would redo the analogue sound that made their early records as memorable as they are in terms of underground popularity. Does that sound like I'm redefining anything no, I got a term wrong so crucify me.

I'm listening to the new Paradox called Tales of the Weird. It's pretty damn good and it has a very cool new vibe probably because Christian Munzner (Obscura, Spawn of Possession and others) joined the band in 2012, kind of a weird choice but he's a great shredder and it gives a cool proggy vibe to the band.

http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Pa ... ird/354511

A dude from Vendetta wrote the lyrics based on the MA page, never heard this band, any good?

I remember enjoying their last album, Riot Squad. Paradox are pretty damn solid.

A while on this article Xeo, yeah, but it's bursts of "work on it for 5 hours" and then ignore it for a month or two.

Definitely check out Acid! Solid speed, especially considering it's gotta be one of the first consistently speed metal albums (I don't think a few more mid-paced tracks take away from that fact). Add female vocals and the fact that they're Belgian and you've got a pretty unique setup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXQxv69A72A

That Raven is fun too, more NWOBHM-y.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdBqY9f_l5U

(starts around :40)

I've never been all that crazy about Agent Steel either for some reason. I will also agree that looking at it objectively, the old stuff is great, but yeah. It's not completely my cup of tea either. I am not the biggest fan of their new stuff either though. There it's much more of a hit and miss situation though, with me liking around every second track on the albums.

Yeah, the new Paradox sounds promising. Listened to a couple of tracks yesterday, and will check out the rest momentarily. I agree that this record has a different, and also more energetic vibe to it than their previous two. The riffs are more creative, and even the vocal lines are better, I think.

You bunch of falses.

Agent Steel is great, yall crazy.

My first of theirs was Order of the Illuminati, which I still think is the best of their newer material. The early speed metal is pretty quality as well.

On the subject of speed bands that turned into power bands, np: Angel Dust - Into The Dark Past.

Their Brain Damage album is tasty technical thrash. Reminds me of Artillery a little bit.

This just in: production determines genre!

I think the tunes on the Ripping Torment 7" are better overall but i thought the production was perfect for what they were doing. Especially with the wild vocals... I think it'd sound weird with a better production.

BE MY WENCH TONIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT
OH MAIDEN SO FAAAAAAAAAAIR
BE MY WENCH TONIIIIIIIGHT
PLEASURE IS YOURS IF YOU DAAAAAAAAARE

I'll give that Iron Dogs more listens, really haven't heard it enough to say definitively.