Looking for something, not sure how to describe it... think Manowar's Call to Arms lyrically but with a bit more of a thrashy/punk/crossover/anthemic type sound... something that speaks of the glories of war, warriorhood, battle, blood, steel, etc... but something more thrashy than Manowar... I've listened to some viking metal but the black metal/atmospherics just don't make me want to go out in a blaze of battle-axe wielding blood soaked glory.

Something Conan would have listened to... I imagine the Assyrians marching to battle head-banging, fist pumping, moshing to the war drums, anticipating the pyramiding of the enemies' heads on the ruins of the soon-to-be-razed citadels of the enemy... something worthy of Thangorodrim's armies...

Or something like that...

Actually, if I could find a cross between Queens of the Stone Age's Millionair, Manowar, and Slayer, it'd probably be just what I'm looking for...

I'm not much of a fan of power metal (or QOTSA), but there is some black/thrash with heavy metal influences you might be interested in, if warlike atmosphere is your thing.

This Absu song (from their best album, Tara) has some Dio-like vocals and is quite an epic overall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IykHu47u4I

Also, Destroyer 666 got Manowar influences along with their black/thrash sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlqgiFRIb_4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t6w09jYAJw

Perhaps Armor Column is up your alley. They put on a good show, plus they're a nice bunch of guys.
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Arm ... 3540298600
Dictator's Whore is highly recommended.

Sabaton? They're power metal but they're extremely well versed in war lyrics and battles.

Nothgard is a very good folk metal band that's recently come up, check them out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr9T25kRJ6c

Try Turisas, whole discography is excellent and for me its the best sword/battle-themed metal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x-5ZkTMyMc

I like to imagine that there once existed a sub-sub-sub-genre of thrash metal called epic war thrash or something similarly silly, dedicated to incorporating lyrics of vicious battle and conflict, trad/USPM elements (mostly the melodic progressions and that impossible-to-overuse triplet cymbal rhythm) into thrash riffs with thrash intensity and aggression. The sub-sub-sub-genre began with the middle section of Iron Maiden's Genghis Khan, and soon flourished through Destruction's United By Hatred, Ulysses Siren in general, and Coroner's first to an extent, then dying off as quickly as matured, leaving just a handful of obscure demo bands like Maelstrom (who incidentally are finally finishing their 1991 concept demo masterpiece) and Genghis Khan.

EDIT: And I almost forgot the only epic war retro-thrash band in existence: Immaculate.

You need to check out Manilla Road's The Deluge through the Courts of Chaos. Epic power/thrash, which isn't something that's been done very often.

Thanks for the rec's. Coroner - how could I forget??? classic!

I recently found a band called Asynja. Their song Forward Into Battle - not quite as thrashy as I usually like but the thing has a sort of metallic medieval, LOTR kind of feel to it. I read the 1 review the album has here on the Encylopedia. The reviewer, uh... missed the point, I think. The vocals are haunting.

Anything similar out there?

Oh, and I'll definitely check out Manilla Road.

But seriously, Asynja's forward into battle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBvwym8RPZ4 THAT is very close to what I am talking about. Music you could march into battle with or something.

That link is hardly power/thrash...not really any elements of either. If you want stuff like that, check out Battlelore.

Well, like I said, 'not quite as thrashy as I like'. I don't know if I would say they are 'hardly' power metal, tho...

Anyway, listening to Battlelore right now...Sons of Riddermark is a good tune so far, but it seems to be more of what I would call 'background music' to say a movie scene or a video, whereas Asynja's song (the one I linked, the only one I've listened to by the way) or some of Manowar's stuff seems more like stuff I'd imagine a medieval army actually listening to as they rode into battle or something. Maybe it's just me.

Sons of Riddermark - the vocals seem a little hard to hear, it's hard to tell what is actually being sung, and the sudden change when the female vocalist comes on was a bit unexpected, but all in all not a bad song.

Battalions by Metal Church comes to mind as very similar to what I am looking for... so does Slayer's version of Dissident Aggressor... something that combines some crunch and energy with blood-soaked glory...

(Somebody needs to make a power metal version of March of Cambreadth.)

hmmmm, Ironsword could do the trick. Not sure if it's thrashy/crossover-ish enough (possibly not).
They play some rougher version of early Manowar, early Maiden etc with something, well, "else".
Lyrics are mainly spot on either barabric (Conan) or lovecraftian in themes.
Have a try with these to get an idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8qKdlZPveM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxl2uwoOII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4D8vG5_yjw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQtFd6u2ASs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwu7T6sYNdY (a bit more epic)

edit: also try Hyborian Steel. Look them up on youtube, I am in hurry atm...

Warbringer

Conan mention instantly makes me think of Iuvenes, although it's not thrash nor power.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzYfStY9mjM
And Graveland which is essential.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gse9Dfv87Sk

Sodom is obvious thrash recommendation, M16 is concept album on Vietnam war (Apocalypse Now movie). Warbringer too as mentioned above. Though thematically they don't fit Conan at all.

Yeah I agree but Warbringer is pretty war based on their first album release.(War without End)