@SolracV

Misantropical Painforest - (You are the) Brightest Star

Never ever heard of this band before but I like what I'm hearing. The guitar is incredibly low in the mix but that is YouTube's fault, there's nothing much concrete to get from this clip but from what my ears gather, it is all very stately, very morose and very grand. The riffs move along in a doom fashion but with enough of a black atmosphere to keep the song darkly grounded. The melodic aspects of the song are well developed but not emphasize and that is something I appreciated from the get go. This band knows how to be subtle and tasteful. The drumming is rather weak, it pounds way nonchalantly but never quite moves anything in any special way. The vocals on the other hand are really good and engaging in a Primordial meets earliest Paradise Lost way. I wish the thick riffage was more prominent, I love the doom aspects of the song.

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

@QueenElizawreck

Gatekeeper - Prophecy and Judgment

ok, i'll give this a go. intro is somewhat slow and doomy with guitars having a rough ish tone...that is until the accoustic guitar starts and soaring clean vocals kick in. I didn't look up anything about the band before hand so wasn't sure of the style. anyways, this section is quite mellow with no real riffs but some melodic leads. Finally at 2:30 the riffs kick back in which i think is a good thing as it was getting abit stale imo. Even with these riffs, i don't find they are too memorable for me. The song gets more interesting the last part of the song where the tempo slightly increases and there are some good leads......however, Doom is something i don't always listen to but have been getting into more and more over the last couple years but this song is just not appealing to me too much...sorry (looks like they are somewhat local for me too!)

5/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L_NO3Vdim8

I used to own this album actually. Blistering straight into it with sharp, cold melodic flair, with some damn furious speed I might add. This is well... typically Swedish from around this era, and one I'm not too fond of either, as it's no Dawn or Sacramentum for example, however, these guys do have their own sound, and manage to incorporate some interesting segments in amongst the furiously melodic riffs such as the moody (albeit short) piano segment introducing a HUGE refrain with the lyrics, "WE ARE THE HATERS OF HUMANITY! WE PREACH ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD! YOUR EMPIRE IS FALLING LET OUR TEACHINGS BE HEARD!!, being funneled down the speakers at you with some vitriol, which is admittedly rather cool. This all tight as Frost's makeup too, with some excellent musicianship on display here, with some icy, keen guitar, and yes, you can hear the bass! Though it seems to mostly follow the guitar without shining itself... the drumming is top notch, if a trifle sterile and sort of over-produced, I would have preferred more oomph in the kick drum (it's a little clicky), and more weight in the guitar tone too! There is plenty of variation to be had here as well, as the riffs themselves, while following a black metal framework, are very busy, diving and slashing around, interspersed with some wild tremolo picking amongst the precise blasting, but the overt melodic touch they have is one that never grabbed me by the throat (hence why I no longer have this album), and the hygienic production job leaves me cold, and not in a good way. Maybe I'm being a tad harsh, as it is extremely well done, I'm just unmoved a great deal by it.

Here we go...

Infestus - Der Blick hinaus

An intriguing mellow intro sets the scene for a brooding yet oddly soothing melody, reminiscent of the best that Opeth is capable of. The song really gains bulk and texture with the introduction of the black metal rhythm guitars and commanding harsh vocals. The soothing melody at the core begins to fade away with the onset of the more traditional tremolo riffing, though on second thought, it doesn't so much as fade as evolve into some lead guitar licks to introspect to. And though the song never loses the tranquility at its core, it also gains a level of menace. A very solid piece of atmospheric black metal--beautifully, structured and composed. Will check out more of this band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zAzAloZpv8

Orange Goblin - Made of Rats

Loud, thick, piledriving riffs with a lot of power on the bass end. Fans of Black Label Society would probably dig this. Halfway through the style changes as the guitars switch to a clean sound and we get a dramatic section with two vocal parts singing back and forth. The vocals sound mostly in a baritone register, somewhat reminiscent of Danzig. The tempo is moderately slow and sludgy, and the band uses dropped tuning. If you like stoner/sludge metal in the style of Crowbar, you'll probably like this. 7.2/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i84fipKR9eQ

Witchhammer - "Kill All In Sight"

Pretty goddamn awesome. I've had good luck in this thread so far, and it's not letting up yet. This is a nice, straightforward thrash tune, with a generous injection of classic heavy metal. The vocals are probably the best part - he's the perfect vocalist for this kind of thing, with an excellent gritty yet clear tone, lots of attitude and a few nice highs, and the gang vocals on the chorus really help out too. The opening riff is an absolute beast, and pretty much everything the guitar does is of the same quality, even if the solo could stand to be a little bit longer. The bass and drums put in a solid performance, hammering away behind the guitars, fairly basic, but well done, with a lot of energy. Actually, that's something that could describe this song in general. Lots of energy, lots of passion and fire, and it just rips and doesn't let go. From what I can find, this was a self-financed release, but I couldn't tell from the production - everything is clear, not muddy at all and easy to make out, with the vocals nice and upfront without drowning anything out. In other words: facken sweet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj347vcyRJ4

Triosphere - "Watcher"

A very nice mix of power, emotion, and talent. An absolutely magnificent guitar solo! Everything that I'm hearing sounds very professionally done and well recorded. All of the volume levels appear to be very well balanced, too. The vocalist is female, and along with the symphonic melodies, it comes off sounding much like Nightwish, but a bit more progressive with a lot of studio skill. 8/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szuL70MP1q4

@Amerigo

Pegazus - Wings Of Steel

Pegazus were really good once upon a time. Utterly unoriginal but decent stuff nonetheless and this little song is the proof. Think Manowar and Screaming For Vengeance/Defenders... era Judas Priest and you have them nailed. The riffing really grabs and the solos are vastly developed and effective. The vocalist isn't rich in nuance but he is reliable and puts up a solid performance and the drumming is very teethy (there, I just coined a word!). Of course bands like Pegazus are a dime a dozen if you live in the underground and although this doesn't sound highly inventive, it still is good for what it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_JRWe7E2Kk

Magellan - Hymn For A Heathen

some nice vocals to begin with piano going in the background...although this was kind of cool, it took til over half the song was over until gutiars and drums kicked in....so could have been shorter. And to be honest, for a progressive metal/rock band, the riffs are a little bit dull as i was expecting more. Having said that, the vocalist really is in the forefront of the mix (and is solid), but would be nice to hear the other components of the band abit more. The song kinda ends abruptly as its only 3 minutes...maybe i'm used to longer songs from bands like this, but seemed to never get going. I did think the vocals were good and has potential but I don't think this song displayed it the best (i did listen to a couple other songs from the album that i enjoyed more)

6/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AVdMOgrVa8

@VirginSteele_Helstar

Vintersorg - "Til Fjälls"

The piano intro is cool (and actually quite liable to get stuck in your head), before giving way to a fast drumbeat and a swarm of tremolo riffs. I wouldn't really call this black metal, though. The vocals are mostly clean and sung in a baritone range, with a slightly nasal tone to them, and they sound fantastic, perfect for this kind of epic metal, soaring above the music and bringing it to a whole new level. They really remind me of someone else, but I can't quite put my finger on who. There's also a few moments where he uses a black metal rasp, and while it's good, it sounds rather standard compared to the epic clean vocals. There's an acoustic interlude with some ambient samples in the middle, and it does slow the song down a little, but not too much for it to get irritating, and it serves as a nice change of pace overall. The production sounds like shit: the drums are pretty flat and plasticky (probably a drum machine), the vocals are too high in the mix, and the guitars sound thin and buzzy, but it's got its own charm to it. A pretty decent slab of epic folk metal overall.

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

Well, well, well eh? Had no idea what to expect with this, when those huge chords chime in. The opening segment fucking rules actually, with a steady swell of interesting riff work, fueled by a thick, heavy guitar tone, then culminating in that massive nod to Twilight Of The Gods. Bloody beautiful!! I thought it went a little downhill with the seemingly plodding verse section after that magnificence, but there is some kind of magic at work here, as more vast choirs are given space to shine briefly amongst the distortion. I cannot stress enough the significance the title track of Quorthon's majestic Twilight Of The Gods, as an influence here, and they wear it proud, letting it ring out to the snow covered mountains with full voice. Massive nods to Bathory aside, they have indeed crafted something here which I did enjoy to an extent, and have piqued my interest. The real vocals are of a gruff, almost death metal nature, and the riff work still has that nagging feeling that I have heard it somewhere before, yet I do like the fact that the melodies can be quite regal at times, and it is fantastically produced - solid, metallic and meaty, with enough space given to each instrument. This is some pretty damn interesting Viking/pagan whateverthehell, IF you can shake the Bathory motifs they blatantly lifted, which to a point I can.

Change of pace?

@Goodly Hah

@Crushed

@Necro

Hey, Thread! Long time no see (sorry 'bout that). Still rocking hard, I see. Good!


Pretty awesome track that would perhaps best qualify as "late 90s extreme metal". It has that whole melodeath/black/thrash/speed+filthy rock 'n roll... anyhting goes! vibe, reminiscent of such greatness as The Crown, SwordMaster, early Witchery or, closer to us (and to my heart), early Theriomorphic. Grandiose BM atmosphere created by just a few touches of hyponitizing eerie-sounding lead guitar work, and letting the chords resonate and echo a bit while playing a somewhat basic but potently ominous, take-no-prisoners mid-paced riff/pattern throughout the song (with plenty of subtle variations, however). The drumming is also of note, marching on and heavily contributing to the dramatic atmosphere (and with spectacularly well thought-out cymbal work). The vocals are the ultimate selling point here, however: fluent in both melodeath high growls and BM vitriol in vocal form, and going from one to the another seamlessly, cumulating both for maximum impact at turning points. Gotta love the production values, too. What a mightily thick yet crunchy guitar tone! And everything else is right where it needs to be to support it perfectly (again, love the cymbals). Damn good and exhiliriating. Must give that band a try, now. Thanks!

Fairly sure I haven't posted this before, but someone else might have (sorry in that case):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA5HgxLLNk8

Thrash thrash thrash!! Never heard these guys before, I was actually expecting the American Ravenous (Killjoy was involved I think)... anyway, this has a strange mix, as the right guitar seems waaay too buried to give the power needed in those drop out sections. The riffs however are quite cool, but youtube is trying it's best to fuck up the sound, or it could be the rip, which sounds like it came straight from the vinyl... the riffs? They are a definite cool, solid as a brick shithouse style, with a nice meaty guitar tone, and isn't reliant on massive speed, instead they are hammering you with some almost Slayer-esque run of notes and a chunky chord movement that works. Sepultura (early I might add) also come to mind here, in a massive way with the hoarse vocals and riff segues. I will firmly admit that this is still very rough around the edges, and could do with some trimming up though, just to make it more... focused and sharp. Can't say I liked the washed out, flat snare drum tone either but the drumming is strong enough to keep everything ticking along, and it's rhythmic partner, the bass, also could do with a bolster in volume and tone, to give a heavier, thumping backbone. Not too bad for what it is.

This band has made a couple of appearances already, but what the hell...

@Crushed:

Grand Magus - King Slayer

Alright, so I'm not a fan of this band, there's nothing wrong with 'em on paper but they fail to capitalise on what are some strong vocals and decent performances. This is, however, their best song for me. Even then we've got some problems... That main riff "dun-dun-dun-durrr" it's not exactly awe-inspiring stuff is it? However, the vocals are excellent and they really drive the song, with an inferior vocalist it's hard to imagine this song being half as effective. Nice soloing, too, kinda like Michael Schenker goes modern heavy metal. The breakdown's pretty dull, too, I much prefer the parts where JB's letting his uber-manly vocals shine through. Even a four minutes or so this feels like it's about a minute too long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vKt8PTQWEs

Edit: changed song again. Hungover and indecisive.

Anata - "Any Kind of Magic or Miracle"

I don't like tech death. At all. But this might be one of the few exceptions for me. While I would describe this as being technical, it manages to avoid being a simple riff salad piece. In fact, it maintains a fairly consistent groove, while still having a lot of changes in melody, which never feel wrong or misplaced. The guitarists obviously know what they're doing, with a lot of tricky and complex riffing in odd time signatures to be found here, but have some sense of restraint to them - the opening riff is really quite memorable and headbangable, and the solos never devolve into mindless shred wankery. The star of the show here is probably the drummer, who never resorts to random blasting, and keeps up a lightning-speed double bass performance and some technical fills while never losing the flow. The bass is clearly audible, and doesn't just follow the guitars, keeping the rhythm very well while still managing to follow its own melodic lines. The growls are not the best I've ever heard, a fairly standard mid-range, raspy tone, but they're not terrible either, and at least work with the music. There's a slower section near the end with clean guitars, which I did quite like, and felt natural building back up into the big distorted climax at the end. Yep, this is pretty cool, and probably a band I will be checking out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-XskEfz-so

Serenity: "All Lights Reversed"

I like the beginning of this song. They do the mellow, beautiful thing rather well and the singer has a great emotional delivery during this early section. But then we get some...metal, I guess it is. Hate to say this, and it's not really a serious question so much, but what does the concept of serenity have to do with metal? I'm not even sure where this band is coming from with their metallic elements. I mean there's loads of talent there, fine guitarwork, some eloquent melody, but I just felt like it was using some of the trappings of metal to be something other than a metal band, and this didn't really work for me. It lacks the gravitas, the fury, the madness, or even the sense of mystery, that I feel metal thrives on. I should note that I believe the band knew exactly what they were aiming for and set out to achieve that, and probably succeeded, but it's just so far from what I feel when I get excited about heavy music that I ended up wanting it to be over. The piano outro is welcome and maybe I would actually like the band more if they were some kind of mellow neo-prog or artrock group. I apologise for this constant refrain, but really, why do the drums sound like this? If my kit had a thin, ticky sound like that I would surely have to complain to someone! Not putting this down because it doesn't sound like Morbid Angel or Black Sabbath or Darkthrone, but rather because despite a high level of musical accomplishment, I feel the music lacks adventurous spirit as well as honest heaviness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGNRbW4ckds

Scythe - Late Summer

Don't know what to quite make of this. Nothing stands out for me at all. The riffing is distant and bland and there's not much in the way of atmosphere as it promises. The vocals are typically standard woodsy death fare and the calm section would have used a bit more ambience to make it worthier. There's a bit of a lilt to the verse in the calm section and when those clean vocals creep in, it does evoke some sort of quite melancholy and towards the close, the doomy structures make it more involving. But too little, too late.

It does make it appear though that this band has stronger, finer moments within their catalog but this just isn't one of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB605huoxOA

Jag Panzer - Hidden In My Eyes

Some really great heavy metal here. I like how the melodic riffing has a quiet melodeath vibe to it that sounds out of place considering this is a traditional heavy metal band but still works for them at the same time. The vocals are the main draw here though and they are very, very good. Rather orchestral with the way the Tyrant handles the higher notes but still given enough power to make the tune sound moving and evocative. The solo is full of classical graces here and there and soars majestically towards the end but it is the vocal performance that really makes this something to go back to.

Doom from an unexpected place;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iObd51wbI_0

^ Judas Priest - Death

Awesome tune. The intro gives a really creepy vibe, which I dig a lot. The whole song sounds a lot like a JP reinterpretation of Black Sabbath (the song), maybe even matching the same level of atmosphere. Halford's vocals are really great, as he has replaced Ozzy on some Sabbath tours you can feel he knows how to sing this type of music. The only problem I found is that it might be a little to long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR45jgDFUsE

Shadow Gallery - Venom

Shadow Gallery is still a band woefully underrated and damn near unrecognized which is truly a pity because they play some of the most imaginative and moving progressive metal in an age of faceless bands. This song attests to that very fact. It is a multitude of things all rolled into one; it opens with a grinding bass/guitar riff and quickly sets up to be a power metally number with sneering vocals at the fore. The rhythm section is quite stand out but the drumming is also propellant and driven enough to merit notice. The vocals are a bit reminiscent of James LaBrie in his tougher suit but when he breaks out in some madcap shrieking, Ian Gillan comes to mind. The guitar solos are scattered throughout and are glassily laid down in a very exciting manner. The rhythms progress in a crazy format with some orchestral vocal backings...it wows till the very end.

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

Savatage - Commissar

The piano creates an atmospheric beginning but then along with the guitars shifts in a great heavy build-up. The riffing overall is conventional, but the combination of rather angry and raw vocals, that could best be described as a snarly not-so-loud shout, with slight symponic elements that remind me of dream theater makes this interesting. The guitar playing is absolutely solid, but in my opinion the riffs could've used a little more variety and experimentation to escape the simple power-chord chugging that we've all heard enough from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u89EHeV9wyg

@DreamOfDarkness

Blood Spill - 'Playground of Death'

Well, that's a healthy amount of reverb for sure. Obviously, we're dealing with 1980s, pre-standardisation death metal here. The bells in the intro certainly please me, as I always love tolling bells in metal. The drums are nice and energetic, too, fill-happy madness. The vocals are cool, too, kinda like Exciter goes death metal or something, hah. In fact they remind me of Deceased's King Fowley a bit. The slower sections are more rewarding for me than the fast parts, though. Sonically, it's got it going on, but I can't help but feel that it's a bit sprawling (sometimes struggling to justify its own length in a "must write long songs" manner) and that it's lacking a bit in memorability. Still, worth a shot for the "Cool, 1980s death metal!" factor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_6ZiGocaSg

Pokolgép - A Jel

Not familiar at all with this band, so interesting to hear. The opening riff is excellent and the vocals are also great. Reminds me a bit of nasal style of the vocalist of more recent band The Wizar'd. Riffs continue to deliver and there's a great solo as well. If this had a more powerful production, it would certainly benefit it (taking into account the youtube sound). I like the exotic language, because it goes well with this type of music. Too bad I don't know what they are singing about. Overall a great song, some good riffs, a great solo, vocally good, etc., but nothing so out of the ordinary that I'd spend my hard earned cash on right now. I only buy exceptional quality records lately, so that doesn't mean that much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMdVRCSwSzk

Fuck yes! I still need to buy this album as what I have sampled I'm sold on. This perfectly spans the void between black and death metal with accomplished ease. Brimming with atmosphere, we are greeted with a sombre piece of synth/choir work before being thrown to the pit. There is a touch of the old Hellenic scene feel to this, but modernised, fused with their own vision - they also bring to mind the quite excellent (in my opinion) Doombringer from Poland whose debut I eagerly await, and Frenchman Insane Vesper. This is a quality slab of metal, but won't win over novices to the style unfortunately, but having said that, I'm fairly certain that is not the goal of LvxCælis: No their goal is a propagation of the species, keeping black and death metal alive and well. This strides along with a brutish purpose, dragging the listener with it's propelling driving riff/drum work, further into the nest of iniquity with effortless (un)ease, and the death metal styled drumming is not lost here, as it seamlessly segues into some rather captivating, and haunting vocal passages expanding the sonic soundscape even further. There are moments of eerie keys here at work too, but never are they intrusive, as they are integral to the structure - giving added shadow when required, and adding more impetus to the song, nay, hymn to darkness, which is fucking awesome. There are no maniacal, high pitched shrieks here, which I'm glad for, because it would ruin the atmosphere, instead there is a gruff growl, or rasp that work in it's favour immeasurably, breathing foul life into this corpse with it's sermon of disease. Yes, I like this A LOT, but this is for those who have probably been listening/watching the evolution of black/death for a while now. A band to keep an eye on...

Something I have been digging lately...

Order of Orias - "Irreverence"

So what we have here is a decent piece of black metal. This is a pretty long song, with a slow, almost doomy pace throughout most of its duration, and they manage to conjure up some great atmospheric black metal riffing within that framework. The opening section, with a choppy riff fading up before the song bursts into the furious tremolo riffs and double bass, is a nice touch, and the solo around the 4:00 mark, with slow and melodic leads building up into a furious onslaught of shredding, is pure gold. Unfortunately, I wasn't too impressed with the vocals - a fairly ordinary mid-range raspy growl, and they sound like they have quite a lot of effects on them. They are completely clear, though, and I could hear almost every line of the lyrics, which are quite intelligent and well-written, so kudos for that. Anyway, it doesn't bother me too much, because this song doesn't have a lot of vocals in it. The song ends with a clean guitar section, which is really quite beautiful, but then it fades into some sort of ambient sound effect and some whispered narration, which goes on too long, and I don't think it really did anything for it. Nothing particularly special to my ears, but not bad either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sL15b_5VTU

Crystal Viper: "Child of the Flame"

A band I should probably have listened to a long time ago, but for some reason just never got around to it. They're often mentioned in the same context as Manilla Road, who are likely my favourite metal band. Well, the song does have a bit of a Road feeling, especially with that cantering sort of riff that reminds me of "Cage of MIrrors". Of course, this is a good bit more modern sounding, with a guitarsound that wouldn't be out of place on a thrash album. I'm quite impressed with the vocalist; she displays a good deal of range and charisma--those high trailing notes she hits are really cool and remind me a bit of classic Agent Steel. The gang vocals in the chorus were fucking excellently placed and sounded great to my ears. ON first listen the riffing doesn't really grab me, yet I appreciated the feeling of the song quite a bit and will probably end up looking more into the band, at long last. That's a great lead guitar tone, too, for the solos, although I didn't get the sense of emotional musicality that I do from Mark Shelton's playing...was a bit more shreddy I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x90sMNu73z0

Warlord - "Aliens"

WOW!!! This is some fantastically well written and exceptionally good traditional heavy metal!!! I'm very impressed! Beginning with the perfectly executed intro with a finger tapping style guitar lick that catches your attention immediately, I am seeing and hearing metal delivered with A+ quality from start to finish. They make it sound so effortless, I can't find a single flaw in their playing. The vocals are very fitting and there are even some high pitched screams thrown in, and the final scream is held for an impressive amount of time. The style isn't very heavy overall, but I must say that it works a hell of a lot better than most extreme metal bands who are excessively noisy and distorted. This is clean, clear, enjoyable music that has an effortless flow of melody to it. I know good music when I see it, and this is a gem I will not forget to explore more of in the near future. 10/10!!!

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

Icon - "Under My Gun"

This band holds some nostalgic value for me, as Right Between the Eyes was one of my lucky second-hand cassette purchases in the late 80's/early 90's. It was a part of the band's later glammy hard rock output, but still a surprisingly solid sleazy piece of work for its time. This one, however, is some credible mid-80's metal, and manages to sound like certain parts of, duh, say, W.A.S.P.'s career. A driving piece of early USPM/heavy metal, with very typical production, songwriting, and vocal styles for its era. Nothing groundbreaking, even back in the day, but a snapshot of its time, and very difficult not to like. I need to get the album now. 8/10.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RCX3_QOt_Y

Solefade - After the Fall

Alright so this is super melodic and accessible black/death stuff. The straight metal is alright, decent enough riffing, nice melodies and stuff. The clean vocals I didn't really like, just really don't like his tone and the bad attempt at sounding epic yet somber. The throaty rasps are well done, though. The sugary solos I did really enjoy, the dude definitely has talent. The acoustic intro/outro was a nice touch. Overall didn't mind this but it''s not really my thing. It's well done for what it is and I think people into this type of metal would get a lot out of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IcFlZa4jz4