Hey guys,

I'm wanting to start this because I'm not too sure there's too many people here that have really heard this hidden gem of a band so for anyone interested in checking out some damn heavy late 80s/early 90s (I know there's a few of you here that love it), you should check out this band, Armoured Angel.

Unfortunately I didn't ever get to see them as they split back in '99 and I had only really heard Slayer and a few other bands by about 1998 or so.
From what I've read, they were quiet a popular cult band here in Australia when they existed but I haven't heard of too many international fans raving about them which is usually the case with Aussie extreme metal bands.

My only quell with them is that from 1982, it took until 1999 to actually release a full length, there's plenty of EPs though including a really early 80s straight up thrash album that's very reminiscent of early Destruction but the one that stands out to me and I'd recommend would definitely be Mysterium from 1994, it's not only one of the most soul crushing releases, Australian or not that I've ever heard but also while quiet slow, it's damn heavy.

I'd love to get people's opinion on them, have you heard them before?
What do you think as a first time listener?
Also, it'd be good to hear from any old school Aussies that saw them back in the day, what were they like?

I'll leave you with this song here from my favourite release:

http://youtu.be/bHKWHKGBFGE

Mysterium is amazing. The songs are packed with a certain coldness in the atmosphere you'd normally expect from a black metal record. Sure, the Morbid Angel influence is there, other than that they play a very idiosyncratic style, I'd say.

Super-heavy and just the right length, too.

The demos are nifty for the time period and all, but are too derivative for my taste.

Mysterium rules hard, but for me the Stigmatyr EP is king. The crushing, burly atmosphere is backed up by some killer hooks and song writing. The opening cut, Hymn Of Hate to this day, remains one of my most favourite death metal tracks ever recorded - by any band. It's just a perfectly, and precisely crafted tune, so damn heavy, yet so damn catchy. Great band who knew how to write some damn fine death metal.

The Wings Of Death and Communion demos are also solid, and worth casting an ear over, especially with tracks Madam Guillotine and My Fist, Your face. Influences are well apparent, but doesn't take any enjoyment away for me. Cool stuff.

I have seen them live, both with the original line-up and the more recent incarnation and were great on stage. The straightforward, bruising approach the song lend themselves to, come over in an awesome way live. Heavy.

I was really into them some years ago, haven't listened to them in a long while now.
There's something Swedish about them to my ears. Like an Edge of Sanity/ Unleashed hybrid.
I have Angel Of The Sixth Order and the Communion demo.