^Quite simply one of the best songs ever written.

I AM THE INTIMIDATOR - S/T

"BETTER PUMP THE GASOLINE MOTHERFUCKER!"
This is one of the coolest albums I've heard in a while.

Jon Oliva’s Pain - “Firefly”
One of the greatest songs the Mountain King ever composed. Masterpiece.

Exodus Exodus

A must

Morgana Lefay - Maleficium

Their early stuff is all so consistent - this one's definitely a cut above, with a lot of really well thought out songs. Lots of massive riffing and groove. It's just a really satisfying sound in general. Lots of grace and power all around, nothing missing. I never thought this one really had any one stand-out track like some of their stuff, but it's all very consistent and flows really well. I think the flow does set it apart, a real sense of progression, everything fitting together - very cohesive and powerful.

Legendry - Wizard and the Tower Keep

This song transports me to some liminal DnD campaign from the 80's which never existed.

Förgjord - Ihmismieli

Great Finnish black metal!

Amorphis - Pilgrimage from Darkness

A shame how this band changed from a heavy-as-%& death metal band to a sauna commercial band.

Nightbringer - Lucifer Trismegistus

Love the riffs, really good band.

Damn i love you bro’

Forgjord is one of my fav bands

"sauna commercial band"?

Out of curiosity, has Amorphis achieved mass appeal / commercial success in the Netherlands? Where I live (the States), a band like Amorphis can't even sniff popularity, or frankly any measure of success that could result in them being labeled "commercial".

I understand that bands like Nightwish are truly commercially successful in parts of Europe & elsewhere (and I'm happy for that), but I'd be surprised to learn that Amorphis is similarly successful.

Flood - Ripped into Exile

Gary Lenaire and Guy Ritter from Tourniquet with David Husvik from Twisted Into Form and Extol. 1 listen but I love the guitars and Husvik's drumming.

Neurosis - Times of Grace

There's really something quite good and affecting about this - the sheer scope, the vision, done so damn beautifully. Languishing, aching melody woven into these massive fuckin riffs. I love it. Great, mature effort from them...

Angra - Spread Your Fire

Still top tier prog/power to this day. "Temple of Shadows" holds up magnificently well.


They have gold-certified albums in Finland and some of their singles are quite straight forward (naturally) but calling their non-death metal stuff "sauna commercial metal" is still kind of ridiculous. Their later stuff is certainly more commercially viable than "The Karelian Isthmus" but it's still less accessible than Nightwish (and they don't sell out arenas in Europe like NW do).

Saxon - Saxon (1979)

Saxon - Wheels of Steel (1980)

Saxon - Strong Arm of the Law (1980)

Saxon - Denim and Leather (1981)

Saxon - Power & the Glory (1983)

Saxon - Hell, Fire and Damnation (2024)

The 80's classic Saxon albums are a joy to listen to. They are very short so you can listen to one after another and they flow perfectly, Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law almost sound like a double album. As for their newest album, Hell, Fire and Damnation is also pretty fucking good, it's awesome that this guys aren in their 70s and still creating heavy metal of this quality, Saxon still remains being a force to reckon in heavy metal and hard rock.

Allegaeon - Of Beasts And Worms

Definitely a bit bummed that Riley Mcshane is gone from Allegaeon, I'm very curious as to why he left. Though at the same time, I'm happy that Ezra is back, I love his vocals and although I'm not crazy about the few new songs we got with him on vocals, I'm looking forward to a new Allegaeon album, whenever that time may come.

Currently a couple of 7.5/10 releases:

Cities – Annihilation Absolute

Strange band. On the one hand, they're musically halfway between "Ample Destruction" and "Street Lethal", on the other hand, they seem to be more hard-boiled due to some knotty rhythms and breaks, fewer accessible melodies and the added advantage of some neoclassical shred. Don't let the muffled production put you off.

Ruffians – Ruffians (EP)

One of Carl Albert's earliest bands. Between Armored Saint and early Queensryche. I've read my old vinyl copy is worth a fortune. Don't know if that's true though.

Villain – Only Time will Tell (EP)

When I first listened to this I thought "Vicious Rumors" after a couple of seconds. Then the vocals kicked in – and it was Carl Albert. Lol.

Cerebus – Too Late to Pray

Borderline case between NWoBHM (e.g. Diamond Head) and US metal. Actually, it's more than that as there are so many different influences, e.g. there's a neo-prog part in Catch me if you Can (at 1:39) that sounds exactly like those moments when Pendragon's Nick Barrett tries to mimic David Gilmour. Interesting mix with unexpected twists and turns. I also like the closing ballad with its unusual chord choices. And the singer, Scott Board… I think his high register voice isn't the best but his mid-range voice is top-drawer and capable of the same frills and embellishments that made Lou Gramm one of the greatest rock singers ever. In the 80s, he could have had a career in AOR.

Autarcie Apogée. Ivresse. Agonie. Track

Memorable

Excarnated Entity - Split Visage

From the Stillborn In Ash ep this is some insanely heavy death/doom with awesome vocals.There's a full length out now which i need to get if it's this good.

Dust - Sucide
Such a great proto metal deep cut, with that extended bass solo in the middle *chefs kiss*

following it up with a proto metal playlist I made today after thinking of this song

Eta for those interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PzZd ... huxBwDTyKc

Nile - Annihilation of The Wicked

One of my favorite brutal death metal albums of all time, Karl and company were firing on all cylinders with this one. What a suffocating storm of choppy technical riffing, shredding leads, and some of the most insane drumming I've heard on a death metal album. Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten has to be my favorite Nile song to date, fucking crushes.

Fifth Angel – Fifth Angel
Fifth Angel – Time will Tell

I never understood why they have always been referred to as a "power metal" band. The music here is one step away from Dokken. That step consists of Dokken's hits and stellar musicianship. Don't get me wrong, I think both albums are really solid fun soundtracks for the road to the beach but pedestrian compared to Vicious Rumors, Metal Church or Queensryche, and "Kiss of Death" stomps over them like Godzilla. I wonder if the two comeback albums are any different.

Nattfog - Yön varjoista...

Been into this band since I bought their first demo tape.
Hope they have something new in the works.

Midnight - Villainy Wretched Villainy

Giving the last one another spin before the next one drops.Ok i'll admit,it's a good time for the most part but i'm still sitting on the fence if i ever buy another one.

The Wizar'd - The Moss That Grew on the Sorcerer's Grave

Aweosme doom, really like the vocals!

The riff of Night of the Ancient Rites

Omg

Morgana Lefay - Victim of the Inquisition

This kind of Crimson Glory groove and melodicism - should be studied and replicated by whoever feels it deeply. What a sound.

Tad Morose - Corporate Masters

This is so good. Urban breed sure did have a bizarre career in hindsight. Wonder where he'll turn up next.

I AM THE INTIMIDATOR - s/t
Herman Frank - Loyal to None

Similar moods... similarly unhinged frenzy for power/trad stuff. Great.

Anthrax Lone justice

Great song

Indeed. A great song...but every song on that album is great.

Morbid angel - Abominations of Desolation
Did a weird little experiment where I listened to the later (or rather, earlier but finished) versions of each of these tracks, to see how far they came. On one hand it would have been insane to have released this in 1986, fully feldged osdm and all, but I prefer the polished final versions way more, and am glad we got the albums we did, even though AoD would have been huge for its time

Previously:

Syrus – Tales of War

Comeback album by Ray Alder's employer prior to Fates Warning. Solid re-recordings of the old demo tracks from the 80s. Like the straightest and most metallic tracks on "The Spectre Within". The singer's voice is ok, but he has a poor sense of rhythm. In a way this reminds me of Sorcerer where everything is nice and sweet but lacks variety, personality, memorable hooks and songs that are only as long as they need to be. Good for a listen or two. Too bad because the style is right up my alley. 6.5-7/10

Now:

What sounds like a bad U.D.O. album garnished with an Alice Cooper pose and some subtle melodic ideas in the vein of Joe and Albert Bouchard (Blue Öyster Cult) and fronted by a cross between Aaron Stainthorpe and a duck?



Anyhow, that's what I'm listening to right now.

Angmar - Aux funérailles du monde
A slightly rough but tasteful and well developed demo of French black metal. The main theme riff on "Argaël - A Wisdom Called Hate" bleeds a type of passion that's all too rare. Love hearing the bits that got resurrected later in Norman Shores.

Absolutely…

Necrophobic Blinded by light,Enlightened by Darkness

Maybe only Dissection(first two albums)can compete with them,dark and catchy as f@@@

Iron Maiden - Total Eclipse

Cannot see it here, but I can hear it.

Overkill - "WFO"
Not their best by a long shot, and the mix is odd, but there are some solid songs here.

Demolition Hammer - Epidemic of Violence
Necrot - Mortal
Unaussprechlichen Kulten - Haxan Sabaoth

Digging into some heavy shit. The Necrot keeps really impressing me - it's a devoutly old-school sound, but it isn't imitative, walking this fine line. Just fucking unrelenting pummeling and addictive heavy riffs.

UK is definitely operating at a level I hadn't really heard since The Chasm... really sweet, fucking complex writing and playing. A definite vibe to it all. This kind of ambitious sound is great when the bands can leaven the lofty ideas with a bunch of massive fiery Mercyful Fate-ish leads and some real hunger to the riffs, it just fucking works.

Saxon - Crusader

Saxon - Unleash the Beast

Saxon - Carpe Diem

Iam being on a Saxon binge these couple of weeks, love their style and it was one of the few classic bands that I haven't paid enough attention over the years, but their reputation precedes them, they are a legendary band. They have 27 studio albums so listening to their discography is a task on its own but is a fun listen. I love Crusader, it was my jam in the gym these days, I feel like pumping iron with that tune, really badass song.

Ozzy Osbourne- Can You Hear Them?

This is super underrated. Wish he played it live.

I would describe Fifth Angel as melodic rock/heavy metal. I don't think they are pedestrian though. The Third Secret is kind of Dio-ish metal and When Angels Kill is kind of like the debut but still different. I think both are excellent but the latter had some narration I didn't care for.

Tourniquet - Stop the Bleeding

Hands down my favorite of the first three albums. Guy Ritter's vocal performance is outstanding and he goes higher on this than the following albums so there is just more color. At times he reminds me of Mark Shelton, Eric Wagner and even Martin Walkyier in his Sabbat days. Awesome speed, thrash, tech prog. This even made me think of early Mekong Delta. An amazing album!

Armagedda A World Full of lies

This is when black metal destroy other genres