I saw the Classic Metalfest in Kalamazoo Michigan in 2001. Check out what the lineup was:

Anvil, Exciter, Manilla Road, Destiny's End, Agent Steel, Cauldron Born, Jacob's Dream, Oct. 31, Lord Weird Slough Feg, Omen, Hades, Cage, Abattoir, Vicious Rumors, etc.

Best show ever! (Well, in the U.S. anyway .... )

Jeez, that must have been amazing.

I don't even know that Dokken live album yet... but I won't stand for Jonpo saying you can skip their studio stuff. You might as well buy Breaking the Chains through to Back for the Attack. Hell, get Don's first "solo" album, too, which is basically another Dokken album for all intents and purposes.

Jesus Christ dude, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings or whatever, I had no idea you'd apparently been carrying some sort of grudge all this time. TBH I don't even remember how I "made" you miss BT's set, I didn't get there until a couple of hours after you guys anyway. I had a good time despite the mishaps with missing Borrowed Time and the tornado and w/e. The sky was fuckin green on the way there and the road was covered with branches and crap, but luckily they were able to set things up again and give us a good show anyway, even if James Rivera had no idea what he was doing when he joined MR on stage for "Necropolis".

Thanks you seem really sorry about it hahah. Missing Borrowed Time was only a minor heartbreak. It hurt my feelings a lot that you immediately criticized my enjoyment of the Manilla Road set after it was over. Every interaction we had just felt unbelievably negative, whether it was you shitting on the "other" bands currently playing, me not really knowing dick about Helstar, not going "wild enough" during the Road set...It was real lame. Not my favorite concert experience and I forever wish I could have a do-over.

James Rivera was bewildered in that moment. It's kind of quaint how little some of these old legendary bands care about each other. I remember reading a Brocas Helm interview where the bassist called Manilla Road "boring". Was it that they were so completely focused on their own thing? Or that it was "competition" and you have to downplay them? Maybe nothing that contentious.

Yeah I was in a pretty bad mood that first night since I'd driven a bunch of hours and been super delayed by the tornado and missed BT (and I really am sorry you never got to see them, I'm still mad I never got to see them perform any material off their last album) and then learned that MR was gonna play only half a set, and they were 90% of the reason I'd driven all those hours and paid the 50-whatever bucks for a ticket in the first place. Obviously it wasn't an ideal concert experience for me either. Under those circumstances I'm sure I didn't make the best first impression, but then it seemed like you were in a shitty mood too, since you kept ignoring everyone to go hotbox by yourself in the car. The only reason I mentioned not going wild enough after the set was because you legit seemed like you were bored out of your skull the whole time and were pooh-poohing their set. I'm the type of guy where if I'm into a set I get really physical, headbanging in the front row etc., but I guess you're the type who has a more internal experience, which is fair. I can be an asshole sometimes. Peace?


I think it's more that most of those old weird bands weren't connoisseurs of the weird themselves, they pretty much liked the same basic influential bands everyone else liked. They were just weird guys so when they tried to imitate their idols, weird music came out. Like if you read the influences bands like Cirith Ungol or Brocas Helm or even Cauldron Born list in interviews or liner notes it's usually very well-known stuff. IIRC Howie Bentley didn't even know Manilla Road existed until after he'd already recorded CB's debut.

2017 had some surprises up its sleeves. The new Serenity and the Lovebites debut were both fan-freaking-tastic, and now Threshold's gotta watch its back if it wants to keep its #1 spot.

FSM: All good bruv.

And you're right of course, none of those bands took any influence from each other. They just seem so completely unaware. I'm the type that would have wanted to see where I sit amongst my peers.

Got a little playlist lined up for tomorrow while my girl is working. All records I just got in: A Distant Thunder, Black Sanctuary by Genocide Nippon, Crystal Logic (Shelled out for the Roadster edition), And the Cannons of Destruction...

I've just finished spinning Pokolgép's Adj új erőt and this one also sounds really killer. I like this raspy singer too even if I prefer the not-quite-as-rough previous singer and the album opener might as well be the best example of a chugging verse done correctly.

Oh man is this your first listen? Easily one of the best Japanese bands of all time, just amazing stuff.

Yes I've got it on right now this is INSANE! Absolutely madcap vocals. Some real evil greasy riffing.

Just saw Manilla Road in Jersey on Thursday. They killed it. Only played one song from the new album and one from the Blessed Curse and the rest was just classic after classic. Started with Open the Gates and ended with Heavy Metal to the World.

Recently pre-ordered Emblem's self titled debut album. Really excited to hear it in full. They seem to really understand what makes grandiose traditional metal special.

As an aside, I'm absolutely in love with how many gems are getting the reissue treatment these days. Decided to pick up the Dark Age and Iron Gypsy reissues put out by No Remorse records while I was at it.

Been spinning the new Oz this morning. It's a very fun album. Do not miss it! Economical, melodic and catchy songs with solid riff work. The two singles they released are probably the worst ones. The rest have more melody, driving forward motion and big catchy power metal-like choruses.

So I'm listening to that Ossian album from 1999 now and it really rules. To me it's just much more effective than the debut which just won't click with me.

EDIT: Just finished it and what an album! Great mix of heavy/power/thrash with tons of variety. I like the two ballads on here, too.

Last night I played Assault's Survival in the Street and the first half of Dutch Steel compilation from '84 that features Vortex and Martyr.

Survival in the Street: This got my attention straight away with the ripping title track. For some reason I had it in my head these guys were German. I just keep confusing them with Scanner. After the first song I realized that couldn't be right and did my research. This album was a very pleasant surprise, with the exception of the a-side closer "Shuffle off to Buffalo". I genuinely checked the liner notes and then MA to see if this was a country music cover. No? Weird. It has this southern swing to it that makes a brief reappearance on Let The Beast Run Wild, though toned way down. Shuffle Off to Buffalo is either a stinker or a grower, only time will tell. Either way it couldn't tank a killer LP.

Dutch Steel ( Allied Forces / Martyr / Vortex / Together / Seducer / Revenge): I only had time to play the first half, which was kind of a bummer because the song I was most concerned with is near the end of the b-side (looking at you longingly, as always, Martyr!). Luckily there were some surprises on the first half. I did NOT expect Seducer to start things off very well. I mean the song is called "I love 69" for fucks sakes. It tears loose with more pace than I was expecting and a supremely greasy riff to match the lurid subject matter. Unfortunately their '83 LP is a lame butt-rocker compared to this track. Revenge were an even better surprise. I had no expectations at all for them. Here they sound exactly like Acid with a 12 year old version of Kate on vocals. It rules! Allied Forces has two tracks on the first half and they're both way better (and god damned faster) than I expected. Vortex sounded COMPLETELY out of place. Slower than the rest, more barbaric and brutish. It's going to be a grower but I already knew their powers. Can't wait to play the second half, and get to the other Vortex and lone Martyr songs.

What do you lot make of Saracen's debut? NWOBHM with Garth Marenghi keyboards? I think I'm in love.

One-man band Tyfons Doom from Finland has just released a song from upcoming album!
I was hired to record drums for this entire album

Two things:

1. Under the Spell by Hexx is really cool. Relentless, fast, short. They combine some real street-level speed metal riffs with more fantasy/horror-based vocals/lyrics. It works!

2. DID YOU GUYS KNOW THAT BOBBIE WRIGHT PLAYED GUITAR ON THEIR 2017 ALBUM?! I wonder if they gave him any license creatively?

This Hexx reminds me of Chastain, similar virtuosic guitarwork and vocal melodies. Just a bit more aggressive. Digging it!

I always thought the singer on Under the Spell was a dead ringer for Leather. Still need to listen to the new Hexx album, though what I've sampled has suggested something not too much lower in quality than Under the Spell. A bit less charm is my initial impression, but I haven't really given it enough of a fair chance yet to conclude that for sure.

Oh hey, so there's a new band called Niviane and its first released song is pretty cool. Very beefy production style, too! I'ma have to keep my eye out for this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DufIwd_D4Q4

Can't believe that Norman Skinner gives his voice for such a cheesy so-called Power Metal thing.

Excuse me sir, you seem to have a stick up your ass.

So I've decided to revisit Blind Guardian's Somewhere Far Beyond and I forgot how intense it was. At times it gets close to the thrash territory and I don't recall Hansi sounding as vicious on the other BG albums. Great album.

That was actually a stumbling block for me for awhile. It was a lot thrashier than I expected/wanted. I'm a fan these days but it really took some growing. It's pretty much a perfect album up to the Bard's songs which just tank the momentum for me. All good after those though!

Hey guys, check out that Attila from the Netherlands. I know their LP looks dodgy and I can't really speak for it but please check out Violent Streets. It has a USPM vibe. I'm not sure what was going on in the Netherlands with Angus, Martyr, and now Attila all throwing their hat in the USPM ring. It's fast and very ambitious as far as complexity jammed into short-ish songs.

Also, The Sybling by Militia really is no joke. I thought they were all collectors hype but those three songs fucking RULE. Talk about speed and complexity. It's hyper-spastic on a Slauter Xstroyes level, if not moreso.

"Thrash to Destroy" is my favorite Militia song. What did you think of their comeback album?

Uhhhh..I definitely didn't listen to it. Never really plan on it, unless someone can confirm the production isn't sterile and gross.

I bought a copy of The Second Coming LP that has The Sybling + Regiments of Death/No Submission demos. Honestly I thought Thrash to Destroy was the worst song by a mile. The stuff on The Sybling was challenging and wild. Wild is the main word I would use for this band, at their best. The tracks from No Submission were noticeably missing this aspect (different guitarist..hmmm) and suffered for it. Metal Axe and Search for Steel from the Regiments of Death demo were fucking rippers.

Sorry for the spam, I've got so much new stuff in lately.

Steel Assassin! Holy FUCKING god! I got the From the vaults compilation based on their tune from MMVI. It is nearly flawless. They sound like some kind of East Coast Liege Lord or Attacker with a Rivera-esque vocalist who lapses into those evil vampiric wails all over the god damn place. Really talented band in every way that matters to me. And the production on their demos kills! When they slow down they sound like a more riffy Manowar. A complete USPM gem.

Steel Assassin rules, but it's been awhile since I heard that comp. War of the Eight Saints is the one I usually go to. That one's excellent, one of the best 21st century USPM albums. Just pure riff slayage and what sounds like it could be Harry Conklin's long-lost cousin. I ought to revisit the comp, you should check out War of the Eight Saints! The production isn't an unlistenable 80s demo, but it's handled very tastefully for a modern album, no complaints in that regard. Great stuff through and through.

Interesting that their vocalist used to sing for Triphammer. That's an underrated agro-thrash group, that sounds nothing like USPM.

I stumbled upon this Russian band called Legion and their 1994 demo sounds like...quite something so far. Really complex progressive/technical power/thrash with plenty of tempo changes, mood changes, riffs appearing in different sizes and shrieky vocals. The production is pretty hollow but that's not too much of an issue for me.

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

Yeah I was worried about the production on War of the Eight Saints, of course. The runtime doesn't help any either. Although the compilation is pretty long and I have no trouble listening to it straight through. The only two weaker songs have the coolest names, which is weird. Sorcerer's Mistress and Barbarians on the Frontier both reach for *something* and don't quite make it. Neither is a bad song at all, they just don't feel as focused or sure-footed as the rest. I noticed the producer has writing credits here.

I'll give War of the Eight Saints a go. They're a no-name band on a small label, I doubt anyone was getting up in there and Sneaping around. Still though, these old guys LOVE that "faux huge" guitar sound that's all scooped out in the middle. The production on the songs from that compilation are beautiful, demo material or not they clearly were trying to present the best face they could at the time. It sounds red hot!

Edit: Man. The guitar tone isn't bad at ALL. But this vocalist is killing me. He sounds like he wears USA flag headbands daily.

He is definitely more vicious on Imaginations. Those two albums contain the best Hansi imo. Rabid, passionate, raspy METAL vocals.


Does not compute! Both are highlights of the album.




This was interesting, if anything for the country of origin. It's an Iranian band, playing power metal (a touch of oriental symphonic thrown in) and the song features Niklas Stalvind (Wolf, Doomsday Kingdom) on vocals, which was the main attraction for me. I really like the chorus.


Binge-watching Solitude Aeturnus live videos these days. Holy shit man, Robert Lowe is just a fucking god.

I'll definitely need to check this out! Thanks for sharing.

Glad you enjoyed it. I also got a progressive vibe from this album. Hell, parts of it reminded me of Psychotic Waltz and even Atheist...all with clean vocals. Really odd quality metal.

I've talked to several guys from older bands about this. It has a lot to do with how and where these bands were distributed and marketed. Manilla Road is almost a household name in the internet age but back in the 80's you probably wouldn't have heard of them unless you either in their gig-circuit area and gave a shit about local heavy metal bands to begin with. Either that, or you chanced upon them in a record store or got them in a trade from a pen-pal or something. Also, learning how to play an instrument was probably a more arduous task due the lack of lesson resources available, YouTube et all. You'd probably start learning Iron Maiden (or whoever) riffs and solos by ear from the records and that probably ate up a lot of your spare time as opposed to actively seeking out obscure bands on your own. The only band members who have actually told me that they spent a lot of time trying to discover new music from the fringes were the guys from Cirith Ungol, now that I think about it.

And let's face it, they probably weren't spending tons of time working on their instrumental chops.

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Get in the corner with Exigence.

I'm sorry man, that guy fucking sucks. I couldn't make it through one song. He's got all the worst modern qualities. His grit sounds forced and he only sings the last word of every line.