Metal Reviews

Yeah, I've been finding my taste for metal to fizzle out a little lately. I need something new, regardless of genre to sink my head into, and really enjoy as I've had quite some trouble with that lately. I don't want a shitload of recommendations that I'll never get through, just a few for each genre.

Here's a list of bands I really really like, so you can take it from there. Thanks a bunch!

Heavy Metal:

- I'm mainly on the prowl for fantastic NWOBHM here like:
- old Iron Maiden
- Angel Witch
- Witchfinder General
- Diamond Head
- Cloven Hoof

Doom Metal:

- Mainly old stuff like
- Pagan Altar

- But also newer stuff like
- Candlemass
- Doomshine

Power Metal:

- I absolutely despise stuff like Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius so don't bother. I like rougher stuff, and if it has to be lighter, flowery stuff it has to be extremely catchy, and full of hooks to grab my attention. Blind Guardian won't get through by the way. Neoclassical stuff is nice too.

Death Metal:

- I'm extremely picky when it comes to Death Metal and only like a couple of bands like:
- Death
- Nile
- Gorod

Don't bother with bruuuutal stuff, as I never seem to get into that.

Black Metal:

- I find myself loving the new trendy, proggy and post-rocky stuff like. Melody is important here as well:
- Altar of Plagues
- Wolves in the Throne Room
- Enslaved

Thrash Metal:

- Maybe my most beloved genre after heavy metal. Not quite sure what to ask for but stuff like:
- Vendetta
- Deathrow
- Darkness
- Tankard
- Destruction
- Heathen
- Overkill

Funeral Doom:

- Not familiar with this genre at all but I loved
- Arcana Coelestia

70's prog/rock

- Loving Yes, Rush, Captain Beyond, Focus, Pink Floyd and the likes so go ahead.


Remember that I only want what you think is the VERY best of each genre. That would be awesome.

- Sadist "Season in Silence" (proggy DM from Italy)

- Baphomet's Blood "Metal Damnation" (from Italy too. Motörhead meets Venom... faster!)

- Briton Rites "For Mircalla" (great classic doom from Atlanta)

- Winterborn "Farewell To Saints" (good melodic heavy metal from Finland)

- Voltax "Fugitive State of mind" (old school metal, think Judas Priest meets Running Wild, from Mexico)

- Maudlin of the Well "Part The Second" (great prog/avantgarde)

- Axe Battler "The Wrath Of My Steel" (NWOBHM meets oldschool American Power Metal, from Chile)

That's all for now...

Power Metal:

Kamelot
Helloween
Sabaton
Angra
Early Edguy
Brianstorm
Primal Fear
Virgin Steel
Theocracy
Tad Morose
Symphorce
Lost Horizon

I'd be sure to check that out and give you a heads up on what I think. I don't, however, like that Winterborn much at all. I loved their first one, hated Farewell to Saints. Anyway, that's a nice list, I'll give those bands a shot.

Since "checking" means downloading, I might as well pass you my remastered version of Baphomet's Blood. I had to change it a bit because the initial mix showed close to no bass and was kind of annoying...

Kamelot: Know and love
Helloween: Like their older stuff, newer not so much
Sabaton: Checked them out a while ago, but will again
Angra: Same as Sabaton
Early Edguy: Never did it for me
Brainstorm: Downburst was pretty damn cool
Primal Fear: Early stuff was good, newer stuff sucks a lot
Virgin Steel: Will give another shot
Theocracy: Never really checked out, will do.
Tad Morose: Will check out
Symphocre: Will check out
Lost Horizon: Love them

That would be awesome, how do you plan on passing it?

Doom metal: Scald. I think they sing about vikings and they've got the best guitar solos and a ridiculously good singer and their album sounds like it was recorded on a tape recorder. Good times.

Actually in the funeral doom category I would check out Ahab. Not a big fan of this niche but they are really a good funeral doom band.

Second that. They did actually manage to make me feel like stranded in the middle of the ocean with their first album. Great stuff, awesome atmosphere.

Rougher power metal - Mob Rules. Picked up "Radical Peace" about a week ago and it kicks.

Panopticon's Collapse, for black metal.

Rougher power Metal
- Kiuas
- Evergrey

Doom/Death
you like melodic stuff so you should like
- Swallow The Sun
- Daylight dies

HM: If you like NWOBHM, give a try to Baron Rojo, Angeles del infierno, Panzer from Spain (I know you was in Spain, so perhaps ypu've tryed all them). And specially Picture from Netherlands.

Doom: Isole, DoomSword, Gates Of Slumber, Reverend Bizarre, While Heaven Wept, Jex Thoth, Ogre.

Metal_xxx- if you into tuneful WITTR black metal try

Terzij de Horde, Skagos, Castevet, Addaura...

now I have to go, back later.

Yes yes yes!

This is what I've checked out so far:

Sabaton: Bombastic as fuck, but not for me I guess, I can't seem to get into this sort of power metal anymore

Angra: Heroes of Sand is an awesome song, I remember loving that a couple of years ago. And well, the rest sounds great, so I better order some stuff by them. Great.

Virgin Steele: Sounds pretty awesome so far. I hear that their 90's stuff is their best, so I'll go for it.

Theocracy: Best PM I've heard in a while. Very cool.

Tad Morose: A bit bland. Checked out Undead. Not my cup of tea.

Symphorce: Seems to get a lot of shit, so I went in with no expectations, very charismatic vocals. Still, it's a bit boring, and I'm stuck between checking out more or just tossing it.

Sadist: Heard them before, and remember liking it alot. And yeah, this still sounds pretty damn awesome.

Black Metal:
As Rio already said, definitely check out Skagos.
Also Klabautamann (progressive folky black metal) and Fen.

Funeral Doom:
Definitely Evoken (although I wouldn't start with this one, it takes a lot of patience).
Mournful Congregation

Black Metal

I Shalt Become - Poison
Janvs - Vega
Cobalt - Gin

Not really black metal, more in post-progressive-whatever, Solstafir.

This.