Hitten are quickly becoming one of Spain’s premier traditional metal bands. With two full length albums and an EP already under their belt, these modern day torchbearers show no sign of stopping as they dropped their third album, Twist of Fate, earlier this week. Read more…
Deaf Dealer – a band who is always in a perpetual state of changing their band name between Deaf Dealer and Death Dealer – are cruel victims of fate (and asshole labels). Deaf Dealer’s second full length album, Journey Into Fear, is the epitome of my “lost in time” segment. Read more…
Manilla Ungol? Cirith Road? I have a difficult time choosing the best nickname for Italy’s Vultures Vengeance. Vultures Vengeance fall squarely into the epic heavy metal genre that Italians have been so graciously worshiping for decades. They’re a band who does not shy away from wearing their influences on their sleeve. The band channels legendary acts such as Omen, Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol, and Italy’s own Dark Quarterer in ways that pay homage but at the same time are unique. Read more…
Satan – a band that proves some legends never die. Read more…
Epic Heavy Metal from Canada. Much like the Gorgon of ancient Greek mythology, Tales of Medusa are a band with a shroud of mystery and legend behind them. When they were still active, this Canadian based epic heavy metal band operated like no one else. The band members went by pseudonyms, there was no promotion of the material by the band, they avoided record labels like the plague, and there was no conventional way to obtain their music. Read more…
It’s no secret that Greece has a penchant for the epic. How could they not? With a mythology filled with gods, titans, and heroes, the songs practically write themselves! The Greeks have always been fixated with big song structures, heavy fantasy lyrics, and massive vocals. The depth and quality of the Hellenic epic metal scene cannot be understated, especially once you factor in the relative size of the country. Read more…
I wanted to take a brief moment to step back and look at an album that was crucial in developing and solidifying my tastes. This past week represented the 30th anniversary of Liege Lord’s monumental Master Control, their third and final (so far!) album. Liege Lord are a staple of the United States power metal scene for a reason – all three of their albums; Freedom’s Rise, Burn to my Touch, and Master Control, are undoubtedly classics of the genre. Read more…
It’s that wonderful time of year – there’s a fresh layer of pristine, white snow on the ground, the house is warm and cozy, mom’s baked some cookies, and your excitement is palpable. You can hardly contain it all. What could you have possibly gotten from the jolly old man this year? Could it be that toy truck that you see on every day time commercial? You just hope it’s not coal. You’ve been good this year! Hmm…maybe it’s a new football? No. It’s thirty eight minutes of pure speed metal. Merry Christmas! Read more…
Traditional Heavy Metal from Italy. The year is 1986 – heavy metal of all varieties is booming across the globe. There is a lot going on in the metal world and a number of historic releases are set to come out. Narrowing our scope a bit, Damien Thorne have just released their aggressive US power debut titled Sign of the Jackal and Warlock, the female-fronted traditional metal band from Germany, released their third record, True as Steel. For one modern Italian band, time has stood still and they are still living the glorious days of 1986. Read more…
USPM from Maryland. Every once in a while, I am faced with the simple reality that life is not fair; when a newly-purchased and pristine scoop of ice cream slips from its cone on a hot summer day, when walking to my freshly-washed car and noticing that a few birds decided it would be an ideal target, and every single time that I listen to Apollo Ra’s Ra Pariah. Read more…