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Post by stringypoo on Mar 28, 2021 23:31:19 GMT -5
Steelwing: Okay, I've been listening to a lot of Traditional Heavy Metal lately. I found this band sadly too late, as they have disbanded. But if you like what you hear here, don't hesitate to check out this album. The guitar work is just really classic and awesome. The songs are all well-written, and the vocals are surprising at times. Great band from Sweden!
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Post by stringypoo on Aug 2, 2021 0:59:39 GMT -5
Gloryhammer: Easily the most satisfying discovery I've made in a while. A Power Metal band created by keyboardist Christopher Bowes of Alestorm fame. Thankfully, he's not the vocalist here, as this vocalist is far superior to Bowes, and frankly, nearly a gold standard vocalist in the Power Metal/Heavy Metal world. Why this is worth your time? There are currently three albums, a trilogy if you will, telling a bizarre story not meant to be taken seriously, yet can somehow manage to be taken seriously. The storyline in a nutshell is an evil sorcerer named Zargothrax (frequently a narrater during the music taunting the main hero Angus) who has summoned packs of undead unicorns to decimate the lands, and somehow it ends up being this epic three part (three album) intergalactic battle with some cliffhanger conclusions at the end of each album. The last track of each album is super exciting, and epic, as in each one the main hero(es) confront Zargothrax in battle. If you don't like Power Metal, this might be something that you can appreciate regardless due to the ridiculous storytelling and truly high quality performances here.
Well, anyway, you've seen the words "Power Metal" and likely made up your mind, but give it a try! haha! The sample track here is a great one, but not the most easily recognizably badass track there is. I just failed to get the original version of the track I really wanted to show, which was "Power of the Laser Dragon Fire." Yeah, you read that track right. Already sounds ridiculous. Enjoy. Oh, and I haven't watched this music video, so don't give me shit if it's dumb as shit. lol
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Post by stringypoo on Aug 11, 2021 7:13:06 GMT -5
Blacksword: I still remember a not so distant time when if the word "sword" appeared in a band name, song title, or album title, I was prepared to cringe at geeky and nerdy shit. But times have changed. And this band, I don't honestly know or care what they're singing about, whether they're a typical power metal band singing about bravery and swords or whatever...they kick ass. This Russian crew delivers power metal with a heavier crunch, while maintaining a wildly melodic style with heavily overdriven guitar action. The singer has a strong voice with grit, and occasionally surprising range.
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Post by stringypoo on Nov 24, 2021 2:07:55 GMT -5
Tower: This one is a female-fronted Heavy Metal band in the vein of bands like Traveler, Riot City, Enforcer, Riot, and Judas Priest. If you like any collection of those bands, you'd be foolish not to check this one out. Classic 80's metal sound is very strong on this one, and in a great way. Best of all, the vocalist is incredible! She has such a badass raspy tinge to her higher range, and possesses great power in her vocal presence. This one is just great fun. Go listen to it!
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Post by tao on Nov 24, 2021 22:43:57 GMT -5
Tower: This one is a female-fronted Heavy Metal band in the vein of bands like Traveler, Riot City, Enforcer, Riot, and Judas Priest. If you like any collection of those bands, you'd be foolish not to check this one out. Classic 80's metal sound is very strong on this one, and in a great way. Best of all, the vocalist is incredible! She has such a badass raspy tinge to her higher range, and possesses great power in her vocal presence. This one is just great fun. Go listen to it! I actually have their s/t debut on vinyl; discovered them shortly after that release, but was completely out of the loop on this one. Just added it to my bandcamp wishlist, and thanks for bringing it to my attention!
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Post by stringypoo on Jan 22, 2022 3:46:02 GMT -5
Eliminator: Here's a band with a nice album to kick off January 2022! In fact, this is easily one of the best albums I've heard of the month, and it probably would have cracked into my top 10 albums of 2021 if it had released a couple of months earlier. It's quite a bit of an early Iron Maiden and Judas Priest vibe. There is probably too much reverb on those vocals though, given that most of the vocal lines are high and long with not so many fast rhythms. I got used to it fairly quickly personally, due to my interest in these kind of vocal in metal, but it might be a sticking point for some people. It gets high and has a lot of vibrato. It's hard not to enjoy the hard driving feel of this band though. Do give them a try!
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Post by stringypoo on Feb 9, 2022 20:47:55 GMT -5
Battle Beast: Finland's take on the Heavy/Power Metal formula blend sure is catchy in Battle Beast. Some tracks are very riff oriented, such as this one here, which really shows great potential from this band. Then there are some tracks that are a bit more vocal-centric with reduced guitar action, which for a Metal fan like me who leans heavy on riff-oriented music can be a letdown at times. However, the execution of everything here is really, really good, which we've come to expect from this group. Their vocalist here is quite impressive, and thankfully (for me at least) she doesn't sing too elegantly, but rather has a rasp and sharpness to her vocals so that she captures real power with her vocals. I'm a fan of that. This most definitely won't be in my top 10, and probably not even my top 20. So why am I repping it here? Honestly, it's just a really great, accessible sound within Heavy/Power Metal that is well worth a listen. If you don't like those sounds, this might still be worth hearing since it's so well-done.
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Post by stringypoo on Apr 6, 2022 22:46:34 GMT -5
Satan: So I'm kind of a mega fan of this band, so it's no secret I'm excited to rep them on our site in this thread here. Satan have released a new album, which never fails to impress me because they have been around for a very long time, technically formed in 1979. Their rate of output given their age and everything may not be as impressive as Saxon, however, who also put out a record this year which is great. But what impresses me the most about this band is that here in the late end of their long-running career they are releasing some of their strongest records ever, with more frequency than in the early days. Part of the British NWOBHM movement, they still continue that sound today, which does not sound particularly apt for a band called "Satan." Their sound is rather light in comparison to what one might expect with a band name like that. It's nimble writing, sometimes with proto-thrash leanings. Singer Brian surprises me with the consistency of his voice over the years. He has really upheld his abilities very well. I don't expect this to blow everyones' minds or anything, but I've already listened to the album a few times through and I think it's a real banger, especially for people who also fancy the old NWOBHM movement and the gems from that era.
Check out the video, which is admittedly a little lame but the song is good!
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Post by stringypoo on May 6, 2022 4:28:07 GMT -5
Sin Starlett: How the hell did I never share this one in a post!?!? By the way, WHAT A MUSIC VIDEO! Lol, it's a little strange the way it's structured. The music actually starts around 2:12 or so in the video, for those wondering where the song is. This band is doing the New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound a bit, a little bit of that classic Judas Priest gallop with a few other sounds melded together. The guitar work is really melodic and catchy, bendy, and just pure fun. The singer is, as is the case with most heavy metal of this style, something you will either love or hate. I am a big LOVE-count for these vocals. The dude has a high register and delivers it with charisma, power, and nuance. The album is a very easy listen, and very fun. Don't miss out on this one!
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Post by stringypoo on Oct 25, 2022 6:00:01 GMT -5
Riot City: So this new Riot City album was not quite what I expected when I consider the diversity of all on offer, but at its core, it is still a familiar sound for sure. This time around they added a new vocalist to take the lead and not be bothered with also playing guitar like on the previous album, and he is mighty strong as the leader of the band now. His vocals are similar to the guitarist who lead the role last time around but he is way more full-ranged and powerful. The album ventures more into other territories than previous material, which at first I wasn't cool with but now I really enjoy it. There are pinches of epic and power metal on this one, but still the speedy energy is there.
Great record and getting some really good reviews so far! I'm thrilled because this was my #1 most anticipated record of the year.
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Post by stringypoo on Nov 21, 2022 2:58:26 GMT -5
Iron Kingdom: The name might give away a hint of cheesiness but I can guarantee this is not cheese metal. Or at least, I don't think so. This is like a modernized Iron Maiden and Judas Priest-styled effort. The closing track is 13 and a half minutes...how the hell they managed to write a closer of that length with their style and it containing absolutely no filler is a strong indication as to how good this record is. Fifth album for a band with little being said about them. Do give this a listen. It's well worth it!
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Post by stringypoo on Apr 24, 2023 21:43:07 GMT -5
Cromlech: Just have a look at that hyper-masculine, badass album cover! This is Epic Heavy Metal done right, although it is not wrong to point out that the writing could be tightened up and that most elements of the writing are overly excessive (generally for the sake of being epic), but that's also part of what makes this band and this album so charming. Also, a very DIY production job means this doesn't pop like your modern deathcore release with audio perfection. But this is very honest in presentation, and I love it. Strong mid-range vocals which range from cleans to coarse grunts combine with gainy guitar tones and excellent riffs to present a very engaging experience. If you can't handle long songs, stay away, but it's still cool to drop the needle and hear a little at least.
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Post by stringypoo on May 16, 2023 5:27:51 GMT -5
Armagh: Such a cool band here from Russia playing a blend of mostly retro heavy metal but with Black Metal influences! Just check out the cool black metal influences in the preview track here that start around 1:55. The drums kick things up a few notches with faster picking at times mimicking black metal passages throughout the journey to keep it from being so much of the same old things we've heard over and over. The sound of the record feels very DIY. Songs are all quite nice, although maybe a couple are too long. Still, excellent band.
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Post by stringypoo on Aug 20, 2023 23:56:03 GMT -5
Antioch: Been following this band for a good long time, and they have just released their 6th album, which I feel confident calling their best yet. Great band and album for fans of Judas Priest, Traveler, Riot City, and other killer bands in that vein. One of my favorite releases of the year, and this thing is just packed full of excellent shout-along choruses and guitar moments.
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Post by stringypoo on Sept 22, 2023 21:50:58 GMT -5
Cirith Ungol: Words cannot communicate how excited I am finding out that Cirith Ungol have a new record out very soon. Furthermore, the first track is available for listening now, and it is one of the greatest tracks I've heard from the band. I found out about this from a fellow Metalcrypt reviewer getting to review the album in advance and giving it a full 5/5 review that was published today. The first track sure sounds like a 5/5 start to me as well. Legendary band. Unique band. It's hard to go wrong with this one, and I highly recommend anyone to look out for the new album Dark Parade on its release!
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