The Guardians

July 2025

1. Nightwish - "The Poet and the Pendulum" from Dark Passion Play (2007)

2. Deep Purple - "Speed King" from Deep Purple in Rock (1970)

3. Black Sabbath - "Sweet Leaf" from Master of Reality (1971)

4. Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears" from No More Tears (1991)

5. Rainbow - "Stargazer" from Rising (1976)

6. Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?" from Lightning to the Nations (1980)

7. Fireforce - "The Battle of Ramadi" from The Battle of Ramadi (2025)

8. Iron Maiden - "Flight of Icarus" from Piece of Mind (1983)

9. Queensryche - "Take Hold of the Flame" from The Warning (1984)

10. Airforce - "The Fury" from Acts of Madness (2025)

11. Stratovarius - "Hunting High and Low" from Infinite (2000) (based on Best of compilation (2016))

12. Visions of Atlantis - "Hellfire" from Pirates II: Armada (2024)

13. Manticora - "Echoes of a Silent Scream" from To Kill to Live to Kill (2018) [Suggested by Sonny]

14. Alestorm - "The Storm" from The Thunderfist Chronicles (2025)

15. Gloryhammer - "He Has Returned" from He Has Returned (2024)

16. Warkings - "Kings of Ragnarok" from Kings of Ragnarok (2025)

17. Sabaton - "Hordes of Khan" from Hordes of Khan (2025)

18. Battle Beast - "Last Goodbye" from Last Goodbye (2025)

19. Time Requiem - "Visions of New Dawn" from Time Requiem (2002)

20. Symphony X - "In the Dragon's Den" from Twilight of Olympus (1998)

21. Volbeat - "Evelyn" from Beyond Hell / Above Heaven (2010)

22. Xerath - "Veil Part 2" from Xerath III (2014) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Hi Ben, could you add Arkham Witch's 2022 album, "Swords Against Death" please.

A simple yet killer standout from this month's Guardians playlist, Sabaton's new single about the Hungarians battling against the Mongol Empire:

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Nightwish - "The Poet and the Pendulum" from Dark Passion Play (2007)

4.5/5. Ah yeah, let's start this playlist with what I still think is one of the greatest symphonic metal album opening epics! 5 parts go on through an incredible 14 minutes. But why should I describe them all? It's too beautiful for words. Just listen and learn!

Deep Purple - "Speed King" from Deep Purple in Rock (1970)

4/5. This classic opener starts off this Deep Purple album in a bang with fast distorted shredding before fading into soft ambient organ. Then the hard rock/heavy metal rolls in, and you might not agree with me here, but this is practically proto-speed metal! Maybe close to speed rock? Still the organ shines in some sections. An upbeat way to begin this early example of a heavy metal album!

Black Sabbath - "Sweet Leaf" from Master of Reality (1971)

4.5/5. I love you, "Sweet Leaf"! The song, not the drug. I don't do drugs. This is a slow-ish early heavy metal song that can also come across as proto-stoner metal. I also love the soloing at the 3-minute mark that hints at the D-flat tuning Tony Iommi would in other songs from that album.

Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears" from No More Tears (1991)

4/5. Interestingly, this reminds me a lot of the second half of one of my YouTube pen-pal Danny Ultrawiz's songs, the progressive ballad "Thinking About You". I practically forgot about that Danny Ultrawiz song until I stumbled upon this Ozzy Osbourne. I wondering if that's part of what inspired it. Anyway, I enjoy the vocals, but the spoken words are hard to understand.

Rainbow - "Stargazer" from Rising (1976)

4.5/5. One of the greatest songs of 70s hard rock/heavy metal, hinting at both progressive and power metal tendencies. RIP DIO

Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?" from Lightning to the Nations (1980)

4/5. One more killer heavy metal epic. It was covered by Metallica and the entire Lightning to the Nations album was re-recorded for its 40th anniversary.

Fireforce - "The Battle of Ramadi" from The Battle of Ramadi (2025)

3.5/5. Some good kick-A thrashy power metal right here, sending the enemies into the lungs of Hell.

Iron Maiden - "Flight of Icarus" from Piece of Mind (1983)

3/5. Decent song, but better for my dad's generation, no offense. "Fly on your way like an eagle..."

Queensryche - "Take Hold of the Flame" from The Warning (1984)

3.5/5. Same with this one, although I enjoy Geoff Tate's golden singing and the soloing by Chris DeGarmo.

Airforce - "The Fury" from Acts of Madness (2025)

4/5. Wow, there are quite a few heavy/power metal bands whose name ends with "force"; Fireforce, Airforce, DragonForce... Anyway, it continues that classic heavy metal sound of Iron Maiden and early Queensryche, but better and more modernized.

Stratovarius - "Hunting High and Low" from Infinite (2000)

4.5/5. Still a power metal classic after all these years, like since I first heard it over 10 years before this comment. Lots of great melody here! And apparently its been associated a lot with Dragon Ball Z Budokai.

Visions of Atlantis - "Hellfire" from Pirates II: Armada (2024)

5/5. Wow... I thought I've distanced myself from exploring more female-fronted symphonic metal after the ones I've already heard of (apart from Mechina and other more extreme bands), but this is epic! Awesome power in the vocals and instrumentation, like Nightwish gone Alestorm.

Manticora - "Echoes of a Silent Scream" from To Kill to Live to Kill (2018)

4.5/5. Not gonna lie, this is one of the most intense power metal songs I've heard. Solid heavy/melodic gold! Thanks for this, Sonny.

Alestorm - "The Storm" from The Thunderfist Chronicles (2025)

4/5. Another pirate metal storm awaits for Alestorm. I really enjoy the guitar soloing that is like its own lyric-less vocal melody.

Gloryhammer - "He Has Returned" from He Has Returned (2024)

4.5/5. As for Christopher Bowes' other band Gloryhammer, Angus McFife has returned with a new voice in their new album Return to the Kingdom of Fife. This song never disappoints and details an exciting robot battle that would fit well in Ultrakill.

Warkings - "Kings of Ragnarok" from Kings of Ragnarok (2025)

4/5. Although I'm past my power metal prime, there are still bangers like this for me to love. Great song to touch the hearts of power metal fans!

Sabaton - "Hordes of Khan" from Hordes of Khan (2025)

4.5/5. Sabaton is back with a new single about the Hungarians battling against the Mongol Empire formed under the wrath of Khan. Genghis Khan. I don't care what some people say, there's lots of chaotic energy that hasn't left the band. It's a nice break from their two new albums centered around World War I. So simple yet killer!

Battle Beast - "Last Goodbye" from Last Goodbye (2025)

4/5. I'm thankful that bands like Battle Beast haven't said their last goodbye yet, when we have catchy bangers like this one.

Time Requiem - "Visions of New Dawn" from Time Requiem (2002)

3.5/5. Progressive neoclassical metal sounds quite cool though a little too cheesy. With that said, I like the keyboard work by Richard Andersson and the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio who would later join Firewind. Time Requiem didn't really last as long as Firewind though. I also like the Dream Theater vibes here.

Symphony X - "In the Dragon's Den" from Twilight of Olympus (1998)

4/5. Symphony X also kick a** with the progressive neoclassical metal sound. Sometimes, melody doesn't have to be as deathly as Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. You can get it from bands that are meant to sound like Symphony X, Stratovarius, and Nightwish. Short songs balance out against the longer epics like the 20-minute title epic of the previous album The Divine Wings of Tragedy.

Volbeat - "Evelyn" from Beyond Hell / Above Heaven (2010)

4.5/5. You want what sounds like Alter Bridge gone Entombed?! The guest vocals by Barney Greenway of Napalm Death are a killer surprise! Then the heaviness is dialed back by the usual rock-ish chorus. We need more heavy hammering tracks like this, honestly.

Xerath - "Veil Part 2" from Xerath III (2014)

5/5. Holding on to the epic intensity once more, the closing track of its original album and this playlist makes one final move at combining film score-style orchestra with metal, and it pays off, adding beautiful harmony to this apocalyptic chaos.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here's my review summary:

When lead vocalist Marc Hudson joined the band, some changes were made compared to the ZP Theart era. The songs are shorter and more restrained in length (except for an 11-minute epic), but they've added more adventurous diversity. Warp Speed Warriors sees the band exploring different territories as they did in Extreme Power Metal while not drastically diverting from their usual sound. So expect the usual speed, anthemic power, slight humor, and a cover song more powerful than its original (though it still can't beat the previous album's Celine Dion cover). As always, the band has shown what power metal should really be; fast tempos and technical soloing added to the genre's usual dose of epic and uplifting melody. But they sometimes like to make things more interesting and fresh by slowing things down for an 80s rock-inspired ballad and a couple goofy fun mid-tempo tracks. The deluxe edition comes with alternate editions of several tracks, the first 3 of which have guests from bands like Trivium, Arch Enemy, and Amaranthe. Talk about a powerhouse of metal guests! And they all perform their roles well. Hail the warriors!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Astro Warrior Anthem"*, "Burning Heart"*, "Doomsday Party"*, "The Killer Queen", "Pixel Prison"

*Including guest vocalist editions

For fans of: Amaranthe, Gloryhammer, Kamelot

Here's my sneak peek submission for the August Guardians playlist:

Mechina - "Gene Heresy" (from Telesterion, 2019)

Shining - Divided You'll Stand & United You'll Fall (2025)

Genres: Heavy Metal

Yes, I'm tagging this as heavy metal as opposed to black metal, because out of the five songs, only one is black and the other is about halfway there, being the end and the beginning.  Now I'm one for branching out, and there's only so much creativity a man can do writing mostly straightforward (albeit good) DSBM.  But this album didn't really do him any favors.  While branching out, he's still a bit too focused on the vibe of the genre rather than the compositions of the songs, so the most this album really achieves is a couple of decent tunes and a couple mediocre ones.  The strongest things that can be said about this album otherwise are that the production is good and the vocals aren't bad, but it kind of feels like Shining accidentally took a few cues from freakin' Psycho Synner, and compared this so-so work to the works of Psycho Synner to make it look good.

56/100

Black Sabbath, with Ozzy as frontman, birthed and popularised metal for so many of us old metalheads and Dio helped to resurrect the tottering giants from the terminal decline into which their drug-ravaged delusions had pitched them, delivering a couple of indisputable all-time metal classics in the process. So, come on people, revisionism can only go so far and to consider the Tony Martin era with anything like the same degree of respect as the Ozzy and Dio eras is disingenuous at best. But, that said, it is what it is and these albums still have the world's finest riff master plying his trade and no amount of awful 80s-style over-production can disguise that fact. On the odd occasion when I do listen to albums from this Sabbath era, I do my best to strip away the production in my mind, so I'm not hearing something akin to awful AOR shite like Journey or Foreigner, but getting down to the pure heart of the record and that is Iommi's impeccable ability to write riffs. To be fair, none of this is Tony Martin's fault and I have nothing against the guy per se and, in truth, he is a gifted singer who doesn't sound all that different to Dio as a quick listen to "The Law Maker" will attest - shut your eyes and it could be the diminutive one himself throwing horns left and right!

But, I will never believe that layered keyboards and harmonised backing vocals have any place on a Sabbath record and on a track like Jerusalem they are a bridge too far, especially when coupled with one of the weakest riffs Iommi has ever written, then it is a big ask for me to get too heavily behind it. The best tracks here are the ones that are recognisably continuations from previous band iterations, "The Sabbath Stones", "Anno Mundi" and "Valhalla" would all have sat comfortably on Heaven and Hell or Mob Rules, if not for the production equivalent of 1980's big hair and shoulder pads.

So, in summation, for me this is an album with a fistful of decent tracks, alongside a couple of duffers, dragged down by a production sound that, whilst beefing up the guitar tone, throws the drums way too much to the fore in a way that has become decidedly dated. Overuse of layered keyboards and harmonised backing vocals irritate me at the best of times, but on a Black Sabbath album this is totally indefensible to me. I can't hate this, because underneath it all the riffs reign supreme, but I will never love it either.

3/5

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Apocalyptica - "Worlds Collide" from Worlds Collide (2007)

5/5. A masterpiece track to begin this playlist! Cellos and metal collide and swirl amongst each other like fire and water. A band that started as a Metallica tribute band ended up becoming pioneers of cello metal. This song has also been used as a New Japan entrance theme.

Nightwish - "Wishmaster" from Wishmaster (2000)

4.5/5. Epic chorus, beastly guitars... This still reigns as one of my favorite Nightwish songs for over a decade. I can hear Dragonlance/Lord of the Rings lyrical influences.

Volbeat - "The Human Instrument" from Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (2007)

4/5. My brother likes a few songs by Volbeat, and this one I can like and accept.

Serpent Rider - "Radiant" from The Ichor of Chimaera (2025)

3.5/5. This attempt at a female-fronted revival of classic heavy/power metal is pretty good but not that suiting for me. Still a nice choice, Sonny!

Iron Maiden - "The Evil That Men Do" from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

4/5. When Iron Maiden first entered the NWOBHM scene, it really changed it forever. The soloing and the lyrics can get you hooked, "Living on the razor's edge, balancing on a ledge, y'know, y'know..."

Black Sabbath - "Iron Man" from Paranoid (1970)

3.5/5. It's astonishing how old this song is now, like 55 years old. With that said, I can't really get as much appeal from that track as some of Black Sabbath's other hits.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again" from Diary of a Madman (1981)

3/5. The early 1980s was a time when classic heavy metal was really branching out beyond Black Sabbath. However, it spawns a bit of the glam sh*t hinted in this track. Still the guitarwork by Randy Rhoads is something I enjoy. RIP

Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

3.5/5. I haven't really listened to much of this band or Metallica to see where I stand in the debate between those two bands. Not even Slayer, apart from a couple albums! However, did Slayer ever explore classic heavy metal in the 90s? NOPE.

Metallica - "Moth Into Flame" from Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016)

4/5. Metallica battle against the sellout claims by blending their Black Album heavy metal sound with their earlier speed.

Queensryche - "Neue Regel" from Rage of Order (1986)

4.5/5. I'm 26 years old as of this comment. A few years ago, I enjoyed bands like Queensryche, but now, I want to focus on darker heavier modern metal genres. Nonetheless, the truth is, I still enjoy a few amazing songs from the band like this one. There also some slight hints of industrial all used in their mid-90s material. If I could have a time machine, I would travel back 40 years to enjoy music from the 80s while it was still fresh. Excellent vocals and lyrics!

Rainbow - "Gates of Babylon" from Long Live Rock N Roll (1978)

4/5. This one takes you on a journey through the Middle-East, both musically and lyrically, from the keyboard intro, to the mystical riffing, and the vocal power in the chorus. Although keyboardist Tony Carey was still around for a few other tracks in this album, David Stone stepped in with his own keyboard contributions in this track and a few others, here to provide an exotic atmosphere and get you hooked alongside Blackmore's riffs. I love this track!

Brainstorm - "Your Soul That Lingers in Me" from Plague of Rats (2025)

3.5/5. One of only two tracks I like from this Brainstorm album, Leaves' Eyes clean vocalist Elina Siirala's impressive vocals blow away most of the album's tough issues.

HammerFall - "The Dragon Lies Bleeding" from Glory to the Brave (1997)

4/5. Another great heavy/power metal track that I still enjoy to this day!

Battle Beast - "Out of Control" from Battle Beast (2013)

4.5/5. I also love this Battle Beast track and Sabaton's cover.

DragonForce - "Tomorrow's Kings" from Maximum Overload (2014)

5/5. Another one of my favorite track from my true power metal heroes, with awesome catchiness.

Mob Rules - "Future Loom" from Future Loom (2025)

4.5/5. An amazing song with power and glory in the music and complex lyrics!

Unleash the Archers - "Crypt" from Time Stands Still (2015)

5/5. It's so cool hearing power metal blended with metalcore-ish melodeath. All hail Unleash the Archers!

Masterplan - "Heroes" from Masterplan (2003)

5/5. The first time I heard Jorn Lande and Michael Kiske together was in one of Avantasia's tracks. This clearly shows the heroic side of power metal, and a heroic side that I love! Definitely has some Stratovarius vibes here. I should really check out more of this band and kick-A songs like this one.

Blind Guardian - "Ashes to Ashes" from Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (2024)

4.5/5. Such an underrated song by Blind Guardian, still being one of my favorites from this band. While Helloween may take the throne as the creators of European power metal, Blind Guardian should get that fame as well. Although I enjoy this new version, I still prefer the original one, y'know, so I can feel the nostalgia of first encounter that track nearly a decade ago.

Mechina - "Bellum Interruptum" from Bellum Interruptum (2025)

5/5. My favorite track of the brand-new Mechina album, one of the best Mechina tracks I've heard in ages, a 10-minute epic that includes a spine-chillingly beautiful two-minute bridge in the middle.

Time Requiem - "Attar of Roses" from The Inner Circle of Reality (2004)

4.5/5. Excellent virtuoso in this one! There is also some progressiveness from Symphony X and Dream Theater. I also enjoy the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind) and the keyboard magic of Richard Andersson.

Warmen - "Return of Salieri" from Accept the Fact (2005)

5/5. Mozart would've been proud of this powerful composition. So would Alexi Laiho. RIP

Orden Ogan - "The Long Darkness" from The Order of Fear (2024)

4.5/5. A nice headbanging closing epic in practically all its glory!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

I appreciate the respect, Vinny, but I also understand that my view of this probably isn't going to be typical. It has special meaning for me, as does anyone's truly special records, because of a specific time and set of circumstances that give it an emotional resonance that nobody else would attach to it. So if that means your honest opinion is to give it a slating then I wouldn't be even remotely offended or upset.

I may be wrong and this may be the fading fancy of an aging metalhead who looks nostalgically upon the comradeship of bygone days, but I suspect that sort of emotional attachment has been almost eradicated by streaming and online interaction. The general quick turnover of music and the fragmentation of music as a social glue between groups of friends doesn't really allow for it. Attachment to particular records is probably more to do with whether the music especially resonates with the listener on a personal level rather than from  the human relationships it brings into focus.I

Playing a tape of something like Give 'Em Hell on a welsh hillside with a close group of mates, drinking, smoking and generally having a brilliant, stress-free time after a week of working shitty jobs, gave said music a resonance I have never really felt replicated in the internet era where the sheer quantity of music consumed is staggering. If this is still happening out there, with whatever music and in whatever way, then I for one am glad, but fear it is not the typical experience for most music fans anymore and that is much sadder.

Sorry I seem to have gone off on one a bit there...

Serpent Rider - The Ichor of Chimaera (2025)

Formed in 2015 by rhythm guitarist Brandon Corsair (Drawn and Quartered, Draghkar, Azath) Serpent Rider have been in existence for a decade now and following a couple of split releases, a 2021 split with Ezra Brooks and a four-way split in 2022 which featured the two tracks from a 2019 demo, the band's debut full-length album, The Ichor of Chimaera, is finally here. The five-piece play a traditional style of heavy metal that has its roots in the 1980s and USPM bands like Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol, but with the modern sheen and vitality of latter-day acts such as Smoulder and Eternal Champion. I mention those latter two in particular, because, like them, Serpent Rider feature a female vocalist, the splendid R. Villar, and also like to tip their hat to epic doom masters like Candlemass, Solstice and Solitude Aeternus.

The Ichor of Chimaera is an album that is steeped in the traditions of metal and is clearly the product of a band that is well-versed in that world. The riffs are great, from the rip-roaring, nitro-charged gallops of opener "Steel Is the Answer" and "Tyrant's March" to slower, more hulking and ominous doomy slabs such as "The Hero's Spirit". The guitar sound is thick and powerful and the lead breaks often provide some real highlights for me, as lead guitarist Paul Gelbach unleashes some full-blooded, white-hot solos that give the tracks a real keen edge. The five-piece don't shy away from inserting the odd catchy hook here and there either, with the choruses of "Radiant" and "Tyrant's March" refusing to stop bouncing around inside your brain long after the album stops spinning.

Lyrically Serpent Rider stick to the tried and tested formula of epic metal which inhabits the fantasy worlds created by the likes of Moorcock and Robert E. Howard and there is nothing wrong with that, but it is a very safe option to be honest. The vocals, provided by R. Villar are very much suited to the material and are exceedingly well-enunciated with barely a single word being missed, even by my tinnitus-ravaged hearing. She has a very classic-sounding delivery and has a really nice tone, often reminding me in a weird way of Morris Ingram on Solstice's New Dark Age, particularly on "Tyrant's March", a track which does display hallmarks of Rich Walker's phrasing. If I had one misgiving then it would be that sometimes the vocals sound a little bit reedy when pushed up against the thickness and depth of the guitars in full flow, but this is truly a minor niggle.

Kudos must also go to the rhythm section for the sheer depth and power of the band's sound with Brian Verderber basswork and Brandon's riffing combining to devastating effect. Drummer Drake Graves provides a bit more than just time-keeping with some interesting fills and more complex beats than you may expect - the title track for example has a really interesting drum track and is worth paying particular attention to.

I would heartily recommend The Ichor of Chimaera to anyone who has any love for heavy metal in general or epic metal specifically. Well-written and consummately executed this should tick all the boxes for fans of good, old-fashioned, fist-pumping metal. Sure, it doesn't address real-world horrors or the psychological pressures of modern life, but sometimes it is OK to just have a good time and forget about all that shit and at this minute I can't think of many better ways to do it.

4/5

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with two of my never forgotten power metal heroes whom I'll never let go of:

DragonForce - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3j2j83nXjsAlGq1N9X9FcF

Disc 1 (ZP Theart era)

1. Valley of the Damned

2. Revelations

3. Fury of the Storm

4. Above the Winter Moonlight

5. Through the Fire and Flames

6. The Flame of Youth

7. Heroes of Our Time

8. Inside the Winter Storm

Disc 2 (Marc Hudson era)

1. Cry Thunder

2. Heart of the Storm

3. The Game

4. City of Gold

5. Chemical Interference

6. Ashes of the Dawn

7. War!

8. Highway to Oblivion

9. In a Skyforged Dream

10. Astro Warrior Anthem

11. Pixel Prison

12. Power of the Saber Blade

Kamelot (Roy Khan era) - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7cYVwrx7OMe78YLj9BjYSL

1. Providence

2. Parting Visions

3. The Fourth Legacy

4. Lunar Sanctum

5. Forever

6. Karma

7. Center of the Universe

8. III Ways to Epica

9. March of Mephisto

10. The Black Halo

11. Memento Mori

12. Ghost Opera

13. Love You to Death

14. Hunter's Season

15. Once Upon a Time

Leaves' Eyes keyboardist/harsh vocalist Alex Krull's vocal contrast with Andy B. Franck is far too much of a stretch. And the guitar solo is barely memorable. All of that make an epic f***ing fail.

One of only two standouts in the new Brainstorm albums, thanks to the impressive singing of Leaves' Eyes clean vocalist Elina Siirala:

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Blind Guardian - "The Ninth Wave" from Beyond the Red Mirror (2015)

4.5/5. Blind Guardian was one of my favorite bands when I was still listening to symphonic/power metal. And this is one of their amazing powerful songs that I still enjoy.

Iron Maiden - "2 Minutes to Midnight" from Powerslave (1984)

4/5. I wasn't alive yet in the 80s, but if I was, I would probably enjoy bands like Iron Maiden a lot more. The riffing has a similar vibe to Venom. And speak of the devil...

Venom - "Black Metal" from Black Metal (1982)

4.5/5. It's kinda odd how the band that pioneered the phrase "black metal" isn't the genre you might know today. Venom and Hellhammer are closer to speed metal and would pave the way for Bathory to invent the actual black metal genre and for Slayer to add in dark antichristian lyrics. Quite some underrated talent, I would say! Again I would appreciate this more if I lived 30 years longer than my 26-year age. This was before Finland became known as metal's motherland. Deep Purple can never top that heaviness.

Metallica - "Enter Sandman" from Metallica (1991)

4/5. Whether or not you enjoy metal, and whether you're young or old, this is a classic work of art than anyone can enjoy or at least hear of.

Avenged Sevenfold - "Shepherd of Fire" from Hail to the King (2013)

4.5/5. And how about this track that sounds like a modern copy of "Enter Sandman"? I like this one slightly better, probably because my brother likes it as well, hearing this song from Call of Duty Origins. I can probably be able to sing this song with my karaoke vocals.

Volbeat - "Still Counting" from Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (2008)

4/5. One of the best tracks from this Southern-fried Danish heavy metal band!

Ozzy Osbourne - "Mr. Crowley" from Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

4.5/5. Another bada** classic! While the synth/organ intro is quite notable, you gotta admire the talented guitarwork of Randy Rhoads. RIP

Black Sabbath - "N.I.B." from Black Sabbath (1970)

4/5. This one continues the lyrical narrative idea they first had in the title opener, this one being more of a fictional devilish love story. Now listen, just because the band mentions the Devil, Satan, or Hell, etc., doesn't mean they worship any of that. They're against that, portraying them like they are bad things. Lucifer is depicted as the dark seductive antagonist he's meant to be. The riffing has that bluesy hard rock vibe of Cream, which is a little mundane, especially when Ozzy sings over it, but is made up for by the rest of the song being heavy metal/proto-stoner metal, especially in the slower sections. A brilliant hint at the genre they would establish!

Judas Priest - "Screaming for Vengeance" from Screaming for Vengeance (1982)

4.5/5. Practically one of the true definitions of classic 80s heavy metal! The lyrics are so maniacal and vengeful. People think this should be for or against Trump, but I don't know which side to stand, since I'm not really political.

Quiet Riot - "Metal Health" from Metal Health (1983)

4/5. I guess you can say I'm in good Metal Health! Haha

Queensryche - "Nocturnal Light" from Digital Noise Alliance (2023)

3.5/5. Pretty good track, but their early material from the 80s are where they stand in quality.

Saxon - "Hell, Fire, and Damnation" from Hell, Fire, and Damnation (2024)

4/5. Saxon is still going divine in their nearly 50 years of existence. Wonderful lyrics here!

Battle Beast - "Russian Roulette" from Circus of Doom (2022)

4.5/5. If there's ever a video game that combines anime with James Bond-like secret agent stuff, this heavy/power metal track would fit right in the soundtrack.

DragonForce - "Heroes of Our Time" from Ultra Beatdown (2008)

5/5. This magnificent single keeps up the verse-chorus structure I find boring in most other bands, but for soloing, there are so many random changes and lead harmonies that you can't tell what's next. Brilliant! The end of the song is f***ing impossible not to sing along.

Warkings - "Armageddon" from Armageddon (2025)

4.5/5. For honor and power, we ride into armageddon!

Alestorm - "Shipwrecked" from Back Through Time (2011)

4/5. Avast, ye matey! Alestorm is still going strong with their pirate metal.

Warmen - "Invisible Power" from Accept the Fact (2005)

3.5/5. Nice vocals by Timo Kotipelto of Stratovarius. Cool soloing too! But the rest of the instrumentation could've been better.

Cacophony - "Concerto" from Speed Metal Symphony (1987)

4/5. A sweet balance of neoclassical melodies and heavy riffing. Some of the most beautiful soloing to cover most of the last minute song is performed by Jason Becker, and despite his crippling ALS, he still has his ability to compose music. It's especially good to hear with headphones on.

Andre Matos - "Endeavour" from Time to Be Free (2007)

4.5/5. RIP Andre Matos. His vocals shine in magical songs like this one. I've already been familiar with his vocals since first listening to Angra 10 years ago. His legacy shall be remembered! This is honestly one of the most beautiful songs I've heard from him since the time I've had with the music of Angra. It's so great hearing such epic elegance especially in the second half that can fit well for a final voyage into the unknown. But there's still one track left in this playlist...

Neurotech - "The Ophidian Symphony" from Symphonies (2016)

5/5. The longest Neurotech symphony of all, at nearly 19 minutes, with many different acts woven together for one of the best epics done by Neurotech or any other artist.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

It is baffling to me that despite the obvious dearth of decent material in the last 35 years Metallica are still the planet's biggest metal band. I am glad I got to see them live in the 80s when they were at their best and not this pale parody of a thrash metal act because, as the great Bill Shankly meant to say, "if Metallica were playing at the bottom of my garden I would shut the curtains, put on my headphones and listen to Master of Puppets".

This made me laugh out loud.

Here's my (new) review:

I first encountered Angel Witch over 45 years ago, supporting Motörhead on one of their '78 or '79 tours, if I remember rightly. In those early days they were a trio consisting of mainman Kevin Heybourne alongside bassist Kevin Riddles and drummer Dave Hogg, playing what would become one of the most recognizable sounds of the NWOBHM. After providing the best track on the legendary Metal for Muthas comp, they released their 1980 eponymous debut, one of my absolute favourite albums from the NWOBHM era. Unfortunately the rest of the 80s weren't kind to AW, constant personnel upheavals and a couple of lacklustre albums resulted in the band disappearing from view. Fast forward to 2012 and The 'Witch were back, releasing a new album, their first new material in quarter of a century, "As Above, So Below" which was somewhat of a return to form and a shot in the arm for any long-standing fan of the band, such as yours truly, desperate to see them succeed.

So, 2019 came around and AW finally turned in their best and heaviest album since that seminal debut. It was more focussed than "As Above, So Below" and with a production job that would have absolutely killed forty years ago. This was hi-octane heavy metal and any band of young bucks flying the flag of the traditional heavy metal sound would have been proud to have put out an album as exhilharating as this, never mind a band now well into their fifth decade. Kicking of with an anthemic fist-pumper in "Don't Turn Your Back", you can just feel the years roll away, both from the band and from the listener with a track that would have felt well at home in the band's set of almost forty years ago. The tracks on Angel of Light are generally longer than their previous material, clocking in at between five and seven minutes which allows them more space to grow than their earlier material, whilst still delivering with catchy melodies and an inate understanding of how to make traditional heavy metal sound just as heavy as some of its more extreme offspring. Angel of Light harks back to those early days of the NWOBHM for sure, yet it has a modern sound and sensibility that makes it more than just a band trading on lost glories or trying to recapture their wasted youth, lending it a relevance and vitality than many of the band's peers are incapable of summoning these many years on. There is a greater fullness to the sound of this four-piece than the original trio that recorded the debut could muster with tracks like "The Night Is Calling" or "Condemned" drawing on a marked Sabbath influence soundwise. This is also aided by a deepening of Kev's voice as the years have passed and distinctive though it still is, it is only on the more strained sections where it sounds as thin and reedy as it used to. He also shows a greater propensity for soloing than he did in the earlier days and delivers some nicely controlled and mature-sounding leads.

Overall I have to acclaim "Angel of Light" as a real success and easily the best Angel Witch have laid down since the debut, striking right to the heart of what makes traditional heavy metal so great and awakening a love in me for that sound that I had believed to be long crushed by the intensity of extreme metal. This can easily stand alongside releases from the much-lauded new bucks of traditional metal such as Smoulder or Traveler and outshines most of them in my book. The band's debut will always hold a special place for me as it was a big release within my earliest metal experiences, but the additional power this latest iteration summon when coupled with KH's knack for writing hook-filled heavy metal melodies and the more expansive songwriting finally makes this an album worthy of the band that knocked out that classic of the NWOBHM oh so very long ago.

4.5/5

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Mechina - "Godspeed, Vanguards" from As Embers Turn to Dust (2017)

5/5. The namesake album for the band's saga and this playlist begins with this epic which really shows what the band is about, as sci-fi sounds lead into orchestration, djenty riffing, and blasts all over. The production is quite solid, though it can't top the perfection of the previous two albums. The composition is sealed together in great synergy.

Avenged Sevenfold - "Nightmare" from Nightmare (2010)

4.5/5. Avenged Sevenfold, Evanescence, and Linkin Park are some of the most popular rock/metal bands in the new millennium. It's the kind of popularity you wish the original Teen Titans series would have and continue but instead is given to its dreaded spinoff Teen Titans Go. The heavier metal side of those bands is that long-gone yet underrated side. Still this is a modern classic popular amongst my family and friends.

Lethal - "Fire in Your Skin" from Programmed (1990)

4/5. Then we have classics from 80s/early 90s metal bands that were massively popular back then before the grunge/nu metal era. And somehow the more underrated songs like this one end up getting overshadowed.

Judas Priest - "Invincible Shield" from Invincible Shield (2024)

4.5/5. And a few of the very early metal bands are still going on since the 70s, probably the earliest one still active being Judas Priest. It's impressive how these guys who are over 70 keep up the strength they had in that classic heavy metal era.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Over the Mountain" from Diary of a Madman (1981)

4/5. OK, technically Black Sabbath would qualify the earliest metal band still active today, but their ultimate final concert in July comes after the band and Ozzy Osbourne himself retired from touring 7 to 8 years ago. Even young listeners in their 20s such as myself can jam out to classics by the Prince of Darkness. RIP guitarist Randy Rhoads

Dio - "The Last in Line" from The Last in Line (1984)

3.5/5. Around the time of that Ozzy Osbourne album above, Ronnie James Dio was with Black Sabbath, then he left and formed his own band Dio, as we all know. It starts off sounding a little too much like a Scorpions ballad in the one-minute intro, then we end up getting stronger classic metal. What a legend Dio was, RIP... And holy sh*t, what a blazing solo at the 3-minute mark. This song might just be suitable for radio, or at least it was in the 80s. We're the last in line!

Metallica - "Lux Æterna" from 72 Seasons (2023)

4/5. Now let's head to the new decade again and crank up the speed! No matter how much they've changed, there's still talent within this transcendence between styles.

Iron Maiden - "Hallowed Be Thy Name" from The Number of the Beast (1982)

3.5/5. Not totally the best, but I can understand how people can consider this another immortal classic.

White Zombie - "Children of the Grave" from Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath (1994)

4/5. Black Sabbath vs. White Zombie! Who performed this song better?! You decide! Great take on the original, though I'm not sure that Manson murders sample was called for or related to the original song.

Omen - "Teeth of the Hydra" from The Curse (1986)

4.5/5. Again we have heavy/power metal classics from the 80s that are hard to find in the modern era. Apparently, this one is inspired by Jason and the Argonauts. It's worth repeat listens and hearing the vocal glory of J.D. Kimball, RIP. This band is basically like Crimson Glory at that time with more battle-ready hymns. Quite superb and spell-binding! The soloing and bridge are also worth headbanging to. Peace, love, and 80s metal classics!

DragonForce - "A Draco Tale" from A Draco Tale (2024)

5/5. DragonForce has made another video game-based song, telling the tale of Draco from Brawl Stars. I love the chorus in this one. Let's go, Draco!

Kamelot - "The Haunting (Somewhere in Time)" from The Black Halo (2005)

5/5. Then we have the most likeable single in Kamelot's breakthrough album The Black Halo, a nice melodic contrast with the heavier tracks. The character Marguerite is sung by Simone Simons from Epica, that band who named themselves after the previous Kamelot album.

Blind Guardian - "The Quest for Tanelorn" from Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (2024)

4.5/5. For any fan of fantasy books by writers like Michael Moorcock, you're bound to find something familiar in tracks like this one that refers to the fictional city of Tanelorn. Here we have a classic revisited! The music and lyrics are all quite pleasant. The storytelling grandeur would all lead to what they had in Nightfall in Middle-Earth.

Alestorm - "Keelhauled" from Black Sails at Midnight (2009)

4/5. Pirate metal is a genre that might be too cheesy for some, but it can still be quite fun. Still I've matured past being able to handle the cheesiness.

Rhapsody of Fire - "Diamond Claws" from Challenge the Wind (2024)

4/5. The Nephilim's Empire Saga is still going on, and Rhapsody of Fire are going strong. The soloing surrounding the 3-minute mark rules!

Estate - "Matter of Time" from Mirrorland (2018)

4.5/5. Then we go slightly more progressive alongside some beautiful vocals. The arrangement is quite excellent, having that Avantasia vibe without any of the guest vocalists. Give us more!

Firewind - "Fallen Angel" from Stand United (2024)

5/5. Epic speedy power metal similar to DragonForce! This highlight also appears in the NHL 25 soundtrack.

Stratosphere - "The Battle Within" from Fire Flight (2010)

4.5/5. A little less speed while having the neoclassical progressiveness of Royal Hunt, along with the amazing voice of Goran Edman. Works well for something neoclassical.

Warmen - "Salieri Strikes Back" from Beyond Abilities (2001)

4/5. Load up the neoclassical harpsichord and shredding, though maybe not too much next time.

Epica - "Canvas of Life" from The Quantum Enigma (2014)

4.5/5. Some symphonic metal ballads are still suitable for me when it's all about beauty in the music and depth in the lyrics. This is still one of my favorite Epica tracks, and it fits well for anyone's safe haven.

Starkill - "Detonate" from Gravity (2019)

5/5. Now this is the kind of symphonic metal I still find awesome, blending heaviness and melody at ease. Great chorus is this absolutely underrated song!

Queensryche - "Roads to Madness" from The Warning (1984)

4.5/5. And lastly, another sick 9-minute epic that's like Queensryche's own "Heaven and Hell"/"Hallowed Be Thy Name".

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Accept - "Metal Heart" from Metal Heart (1985)

4.5/5. 40 years ago, this is what metalheads call a banger, and I agree with them. I love how they added in some classical themes from Tchaikovsky and Beethoven.

Capilla Ardiente - "The Hands of Fate Around My Neck" from Where Gods Live and Men Die (2024)

4/5. A doomy heavy metal epic. Enough said!

Throne of Iron - "Past the Doors of Death" from Adventure One (2020)

3.5/5. Same with this one, though here it has a more galloping pace.

Savatage - "Strange Reality" from Streets - A Rock Opera (1991)

4/5. Another melodic heavy metal highlight to sing along to.

Sabaton - "Unbreakable" from The Art of War (2008)

4.5/5. This progressive highlight is one of the best songs I've heard by Sabaton, and I still think that today. It's the band's own Black Sabbath "Heaven and Hell"!

Heavenly - "Sign of the Winner" from Sign of the Winner (2001)

5/5. Absolute power metal greatness with superb guitarwork by Frédéric Leclercq who would later become the bassist for DragonForce.

Blind Guardian - "Nightfall" from Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)

4.5/5. I still know this track as a power metal classic, better than that d*mn "Bard's Song". This is how I knew the character Morgoth before the German death metal band.

Saxon - "Crusader" from Crusader (1984)

4/5. Anyone into NWOBHM, join the Saxon crusade!

Medieval Steel - "Medieval Steel" from Medieval Steel (1984, reissued on The Dungeon Tapes (2005))

4.5/5. I hope this doesn't sound sinful, but this track sounds like Twisted Sister gone Riot/Omen. That said, it really rocks out as a metal hymn. It's practically the band's own theme song! Not all heroes wear capes; some wield swords or play metal. Classic heavy metal can be quite interesting.

Lethal - "Arrival" from Programmed (1990) 

4/5. Classic tracks like this still exist. Keep it real!

Taramis - "Doesn't Seem" from Queen of Thieves (1988)

4.5/5. Cool 80s progressive power metal right there!

Conception - "Silent Crying" from Parallel Minds (1993)

5/5. A fantastic out-of-this world ballad, and I don't usually say that about ballads. I haven't heard Conception until, but I'm glad there's the beauty of Roy Khan's singing before he joined Kamelot. Such a wonderful piece! From what I heard, Conception is kinda like a more progressive take on Khan's early years with Kamelot. They've recently returned with a new EP and album. The ballad reminds me of the ones by early Nevermore and Crimson Glory. There's nothing cheesy in this plate!

Rampage - "Benevolent Approach" from Acid Storm demo (1986, reissued on Veil of Mourn (1988))

4.5/5. After that slow ballad, we go fast again with this pretty amazing heavy/speed metal demo track.

Brocas Helm - "Fly High" from Black Death (1988)

4/5. Another great hymn with slight hints of Iron Maiden.

Attacker - "Battle at Helm Deep" from Downfall (1985)

3.5/5. 80s US power metal, closer to classic heavy metal, before Stratovarius and Hammerfall stormed in from Europe.

Destiny's End - "Breathe Deep the Dark" from Breathe Deep the Dark (1998)

4/5. In the 90s, Iced Earth and Destiny's End were still cranking up their classic heavy/US power metal sound. You might also know James Rivera as the vocalist of Helstar.

Concerto Moon - "The Gold Digger" from Back Beyond Time (2023)

3.5/5. Pretty good, but a little goofy for a band keeping up the Japanese power/neoclassical metal scene started by Galneryus.

Vitalij Kuprij - "Piano Overture" from Forward & Beyond (2004)

4/5. RIP Vitalij Kuprij. Enjoy this cool cover of Moonlight Sonata with Symphony X guitarist Michael Romeo.

Within Temptation - "Caged" from Mother Earth (2000)

4.5/5. Then we have the slow folk-ish highlight "Caged". Both the vocals by Sharon den Adel and the instrumentation are quite diverse. The peaceful calmness are at the right dose here, before it all ends up crashing down later in the original album.

Nightwish - "Ghost Love Score" from Once (2004)

4.5/5. The true epic of this playlist and its original album, and very much everything the album has already offered is blended together greatly. First we have a couple verses with more of the Eastern sitar, then it slows down to a ballad-like section, and after that, we have a lovely orchestral break that is well-executed. Immediately when the metal comes back on, you're hit by one of the most epic moments in symphonic metal, right before Tarja continues singing. And the rest is memorable too.

Mechina - "When Honor Meets Steel" from Venator (2022)

5/5. An aggressive way to head out than can pulverize those earlier melodic tracks, complete with blasts and more growls, most of them coming from guest vocalist Anna Hel. So brutally awesome!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here's my review summary:

The musical journey of Trail of Tears was filled with sorrow (Helena Iren Michaelsen era), darkness (A New Dimension of Might), violence (Kjetil Nordhus era), and accessible glory (Cathrine Paulsen's second era). It really is a shame that the band fell apart after Bloodstained Endurance and Oscillation. The talented voice of Cathrine can't be found anywhere besides this band and Lucid Fear. During the split, Ronny Thorsen was in a different band, Viper Solfa. And now these extreme gothic metallers are reborn! Two singles were released, leading up to the EP Winds of Disdain. Their greatness is still in full force, but a new female vocalist has stepped in, Ailyn. Here we have crushing guitars, bombastic symphonics, bass/drum assaults, and cool synth effects to reminds us who they are. I look forward to if the band ever makes a new album with this kind of sound plus more of the occasional acoustic section and audible bass. An absolute must for any symphonic gothic metal fan. Oscillation wasn't their final stand after all!

5/5

Recommended tracks: all of them, especially "Winds of Disdain", "No Colours Left"

For fans of: Epica, Sirenia, Starkill

My review:

Vendel answers the question nobody ever asked before, what if Judas Priest was a doom metal band? A simplification, but close enough to understand what these guys are about. Another simplification would be to call them another one of these epic heavy/doom metal bands that take epic metal and it with doom metal that seem to be a thing now.
If this sounds odd, it's because it is. I understand there's probably a virtue to this, but Priest generally works when they have energy to them, something that is unusual for a doom metal album. So this is sliding between two different styles and never quite working out right for them. They try, but fail through no fault except combining two styles that are exceedingly difficult to blend together.
Their attempts at the two styles are not created equal, however. While not setting the world on fire, the more traditional side of the album has a stronger idea of what does and does not make that genre work. In particular, they are quite skilled at galloping guitar sections. The doom sections tend to feel like they're just rehashes of other, better works, and as stated. Which unfortunately, combined with other issues tend to drag the album down.
One odd thing I noticed is that a lot of the guitar solos seem to be trying to invoke the guitar solos in the soundtracks to The Incredible Machine games. Even outside of me feeling it has similarities, it's a lot more showy than what the album is going for and seems out of place even discounting that.
While I don't dislike the album, I can't say there's really a reason to listen to it even if there is derth of great bands doing whatever it is these guys are trying to do. It's not objectionable, but unless the idea appeals, it's just not that interesting.

3/5

Alright, jumpin' on the Crazy Train.

1. Paranoid

2. Master of Reality

3. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

4. Black Sabbath

5. Heaven and Hell

6. Sabotage

7. Mob Rules

8. Vol. 4

9. Past Lives

10. Technical Ecstasy

11. Born Again

12. The Eternal Idol

13. Never Say Die

14. The Seventh Star

I'm gonna make a bold move here by swapping out the Black Sabbath track with what I consider to be the worst thing they ever dished out (with the possible exception of "Embryo" but that's not really a song now, is it?).

1. Black Sabbath "It's Alright"

2. Anthrax "Toast to the Extras"

3. Megadeth "Wanderlust"

4. Helloween "Heavy Metal Hamsters"

5. Scorpions "Still Loving You"

6. Judas Priest "Parental Guidance"

7. Slayer "Threshold"

8. Iron Maiden "Nodding Donkey Blues"

I liked Storm the Gates from 2018!

Venom INC kicked ass, sadly Jeff Mantas couldn't be there, but the gentleman they got to fill in was great, and Tony Dolan is an absolute treasure.

I'd suggest that the Motorhead track is looking a little less significant than the other seven inclusions now so I'm gonna opt to replace it with Budgie's "You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk" which I'd suggest is one of the Welsh bands only genuine metal songs, sporting a heavy metal meets stoner rock vibe.

1. Deep Purple - "Bloodsucker"

2. Uriah Heep "Look At Yourself"

3. Diamond Head "Am I Evil?"

4. Budgie - "You're the Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk"

5. Blitzkrieg "Blitzkrieg"

6. Iron Maiden "Wrathchild"

7. Black Sabbath "Children of the Grave"

8. Venom "Countess Bathory"

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in The Guardians for 2024.

Below are some of the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2024 The Guardians Cover of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

The following link will take you to the Gallery, displaying the top Guardians releases that you have not rated yet: CLICK HERE

Here's my review:

There are many theories about where metal music originated from in my home country of Australia & there are a generally a few different names that tend to pop up in such discussions, from Ash to Buffalo, to Taste & Bengal Tigers. But the truth is that none of those artists managed to produce a significant enough release that consistently tapped into the metal sounds we’d been hearing from other parts of the world in the first decade of the heavy metal genres existence. There were certainly of few genuine metal songs included here & there (Hell, Ash’s 1971 “Midnight Witch/Warrant” single was basically stoner metal) but there wasn’t a full album or E.P. full of music that I would class as being predominantly metal. That is, until a Melbourne four-piece by the name of Storm appeared on the scene in 1981 with their live shows doing enough to convince renowned Melbourne record store Central Station Records & Tapes to release a four-song E.P. on 7” vinyl. It would be here that we’d find the earliest of the true metal releases to come out of this country.

Storm would enter York Street Studios in Melbourne late in the summer of 1981 to record the self-produced E.P. with Central Station Records owner Jo Palumbo overseeing the project as executive producer. During the sessions, it would be discovered that there could potentially be legal implications in continuing on under the Storm moniker which had been copyrighted overseas so the band elected to change their name to Taipan, a highly venomous & distinctly Australian snake that seemed entirely suitable for the band’s incisive sound. There are conflicting reports about when the E.P. would eventually be released though, some claiming that it was later in 1981 & others suggesting that the band would have to wait more than a full year until June 1982 to see the fruit of their efforts hitting the shelves. I tend to believe it was the latter but it’s of little consequence in the grand scheme of Australian metal folklore as that still gave Taipan at least a year’s head-start on their competition.

The self-titled Taipan E.P. (or “Breakout” as it would be retitled for the 1984 Bullet Records 12” vinyl reissue) certainly sounds pretty rough & ready by modern standards, instead tapping into the DIY aesthetic that most of the British NWOBHM scene was built on. It’s quite noisy & unceremoniously announces itself as a raucous racket that’s chock full of live rock ‘n’ roll electricity & the energy of youth. All of the instruments can comfortably be made out though & you can easily picture the various band members rocking out on the sweat-soaked stage of a small, smoky suburban pub while listening to it. Like the majority of the NWOBHM that the band were no doubt indulging themselves in at the time, there’s a clear hard rock influence to Taipan’s sound although the regular use of chuggy, palm-muted bottom-string pedal notes & upbeat tempos should leave you with no doubt as to Taipan’s metal credentials. The influence of the first Iron Maiden album is undeniable, particularly the impact of it’s opening song “Prowler” which I’d be very surprised if Taipan didn’t cover prior to this release given the similarities to many of their riff structures. Guitarist Dave Zerafa’s vocals present themselves with a similar punky vibe to Maiden front man Paul Dianno, perhaps with more of the naïve, snot-nosed arrogance of Tygers of Pan Tang’s Jess Cox or Holocaust’s Gary Lettice. Zerafa & Chuck Vandenbelt’s guitar solos come more from the bluesy Motorhead camp though & are really effective, proving both exponents to possess a clear understanding of what made 70’s hard rock so exciting even if neither are as accomplished as many of their overseas peers.

The tracklisting is very consistent, particularly for a debut release, with all four songs awarding the listener with the sort of energy hit that might see a younger audience using it as a backdrop for all sorts of ungodly mischief. The driving basslines & rhythms play a strong role in that effect as they command a physical response. I can’t say that Taipan’s sound is particularly my thing given that my roots lie in the latter part of the decade when metal had already dropped all of its bluesy hard rock influence but it’s pretty much impossible not to identify the appeal in this material nonetheless. In saying that, I’m not sure that I can say that my life would have been any worse off for not ever having experienced Taipan which is perhaps the main reason why I couldn’t muster a higher score than the 3.5 stars I’ve dished out here. Of the four songs included, I’d suggest that the first songs from each side (i.e. “Breakout” & “Tired of You”) are probably the strongest but there’s not much between all of them to be honest. Closer “The Cellar” feels a little different to the other three tracks, partially because bassist Emilio Sarpa handles the vocals on that one but possibly more because it’s comfortably the most metal track of the four, dropping the bluesy hard rock influence & focusing purely on chunky down-picked metal riffs. You know what? It also sounds very similar to Metallica’s “Seek & Destroy” which I always felt had been written as a variation on some of the ideas presented in Judas Priest’s “Victim of Changes” & Diamond Head’s “Dead Reckoning” but are now wondering whether Dave, Lars & James might also have heard Taipan’s debut at some stage too. Admittedly “The Cellar” sounds very much like Diamond Head too though & I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an influence there.

Look, I’m not sure too many of you will find the “Taipan” E.P. to offer terribly much that you haven’t already heard but it’s certainly a fun listen that provides a rewarding look into the roots of the Aussie metal scene. It’s a shame that Taipan didn’t go on with things after it’s release given that their next release (1985’s “1770” E.P.) didn’t arrive until several years afterwards & strangely showed Taipan to have dropped their metal sound altogether in favour of a more sophisticated progressive rock one. They would, however, reform in 2007 when they’d return to their heavy metal roots & I believe are still applying their craft today. I’d encourage all of our The Guardians members to check the band’s debut effort out though, if only to enjoy fifteen minutes of the sort of beer-fuelled, hard rock-infused heavy metal shenanigans that would no doubt have Lemmy smiling over his whiskey glass.

For fans of Black Jack, Trilogy & early Iron Maiden.

3.5/5

Crypt Sermon, Savage Oath, and Judas Priest pretty much wrap up the high placing ones for me. 

Lower quality than those three in my opinion, but Traveler's Prequel To Madness and Writhen Hilt's Ancient Sword Cult are the only two others I can think of. Really weak year for Power Metal this year overall, apart from Savage Oath and even then, they're not exactly my style. 

Capilla Ardiente are a five piece from Santiago, Chile and features a couple of members of doom crew, Procession, along with vocalist, Felipe Plaza Kutzbach, of Deströyer 666, who also provided vocals for this years "Ancient Doom Metal" album from legendary russian epic doomers, Scald. They play epic doom metal, and I mean with an emphasis on the EPIC. Only one of the four tracks on offer here clock in at less than ten minutes and musically and aesthetically they have as much in common with power metal as they do doom. Sure, the riffs are pure epic doom metal, but the overwrought and histrionic vocals, the shred-like guitar solos and the melodramatic songwriting all scream power metal to me. I can hear where they have clearly taken influence from the likes of Rich Walker's Solstice or Solitude Aeternus, in fact Kutzbach has toured with Solstice as the band's live vocalist on a couple of occasions, but where the great epic doom acts succeed is that they keep the inbuilt pompousness and excess of epic metal under control and exercise restraint when utilising the more overblown aspects of the genre, whereas here the chileans give free rein to all the most bombastic elements of their sound. Make comparison, for example, between Felipe Plaza Kutzbach's performance here compared to that he turned in for "Ancient Doom Metal" and I think that most people would agree his performance is more OTT and less controlled than that he gave on the Scald album. sounding eminently more like a power metal singer than a doom metal vocalist. For my money, epic doom is best when built around the aesthetic of a mournful and sombre yearning for lost glories, whereas "Where Gods Live and Men Die" feels more like power metal's grandiose and bombastic celebration of hegemony.

This certainly isn't a bad record by any means, when they get it right, such as with the hugely mournful riffs and more reflective vocals of "Now Here. Nowhere." it is actually very good, but too often it emphasises the epic side of the genre at the expense of the doom-laden and that will always illicit are more negative response from me. Performance-wise, the guys are technically very good and the production is nice and meaty, occasionally allowing the more doomy moments to shine through. The songwriting is quite good, although they go for a bit more complexity than is the norm for the genre, giving the individual tracks somewhat of a progressive feeling. Undoubtedly, it is a more memorable affair than the previous album with some very effective riffs, but its overly bombastic approach leaves me unlikely to be returning to it too often in the future I think. Still, if your tolerance for this more overblown approach is higher than mine, then there may well be plenty of meat for you to get your teeth into here but for me it's all a bit too much.

3.5/5

As is tradition, every December is crunch time for those of us who care about year end lists. So, let's see what you got this year as 2024 has been stellar for me. 

1. Crypt Sermon - The Stygian Rose
2. Ihsahn - Ihsahn
3. Savage Oath - Divine Battle
4. Writhen Hilt - Ancient Sword Cult
5. Judas Priest - Invincible Shield
6. Galneryus - The Stars Will Light The Way
7. Traveler - Prequel to Madness
8. Seven Spires - A Fortress Called Home
9. Saxon - Hell, Fire and Damnation
10. Lovesbites - Lovebites EP II
11. Fellowship - The Skies Above Eternity
12. New Horizon - Conquerors
13. Powerwolf - Wake Up the Wicked
14. Riot V - Mean Streets

Even though I'm probably one of The Guardians' "guys" to most, I'm pretty critical of the clan in general because I find that it has some of the most...slop in the modern Metal world. There are so many Guardians albums, especially Power Metal ones, that get released each year that are just so middling and forgettable that I find myself checking out less and less each year. This year was no exception, as the quality drops off heavily after Traveler's Prequel to Madness. There are many more that I haven't listed just because it's not really worth it.

Crypt Sermon's The Stygian Rose is still the clear highlight as that album hasn't lost its shine for me all year. The Ihsahn self-titled has held up rather well for me with it being a very unique take on Symphonic Metal that only Ihsahn is really capable of. Despite having some issues with the vocals I can't deny that Savage Oath is another hit in the US Power Metal resurgence recently, and I was very pleasantly surprised with Writhen Hilt's classic throwback to a more epic Heavy Metal sound. Judas Priest are still kicking and as much as I want to say Invincible Shield has a bit too many flaws, I think the tracklisting overall is great and I couldn't have asked for more of them at this point in their career. Galneryus still continues to do what they do and while I still have issues with Japanese-style Power Metal, there's some great moments in their new one for sure. The rest are just notable albums from notable bands that were just...fine. Okay even. 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w8wz5HBOoks78mYzldAMq?si=d9ff76ff8f77424b

Much to some people's dismay, happy holidays from your resident Power Metal fan. 

01. Twilight Force – “At the Heart of Wintervale” (from “At the Heart of Wintervale”, 2023)

02. Fellowship – “Victim” (from “The Skies Above Eternity”, 2024)

03. LOVEBITES – “The Bell In The Jail" (from “LOVEBITES EP II”, 2024)

04. Wintersun – “One With The Shadows” (from “Time II”, 2024) [Suggested by Andi]

05. Challenger – “Victims of War” (from “Force of Nature”, 2024) [Suggested by Karl]

06. Traveler – “Heavy Hearts" (from "Prequel to Madness", 2024)

07. Savage Oath – “Madness of the Crowd” (from “Divine Battle”, 2024)

08. Venom – “Possessed” (from “In League With Satan”, 2024) [Suggested by Karl]

09. Taramis – “Blood and Honour" (from “Queen of Thieves”, 1987) [Suggested by Daniel]

10. Motorhead – “Life's a Bitch” (from “Inferno”, 2004) 

11. Judas Priest – “Crown of Horns” (from “Invincible Shield”, 2024) 

12. Coltre – “When The Earth Turns Black" (from “To Watch With Hands... To Touch With Eyes”, 2024)

13. Grand Magus – “Winter Storms" (from “Sunraven”, 2024) 

14. Riot V – “Higher” (from “Mean Streets”, 2024)

15. Satan – “Sacramental Rites” (from “Songs in Crimson", 2024) [Suggested by Karl]

16. Writhen Hilt – “Mountain” (from “Ancient Sword Cult”, 2024) 

17. Dolmen Gate – "Rest In Flames” (from “Gateways Of Eternity", 2024) [Suggested by Karl]

18. Forgotten Tales – “Keepers of the Field” (from “We Shall See the Light", 2010)

19. Saxon – “Hell, Fire And Damnation” (from “Hell, Fire And Damnation”, 2024) 

20. Sacral Night - "L'archange aux yeux de feu" (from "Le Diademe D'argent", 2022) [Suggested by Karl]

21. Sonata Arctica – “Silver Tongue" (from "Winterheart's Guild”, 2002)

22. Seven Spires – “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” (from “A Fortress Called Home”, 2024)

23. Ihsahn - "TWICE BORN" (from "IHSAHN", 2024)

24. Majestica - "Ghost of Marley" (from "A Christmas Carol", 2021)

Unfortunately the Manowar cover by Edge of Sanity was a misstep

Yeah, it doesn't do anything for me either but I figured that others might like it more than myself given that I don't like the original & it seems to be regarded as the best song from Manowar's most popular album. Interestingly, one of my work mates listens to this playlist religiously & he mentioned that track as his highlight this month which surprised me.

I don't much care for Manowar, but I bought Hail To England on vinyl when it came out on the strength of having heard "Blood Of My Enemies" somewhere and it remains my favourite Manowar album. I am surprised that the cover fails so badly though, because I like the track and I really enjoyed the two Edge of Sanity albums I have heard, with me awarding Purgatory Afterglow a whopping 4.5 stars. Just goes to show, sometimes things are less than the sum of their parts! Also, I generally have a poor opinion of cover versions (where I am familiar with the original anyway) and they have to be something special to appeal to me because most songs always sound better by the person who put their heart and soul into crafting them in the first place rather than someone interpreting somebody else's work without that indefinable personal connection.

Back in the day I used to think quite highly of this album compared to it's predecessors and successors. I can't see why now. Gone is the power part of the equation that was so great about Oceanborn, yet it doesn't quite embrace the more fully symphonic sound that the Olzon-era would become. Instead, it's just sort of awkwardly sitting in '00s chug.
I daresay that if it was someone else who made this album, it would be a lot more controversial at best, outright hated at worst. (In the metal world, anyway) I Wish I Had an Angel, in particular, you could just slap into any dance club mix and it would fit perfectly; Right down to the sexy lyrics which are far more dark than they are on the surface. I can't rightly put my finger on why I like it compared to something like Evanesence.
Which isn't to say I dislike the album. I think the first four songs (including I Wish I Had an Angel, that's just an observation) are possibly the best Nightwish have ever done. Dark Chest of Wonders is a good opener, oddly structured. The chorus is incidental to sweeping instrumental sections, only appearing twice. The use of a choir singing sharp, short notes is odd, but I don't listen to enough opera to know if that's truly as odd as it appears to me. It really strikes a good balance between symphonic and metal, reminding me why Nightwish still kind of is the top of the roost when it comes to the sub-genre.
But then we get Creek Mary's Blood, which starts off Nightwish's trend of long, overwrought and pretentious self-indulgence. Stopping everything for an important message, though the Trail of Tears is less pretentious than 15 minutes of "it sucks being Toumas Holopainen". Nightwish's grand symphonic sound clashes with the depressing nature the lyrics invoke of people being torn from their ancestral land. It's not that it's a bad subject for a song, Satan and Running Wild did the same broad subject, I just don't think Nightwish can do effectively a funeral dirge about it.
I wouldn't say songs after this get bad or anything, but they definitely suffer coming after this song. Doubly so on extended versions of the album. By the time Ghost Love Score is over, I'm about done with the album, yet on the version I listened to, there were still five more songs. Even with just two more songs on the normal version of the album, that's a lot to go through.
Lyrically, it's a lot of cheesy, sentimental self-loathing from a Finnish man with a questionable grasp of English, and I love it. There is a subtleness, that perhaps I'm imagining, to the package, that you can't get solely by hearing the album or reading the lyrics. This comes out most strongly in Planet Hell, in which one line is supposed to be "you wanderer", but Tarja clearly sings "you murderer". Considering the content of the lyrics otherwise, I'd be surprised if that was accidental.
In the end, I still stand by my original thought that this sits awkwardly between better albums, even if it has really strong elements to it. I can see why someone else would think of this as their favorite.

4/5

Jon Schaffer breaks his silence and expresses regret for his actions during the Jan 6th insurrection:

https://metaladdicts.com/jon-schaffer-i-profoundly-regret-my-actions-on-january-6th-2021

Just listened through to the remainder of the list while cleaning up this morning. It's one seriously power metal-heavy list this month so if that's your bag then you're in for a treat. If not, then you may struggle a bit.

How's it going, fellas? As we welcome the first days of October, the noble Guardian Knights are eager to hear about a new stronghold worthy of their graceful protection. This time, it is my honor to be their knight captain, so I've striven to select an aptly grand mission in this year's debut full-length from US old-school heavy metallers Savage Oath, "Divine Battle".

Heavy metal stands strong, fellas! I find it properly heartwarming that, despite its more than fifty-year existence, the subgenre is still capable of spawning genuinely delightful records. The album boasts a proper, gritty, old-school sound, catchy, triumphant choruses, and even a slight hint of doom, mostly due to the vocal performance that, to me, sounds a lot like how Ozzy would sound if he could actually sing :]. Lately, I simply can't stop listening to this beauty. If all that sounds good to you, dive right in!

https://metal.academy/releases/50773

Thanks Daniel, I should really start checking out Jag Panzer a bit more as they've eluded me despite putting them on the playlist for that kick of classic US Heavy Metal that seems so hard to find. I've really started to dive into US Power Metal more and have found some solid stuff, despite me bouncing off the genre initially apart from standout acts like Eternal Champion. The Twisted Tower Dire inclusion was one of those finds that obviously isn't for everyone but I've been enjoying their discography as some deep cuts of a genre that I'm looking to get more familiar with. 

Probably gotta be "Powerslave" for me, even though it's a very tough pick between most of the tracks on the album, honestly. As someone who didn't necessarily grow up with Iron Maiden, I had myself do a complete marathon of their discography back when the only full album I had listened to was The Number of the Beast. To this day, Powerslave remains my favorite Iron Maiden album through and through, even though Somewhere In Time and Seventh Son come closest. I'll admit that I'd probably have to go back and spend some more time with their entire 1980's catalogue to get a fully updated opinion since their output for an entire decade was extremely dense, but for now I'll keep with my opinion that Powerslave stands out amongst a legendary discography and is stellar from start to finish. 

Here's my review:

My experience with prolific German metal stalwarts Rage has been fairly limited up until now with my only dedicated investigation of their music being capped at the band’s 1986 debut album “Reign of Fear”, a release that didn’t impress me much if I’m being honest. I struggled with the inconsistencies in quality & particularly with the vocals of bass-playing front man Peter “Peavy” Wagner so I’ve never felt too much encouragement to explore the ridiculously extensive Rage back catalogue further. I’ve recently noticed a fair bit of fanfare around Rage’s 1995 ninth full-length “Black in Mind” though so I decided to give the Germans another chance. It’d been almost a decade since their first-up effort after all so one could only imagine that they’d matured somewhat in that time. Time would tell though.

The production job is pretty good & presents the songs with a metal-as-fuck aesthetic that affords the material every chance of winning me over, even if power metal releases often face an up-hill battle with me. “Black in Mind” is quite an ambitious & diverse example of the German power metal model though. It’s 69-minute run time can be fairly daunting, particularly for someone like myself that’s not usually all that fond of the European strand of the genre, but there are plenty of stylistic changes throughout the fourteen-song tracklisting to keep one from getting bored. Despite the tendency to genre-hop a bit, I think the power metal genre is still the only primary tag required to describe “Black in Mind”. There are notable heavy metal & thrash metal components included & both are significant enough to mention but I don’t think either are a true representation of the overall sound you can expect to here from this record.

Although not as overt as I found on “Reign of Fear”, “Black in Mind” still suffers from largely the same flaws. The consistency of the song-writing isn’t great with four or five obvious filler tracks tainting my holistic impression of the album. While Wagner’s vocals may have improved over the previous decade, I still wouldn’t say that they’re amazing & find that they actually work to the detriment of some of these pieces. It's interesting that the back half of the album tends to be much heavier on the power metal than the A side which is a mixture of heavy metal, thrash metal & speed metal apart from the epic ten minutes of “In A Nameless Time”. I tend to favour the heavy metal material here with “The Icecold Hand of Destiny” being my clear favourite track followed by “The Crawling Chaos” & speed metal burner “Sent by the Devil”. I find “Shadow Out of Time”, “Until I Rage” & the popular opening title track to be pretty flat though while cheesy power metal number “Forever” falls a long way from my taste profile. Let’s not even mention “Alive But Dead” as it’s just fucking awful so you can see that a good third of the tracklisting doesn’t offer me much in the way of appeal.

“Black in Mind” certainly isn’t horrible & I did get some enjoyment out of the majority of its lengthy run time to tell you the truth but there’s no doubt that it's too long & I feel that even a small amount of culling might have seen me awarding it a more acceptable score. As it is though, I can’t say that I found the experience all that rewarding. I'd definitely take “Black in Mind” over “Reign of Fear” but not by as much as most fans would probably think & it surprises me that this is thought to be Rage’s best release as that doesn’t exactly say a lot about their gazillion & one other albums. Perhaps Rage (& European power metal in general) simply aren’t for me but I feel good about the fact that I’ve given “Black in Mind” a good Aussie crack as it has definitely ticked a box that had remained empty for far too long.

For fans of Grave Digger, Running Wild & Avenger.

3/5

Hey there, Rex. If you're up for any ideas for your possible "powercore" (power metal/melodic metalcore) band, the new Jeris Johnson album Dragonborn is for you. Particularly the first half in which most of the songs from that section genuinely exemplify this rare epic modern combo.

One of my NWOBHM favourites and a band I always loved seeing live:

My Top 20 Angel Witch tracks:

1. Angel of Death (Angel Witch)
2. Baphomet (Metal for Muthas)
3. Gorgon (Angel Witch)
4. Don't Turn Your Back (Angel of Light)
5. Atlantis (Angel Witch)
6. Confused (Angel Witch)
7. White Witch (Angel Witch)
8. Free Man (Angel Witch)
9. Angel Witch (Angel Witch)
10. Sorcerers (Angel Witch)

11. Geburah (As Above, So Below)
12. Condemned (Angel of Light)
13. Evil Games (Screamin' n' Bleedin')
14. Death From Andromeda (Angel of Light)
15. Sweet Danger (Angel Witch)
16. Angel of Light (Angel of Light)
17. Flight Nineteen (Sweet Danger / Flight Nineteen)
18. Devil's Tower (Angel Witch)
19. Dead Sea Scrolls (As Above, So Below)
20. Witching Hour (As Above, So Below)

Heavily dominated by their superb debut LP.

What you gonna do when a band issues an album so much better than the rest of their discography?

Another favourite band of mine, Sweden's Grand Magus:

1. Hammer of the North (Hammer of the North)
2. Valhalla Rising (The Hunt)
3. Son of the Last Breath (The Hunt)
4. Mountains Be My Throne (Hammer of the North)
5. Iron Hand (The Hunt)
6. At Midnight They'll Get Wise (Hammer of the North)
7. Starlight Slaughter (The Hunt)
8. I, The Jury (Hammer of the North)
9. Legion (Grand Magus)
10. Sword of the Ocean (The Hunt)

11. The Hunt (The Hunt)
12. Black Sails (Hammer of the North)
13. Storm King (The Hunt)
14. Northern Star (Hammer of the North)
15. Like the Oar Strikes the Water (Iron Will)
16. Silver Moon (The Hunt)
17. Ravens Guide Our Way (Hammer of the North)
18. Draksådd (The Hunt)
19. Spear Thrower (Wolf God)
20. The Naked and the Dead (Triumph and Power)

A band who are incredibly consistent and deserve more acclaim.

Here's my take:

California's Commander ended up being a relatively brief affair. Gathered in 1985, the US power metallers decided to pull the plug just four years later, leaving behind a single full-length labeled “The High n' Mighty.” Failing to achieve any semblance of commercial success whatsoever in the thrash-dominated landscape of the late 80s, the album spearheaded the band's descent into obscurity and remains the only concrete outcome of its activity, save for a spot on the “Metal Massacre VII” compilation. “The High n' Mighty” happens to be quite a significant record for me personally. I stumbled upon it as a single-digit-year-old whelp after purchasing one of the “mp3 metal collection” discs (anybody remember those?). Since it was one of the earlier “lesser-known” bands I discovered, Commander was partly responsible for introducing me to the idea of looking beyond the big names—a thought that sparked a lifelong passion for the metal underground.

The neuronal machinery of the young, impressionable brain of mine was utterly reorganized upon hearing the guitar solo of the opening number, “Knights of the Round Table”. I would not have discovered the feats of Maestro Malmsteen until years later, and a strong allergic reaction to the more straightforward hard rock style I contracted at birth made it impossible for me to appreciate most of the classic shredders. Thus, the hyper-melodic, classical-hinted style of Commander's axeman Dave Macias was a complete novelty for me back then. Around the same time, I found out about a great guitar hero of mine, Andy LaRocque, and they both ended up playing a big part in my exposure to a whole new array of possibilities when it comes to what can be achieved with the instrument. Obviously, over the years, it turned out that Dave's way of playing wasn't all that uncommon or innovative. Nonetheless, it remains fucking delightful to listen to and stands out as the strongest asset of the record at hand, with moments of lead guitar brilliance aplenty throughout the runtime. The opener's qualities don't end here for me, however. I find the track to possess a rare and highly sought-after trait in the particularly high load of uplifting energy, with the potential to help you power through some really tough chores. For example, I would reach for “Knights” regularly on the long study nights in college, and it proved itself to be both more effective and a healthier stimulant than the trusty Jägermeister mit Red Bull. Admittedly, the track is quite heavy on the cheese department as far as the album goes, and I would even go so far as to suggest that at times it approaches straight-up europower territory. That said, it finds itself sitting reasonably well within the outskirts of my acceptable glucose concentration regions.

“Knights” might be a sweet little darling of mine, but the main course on offering here is, without a doubt, the absolute behemoth of USPM glory in “Die by the Sword”. The song is a masterclass in tension-building, with the cyclic nature of the composition playing very well into the lyrical theme of fighting an inescapable fate. While Dave Macias has been the undeniable star of the show so far, I have a feeling that, recognizing where their most fruitful effort was, the other members decided to really up their game for this one. In effect, we get to experience no less than a few instances of truly cathartic musical beauty throughout the track's runtime, with the culminating point of the story featuring a particularly moving performance by the frontman, Jon Natisch. From that moment on, the gears are set for the last buildup and the gloriously satisfying finale. Introducing some needed variety and enhancing the song's character are the pleasantly clacky bass lines, courtesy of Ron Avila. The drummer Richard Mejia retains the thematically appropriate, steady pulse throughout most of the runtime, reaching out for his more advanced skills in the moments of increased intensity, thus contributing greatly to the emotional contrasts within the piece. My personal highlight, however, has to be the performance of the guest synth player, Mark Benson, with both the intro and the passage starting at around the five and a half minute mark having a very profound impact on me. That is due to the evocation of the retro-futuristic sound of the early digital age—a time when we as mankind were looking bravely forward in anticipation of the bright future to come, and a time I find myself deeply nostalgic for. The hints and motifs of this type are present throughout the album, amplified by the production job that graces Dave's leads with an unmistakable tone evoking the images of molten, industrial steel.

I believe at this point it is quite evident that I find the high points of “The High n' Mighty” to be much more than enjoyable, and on their basis alone, I would be quick to reach out for an award in the highest range of 4 to 5 stars. However, we obviously have to touch on the rest of the material and judge the album as a whole. Of note is the speedy number “Return of the Goths”, featuring a particularly beautiful solo by Dave. We also get a convincing package of tracks spawned by the band's admiration for the great Ronnie James Dio. “Kill the King” is a tightly executed cover that manages to manifest its relevancy by upping the heaviness of the well-regarded original. Furthermore, the inspirations are so evident in “Wizard”, that one could be forgiven for mistaking it for another Rainbow / Dio cover track, with especially Jon Natisch displaying tricks taken straight from his idol's playbook. The closer, “The Blade Shines On” is a good song as well, in a similar vein to “Return of the Goths”, though never quite reaching its heights. Unfortunately, I have to say that the record features a block of pretty unexciting material from the title track through “Terror”, where the songwriting takes a noticeable dip in quality. Furthermore, it is clear that Jon Natisch wasn't an experienced vocalist at the time of the recording. His lines are weirdly laid out at times, and occasionally he struggles to stay on-key. His passion and talent cannot be denied, but the lesser quality of the aforementioned three tracks makes it a bit harder to ignore the odd inadequacy. All in all, they do tempt me to reach for the skip button and represent an obstacle to enjoying the record in its full running time.

I find it regretful, that Commander ended up dissolving so early into their career, never fully realizing their vision of bombastic heavy metal. I believe they had the potential to spawn at least a few more beautiful spells and develop a minor cult following they deserved. Over the years, I would scan the Internet from time to time in anticipation of a proper re-release on CD (that it still hasn't manifested itself is but a travesty) or an unlikely reunion. Thus, I was deeply saddened to hear about Jon Natisch's untimely passing in 2012. “The High n' Mighty” might not be an eternal classic when looked at as the whole package, but nonetheless, its high points remain among my all-time favorites within the subgenre. If you are attracted to USPM style in any capacity whatsoever, and especially if you consider yourself a connoisseur of flashy, melodic guitar leads, I would highly recommend you check out at least the highlight tracks outlined below.

For fans of: Dio, King Diamond & Y.J. Malmsteen's Rising Force

Highlight tracks: Knights of the Round Table, Return of the Goths & Die by the Sword

3.5/5

I started listening to this playlist while playing with my one year old daughter last night. The Eternal Champion song is a great way to kick off the list. I fucking love the Anthem track. It's one of my most played heavy metal songs this year. I'm very familiar with the Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force & Blind Guardian inclusions & quite like both of them too.

Riot City really redeemed themselves with Electric Elite for me, since I couldn't get into their debut despite my best efforts and other Heavy Metal fans lauding it as a great addition to the plethora of modern bands playing a very classic style. A lot of it comes down to the vocalist, which I'm sure is already a contentious point as the high pitched wails of their lead guitarist on the first album was a massive selling point for people. The new guy, Jordan Jacobs, still has the high pitched pipes but he uses them in a way more reserved way that it much more effective to my ears. Electric Elite is spearheaded by these vocals with drastically better writing and flow compared to their debut, which felt very sporadic and tacked on sometimes even though they got their point across well enough. The gang vocals in tracks like “Return of the Force” and “Tyrant” also got a major upgrade, feeling way more forceful compared to the debut. These small but impactful changes completely flipped my opinions on this band from being yet another fast but dull classic Heavy Metal revival attempt to a batch of 8 songs that I can’t help but keep coming back to.

Electric Elite is admittedly a bit one-note in what it does and lacks a bit of variety at the end of the day, but I think I’d rather take that than a throwaway ballad or some other failed experiment. The introductions of “Ghost of Reality” and “Severed Ties” give the listener a bit of a break with some US Power Metal ballad shlock, but quickly get back to the riffing as both songs pick up after some well written buildups. That being said, the instrumentals are why I keep coming back to Electric Elite as it has some of the most addicting dual-guitar and driving bass riffing I’ve heard since Eternal Champion. Riot City are much more Speed Metal influenced as they push the tempos on ripping tracks like the opening “Eye of the Jaguar” or “Return of the Force”, but still know how to create a compelling riff when they decide to slow it down on “Tyrant”, which has ended up being my favorite track on the album. Even though I never skip them, the album does grind to a halt with “Paris Nights” and “Lucky Diamond” as you’ve heard it all before at this point and neither of these songs do anything particularly spectacular compared to what came before them. Having a full-fledged guitar solo on pretty much every track is a nice surprise nowadays as well, although only a few are somewhat memorable. Overall I’m glad I gave this band a second chance and I hope they can continue to build on this sound with a bit more variety to smooth out some of the songs that sound like lesser versions of tracks on the exact same album.

I'm back for monthly Feature Releases and I wanted to shine some light on a modern band attempting a done-to-death retro sound that has stood the test of time for me at this point. Canadian Heavy Metal band Riot City screamed onto the scene with their 2019 debut Burn the Night, complete with a strong, classic high-pitched vocalist and a nice amount of energy from the rest of the band. Despite that, it wasn't until a vocalist shift for 2022's Electric Elite that this band started getting some serious playtime for me, since I personally find this album to be a strict upgrade over their debut. 

If you're looking for a classic Heavy Metal fix this month, feel free to check this one out and let us know what you think below. 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w8wz5HBOoks78mYzldAMq?si=ab1c7b44940d420c

Tracklisting:

01. Striker – “Stand in the Fire” (from “Stand in the Fire”, 2016)

02. Motorhead – “Death or Glory” (from “Bastards”, 1993)

03. Mogul Blade – “Beneath The Black Sails” )from “Heavy Metal Wraiths”, 2024)

04. Stratovarius – “Götterdämmerung (Zenith of Power)” (from “Stratovarius”, 2005)

05. Anthem – “Night Stalker” (from “Gypsy Ways”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

06. Flower Travellin’ Band – “Kamikaze” (from “Kamikaze” single, 1971)

07. Bang – “Lions, Christians” (from “Bang”, 1971)

08. Traitors Gate – “Love After Midnight” (from “Devil Takes The High Road” E.P., 1985)

09. Buffalo – “Sunrise (Come My Way)” (from “Volcanic Rock”, 1973)

10. Sacred Reich – “I Never Said Goodbye” (from “Independent”, 1993)

11. Gaskin – “Handful of Reasons” (from “End of the World”, 1981)

12. Deep Purple – “Fireball” (from “Fireball”, 1971)

13. Van Canto – “Take To The Sky” (from “Hero”, 2008)

14. Powerwolf – “Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend” (from “The Sacrament of Sin”, 2018) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Girlschool – “Bomber” (from “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” E.P., 1981)

16. Blood Star – “No One Wins” (from “First Sighting”, 2023)

17. Stormtrooper – “Steamroller” (from “Armies of the Night” E.P., 1985)

18. The Sword – “Acheron/Unearthing the Orb” (from “Warp Riders”, 2010)

19. TOWER – “Lay Down The Law” (from “Shock To The System”, 2021)

20. HammerFall – “Natural High” (from Threshold”, 2006)

21. Rhapsody of Fire – “Holy Downfall” (from “Challenge The Wind”, 2024)

22. Triumpher – “I Wake The Dragon (Promachos)” (from “Storming the Walls”, 2023)

23. Solitude Aeturnus – “Seeds of the Desolate” (from “Beyond The Crimson Horizon”, 1992)

24. Unleash The Archers – “Seeking Vengeance” (from “Phantoma”, 2024)

25. Attic – “Synodus horrenda” (from “Return of the Witchfinder”, 2024)

O nifty I will Migrate this.

"Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" also included "Killing Yourself to Live", an expansive & creative piece that combines heavy metal, hard rock & stoner rock in engaging fashion. Despite the general consensus, it's actually more rock than it is metal but the chorus is metal as fuck which ensures it qualifies for metal status.

This came up on facebook, and I decided to take a gander. I don't usually go for this... I usually hate this, but I found one that I would actually call a great album. You get symphony, operatic soprano-but I like her voice much more than most, and a guitarist doing his best Yngwie Malmsteen impersonation. It has some kind of X-Factor I can't put my finger on. Check it out: THey only have a little over 1,000 monthly listeners so this is still under the radar.

Here's my review:

Earlier this year I conducted an exercise whereby I made a dedicated attempt to identify the first five metal releases that converted me to the ways of darkness & the results (surprisingly) seemed to indicate that London legends Motorhead may well have been band #1 for me through their 1984 “No Remorse” compilation. Needless to say then that we’ve had as long a relationship as I can boast in metal terms. Interestingly though, I’d never heard any of Motorhead’s studio albums past 1987’s eighth full-length “Rock ‘n’ Roll” until this week when I investigated this month’s The Guardians feature release in 1993’s “Bastards” which is their eleventh full-length. Motorhead have never been a band that’s gonna make too many of my best-of lists but they are one that I hold an enormous amount of respect for & generally enjoy too with only their early self-titled & “On Parole” records not offering me some level of appeal along with 1980’s throw-away “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” E.P. & the disappointing 1983 live album “What’s Words Worth?”. Everything else is at least worthy a few listens so, when a well-educated mate of mine recently mentioned that “Bastards” might be the release to finally convince me of Motorhead’s metal credentials, my ears pricked up & I made a conscious note to investigate it at some stage.

Upon first listen it became immediately obvious that “Bastards” is a very different sounding record to the other Motorhead albums I’ve partaken in over the years. The production job is much cleaner & more metallic with Phil Campbell & Wurzel’s guitar tones being thick & heavy & Mikkey Dee’s drum kit sounding sharp & precise. I have to admit that this caught me off guard a little at first because Lemmy’s bass guitar seems like much less of a protagonist in this environment & his vocals don’t seem as comfortable without the dirty grit that Motorhead made their calling card over the years. Repeat listens saw me overcoming this obstacle though & predominantly off the back of some quality hooks & song-writing.

My mate was 100% correct on “Bastards”. It’s by far the most metal release I’ve heard from Motorhead & a dual tagging is more than justified here. The album kicks off with the two most obviously metal tracks too with opener “On Your Feet Or On Your Knees” & speed metal stomper “Burner” both tearing shreds off the unsuspecting listener. The rest of the tracklisting sees Lemmy & co. consistently playing in that grey area between heavy metal & hard rock which often makes it hard to make a call one way or the other. That’s not to say that "Bastards" is a drastic stylistic departure for Motorhead though as you can still identify their bluesy roots easily enough during many songs & I never feel like I’m listening to anyone else.

“Bastards” is an extremely consistent album in many ways. The four-piece band sound like a well-oiled machine & it’s hard to imagine that they were capable of creating anything that was noticeably subpar at this stage in their evolution. The record is at its peak during the three-track run that contains “Burner” (my personal favourite), “Death or Glory” & “I Am The Sword” but “On Your Feet or On Your Knees”, “Bad Woman”, “Liar” & closer “Devils” are really solid too. In saying that though, I’ve always struggled to see Motorhead challenging for my higher scores & nothing has changed in that regard. I just don’t think they appeal to me enough from a purely stylistic point of view & that limitation sees me unable to claim any of the twelve songs as genuine classics, despite all of them offering me a level of enjoyment.

Nonetheless, “Bastards” has really surprised me this week. I wasn’t expecting it to challenge some of Motorhead’s more famous releases for top honours but that would seem to be the case here with only “Overkill” & “Ace of Spades” sitting above it on my Motorhead pecking order now. Don’t be afraid kiddies. This is a high-quality metal release in its own right & is one that’s deserving of essential status in the context of Motorhead’s illustrious career too.

For fans of Venom, Tank & Girlschool.

4/5