August 2022 "The Guardians" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
This month sees The Guardians return back to normal with a healthy mix of Power and Heavy Metal from larger as well as lesser known bands. There's also two singles from two upcoming albums from Blind Guardian and Avantasia. One of the submitted songs this month was Rage's "Light into the Darkness" and I decided to go with the original version instead of the acoustic as it fit the playlist much better.
The Guardians - August 2022 (Link)
August 2022
1. Blind Guardian – “Deliver Us From Evil” (from “Blood Of The Elves”, 2022)
2. Fer de Lance – “The Mariner” (from “The Hyperborean”, 2022)
3. Black Label Society – “Death March” (from “Mafia”, 2005) [Submitted by Daniel]
4. White Whizzard – “High Roller” (from “Over the Top”, 2010)
5. Slough Feg – “Street Jammer" (from "Hardworlder”, 2007)
6. Rage – “Light Into the Darkness” (from “Secrets in a Weird World", 1989) [Submitted by Morpheus]
7. Grave Digger – “Spirits of the Dead” (from “The Grade Digger”, 2001)
8. Avantasia – “The Wicked Rule the Night” (from “The Moonflower Society”, 2022)
9. GALNERYUS – “DESTINY” (from “RESURRECTION", 2010)
10. Fellowship – "Oak and Ash” (from “The Saberlight Chronicles”, 2022)
11. Iron Maiden – “Heaven Can Wait" (from “Somewhere In Time”, 2015 Remaster)
12. Stormwarrior – “Iron Gods” (from “Heading Northe", 2008)
13. Iron Savior – “Mindfeeder” (from “Condition Red”, 2002)
14. Mercyful Fate – “Burn In Hell” (from “9", 1999) [Submitted by Morpheus]
15. LOUDNESS – “Clockwork Toy” (from “Thunder In The East" 1985)
16. The Lightbringer of Sweden – “Skeletor” (from “Rise of the Beast", 2020)
17. Manticora – “Playing God” (from “8 Deadly Sins", 2005) [Submitted by Morpheus]
18. Wisdom – “War of Angels" (from “Marching for Liberty”, 2013)
19. Haunt – “Heroes" (from “Burst into Flame”, 2018)
20. Dark Moor – “Somewhere in Dreams” (from “Project X”, 2015) [Submitted by Andi]
21. Virgin Steele – “Through the Ring of Fire” (from “Hymns to Victory”, 2018)
22. Scanner - "Terrion" (from "Hypertrace", 1988)
It's not yet updated, Morpheus.
Sorry guys. I've been on flights all day. Just got it done now. You're gonna have to be patient with me these days as my work life is only getting more hectic.
No worries, Daniel.
I like the idea of adding new singles from upcoming albums, and that's kind of what I've been submitting to some of the playlists for my clans lately. After all, that's an essential part of playlists, isn't it? Anyway, once again I'm going to comment on a few tracks here that I still like, for memories' sake. Here are my thoughts:
Blind Guardian – “Deliver Us From Evil” (from “Blood Of The Elves”, 2022)
4.5/5. The opening track and single from the band's upcoming album The God Machine has great lyrics based on the play The Crucible.
Slough Feg – “Street Jammer" (from "Hardworlder”, 2007)
4/5. I like this one. I have not yet heard the original song by Manilla Road, but honestly, I'm still not in the mood for a big amount of Guardians discoveries.
Avantasia – “The Wicked Rule the Night” (from “The Moonflower Society”, 2022)
4.5/5. New single from the upcoming Avantasia album A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society, and it sounds great, especially the vocals by Ralf Scheepers from Primal Fear and formerly Gamma Ray.
Dark Moor – “Somewhere in Dreams” (from “Project X”, 2015)
5/5. I actually meant the original version of this song from The Hall of the Olden Dreams, but never mind, this one's perfect too. Alfred Romero's vocals sound amazing, though Elisa C. Martin had a slightly greater edge in the original. A power metal classic nonetheless!
Virgin Steele – “Through the Ring of Fire” (from “Hymns to Victory”, 2018)
4.5/5. The power metal sound courses through your veins and turns your heart steel. This song is part of an incredibly long double-and-a-half album, The House of Atreus. Some songs from this band, like this one, are still fantastic for me. The sound is so dynamic, especially back in the late 90s, when genres like power metal were building up their untouchable glory. This band would've connected to me better if I was listening to them at age 15 when I was enjoying bands like Blind Guardian much more back then.
Scanner - "Terrion" (from "Hypertrace", 1988)
5/5. OK, now this is amazing! It sounds like a much better continuation of Helloween's original speed metal sound that they dumped that year for their Keeper of the Seven Keys. Grand 80s speed/heavy metal that might make up to exploring more of this band and speed metal! Talk about ending this playlist in a mighty speedy bang.