Track Of The Day - The Guardians Edition
Ancient Empire - Wings of the Fallen from Wings of the Fallen (2019)
I have been playing this album a bit recently. It is kind of how I want all my power metal to sound even though I don't think the band are aiming for that sub-genre. This is more heavy metal in direction but has a degree of polish applied to it not unlike a power metal. The album is a little patchy in places but overall I think it is a fair effort although after a near decade together I would expect a little more consistency.
Impressive German power metal from a bunch of tech death masters.
Impressive German power metal from a bunch of tech death masters.
Progressive-influenced technical neo-classical power metal for a wild epic blast! Should appeal to Guardians members looking for a diverse mix of Blind Guardian, Yngwie Malmsteen, and classic Dream Theater.
Some chunky heavy metal from this South African-based video game soundtrack producer.
Some chunky heavy metal from this South African-based video game soundtrack producer.
The sound of some of the most metal video game soundtrack I've heard! I've not yet started playing this game, but maybe I will. Definitely some Devin Townsend/Nevermore/Judas Priest vibes in this theme.
A 14-minute epic of folk-ish progressive power metal, to please fans of that style and bands like Falconer, Rhapsody (of Fire), and Symphony X:
I decided that while I'm still doing my Wuthering Heights (plus new Battle Beast album) journey, I am going to continue my Guardians-related activities, but distant myself from a few other bands I'm not that interested in anymore, which I'll discuss later. Anyway, this 20-minute epic trio of songs is one of the reasons for my decision to stay:
I think I found the ultimate anthem for this clan, for anyone wanting an early speedy power metal album inspired by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and early Metallica:
The first ever 13-minute power metal epic, and probably this band's theme:
What do you get when you travel back to the 80s and take with you some classic metal and synth-pop from that decade? Finnish heavy/power metallers Battle Beast! This should remind you of a mix of Judas Priest, Beyond the Black, and Power Quest:
This epic opener of Iced Earth's second album begins with a keyboard-orchestral intro that would inspire that of Kamelot's Eternity, then a couple acoustic verses, and finally fast heavy thrash riffing influenced by Dark Angel and Death Angel along with the vocals of John Greely that's lightyears better than that of Gene Adam. Don't believe me? Give this song a listen and you'll hear it all:
If you haven't listened to it Andi, I would heavily recommend Iced Earth's double CD, Days of Purgatory. They re-recorded 21 tracks from their first four albums with their best singer, Matt Barlow. It is my favourite power metal release and one of my absolute go-to albums. The Alive in Athens triple live CD also has a lot of the same tracks on and again features Matt Barlow on vocals - one of my favourite live albums ever. These two, along with Something Wicked This Way Comes, are all you ever need Iced Earth-wise.
These seem good. Count me in! My journey to get fully interested in Iced Earth continues with that trio of their late 90s releases...
Speaking of live CDs, the new songs in Metallica's S&M I think work better than just playing their earlier songs with the orchestra in the background, like this grand piece:
One album down, two to go! Forget the original version, the Barlow-sung version of the band's theme is a greater improvement:
Two albums down, one to go! A very "Wicked" song trilogy after the oddly-arranged so-so rest of this album:
I actually regard "Something Wicked This Way Comes" as my second favourite Iced Earth record behind 1995's "Burnt Offerings". I quite like "The Dark Saga" & the self-titled debut too but could never get into "Night of the Stormrider" to be honest. Iced Earth's best work is the "Alive In Athens" triple CD though in my opinion.
Speaking of live CDs, the new songs in Metallica's S&M I think work better than just playing their earlier songs with the orchestra in the background, like this grand piece:
Yeah I have a bit of time for this track. It's probably helped by the fact that it isn't tainted by my having already known & loved it as a non-orchestral version like much of the other material on "S&M" which I find to be a pretty disappointing release. Surprisingly I find "Nothing Else Matters" to be the highlight track which was very unexpected
I appreciate the genuine sentiment in "Nothing Else Matters", but it sounds more like a Poison power ballad, and the orchestra still doesn't help there. Perhaps I'm just not into glam-influenced heavy metal ballads, a good reason why I still have a bit of doubt about staying in The Guardians. Maybe that will change when I check out that Iced Earth live album Alive in Athens...
Thank you so much, Sonny, for those recs. After all these years, now I can finally enter the realm of the Iced Earth fanbase! Those first two recommendations were OK, but the live album Alive in Athens gave the songs a massive boost in quality. I'm up to rewriting my lost reviews for Burnt Offerings and The Dark Saga, the latter especially because of one of the most emotional epics of all metal, enhanced greatly in this live setting:
Glad you enjoyed them Andi. Alive in Athens is surely one of metal's most awesome live albums and deserves to be even more popular than it is.
German power metal with fire & substance.
A catchy instrumental piece from the German heavy metal icons that highlights the bass work of bassist Jens Becker.
A fast heavy track to begin one of the greatest power metal stories ever told, that should really be picked up by fans of Epica (the band), Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire: