August 2025 "The Guardians" Playlist - Heavy/Power Metal Hellfire
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w8wz5HBOoks78mYzldAMq
Tracklisting:
1. Sabaton - "The Future of Warfare" from The Great War (2019)
2. Battle Beast - "Steelbound" from Steelbound (2025)
3. Lamb of God - "Children of the Grave" from Children of the Grave (2025)
4. Rainbow - "Man on the Silver Mountain" from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
5. Angel Witch - "Angel Witch" from Angel Witch (1980)
6. Motorhead - "Motorhead" from The Manticore Tapes (1976/2025)
7. Gus G., Ronnie Romero - "My Premonition" from My Premonition (2025)
8. Iced Earth - "Depths of Hell" from The Dark Saga (1996)
9. Accept - "Man Up" from Humanoid (2024)
10. Ozzy Osbourne - "I Don't Know" from Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
11. Metal Church - "Beyond the Black" from Metal Church (1984)
12. Metallica - "Sad But True" from Metallica (1991)
13. Mercyful Fate - "Come to the Sabbath" from Don't Break the Oath (1984)
14. Masterplan - "Enlighten Me" from Masterplan (2003)
15. Mechina - "Gene Heresy" from Telesterion (2019) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
16. Visions of Atlantis - "Cast Away" from Cast Away (2004)
17. Rhapsody of Fire - "A Brave New Hope" from Challenge the Wind (2024)
18. Heavenly - "Evil" from Dust to Dust (2004)
19. Sonata Arctica - "Shah Mat" from Clear Cold Beyond (2024)
20. Alestorm - "No Quarter" from Black Sails at Midnight (2009)
21. Gloryhammer - "On a Quest for Aberdeen" from On a Quest for Aberdeen (2025)
22. Apocalyptica - "Helden" from Worlds Collide (2007)
23. Joe Stump - "Viking Pillage" from Diabolical Ferocity (2021)
24. Galneryus - "Chain of Distress" from Under the Force of Courage (2015)
25. Enforcer - "Mask of Red Death" from From Beyond (2015) [Suggested by Sonny]
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Sabaton - "The Future of Warfare" from The Great War (2019)
4.5/5. Unleash the power of 32 tanks, the future of warfare in metal is here!
Battle Beast - "Steelbound" from Steelbound (2025)
4/5. A loud mythical anthem. Battle Beast is back!
Lamb of God - "Children of the Grave" from Children of the Grave (2025)
4.5/5. I also had the Guardians playlist all set when the tragic passing of Ozzy Osbourne was announced, and I was thinking about making this playlist more Ozzy/Sabbath-oriented to pay homage to this fallen legend. Ultimately, I decided it would be better to keep the playlist as it is because I wasn't up to compromising all the hard work I've made here. I'm sorry, I really am. But think about it this way; practically none of the bands in this playlist would've existed without the Prince of Darkness and his band. And we have a nicely done tribute in Sonny's Fallen playlist this month. RIP Ozzy... This Lamb of God cover of a Black Sabbath classic is a total banger, and I love the bassline and Randy's well-done attempt at channeling his inner Ozzy Osbourne within his cleans.
Rainbow - "Man on the Silver Mountain" from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
4/5. This one is an early hard rock/metal classic, right from that memorable riff. It's the most metallic song in the original Rainbow album while combining their heavy metal side with hard rock. And that's just the start of the variation that would occur in the rest of the album. What makes that track the fresh classic highlight is how guitar-driven it is, as Ritchie Blackmore slides through his riffing and soloing. Dio's vocals help give that guitarwork more atmosphere. RIP Dio, another fallen legend...
Angel Witch - "Angel Witch" from Angel Witch (1980)
4.5/5. Wicked guitar in this heavy/proto-speed metal song to love!
Motorhead - "Motorhead" from The Manticore Tapes (1976/2025)
4/5. RIP yet another legend, Lemmy. The lyrics are pretty great to listen to ("Sunrise, wrong side of another day! Sky high and 6000 miles away!", "Fourth day, five day marathon! We’re moving like a parallelogram!"). Also RIP Fast Eddie and Animal Taylor. While the lives of these heroes are lost, we shall never lose the music.
Gus G., Ronnie Romero - "My Premonition" from My Premonition (2025)
3.5/5. Cool collaboration between Firewind guitarist Gus G. and Ronnie Romero, best known as the vocalist of Rainbow in their recent reunion touring.
Iced Earth - "Depths of Hell" from The Dark Saga (1996)
4/5. Iced Earth have made some kick-A songs over the years, and despite the whole Capitol Riot ordeal, there no way you can go your whole metal life without appreciating some killer bangers like this.
Accept - "Man Up" from Humanoid (2024)
4.5/5. Accept has been making beautiful catchy songs like this since the late 70s/80s. Keep calm and MAN UP.
Ozzy Osbourne - "I Don't Know" from Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
4/5. Once again, RIP Ozzy. Let's face it, if you're listening to popular metal bands like Metallica, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and Overkill, you gotta thank the Prince of Darkness for planting the seed of those band's existence simply by doing his part in creating the entire heavy metal realm. And you have to thank guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake for their inspiring influential work too. RIP... One of my favorite parts is the slow ethereal riffing midway through. However, my only problem is the bass sounding a bit off. Only God knows what metal's future will be like with Ozzy. Don't ask me, I DON'T KNOW!!!
Metal Church - "Beyond the Black" from Metal Church (1984)
4.5/5. Another metal blast from the past! The drumming here is filled with savage passion. I probably would've loved this a lot more when I was power metal-loving teenager though. The structure is quite well-constructed, right from the ominous intro, and I can hear the impact the band would have towards Sanctuary and 90s Metallica. Do you think the name of this song also inspired the name of German symphonic metal band Beyond the Black? Probably.
Metallica - "Sad But True" from Metallica (1991)
4/5. After all this talk about Metallica, here's a hit from that band to make any metalhead's day.
Mercyful Fate - "Come to the Sabbath" from Don't Break the Oath (1984)
4.5/5. All over the world, from east to west, Mercyful Fate and King Diamond would send the idea of satanic themes in metal to help develop the more extreme black metal.
Masterplan - "Enlighten Me" from Masterplan (2003)
5/5. Wow, this band is already enlightening me. More please!
Mechina - "Gene Heresy" from Telesterion (2019)
5/5. A grand over 10-minute epic that should touch the hearts of earlier fans and anyone who loves long tracks. It might just surpass "Anagenesis" as one of the greatest epics Mechina has ever done!
Visions of Atlantis - "Cast Away" from Cast Away (2004)
5/5. RIP Nicole Bogner. What a beautiful operatic siren-like voice she had. I also like the male singing by their other former vocalist Mario Plank. Sounds close to my vocal range so it should be easy for me to sing his part.
Rhapsody of Fire - "A Brave New Hope" from Challenge the Wind (2024)
4.5/5. With Rhapsody of Fire still having their magic for around 3 decades, symphonic power metal may just have a brave new hope.
Heavenly - "Evil" from Dust to Dust (2004)
5/5. We shall fight to carry on the other side of the life!
Sonata Arctica - "Shah Mat" from Clear Cold Beyond (2024)
4.5/5. The name of this song is Romanian for "Checkmate". The choir in the intro almost makes it sound like the intro of Lorna Shore's "Sun Eater".
Alestorm - "No Quarter" from Black Sails at Midnight (2009)
4/5. This was one of my favorite Alestorm songs, and I still think it's a sick banger. Now listen to the last minute of this track and see if you hear something familiar...
Gloryhammer - "On a Quest for Aberdeen" from On a Quest for Aberdeen (2025)
4.5/5. It's insane how much I'm regrowing my interest in fantasy and power metal after my near-8-year hiatus from the majority of the genre. For Aberdeen!
Apocalyptica - "Helden" from Worlds Collide (2007)
5/5. I think this is one of the only songs with a 5-star rating from me to be sung by Rammstein's Till Lindemann and/or entirely in German. It would be interesting to sing this cover in the original David Bowie song's English language. It shall be praised forever and ever!
Joe Stump - "Viking Pillage" from Diabolical Ferocity (2021)
4.5/5. Don't expect any viking metal here, this is Joe Stump's usual shredtastic neoclassical metal!
Galneryus - "Chain of Distress" from Under the Force of Courage (2015)
5/5. A fantastic beautiful song for anyone at a time of grief and distress. It's hard to believe that I would be interested in a band via a ballad, but here I am.
Enforcer - "Mask of Red Death" from From Beyond (2015)
5/5. The Crimson Glory and Iron Maiden-like aspects really shine in this one. Awesome riff-filled track to end this playlist! Thanks for this, Sonny. I'm up for more of this band.
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!