March 2026 "The Guardians" Playlist - Heavy/Power Metal Hellfire

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w8wz5HBOoks78mYzldAMq

Tracklisting:

1. ZP Theart, Syndrone, Sophie Burrell, Bradley Hall - "Through the Fire and Flames (20th Anniversary)" from Through the Fire and Flames (20th Anniversary) (2026) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Xandria - "Save My Life" from Salome - The Seventh Veil (2007) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Ludmilla - "Forgotten Heroes Another Side" from Forgotten Heroes (2025)

4. Accept - "Sounds of War" from Accept (1979)

5. Benedictum - "Benedictum" from Uncreation (2006)

6. Black Sabbath - "Children of the Sea" from Heaven & Hell (1980)

7. Scorpions - "The Sails of Charon" from Taken by Force (1978)

8. Metal Church - "Watch the Children Pray" from The Dark (1986)

9. Bleak House - "Rainbow Warrior" from Rainbow Warrior (1980)

10. Judas Priest - "Diamonds and Rust" from Sin After Sin (1977)

11. Motorhead - "Motorhead" from Motorhead (1977)

12. Iron Maiden - "Iron Maiden" from Iron Maiden (1980)

13. Riot - "Narita" from Narita (1979)

14. Legend - "The Destroyer" from From the Fjords (1979)

15. Sinergy - "The Warrior Princess" from Beware the Heavens (1999) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Blind Guardian - "Life Beyond the Spheres" from The God Machine (2022)

17. Altaria - "Unchain the Rain" from Divinity (2004)

18. After Forever - "Monolith of Doubt" from Decipher (2001)

19. Leaves' Eyes - "Into Your Light" from Lovelorn (2004) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Beyond the Black, LOVEBITES - "Can You Hear Me" from Break the Silence (2026) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Dark Moor - "Vivaldi's Winter" from Beyond the Sea (2005)

22. Bogusław Balcerak's Crylord - "Lost Bloody Heroes" from Lost Bloody Heroes (2025)

23. Celesty - "Fading Away" from Vendetta (2009)

24. Avenged Sevenfold - "Strength of the World" from City of Evil (2005)

25. Edenbridge - "Spark of the Everflame - Where It Ends, Is Where It Starts" from Set the Dark on Fire (2026)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

ZP Theart, Syndrone, Sophie Burrell, Bradley Hall - "Through the Fire and Flames (20th Anniversary)" from Through the Fire and Flames (20th Anniversary) (2026)

5/5. The one song that has gotten me into metal has been given a 20th anniversary revamp by ZP Theart together with Syndrone, Sophie Burrell, and Bradley Hall. It is quite epic, but I still prefer the original by a slight notch. I can't believe it has been 20 years since the original came out, and two-thirds of that amount of time since it got me into the world of metal. ZP's vocals are still majestic, as is his long hair. I also enjoy the guest soloing by Bradley Hall and Sophie Burrell. Good times relived!

Xandria - "Save My Life" from Salome - The Seventh Veil (2007)

4.5/5. This song is relatable for anyone feeling lonely and in emotional pain, even as young as in their 20s. The band's vocalist at the time, Lisa Middelhauve both looks and sounds so beautiful, enchanting this amazing song.

Ludmilla - "Forgotten Heroes Another Side" from Forgotten Heroes (2025)

4/5. I felt like helping a fellow Metal Academy member get one of their songs out there. I say this one's the correct side compared to that other "Forgotten Heroes" song.

Accept - "Sounds of War" from Accept (1979)

4.5/5. Accept's earlier lineup covering most of their first 7 albums is the probably their most well-known one. I like the drumming during the solo midway through.

Benedictum - "Benedictum" from Uncreation (2006)

5/5. This highlight can be considered the band's theme song. Here it starts with sinister Latin chanting before the band brings forward their blend of Sabbath and modern heavy metal in different sections.

Black Sabbath - "Children of the Sea" from Heaven & Hell (1980)

4.5/5. RIP Dio. His lyrics can work for any situation in any year. He wrote that song together with guitarist Tony Iommi who can perform sweet guitar melody. Practically everything here can be timeless! Of course, we can't forget about the vocalist before Dio, Ozzy Osbourne. RIP him too...

Scorpions - "The Sails of Charon" from Taken by Force (1978)

4/5. One of Uli Jon Roth's written songs, this one stands out with his good dark lyrical matter.

Metal Church - "Watch the Children Pray" from The Dark (1986)

4.5/5. Metal Church is standing 40 years after their second and last album with original vocalist David Wayne. RIP... His vocals sound so wonderful, and his high screams are spine-chilling. The chorus, guitar, and lyrics are quite kick-A. Watch us pray to the metal gods!

Bleak House - "Rainbow Warrior" from Rainbow Warrior (1980)

4/5. "Welcome to where time stands still..." Oops, wrong song! This one is part of an intro riff similarity food chain and is only the second one after The Straubs' "Down by the Sea", both followed by Metallica's "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", "Michael Jackson's "Give in to Me", Weezer's "Undone", and Dream Theater's "Endless Sacrifice". The drums here actually sound a bit jazzy.

Judas Priest - "Diamonds and Rust" from Sin After Sin (1977)

3.5/5. Not many people know this, but this is a cover of a song by Joan Baez who wrote it about her affair with Rob Dylan. It's good that the band covered it in their own style instead of making it the folky ballad the original was.

Motorhead - "Motorhead" from Motorhead (1977)

3/5. Several tracks after that Benedictum one, I've added in a couple more "band theme songs", starting with this one by Motorhead. Lemmy wrote it when he was with Hawkwind before he was fired from that band and started his own. I say it's decent but a little more hard rock than metal. RIP Lemmy

Iron Maiden - "Iron Maiden" from Iron Maiden (1980)

3.5/5. And this is the third "band theme song", and second one in a row, by Iron Maiden, when Paul Di'Anno was the vocalist. RIP... The albums with Paul Di'Anno were noted to be more punky than their subsequent releases, all while maintaining the verse-chorus structure. Some may even consider this a faster Black Sabbath. And of course, without any of those bands, we wouldn't have Def Leppard or Metallica, or even Slipknot or Linkin Park, or any other metal band we know and love.

Riot - "Narita" from Narita (1979)

4/5. The rapid title instrumental of this Riot album has upbeat riffing and drumming. An explosive piece of protospeed metal! It would've been better with the late Guy Speranza's vocal power, but the track can still do fine without it. And there's more of his expressive singing to come in other catchy tunes in this album. RIP

Legend - "The Destroyer" from From the Fjords (1979)

4.5/5. Legend is another early band whose music is still known nearly 5 decades later, especially with Eternal Champion covering this song. Legend didn't last beyond this album though. After their split, some of the members went on to perform with Mercenary (different band rather than the Danish melodeath one). RIP vocalist Kevin Nugent...

Sinergy - "The Warrior Princess" from Beware the Heavens (1999)

5/5. My dad is a big fan of some of the older TV shows like Xena: Warrior Princess. It's quite cool that we have this epic metal anthem based on this show. RIP Alexi Laiho...

Blind Guardian - "Life Beyond the Spheres" from The God Machine (2022)

4.5/5. This next track is the previous speedy one's polar opposite, more bombastic and mid-paced.

Altaria - "Unchain the Rain" from Divinity (2004)

5/5. A magnificent power metal anthem that I wish I could've discovered 10 years before this comment! Altaria's first two albums were recorded with guitarists Jani Liimatainen (formerly of Sonata Arctica, The Dark Element, and Insomnium) and Emppu Vuorinen (Nightwish, ex-Almah). Clearly, Jani had some Sonata Arctica elements with him when making songs like this. Absolutely divine!

After Forever - "Monolith of Doubt" from Decipher (2001)

4.5/5. I've finally returned to listening to one of After Forever's songs, well, after forever! It's one of their catchiest songs, and Floor Jansen has quite an amazing vocal range, and this was before she joined Nightwish over a decade later, as well as shortly before guitarist/harsh vocalist Mark Jansen (not related) formed Epica. This song is quite short, compared to songs by similarly-styled bands like the progressive Theocracy.

Leaves' Eyes - "Into Your Light" from Lovelorn (2004)

4.5/5. At the time when Leaves' Eyes' debut was released, vocalist Liv Kristine was better known for her time with her previous band Theatre of Tragedy and guest appearing in the two title tracks of Cradle of Filth's Nymphetamine. This song is so mesmerzing, and this was before the band took a less gothic and more modern-ish direction.

Beyond the Black, LOVEBITES - "Can You Hear Me" from Break the Silence (2026)

5/5. I love it when collaboration songs bring fans of one band to another. This has caused Beyond the Black fans to know Lovebites and vice versa. I'm in the former camp, definitely up for some Lovebites and their lead vocalist Asami. The anime-style music video is quite epic too, AI-assisted or not.

Dark Moor - "Vivaldi's Winter" from Beyond the Sea (2005)

4.5/5. An excellent rendition of a Vivaldi classic by these Spanish masters of symphonic power metal.

Bogusław Balcerak's Crylord - "Lost Bloody Heroes" from Lost Bloody Heroes (2025)

4.5/5. More of that neoclassical madness continues in this shredtastic track to give neoclassical metal more life.

Celesty - "Fading Away" from Vendetta (2009)

5/5. Vocalist Antti Railio would later be known as a contestant in The Voice of Finland. After he left Celesty, he was replaced by Nightwish vocalist Tarja's brother Toni Turunen, but Celesty split up before they could record anything with him. Anyway, all hail Celesty!

Avenged Sevenfold - "Strength of the World" from City of Evil (2005)

4.5/5. The 9-minute epic of its original album and this playlist. The spaghetti western-sounding intro sounds like the start of a Wild West cowboy's journey. Then the rest has the power metal-ish sound similar to other bands from my early days of metal, especially in the chanting chorus. Magnificent! However, there's still one last track...

Edenbridge - "Spark of the Everflame - Where It Ends, Is Where It Starts" from Set the Dark on Fire (2026)

4/5. Where this playlist ends is where another one will start. So beautiful! See you all in the next one....

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!