May 2026 "The Guardians" Playlist - Heavy/Power Metal Hellfire
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w8wz5HBOoks78mYzldAMq
Tracklisting:
1. Stevie T, ZP Theart - "Isugaku Never Say Goodbye" from Isugaku Never Say Goodbye (2026) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
2. Kamelot - "March of Mephisto (feat. Shagrath)" from The Black Halo (2005)
3. Therion - "The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah" from Vovin (1998)
4. Black Sabbath - "Johnny Blade" from Never Say Sie (1978)
5. Raven - "Hard Ride" from Rock Until You Drop (1981)
6. Anvil - "666" from Metal on Metal (1982)
7. Accept - "Thunder and Lightning" from I'm a Rebel (1980)
8. LOUDNESS - "LOUDNESS" from THE BIRTHDAY EVE (1981)
9. Diamond Head - "Helpless" from Lightning to the Nations (1980)
10. Judas Priest - "Exciter" from Stained Class (1978)
11. Y&T - "Forever" from Black Tiger (1982) [Suggested by Sonny]
12. More - "Warhead" from Warhead (1981)
13. Iron Maiden - "Run to the Hills" from The Number of the Beast (1982)
14. Riot - "Swords and Tequila" from Fire Down Under (1981)
15. Power Quest - "Children of the Dream" from Magic Never Dies (2005)
16. Avantasia - "The Final Sacrifice" from The Metal Opera Pt. 2 (2002)
17. CONCERTO MOON - "THE LIGHT OF DAWN" from BACK BEYOND TIME (2024)
18. Dragonfly - "Rompe Tu Silencio" from Non Requiem (2011)
19. Lord of the Lost - "Winter's Dying Heart" from OPVS NOIR Vol. 2 (2025)
20. Fairyland - "The Storyteller" from Of Wars in Osyrhia (2003) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
21. Epica - "Quietus" from Consign to Oblivion (2005)
22. Dark Sarah - "Hunting the Dreamer" from Behind the Black Veil (2015) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
23. Seven Spires - "Almosttown" from A Fortress Called Home (2024) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
24. Benedictum - "Vakerie Rising" from Uncreation (2006) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Stevie T, ZP Theart - "Isugaku Never Say Goodbye" from Isugaku Never Say Goodbye (2026)
4.5/5. Once a fun little AI experiment, then an unexpected viral success, and now a full human-made epic piece of heavy/power metal, featuring the vocalist who sang the very first song to get me into all of metal.
Kamelot - "March of Mephisto (feat. Shagrath)" from The Black Halo (2005)
5/5. The album has a magnificent start with this pounding highlight showing intricate sound layers and dark aggressive Iced Earth-like mid-paced riffs, as well as complex melodic vocal construction. More detailed yet more accessible! Dimmu Borgir vocalist Shagrath does some growling as Mephisto, and Stratovarius keyboardist Jens Johansson plays a progressive keyboard solo.
Therion - "The Rise of Sodom and Gomorrah" from Vovin (1998)
4.5/5. The marching pace of this song fits quite well when put together with that Kamelot track. Angels narrate the march and dance of demons over a Middle Eastern-esque melody from both the symphonics and metal guitars.
Black Sabbath - "Johnny Blade" from Never Say Sie (1978)
4/5. RIP Ozzy Osbourne... I think I've been getting at least one song by Black Sabbath and/or Ozzy Osbourne in a playlist ever since his tragic passing. Even their supposedly least metal album in 1978's Never Say Die has its metal moments throughout songs like this one. Honestly, Johnny Blade has got to be one of the coolest names I've heard. Somehow the song would fit well in the Joker movie. Through the second third, things sound more funky, and this is before funk metal was even a thing.
Raven - "Hard Ride" from Rock Until You Drop (1981)
4.5/5. Another powerful 80s metal banger! The drummer can really wreck the kit. Everyone knows the Oasis Gallagher brothers, but not the Raven Gallagher brothers. This band shaped up heavy metal in the 80s almost as much as Black Sabbath had in the 70s, though the difference in popularity is big. An underrated sound to love!
Anvil - "666" from Metal on Metal (1982)
4/5. If you think the song is ending at the 3-minute mark, don't click off! There's massive guitar soloing before one last chorus.
Accept - "Thunder and Lightning" from I'm a Rebel (1980)
4.5/5. Accept still hits hard for the older metalheads nearly 5 decades after their formation. I also sense a small bit of glam that Motley Crue would take on next year.
LOUDNESS - "LOUDNESS" from THE BIRTHDAY EVE (1981)
4/5. Loudness pretty much started it all for Japanese heavy metal, bringing the sound of Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest to the land of the rising sun and paving the way for bands in other Asian countries, like Search in my home country Malaysia.
Diamond Head - "Helpless" from Lightning to the Nations (1980)
3.5/5. NWOBHM has been gaining some genuine speed in songs by bands like Diamond Head. I prefer "Am I Evil?" slightly more than this song though.
Judas Priest - "Exciter" from Stained Class (1978)
3/5. One of the earliest speed metal songs, even leaning into proto-thrash.
Y&T - "Forever" from Black Tiger (1982)
2.5/5. This one's OK but doesn't give me much awe. Sorry, Sonny.
More - "Warhead" from Warhead (1981)
3/5. RIP Paul Mario Day. We wish we could've gotten more from him.
Iron Maiden - "Run to the Hills" from The Number of the Beast (1982)
3.5/5. RIP Clive Burr. His drumming is quite impressive here. The Number of the Beast was the kind of album the older metalheads were listening to in their teens. That and Judas Priest's 70s/early 80s material. This was also before thrash and eventually groove metal took over and left all NWOBHM bands except Maiden run to the hills.
Riot - "Swords and Tequila" from Fire Down Under (1981)
4/5. Riot knew how to pull off a bit of humor while keeping their metal serious. You can hear Guy Speranza singing about a knight charging into battle after swigging a certain Mexican alcoholic drink, though the band's later vocalist would have greater range. The speed is what bands like Venom and early Running Wild would pick up for their own speed metal styles in the mid-80s. There's glorious fun in the dive-bombing solo by Mark Reale that might remind some of the soloing in Manowar's songs. Not only does the soloing sparkle but also the metal riff rhythm. It's just upsetting that both an amazing vocalist and a master-mindful guitarist are gone from this world. Once again, RIP...
Power Quest - "Children of the Dream" from Magic Never Dies (2005)
4.5/5. Power Quest was one of the first power metal (and metal in general) bands I've listened to besides DragonForce, back when I was 14. I distanced myself from this band and others in the power metal genre when I was moving into heavier modern genres, shortly before I turned 20. Now I'm 27, and rediscovering this beautiful uplifting song brought back some of those mystical relatable memories of mine.
Avantasia - "The Final Sacrifice" from The Metal Opera Pt. 2 (2002)
4/5. Same thing with Avantasia, and this is one of the heaviest songs by the band. Pure metal with the gravelly guest vocals by David DeFeis of Virgin Steele.
CONCERTO MOON - "THE LIGHT OF DAWN" from BACK BEYOND TIME (2024)
4.5/5. Concerto Moon seems to take the epicness and heaviness of Avantasia with their own Galneryus-infused neoclassical zest.
Dragonfly - "Rompe Tu Silencio" from Non Requiem (2011)
4/5. How did I miss this band during the height of my power metal taste 10 years ago? Probably because I wasn't used to the Spanish lyrics, but nevermind, this is beautiful.
Lord of the Lost - "Winter's Dying Heart" from OPVS NOIR Vol. 2 (2025)
4.5/5. Then we reach the cold melancholy of this excellent ballad with the instrumentation and vocals in excellent balance.
Fairyland - "The Storyteller" from Of Wars in Osyrhia (2003)
5/5. Fairyland is one of the most underrated symphonic power metal bands, so much so that I can't believe I didn't discover this band until this year instead of 10 years ago. No matter when I find songs like this, they're still f***ing epic!
Epica - "Quietus" from Consign to Oblivion (2005)
4.5/5. This was one of my favorite songs by Epica when I was still listening to that band a lot. I still love it today, especially the gorgeous vocals by Simone Simons.
Dark Sarah - "Hunting the Dreamer" from Behind the Black Veil (2015)
5/5. Another one of my current favorite symphonic metal songs! I like the blend of English and Finnish lyrics, the latter used in the chorus.
Seven Spires - "Almosttown" from A Fortress Called Home (2024)
4.5/5. Seven Spires has made some of the most epic symphonic metal to come out in this decade. It's absolutely underrated, and this particular track has Kamelot vibes.
Benedictum - "Vakerie Rising" from Uncreation (2006)
5/5. Let's end it all with the original Benedictum album's nearly 9-minute epic, and it shows the band in all its glory without any failure.
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!
Y&T - "Forever" from Black Tiger (1982)2.5/5. This one's OK but doesn't give me much awe. Sorry, Sonny.
Quoted Shadowdoom9 (Andi)
No need to apologise, Andi. I picked it more as a nostalgia trip than anything. It was a song I knew from the rock club I used to attend every Friday night back in the Eighties, but I didn't know who it ws by as I was never a Y&T fan. I then heard it again on the Black Tiger album when I was checking stuff out recently for my 1982 list and it brought back some good memories, so I thought I would give it an airing.