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

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

Tracklisting:

1. Eden's Curse - "Symphony of Sin" from Symphony of Sin (2013)

2. Falconer - "Black Moon Rising" from Black Moon Rising (2014) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Accept - "Fast as a Shark (feat. Phil Anselmo, Kirk Hammett, Billy Sheehan, Mikkey Dee, Harmoniemusik Hindelang)" from Fast as a Shark (2026)

4. Cirith Ungol - "A Little Fire" from Frost and Fire (1981)

5. Pentagram - "Relentless" from Relentless (1985)

6. Running Wild - "Branded and Exiled" from Branded and Exiled (1985)

7. Black Sabbath - "TV Crimes" from Dehumanizer (1992)

8. Manowar - "Blood of My Enemies" from Hail to England (1984)

9. Samson - "Inside Out" from Survivors (1979)

10. Judas Priest - "Hard as Iron" from Ram It Down (1988)

11. Megadeth - "Countdown to Extinction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992) [Suggested by Sonny]

12. Ozzy Osbourne - "Bark at the Moon" from Bark at the Moon (1983)

13. Iron Maiden - "Powerslave" from Powerslave (1984)

14. Tyr - "The Lay of Our Love" from Valkyrja (2013) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Stevie T - "Shredding National Anthems" from Shredding National Anthems (2017)

16. Amberian Dawn - "Crimson Flower" from Circus Black (2012) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Kiuas - "Aftermath" from Lustdriven (2010)

18. Celesty - "Arrival" from Mortal Mind Creation (2006) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Kamelot - "Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)" from Haven (2015)

20. Fairyland - "The Story Remains" from The Fall of an Empire (2006) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Epica - "Kingdom of Heaven - A New Age Dawns, Pt. 5" from Design Your Universe (2009)

22. Nightwish - "Imaginaerum" from Imaginaerum (2011)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Eden's Curse - "Symphony of Sin" from Symphony of Sin (2013)

4.5/5. The opening track for this playlist is the one track in this Eden's Curse album to actually have symphonics, mostly in the intro. Other than that, it's a long 7 and a half minute epic that perfectly represents the band's sound. I'm already hearing Steve Williams' keys have that blended vibe of AOR and power metal. Nikola Mijic has a similar tone to Tobias Sammet (Avantasia, Edguy) which definitely sets the band away from those hard rock comparisons. I mean, his vocals don't have too much strength, though it can surpass how other classic hard rock/metal bands' vocalists do in their songs. A fantastic start!

Falconer - "Black Moon Rising" from Black Moon Rising (2014)

5/5. Falconer has just become one of my favorite power metal bands after somehow brushing them aside for over a decade, even when my interest in power metal was its height. Great music, great lyrics... The riffing is like Running Wild but more modernly produced. And besides power metal, they've added some folk/prog elements. Some may even be reminded of the band guitarist Stefan Weinerhall was originally in, Mithotyn. I'm just glad to listen to this album and their other ones.

Accept - "Fast as a Shark (feat. Phil Anselmo, Kirk Hammett, Billy Sheehan, Mikkey Dee, Harmoniemusik Hindelang)" from Fast as a Shark (2026)

4.5/5. Accept is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a re-recording album with contributions from well-known rock/metal musicians. The guests are already mentioned in the subtitle, but I have to give a shoutout to Mikkey Dee (Scorpions, ex-Motorhead, ex-King Diamond). He's given this speedy heavy metal classic a thrashier pace.

Cirith Ungol - "A Little Fire" from Frost and Fire (1981)

4/5. Need a little 80s heavy metal fire? You're gonna get some in this playlist, starting with this great song with fantastic soloing. Some might pick up some Rush-isms here.

Pentagram - "Relentless" from Relentless (1985)

3.5/5. Pentagram formed in the early 1970s but didn't release their debut until over a decade later. Vocalist Bobby Liebling is the only member to stay in the band since the very beginning and is still keeping them active. Their sound here is kind of a bridge between the doom-gloom of Black Sabbath and the more upbeat vibes of other bands like Omen and Cloven Hoof. And the riffing can almost be considered very early proto-groove metal.

Running Wild - "Branded and Exiled" from Branded and Exiled (1985)

4/5. This is one of my favorite songs from Running Wild's initial Satanic speedy heavy metal era before becoming the pioneers of pirate metal. Still it doesn't beat their more popular albums like Death or Glory.

Black Sabbath - "TV Crimes" from Dehumanizer (1992)

3.5/5. Good attack on televangelists, though looking back at this, it's not really one of Dio's best vocal performances. Still I respect him as a metal god. RIP

Manowar - "Blood of My Enemies" from Hail to England (1984)

4/5. Manowar and Iron Maiden enhanced classic heavy metal in the 80s with their anthems like this one. Anyone can listen to this while slaying enemies at war. I've first heard of this track via Edge of Sanity's cover.

Samson - "Inside Out" from Survivors (1979)

3.5/5. Before joining Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson was originally in this band Samson. Not in this album's original edition, but shortly after. A little more hard rock-ish though.

Judas Priest - "Hard as Iron" from Ram It Down (1988)

4/5. Judas Priest's later speed is hinted here, particularly in the bass and drums. What a shame this wasn't a live staple because it's perhaps the best track of its original album. An absolutely underrated kick-A speedy tune that is an early sign of Painkiller!

Megadeth - "Countdown to Extinction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

3.5/5. RIP Nick Menza. His drumming has helped stabilize songs in his era of Megadeth, alongside of course the guitar talent and vocal attitude of Dave Mustaine.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Bark at the Moon" from Bark at the Moon (1983)

4/5. RIP Ozzy Osbourne, prince of darkness, king of metal. We also have to praise the drumwork by Tommy Aldridge and the guitars by Jake E. Lee, whom the latter's melody and heaviness in the soloing and riffing would make the tragically-gone-so-young previous guitarist Randy Rhoads proud (RIP him as well). Around that time, Ozzy Osbourne and his band were taking on a cleaner more mainstream direction. Still the talent and strength of their members are clear and present.

Iron Maiden - "Powerslave" from Powerslave (1984)

4.5/5. 1983 and 1984 were the years when Iron Maiden and Dio each released a couple albums that would cement them as two of the OG 80s heavy metal bands. George Marino, who helped with this album, was a true master of mastering. RIP... I think I might like this song more than the band's other ones!

Tyr - "The Lay of Our Love" from Valkyrja (2013)

5/5. Leaves' Eyes ex-vocalist Liv Kristine guest appears in this highlight. Taking some traditional native motives, it's one of the most beautiful ballads I've heard, even for a heavier metalhead like myself. The vocal alternation works like a dream.

Stevie T - "Shredding National Anthems" from Shredding National Anthems (2017)

4.5/5. Stevie T has made this shredtastic guitar medley covering national anthems from different countries all over the world. If only he had included my country Malaysia...

Amberian Dawn - "Crimson Flower" from Circus Black (2012)

5/5. Anyway, let's go to Finland where we have a few symphonic/power metal anthems like this one that's one of my favorite Amberian Dawn songs. Gorgeous vocals by Heidi Parviainen, awesome soloing, all in here!

Kiuas - "Aftermath" from Lustdriven (2010)

4.5/5. Similarly to Falconer, Kiuas have their own style of folk-ish power metal. Here they crank up the speed as well as the rough edge in the vocals by Ilja Jalkanen.

Celesty - "Arrival" from Mortal Mind Creation (2006)

5/5. Another epic power metal song that I wish was in my mind long ago when I was still deep in the power metal zone.

Kamelot - "Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)" from Haven (2015)

4.5/5. A majestic standout featuring Alissa White-Gluz (DragonForce, ex-Arch Enemy, ex-The Agonist) that I still love to this day. Well, not the radio edit, f*** that.

Fairyland - "The Story Remains" from The Fall of an Empire (2006)

5/5. Fairyland is one of the most underrated bands of power metal. How I overlooked them until this year, I don't know. Awesome epic! RIP Philippe Giordana

Epica - "Kingdom of Heaven - A New Age Dawns, Pt. 5" from Design Your Universe (2009)

5/5. But then we have one more epic to surpass the previous one, a 5-part 13-minute epic that serves as the literal centerpiece of the "A New Age Dawns" saga and would itself spawn a couple sequels in subsequent Epica albums. It has practically everything, all extreme, symphonic, and even some acoustic. It's their own attempt at an Opeth-like progressive epic that ends up paying off well!

Nightwish - "Imaginaerum" from Imaginaerum (2011)

4.5/5. Now how about an orchestral medley to really end this playlist! The album Imaginaerum was made along with a film based on that, and this medley was envisioned as the outro for the album and the end credits track for the movie. This gives it all a theatrical sense of closure.

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!