Weekly Metal Recommendations March 26 - April 1

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ and http://metalstorm.net/home/.

I’m no longer using a rating system and will be doing a shorter list. This list now only includes the things going on my buy list or things I want to promote.

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March 26, 2022

Band: Coffin Hunters

Release: Wake the Dead

Style: Traditional, Hard Rock

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These guys are pulling a sound from the late 70’s early 80’s and are worth a listen for any NWOTHM fans.

April 1, 2022

Band: Infinityum

Release: The War

Style: Melodic Death

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I’ll give this a partial recommendations. I have only been able to find one song and I normally only recommendation after hearing multiple tracks from the album. I like the song but for a full recommendation I’d have to hear more.

Band: Wolf

Release: Shadowland

Style: Heavy

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This is a band that has been on my radar for some time, but I’ve never really took the time to listen to them much if at all…. this was a mistake. Solid heavy metal band worth checking out.

Band: Lords of the Trident

Release: The Offering

Style: Heavy, Epic, Power

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This is my first experience with this band and from this album I’m mostly getting a modern heavy/power metal feel. I’m reminded of Unleash the Archers if they had a male singer. despite any claims to a classic sound, I don’t hear it. The influence is certainly there, but listening to these guys it is easy to tell they are of the modern generation. I’m always interested in concept albums, so I intrigued by the story they are telling here.

Band: Evil Invaders

Release: Shattering Reflection

Style: Speed, Thrash, Heavy

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A fun old school speed metal extravaganza.

Band: Dreamtale

Release: Everlasting Flame

Style: Power, synthonic/symphonic power

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After several power metal bands were not included on this list for either being bland or very derivative of better bands, Dreamtale saved the day for power metal. Great melodies and very epic sounding. The uniqueness comes from their duel male/female vocals. Fantastic band!

Band: Blood Countess

Release: Occulta Tenebris

Style: Black

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Finally a black metal band that doesn’t sound like they recorded themselves with their hello kitty karaoke machine. The vocals still sound raw, but the production quality hits hard and isn’t a thin mess of noise, but instead a well defined chaos. I’m reminded a bit of Cradle of Filth minus all the gothic and symphonic elements.

Band: Esperfall

Release: Act 1 - Origin of Darkness

Style: Synthonic melodic death, synthonic power

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Sometimes this bands reminds me of Children of Bodom and other times Nightwish… with that you’d think they’d be Finnish, but no. Great sound and this is their first album, I look forward to many more.

Weekly Metal Recommendations March 19-25

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ and http://metalstorm.net/home/.

I’m no longer using a rating system and will be doing a shorter list. This list now only includes the things going on my buy list or things I want to promote.

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March 24, 2022

Band: Chaos Invocation

Release: Devil, Stone & Man

Style: Black

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Solid black metal worth checking out at times aggressive and sometimes melodic. Overall a good variety with dynamic well arranged songs.

Band: Hex

Release: Behold the Unlighted (EP)

Style: Death

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Love the drive in these songs, to bad there are only three.

March 25, 2022

Band: Michael Romeo

Release: War Of The Worlds, Pt. 2

Style: Progressive

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Progressive metal with lots of shred and Dio inspired vocals.

Band: Redshark

Release: Digital Race

Style: Speed, Traditional

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I found my self easily getting into this, while reading and looking at some stuff I found I had my head banging along without even pay much attention.

Band: Luzifer

Release: Iron Shackles

Style: Traditional

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If I didn’t know better this would easily sound like it came out of the late 70’s early 80’s.

Band: Spiral Skies

Release: Death is But a Door

Style: Early heavy metal (this is what I refer to heavy metal that borrows elements from older genres of music, in this case particularly psychedelic rock. This was common in Black Sabbath and Deep Purple)

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I’m really loving this. It’s like if Jefferson Airplane and Black Sabbath had a baby. It often gives me hints of Sabbath but vocally it’s Jefferson Airplane even though I can hear some Sabbath phrasing from time to time. The organs gives it that early metal feel as very few later bands use them. This band is like Ghost if Ghost was better.

Band: Necrom

Release: All Paths Are Left Here

Style: Death

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Ukrainian death metal that sounds strait out of Sweden with Lovecraft themes.

Band: Virocracy

Release: Ecophagia

Style: Progressive Death

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This one was keeping my head banging and as a female fronted death metal band, this vocalist goes with a more open sounding growl that keeps her from sounding like many others.

Band: Kingcrown

Release: Wake Up Call

Style: Traditional, Power

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The vocalist here was previously in Nightmare, one of the few French bands I’m a big fan of. Now I think I can add his new band to that list as well. Unlike his previous band, this one seems much more traditional sounding reminding me of bands like Maiden and Priest, although there is still a bit of power metal feel in there.

Band: Dreamer

Release: Tahta Hitam

Style: Symphonic, melodic death, power

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Great songs and great quality I only wish I knew the language.

Band: Scorn

Release: Winds of Torment

Style: Death/Thrash

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This album kicks your right in the chest, everything thrash with the brutality of death metal.

Weekly Metal Recommendations March 12-18

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ and http://metalstorm.net/home/.

I’m no longer using a rating system and will be doing a shorter list. This list now only includes the things going on my buy list or things I want to promote.

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March 14, 2022

Band: Αχεροντας

Release: Malocchio: The Seven Tongues of Δαημων

Style: Black

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Dark atmosphere with great song writing and dynamics.

March 17, 2022

Band: Achelous

Release: The Icewind Chronicles

Style: Epic, Power

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Is it a perfect album?… not even close. Production is less than professional modern standard and from time some vocal parts seem to loud in the mix and even occasionally flat. With that said though there is a charm to this that sucks me in and makes me want to hear more. It reminds me of later era Bathory but with a bit more of a power metal feel (particularly Blind Guardian with certain vocal arrangements and stylings..) I accept the flaws and recommend this anyone who wants an epic charm that to few bands have.

March 18, 2022

Band: Dark Funeral

Release: We Are The Apocalypse

Style: Black

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After six years we have a return of black metal kings Dark Funeral!

Band: Hyperia

Release: Silhouettes of Horror

Style: Melodic Death/Thrash

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Band: Black Fucking Cancer

Release: Procreate Inverse

Style: Black

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Ok so all the Trv Kvlt guys are going to hate this comment, but this comes someone who thinks 90% of black metal bands are utter trash. This band brings the rage and aggression to black metal like Slayer does for thrash. It sounds chaotic with out sounding like it was recorded with a shoe box. Fast, Aggressive and full of hate, this is great black metal.

Band: Grave Noise

Release: Roots of Damnation

Style: Thrash

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There is a hint of non thrash influence that makes these guys stand out from every other thrash clone in existence. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy way to many thrash bands that add nothing new to the genre, but I appreciate these guys for pushing the boundaries. Although rooted in thrash, it sounds like there is some more melodic influences subtle in the mix, perhaps Some Maiden or something more melodic death oriented like At the Gates. Whatever it is, they have my attention.

Band: Powergame

Release: Slaying Gods

Style: Heavy, Traditional, Speed

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Those guitar harmonies sound so freaking good!

Band: Stray Gods

Release: Storm The Walls

Style: Traditional

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Need more Iron Maiden, here’s the next best thing. The vocalist you might know form Attick Demons, and is joined by guitarist Bob Katsionis from all sorts of bands including but not limited to Firewind and more recently Warrior Path. Artur on vocals is spot on as Bruce Dickinson so much so that every once in a while and Attick Demons song will get spread around as a “leaked new Maiden song”. Generally if you love Iron Maiden you wont find anything closer than this. With that said, Iron Maiden is special and can’t be replicated. There will always be something missing even from next closest thing, but this is still a lot of fun.

Band: Daeth Daemon

Release: Span of Æons

Style: Death

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Fantastic old school death that keeps reminding me of classics without sounding like a copy of any one band. It’s like they cut your favorite moments from the best old school death bands and put them in a blender to give you something new but familiar.

Band: Knight & Gallow

Release: For Honor and Bloodshed

Style: Heavy, Power

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In a parallel universe a young James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich never met Dave Mustaine and thrash metal was never invented. Instead James and Lars played a more traditional sound with only hints of thrash… also Lars was more talented. In that universe the band was called Knight & Gallow and this was their first album. Also by combining speed metal elements with Misfits style vocal harmonies and Manowar style lyrics they invented power metal.

Weekly Metal Recommendations March 5-11

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ and http://metalstorm.net/home/.

I’m no longer using a rating system and will be doing a shorter list. This list now only includes the things going on my buy list or things I want to promote.

Ad Blockers may block embedded music. We do not run ads on The Metal.

March 8, 2022

Band: Mamorlis

Release: Sturdy as an Oak

Style: Epic, Traditional

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This doesn’t have the most polished sound, but instead has an old school charm. It’s a warm sound that would have fit well in the mid to late 70’s even though I hear some influence that are early to mid 80’s.

Band: Véhémence

Release: Ordalies

Style: Epic Melodic Black

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This one is for any French speakers out there. I probably wont be getting this one, but I’ll recommend it to anyone who speaks French or doesn’t care about the language. The overall quality reminds me of a lot of early melodic death metal, maybe something like Suidakra that had that black metal influence early on. It sounds written by black metal guys who love Iron Maiden.

March 10, 2022

Band: Veriteras

Release: Shadow of Death

Style: Melodic Death

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Great melodic death, surprisingly from the US. The production needs some tweaks as it is a very cold sound and the vocals may be a bit to loud, but great songs and melody.

March 11, 2022

Band: In Aphelion

Release: Moribund

Style: Black

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Eerie melodies and an often a speed metal feel, Great job from this newer black metal band.

Band: Kharon

Release: Shores of Acheron

Style: Black

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Cool almost thrashy riffing subtle melodies and aggression, this is a solid black metal album worth checking out.

Band: Bastard

Release: Rotten Blood

Style: Blackened Speed, Blackened Thrash

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Simple blackened attack that keeps your head banging.

Band: Cloven Hoof

Release: Time Assassin

Style: Heavy, Power

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Despite the drums sounding like they are electronic or triggered the songs are good. Cloven Hoof has taken a leap into a more Iced Earth style sound and sound less traditional, however as a huge Iced Earth fan I’m not complaining in the slightest.

Band: New Horizon

Release: Gate of the Gods

Style: Synthonic Power

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Fantastic! It sounds like these guys were tired of waiting for a new Lost Horizon album and decided to make their own. Although similar to the similarly named band they don’t sound like a copy but incorporated many of the things I love about LH including incredible soaring vocals.

Weekly Metal Recommendations Feb 19-25

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ and http://metalstorm.net/home/.

I’m no longer using a rating system and will be doing a shorter list. This list now only includes the things going on my buy list or things I want to promote.

Ad Blockers may block embedded music. We do not run ads on The Metal.

Feb 18, 2022

Band: Glasya

Release: Attarghan

Style: Symphonic

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Sounding like there will be a lot of middle-eastern influence here which I’m a fan of.

Feb 22, 2022

Band: Aquilla

Release: Mankind’s Odyssey

Style: Heavy, Speed

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Vocalist has a great range. I love the King Diamond Sound vocally combined with the speed/power musical style.

Band: Sin Starlett

Release: Solid Source of Steel

Style: Traditional

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Great retro sound. Although they have a Judas Priest feel, these guys certainly don’t sound like a clone of any one band.

Band: Vivaldi Metal Project

Release: EpiClassica

Style: Symphonic, Neo-classical

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One guy with like a hundred guests. Normally I don’t care much for these type of projects because of the inconsistence. I might love one song because of the vocalist and then that be the only song he does on the album. This has that potential, however out of the songs I heard there was a consistent power and epicness.

Feb 23, 2022

Band: Hibria

Release: Me7amorphosis

Style: Power

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So I liked Hibria’s early stuff and then I got a later album that was disappointing. This album comes with a new line up from their last few releases, and the band is sounding great again.

Band: Emetropia

Release: Equinox

Style: Symphonic

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They sound a lot like Epica minus the more extreme influences. Lucky for them I love Epica.

Feb 25, 2022

Band: Hammerfall

Release: Hammer of Dawn

Style: Power, Traditional

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Hammerfall is a favorite of mine so this is obviously on here.

Band: Allegaeon

Release: Damnum

Style: Technical Melodic Death

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I’ve been a big fan since I first heard these guys years back. With that said nothing I’ve heard yet is particularly catching my ear compared to past releases. It will go on my buy list, but it’s not one I have to get right away.

Band: Felskinn

Release: Enter The Light

Style: Heavy, Hard Rock, Synthonic

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I like the vocals and melody, riffs are fairly plain, but overall seems pretty good.

Band: Svartsot

Release: Kumbl

Style: Folk, Blackened Folk

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I have know idea what they are saying, but good melodies and interesting rhythms.

Band: Embryonic Devourment

Release: Heresy of the Highest Order

Style: Technical Death

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Very technical with and old school sound. Obviously the only way they could be this good is because they are reptilianoids.

Band: X.I.L

Release: Rip & Tear

Style: Speed, Thrash, Traditional

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Worth checking out for any old school speed or early thrash lovers. I’d like to hear the vocals a bit more clearly as they are a bit muddy sounding, but otherwise solid album.

Band: Fetal Blood Eagle

Release: Indoctrinate

Style: Brutal Death

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Typically I lean old school in my taste in death metal, but I can recognize a good modern death band when I hear them. Great brutality and great grooves with some awesome occasional shreds.

Band: Metal Cross

Release: Soul Ripper

Style: Heavy, Speed

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This is a solid heavy metal album, I’m loving all of it!

Band: Deathhammer

Release: Electric Warfare

Style: Thrash, Blackened Thrash, Blackened Speed

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It took a couple tracks for my ears to adjust to the old school sounding production, but once I did I was really enjoying the sound.

Band: Artisan

Release: The Stain of Life

Style: Progressive, Progressive Death

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Love this, I would say it is something similar to Control Denied but with more death style vocals, doing both harsh and clean vocals are great. It grooves like some great old school death with the changes sounding fluid.

Band: Timeless Rage

Release: Untold

Style: Synthonic/Symphonic Power

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Worth checking out for power metal fans.

Band: Swarm Chain

Release: Looming Darkness

Style: Doom, Death/Doom

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Great classic doom sound with added backing death metal vocals.

Weekly Metal Recommendations Feb 5-11

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ and http://metalstorm.net/home/.

I’m no longer using a rating system and will be doing a shorter list. This list now only includes the things going on my buy list or things I want to promote.

Ad Blockers may block embedded music. We do not run ads on The Metal.

Feb 5, 2022

Band: Cronica

Release: Ukony

Style: Folk

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I don’t speak Polish, but these melodies are fantastic.

Feb 8, 2022

Band: Greyhawk

Release: Call of the Hawk

Style: Traditional, Speed, Epic, Power

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Sounds old school but unique at the same time.

Feb 11, 2022

Band: Shield of Wings

Release: Unfinished

Style: Symphonic

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Bands like this will keep the genre strong when there are to many weaker intimidations.

Band: Amorphis

Release: Halo

Style: Melodic Death

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Amorphis as certainly gone through many sounds and I’ve liked each sound to different degrees. This album is sounding pretty good.

Band: Ironmaster

Release: Thy Ancient Fire

Style: Death

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Has an upbeat Vader and Morbid Angel vibe with some Jeff Loomis quality guitar work.

Band: A Pale December

Release: Death Panacea

Style: Technical/Progressive atmospheric Black

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Far more technical than most black metal with some melody among the dissonance.

Weekly Metal Recommendations Jan 22-28

If you need even more metal in your life, I get all my info from https://www.metal-archives.com/ from which you can find upcoming releases, and from http://metalstorm.net/home/, from which you can find both upcoming and past releases although it is not as complete of a list compared to metal-archives.)

(I’m still using the rating system from our “New Releases” list although I will likely no longer be listing anything below a +2 unless it comes from a very well known band)

-1 - not for me or just bad

+0 - not particularly interesting or not that good

+1 - worth checking out if you like the style, but maybe for everyone

+2 - worth checking out or interesting

+3 going on my buy list

+4 already bought or pre-ordered

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Feb 23, 2022

Band: Demented Heart

Release: Different Infinite Equations (EP)

Style: Technical Death

+2

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Band: Imšar

Release: Ciemra Pierad Zołkam

Style: Black, Black/folk

+2

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Jan 24, 2022

Band: Ravenous Death

Release: Visions from the Netherworld

Style: Death

+2

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Jan 25, 2022

Band: Vile Rites

Release: The Ageless (EP)

Style: Progressive Black/Death

+3

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Jan 26, 2022

Band: Disinter

Release: Demolition

Style: Death

+3

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Band: H

Release: Dominus Draconis

Style: Black, Black/Death

+2

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Jan 27, 2022

Band: Malefic Throne

Release: Malefic Throne (EP)

Style: Death

+2

(worth a +3 if there were more tracks, fantastic sound though)

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Band: Scream Maker

Release: Blood King

Style: Traditional

+3

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Jan 28, 2022

Band: Night Hag

Release: Phantasmal Scourge

Style: Death/Doom

+2

(it might be a +3, but I’m not the biggest fan of the slower stuff.)

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Band: Freaks and Clowns

Release: We Set The World on Fire

Style: Traditional

+2

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Band: The Mist From The Mountains

Release: Monumental - The Temple of Twilight

Style: Melodic Black

+3

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Band: Silverlane

Release: Inside Internal Infinity

Style: Heavy/Symphonic

+3

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Band: Emerald Sun

Release: Kingdoms of Gods

Style: Power, Heavy

+3

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Band: Crystal Ball

Release: Crysteria

Style: Traditional, heavy, synthonic

+3

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Band: Revenge

Release: Venomous Vengeance

Style: Speed, thrash, power

+2

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Band: Dawn of Solace

Release: Flames of Perdition

Style: Doom, Rock

+2

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Band: Sarcasm

Release: Stellar Stream Obscured

Style: Melodic Death

+2

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Band: Tension

Release: Decay

Style: Traditional

+3

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Band: Vicious Knights

Release: Alteration Through Possession

Style: Death, Death/Thrash

+3

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Band: Agresiva

Release: Pánico Escénico

Style: Thrash

+2

(+3 if you speak Spanish, riffs and progressions are killer)

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Band: Tine

Release: Mergae Maris Profundi

Style: Symphonic Black/Death

+2

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Band: Toby Knapp

Release: From The Aether

Style: Instrumental

+2

(The Morbid Angel influence is killer! I’d easily bump this to +3 if either there were some real drums or vocals)

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Band: Amoth

Release: The Hour of the Wolf

Style: Progressive

+3

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