Weekly Metal Recommendations April 2-8

This band knows how to groove in their thrash. They remind me a lot of Sodom.

April 8, 2022

Band: Destruction

Release: Diabolical

Style: Thrash

Pure thrashing awesomeness from these German thrash legends.

Band: Heidra

Release: To Hell or Kingdom Come

Style: Symphonic Melodic Death/Power

I’m loving this, it reminds me a lot of Amon Amarth but with occasional clean vocals thrown in and symphonic elements sprinkled here and there adding to the epicness.

Band: Et Moriemur

Release: Tamashii No Yama

Style: Symphonic Progressive Blackened Death/Doom

This is a whole lot of things mixed in with Doom being the foundation, the symphonic elements are prominent and their sound twists darkness and beauty together for a unique and intriguing journey.

Band: Scalpture

Release: Feldwärts

Style: Death

A balance between refinement and rawness. I’m immediately reminded of Bolt Thrower.

Band: Atlantis Chronicles

Release: Nera

Style: Technical Metalcore

This is not for me, but I recognize the talent these guys have and if you are more tolerant of metalcore vocals than myself then I will recommend you check this one out.

March 26 - April 1

April 9-15

Weekly Metal Recommendations March 26 - April 1

April 14, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

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

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

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

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

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

A fun old school speed metal extravaganza.

Band: Dreamtale

Release: Everlasting Flame

Style: Power, synthonic/symphonic power

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

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

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.

March 19-25

April 2-8

Weekly Metal Recommendations March 19-25

April 09, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

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

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

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

Progressive metal with lots of shred and Dio inspired vocals.

Band: Redshark

Release: Digital Race

Style: Speed, Traditional

linktree

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

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)

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

label bandcamp

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

Band: Virocracy

Release: Ecophagia

Style: Progressive Death

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

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

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

Band: Scorn

Release: Winds of Torment

Style: Death/Thrash

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

March 12-18

March 26 - April 1

Weekly Metal Recommendations Feb 19-25

March 04, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Band: Allegaeon

Release: Damnum

Style: Technical Melodic Death

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

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

Band: Svartsot

Release: Kumbl

Style: Folk, Blackened Folk

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

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

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

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

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

Band: Deathhammer

Release: Electric Warfare

Style: Thrash, Blackened Thrash, Blackened Speed

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

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

Worth checking out for power metal fans.

Band: Swarm Chain

Release: Looming Darkness

Style: Doom, Death/Doom

Great classic doom sound with added backing death metal vocals.

Feb 12-18

Feb 26 - March 4

Weekly Metal Recommendations Feb 5-11

February 17, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

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

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

Sounds old school but unique at the same time.

Feb 11, 2022

Band: Shield of Wings

Release: Unfinished

Style: Symphonic

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

Band: Amorphis

Release: Halo

Style: Melodic Death

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

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

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

Jan 29 - Feb 4

Feb 12-18

Weekly Metal Recommendations Jan 29 - Feb 4

February 10, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

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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Jan 31, 2022

Band: Human Harvest

Release: Flesh Sermons

Style: Black/Death

+2

Band: Trauma Field

Release: From Wounded Soil

Style: Melodic Death, Gothic

+2

Feb 1, 2022

Band: Bevar Sea

Release: The Timeless Sea (EP)

Style: Blackened Doom

+2

Band: Kill All The Gentlemen

Release: Black Canvas

Style: black/metalcore?

+2

Band: Grimms Eye

Release: Throne

Style: Sludge, Groove

+2

Band: Powertryp

Release: Midnight Marauder

Style: Speed, Heavy

+3

Feb 2, 2022

Band: Fill It Up

Release: Heads or Tails

Style: Heavy

+2

Band: Gunjack

Release: The Third Impact

Style: Heavy

+3

Band: Validor

Release: Full Triumphed

Style: Power, Heavy

+3

Band: Thempest

Release: Plague Maiden

Style: Black/Death

+2

label website

Band: Eternal Art

Release: Civilization

Style: Power, Heavy

+2

Band: Vass-Katsionis

Release: Ethical Dilemma

Style: Heavy, Power

+2

Feb 4, 2022

Band: Seismic Burst

Release: Redistribute

Style: Heavy, Groove

+2

Band: Kozh Dall Division

Release: Deaf Mute

Style: Melodic Death/Thrash

+2

Band: Mystic Circle

Release: Mystic Circle

Style: Melodic Black

+2

Band: Venom Prison

Release: Erebos

Style: Metalcore, Melodic Death

+2

Band: Sphinx

Release: Deathstroke

Style: Traditional Black, Thrash, Blackened Thrash

+2

Band: Craniotomy

Release: Ripped Out By Violence

Style: Brutal Death, Slam

+2

Band: Vanaheim

Release: Een Verloren Verhall

Style: Epic Symphonic Melodic Death/Folk

+3*

(Awesome but not in English if that matters to you.)

Band: Lunar Tombfields

Release: The Eternal Harvest

Style: Atmospheric Black

+2

Band: Saxon

Release: Carpe Diem

Style: Traditional

+4

Band: Vorga

Release: Striving Toward Oblivion

Style: Melodic Black

+2

Band: Abhoria

Release: Abhoria

Style: Black

+2*

(maybe a +3, I’m not in a very black metal mood today.)

Band: Abysmal Dawn

Release: Nightmare Frontier (EP)

Style: Death, Melodic Death, Doom

+2

Band: Pestilent Reign

Release: Ascension (EP)

Style: Death

+2

Band: Mass Worship

Release: Portal Tombs

Style: Death, Hardcore

+2

Jan 22-28

Weekly Metal Recommendations Jan 15-21

January 28, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

(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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Jan 15, 2022

Band: Хранитель

Release: Наука побеждать

Style: Speed

+2

Band: Connect the Circle

Release: Mother of Evil

Style: Heavy

+3

Jan 16, 2022

Band: Burning

Release: Scourge of Humanity

Style: Traditional

+2

Jan 17, 2022

Band: Aveth

Release: Der Untergang

Style: Black, Black/Folk,… is that a kazoo?

+2

Band: Elegiac

Release: Wolves Chase the Light

Style: Epic Black

+2

Band: Storm Kvlt

Release: Europas Weg Zum Grab

Style: Black

+2

Jan 20, 2022

Band: Enjoy Sarma

Release: Lost

Style: Groove

+3

Band: Truculency

Release: The Dome Collector

Style: Technical Brutal Death

+2

Band: Neuropsy

Release: Vivisection of the Demented (EP)

Style: Death

+2

(a full length would get a +3, It’s good)

Jan 21, 2022

Band: Nocturna

Release: Daughters of the Night

Style: Symphonic

+3

Facebook

Band: Ashes of Ares

Release: Emperors and Fools

Style: Power

+2

(I’m a huge Barlow fan so I will put this at a +3, but with that said nothing has really caught my attention yet)

website

Band: Beriedir

Release: Aqva

Style: Progressive Power

+3

Band: Hazemaze

Release: Blinded by the Wicked

Style: Doom

+2

Band: Abyssus

Release: Death Revival

Style: Death

+3

Band: Tokyo Blade

Release: Fury

Style: Traditional

+3

Band: Battle Beast

Release: Circus of Doom

Style: Synthonic

+2

Band: Sunczar

Release: Bearer of Light

Style: Groove, Southern, Stoner

+3

Band: Septem

Release: Pseudonica

Style: Heavy, Speed, Progressive

+3

Band: Bullet Ride

Release: At the Gates of Hell

Style: Heavy, speed, Melodic Death

+2

(I want to like this more, but he mixing has the vocals way to loud.)

Band: Druid Lord

Release: Relics of the Dead

Style: Death/Doom

+2

Band: Spitfire

Release: Denial To Fall

Style: Traditional, Speed, Heavy

+2

Band: Planeswalker

Release: Tales of Magic

Style: Symphonic Power

+3

facebook

Band: The Ferrymen

Release: One More River to Cross

Style: Synthonic, Synthonic Power

+2

Band: Midnite Hellion

Release: Kingdom Immortal

Style: Heavy

+2

Band: Silhouette

Release: Les Retranchements

Style: Black, Gothic/Black

+2

Band: Forthright

Release: Antiorthodox

Style: Groove, Groove/Thrash

+2

Jan 18-14

Jan 22-28

Weekly Metal Recommendations Jan 8-14

January 18, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

(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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Jan 8, 2022

Band: Tribus

Release: Juicio Final

Style: Power

+2

(probably +3 for Spanish speakers)

Band: Engrupid PiPoL

Release: Engrupid Divais

Style: instrumental, progressive

+2

Jan 10, 2022

Band: Melvins

Release: Lord of the Flies (EP)

Style: Sludge

+1

Band: Rake-Off

Release: Observing Madness

Style: Thrash

+2

Band: Mastercastle

Release: Lighthouse Pathetic

Style: Power

+2

Jan 12, 2022

Band: Uncreated Light

Release: The Embrace of Madness (EP)

Style: Progressive Death

+3

Jan 14, 2022

Band: Spartan

Release: Of Kings and Gods

Style: Melodic Death

+2

Band: Maule

Release: Maule

Style: Traditional

+2

Band: Eliminator

Release: Ancient Light

Style: Traditional

+2

Band: Verikalpa

Release: Tunturihauta

Style: Folk

+2

Band: Ereb Altro

Release: Vargtimman

Style: Epic, Epic Black

+2

Band: Descent

Release: Order of Chaos

Style: Black/Death

+3

Band: Tony Martin

Release: Thorns

Style: Heavy

+3

Band: Shadow of Intent

Release: Elegy

Style: Symphonic Death

+3

Band: Mass Deception

Release: Halls of Amenti (EP)

Style: Speed, Heavy, Thrash

+2

Band: Ilium

Release: Quantum Evolution Event (EP)

Style: Power

+2

Band: Enterprise Earth

Release: The Chosen

Style: Deathcore

+2

Jan 1-7

Weekly Metal Recommendations Jan 1-7

January 11, 2022 by Joe Cearlock in recommendations

(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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Jan 1, 2022

Band: Devastacion

Release: Vomitando el Veneno (EP)

Style: Death/Thrash

+2

Band: Insecurity

Release: Intruder of Reality

Style: Thrash

+2

label bandcamp

Jan 6, 2022

Band: Sothoris

Release: Wpiekłowstąpienie

Style: Black/Death

+2

Jan 7, 2022

Band: militia Templi

Release: L'Ordre de la Croix de Lumière (EP)

Style: Black

+2

label bandcamp

Band: Dark Millennium

Release: Acid River

Style: Progressive Black/Death

+3

Band: Power Paladin

Release: With The Magic Of Windfyre Steel

Style: Power, Traditional

+3

Band: Needless

Release: The Cosmic Cauldron

Style: Technical Death/thrash

+2

Band: Necrophagous

Release: In Chaos Ascend

Style: Death

+3

Band: Riverwood

Release: Shadows and Flames

Style: Symphonic, Progressive

+3

Band: Infected Rain

Release: Ecdysis

Style: Nu, Groove

+2