Weekly Metal Recommendations April 9-15

Good band worth checking out, nothing entirely new for the genre, but a good show of the great aspects of power metal.

Band: Mercürio

Release: Instinto callejero

Style: Traditional

Sounds great, to bad I don’t speak Spanish

April 10, 2022

Band: Pharmacist

Release: Flourishing Extremities On Unspoiled Mental Grounds

Style: Death

I was expecting a shitty Carcass knock off but instead I got a really good Carcass knock off.

Band: Greve

Release: Föllo afv Svavel, Lifvet Dimridå

Style: Melodic Black

Wow this really surprised me. I hear so many terrible black metal that when I find one that is good it is a shock. These guys are incredible… to bad I don’t understand Swedish.

April 14, 2022

Band: Haissem

Release: A Sleep of Primeval Ignorance

Style: Melodic Black

Only four tracks but each long and dynamic. Its worth checking out.

April 15, 2022

Band: Crisix

Release: Full HD

Style: Thrash

I consider myself a thrasher, but this band never popped up on my radar. These guys are good and its a shame I missed discovering them sooner.

Band: Incandescence

Release: Le Coeur de I’Homme

Style: Black

Great songs that I will recommend to anyone who understands French or doesn’t care that they can’t.

Band: Azaab

Release: Summoning The Cataclysm

Style: Death, technical death

linktree

Solid death metal album from Pakistan of all places, great job guys!

Band: The Troops of Doom

Release: Antichrist Reborn

Style: Death/Thrash

A harkening back to old school Sepultura while in ways reminding me of Vader.

April 2-8

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.

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

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.

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

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

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 March 12-18

March 25, 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.

March 14, 2022

Band: Αχεροντας

Release: Malocchio: The Seven Tongues of Δαημων

Style: Black

linktree

Dark atmosphere with great song writing and dynamics.

March 17, 2022

Band: Achelous

Release: The Icewind Chronicles

Style: Epic, Power

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

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

Band: Hyperia

Release: Silhouettes of Horror

Style: Melodic Death/Thrash

Band: Black Fucking Cancer

Release: Procreate Inverse

Style: Black

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

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

Those guitar harmonies sound so freaking good!

Band: Stray Gods

Release: Storm The Walls

Style: Traditional

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

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

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.

March 5-11

March 19-25

Weekly Metal Recommendations March 5-11

March 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.

March 8, 2022

Band: Mamorlis

Release: Sturdy as an Oak

Style: Epic, Traditional

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

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

Bandcamp

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

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

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

Simple blackened attack that keeps your head banging.

Band: Cloven Hoof

Release: Time Assassin

Style: Heavy, Power

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

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.

Feb 26 - March 4

March 12-18

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 12-18

February 23, 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 15, 2022

Band: Altair

Release: Ghosts ‘n Sinners

Style: Heavy, Power, Traditional

Sounds like it came out of the early 80’s NWOBHM, and I love every second so far. I’m also reminded of early Savatage.

Band: Schizophrenia

Release: Recollections of the Insane

Style: Death, Death/Thrash

Fantastic! Forced to headbang to this old school death sound reminiscent of some of the best Death/Thrash plus reminding me of one of my favorite death bands, Malevolent Creation.

Feb 18, 2022

Band: Smed

Release: Smed

Style: Doom

Old School Heavy Doom!

Band: Immolation

Release: Acts of God

Style: Death

How could I not have such a classic death metal band included here.

Band: Spirits of Fire

Release: Embrace the Unknown

Style: Heavy

I would say this is an unexpected supergroup, but apparently this isn’t even their first album.

Band: Nightrage

Release: Abyss Rising

Style: Melodic Death

I’m reminded of many of the melodic death metal bands I love, but this band is good enough to stand on their own.

Band: Re-Machined

Release: Brain Dead

Style: Traditional

Has a strait forward style reminiscent of Accept.

Band: Mind Patrol

Release: Milking the Masses

Style: Thrash

worth a listen, I’m getting exodus vibes.

Band: Hydra

Release: Beyond Life and Death

Style: Doom

Love the vocals here, a lot of doom bands unfortunately bore me, but this singer brings some much needed dynamics to his delivery.

Feb 5-11

Feb 18-25

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 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

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

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