Wag da Blog

TOP SHIT 2011

2012-01-31T10:31:00.000-08:00

CULLED TOP TEN:

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Circle of Ouroborus - Armon Keitaalla
Mist - House
Kuedo - Severant
Kontrolorgan - Kingfisher Exile
Owen - Ghost Town
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Rome - A Cross of Wheat
P.S. Eliot - Sadie
Soft Kill - An Open Door

HM: While Heaven Wept - Fear Of Infinity

HEAVY TOP TEN:

Obscura - Omnivium
Split Heaven - Street Law
While Heaven Wept - Fear Of Infinity
Blasphemophagher - The III Command Of The Absolute Chaos
Antediluvian - Through the Cervix of Hawaah
Ulcerate - The Destroyers of All
Maruta - Forward Into Regression
Goatpenis - Depleted Ammunition
Scapegoat - S/T
Negative Plane - Stained Glass Revelations

HM:
Balaclava - Crimes of Faith
Absu - Abzu
Mitochondrion - Parasignosis
Aosoth - III
Defeatist - Tyranny of Decay
Mournful Congregation - Book of Kings
Noisear - Subvert the Dominant Paradigm
Disma - Towards the Megalith
Burmese - Lun Yurn
Vastum - Carnal Law

ELECTRONIC TOP TEN:

Mist - House
Kuedo - Severant
Sepalcure - Sepalcure
Snowman - Absence
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
Kontrolorgan - Kingfisher Exile
Necro Deathmort - Music of Bleak Origin
Sully - Carrier
Shed - The Traveller
James Ferraro - Far Side virtual

HM:
Teebs - Ardour
Meditative Sect - Laceration Points
BNJMN - Plastic World
BNJMN - Black Square
Damian Valles - Bow Echoes
Shed - The Traveller
Consequence - Test Dream
Andy Stott - We Stay Together
Xhin - Sword

OTHER TOP TEN:

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Sol Invictus - The Cruelest Month
Cult of Youth - Cult of Youth
Owen - Ghost Town
Current 93 - Honeysuckle Aeons
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Soft Kill - An Open Door
P.S. Eliot - Sadie
Mount Moriah - S/T
Rome - A Cross of Fire

HM:
Junius - Reports From the Threshold of Death
Zola Jesus - Conatus
The Wandering Lake - In Passage
The Twilight Singers - Dynamite Steps
Death Grips - Ex Military
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Chelsea Wolfe - Apokalypsis
Kim Phuc - Copsucker
Maria Minerva - Cabaret Cixous
Iceage - New Brigade
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Center of Ourselves

TOP EP RELEASES:
The Fresh and Onlys - Secret Walls
Fatima Al Qadiri - Genre-Specific Xperience
Holy Other - With U
Prosanctus Inferi - Red Streams Of Flesh

TOP CASSETTE:
Rosenkopf - Rutilated Powerhaus

TOP BEST SHIT I DIDN'T HEAR THIS YEAR BUT PROBABLY WOULD'VE LOVED:
Gas Chamber
Sulaco
Ritual Necromancy
In Solitude
Blut Aus Nord

TOP ALBUM THAT WASN'T AN OFFICIAL ALBUM RELEASE:
Kalibas - Rumors Of Our Demise Have Been Barely Exaggerated

TOP DISAPPOINTMENT:
Tombs - Path of Totality

Messiah Force

2011-02-15T20:18:00.001-08:00

Some of my fondest memories of childhood were of my uncle's tattered copies of old Heinlein novels with their blue and green tones and mysterious alien planets on the covers. This album cover combined with the music contained in these tracks bring me right back there. Messiah Force were a French Canadian band that made only one full length. If you're a speed metal guy and don't have this please do yourself a favor and download. Lynn Renaud lays down some really great lead vocals with unique use of melody. The drums sound on this is pretty frantic which adds to the atmosphere. All in all you've got a serious old school metal vibe going on here and the album actually gets better as it goes on. By the time I get to the last track I want to start it all over again.

The Last Day

Metal Church

2011-02-03T16:01:00.000-08:00

When I was a youngster, I had religion shoved down my throat by my mother and I despised her for it. Whenever I saw this band's records I would write them off immediately because the word "church" was in their name. Abandoning my catholic upbringing was crucial to my teenage development. So was finally listening to this record. This is metal the way metal was meant to be heard. Members of this church don't sing hymns, but headbang in tight leather. Guess what? It's time for some fucking worship. Get down on your knees and show some respect.

METAL CHURCH

Savatage

2011-01-21T11:35:00.001-08:00

Certain albums just define heavy metal for me.
This is one of them.
It literally destroys posers.

Hall of the Mountain King

Jag Panzer

2010-11-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you've heard of Jag Panzer and just dismissed them as some power metal band that had a few good songs in the '90s? Well the joke is on you friend-o. Their debut album saw the light of day in the mighty year of 1984 and was titled "Ample Destruction", which is very, very appropriate. The band delivers blow after blow here and never really give you a chance to catch your breath. By the time you realize what has transpired they've stomped your testicles and stolen your girlfriend, only to disappear into the night like some phantom gang sporting leather, Reeboks and weapons gathered from the local junkyard. There's a certain urban warrior mythology they invoke here and the production value is top notch. I think this album has aged extremely well. If you liked Riot's "Thundersteel" this one is for you.

Ample Destruction

X-eryus

2010-10-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

Do you like keyboards in your late '80s Euro Rock? Well good 'cause they're all over this album. If you've never taken a stroll over to Strappado's Obscure Metal Blog you should really give it a visit, especially if you are into the real hard to find rare stuff from the '80s. I could spend hundreds of hours dredging the depths of his blog and only scratch the surface. It's a great resource for this stuff. Unfortunately not all of it is great so it's kind of hard to pick out the real gems even though he has a ratings system in place.
This is one album I got from there that just stands out, especially if you're into the old Euro stuff. This particular group was from Switzerland. This album just reeks of cheesy synth, ozone destroying hairspray and unwashed leopard tights. The album cover may be the worst I have ever seen because there is nothing on it except the artist, album and a plain looking diamond shape. However, this is a perfect example of don't judge an album by it's cover because there isn't a bad song in the bunch. The songs range from themes of evil to Russian roulette to love ballads sung in the rain. I never get tired of busting this one out. Out-fucking-standing and catchy as hell.
Expose

Sadistik Exekution

2010-10-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

This album's got character. Sure the production is questionable and the song volume shifts a lot...this is one of the reasons it's so great.
What else makes it great?

1. Ambient tracks and interludes that play out like something from Nightmare on Elm Street
2. The quirky bass lines
3. Tempo changes from fever-like intensity to slow as molasses, sludgy dirges
4. Pitchshifted Vocals
5. The album artwork
6. RIFFS

I could go on but you get the point. Anyway listen to this on full blast and scare some children. It's Halloween for fuck's sake!

We Are Death... Fukk you!!

Hamartia

2010-09-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

This isn't the usual Wag da Blog fare yet something is compelling me to post this album. I broke it out the other day out of storage and put it on and have played it countless times since. This is Scream-Violence/Melodic Hardcore from 2002 and if that isn't your cup of tea then just stop reading and come back later for something else. Why do I think this is worth your time? Well, it's definitely Iron Maiden influenced stuff here with dual lead guitars, they don't rely on the breakdown to save them, the vocals are awesome and they even borderline on death metal and black metal vocals at times, and these guys write some badass riffs! The lyrics are about heartbreak and loss but hey, that's pretty easy to ignore if you need to and I'm not uploading the lyric sheet so... The production is great and you can hear every instrument clearly here. These guys were feeling it when recording this and you can really tell. This album reminds me of fall.

To Play the Part

Necrosanct

2010-09-09T16:08:00.001-07:00

Seething, Riffing Death Metal from 1992. The album cover says it all. This is like entering the lair of the dragon Smaug and then not being able to find the exit.

Incarnate

Prosanctus Inferi

2010-07-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard the new full length yet but here is their demo from a couple years ago. Prosanctus Inferi lay down some serious unholy black blasting death here and invoke some sort of malformed spirit animal whose sole purpose is to make the listener bleed out after a frenzied assault of horns, hooves and poisonous fangs. It's a messy death, especially since you shit yourself in the process...

Download

Wotan

2010-06-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

Okay so here we have a demo from 1988 by Wotan. There are a shitload of Wotans out there. This was one of the Wotans from Italy...but this particular one gave us Welcome to the Asgard Kingdom. It starts off with a burning fire and some chanting and then kicks off the first song with epic speed metal and a gang vocal chorus. Things really kick of on track 3 where the guitar work gets to shine through. The singer gives some decent power metal vox but he gets gruff, raspy and tired sounding at times, like he's going to pass out. This is a good thing and only adds to the character of this awesome little gem. The drumming is pretty straightforward and it does its job well enough. It's obscure music like this which keeps me wanting to blog and scour other blogs to find stuff just as good. The riffs and leads on this are very cool. I'm pretty sure this isn't the demo cover but it fits, so there you have it...I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Die.Revive.Destroy

Phantasm

2010-04-15T15:15:00.001-07:00

Ok so it's been a minute but I find myself here at work and it's finally fucking dead so I can concentrate on the more important things in life like keeping up this blog! Here is a demo album from 1990 coming from the woodlands of Wisconsin. This is fucking chainsaw death at its finest - please do not pass up this download. If you're into early US death/gore this is right up your alley. By the end of the demo you'll be itching to start it all over again. This is quality. This is sickness. This is horror.

Lycanthropy

Détente

2010-03-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

This one has been posted in a shit ton of other blogs but I don't feel like mine is complete without it. Détente coughed this one up in 1986 and this was their sole release. These guys definitely didn't try and reinvent the wheel here. But I'd say this is above average speed/thrash with pretty amazing and unique female vocals. This has a lot of replay value for what it is and I think it fits into this blog perfectly.

Recognize No Authority

Matakopas

2010-02-17T13:58:00.000-08:00

This is a swell little chunk of US Heavy Metal by way of New York circa 1987. Every song is pretty well crafted and I'm a little shocked that they never released any other material besides this because it holds up rather well. They even have gang vocals on some of the choruses which is totally bitchin'. You can hear everything pretty distinctly in the mix even though the production isn't top notch. There's great drumming on this as well as some solid guitar work. I'd put this album right up there with any Leatherwolf release...easily.

Coming Out Ahead

Titan Force

2010-02-06T11:28:00.001-08:00

You may recognize the lead singer of this band from other better known acts such as Jag Panzer or Riot. Not many people talk about Titan Force at all and that's kind of weird imho. I'm a huge Fates Warning guy and when I first heard this effort I couldn't shake the feeling that I was listening to Ray Alder on a lost FW album. So right off the bat you know you're gonna get soaring vocals and progressive heavy metal... There's something else at work here though. The first 2 tracks have a very sinister element to them. Titan Force may sound like other bands and I'll be damned if they don't have the hook writing capability of a White Lion and a little glimmers of Iron Maiden peppered here and there. What's not to like? It's a very enjoyable effort and just catchy as hell. Get this now.

Winner/Loser

Sororicide

2010-01-29T14:35:00.000-08:00

Sororicide were from Reykjavik, Iceland and left us this little known album of down-tuned death metal goodness in 1991 before fading into obscurity some years later. This album belongs on this blog mainly due to its shoddy production values and the dark churning themes contained within. These guys definitely took their cues from some more well known contemporaries but their approach is so unique that it's totally forgivable. Don't make the mistake of passing this up. There's enough riffs and disharmony within to sink an island.

The Entity

Viper

2010-01-22T15:33:00.001-08:00

Viper are pegged as an Iron Maiden clone and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing I think it's totally wrong. What you have here is mid-paced melodic speedmetal featuring pretty damn good lead guitar work and power metal vocals. They didn't reinvent the wheel by any means but this is a pretty choice selection of traditional '80s metal and really helped put Brazil's scene on the map. I think this album definitely stands on its own merits and warrants multiple listens over the years. One look at that cover and you know you're in store for an epic treat.

Soldiers of Sunrise

Total.Thrashing.Death

2010-01-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

Simply put, this is pure zombie thrashing bliss from 1990. No posers allowed...

Cancer.Fucking.Cancer

Funebre

2010-01-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

This is a great album produced by Finland's own Funebre. What we have here is some more early '90s death metal. The music itself has flawlessly executed tempo changes, monstrous riffing, and intricate solo work that doesn't overstay its welcome. Some detractors state that the production is simply ho-hum but as you know, most of the stuff I post here doesn't necessarily fall into the polished area of things. All the better though because with the less than stellar production Funebre creates a superb atmosphere on this release. When listening to this I can't shake the feeling of watching some sort of medieval warfare taking place right in front of me. O! the bloodied hacking of limbs...

Children of the Scorn

Nightmare

2010-01-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

I love '80s epic themed metal. I'm not going to call this 'power metal' because that makes people think of bands like Dragonforce, Rhapsody, Symphony X or Edguy. What I'm talking about are bands like Manowar, Fifth Angel, Savatage, Cirith Ungol and Viper. Nightmare from France fall into this category and although this is their second full length album with a completely different singer it's easily my favorite release of theirs. The vocals truly soar on this album and are a perfect match for the catchy music and solos laid down by the rest of the band. Sometimes this is my favorite French album. Today is one of those days.

Power of the Universe

Cemetary

2010-01-10T14:29:00.001-08:00

This is early '90s death metal from Sweden. The guitar tone on this is very weird but somehow adds to the great atmosphere on this release. The band later became shitty. At least they left us with this unheralded classic. I'm a sucker for good riffs and this is chock-full of 'em. Thanks Cemetary!

An Evil Shade of Grey

Pain

2010-01-04T15:01:00.001-08:00

Thrash love songs? Leave it to Germany. The singer has a distinct raspy style and the riffs on here are awesome. Not everyone's cup of tea I'm sure but fuck 'em.

Insanity

.Nema

2009-12-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

.Nema hailed from Detroit circa late '90s and laid down these blistering tracks over the course of a few different releases. What we have left is an epitaph of an extremely underrated band that culled from a myriad of different influences without really sounding like any of them. It's sometimes black metal, sometimes hardcore, sometimes anarcho-punk and sometimes crust and although the production is a bit muddied I really wouldn't have it any other way. The song writing is top notch and the overall vibe on this album is just dark as fuck.

.Nema

Skepticism

2009-10-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

Skepticism's Stormcrowfleet is the perfect companion piece to the Thergothon album I posted earlier on this blog. Both bands hail from the mighty Finland and offer different takes on the funeral doom genre. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that funeral doom begins and ends with these albums. There...I said it. Get this now.

Doom

Big Bud

2009-10-02T15:12:00.001-07:00

Here we have a GREAT drum n' bass record. I don't spin a lot of this stuff but this record in particular was a nightly ritual for me in the summer of 1999. Don't let the genre scare you off though. Listening to this is a hypnotic, mellow affair and definitely worth the time of the casual dnb listener. This one's on the more ambient side of things which is one of the main reasons I think it works so well.

Infinity + Infinity

The Chameleons

2009-09-30T13:04:00.002-07:00

This is another album I usually listen to in the fall. I have no idea why this band isn't more well known. The Chameleons were a post-punk outfit from the UK in the '80s and this was their first LP. There is a somber and melancholy tone throughout the music in these songs that is only bolstered by the singing of Mark Burgess who is hands down one of my favorite lyricists and singers. Be advised that the music is not just your standard post-punk fare. These songs are haunting and will stay with you for days, even weeks. In the mid '90s I had seen a L.A. punk wearing a huge back patch for this very album and it caught my eye so I sought it out. I remember the first time I listened to this album. I turned it on expecting to hear some fast UK punk and when I didn't I turned it off abruptly. I later heard them mentioned in the same sentence as Joy Division which caused me to go back and revisit the album as JD are one of my top 3 favorite bands. Luckily for me they didn't sound like them either... The Chameleons are much, much different and stand firmly on their own merits. The song 'Second Skin' is almost deserving of its own post. Coupled with the rest of the brilliance on this album, this one's a no brainer.

Script of the Bridge

Merciless

2009-09-29T12:38:00.001-07:00

This one comes just in time for Halloween and October. Merciless were from Sweden and played a relentless brand of black thrash with snarling, raspy vocals reminiscent of some sort of tortured werewolf. The guitars on this album spit venom and coincide perfectly with the frantic pace of the drumming. By the time you reach the end of this record be sure to check in the mirror for any long hairs, sharp teeth or yellow about the eyes. This record has a mean bite.

The Awakening

Fifth Angel

2009-09-26T15:39:00.001-07:00

Fifth Angel dropped one of the best U.S. power metal albums ever in 1986. This self-titled debut was instrumental in putting Seattle heavy metal on the map. This is perfectly executed musicianship and I can't say enough about the lead guitar work here. It's really remarkable and never, ever gets dull. These guys rely heavily on the melody and that's a good thing trust me! I've mentioned these guys on the blog before and here is their first album in all its glory. If this is wrong, I don't ever want to be right.

Fifth Angel

Business as Usual

2009-09-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

EPMD are from New York. If you've always wondered what the fuck those letters stand for it's: Erick and Parrish Making Dollars. To me it stands for more than that. EPMD were rap music's best kept secret imho and they put bucket hats on the map back in 1986. The group blazed their own path alongside contemporaries like Tribe, De La and Public Enemy without sounding like any of them. The slang they coined over the course of their early career is astounding and Erick's lisp only added to the charm they displayed on each of the first 3 records. I can't help but smile when listening to this album and I definitely feel it's their strongest effort. If you don't like this all I have are 3 words for you: Get the Bozack!

EPMD

Adrian

2009-09-06T18:40:00.001-07:00

No, those aren't giant cucumber slices noob. They are spider eggs and you'd better steer clear before you catch a fatal dose of the white death delivered in a speed metal cocktail headed straight to your nervous system. Adrian hailed from Germany and dropped this particular jewel in 1987. Something about this reminds me of Crom's Steel for an Age - I think it's the singer's delivery. This is a great companion piece to that album now that I think about it although the production on One Step Into the Uncertain is clearly better. The songwriting here is superb and the tracks never get dull at all even on the 6+ minute ones. The dual lead guitars create some memorable melodies and this is a perfect example of classy '80s Euro metal.

Get Some

Demo Hammer

2009-09-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Demolition Hammer were from New York and released this thrashing monster in 1992. The first two songs on this album are like blunt force trauma to the head and really serve as the killing shots. The rest of this album consists of the band dragging your carcass through a gauntlet of hell's fiercest minions literally stomping you into a bloody pulp with their warhorses. You're so far gone at that point that it doesn't even really matter though.

EoV

Thergothon

2009-08-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Finland. Funeral. Doom.

Here

Asmodeus

2009-08-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

This is a very cool album and the first release by this band coming in 1992. Asmodeus lay down some serious progressive thrash on this one. If you are a fan of Czech music you can't pass this up. I love the use of other instruments they incorporate here and it really feels as if they wanted an element of traditional Czech music to shine through, which it does and does quite well. Don't get it twisted though, when the thrash hits it hits hard. They make the one mistake of doing a Czech thrashterpiece of Jingle Bells but thank god it comes on the last track. The rest of the album makes this completely forgivable. Hope you dig it...

Download

Not Fragile

2009-07-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

Not Fragile is a German speed metal band who wrote some really catchy songs in the late '80s. This release was recorded in 1989 but didn't see the light of day until 1992 when it was released in Japan but they included extra tracks from a different release. I'm presenting these files as it was meant to be heard on the original album (11 tracks total). If you like speed metal don't hesitate to grab this one. The lyrics are of the 'high plains wielding a sword while trying not to die in a fire-fight on a horse' variety. The pace is pretty non-stop on this and even when the bust into their chessiest song 'Welcome You the Crowd' they still manage to sound sincere. Anyways without further ado...

One Way to Glory

Cianide

2009-07-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Cianide is one of America's best kept underground secrets. When I first heard these guys I would have put money on them being from Europe somewhere but they're from my hometown of Chicago and here they put on a well executed display of death/doom that really just beats the listener's head in. This is chock full of win. There are some great mid-paced riffs in here and Cianide speeds it up at just the right moments. The lead guitarist Scott Carroll really throws into some unique work over the double bass here and this is by far my favorite Cianide release.

A Descent Into Hell

Vacant Grave

2009-07-17T11:22:00.001-07:00

Here you have another Missouri thrash act who released this full length LP in 1990. Vacant Grave are a zombie thrasher's wetdream. They play pretty straightforward thrash with harsh vocals, gang vocals and even guttural vocals in certain parts. The production on this is not the best but they play well enough to make you forgive them for it. I don't feel like writing anything else. One look at the artwork and you can decide if this is for you or not.

Life or Death

Negazione

2009-07-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of hardcore and you haven't heard this record prepare to be blown away. If you have heard this then I suggest you listen to it again. Negazione were instrumental in putting Italian hardcore on the map. This is hands down one of my favorite albums and imo it helped set the blueprint for most '90s hardcore bands. This LP pretty much defines the genre and was released in 1986. Enjoy it.

Lo Spirito Continua

Breathless

2009-07-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Breathless hailed from Belgium and after releasing this album in 1985 you can bet your ass they scored their share of local trim and downed their share of local beers. Well...one can only hope. They sure didn't garner any international attention for this effort. What you have here is a classic case of barroom speed metal with moustache rock sensibility. Can you dig it man? The vocalist is a tad too much at time and does his best low-rent King Diamond impersonation but somehow it all works in the end. Certain songs are better than others but as a whole this album is pretty cool. I haven't seen this one up too many places.

Breathless

Subterraneo

2009-07-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

This is another one of Spain's hidden gems. Subterraneo were around in the mid '80s and pulled influences from the NWOBHM scene though imo they have a little post-punk sound mixed throughout especially in the slower passages. The guitar work on this is really memorable, catchy stuff and I find myself humming these tunes a lot. The singer does a great job and doesn't go overboard at all. The lyrics are in Spanish if that matters to you. Anyway here it is - heavy metal from Spain done the right way. I could play this one every day and not get tired of it. Hope you get a chance to DL and enjoy.

Toledo

Dragon

2009-07-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting in a while. I've really let life get in the way of this blog haha. I've been having problems with what to post lately and having the feeling that nothing is really worthy of your time. Which is silly but there you have it. Sometimes I get in a musical rut. Let me start this off by saying this album is DEFINITELY worth your time. Dragon were from Poland and they play a great brand of Eastern Bloc thrash. The lyrics are in their native tongue and if you are a true music lover this won't matter to you one bit. They play with conviction and always seem to change things up enough to keep it interesting. That's a big understatement but whatever... This is one of my favorite albums and at times it rides the line of power-thrash, leaning heavily on the thrash side and not too technical for its own good. The mix on this is perfect and you can decipher all of the instruments. Both drums and guitars sound warm and great. Sprinkle in a few acoustic passages and throaty screams and your recipe is success.

Horda Goga

Riot

2009-06-14T12:34:00.001-07:00

There aren't enough superlatives to describe the way I feel about this album. This is the best power/speed metal album ever created. Riot have been around since the '70s with differing lineups but in my opinion this is their definitive release. The guitar solos on this album rival the best Iron Maiden solos. The vocalist is almost as good as Halford. It has relentless pace, the production is stellar and the song-writing is top notch. If there was a genre called Reebok Core these guys would be the poster children. These songs are so good they will infect your everyday life. How can you deny that cover art, huh?

Thundersteel

Coldsteel

2009-06-12T15:10:00.001-07:00

I think this album is fun as hell. Coldsteel were out of New York and were an interesting sounding act, incorporating thrash and funk, maintaining an early '90s vibe with an old school '80s approach. They even incorporate some horns on this and combined with the warm drum tones and good songwriting I bust this one out fairly often. They weren't the most original act and at times I can't shake the vibe that I'm listening to a band that listened to way to much Faith No More but if you take it for what it is I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Download

Universe

2009-06-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

This is the self-titled album by Sweden's Universe and it's a pretty snazzy effort if you ask me. These guys did their thing well and they did it with a certain air of sophistication. What's their 'thing' you ask? Basically it's Swedish rock and roll with great hooks, memorable lead guitar work, background keyboards and English lyrics in a heavy Euro accent. Who knows? Maybe that's not your thing. It sure as hell is mine though...

Download

Aggression

2009-06-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

I tend to like albums that stray away from polished sounding production. The Full Treatment is anything but polished. These Canadians played their thrash filthy, sloppy and loud, straying far into crossover territory. What they left in their wake is a cesspool of toxic waste and endless riffs. Take a look inside and try not to fall in.

Aggression

Holy Moses

2009-06-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Holy Fucking Moses. Do you like thrash? Download this immediately. The record is punishing, the guitars are razor-like, the production is perfect, the female fronted vocals will put most acts to shame, the pace is relentless, and the riffs...the fucking riffs. There is a certain level of insanity that the band reaches on this album. You have to hear it to believe it. The vocals are just the icing on the layer cake. Finished With the Dogs may be the most overlooked thrash album to come out of the '80s. Lace up those hi top Reeboks!!!

Get Some

Cities

2009-06-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice little chunk of US Heavy Metal straight from 1986. Once your ears are graced with the initial guitar licks of album opener "Stop the Race" you will be hard pressed not to play this over and over. These guys were successful in creating their own sound and not having to rip off other, more well known acts. There is an eerie vibe on Annihilation Absolute especially in the lyrics and this is best listened to on full blast. It's thrashy at times but this is more traditional heavy metal that just plain rips. I'm not sure why these guys didn't get more attention but perhaps it was just a case of the mediocre band name.

Enjoy

Pure Blood Doom

2009-06-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've heard of Demigod? If not, you are depriving yourself of one of death metal's finest offerings. Adramelech was comprised of a few Demigod members and of course, hailed from the mighty Finland. I don't know what they have in the tap water up there but this band definitely drank their fair share of it. This doesn't sound like Demigod's album. Doesn't matter. This album kills in its own way and it definitely deserves more praise. It's not the be-all-end-all of death metal. It's not too technically complex for its own good. It's not even the most brutal piece of music I've ever heard. Like I said...doesn't matter. Pure Blood Doom was released in 1999 and has kind of an early '90s throwback sound to it. This stuff is mid-paced, memorable and well performed. Sometimes that's all I really need in my death metal.

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Trojan

2009-05-30T17:51:00.001-07:00

Trojan was a NWOBHM band though their sound definitely had more speed metal leanings than most of their UK contemporaries. The cover reeks of D&D metal which will be a selling point to some and warning sign to others. Don't be fooled though. This stuff kicks ass and probably isn't what you expect whichever side of that fence you may find yourself on. What you can expect from Chasing the Storm is a barrage of dueling lead guitars and melodic choruses that will make you wonder what would've happened had these guys gone on to bigger things. God knows the talent was definitely there right alongside the feathered hair and leopard shirts.

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Heaven is for Sale

2009-05-28T13:52:00.001-07:00

Wardance came a little late onto the thrash scene and released this album in 1990. Their sound harkens back to earlier '80s thrash and in my opinion has a real UK anarcho-punk feel to it, which is kind of weird since they are from Germany. The lead guitar work is very memorable on this and the female vocalist flat out rules laying down some great harmonies in her uniquely hoarse style. It gets melodic in parts mainly because they aren't afraid to slow it down. There's one or two tracks I could do without, especially the cover song (but that's just me). The good stuff on this album more than makes up for its few shortcomings.

Wardance

Psychopath

2009-05-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is the only album by Psychopath who hailed from the state of Missouri. What they left us with is an underground classic. I haven't seen this posted on other blogs yet and I'm proud to be posting it on this one. These guys play early death/thrash with sci-fi themed lyrics that kick much ass and if you were to imagine a thrashier, more technical version of Dream Death you wouldn't be too far off. They use just enough melody on this album to make it stand apart in a saturated genre, even incorporating an instrumental track. Making the Transition is essential listening.

Here

Herpes

2009-05-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

This is uncompromising caveman grind from the country of Columbia. Medellin isn't so much of an album as it is a collection of emotion spanning about 13 minutes. The vocals consist of shouted grunts that at times seem to altogether drown out the primitive drumming and blistering guitar. This is relentless stuff and if you're not paying attention you may miss some of the riff work. I promise you it's definitely in there. Oh yeah, that emotion I was referring to probably has something to do with Herpes crushing the skulls of their enemies with rocks. That's a long 13 minutes...

Here

Concrete Sox

2009-05-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

Concrete Sox hailed from the UK in the mid-'80s and to this day there are legions of crust bands trying to replicate the sound that these guys captured on their first album entitled Your Turn Next. The album starts off with female singing over a music sample from the movie Suspiria scored by the mighty Goblin. There are a few moments of female singing peppered throughout the album that seem to add to its overall atmosphere. Some may say these moments are out of place but personally I think they are just brilliant. Did I mention the riffs? Concrete Sox cough up some great ones here and really show how great of a anarcho-crossover band they were blending punk, hardcore and thrash just effortlessly. If you dug the Toxic Waste post I started off this blog with you will love this shit. Get it.

Your Turn Next

Ploughers of Land and Sea

2009-05-24T10:27:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of sludge bands out there. Some do it better than others. Houston's Bowel is one such band. They released this EP in 2006 and really just seemed to scratch the surface of what they are capable of. I eagerly anticipated a full length which never seemed to surface. Fast forward to 2009 and after checking their myspace the other day I notice a new song up. This is pretty exciting news because these guys are really, really good. This EP contains 4 tracks and clocks in at just about 27 minutes. Bowel creates a palpable tension on this album, knowing when to slow it down to a slug like crawl and when to hit on all cylinders with a vice-like grip on the senses. The dual vocal attack and pinch harmonics used here only spice things up for the better.

Bowel

Don't Cheer Me Up

2009-05-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Something about the title and cover art on this album strikes me as very odd. It fits the music perfectly though. Aftermath offer up a nice slab of power-thrash here and although some of the songs meander around and overstay their welcome at times, the end result is pretty satisfactory albeit a little strange. The bass playing is really outstanding on this record. I find myself playing this album over and over again without really being able to pinpoint a reason why other than Aftermath just changing it up enough to keep me coming back for more. I feel that they were onto something here and just came up a little short. It sure does make for a fun listen though.

Aftermath

Necrodeath

2009-05-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

This is Satanic Italian Anti-Thrash. La fine.

Into the Macabre

Chateaux

2009-05-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Not only does this record have some of the best cover art I've seen but it features a great vocal performance from Steve Grimmett who also manned the pipes in Grim Reaper among other UK acts. Chateaux was a band that just belted out badass garage jams, really blurring the line between NWOBHM and psych. The lyrics are pretty repetitive in parts but on a whole this album is truly an inspired and unique listening experience which calls to mind every band that made me stand up and take notice because they weren't afraid to leave it all on the stage.

Here

Contropotere

2009-05-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes albums come along with an overpowering sense of atmosphere. Nessuna Speranza, Nessuna Paura is one such album. Contropotere was an Italian hardcore punk band active from the mid '80s to mid '90s. This is their first LP which translates to No Hope, No Fear and it sounds as if the ghosts of Italian crust punks came down out of the Apennine Mountains to play anarcho-punk for a bunch of villagers in the dead of night. They incorporate a variety of instruments besides electric guitar and drums to capture the sound on this album and it works perfectly. I revisit this one a ton. Hope you like it.

Here

Indestroy

2009-05-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

Indestroy is one of the best zombie thrash bands to come out of the '80s. This album features the same singer from Ironchrist (another very good thrash band) and the lyrics penned on this one really stand out as some of the best in the genre. This starts off with the great one-two punch of "The Gate" and "U.S.S.A." - two relentless and perfect thrash songs. The album only has about 2 mediocre tracks and I say mediocre because they are just a little slower than the rest. This is stuff to blast in your Iroc Camaro on a summer night while trolling for some easy prey at your local Dairy Queen as you headbang yourself into a frenzied madman.

Here

World

2009-05-18T11:31:00.001-07:00

Well here it is. The entire World discography. I've seen this posted one other place but this deserves so much more attention. World were a Japanese noisecore band that released a handful of splits plus 1 EP all of which are contained below. Each of the 7 tracks contain one release so the songs are packed together without proper titles. This is pure bliss - often imitated but never duplicated. Drums. Microphones. Vox. Noise.

Enjoy

Coma Void

2009-05-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

Stormking Twilight is an album that's hard to categorize. This is the only release by Portland's Coma Void and it's a doozy. It's sometimes death metal, sometimes stoner rock, sometimes sludge. What it is constantly is pure metal with buzzing guitars that seem to soar over the chaos of the double bass and seething vocals. These guys aren't afraid of throwing acoustic passages or clean'er' vocals in the mix either. Coma Void sounds like NO ONE else I can assure you of that. If you've never heard of these guys do yourself a favor and check them out. I haven't seen this posted on any other blog and it's really a shame. With song titles like "Opal Hill Mining Disaster of 1911", "Cave Gimp" and "Crab Witch Head" you can't really go wrong. Oh yeah the last track is not really 20 minutes. Wait for it...wait for it...

Here

Target: Earth

2009-05-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

Power Metal. You either love it or you hate it. Screamer's Target Earth is one of my favorite power metal albums and it features one of the more unique vocalists in the genre. I'm not going to lie, the vocals put me off to this initially but after one or two listens the music keep me wanting to come back to this album. Now the vocals are my favorite part and they coincide perfectly with the epic brand of heavy metal laid down on this LP. If you can get down with the mighty Fates Warning, Oliver Magnum and Crimson Glory don't hesitate to discover this hidden gem.

Screamer

From This Day Forward

2009-05-14T15:30:00.001-07:00

Obliveon were a progressive thrash outfit from Canada who really sounded as if they holed up in a bunker for a year and listened to nothing but early Death records and tons of Alder fronted Fates Warning records. This is a good thing.

Obliveon

Pacemaker

2009-05-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

If you don't like France or speed metal I suggest you skip this. Pacemaker's only release was this 5 song demo in 1985. I can't find any more information on them besides that. Quality is shit, vocals are shaky at best, guitar solos are awesome and the song writing is very good. What's not to like? It's a pity they never did anything else cause they definitely had some talent. Beware! French power metal vocals inside!

Ici

Death in Action

2009-05-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

This is a totally underrated classic from German punk thrashers Death in Action. If you like crossover, these guys are right up your alley. The vocals are scathing and go perfectly with the face ripping guitar tone on this release. Don't sleep on this one! The song "Brain Damage" is worth the price of admission alone. This is miles better than most of the exhumed mediocre '80s thrash I see out there. Bang your fucking head punks!

Toxic Waste

Glacier

2009-05-11T14:45:00.001-07:00

"If metal is your medicine
We'll give you a dose
You'll never be the same!
Your eardrums will shatter
But it doesn't matter
You'll never feel the pain!"
This 5 song EP by Portland's Glacier may very well be the best example of U.S. traditional metal in existence. I know you are about to furiously pound away a comment citing Fifth Angel, Liege Lord, Crimson Glory, Manowar or Manilla Road and you may very well have a legitimate gripe but I implore you to give these guys a try. Each song is completely distinct and memorable enough to have you humming one of them in the shower a few days from now wondering why you're hoisting your loofa stick like a gleaming broadsword.

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Seaweed

2009-05-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

I grew up a skateboarder as did many in the late '80s early '90s. The soundtrack to my life back then were bands like Minor Threat, Op Ivy, Fugazi, Jawbreaker and others. One album in particular that defined the entire era for me was Seaweed's Weak released by Sub Pop in 1991. Few albums actually transport me directly back to my past like this one does. They played grunge influence pop punk and really knew how to write a chorus. I miss skating a lot but I'm glad I can come back to bands like this and pick up some sweet nostalgia. Thank you Seaweed.

Weak

Neutralized

2009-05-09T09:18:00.001-07:00

I'm not too sure why other blogs don't gush all over this album. Is it the album cover? Regardless, this is one of my favorite heavy metal albums ever. Talon were from Germany and had two other releases after this masterpiece that weren't anywhere near as good. Neutralized was released in 1984 and I find it interesting to note that this album wasn't really influenced by NWOBHM. In fact they don't incorporate that sound at all. Talon sticks to more traditional heavy metal and creates a polished sound that is distinctly their own showcasing some of the most memorable guitar work and song writing I've ever heard. I revisit this one again and again. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Here

Order from Chaos

2009-05-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

If the music on this album took the form of a alien planet it would be LV-426. This is blackened death metal that incorporates druid like space chants and eerie sound-effects at just the right times to keep you guessing. What's that you say? You like death metal guitar solos? So does Bill Paxton.

Grab It

NWOBHM

2009-05-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

Wolf isn't a band that most people bring up when discussing NWOBHM. This album is almost perfect from beginning to end and there is a haunting vibe to the whole thing that is really drawn out when the band makes use of the keyboard and belts out tunes about highway riders and the devil. When listening to this I can't help but imagine myself wandering a foggy English moor after sunset on the tail end of a 12 hour pub crawl only to stumble upon a bar where these guys are playing to a half empty room. Best show ever.

Edge of the World

Mekong Delta

2009-05-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

Mekong Delta is not only a riverbed in Vietnam but a progressive thrash band from Germany. This release is one of the weirdest thrash records I've heard and if you can't get down with clean metal vocals you might as well skip it. Your loss though. This stuff is undeniably remarkable and when the album gets going I really lose myself in all of its twists and turns. They are a technical band, but they don't overdo it. I've heard the Voivod comparisons but that ceases to go any farther than the fact that both bands play thrash and write songs that have sci-fi elements.

Riffs

Fight to Survive

2009-05-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

I noticed today that the metal archives website doesn't have a page for the mighty White Lion. How this is possible I really have no idea because their debut album Fight to Survive is a probably the best example of glam metal done correctly that I've ever heard. Yes, I did shudder as I typed that. The band had label difficulty early in their career which perhaps lead to this release being the overlooked gem that it is. Vito Bratta really shines on guitar and Danish vocalist Mike Tramp pens some of the catchiest hooks I've ever heard come out of the '80s. Is it cheesy? In a word...yes. But I happen to like cheese a lot.

Here

Black Mass of Absu

2009-05-04T14:40:00.001-07:00

Many black metal bands attempt to convey evil and fall flat on their corpse painted faces. This may not be what you think of when the term 'black metal' is used, but make no mistake about it...this is unholy ritual filth at its finest.

Essential

Initial Velocity

2009-05-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Alright this one is really special. Mandator were originally known as Mysto Dysto. This album is highly recommended and if you dig on thrash and if you can't get down with what these guys were doing in the Netherlands circa 1988 then there is something wrong with you. Some guy named Zerohero once referred to these guys as poverty metal and I have yet to hear a better description. This is melodic thrash with a metallic edge. Sharpen up your swords and polish your leather boots - it's about to get mercenary. Here's a sample:

Enjoy

Protected Illusion

2009-04-30T11:41:00.001-07:00

This one is a ripper and it constantly melts my face off with a mix of technical thrash and hardcore from Finland. More nowadays hardcore bands should take a history lesson from Protected Illusion. This is their full length from 1990 it's so chock full of energy I can't help but smile when I play this. Their homeland has produced some quality bands over the years and if you haven't heard these guys yet you are in for a treat. Their entire discography is now available online for free downloads so if you like this go and seek out the rest. I'll be banging my head and trying not to crash my car.

Word

Steel for an Age

2009-04-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

This band is called Crom and they were from Spain. This album is called Steel for an Age and it came out in 1987. This album is one of my favorite albums ever mainly because of its charm. Make no mistake, the production on this is horrible. The drum sound is akin to someone banging on the side of a metal box in a junkyard. The vocals are cringe-worthy on first listen and are sung in English (I have a soft spot for foreign bands that do this). Despite these shortcomings the band comes off as sincere with its effort and the songwriting really manages to shine through. Somehow it all works...and it works very well. They are pegged as a thrash band but I'd definitely place them in the melodic speed metal category. The guitar work on this release is quite memorable. After hearing the album opener 'Covered by Glory' I couldn't get the song out of my head for days. I hope you can appreciate this as much as I do. I come back to this album again and again and am never disappointed.

Enjoy

Toxic Waste

2009-04-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is Anarcho punk from Ireland. Toxic Waste originally formed in 1982 drawing inspiration from the music of Crass and existed for a 4 year stint before certain members went on to form the band Bleeding Rectum. The production on this LP is pretty shoddy but it's Anarcho punk what do you expect? The male/female vocals tradeoffs on this album are fantastic and the song writing is pretty top shelf for the genre - imho this is what punk music is all about. This is a band that stood for something.

Enjoy