I can respect that, to be honest since I grew up listening to debuts of many bands most of the time (and brazilian/german black thrash in general, also tons of Venom) I ended up developing an ear for shitty/raw sounding production. It really doesn't bother me much most of the time and I actually enjoy having a really raw, putrid guitar tone, especially in power/speed metal, I think the contrast between filthy sounding yet musically classy metal music is very interesting, which is why RW's debut interested me so much when I was a developing underground metal fan around 9 or so years ago. Still, I see your point, but I must argue that RW had some melodies from the earlier albums that could stand up to some of the shit they did later, Soldiers of Hell and Diabolic Force from the first record come to mind, plus Mordor of Branded and Exiled had the trem picked riffs they'd later be known for, albeit quite slow, but the ending to that one's fuckin great.

I do however agree wholeheartedly that once Port Royal hit shit started to get fucking serious for them. I mean fuck dude Calico Jack, Battle of Waterloo, Marooned, Riding the Storm, Uaschitschun, fuck I mean, Death or Glory, Port Royal, and Black Hand Inn don't even have filler, just tracks that are a little weaker than the others.

I'm glad you dug the songs I did, I genuinely apologize for the singing on the second one but it was the best I could get at the time. I swear I'll get better from here on out.

I've had a time with a lot of early 90s black metal rawness surrounding me, but I've since lost interest in many of these earlier bands because I've moved on to overall more melodic, epic, grandiose realms OR depressive, gloomy, simple and effective goth/80s/darkwave-influenced stuff. I'll take your recommendations for RW, thank you Sir.

TREASURE ISLAND. If the vocals were a little better production-wise, this would be one of my favorite three RW songs. Still far up there, but I'm more than just a little annoyed by the weird production (apparently an error) making Rolf sound as if he was in another room, yelling into a toilet bowl.

I'll keep my ears fresh and clean for more to come ^^

Wow I haven't used this site in years. Kinda jumped back on for a laff. What are we all listening to these days? After spending the last 2 years almost exclusively listening to harsh noise and sound art, I've jumped back down the rabbit hole of black metal. Spent today listening to Cultes des Ghoules, Hail Spirit Noir, Klabautamann, Peste Noire and perhaps the most trve bm artist of all time, Liturgy

I've been listening to metal and playing guitar for a few years now. My favorite sub-genre is neoclassical metal. If you haven't heard of it, it's basically known as the "shred" genre. Most of the songs are instrumental and have lots of guitar virtuosity.

Some of my favorite bands:

Impellitteri

Cacophony

Racer X

Masi

Some other underground bands...

Then of course Priest, Maiden, and so on.

I often listen to solo artists as well. Some of my favorites include Vinnie Moore, Michael Angelo Batio, and Yngwie Malmsteen.

I've made some of my own songs here, and am about to complete a full album. I think I'd consider myself a pretty fast shredder.

Maaaan, I'll be honest, I never got into neoclassical shit, most of it for me sounds like classical masturbation, specially when it comes to Malmsteen, MAB also I believe can't write a song worth shit, if Nitro's OFR is used as an example. Racer X is probably the only thing I sorta dig, and that's because Paul Gilbert and co. actually decided to WRITE songs for "Street Lethal" and in Racer X EVERYONE'S wanking, which is what makes it good. If it's only one dude slapping his dick on the guitar making super fast meedly meedlies then that's fucking boring, but if the bassist is doing doodly doodlies and the drummer's putting in work then it's not as gay. To be frank my favorite shredders are Satch and Paul Gilbert, in low doses they're pretty good.

I think you should listen to some early to mid 80's NWOBHM, of the more technical and classy variety, cause like, I can tell you'd fucking HATE Venom. I'd recommend Satan's "Court in the Act", Tysondog's "Beware of the Dog", Avenger's first two records (Blood Sports and Killer Elite), Virtue's material (We Stand to Fight 7" and the demo they did), Cloven Hoof's 80's records (the self titled, Dominator, and A Sultan's Ransom), Hellanbach (the british Van Halen), and, although they're not british, Gotham City on The Unknown, off the top of my head. Mostly recommending this kinda shit because even though it might not be as noodly as the more technical 80's shredders, they can actually write really good songs, where all the members get their chance to shine, which is what I believe being in a rock n roll band is all about.

Here's a couple of songs from those bands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iwjxjugO24 Gotham City - Borderline

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3z7CYjO1Lo Cloven Hoof - Road of Eagles (this version is a BBC session that's featured in the reissue of the first album, I consider it the best version out of all of them by this band)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks5Kf_3HqoE Cloven Hoof - Reach for the Sky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaHVixWIqRk Avenger - Revenge Attack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7zvKe7XU2M Satan - Broken Treaties

>I consider myself a pretty fast shredder

Weeeeeeeeeeeell, I'd say you're both right and wrong. You definitely can pick quite fast, but I feel in some of your pieces you're out of time. Gotta practice more playing along with a band. You might wanna work on your tone too, it's not that great, to put it mildly.

Shredders don't attract a very large fanbase mostly because many people can't feel speed in the way some can. To many, it just sounds like a guy showing off by playing as fast he can. It's all just a matter of taste. Some people just aren't equipped for this style of music. However, I do think MAB and Yngwie have written some solid songs that aren't entirely speedy fretwork. "2x Again" and "The Finish Line" are decent listens, and Malmsteen's "Icarus' Dream Suite Op. 4," is worth hearing. As for Paul Gilbert, from how much I've heard, he's about at the same tier of over-playing as the many others i've heard. Satriani on the other hand is definitely more chill.

And yeah, I have gotten into some NWBHM bands. I've been listening to a group called "Blitzkrieg" lately, and they have helped influence some of my playing in my song "Fireball". I definitely enjoy their songs and lyrical themes, and they are well balanced as a group. But a band doesn't need boundaries to be entertaining. That's why super shredders make great performers. Maybe their songs don't appeal to the masses, but they're still fun to watch.

Also, about my playing. Yes, my rhythm could still use some work, but I think I am getting better with each time I play. As for my tone, I don't have access to a professional studio of any kind, and I've been recording my songs using a microphone, so it's not gonna be the best thing you've ever heard. Until I'm equipped with better gear, my songs may sound like that for a while.

Woops! I haven't posted in 9 months? Intronaut is a newish favorite of mine now. I think my listening habits haven't changed much since I posted. I mostly shuffle my library on my phone or pc. Or I'll shuffle Pandora hoping to hear something I haven't heard before, which happens but not often. What music do I recall coming on recently? Inter Arma, Gojira, Mastodon, Meshuggah, Acid Bath, RC, Buckethead. Woke up with Shell Skull by Pontiak stuck in my head.

I used to rave about Vanden Plas here, I got @Nev to do the same. Not too long ago, I thought about them and realized I hadn't listened in years, so I put on Colour Temple, Far Off Grace and Christ.0.

I still gotta hear the Sciences.

Zoinks! I remember you!

I remember you, too. I love Klabautamann.

Bahamut!

Adagio, that's one I haven't heard in 10+ years. Makes me think of finding new stuff as a teen from Progarchives, Pandora and Musicmatch like Pagan's Mind and Age of Nemesis and stuff.

@MercyfulDeath I feel like you would have gotten on well with @Dalnaki

That's a name I've not been known by for a long time now but it's what everyone knows me by best from the days.

Since last posting I've not discovered much new for metal but keep looking back on what I had for many years and rediscovering gold. Admittedly, I've been more interested in discovering synthwave music at this time.

Here's a tip, it's what I do because I'm a NEET piece of shit. Get Amplitube 3, y'know LEGALLY of course from a reputable torrent or whatever, and then literally get a 1/4 to 1/8 plug from a music store or something, look it up so you know what it looks like and then just plug your guitar in, then tweak around to find a tone you dig. It's not going to sound 100% perfect because of course amplitube was designed to be used with an interface but it's better than nothing. There's also VSTs, a Distortion + plus some free amp VSTs from that freevst site can work in a pinch. It's best if you're also recording with Reaper, it has a cabinet simulator that's not half bad. Then a pinch of reverb and you'd be good.

I see, seems so, from what I've read.

In other news, this song fucking rules

Get Amplitube 3, y'know LEGALLY of course from a reputable torrent or whatever, and then literally get a 1/4 to 1/8 plug from a music store or something, look it up so you know what it looks like and then just plug your guitar in, then tweak around to find a tone you dig.

Thanks, I'll look into it.

Surprisingly I actually don't own an actual copy of The Sciences. I burned myself a copy and tacked on The Clarity. I also cleaned up that Hot Lava Man song that's been on youtube forever as much as I could and was going to put that on the instead but decided not to.

I randomly sign online to check out some stuff I like in the audio portal and what do I see? Goatchrist and several of the old crew back, feeling really nostalgic right now. Hope everyone is doing well, figured I'd post my band's recent EP. I've got a few other projects in the works as well. Anyways, this is my band, Deathstalker's EP. I recorded both guitar and bass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdjfn4jDbOc

Haha, hey there man! Thanks for reviewing! I'd say "somewhat" back because NG is dead as fuck...it's still slightly shocking to me, how slow this place has become. But yet, here I am ^^

Well man, I'm halfway into this one and your guitar work is quite ace, Sir! Definitely the most memorable part of the EP. Also, big love for audible bass. Your singer sounds best when he's channeling his inner Phil Anselmo and not trying to be TOO melodic, I gotta say :-)

Also, I've submitted a little playthrough video for a new Adder's Fork demo song. Definitely a less aggressive, moody song that sounds a little more like my demos, but still with a little more beef and variation. Click, if you like:

Me porous, hell-bent rockin' is all animating and hell oh mighty!

i started listening to this album again and i found out the vocalist andre matos died 2 months ago. i havent heard much other material from him but Angels cry is definitely in there when it comes to the greatest power metal albums ever. its also interesting that theres a Kate Bush cover in there, and he actually pulls it off with his high vocal range.

Yeah it is pretty shocking thinking how active it used to be here compared to now. I know part of the reason I don't check here more often is I'm just not on my computer much if I am not working on music.

Thanks for the kind words man, I agree about our vocalist lol, I definitely think he needs to practice his more melodic singing more. Honestly I wish we could have gotten him to rerecord some parts of the first track.

Here's a Deathcore song I wrote

And yes I listen to more than core music. I mainly enjoy Slam/Brutal Death Metal and Black Metal

i found some cool slam on this site

...Well this has been dead for about a month. Fuck it, guess I'll revive it by posting about one of my favorite obscure bands, well, they WERE obscure about 8 years ago when I started listening to them but I guess everyone and their mother who's into underground oldschool metal must've heard of them by now.

I'm talking about Manilla Road. For those who haven't heard them, well, think Conan the Barbarian musical muscularity but the lead singer is a wise wizard singing atop his emerald studded tower overlooking the river Styx weaving mystical rhymes about heroes from ages forgotten by man. Not to sound like a gatekeeping dick (though I disagree with popular opinion about gatekeeping), they're not easy to get into. Just like in life, there is no easy Road, they didn't play by anyone's rules except their own, playing music that was 4 years too late to be innovative in 1980 when their first two albums were released, only sort of catching up in '83 with Crystal Logic and even then they still sounded old. But I guess that's the point of the music, like I wrote, it's got an ancestral, etherally mystical feel, and it strives not to rabidly consume the fire, brimstone, and destruction most commonly associated with heavy metal, but to bring with it life and creation. It is fundamentally 80's in it's feel, even when it reached the 90's and Pantera's brand of angry, edgy, no fun allowed tough guy began to dominate and change the way metal would be written in the future.

I'd assume everybody whose heard of this band in this group already knows what to listen to, but for those who haven't, I'd probably recommend The Deluge as a starting point. It is their most compact, direct and no frills album from their golden era. The songs are short and uncomplicated (barring the epics), it's got the most punishing guitar, bass, and drum tones from their discography, so it certainly FEELS heavy. Open the Gates could also be a fine starting point, but the guitar overshadows the bass immensely there, strange considering Scott Park's presence in all the other records, plus the general guitar tone sounds very muddy due to the intense musty sounding reverb, and the drums are quite thin. But the quality of song is on par with The Deluge (barring Heavy Metal to the World, thankfully the last of their obligatory filler songs from past records). Most Road devotees would start newbies on Crystal Logic, the last record which featured original drummer Rick Fisher, and the first record that brought the band into the 80's musically speaking, as previous records Invasion and Metal were heavily steeped in the kind of hard/psych rock Hawkwind was doing when Lemmy was in the band, though Metal was the more interesting of the two, as it was hinting to what heavy metal was musically speaking during the year it was released (1982), but it twisted expectations (the weird start stop drumbeat that accompanies the gallop in Enter the Warrior, the switch between the nasal cleans and gruff vocals in Queen of the Black Coast etc...), nonetheless in the case you'd like to explore that side of the band's discography, you're welcome to, just don't expect modern sounding metal (in this case modern being the underground side of 1983). After Randy Foxe joined the band in '84, the band really tightened and speeded up it's sound, the reason why I recommend either The Deluge or Open the Gates as starting points. The rest of their discography up 'till 1991's Courts of Chaos is of equal quality, and it is very interesting to listen the band progress with each successive album.

Here's a track from The Deluge.

I didn't delve into their discography post 2000, to be frank, I'm not as fond of it as I am of the 80's one, but if there's any one that's actually given it an ear, leave your thoughts on it!

If you like Manila Road you'd probably like:

Brocas Helm

Cloven Hoof

Legend

Haha, waaaaaay ahead of you buddy, thanks for the recommendations, I know they were in good faith.

And I have Legend's sole album as well. I've been listening to both of the former bands since 2011, and I'm VERY familiar with Cloven Hoof especially, I was very proactive in trying to learn most of the songs off the debut on guitar. I should try again one of these days, I never did get the middle section and harmony parts of Gates of Gehenna.

Fair enough. Just felt like sharing in case you hadn't listened to them before. I got into Cloven Hoof and Brocas Helm through the game Brütal Legend and Legend through @Murray

It's cool bro, I still appreciate it. Funny to know, I discovered Brocas Helm through Brutal Legend as well waaaaay way back in 2011 or so. That Spider Queen boss battle sold me on the game 100%. A shame the RTS direction took over, while it was a cool element, I really wanted a Heavy Metal mythos Legend of Zelda.

So I discovered this band a little while ago. These guys have an AWESOME debut album. Definitely deserves a lot more recognition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5bVAX4-of0

i just wanted to type this here ------ Hellish pride - Overkill

Off off immortalis

https://screechcalamity.bandcamp.com/album/reality-through-a-panicked-lens

check out my black metal album

That is really cool that you made a album. Nice work.

Obscure Sphinx.

Holy shit.

I've made many albums

https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Chris_Schroeder/795517