GATEKEEPER - "EAST OF SUN" (2018)

GATEKEEPER - "EAST OF SUN"
(Running time: 57:33 minutes; 10 songs)
("Cruz del Sur"; 2018; CD):

Back on track and up here at work again, yes, and to kick this very one here and now off let me begin with just one word, okay, and so now here it comes: Wow!!! Yes, and with that said let us now start this very one here properly: Hey guys, oh yeahr, this very one here totally overwhelmed me and it massively conquered me and, yes, it continues to do so again and again and time after time. GATEKEEPER - hailing from (then) Edmonton and (now) Vancouver over there up from Canada - were total unknown strangers before their "EAST OF SUN" album to me and this very one here, GATEKEEPER's mentioned "EAST OF SUN", is their- for all what I know- proper full-length-debutalbum, and it was released still pretty recently this year via the mighty "CRUZ DEL SUR" record-label like already mentioned in this very year of 2018. I'll try to keep it... hm... again (?) shorter this time... at least a bit or so... and so now enough of the introducing and smalltalking stuff and finally right and direct and straight into the action, yes, and so now one more time again let's roll: This is absolutely brilliant and fantastic Epic Heavy Metal of the absolute masterly supreme kind with a strong own character and identity born and bred through old/early SAVATAGE, old glory MANOWAR, a good dose of MANILLA ROAD, and OMEN and raised by these giants to become a very independently, stand-alone, and high skilled battle scarred Epic Heavy/Power Metal bastard that would make Conan massively proud and that would be the perfect soundtrack for riding axe-swinging over the wide fields and through the hot jungles of Cimmeria. This almighty album kicks off with the phenomenal harsh slashing and deadly sharp cutting through and through on purest Speed Metal raised "THE BLADE OF CIMMERIA" filled with and marked by an impressively intense and heavily stunning, massively tension-building and really huge and despise the precise and fast cutting and raging character of it nicely diverse and multi-layered guitar work delivering everything destroying riffs and all heads off-cutting rhythmic arrangements and, standing above all, singing and screaming leads and intoxicating solos, hell yeahr, and also filled to the max with and marked by powerful and clean, clear, and very sharp and still pretty harsh sung lead vocals that are cultivating it all, while bonesmashing and harsh thundering drumming and a grim and evil sawing powerful bass back it all up in a stunning and massive way. After this absolutely overwhelming kick-off of the album the ingredients pretty much stay the same even the Speed Metal gets sort of omitted and the really larger than life and by a breathtaking and goosepimples-non-stopp-giving dramaturgy marked Epic Metal or Epic Heavy Metal really takes the all and everything commanding lead, yes, but the stunning, high-skilled, diverse and multi-layered, very atmospheric and intense, sharp cutting and harsh slashing and above all really singing and with fantastic melody lines excelling guitar work, the highly charismatic and very forceful and very imploringly and urgently delivered air-raid-siren vocals, the brutal smashing and stunning drumming, and the massively heavy sawing bass still make and mark the songs and the musick and this in all the fucking right ways and for all the damn right reasons. And above all GATEKEEPER's "EAST OF SUN" is marked by diverse and very rich, due to many differents facets and layers nicely and in a damn high-skilled way very multi-layered and sort of ever changing songwriting with tremendous amounts of massively tension building drama and an incredible amount of really exciting moments and grapping, rousing changes and twists and turns in it all that conquer and overwhelm all and everything in a damn stunning and drastic and massive way, yes, and it is incredible how huge and how 'gloriosuly grapping' the tension arcs of each and every single one of the songs (that are also very often brilliantly enriched with amazing acoustic sprinklings) are, yes, really damn bloody fucking fantastic. This is, to get this straight and say this clear and precise, an absolute and total supreme masterpiece and a really larger than life and an outstanding album and it is one of the very best ones in and for 2018 and this without a single doubt, yes, and I can only and clearly and calmly recommend this to everyone outta there who's into the described musick and if you are in this target-group and really should not have or even know it so far then you should really and by any means change this as damn soon as only anyhow possible and best promptly right now and instantly. Absolutely fantastic lyrics, an outstanding fucking gorgeous artwork, a clear and still heavy and sharp cutting production-sound as well as two brilliant and phenomenal cover-tunes of the omnipotent mastepieces that are OMEN's "DEATH RIDER" and SAVATAGE's "HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING" finally round the supreme masterpiece that is GATEKEEPER's "EAST OF SUN" finally and in a perfect way up. Epic Metal in perfection. Get this immortal beast of an album, just get it. 

(10 of 10 points)

https://gatekeeper.bandcamp.com/ (-the link to the bandcamp site of the band)

GATEKEEPER - "BLADE OF CIMMERIA" (2018, "EAST OF SUN")

HEAVY LOAD - "STRONGER THAN EVIL" (2018; Re-Release)

HEAVY LOAD - "STRONGER THAN EVIL"
(Running time: 68:25 minutes; 14 songs)
("No Remorse Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, after my work day starts later this day I decided to try to come up with the next load for you already this morning (we will see if this will work out like planned) and this means here'n'now that here comes my record-review on the 2018 re-release of the HEAVY LOAD classick "STRONGER THAN EVIL" released via "NO REMORSE RECORDS" in a drop-dead-gorgeous and ultra-premium digi-pak-edition. HEAVY LOAD's "STRONGER THAN EVIL" was if I am now correct the 3rd full-length-album of this Heavy Metal Vikings from Sweden and was originally/primaly released in the October of 1983. I stumbled upon this release due to the gorgeous artwork that instantly draw my attention and finally led me to purchase it. HEAVY LOAD played a mixture out of Heavy Metal and (especially) Epic Metal with a strong battle-scarred spirit and a Conan & Cimmeria like vibe to it all and fueled by a often pretty strong and also pretty dark Hard Rock or Heavy Rock influence. The birth-date being in the 1980's and this also pretty early in this decade you surely regognize clearly but due to a nicely very own note'n'timbre and a pretty unique own tone of the guitars as well as of the nicely present and clearly to hear loud'n'proud strutting bass and a 'golden-hand' in arranging the vocal lines as well as the overall damn high quality of the musick HEAVY LOAD and especially here their "STRONGER THAN EVIL" absolutely holds its ground and remains damn relevant also today. This is also due to the very strong and also by today's standards still nicely fresh and especially damn alive-lively and asskicking songwriting that bridges a wide area of different approaches and directions from stunning and harsh power pumping, anthemic and fist-in-the-air Hard Rock/Heavy Rock slashers like "FREE" or especially the nearly divine "SATURDAY NIGHT" over escalating very intense drama-and-tension-rich highly emotional and atmospheric Epic Metal hymns like "STRONGER THAN EVIL" or "ROAR OF THE NORTH" to massively heavy hitting and hard onwards into battle stomping Heavy Metal thunderstrikes like "THE KING" or "SINGING SWORDS" and with "RUN WITH THE DEVIL" the album opens up with a prime example of the supreme Heavy Metal majesty HEAVY LOAD were able to create, and all is marked by intense and grapping and damn rousing songwriting that for damn sure still today in 2018 offers a lot of pure excitment for/to anyone into the described musick. All done by well-skilled musicians. Powerful clear sung and full lead vokillz, sharp cutting and harsh slashing guitars, a powerful bass, and thundering drums are the ingredients out of which HEAVY LOAD created their loud'n'proud and battle-scarred hymns of war. A big load of bonus tracks that really all totally conquer, a drop-dead-gorgeous and very 'nutritious' artwork, and a beautifully dirty and original 1980's production-sound as well as very strong lyrics then finally round it all up. Clearly recommended to anyone who's into Heavy Metal and Epic Metal as well as into heavy hitting and epic Hard Rock/Heavy Rock. Make sure to discover HEAVY LOAD's "STRONGER THAN EVIL", a really great masterpiece.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Heavy_Load/113 (-the band @ the "Metal Archives")

HEAVY LOAD - "SINGING SWORDS" (1983/2018, "STRONGER THEN EVIL")

WRATHBLADE - "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" (2017)

WRATHBLADE - "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED"
(Running time: 38:07 minutes; 9 songs)
("Eat Metal Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, next dose finally incoming for you and this means that the next and newest record-review by me is now aimed at you and this time it is on the so far still current and newest WRATHBLADE full-length-album "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" released via the very sympathic "EAT METAL RECORDS" on CD already last year of 2017 by the end of it and just by some few other record-reviews that I've read round that time and due to the fantastic artwork and bandlogo I was right from the get-go instantly damn curious on/for it also without knowing the precursor release of/by WRATHBLADE or the band in general anyway earlier, yes, but I just got it two months ago because I found it nowhere earlier here in good old Germany (maybe I just checked the wrong sources... for sure) and anyhow I finally need to figure out how this whole PayPal stuff works… So, anyhow and anyway and however, yes, because I finally got it and so now here we finally are and so let's go: For all what I know or for all what I think to know WRATHBLADE hail also like their label "EAT METAL RECORDS" from Greece and "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" is their second full-length-album and this is Heavy Metal, yes, Heavy fuckin' Metal, oh yes, and, to be more precise, this is Epic Metal and really strong Epic Metal - or, how I like to call it due to atmosphere and spirit and attitude of this certain musick, Conan Metal or Cimmerian Metal, yes, and some (one more time again) really damn strong one, point and fact. And it is also very fresh and also pretty to very unique Epic Metal with a lot of very good and very own ideas. The backbone of WRATHBLADE's "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" is surely by the almighty MANILLA ROAD inspired Epic Metal enriched by (even) more Heavy Metal and also Power Metal focussed stunning heavyness so that everyone who likes/loves for example the fantastic VISIGOTH will also very strongly hail the mighty WRATHBLADE and their "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED", yes, and WRATHBLADE take it even further with incorporating ingredients and impressions that are (music-wise) withdrawn from Thrash Metal and even some Death Metal without any stylistic incongruities and cultivate their very own musick even more with it. This all tells you maybe already that the songwriting is pretty to very diverse and multi-layered and filled with many different facets when we look at all the 'compositorial-arrangements' and thank the gods it's all melted nicely fluently together so that no breaks are to be recognized here on WRATHBLADE's "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" and turning this all into a really and truly surprisingly fresh and especially exciting as well as grapping ride from start to finish. To me the biggest trademark of WRATHBLADE here on "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED" are the absolutely amazing and phenomenal and above all very unique'n'original full, powerful, and very often and especially very intense in a 'sacred-imploringly' way done and delivered vokillz that shine incredible bright and colourful and that are also done truly highly charismatic and in a damn unique way. Then all is made full'n'round by very harsh hitting and nicely diverse and skillful guitars and a stunningly heavy rhythm section. A gorgeous artwork, pretty interesting and/or thoughtful lyrics, and a heavy and yet very earthy production-sound finally complete the package. If they just give us the next time sort of a real hit, yes, then WRATHBLADE will surely score the absolute jackpot. Highly and clearly and calmly recommended to any fan of really great Epic Metal.

(9 of 10 points)

https://www.facebook.com/wrathbladeofficial/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

WRATHBLADE - "SHEER VENGEANCE WILL OUT UPON THEE (GOD OF WAR Pt. II)" (2017, "GOD OF THE DEEP UNLEASHED")

ROSS THE BOSS - "BY BLOOD SWORN" (2018)

ROSS THE BOSS - "BY BLOOD SWORN"
(Running time: 46:33 minutes; 10 songs)
("AFM Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, finally the next round'n'dose for you and your enjoyment is right here. From Sunday, the 8th of July of 2018 on I was on a very nice vacation-travel and just came home still pretty recently one day ago and so the sort of one week of nothing new up here should be explained (if there was ever the need to explain anything anyhow anyway) to all of you. And I thought kicking it all of with a new record-review (that's now also waiting to be done for already a bit longer), yes, and so here we go with my record-review on the (brand)new ROSS THE BOSS full-length-album "BY BLOOD SWORN" released still not that long ago in 2018 on CD (at least that's the format I have of it) via "AFM RECORDS", yes, and after we all should know ROSS THE BOSS aka the man himself very well, the Metal guys from his time with the almighty MANOWAR and the Punk dudes from his runs with the mighty THE DICTATORS, I will now spare me any words more to introduce him here and now any further on. This is his newest 'solo-album' and ROSS THE BOSS recruited a 'new team' around him consisting (out) of strong going veterans like for example Mike LePond at the bass (SYMPHONY X, SILENT ASSASSIN) and Marc Lopes at the mic (fromer MELIAH RAGE) and together they delivered "BY BLOOD SWORN" to us and the world, hell yeahr, and this is a damn fucking mighty piece of crushing U.S. American Heavy Metal with plenty of heavy flirtings with thundering Power Metal in it all and with some slight (but) passionate Epic Metal marks in it, too; and "BY BLOOD SWORN" is ROSS THE BOSS' third full-length-album under that moniker and, if I am now not completly wrong informed, it's the first one since "HAILSTORM" in/from 2010. For all what I've read this album got often a lot of shit but if you free yourself of/from any MANOWAR expectations and just look at "BY BLOOD SWORN" for what it is then you will definitely and enthusiastically cheer up to it, especially if you are into guitar driven and riff dominated (U.S. American) Heavy/Power Metal somewhere between ICED EARTH and HELSTAR and maybe some very, very few JAG PANZER and with slight Epic Metal and also some Hard Rock notes in it that comes dressed in fresh and strong songwriting that isn't shying away from THIN LIZZY inspired Hard Rock and even some few Horror Rock/Horror Punk a la THE MISFITS and that offers a lot of multi-facetted and pretty diverse approaches and ideas with serving a lot of exciting and grapping twists'n'turns all along the ride and that surely has a pretty unique and own character and identity. The same is to say about/to the fantastic and very charismatic guitar work that shines'n'sounds in its very own and damn unique boneshaking and dustdry tone and that delivers crushing riffs and powerful rhythm arrangements while at the same time shining bright with compelling great melodies and leads and first-class solos and this all mostly all the time. The guitars are surely also the strongest trademark of ROSS THE BOSS' "BY BLOOD SWORN" and are backed up fantastic in a very stunning and massive way by the thundering rhythm section, while the very strong vocals finally enrich it all (surely no 'new' Eric Adams, hell no, definitely not, but absolutely top notch anyhow). Surely not all is gold and songs like the terrible (power-)ballad "FAITH OF THE FALLEN" or the by far too-über-cheesy "AMONG THE BONES" probably should have better never been done in the first place anyhow, yes, but mighty Metal battle hymns like "BY BLOOD SWORN", "THIS IS VENGEANCE", "WE ARE THE NIGHT" and "FISTFUL OF HATE" with a strong Warrior and Conan/Cimmeria spirit and vibe to it as well as the fantastic THIN LIZZY inspired Hard Rock hymn "PLAY AMONG THE GODZ" are absolutely amazing top notch stuff, point and fact. A bunch of surely pretty clichée but anyhow good lyrics, a fantastic artwork, and a heavy hitting production sound then round it all finally up. To any Heavy Metal/Power Metal fan I can only recommend ROSS THE BOSS' "BY BLOOD SWORN" and so make sure to finally get it if you are into that kind of stuff and really still don't have it.

(8,5 of 10 points)

http://www.ross-the-boss.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

ROSS THE BOSS - "BY BLOOD SWORN" (2018, "BY BLOOD SWORN")

VISIGOTH - "CONQUEROR'S OATH" (2018)

VISIGOTH - "CONQUEROR'S OATH"
(Running time: 42:24 minutes; 8 songs)
("Metal Blade Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes and finally: I am back home from my trip to the (by me massively be-loved) city of Amsterdam and currently I've found the time to do something up here again... and with this month already coming to a close we will see if my plans up here will work still out for this month... but anyhow, yes, being back at work again up here feels good and means that here and now the next dose of record-review(s) by me for you is coming right in through ya and so here we go finally one more time again: Here and now it will be all about the current and for all what I know all in all second full-length-album titled "CONQUEROR'S OATH" by/of the young and impressively strong going U.S. American Heavy Metal band VISIGOTH released pretty much more or less exactly one month ago via the almighty "METAL BLADE RECORDS" label. VISIGOTH were totally unknown to me before I got my hands on the "CONQUEROR'S OATH" and it was due to the great cover artwork and a big bunch of very good and positive record-reviews that I pre-ordered this album and thank and praise to the almighty gods that I did so. VISIGOTH hail from Salt Lake City, Utah/U.S.A. and what they give us is nothing else or less than absolutely phenomenal Epic Heavy Metal of the supreme(st) kind and with a born and bred american flavor to it all and if you now maybe need some references then let me tell you that if you can imagine a very, very self-conatined and delicious mixture out of MANOWAR and GRAND MAGUS then you're on the right way and if you add here and there some very few slightly (early) VIRGIN STEELE reminiscences in that power-driven-epicness of the songs and then maybe also add here and there some few (early) CANDLEMASS impressions in form of that here and there nicely ''doomy'' delivery of the songs to it all as well and then you're pretty much totally right and if you can imagine this all with joy and enthusiasm then let me tell you that VISIGOTH's "CONQUEROR'S OATH" will be sort of your new holy grail and this for good and also for sure. All this influences are melted together by VISIGOTH here on "CONQUEROR'S OATH" in a totally 'independently' and/or self-contained way so that I simply have to state that this fine'n'young band already is thru'n'thru one of a kind and possesses a very strong and huge own identity and character and this combined with an immense and impressive musical quality is something that conquered and still continues to conquer me massively. VISIGOTH deliver very fresh, damn exciting and highly anthemic/hymnal songs with a huge own character and that are delivered via fantastic multi-facetted and multi-layered songwriting full of stunning and big tension arcs with massive amounts of power and tremendous portions of highly rousing energy, a mercyless onwards pushing drive, filled with grapping song architectures, intense and exciting arrangements of the verses and truly larger than life refrains, a great to outstanding riff and rhythm work, a very soul- and playful compositorial approach to it all, a nicely varying pace work, yes, and all is studded with fresh and surprising twist'n'turns all along the road like for example the damn great hard rocking and heavy rolling THIN LIZZY inspired über-anthem "SALT CITY" so that you are definitely in for an amazing, rousing, exciting, and grapping ride. Absolutely fantastic and bright shining clear and clean and also damn powerful and highly charismatic sung lead vocals mark the songs massively and truly enrich and cultivate them in a massive and impressive way. Then the stunning, heavy and forceful and yet 'phenomenally' diverse and especially intense guitar work with its singing leads and stunning solos and that brilliant rhythm and riffing work is for sure adding tons of highest quality and of that very own and unique identity to the songs (and this for all the right reasons), that are massively and stunningly backed up by the furious forward charging rhythm section. Hell yeahr, this is real Heavy Metal at'n'of its damn much very, very best and so much I can tell already here and now you can be sure that you will find VISIGOTH's "CONQUEROR'S OATH" ranked up in my this year's best of list, definitely. It's hard to name you any personal favorites but if you would want me to do so I probably would go with the almighty hymn "STEEL AND SILVER", the stunning "WARRIOR QUEEN", the absolutely poser slaying slasher "HAMMERFORGED", the already above mentioned über-anthem "SALT CITY", the sawing battle hymn "BLADES IN THE NIGHT", and the massively by (Epic) Doom Metal interwoven "THE CONQUEROR'S OATH", yes, so maybe start your discovery of VISIGOTH's "CONQUEROR'S OATH" with this purest platinum gems but don't make the mistake to think that the not mentioned "OUTLIVE THEM ALL" and "TRAITOR'S GATE" would be only anyhow anyway only slightly bad or weak songs because hell no they are definitely not, point and fact. On top of it all we do also get brilliant and (at least to me) nicely multi-facetted battle-scarred lyrics, a gorgeous artwork, and a heavy and powerful and yet warm, earthy, and organic production sound on top of it all. Okay, I think I have said all what I had to say so far and so I will now leave you with my highest recommendations to anyone into real Heavy Metal, Epic Metal, Power Metal, and/or U.S. Metal respectively American Heavy Metal (so to say) and I would like to add VISIGOTH with and due to their almighty and fantastic larger than life masterpiece "CONQUEROR'S OATH" because of the highly intense battle scarred and gladiatorial atmosphere to my personal list of Cimmerian Metal or Conan Metal and when you should finally listen to it you will pretty sure know why. All praise and hail to VISIGOTH and here with "CONQUEROR'S OATH" we definitely already have one of the very best probably top ten albums of/for 2018, definitely; highly recommended and so finally get it as soon as possible and this best right now. And now: DEATH TO FALSE METAL!!!

(10 of 10 points)

https://de-de.facebook.com/visigothofficial/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

VISIGOTH - "STEEL AND SILVER" (2018, "CONQUEROR'S OATH")

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JANUARY 2018: OMEN - "BATTLE CRY"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JANUARY 2018:

OMEN - "BATTLE CRY" (1984)
(Running time: 44:05 minutes; 12 songs // Rerelease 2016 edition feat. two bonus tracks.)
("Metal Blade Records"; CD)

Tracklist:
(01.) "DEATH RIDER"
(02.) "THE AXEMAN"
(03.) "LAST RITES"
(04.) "DRAGON'S BREATH"
(05.) "BE MY WENCH"
(06.) "TORTURE ME" (bonus track, taken from the "METAL MASSACRE 5" compilation)
(07.) "BATTLE CRY"
(08.) "DIE BY THE BLADE"
(09.) "PRINCE OF DARKNESS"
(10.) "BRING OUT THE BEAST"
(11.) "IN THE ARENA"
(12.) "BATTLE CRY" (bonus track, live 1986)

Hey guys, welcome back and look what we have here: A new category titled "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" and I will do my very best to establish this as a monthly installement up here on this very blog that will feature an album that is sort of already older or so and that 'moved me' in the then past month the most and that just makes me want to spread the word about it in an explicit way'n'manner so that it gets an own proper solely single post to pay tribute to it up here and to tell you about the greatness that it offers and (in fact) simply just is. And hey, this albums here are (in my book) true and real classicks and so at the end of this posts you will find no ratings like it would be a normal record-review or like this albums still would have to pro(o)ve something to the world or anyone or anything else, hell no, just that you know that. And to do this all here and now I'll (or I do) install this new posting series and/or category for you.  Yes, that's what's now up, hell yeahr, and so here's the start for/of the "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" series or category and the first post ever of it will be about/on the OMEN debut "BATTLE CRY", yes, and so now here we go...

OMEN were formed by their guitarist Kenny Powell in 1983. After he'd left SAVAGE GRACE he gathered the (sheer amazing) vocalist J.D. Kimball (who tragically died in 2003 of cancer... Rest in Power!!! And fuck Cancer!!!), and at the bass Jody Henry and at the drums Steve Wittig around him and then this young wildfires and Heavy Metal maniacs raised OMEN together. Then in 1984 their debut-album was released: "BATTLE CRY"; and no better title could have been chosen by them for this killer. Here I have the rerelease from 2016 of this larger than life masterpiece that features the two above already mentioned and/or listed two bonus tracks and that so now delivers (in) a runing time of nearly 45 minutes (even the mentioned bonus songs had been, for all what I've read, already used also as bonus tracks of the 2003 rerelease of this  very album, anyhow, but just that you know it) and I have the CD edition of it even (if am now not completly on the wrong tracks) there's also a LP edition of it out, too.

I bought this CD finally back in 2016 and since then... (1.) I can't stop to wonder about the fact that before buying it OMEN were in the most, the biggest, and the largest parts completly under my radar, completly off-screen, so to say, and this is facing their quality and their delivery and their amazing and absolute unique identity as well as because this was and is and will be always sort of exactly my musick really pretty unbelievable for me... and so shame on me, just shame on me, in biggest amounts; (2.) I heavily digged myself into the almighty OMEN and their work and especially "BATTLE CRY", "WARNING OF DANGER", and the "THE CURSE/NIGHTMARES" reissue are still today ongoingly strong on constant heavy rotation here in Nerdopolis aka ''Camp Manslaughter''. And, to mention this just by the way, especially OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" keeps on pushing me absoultely without mercy on and on through my weightlifting workouts as well as on my 'running tracks' every morning, bloody hell yeahr, this alone makes this gladiatorial masterpiece definitely to an outstanding preciousness of one of a kind at least and especially in my very own book, so to say.

OMEN play(ed) an outstanding forceful and sharp cutting and heavy hammering Heavy Metal/Power Metal in an archetypical American Heavy Metal or (maybe better) U.S. Metal style that sneaks here and there time and again a bit into Speed Metal territory and that also showcase(d) a sort of an epic approach or character-trait that use(d) to breath a battle-scarred and gladiatorial spirit into it all and enriches and cultivates it all massively with a very savage and violent ''Sword & Sorcery'' flair that turns this into a perfect soundtrack for the adventures of the almighty Conan in the glorious days of the golden Cimmerian age, so to say, and from the artwork to the lyrics and the bandphotos to (and especially to) the musick this is maybe the most present and prominent (in the 'complete OMEN context') on OMEN's "BATTLE CRY", here on this damn amazing and outstanding total masterpiece.

The songwriting was (and still is) incredible intense and highly atmospheric through'n'through, and even it is mostly (and especially at first sight or better 'at first listen') straight ahead and onwards pushing and forward storming, without mercy and no prisoners taking, still it offers a multitude of pretty diverse and multi-layered elements 'beneath the surface' in it and it shines with big'n'wide interactions (in)between harsh smashing Heavy Metal, loud roaring Power Metal, savage raging and intense Speed Metal flirts, and fantastic Epic Metal impression in it, yes, and all is done absolutely brilliant so that it all flows and melts perfectly together and is still today sort of really 35years after its first release still a totally overwhelming, exciting, and grapping, a from start to finish absolutely intense ride that will grab you, hold you, and take you with it by storm. The diversity of the songs is huge, and all is delivered on an outstanding level of quality and skill. Great arranged verse structures, hymnal refrains, clever changes of the pace work, grapping arrangements, and an 'amazingly' exciting compositorial work in general that totally conquers still today, yes, and also after 35 years this immortal masterpiece is still as fresh, as intense, as overwhelming, and as just fantastic as it was back then in 1984. A lot of sort of extra-power OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" also gains out of or because of the enthusiastic, rousing, and just savage delivery, yes, and also Kenny Powell and the rest of the pack were (already) very (high) skilled musicians (as well as songwriters) back then. And they worked also strong IRON MAIDEN influences into their songs and musick and they definitely made it all totally their very own and when the galloping rhythms, the loud'n'proud (backing) choirs, the very memorable as well as very exciting and damn rousing melody lines, the 'impressively' massive and without compromises to the point played intense riffs, the heavy and pretty dominat bass work, the straight and heavy and very effective drumming, and the outstanding lead vokillz set in the "BATTLE CRY" echoes over the fields of war and you know that it's time for another massacre of false Metal to break out and kick off.

The biggest trademarks of (or on) OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" were/are surely the amazing and outstanding, sharp aimed'n'cutting and even harder and heavier hitting guitar work that shines with fantastic riffs and a brilliant rhythm work as well as with intense and atmospheric melody lines and leads and also delivers truly slashing solos; as well as the absoultely phenomenal total savage and yet still very hymnal arranged and melodical delivered, highly charismatic lead vocals that are nothing but outstanding and also backed up by massive and impressive choirs that add even more intensity and atmosphere to it all. The very present and also pretty dominant, playful and really the lead taking bass work and the full force and sheer thundering drum work only add up to it all. This is true Metal, U.S. American raised Heavy Metal at its damn very, very best. As fresh as back then. As relevant as back then. A true timeless treasure. Truly one of a kind. 

Fantastic battle-scarred, gladiatorial, savage, and epic-fantasty lyrics, a through'n'through timeless and completly gorgeous and perfectly the title matching hard as nails rough artwork, and a truly perfect and devastating production sound (surely- a bit- overworked, but it sounds very 'old schoolish' and this in the very best way and manner) turn this all into the totally outstanding real deal and the completest package one can only get.

This is by all means and in all ways and this totally through'n'through and also really truly an outstanding and overwhelming epic classick and a timeless masterpiece of real and true Metal musick and if you really still don't have it and/but proclaim to be anyhow anyway even only slightly into (Heavy/Power/U.S.) Metal then by any means you need to finally and desperately get it, to have it, because this is second for second an absoultely larger than life masterpiece through'n'through; and I hope that I did anyhow only slightly justice to it here and now with this (first ever) "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" posting and now I will close this post and put OMEN's "BATTLE CRY" on for one more time again and I will start the next harsh and massive headbanging one man mosh pit in my living room. This was and is and will forever be an outstanding gift of the (Metal) gods. And now: "Bang that head that doesn't bang!!!"

OMEN - "DEATH RIDER"

OMEN - "BATTLE CRY"

OMEN - "THE AXEMAN"

OMEN - "IN THE ARENA"

MANILLA ROAD - "TO KILL A KING" (2017)

MANILLA ROAD - "TO KILL A KING"
(Running time: 61:39 minutes; 10 songs)
("Zyx Music"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, next one ('already') coming in and is aiming at you, yes, and so here you now get my record-review on the (brand)new full-length-album of/by the (al)mighty and truly legendary MANILLA ROAD, sort of none less than the founding fathers of Epic Metal or (how I love to call it in their particular case) Conan Metal because the whole atmosphere and delivery and the whole aesthetic(s) and surely and truly magical intensity of this music matches perfectly to/with the world of Cimmerien (or in english I guess Cimmerian) which is 'Conan's world', and their newest offering is titled "TO KILL A KING" and was released (at least over here in Germany) via "ZYX MUSIC" around the 20th of September of 2017 (so more or less sort of still pretty recently... I guess... or so...) and it is their 18th studio-full-length-album in their since 1977 lasting and now 40 years spanning career (and with being now in 2018 in their 41st year). "TO KILL A KING" is the direct successor to/of the incredible great "THE BLESSED CURSE" from 2015 (and even so far I haven't done a record-review on it I'm anyhow pretty sure that I will do it one day in the future up here as well) and so "TO KILL A KING" had a tough contest to succeed in, so to say, and I was damn curious about it and what it would have to offer. Btw, and in general I think it's just fantastic that years back more as obscure seen bands like for example MANILLA ROAD and/or CIRITH UNGOL that were always sort of being pushed aside finally seem to get more proper attention over the last years than ever before, so it seems, and not only more proper attention but especially more than justified and long, long overdue attention, yes, and this is something that to me sort of shows me that this world we live in maybe isn't just such a huge shithole at all. Okay, and now back to the topic and that is MANILLA ROAD's "TO KILL A KING", yes, and so now here we go again: Compared to/with "THE BLESSED CURSE" the first thing you notice is probably that we get less acoustic passages here on "TO KILL A KING" and also a sort of a more heavier and more 'doomy' direction that the album takes, while at the same time "TO KILL A KING" serves us less raging outbursts than "THE BLESSED CURSE" and so "TO KILL A KING" is, in my book, even far more intense than its direct predecessor (or maybe better intense in a pretty different way) because it sort of flows perfectly and melts all together in a brilliant way... and I just hope you understand my writing and what I want to say with it... because I sort of can't say it more detailed or precise(d)... anyhow, anyway, further on we go: The whole album breathes an and is interwoven by one hell of a larger than life absolutely mystical, magical, and surely majestic atmosphere that is also absoultely grapping and overwhelming intense and totally sucks you into a fantastic and amazing world of its very, very own, yeah', it sucks you deeply into it and won't spit you out again before the album hasn't ran through and even then it maintains its intense and massive hold on you and it serves you goose bumps in largest amounts sort of for free, hell yeahr. So, yes, "TO KILL A KING" is through and through for sure a definite MANILLA ROAD album but with a different note'n'tone and a very own identity compared with its (also brilliant and fantastic, and also very unique and 'special') predecessor "THE BLESSED CURSE". And sort of like all MANILLA ROAD albums it's a very unique and charismatic and so sort of a 'special' one and this even in the discography of the band itself (and this also sort of like all Albums, too), oh yes, delivered by one of the only very few bands outta there that probably never wrote a really bad song in their career. And it all has a undeniable epic spirit with rampantly far, wide, and broad exciting and grapping arrangements and a such compositorial work. Right from the get-go with the opening riff of the outstanding opener and title track "TO KILL A KING" it's like a movie starts instantly in your head and you are promptly 'beamed' into the action in that fantastic mystical world. Absolutely and sheer amazing!!! All is carried onwards on the wings of the brilliant, most unique and highest skilled and also highly diverse and still heavy guitar work of the Mark "The Shark" Shelton himself with its absolutely stunning and unique tone and that shines with large riffs and rhythm structures as well as and especially with a very 'special' melody and harmony work and that delivers nearly perfect leads and bright shining solos. Then we have very soulful and heartfelt, and also very charismatic lead vocals that are mostly pure gold and deliver all the time to point in a great way, even here and there I would sometimes wish for some more variations in the composition of the vocal lines but that is anyhow only of a minor concern at the end of the day. Backed up and massively beefed up in the right way and manner is then all by the forceful and yet very sensitive and varying rhythm section. And that the songwriting is simpley intense, diverse, and highest skilled as well as the skills of the musicians I only mention here for reasons of comletness. Yes, what is there more to say, hm, MANILLA ROAD's "TO KILL A KING" is absolutely unique and phenomenal Epic Metal of the most original and true style and with a very huge and unique identity and highest skilled, yes, and even it's maybe not completly pure platinum it is anyhow purest gold and great and even 'greater than great', yes, a pure larger than life masterpiece and even sort of more, definitely, and a slightly bit I like it even a little bit more than the damn great "THE BLESSED CURSE" and so here you now get my clearest recommendation and this without a second thought anyway. Any listening tipps I will spare me, simply because you have to experience "TO KILL A KING" in its whole glory. Fantastic lyrics, a totally gorgeous artwork, and a very strong very warm and 'earthy' production sound finally round it all up in a sort of a 'perfect way'. Okay, so here now that's it for now, yes, and so I'll now wish you a good night and, yes, just get this damn masterpiece.
(9,5 of 10 points)
www.manillaroad.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

MANILLA ROAD - "THE OTHER SIDE" (2017, "TO KILL A KING")