u/HybridS9ldier

Hamburg, Germany 🇩🇪

Genre: Power Metal

One thing that is missing in Helloween for me on later albums was definitely Kai Hansen. He was a really big creative force and you could feel the day/night difference in their sound after he left. Gamma Ray was honestly a nice breath of fresh air though. It had all the guitar work I was missing. I’ve definitely spun No World Order! the most of their catalog. I’d say I’ve really enjoyed Power Plant and Somewhere Out in Space a good deal. I really loved their debut, Heading for Tomorrow, with Ralf Scheepers. Really loved those Judas Priest style vocals. Read that he had tried to be their singer when Halford left and got beat out by Ripper Owens, which is crazy after listening to him to him. Fantastic band.

Recommended Tracks:
“Heaven Can Wait”
“Rich and Famous”
“Men, Martians, and Machines”
“Send Me a Sign”
“Dethrone Tyranny”

Portland, Oregon 🇺🇸

Genre: Gothic Metal

Finally checked these guys out not too long ago. Really scratched my love for those early Danzig albums with some obvious Type O Negative influence. They’re really good at what they do. It can be a dirge, lot of self irony, and all the more dark humor of Gothic Metal. I definitely think they’ve improved with each release and Never, Neverland is definitely my favorite. They’re an excellent band and I can’t wait to hear more from them.

Recommended Tracks:
“Nightfall”
“When Will God’s Work Be Done”
“Suicide Today”

Caserta, Campania, Italy 🇮🇹

Genre: Death Metal

I had seen their albums around, but only got into them recently. Good shit. I definitely think Tropical Sun is my favorite. For something as brutal and heavy as it is, it’s absolutely a fun time. The cool use of electronic effects and sampling add something unique to the sound as well.

Recommended Tracks:
“Gore Life”
“Splatter Fatality”
“Evil”
“Vile Butchery”

London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Genre: Heavy Metal, Speed Metal

I really, really love 1916. It’s a very different album from a lot of their other material. Never thought they could write songs like that. Iron Fist and Another Perfect Day are some of my other favorites. And then I still have to listen to the albums from March or Die onward.

Recommended Tracks:
“Ace of Spades”
“Iron Fist”
“Dancing on Your Grave”
“The Wolf”
“No Voices in the Sky”
“Love Me Forever”

Krefeld, Germany 🇩🇪

Genre: Power Metal, Symphonic Metal

I remember first hearing this band’s name when I was getting into Power Metal (one of the biggest of them, so yeah). I got through their eighties and classic nineties catalog - and yeah great stuff. The Tolkien stuff can bit samey, but it’s not the biggest complaint. Imaginations from the Other Side both album and title track left a huge impression on me. It just sounds massive compared to their other releases. I remember Follow the Blind being really heavy and thrashy, so it’d be my second.

Recommended Tracks:
“Imaginations from the Other Side”
“Fly”

Bellevue, Washington 🇺🇸

Genre: Progressive Metal

While I respect them, they aren’t a favorite of mine. My attempts to try and get into their classics were derailed by the fact that I don’t care for Geoff Tate’s vocals. Or him honestly. I don’t think the music was awful by any means - but the vocals are very jarring for me. And I’m usually a fan of “horrible” vocalists.

Second discography is the Geoff Tate albums that used Queensrÿche’s name (it was still in litigation and at the time both parties were allowed to use it) and the Mindcrime story. Figured they’d be fodder considering how poorly reviewed they are.

Recommended Tracks:
“Suite Sister Mary”
“Best I Can”

Richmond, Virginia 🇺🇸

Genre: Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal

Battle Maximus is the album for me. If the Dave Brockie/Oderus Urungus era had to end - then it ended with a banger. Perfect, heavy album. I would say behind that is America Must Be Destroyed. Really them primed up with silliness, but man does it bang. And I say I love both War Party and Beyond Hell. More straightforward Thrashers and never fail to get my head banging. I also have a special place for This Toilet Earth. It was the first album I ever heard from the band and it’s definitely the weirdest release from their earlier material.

Recommended Tracks:
“Ham on the Bone”
“Meat Sandwich”
“Bring Back the Bomb”
“They Swallowed the Sun”
“Phantom Limb”

Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil 🇧🇷

Genre: Groove Metal, Thrash Metal

I think anything from the Schizophrenia to Chaos AD run is solid. I definitely love Schizophrenia the most. It was honestly a large jump in quality all around from their debut. Better production, better performances, better songwriting. It’s still very raw compared to a lot of their following releases, but it’s a raw that scratches the ear just right. Following that - I love Arise and I love Chaos AD. AD is probably the best transition from a Thrash band into 90s - really excellent Groove album. Though they stepped too far in the wrong direction with Roots. The Derrick Green era had some highlights too - their best I think is Machine Messiah.

Recommended Tracks:
“Troops of Doom”
“Escape into the Void”
“Slaves of Pain”
“Meaningless Movements”
“Refuse/Resist”

London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Genre: Heavy Metal

One of the most influential and successful Metal bands to exist. I prefer Priest or Sabbath, but I can’t deny I love this band. As a lover of bass, Steve Harris is the man. Powerslave is without doubt my favorite and a perfect album. Second and third would go to Seventh Son of a Seventh Son and Number of the Beast. The Di’Anno stuff is also very decent as well.

Recommended Tracks:
“Phantom of the Opera”
“The Prisoner”
“The Trooper”
“Flash of the Blade”
“Alexander the Great”

Nagoya, Japan 🇯🇵

Genre: Thrash Metal, Groove Metal

A great band from Japan that takes a lot of influence from Metallica. The vocals are very Hetfield with a tinge of Danzig - which I definitely enjoy. I still need to complete their 21st century catalog, but the late 80s/early 90s output is very solid - with the exception of spit. The first three are especially fantastic - I enjoy Blind to Reality the most of those. Their album, Life After Deaf, is a good mid-90s release from that really iffy point for Metal. They pulled off that mix of Thrash/Groove very well.

Recommended Tracks:
“Curtain of History”
“Call of the Hunter”
“River”
“Megalomania”
“Edge of a Blade”

Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪

Genre: Death-Doom, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal

I really fell in love with this band a couple of years ago. Just tried out “My Twin” and the floodgates opened quick and in a hurry. I gotta say I never thought it wouldn’t be for me, but I really love Dance of December Souls. I like the atmosphere and rawness - really isn’t another album in their discography like it. Viva Emptiness is a front to back album too. Lot of amazing tunes there and then my third would be Tonight’s Decision. One of their more underrated albums, especially since it’s squished between two bigger albums.

Recommended Tracks:
* “Without God”
* “Black Erotica”
* “Nightmares by the Sea”
* “Ghost of the Sun”
* “My Twin”
* “Atriums”

GENRE: Thrash Metal, Groove Metal

I can’t get past their first two album, but I’d say Twisted Into Form was my favorite of those two. I do need to revisit them again. I do listen to “Chalice of Blood” and “Forbidden Evil” a decent deal. Notably Paul Bostaph was the initial drummer and received a call from Slayer not too long after leaving.

Genre: Death Metal, Grindcore

Absolute monsters with a killer discography minus an album or two. My favorite is definitely The IVth Crusade. Kind of a stand out from the rest of their stuff to me. Really like the doomier riffs. Close second and third would probably go to …For Victory and Realms of Chaos.

The IVth Crusade’s title track is definitely my favorite song from the band. Outside of that “World Eater”, “What Dwells Within”, “The Killchain” of course. I think “Powder Burns” off Mercenary is an underrated track. Not the greatest album, but that song has always stood out to me.

GENRE: Heavy Metal, Glam Metal

I know THE cover and I know the Metal Health title track. Otherwise, I don’t have too much knowledge on the band. I just know that album was huge when it came out.

GENRE: Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal

The only album I’m familiar with from this band is God Luck and Good Speed. I’ve sung the title track to myself at random points for the last decade or so. It’s not usually my style, but it is certainly a fun listen.

Genre: Groove Metal, Thrash Metal

I learned of these guys after hearing Demon Hunter cover “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck”. I’m not a huge Tommy Victor fan’s guitar playing - that was long before I ever listened to Prong cause of Danzig. With all the criticism aside - I do remember Prove You Wrong being an absolutely Groovey banger.

GENRE: Black Metal, Heavy Metal

One of the more newer bands I’ve gotten into. Found them just before they dropped their most recent album. I have to revisit their small catalog, but I do remember Cult of the Serpent Sun being fantastic.

GENRE: Power Metal, Speed Metal

While being the band that started Power Metal, they’re probably one of my least favorite from the genre. I think I mainly enjoy Kai Hansen as I lean more Gamma Ray. But all the critic aside - both Keepers of the Seven Keys albums are classics. And even after some mid albums, they bring in Andi and bust out Master of the Rings. They also still have some solid later material. I remember really digging Gamblin’ with the Devil.

“I Want Out” is the Helloween song and my favorite from them. “Dr. Stein” is another fun one from their classic era. It’s on an eh album, but “Kids of the Century” from Pink Bubbles Go Ape is a jam. Andi wise, I really enjoy the song “Where the Rain Grows”.

Genre: Thrash Metal, Groove Metal

So my definitive favorite album and song are The Years of Decay and its title track. It’s what made me really become interested in the band. I think Horrorscope and I Hear Black are really excellent and in terms of more later releases - Ironbound is incredible.

“Skullcrusher” and “E.vil N.ever D.ies” are other solid tunes I enjoy from Years. “Nice Day…for a Funeral” is an absolute banger. “Drunken Wisdom” is another favorite their album Under the Influence. More modern - I really dig “The Surgeon”. It was another song that made me become a fan.

Genre: Crossover Thrash, Hardcore

Never got into their catalog past the first two albums, but I love Desperate Measures a good deal. May just be my enjoyment for Hardcore as well, but I thought it was at the very least a fun listen.

“Kingpin” is my favorite, but I also love “Make Me an Offer” and “Who’s to Blame”.