JamesT

Really great review! I enjoy all of the Candlemass catalog and think they've put out plenty of great stuff since "Tales of Creation". The 2007 release "King of the Grey Islands" is in my top 5 among their discography. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on "Sweet Evil Sun" that just came out about 4 months ago.

Current top 5: 1) Accept 2) Lamb of God 3) HammerFall 4) Girish and the Chronicles 5) Candlemass Top 5 overall: 1) PanterA 2) Overkill 3) Crowbar 4) Judas Priest 5) AC/DC

Black Water Rising - "Pissed and Driven" (album)

Fantastic choice! Crowbar is one of my all-time top 5 favorite bands. Not a single bad album in the entire discography. None heavier!

Candlemass - "Psalms for the Dead"

Candlemass - "Ancient Dreams" Been listening through the entire discography today. So much greatness!

PanterA - "The Great Southern Trendkill"

That definitely makes sense! Hopefully, we'll get a new Airbourne release some time this year. It's been about 4 years since the last one, which I guess isn't a huge surprise, given how the pandemic threw a wrench into everything. Lots of great releases coming this year. Can't wait for the new Overkill on April 14. I'm trying to get psyched about the new Metallica album, which is due out that exact same day, but it's been awhile since I was amped up for one of theirs. The whole Load/Reload era left a sour taste for me for sure.

Ah, fair enough. I'm not from Australia, so I'm not aware of the local scene there. I just heard a ton of comparisons to AC/DC when I was first getting into Airbourne and even saw Joel wearing an AC/DC shirt in the video for "Rivalry". It's refreshing to hear a modern band playing a more stripped-down rock 'n' roll sound!

Airbourne - "Runnin' Wild" (album) These dudes are doing a fine job carrying the torch that's being semi-passed to them by the all-time greats, AC/DC.

Glad to hear it, my friend! It'll be killer hearing those songs again live! That's an awesome tattoo. Same one Phil has on the side of his head! Long live PanterA!

Yes sir! I've really been enjoying it. I think either "Tyrant" or "Ghost of Reality" would be my favorite track, but there's not a weak one on it. Excellent call with the mighty PanterA! My favorite band of all time. I go back and forth between "Vulgar Display of Power" and "Far Beyond Driven" as to which album is my favorite. I love them all, though, including "Power Metal" from 1988. It's a discography that's far too short, unfortunately. How do you feel about this so-called "reunion"?

Riot City - "Electric Elite" (album) One of my favorite NWOTHM bands. Fantastic guitar work and soaring vocals abound.

Lamb of God - "Omens" (album) Love these dudes.

Overkill - "Horrorscope" (album) Been over the moon since I found out "Scorched" is due out on April 14. Album #20 is going to be absolutely killer. Listened to 6 Overkill albums throughout the workday today. April 14 cannot come soon enough.

Girish and the Chronicles - "Hail to the Heroes" (album) Incredibly grateful to have discovered this amazing band on YouTube.

Girish and the Chronicles - "Back on Earth" (album) Love these dudes - and this is their 3rd album in 4 years (their first 3 albums, by the way), and this one continues the fantastic foundation they've laid. If you enjoy a mixture of rock 'n' roll, hard rock, and hair metal, look no further than this young band from India. Leather - "We Are the Chosen" (album) Leather Leone is still crushing it after all these years. Her first band, Chastain, put out tons of killer hard rock/traditional metal, beginning in the 80's and might still be going (not certain). This is her solo band, and it is HEAVY - full of great guitar work, and her vocals are fierce.

Death Angel - "The Ultra-Violence" Death Angel - "The Evil Divide" Death Angel - "Humanicide" Exumer - "The Raging Tides" Yep, still fully on my thrash kick. Tomorrow, I'll take a detour and have a Cradle of Filth day. Nothing like a band whose extensive discography is fantastic from start to finish. Can't wait to dive into the gothic flourishes. My favorite album, "Nymphetamine", came out when I was just starting high school in 2004, and I've never looked back. I'll be incredibly bummed out when these guys are no longer able to keep going. But hopefully, there's some time still left before that happens. Fantastic choice! Classic Armored Saint is always good for a lift during the day. Not as crazy about their later stuff, although "Punching the Sky" was a solid effort.

Excellent call with At the Gates! I've just begun making my way through their discography again, myself.

I'm on a huge thrash kick at the moment, and that album is next on my list to listen through a few times. I've had it for awhile but had been listening to (modern) Accept more than anything else for awhile, so now that I'm in full thrash mode, it's time to dive into the newest Destruction greatness!

Evile - "Enter the Grave" (album) Love every album these thrash revivalists have put out. But the bookends (as of right now) stand out the most - this debut album being their best, and their most recent release "Hell Unleashed" (2021) being their second best. The final track on this debut, "Armoured Assault" is absolutely crushing.

Oh man, I didn't realize that. I've been playing their album non-stop on Apple Music lately. I hope these guys can find a way to keep going, because they absolutely killer!

Enforced - "Kill Grid" (album) This album absolutely rips! Nine tracks of pure, heavy thrash chaos. The vocals border on more of a death metal style at times. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

Angelus Apatrida - Self-titled album (2021) My favorite modern thrash band (of the "new wave") has released perhaps their best album of their career - now 5 albums in. This thing is a monster from start to finish. If it's not their best so far, it comes in second place only to their 2012 masterpiece "The Call". These thrash aficionados from Spain are well worth your time if you're into killer thrash!

That's awesome, my friend! I appreciate the post! Yes, these guys have been one of my top 6 or 7 bands ever since I discovered them around 2016. The vocals are that mix between Udo and Brian Johnson for sure haha. Bullet currently has 6 albums and an EP to their credit. "Highway Pirates" is my favorite release, followed by "Heading for the Top" and "Bite the Bullet". But I legitimately enjoy every single release. I wish they were bigger, but they'll always have my support. Really psyched to hear that you enjoyed the listen! Did you happen to check out their song "Roadking"? It's the second track on their 2008 release, "Bite the Bullet". Probably my favorite song from them, next to "Hammer Down" from their 2014 release "Storm of Blades". Anyway, I seem to be rambling, but I can't help it! I love this band haha. But yes, you are most welcome for the modern blast from the past, my friend! Hopefully, I can make a few more good recommendations before my time on earth comes to an end!