Bolt Thower - Realm of Chaos

A classic for good reason

Inferno could very well be Motorhead's best album start to finish....

I'm really partial to Another Perfect Day, and also Bastards is very good...and 1916. And Overkill is likely their most succinct and representative set of tunes. Pretty hard to pick a real favorite honestly.

Motorhead - Angel City

Some of their most bombastic shit is on this one... "No Voices" and "Love Me Forever" are so dynamic and "I'm So Bad" is a straight murderer of a track.

As far as metal or just music goes Inferno could be the best album overall as far as old people go. The sound, the riffs, the songs - there is something beyond perfect on Inferno if you really think about it.

Bastards is something on another level. This just a blazing set of tunes with one song that should a hymn of people working against abuse - you know the one.

They're both really good... I might have to say Inferno beats it out because it's more sonically consistent, but the back half of Bastards is really interesting anyway.

I would agree. The first half of Bastards is beyond any criticism but Inferno as an ALBUM, as a WHOLE, as a THING is really something. Song after song goes into each other and there is no blemish, no wrong sounds. Just a perferct heavy music album. I loved how when Inferno came out my friend all got it - metalheads, hardcore punks, just punk people and even alternative music snobs (people who just love music that has to sound like either Swans or Sonic Youth - no judgement from me). I know then that this album had something. Whorehouse Blues is the proof in the pudding - you can play it for nearly anybody and they would agree - it is just a good song.

MinstreliX - 11 Trajectories

Pretty solid neoclassical power metal. Still going through my 2021 backlog. Shit, I still haven't caught up with 2020 yet...

Every time I play that one I always have different favorites. Though "Year of the Wolf" is such a thundering masterpiece in particular.

Budgie - Guts

Just doing some late night writing while the muse is there; 70s rock seems to work.

See? That is the greatness of that record - you can name any song as a favorite. EACH ONE. Look at "In The Name of Tragedy" - this one gives a closed fist shot to every metal band that thinks they are hot shit with riffs and such. The old guys come and just with this riff close the deal. I love it. One riff and you are hooked on the whole song.

As for Budgie - the early history of that band is - to me - a tale of an industry that failed to see greatness. The first five albums of Budgie can stand against any early hard rock/heavy metal run of albums and possibly come out on top in terms of dynamics, riffing, atmosphere and composition. Production is not there but I discount that because much of the 70's classics are poorly recorded. There is one band from the UK that I would name as better (and I exclude Sabbath, Priest and Maiden from this contest as I consider them true-blue heavy metal bands) if we are talking hard rock/heavy metal hybrid music but that is for the reader to guess if he/she wants to.

Black Sabbath - Dirty Women

It's a solid song on its own, but when it is the last song on Technical Ecstasy it's a goddamn masterpiece! So many things wrong with that album, but they salvaged it somewhat by having this one close the whole full-length.

Brainstorm - Wall of Skulls

Decent PM album from the past year. "My Dystopia" has the kind of chorus I like for this kind of style. Reminded me of Steel Assassin who were killer.

Took me this long... Probably I tried it back in the day, because I got other albums from them.

Cemetary - Phantasma

Man, this doesn't really sound like Cemetary. Should have been released under another project name or under one that existed. Alternative rock album with ugly distorted production. The worst elements, however, are clean vocals that sound like a mixture of Anders Fridén and Marilyn Manson!!! Get outta my house, now!!!!!

Sounds like a recipe for disaster! I like the band's first demo and the third album.

NP: ADX - Les enfants de l'ombre

More explosive speed metal from these French maniacs!

Symphony X - Domination

Never heard those guys, even though I was pretty aware of them. Given the band's name, I had this misconception that this is some kind of cheesy melodic power metal ala Stratovarius or Dream Evil. Man, I was so fucking wrong. This song smashes everything!

Exactly what it is: A disaster!

'Black Vanity' is a bonafide classic!

NP: Neurotic Machinery - Opsialgia --> Fine, wicked tech death album, this!

Phantasma is one of the worst album I've ever heard. Its even more disturbing coming from a band that I previously liked ("Godless Beauty" is my fave).

NP: Lake Of Tears - The Neonai

Speaking of contractual obligation albums... But at least this is still somewhat listenable.

Yeah last night's marathon of Motorhead definitely reminded me how cool they are. I always need that every so often. A true class act.

With Budgie, yeah, I've really found them a goldmine. Impeckable I remember being very good too.

Thergothon - Yet the Watchers Guard

This kind of thing I really have to be in the mood for, but what an album. Just madness really. A bizarre and singular piece.

Tesla - Real To Reel
With this, they hit their sweet spot. Although they arrived in the mid 80s, they've always been a 70s hard rock band. Hearing them cover these 70s rock classics is the perfect equation.

Midvinter - At The Sight Of The Apocalypse Dragon

Pretty good melodic bm. Glad I managed to nail the original press recently.

Stagwounder - The Shrouded Muse Of The World's Lament

Incredible album from a seething German band that melds black and doom so sublimely with bold and brazen prog and folk gestures every now and then.

Ereb Altor - I Have the Sky

I've known about these guys for a years but never checked them out, finally gave em a shot with this song/album it's from and I've been missing out! This is so damn catchy and the rest of the album is pretty good as well. Gonna give it a lot of listens to get familiar.

Enid - Self-titled

If anyone's a fan of a mix of black metal and dungeon synth with a Summoning influence, then you can't go wrong with this demo. Great for when you're getting some schoolwork done!

Inter Arma - Paradise Gallows

Adventurous long songs with a lot of rich guitar stylings and cool vocal exchanges. This doesn't get enough love.

Morgana Lefay - Maleficium

My fave of theirs.

Melechesh - Mystics of the Pillar

Been a while. There's really nothing else I can think of that's like this - BM but with strong trad metal and Egyptian influences and this level of variety. Wild. Visionary shit.

Melechesh always deliver. Nowadays I always go for the batshit + goofy Sphynx though.

Sphynx and Epigenesis are usually my go-tos. I keep forgetting they had material before Sphynx actually.

Funeral - Tragedies

Sort of very basic gothy doom death but it does create a nice mood with these somber female vocals. Like being in a church in the rain or something.

Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao

This can be such a weird album at times, not Grand Declaration of War weird but still.

Pathosray - Sunless Skies

I loved their first album, but never could get into this one. Time to give it another go...

just bought this one! From Matt McCourt on ebay!

that one's a minor classic!

Uriah Heep - Demon and Wizards

My favourite UH album. The Wizard, Easy Livin, Circle of Hands, Rainbow Demon and that incredible version of Why as a bonus track, awesome stuff.

Kreator - Lost

Cause for Conflict is one of those albums that sounds impenetrably messy the first time you hear it, but it just keeps getting better the more you listen to it. Great bass, great drumming (I don't care it's not Ventor, and he returned to the band anyway), and the songs shift and develop in very interesting ways. Plus the album just flows well. It just takes a few spins to start making sense.

You probably then have a version with the unreleased album "Dead To The World" - that one is also excellent. I own the first Enigma pressing in mint condition.

From me:

The Rods - Heavier Than Thou

Much heavier, speedier (at times) and better than I remember!

Slayer - At Dawn They Sleep

Much played album as of late. Might like this more than what came afterwards. But all early Slayer is godly/hellish for me.

Carnivore - Carnivore

People don't understand hair and leather, but I'm telling you I couldn't be living better.

Indeed. There are so many peaks and valleys to be found on "Hell Awaits"; it's a very dynamic record. Heck, it's practically progressive metal.

Holy Mother - Criminal Afterlife

One thing is certain: Mike Tirelli is a MONSTER of a singer. Absolutely amazing!

Is it though? I thought it's influenced by Mercyful Fate's method of cramming so many killer riffs and transitions in one song. But with Slayer leaning extra hard into the Satanism.

Rush - By-Tor & The Snow Dog

METAL.

There's no need to exaggerate that much, buddy.

NP: Ossian - Az Iteletnap

I love how this song starts off with some bluesy licks ala Black Sabbath...and then it turns into a god damn hurricane of speed metal mayhem.