Hey guys,

Like the title suggests, I'm searching for new bands who play that sweet, old-school, somewhat epic/triumphant, somewhat doomy/morose heavy metal resembling the old giants.

Like many here, I grew up on Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, so on and so forth. But I confess that I've stopped following this style of metal many, many, many years ago, as I listen mostly to death, black and all the bastard hybrid abominations of the two.
Having said that, a friend was blasting Visigoth in the car the other day and for whatever reason it just clicked with me. I guess it hit a sweet spot of meaty guitar tone (I despise weak guitars), manly vocals, killer riffs and solos, close to excellent songwriting and just great songs.
Now, I am aware that traditional heavy metal is the avocado and craft beer of metal right now (kinda of like retro-thrash was just a few years ago, I guess), so I'm sure there's lots of good stuff as well as lots of shite out there.

That's where you folks (hopefully) come in. I'd much appreciate if you'd guide me on discovering what's what in this new era of trad metal.

To make your job slightly easier:

I love Sabbath, Maiden, Priest, Satan, Manilla Road, don't mind a bit of Manowar and I like Helloween first album.
I can't stand European Power metal (although I enjoy early Blind Guardian, but that's not what we're searching for here).
Also can't stand high pitched-falsetto-James LaBrie style of vocals.
I'm not a production snob, but I have enough of having to stomach botched studio jobs while listening to black metal and that's more than enough.
I'm searching for something that can be both doomy in a Sabbath way, melodic like good Maiden, epic without much cheese and... Just great song writting, above all.

Sorry for the lengthy post folks, and thanks in advance.

After reading your post this was the first band that popped into mind.

Well, I think that new releases of Diamond Head, Satan, and Angel Witch are worth your time...great old school music revived in the new flesh!

Not doomy or morose, but pretty epic - Vultures Vengeance!

There are some good bands from Sweden with some doomy feel into them, such as (Morgana) Lefay, Tad Morose, Memory Garden...

Thank you all guys for your recommendations!

I'd like to mention that I am aware of the old school bands such as Satan and Diamond Head... In fact I have to say that Satan is one of my favourite bands... ever?
Slough Feg is really cool as well, yet for whatever reason I had completely forgot about them, thanks!
About Vultures Vengeance... This shit rules!! Really cool album. Too bad the guy is singing from the car park, but other than that, quality stuff.
I am aware of Morgana LeFay, big fan, from the heavy/doom beginnings to the more thrash/groove of later releases. Such a shame they are no more. I'll have to delve deeper into Memory Garden and Tad Morose but I liked what I've sampled, even though they are not quite what I'm looking for.

I know that I mentioned doom on my first post, however I think that what attracted me the most to Visigoth's sound was the almost flawless blend of NWOBHM and US Power metal. I feel it's extremely well done and dare I say unique? I'm sure it's not, but to my ears it sound like so.

Hope this can help you guys and thanks again.

For more on the epic side:

Wrathblade - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS13Kk9GlTw
Eternal Champion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJyEuV7Alds

US power metal: Ancient Empire
Some of the members are kinda old, but the band is new. 5 albums since 2014(!), all solid.
They have that little something extra quality wise, great songwriting, and I think the singer is phenomenal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcVvWnV0OIA

Your recommendation reminded me of Air Raid. Top notch stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrcCIZKY-iA

Barbarian should hit the spot:

Doom-f***in-Sword - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C7ZMnyZQ_4

AND

Battle-f***in-Roar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjvD1NJ5US0

Both stand for epic medieval doom/heavy metal with undeniable Maiden touch and Manowar/Bathory anthemic aproach. I used to listen to exclusively black/death metal and it was exactly this type of music which renewed my faith in balls-out, guts-or-glory old school heavy metal.

CAULDRON BORN - And Rome Shall Fall
CANDLEMASS - Nightfall

Thanks guys for all the input, appreciate it!

There's not a single band mentioned that I can say I dislike, buy holy shit, Doomsword, Battleroar and Cauldron Born are fucking amazing! This is some serious stuff! Really what I was looking for!

Don't know if this is what you're looking for, perhaps I misinterpret your post, but there are two bands that came to my mind:







Edit Adding Wytch Hazel and Grand Magus if you're looking for a bit more heavy stuff.

Twisted Tower Dire

Their newest record is excellent. Not morose but definitely old school fun! Excellent live band too. Check out the Legions of Metal fest Facebook page. I’ve discovered a lot a great traditional style metal bands there.

Have you listened to the new Atlantean Kodex? https://youtu.be/DIWMCnU-W3o

In addition to Ancient Empire and Eternal Champion I would suggest Cauldron, Enforcer, Haunt, and Seven Sisters.

Oh man, this band... This, for me, is one of those "if only..." cases.
What I mean is I absolutely love everything about this band EXCEPT those fucking vocals...!! They ruin everything for me. I'm very picky when it comes to clean vocals, I know, so probably the issue lies with me. But you need to have a guy that sounds like a man if you're gonna be singing about this stuff. This dude... ehh... let's just say there's way too much James LaBrie/Fabio Leone in him for me to take seriously.
A shame, really. Everything else it top notch.

My eyes stopped at the mention of "doom"; that's my favourite style, so, at the risk of getting off road, I'd like to recommend Forsaken from Malta; now, you must count with a forlorn sound. Below is an other one of these bands infusing a Heavy Metal sap in their Doom, once again, there're strong melancholic touches in there, they remind me of Solitude Aeturnus, with a bit more "energy" perhaps.

This isn't so much the case of Crypt Sermon from the US, they combine doom with a vintage, triumphant melodic Heavy Metal vibe.

And yes, thinking about it: Sorcerer's latest from 2017 is definitely an album to listen to.

Forsaken: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF79xydnFds
Crypt Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Dnn_b4hWk
Below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns8aKIdDfwM&t=2260s
Sorcerer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNEYyJBDJqI

I don't know if this will be what you're looking for, but here are a few more ideas:

Johnny Touch's Inner City Wolves
Bruce Dickinson's Chemical Wedding
U.D.O.'s Holy
Accept's Blood of the Nations
Chastain's Ruler of the Wasteland
Monument's Renegades
Pretty Maids's Red, Hot and Heavy
Skull Fist's Heavier Than Metal
Rawhead Rex's Rawhead Rex
Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall
Marshall Law's Marshall Law
Striker's Armed to the Teeth

These recs may be a bit all over the place, so I don't know whether they'll be your thing, but I wanted to give you some more possibilities. In particular, they're missing the doomy part, so maybe they won't be quite what you had in mind.

Check out crescent's shield 2009 album. The vocals there are gold. Also I would recommend Ironsword if you are looking for some Manilla road vibes and Strike light if you are into traditional heavy metal.

Love these two. Any Striker album is excellent and Accept is a better band now than they were in the 80s.

Just to thank all the folks who replied and mentioned all these bands. Lots of great stuff for me to sink my teeth in!

HEAVY LOAD

Epic fucking win here!

The new Chevalier is excellent, epic and mystical:

Not sure if they're exactly what you're looking for, but Blitzkrieg and Snakeyes come to mind.

EDIT:
Mirror might also work here.

I second DoomSword. Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEL4mID6ob4

also:
Pagan Altar, such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N_CgujIAgk
Solstice, especially their New Dark Age album. They all have that old-school doomish sound. Maybe Cirith Ungol & Cathedral also though I've only heard bits & pieces of their stuff.