The Official Hard Rock / Classic Metal Music Discussion and Memorabilia Thread!

[jjrock88]

The Heart Collector would be my favorite tune from Nevermore.  That was the best album that I heard from them as well.

His performance on Refuge Denied is unreal though.

[jingle.boy]

Sad to hear this - another key voice from my childhood gone.  I was never big into Nevermore but did have some Sanctuary.   I will feature something from the recent demo album in the Best of 2017 show.

Never big into either of the bands, so I don't really have much to say other than RIP.

But I am very much looking forward to the Best of '17 show.  I just last week got around to (almost) finishing the last podcast.  Thoughts of the last 2 hours:

White Sister - Breaking All The Rules... damn, this sounded fine.
White Sister- Restless Heart (unreleased 3rd album demo)... it sure sounded like a demo!
The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again... Rarity???  This is regularly a Top 10 of all-time classic rock song.

Widowmaker - Reason To Kill ... very nice.  Might investigate more
Wild Dogs - Streets Of Berlin ... this was quite excellent too.  Nice screamy vox
Wild Horses - The Riversong

Wildside - Clock Strikes ... pretty decent.
Winger - Rainbow In The Rose... I know TAC rocked out to this one.
Winter Rose - I'll Never Fall In Love Again... love that album.  Glam + Young James = gold baby, GOLD!
Waysted - Land That Lost Love... meh

Winter's Bane - Heart of a Killer ... killer tune - I think JJ gave it to me in a roulette. 
Whitesnake - Guilty of Love ... great early W/S
Xenon - Lay Me Down

XYZ - High Life (demo)
Y&T - Mean streak - excellent, of course
Zar - Spellbound-Hellbound 

Zebra - Tell Me What You Want - excellent, of course.
Zeno- Walking On A Thin Line... good, but I wasn't wow'd
Zinatra - Two Sides of Love... lovin this

The feature album was very nice ... and the influences were indeed VERY noticeable.  Just gotta say, Ben is the best.  You're ok too Brent, but the youngling rocks it.

[bl5150]

Thanks Chad.......I did say a few times that I would be sprinkling some big name classics in among the rarities and The Who was one of those.  Incidentally The Who (a couple of tunes aside) are very rarely heard out here on radio.  If I wasn't a reader of guitar mags as a kid I wouldn't have known who Pete Townsend was.    I think the first time I really noticed one of their songs was when VH covered Won't Get Fooled Again

Glad for the feedback on X-Sinner - surprised it didn't get any other comments.


Re Best of 2017 I have spent the last 2-3 months listening to pretty much nothing but 2017 and following up all the notes I have made throughout the year.  I have just finished a 600 song "smart playlist" of 2017 songs that I rated pretty high and cut that right back.  Now putting it all through a second filter.  Got some cross checking to do etc......but I have just uploaded my first few songs into the software.

It's by far the biggest show of the year to put together but the process has started.  Hopefully something by late Jan I reckon at this stage.

I will pass on your compliments to Ben     

[wolfking]

Not an ACDC fan, so I didn't give the X-Sinner much of a chance, but it sounded like I'd enjoy them more than ACDC.

The Heart Collector would be my favorite tune from Nevermore.  That was the best album that I heard from them as well.

His performance on Refuge Denied is unreal though.

Dead Heart is definitely a highlight, but it took a long time to grow but I think Godless Endeavor would be my fav, that's just a monster of an album.  This is really shocking news.

The Heart Collector is a massive song mate, lots of songs on that album are immense.

[wolfking]

Have you had a listen to the new Almanac yet Brent?  I haven't but interested to see what they can back up the first one with.

[bl5150]

Have you had a listen to the new Almanac yet Brent?  I haven't but interested to see what they can back up the first one with.

Yes I have.   It's a pretty good album but basically an inferior copy of the first for the most part.   And I am a bit positively biased toward my mate Victor 

I was disappointed with it - sounds a bit rushed to me vs the original.   Second album blues maybe - I expect the next one will be better.

[jingle.boy]

Don't know about the 'rushed' part, but I'm definitely finding a few bands lately with a killer debut fail to live up to that standard with their sophomore release.  Anthriel was another from this year.  Both were pretty good albums, but just didn't have that same wow-factor as the first album.  Ditto with Serious Black last year.

[wolfking]

I think when you have something new that's half decent it tends to up the excitement level.  A followup is never going to be as anticipated or perhaps fresh sounding than the first one.  Or it might be highly anticipated but it's like the excitement when you open a present but then as time goes on, it's still a good useful product but you're not as excited about it as you were when you were opening the present in the first place.

[TAC]

I thought you guys all way overrated the last Almanac album.

[wolfking]

I thought you guys all way overrated the last Almanac album.

I didn't rate it as highly but it's was pretty good.  Not something I come back to a lot, but it's quite strong.

[bl5150]

Feel free to post some Top 5's or 10's or whatever in here ...............just to make sure I haven't missed anything obvious.  And yes Tim - I am aware of Cellador 

[wolfking]

I'll come up with a top 10, but it's pretty pedestrian, and I don't think we'll post anything that you've missed Brent haha.

[TAC]

Feel free to post some Top 5's or 10's or whatever in here ...............just to make sure I haven't missed anything obvious.  And yes Tim - I am aware of Cellador 

 

[TAC]

Here's one of my favorites of the year:

[TAC]

...and this just came out, but I'm totally digging it:

[bl5150]

I like The Silent Wedding too Tim - not sure how it will fare in the final standings but will likely make the Top Whatever It Turns Out To Be.

Quite a unique voice on the singer that might please some and annoy others.

In the end though , this year has mostly come down to finding artists that aren't just dialling it in.   This year's show will likely be a bit more diverse for that reason - I have searched a little wider than normal , even though 90%+ still is very much hard rock/metal.


Re Defecto I introduced a few people to them in roulettes and last year's Best of 2016  show.  I found that album disappointing relative to the debut , so check that one out if you haven't already.   They need a producer too - pretty muddy sound.   I thought they would really knock it out of the park but I think they raced a bit to get the second album out there inside of a year.

[TAC]

Re Defecto I introduced a few people to them in roulettes and last year's Best of 2016  show.  I found that album disappointing relative to the debut , so check that one out if you haven't already.   They need a producer too - pretty muddy sound.   I thought they would really knock it out of the park but I think they raced a bit to get the second album out there inside of a year.

Huh..I guess I wasn't paying attention. I will check out the debut. I just stumbled upon Nemesis last week, but I really like it.

[wolfking]

Haven't heard either but both great covers.

[jingle.boy]

I'd say my top 10 (not in order) would be shaping up like this:

Threshold - Legends of the Shire
Stamina - System of Power
Night Flight Orchestra - Amber Galactic
Mindmaze - Resolve
Pyramaze - Contingent
Daydream XI - The Circus of the Tattered and Torn
Eagleheart - Reverse
Jorn - Life on Death Road
Prospekt - The Illuminated Sky
Arthemis - Blood | Fury | Domination

[bl5150]

Thanks Chad.........a few of those will be getting some airplay.


Not a bad lineup..........

[Lowdz]

The best of this year for me,

Sons of Apollo - Psychotic Symphony

Savage Messiah - Hands Of Fate

Threshold - Legends of the Shires

MindMaze - Resolve

Pyramaze - Contingent

Vuur - In This Moment

Midnite City - s/t

Vandenbergs Moonkings - Mk II

Fire Strike - Slaves Of Fate

Jack Starr’s Burning Starr - Stand Your Ground

Fiction Syxx - Tall Dark Secrets

Midnight sin - One Last Ride

Europe - Walk The Earth

Dirty White Boyz - s/t

[TAC]

Jack Starr’s Burning Starr - Stand Your Ground

Yes!   

[jingle.boy]

I tried both those 'Midnight' albums at your mention of them.  Can't remember which was which, but one was great, and one sucked.     Whichever was the 'soft' one... that sucked (imo).

Tim would even say it blew if he listened.

[TAC]

Midnight City is such a cheesy name. I haven't heard it.

[Lowdz]

Midnight City is such a cheesy name. I haven't heard it.

It is. And it is. But I enjoyed it all the same. When it came up in the car I found I didn’t skip it.

[wolfking]

If I had to come up with 10 for the year.....

Trivium - The Sin and the Sentence
Firewind - Immortals
Pyramaze - Contingent
Iced Earth - Incorruptible
Dragonforce - Reaching Into Infinity
Dream Evil - Six
The Ferrymen - The Ferrymen
Accept - The Rise of Chaos
The Night Flight Orchestra - Amber Galactic
Kreator - Gods of Violence

That's in no order.  I've only listened to the Threshold twice very recently but I'd be confident to almost chuck that in too.

[jingle.boy]

I was very pleasantly surprised at how good the Dream Evil is/was.  Top 20 material for sure.  Firewind I was expecting something a bit better, but it's still quality.  Ditto with Ferrymen - I had pretty high expectations there.

[TAC]

Brent, did you sample this?



Not the most original, but I found it to be of decent quality and definitely enjoyable.

[bl5150]

I believe I did sample Tim , but didn't decide to go ahead with the whole album.  There is truckloads of decent power metal around and so I tend to be pretty ruthless when it sounds samey.

Will revisit it and sample a couple more songs.

[TAC]

There is truckloads of decent power metal around and so I tend to be pretty ruthless when it sounds samey.

Yup. Very true. But every now and then something seems to poke out from the crowd. I've enjoyed numerous listens to this this year.

[bl5150]

New Voodoo Circle

https://youtu.be/DL52B6I_r2w

I like Herbie and think he sounds okay for the band but the song is just the umpteenth variation on Bad Boys.

[TAC]

New Voodoo Circle

https://youtu.be/DL52B6I_r2w

I like Herbie and think he sounds okay for the band but the song is just the umpteenth variation on Bad Boys.

No kidding!

[TAC]

Inevitable:
https://bravewords.com/news/gene-simmons-sued-by-tv-radio-broadcaster-for-unwanted-unwarranted-sexual-advances



I posted this in the Weinstein thread, not that I want to bring that cnversation here....

[wolfking]

New Voodoo Circle

https://youtu.be/DL52B6I_r2w

I like Herbie and think he sounds okay for the band but the song is just the umpteenth variation on Bad Boys.

Despite this as you said a blatant ripoff, I actually think this is really really good.  New fella sounds better than that other song he re-recorded a while back.  Thought I'd miss Readman but I like what this guy is doing here.  Alex's guitar playing hasn't worked for me lately, but he sounds pretty inpired here for some reason.

[wolfking]

Continuing on how I mentioned the Threshold earlier, when I was at a JB on Saturday I surprisingly saw it instore and picked it up.  I'd like more songs like the rocking opener, but it's a really good album.  Would be interesting to have heard it with Damian.