Hidden Gems

[Alongside Death]

I'd like to know what albums do you guys consider to be the hidden gems of metal. Albums that are rather unfamiliar amongst metalheads but essential or important for each genre.

 

[Personified Hatred]

Interesting thread! Okay, let's go:

Diaboli - Anthems Of Sorrow (excellent Black Metal on Darkthrone's "Panzerfaust" style)
Abysmal Grief - Discography (excellent Doom/Gothic from Italy)
Frangar - Totalitarian War (Black Metal from Italy)
The Dogma - A Good Day To Die (excellent Power Metal from Italy)
Drastique - Thieves Of Kisses/Pleasureligion (excellent Gothic Metal from Italy)
Judas Iscariot - The Cold Earth Slept Below... (Raw Black Metal from the USA)
Suicidal Hold - Suicide (excellent Melodic Thrash/Groove from Italy; this band is not on M.A. and has released only this MCD, professionally printed and limited to very few copies: I have one)
Nazgul (Ita) - Omne Est Paratum (excellent Folk/Black Metal from Italy)
Rok - This Is Satanik (excellent "vomited" Black Metal from Australia)
Macbeth (Ita) - Romantic Tragedy's Crescendo (excellent Gothic Metal from Italy)
Nefarium - Discography (excellent Black Metal from Italy)

 

[damnromulans]

I assume if I know it then lots and lots of other people must know it.

thanks to whoever rec'd it in the "ocean metal" recommendations thread, but I'd say VLE deserves WAY more credit than he gets

 

[unknown]

Kvist -- For Kunsten Maa Vi Evig Vike

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Adramelch - Irae Melanox (Crusades-obsessed bleak and lo-fi Italian power metal, reminiscent of Awaken the Guardian sans the occasional mid-tempo plod)
Antagonist - S/T (Techxodus; violent, raw, and angry thrash with wonderfully creative riffage)
Dark Millennium - Ashore the Celestial Burden (described as melodic doom/death but really unlike anything else, full of an atmosphere as oppressive as the religious/cosmic themes they rail against in vain)
Depressive Age - First Depression (progressive speed/thrash with a dark and sort of gothic slant, like an early Helloween/Blind Guardian/Iron Angel analogue of Anacrusis, but really a stand alone album)
Othyrworld - Beyond into the Night of Day (a rerecording of Sacred Blade's only album, but a loyal improvement with all the psychedelic traditional/power left fully in tact, and the addition of a couple new and more progressive songs)
Slauter Xstroyes - Free the Beast (take Powerslave and Don't Break the Oath, then +1 them in technicality and over-the-top-ness and you have the highlight of USPM)
Thought Industry - Mods Carve the Pig: Assassins, Toads, and God's Flesh (pissed off progressive/alternative post-thrash that is typical of its time in the sense that it is way-the-fuck out there)
Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic (cold and mechanical progressive metal akin to the best moments of Ryche's Rage for Order and Fatez' Perfect Symmetry)
Zions Abyss - T.A.L.E.S. (as a 1991 traditional metal album this doesn't break new ground, but the song-writing is entirely top-notch and sounds more fresh than what most bands were doing post-1984)

 

[AchrisK]

Depressive Age - First Depression (progressive speed/thrash with a dark and sort of gothic slant, like an early Helloween/Blind Guardian/Iron Angel analogue of Anacrusis, but really a stand alone album)

How does this compare to Lying in Wait?

 

[waif]

Accidental Suicide - Deceased
Anacrusis - Screams and Whispers (they get some praise but usually for earlier stuff)
Brainstorm - Ambiguity
Crack Up - Heads Will Roll
Gardenian - Soulburner
Goratory - Orgasm Induced Diarrhea
Gun Barrel - Power Dive
Human Fortress - Lord of Earth and Heaven's Heir
Kataklysm - Shadows and Dust
Paths of Possession - Promises In Blood
Severe Torture - Fall of the Despised
Skyclad - Folkemon and pretty much everything else tbh
Sodom - Sodom
Spirit of the Forest - A Brew of Lightening and Terror
Tad Morose - Matters of the Dark
Vital Remains - Let Us Pray

 

[SentinelSlain]

Oracle(Gibraltar)- Oracle (1989)

Now that is an actual gem. If I manage to get a copy of that I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Lateralus14]

Sempiternal Deathreign is easily the best example I can think of as far as unknown but essential to a genre.

 

[MasterOLightning]

Maledicere - Scythe of the Sun

 

[Cart Commander]

sacred reich-american way

sacred reich in general never really got the credit for being as kick ass as they are

 

[Master_Yoda77]

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

 

[SkeletonWitch]

Hammers of Misfortune - The August Engine

Skagos - Ast

Cruachan - Folk Lore

Cardinal Sin - Spiteful Intent [EP]

Devil Doll [Entire Discography]

Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea

Mar De Grises [Entire Discography]

Myrkgrav - Trollskau, Skrømt Og Kølabrenning

Winterfylleth - The Ghost of Our Heritage

Forest of Fog [Entire Discography]

etc.

 

[Personified Hatred]

I wanna add one I have forgotten:

Grotesque (Swe) - In The Embrace Of Evil (the compilation, not the demo; excellent Death Metal from Sweden)

 

[Lateralus14]

Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea

Far from hidden considering it's the most overrated album in its genre atm..

 

[Blind Guardian]

Abysmal Grief - Discography (excellent Doom/Gothic from Italy)

Yeah, great band with a pretty original sound. It should be added that the "goth" in this band is dark and badass, and not made up of some gay beauty and the beast - crap.

Dark Millennium - Ashore the Celestial Burden (described as melodic doom/death but really unlike anything else, full of an atmosphere as oppressive as the religious/cosmic themes they rail against in vain)

Correct, unbelievable album.

 

[Alongside Death]

Kataklysm - Shadows and Dust

What?

Far from hidden considering it's the most overrated album in its genre atm..

I agree, it is definitly overrated, nothing special. A better example would be Catacombs - In the Depths of R'lyeh.

Also:
Mortal Decay - Cadaver Art
Membaris - Into Nevermore
Brutus - Slachtbeest

 

[waif]

What?

Exactly...excellent album brought down by production and overlooked due to being by Kataklysm, who pretty much nobody likes, at least around here, probably because they're too popular.

EDIT: I recognize that didn't make much sense. It's an awesome album and it gets very little praise is what I'm saying.

 

[Alongside Death]

After they became a goddamn boredom.