Liege Lord

[tsorl]

So I got Master Control the other day and it's totally kicking my ass. US power metal at it's finest, awesome vocals, riffage, everything. Now I'm naturally thinking about getting their previous stuff (Freedom's Rise, Burn To My Touch). From what I've gathered around the web, they don't seem to hold the same classic status as Master Control. It also looks like MC is the only one with Joe Comeau on vocals and since that guy is a major reason for Master Control's coolness I was wondering if the other stuff could match up.


Any other suggestions of classic US power that I might have missed are also warmly welcomed.

 

[carnut]

I only know Freedom's Rise, and that's a damn good 80's metal record !!!!

 

[Greeno]

I only know Freedom's Rise, and that's a damn good 80's metal record !!!!

I agree. It's very much worth checking out.

 

[Greeno]

Any other suggestions of classic US power that I might have missed are also warmly welcomed.

Have you heard the 2 Griffin albums? "FLIGHT OF THE GRIFFIN" and "PROTECTORS OF THE LAIR" . Both are worth hunting down. Flight Of The Griffin is my favorite if the two.

 

[carnut]

Any other suggestions of classic US power that I might have missed are also warmly welcomed.

It's hard to tell wich ones you know, some I can advice are Culprit (Guilty as Charged), Damien Thorne (sign of the Jackhal) , Exxplorer (Symphonies of Steel), Hexx (No escape), Jag Panzer , Abattoir (Vicious Attack) , Vicious Rumours (digital dictator) Laaz Rockit (Cities gonna burn), Hawaii (one nation underground), Heir Apparent (Gracefull inheritance), Savage Grace (early) , Toxik (World Circus),Warlord (And the canons...), early Armored Saint, , .... I also would suggest samplers like Metal Messacre (upto volume 5 or so), they have a motherload of good US metal bands...

 

[Fangface]

Master Control is my favourite as well, but the previous 2 are not bad either, a little bit more NWOBHM-sounding whereas Master Control is 100% US Power Metal.
Comeau had a great voice back in the day...

 

[ZoMb!M@N]

It's hard to tell wich ones you know, some I can advice are Culprit (Guilty as Charged), Damien Thorne (sign of the Jackhal) , Exxplorer (Symphonies of Steel), Hexx (No escape), Jag Panzer , Abattoir (Vicious Attack) , Vicious Rumours (digital dictator) Laaz Rockit (Cities gonna burn), Hawaii (one nation underground), Heir Apparent (Gracefull inheritance), Savage Grace (early) , Toxik (World Circus),Warlord (And the canons...), early Armored Saint, , .... I also would suggest samplers like Metal Messacre (upto volume 5 or so), they have a motherload of good US metal bands...

Good stuff .... Vicious Rumors "Welcome to the Ball"(?) rocks.... The Jag Panzer with "Reign of the Tyrants" is great... Laaz Rockit is a freaking classic, "Dead Man's Eyes" rocks...... good call carnut

 

[Hawk]

Yea carnut know his classic US metal!!

But what about Helstar? Their 1986 album 'Remnants of War' and their 1989 "Nosferatu" are both classics in my book. Also Sanctuary with 1987 'Refuge Denied' and 1990 'Into The Mirror Black' should not be missed.

I still think that real US metal is way under appreciated! For me US metal is the best metal in the world!

 

[Fangface]

I still think that real US metal is way under appreciated! For me US metal is the best metal in the world!

Old-school Metal that is

I would add Attacker to Carnut's list, and these guys still deliver the goods in 2005.

 

[tsorl]

Thanks a lot for those suggestions, although it's nearly hopeless to find those albums around here. If only US metal had the same recognition as europower does. But I'll keep my eyes open.
I'm already very familiar with Jag Panzer, Helstar, Armored Saint and a couple of others you've mentioned. Early Savatage too (well, all Savatage, but they've drifted away from 'just' power metal long ago).

How's Omen, btw? There seems to be a decent-priced boxset containing 3 albums (Battle Cry, Warning of Danger, Nightmares) and I thought it would be a good starting point. I've really liked the little what I've heard of them so far.

 

[Fangface]

How's Omen, btw? There seems to be a decent-priced boxset containing 3 albums (Battle Cry, Warning of Danger, Nightmares) and I thought it would be a good starting point. I've really liked the little what I've heard of them so far.

Your intuition was right on, that Metal Blade boxset is well done. Actually the mastering is much (and I mean MUCH) better than the previous CD version.
There's also a bonus DVD featuring a gig that Omen did in 1984 or so, opening for Slayer. Bootleg quality stuff but still interesting for the fans.
IMO Omen are a must-hear for US Metal fans, their style is somewhere between early Maiden and Manowar, with an epic edge full of charm