Metal 2018

[MetalAges]

My opinion is bigger (and better) than your opinion.

Enjoyable, not amazing. Then again, Eternal Champion also ended up being "ok" for me, maybe I had read and heard too much hype.

 

[nizzon]

This rocks, man. Better than the entire previous album.

It does! I never really cared much for Judas Priest, listened to the last album after hearing this and it was ok. But this track is a radio smash-hit!

 

[Omni]

Enjoyable, not amazing. Then again, Eternal Champion also ended up being "ok" for me, maybe I had read and heard too much hype.

That's okay. That's not even the best song on the album.

Anyway, Eternal Champion's debut album would be a lot better if the band made more of an effort to avoid offering up so many songs that follow the same formula musically and vocally. There's not a lot of variation on the album and most of the tracks are very similar to the other tracks on the album, with the only real variation coming from a pointless interlude and an overlong outro with a sample of Skeletor's dialogue. "Sing a Last Song of Valdese" would also benefit from being a lot shorter. Jason Tarpey should also consider a less monotone vocal approach because he is a good singer who doesn't really need to drone on so much. Overall, it's a fair debut that plays it really safe and could probably benefit from a bit more variation and a bit less length.

By comparison, Gatekeeper's album is shorter and much more engaging from the get-go because of much more lively performances. The band isn't afraid to leave mid-paced arrangements behind and add in influences from bands like Omen and Savatage, rather than just plodding along for the sake of epic metal or whatever the cool kids are doing nowadays. Jean Pierre's vocals are also a lot more energetic and varied, and he hasn't been glossed up with fancy production. There are legitimately unique melodies and ideas throughout the album that keep it exciting, rather than doing variations of the same thing on each track. There are a lot of very dynamic songs that go in surprising directions and the layered songwriting approach is refreshing in this day and age.

I really don't care if people like Eternal Champion because I like them as well, despite finding them horrendously overrated, but Gatekeeper wrote a much more mature and thoughful album that doesn't fall into the trap of homogeneity that most of the newer epic traditional heavy metal bands do.

 

[Dak]

I bought Eternal Champion. If the rest of the Gatekeeper album sounds like Blade of Cimmeria, easy pass. The song kind of sounds like a really shitty attempt at being Persuader.

Now for some better Canadian music:



Seems way heavier than their 2009 album. Definitely getting it, but not sure it tops Fragmentary Evidence.

Edit: Liking the new ATG.

 

[Dak]

Wow look at this news

TOM ANGELRIPPER ANNOUNCES NEW LINE-UP
German cult thrash act now a quartet, Frank Blackfire returns
New single out in summer 2018, album to follow in spring 2019

While rumours are still flying thick and fast in the media, Tom Angelripper has already announced the new line-up of his band Sodom: Husky (Asphyx, Desaster) is set to man the drum kit, Frank Blackfire (ex-Sodom, ex-Kreator, Frank Blackfire, Assassin) and Yorck Segatz (Beyondition) have been enlisted on guitars. Sodom have already released seminal albums such as Persecution Mania, the live cut Mortal Way Of Live and the highly successful Agent Orange with Frank Blackfire. As he had hinted at the beginning of the year, Tom has opted for a line-up featuring two guitarists, an absolute novelty for Sodom. “Two guitarists allow us much more possibilities live, so we will be able to play tracks in future that we weren’t able to perform as a trio,” the Sodom vocalist/bassist explains his motives. In line with these new possibilities, the thrash act has already started to put together a setlist for the upcoming shows with all important classics as well as rare numbers that had never or only rarely been heard at their gigs. Says Tom: “I can promise that we will really let it rip in future.”

Missed this. Fuck yes!

 

[nizzon]

Maybe it has been posted but here it goes anyway, groovy stuff!

 

[Bloopy]

Eagle Twin's long-awaited 3rd album is finally on its way later this month:

 

[grimmy82]

The new one from D666 is quite excellent. Looking forward to seeing them live twice next week!

 

[Krow]

@Master_Yoda77



Hear this yet?

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Yeah, I have all the tracks already. I'm good friends with Sarah and Shawn and Collin and Kevin play in Olórin and Hrafnskald with me.

 

[EspaDa]

Frank Mullen has officially left Suffocation

http://www.ghostcultmag.com/frank-mullen-announces-his-retirement-from-suffocation/

 

[The Ozzman]

Glad I got to see the band before Frank officially left. Dude will always be one of my favorite vocalists.

 

[nizzon]

First impression is not quite as awesome as anything on their debute.

 

[Dak]

 

[nizzon]

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

 

[EspaDa]

Necrophagia vocalist Killjoy dead at 48.

http://www.metalsucks.net/2018/03/1...-killjoy-pucci-has-died-at-just-48-years-old/

 

[nizzon]

Catchy!

 

[Evil Dead]

 

[EspaDa]

New Exmortus album entitled The Sound of Steel is due on 8th June.

1. Make Haste
2. Feast of Flesh
3. Into The Maw of Hell
4. To The Ends of the Earth
5. A Minor Instrumental
6. Strength and Honor
7. Turn The Tide
8. Tempest
9. Riders of Doom
10. Victory or Death!