Top 12 favorite "relatively obscure" bands

[poundingmetal74]

Since these lists are all the rage, what are some of your favorite bands on small indie labels or bands without labels at all?

12. Monster(Fantastic hard rock band feat. Malice and Black N Blue members)
11. Sanvoisen (Dunno how "obscure" they are, but they're fantastic melodic metal in the vein of older Ryche)
10. Something Wicked (Pantera meets Ugly Kid Joe)
9. Wycked Synn (A must listen for classic Priest fans)
8. When the Empire Falls (like a "modern" Dream Evil)
7. Cut Throat (Cowboys from Hell meets Slave to the Grind)
6. Gemini (Lance King's version of Queensryche )
5. Titanic / Final Axe (Hell, we did cover a track off of Maiden Voyage...)
4. Betrayer (Local band, these are as good as any power metal group out there, stunningly amazing singer!)
3. Visionary (The greatest band Dream Theater and Queensryche never made together)
2. Z-Lot-Z (Classic Queensryche to a science)
1. Siam (If Master of Puppets and Mindcrime could be jammed together on a CD, feat. Tony Mills)

[Editor's prediction: Carnut goes with Culprit ]

 

[Caveman Ninja]

Vektor
Forbidden
Realm
Xentrix
Heathen
Atrophy
Wargasm
Mutant
Paradox
Vendetta
Demolition Hammer
Depressive Age

I guess some of these bands (Heathen and Forbidden in particular) are now on bigger labels or don't exist but they're all pretty obscure to your average man in the street... Most of these bands are or were on small labels though...

 

[Wyvern]

Black Knight (CAN)
Salem's Wych (USA)
Ossian (HUN)
Ostrogoth (BEL)
Pegazus (AUS)
Adramelch (ITA)
Attentat Rock (FRA)
Time's Forgotten (CR)
Beto Vazquez Infinity (ARG)
Blöden-Wedd (CHL)
Church Of Misery (JPN)
Creozoth (SWE)
Force Of Evil (DNK)
Imperium (HOL)
Highland Glory (NOR)
Stos (POL)
Volnaya Staya (RUS)
Savage Messiah (ENG)

except for the French, Polish and Russian band all the others sing in English (and all have at least one full-lenght)

 

[carnut]

12 is a strange number

Culprit isn't that obscure I think, but I thought of them indeed !!
Some other that come in my mind, but there sure will be another dozen
tomorrow !


- Hexx (US metal)
- Legend (NWOBHM)
- Exxplorer (US Metal)
- Vixen (pre-Hawaii) (US Metal)
- Stampede (NWOBHM)
- China Town (NWOBHM)
- Militia (Thrash)
- Silver Mountain (Classic Metal, Sweden)
- Znöwhite (Thrash/Speed Metal)

more recent;
- Subsignal (Progrock/metal , Germany)
- Mechanical Poet (Progmetal, Russia)
- Sun Caged (Progmetal, Netherlands)
- Pantommind (Progmetal, Bulgaria)

 

[Wyvern]

Culprit isn't that obscure I think, but I thought of them indeed !!
Some other that come in my mind, but there sure will be another dozen
tomorrow !
- Znöwhite (Thrash/Speed Metal)

Neither is Znöwhite IMO .

Some more then:

Slavon (CR)
Gargoyle (USA)
Doomshine (GER)
Minotauri (FIN)
Beholder (ITA)
Forsaken (Malta)
Krux (POL)

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Adramelch - the logical offspring of Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and Keeper of the Seven Keys; bittersweet melodic power metal, with the beautiful medieval atmosphere of quiet prairies and towns made solumn knowing their silence is indebted to the Crusades
Aspid - what Destruction should have released in 1992 that some Russians did instead; technical buzzsaw perfection
Believer - probably the only Christian metal band to really give something new to the genre; quite progressive thrash metal especially on Dimensions, sounding like a yet-more-evolved precursor to the Nevermore sound
Confessor - tech-doom, enough said
Messiah - raw proto-black/death/thrash usually isn't for me, but on their first two albums it simply works, like Paul Baloff unrestrained insanity over the musical equivalent of early Sodom
Nasty Savage - who is responsible for developing the "tuffguy" groove-laden thrash sound that every black metal pontificator of tr00ness rejects violently: Pantera or Exhorder? Answer: Nasty Savage, a wonderfully decadent band that relishes in wrestling-themed anthems backed with sultry rhythmic excess
Realm - diverse song writing, classic traditional/power aesthetics, and thrash aggression; all the elements of infallible metal
Sacred Blade/Othyrworld - Priest's Sin After Sin after a goodly amount of psychedelic drugs, their 1986 release suffering slightly from production and the rare atmosphere-breaking song but otherwise a very original foray into spaced-out metal, and their 2005 rerecording fixing the production issue, replacing the less-fitting songs with newer and more mature ones
Secrecy - three guitarists playing chunky groove/thrash riffs and progressive Queensryche-esque melodies in unison (with a feminized Ozzy-ish vocalist to boot) should not work, but it does
Slauter Xstroyes - everything that Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate should have followed their 1984 masterpieces with, and more; very fun and headbanging yet technically and compositionally evolved
Thought Industry - ambitious kitchen-sink metal on their first two, at times typical of the alternative rock/metal scene of the early 90's but overall much more abrasive and technical
Ulysses Siren - the definitive shoulda-got-a-record-deal band; instantly recognizable riff-fests just as strong as anything on Testament's or Exodus' debuts

 

[Caveman Ninja]

Yeah man, Ulysses Siren were ace!

Let's also throw in Shah... Russian thrash from back in the day. Good stuff!

 

[Marco Spain]

DAMN THE MACHINE: A one off album from the Poland brother. Maybe too progressive and twisted but, in my opinion, a gem. Far better that any Dream Theater records post-"Images and words".

OMEGA POINT: Just one demo! But what a demo! Recently edited in cd you can listen in 5 songs a master class in US progressive metal from the late 80´s first 90´s. A must have for any old Queensryche fan.

KARO: Another band with just one album, the mythical for me "Heavy birthday". They were german but with a canadian singer, Dan Lucas (if you like AOR check Dan Lucas "Canada" excellent). Maybe a little cheesy with plenty of keyboards but not for me. 10 songs for sing along and make your life a little happier.

TARGET: Overwhelming band from Belgium (I hope carnut agrees with me). They were compared with Mekong Delta at their time but for me Target are more "easy listening" and that´s a good think. Two fantastic technical thrash album, specially "Master Project Genesis" a real masterpiece.

FRANKENSHRED: They aren´t quite known but if you like fast riffs and impossible solos (mixed with good songs and vocals) check new "Cauldron of evil". Guitar player (Dr Frankenshred) was in Commandment, an amazing band from the 80´s now reactivated.

BATTLERAGE: Chilean answer to Manowar but not with ridiculous clothes True metal in the was it should be played. Nothing original but susprisingly good.

CRUSH: An old band from Greece. They just released "Kingdom of the kings" (a silly title, no doubt) but their music (in spite of being "just" heavy metal) isn´t similar to any other band. A hidden treasure.

WITCHHAMMER: Norwegian speed metal band from the late 80´s. Influences by Helloween and Scanner (but not clones!), "1487" is an excellent record if you missed "Hypertrace" and "Walls of Jericho" (not much of that specific stuff you can find in other bands)

DEJA VU: Unoriginal and simple heavy metal "in your face" but overwhelming quality if you´re looking for something in the "Defenders of the faith", "Painkiller" vein. Catchy heavy metal as hell!

DEADLY BLESSING: Somebody will explain one day why "Ascend from the cauldron" isn´t praised for every metalhead in the world. Ski is one the top5 heavy metal singers ever.

KATAGORY V: Progressive metal from Salt Lake City. They have their musical roots in US prog metal from the 80´s but all of their albums are dated in the new millenium. They aren´t superb but they got "something". I don´t know how to describe it but I love their music

ASPID (SPAIN): Well,... that´s a different band. I put them here not only because I love their music (they quitted 5 years ago) but if you like Pantera (with Anselmo) I assure you that "Imágenes de dolor" is the best clone ever from Pantera. High quality stuff. Not matter if it´s sung in spanish, english, german, dutch,... After a couple of albums they changed completly their sound with a new singer. They became too "modern" in the eyes of a lot of people but for me even better that preciously. In Spain they´re unknown too

 

[Wyvern]

WITCHHAMMER: Norwegian speed metal band from the late 80´s. Influences by Helloween and Scanner (but not clones!), "1487" is an excellent record if you missed "Hypertrace" and "Walls of Jericho" (not much of that specific stuff you can find in other bands)

 

[Orfanos]

CRUSH: An old band from Greece. They just released "Kingdom of the kings" (a silly title, no doubt) but their music (in spite of being "just" heavy metal) isn´t similar to any other band. A hidden treasure.

The Omega Point demo is a hidden gem, indeed.

I 'll be back soon with my choices.

 

[darkdiscoveries]

Some of my obscure favorites tend to the Prog Metal side as most people know about the Thrash ones and so on but often times these guys only did one or two albums and on small labels.

1. SHIVA (3 piece unfairly lumped in with NWOBHM due to being on Heavy Metal records in 1982, but more prog/metal - like a heavier version of RUSH)
2. LEIGE LORD (another interesting Prog Metal band that had a couple LP's on Metal Blade that came out around 1984 or so. Good cover of RAINBOW's "Kill The King" on MASTER CONTROL)
3. DAMN THE MACHINE (I agree with Marco - very underrated project for MEGADETH's Chris Poland. I really wish there would have beena second LP from them)
4. WITCHKILLER (Day of The Saxons - early Priest inlfuenced Metal Blade band)
5. WARLORD (FATES WARNING drummer Mark Zonder's first band - great early prog metal from 1983/1984)
6. HEATHEN (cool Thrash band never really took off - great cover of SWEET's "Set Me Free")
7. FORCE (only did one album for Heavy Metal records in 1984 - Set Me Free. More prog metal and victims of bad marketing, etc. like SHIVA)
8. DEADLY BLESSING (I agree again with you on this Marco! Great metal band on New Renaisance Records with a great singer. Sadly, only did the one album too as far as I know.)
9. GARGOYLE (Another good power metal band on New Renaissance. Local boys from Portland, OR.)
10. WATCHTOWER (Great Prog/Thrash from Noise)
11. TORCH (one of my all time favorites. Kick ass Judas Priest/NWOBHM influenced Swedish band from the early 1980's. An excellent self-titled debut LP, the Fireraiser EP and a solid follow up LP Electrickiss)
12. OZ (Fire in the Brain is their best, but had a couple other good ones. Another strong Swedish band - one of the early Black Metal ones besides MERCYFUL FATE.)

An honorable mention could go out for CULPRIT as well. Guilty As Charged is an all-time classic on Schrapnel.

- James

 

[No-Mercy]

12 is a strange number

my guess is it wold have been 10 but there were 2 bands that could just not be left out of his list.

we've all been there.

as for mine, the only bands i cant think of that might be somewhat obscure or little-known for metal are

Holy Dragons
Wolfcry
Domain
Magistral
Six Magics
Silver Mountain
Steel Attack
Wind Wraith

 

[No-Mercy]

12 is a strange number

my guess is it wold have been 10 but there were 2 bands that could just not be left out of his list.

we've all been there.

as for mine, the only bands i cant think of that might be somewhat obscure or little-known for metal are

Holy Dragons
Wolfcry
Domain
Six Magics
Silver Mountain
Steel Attack
Wind Wraith

none of these probably actually are obscure...im just sheltered, lol.

 

[Wyvern]

2. LEIGE LORD (another interesting Prog Metal band that had a couple LP's on Metal Blade that came out around 1984 or so. Good cover of RAINBOW's "Kill The King" on MASTER CONTROL)
4. WITCHKILLER (Day of The Saxons - early Priest inlfuenced Metal Blade band)
5. WARLORD (FATES WARNING drummer Mark Zonder's first band - great early prog metal from 1983/1984)
6. HEATHEN (cool Thrash band never really took off - great cover of SWEET's "Set Me Free")
9. GARGOYLE (Another good power metal band on New Renaissance. Local boys from Portland, OR.)

Good calls, although I won't consider Heathen obscure. Their 2010 album is so far the best of the year.

I have to throw some more in here:

Wicked Angel (CAN)
Horcas (ARG)
Thunderstom (ITA)
Beholder (ITA)
Helreid (ITA)
Azrael (SPA)
Blaspheme (FRA)
Tetrafusion (USA)

 

[Orfanos]

Ehmmm... Warlord didn't play prog metal.

 

[Marco Spain]

Azrael (SPA)

Really? Not a bad band but far from being overwhelming in my opinion. Have you listened their new stuff? Quite different from the "traditional metal" era. I guess I mentioned it some time ago.

 

[grilled_cheese]

2. LEIGE LORD (another interesting Prog Metal band that had a couple LP's on Metal Blade that came out around 1984 or so. Good cover of RAINBOW's "Kill The King" on MASTER CONTROL)

<BR>

Ehmmm... Warlord didn't play prog metal.

And neither did Liege Lord. WTF?

 

[Wyvern]

Really? Not a bad band but far from being overwhelming in my opinion. Have you listened their new stuff? Quite different from the "traditional metal" era. I guess I mentioned it some time ago.

I knew you will answer . Actually I like the first four albums a lot, after the line-up change the band ceased to interest me. But songs like 'Nada Por Nadie', 'Entre La Espada Y La Pared', 'Tarde Ya', 'Nada Que Temer' are fabulous and worth having those albums IMO.

 

[Donar Wotansohn]

Lucifer's Friend was such an awesome band....around the time Sabbath was starting out.

 

[Assault_Attack]

Lucifer's Friend was such an awesome band....around the time Sabbath was starting out.

A very diverse band. They seemed to change there style of music on every record. Sabbath sounding, to jazz rock, Pop whatever. John Lawton has a great voice imo.