What's the best band you 'discovered' in 2004?

Wicked Child said:
I fully endorse this message. :)
You're under 21 you can't endorse anything legally :p

And B.O.C is really heavy, and I'm waiting for the final release on DVD of "Black & Blue" the famous Black Sabbath/Blue Oyster Cult concert.

Also it pisses me off how underrated B.O.C are in general terms, if you pick any of those "classic rock" radios or even "all rock/metal" ones they will play normally 1-2 song: '(Do'nt fear) The Reaper' and 'Godzilla' (both awsomes tunes by the way specially live). But they more, much more: 'The Red and The Black', 'Wings Wetted Down', 'Flaming Telepaths', 'Harvester Of Eyes', 'Career Of Evil', 'Astronomy' (ugly covered by Crapallica), 'This Ain't The Summer Of Love', 'The Revenge Of Vera Gemini', 'Tatto Vampire', 'Burning For You', 'Death Valley Nights', 'Black Blade', 'Unknown Tongue':worship: , 'Veteran Of The Psychic Wars', 'Vengeance (the pact)', 'Joan Crawford', etc.
 
Which decade, do you feel, has produced the best metal:

1970s:
Black Sabbath (Ozzy years, of couse)
Deep Purple (In Rock through Come Taste the Band)
Led Zep
Dio-era Rainbow
Bon Scott era AC/DC
Uli Roth era Scorpions
Judas Priest (Rocka Rolla through Unleashed in the East)

1980s
the NWOBHM
Dio-era Sabbath
the rise of metal's uber-popularity
the birth of thrash
the birth of cheese/hair/fluff metal
the birth of death metal
Glory Years for Maiden, Priest, Metallica, etc, etc.

1990s
the rise of bands such as Pantera, Fear Factory
rise of Scandinavian black metal
rise of gothic doom metal
rise of ultra-progressive metal
 
This year, talking new albums:
Isen Torr - Mighty & Superior
Brocas Helm - Defender of the Crown
Malediction - Esclave du Vice
Attacker - Soul Taker
Wolf - Evil Star
Wotan - Carmina Barbarica

this is random.. and i can't say which bands i discovered..way too many!
 
SoundMaster said:
Which decade, do you feel, has produced the best metal:

80s, no doubt about it.

What I don't like about 90s:
rise of Scandinavian black metal (this is metal's punk)
rise of gothic doom metal (cheesy)
rise of ultra-progressive metal (mostly wankery under heavy DT influence)
:yuk:
 
SickBoy said:
rise of Scandinavian black metal (this is metal's punk)
Punk is incapable is being as atmospheric, harsh, or bloody heavy as BM. I wouldn't go as far as to say there's no comparison, but y'know how it is -_-
 
Griffin- said:
This year, talking new albums:
Isen Torr - Mighty & Superior
Attacker - Soul Taker
Is "Soul Taker" as respectable as their early material? I have heard some bad reviews regarding this one.
About Isen Torr, that's the band of Richard Walker (Solstice) isn't it? How does this band compared to Solstice great doom?
 
As far as metal is concerned, it´s Soulslide (featuring former Dreams Of Sanity vocalist Sandra Schleret).

Then I discovered a band from the 70s (though they are still around), namely the British prog rockers Nektar. Of the four albums I bought, my favourite is the earliest, "Journey To The Centre Of The Eye" (1971/72), followed by "A Tab In The Ocean" (1972).

However, the best band I discovered this year (without regard to the genre) is without any doubt Gåte from Norway. While not being metal, let alone "old school", they definitely (also) know to rock. (And as regards their softer songs, their version of the traditional Norwegian song "Gjendines bånsull" is one of the best songs The Gathering - the newer ones - haven´t written.)

Finally - and totally "un-metal" - I´ve also got to mention Suden Aika, a female vocal quartet from Finland.
 
Apologies, I'll go a bit OT right now... ;)

Ayeka said:
Punk is incapable is being as atmospheric, harsh, or bloody heavy as BM.

I wouldn't say that e.g. Exploited were "unheavy" or "non-harsh"...
It's true that punk has no atmosphere, but I didn't say that these are the same types of music, merely that I see BM's position in metal as I see punk's position in rock.

I wouldn't go as far as to say there's no comparison, but y'know how it is -_-

My reasons for comparison:
- both genres like to stick with idiotic ideologies or collective reasonings (nacism, racism, anarchy, almost obligatory anti-religion and/or pagan stands...)
- both genres are into bad production and sloppy musicianship, all those who don't fulfill these terms are labeled as not being "true" (lame excuses for ignorance, if you ask me...)
- the covers are always dull grayscale with the plainest fonts like Courier or Arial (BM) or with either (mostly badly) hand-drawn front covers or covers made from e.g. newspaper cuts and looking as if xeroxed (punk) - the point is to maintain the cheap looks
- the band logo must not be read that easily
- if it's faster, then it's better by all means

This sums it up IMO :tickled:
 
Wyvern said:
Is "Soul Taker" as respectable as their early material? I have heard some bad reviews regarding this one.
No.. it's a good album but it can never beat Battle At Helms Deep! Older material is better.

Wyvern said:
About Isen Torr, that's the band of Richard Walker (Solstice) isn't it? How does this band compared to Solstice great doom?

a review I wrote for MetalGospel (not online yet)

Isen Torr – Mighty and Superior

This EP was started as a project by Solstice (UK) guitarist Rich Walker. Together with Martin Zellmer (Ritual Steel), Oliver Zühlke (ex-Ritual Steel), Tony Taylor (Twisted Tower Dire) and Perry Grayson (ex-Destiny’s End, ex-Artisan, Falcon) they form an impressive team. This EP contains two songs called ‘Mighty and Superior’ and ‘The Theomachist’. I have to admit there are only few albums from the last few years which can still get me stunned. This one is definitely one of them! Tony Taylor is the ideal vocalist for this album and fits so well together with the other members. If you want a comparison, I’m sorry because I can’t give you any. You hear nwobhm mixed with epic heavy metal throughout this record but technically this band has a very clear sound of its own which can only be described as heavy metal the way it’s supposed to be done! Great riffs, solo’s, everything is there. You’ll recognize the guitars by Rich Walker from Solstice but apart from that ‘Mighty and Superior’ is quite different from any Solstice material. This EP contains way less doom (this is why I prefer Isen Torr) and a lot more heavy epic metal.
I like the fact that this EP contains only two songs which are both around 8 minutes as well. So if you haven’t heard it yet, do so soon because I promise you ‘Mighty and Superior’ is pure quality. By the way, Isen Torr will be recording new songs (“I Am the Hunter” and “Triumph of the Will”) soon so keep your eyes peeled!

I bet you'll like this record Wyvern!
 
SickBoy said:
It's true that punk has no atmosphere, but I didn't say that these are the same types of music, merely that I see BM's position in metal as I see punk's position in rock.

My reasons for comparison:
- both genres like to stick with idiotic ideologies or collective reasonings (nacism, racism, anarchy, almost obligatory anti-religion and/or pagan stands...)
- both genres are into bad production and sloppy musicianship, all those who don't fulfill these terms are labeled as not being "true" (lame excuses for ignorance, if you ask me...)
- the covers are always dull grayscale with the plainest fonts like Courier or Arial (BM) or with either (mostly badly) hand-drawn front covers or covers made from e.g. newspaper cuts and looking as if xeroxed (punk) - the point is to maintain the cheap looks
- the band logo must not be read that easily
- if it's faster, then it's better by all means

This sums it up IMO :tickled:
I fully endorse this message! (Sick Boy you DO rule! :worship: )

Griffin- said:
No.. it's a good album but it can never beat Battle At Helms Deep! Older material is better.
Thanks for the hint. ;)

I bet you'll like this record Wyvern!
Most probably :p BTW, how are "Halcyon" and "New Dark Age" compared to "Lamentations"? I'm in the process of being close to order them, but if they are not as good as the debut I'll step aside.
 
BTW another band I discovered this year and I can't rememeber if I already post it: Solstice.

I got their debut a couple of days ago and is among the best doom I've ever heard. Pure classic epic/melancholic stuff in the vein of Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass, Thunderstorm, Well Of Souls.

I recommend "Lamentations" to everybody, that albums is something.