Sacrifice - 1985 - On the Altar of Rock

Super melodic sounding metal from this one album band from Switzerland. Managing to play almost 40 minutes rather enjoyable material and also having a good amount of originality to their sound makes the album quite a success in my book. Rates 7,5/10.

Axe Victims - 1984 - Another Victim

Pretty decent record from an one album band from Germany. There's an obvious contradiction with the band and the album name and how they sound; they have really commercial and soft style; why name themselves as "Axe Victims"? Their simple songwriting and the AOR elements, especially in the drum sound, makes the whole thing somewhat unimpressive, but it's not bad. Hard to say what songs are best when they are so similar. Rates 6/10

Fortuner - 1986 - Two Sides Of The Metal

Old school German heavy metal. This is really good sounding stuff, it must the best album I've heard today. 8/10 from me. Check this shiet out, you guys!!!

Wolfpack - 1987 - Total Head Removal

One of those somewhat good records. Has some killer moments but the songs aren't too outstanding. The vocals are pretty bad. 5/10

Saints' Anger - 1985 - Danger Metal

Old school German heavy metal similar to Walls of Jericho, Gates to Purgatory, Accept. Real good stuff, I don't any have complaints about it. It just isn't quite one of the best albums, so 8/10. Killer bad ass record

Briar - 1987 - Crown of Thorns

This is total garbage, I don't know why I ended up listening to it, how did I find it, or how this crap ever got to be recorded. And as the final nail in the coffin, they did these dogshit covers like TL's The Boys Are Back in Town. One of the worst albums I've ever heard, 0/10, pure waste of time.

Riddlemaster (Mark Shelton and Rick Fisher) - 2017 - Bring The Magik Down

Kind of going back to roots to old Manilla Road sound, where is Scott Scooter Park though? This is an unusual approach with a long song format and some weird instrumental part in the first song, pretty cool song, but not totally captivating. The second song has some nice classic Mark the Shark guitar melodies with the epic old man vocals, really good minimalistic type of song. The rest are worth hearing as well; Ghosts Of The Plains has some great epic feel to it with masterful vocals and Go For The Throat/Be The Wolf must be the most interesting piece here with some old school heavy psych rock sound. Good record and I regret to rate it so low, and maybe I will upgrade it later. 7/10

Stainless Steel - 1985 - In Your Back

Probably the best band name and album title usage together ever! Kind of great record and kind of nothing especially good for this time period, good songs, good fun and also not one of the best genre releases. 7/10

Hocculta - 1984 - Warning Games

Now this is a more of a ass kicker record than the second one. I still don't see why they had this particular singer, he is not that good and most of time he sounds just pretty annoying. Other than that, this is pure heavy ass metal record with solid ass song writing. 8/10

Cutty Sark - 1984 - Die Tonight

This record is the pure definition of old school traditional heavy metal, how did Germany come up with so many of these? 8/10

Tension - 1986 - Breaking Point

This is supposed to be some kind of unknown record, how good can it be? Let's find out *does the Varg's finger to the camera gesture*. Starting with a Hawaii cover, great choice for a cover and properly executed. I thought I would be doing a kind commentary for some of the songs, but I guess I'm just going to sleep instead and comment something overall. This is a killer sounding band, superb musicianship, strong vocalist, the songwriting is really good and unexpected; there is no repetitive patterns on the songs and everything is sort of, well, not expected, at least on the first listen. Quite a mindblower in songwriting. Super killer classic record in whatever genre I might consider it belonging to. 9/10

Armed Forces - 1991 - Take On The Nation

Definitely pretty good and not really amazing, just some good songs that aren't highly impressive. 6,5/10

Ded Engine - 1988 - Hold A Grudge

Very British sounding heavy metal from USA. The band sounds good but the songs are mostly just alright and there are no hit songs but neither big misses. Works for a singular listen, I wouldn't spend more time on albums like these. 6/10

Cutty Sark - 1985 - Heroes

Another strong effort from these fine lads. What the band did with their two albums should be used as a prototype and repeated for how traditional old school heavy metal should be done. Strong record all the way, the title track is a real highlight moment; superb song with high potential for re-listens. Sold To Kill is another highlight song with some sweet sounding guitar playing. 8/10 record.

Crack Jaw - 1985 - Nightout

Quite killer German heavy metal. The title track, New Tomorrow, Galley Without Aim and Struck By Thunder definitely are well written songs. Good strong record, world needs more of these. 7,5/10

Ded Engine - 1985 - Ded Engine

Enjoyable songs, once again the band sounding highly British heavy metal while being Americans. Not any especially great songs, so, 6/10.

Messiah Prophet - 1986 - Master Of The Metal

Another heavy metal / hard rock christian act. Fear No Evil is really strong song. Nothing amazing overall, not bad either tbh. 6,5/10

Lions Pride - 1984 - Breaking Out

Rather generic heavy metal from Belgium. There may not be much originality, but there is definitelly good songs. The vocalist has a great voice for an one album band singer. 8/10

Stormbringer - 1983 - Stormbringer

Quite early Swiss heavy metal with heavy 80s mainstream rock/AOR influence. Not exactly a bad sound, however the commercial approach makes this record sound like too many other bands from this same time period, the ballad type of songs sound pretty filler, and the drum sound is the bad 80s kind. The songs overall aren't especially impressive; Lady of the Sky is rather good faster piece and Fight With Me is quite easily the best song with little bit similar sound to 80s Iron Maiden. Definitely not one of the best albums the world has even seen, but surely pretty interesting for ań unknown record. 6,5/10.

Neon Cross - 1988 - Neon Cross

Good heavy metal band and album. The band clearly didn't become big, which is understandable by releasing something like this in 1988 as a debut probably didn't sell much. Also when the material isn't quite the best what was being released in late 80s it could be easy to overlook the records, that nowadays get a 2nd chance with the internet and youtube. It's worth checking out if we don't mind some repetitiveness in songwriting. 7,5/10

This has pretty much become the Jope thread

Dark Age - 1984 - Dark Age (EP)

Super awesome, low budged production, true sounding heavy metal and us power from USA. Originally this was a six song release, I have some bonus material one that actually goes to a full length release territory with a total of 11 songs! Really competent material from a band that had basically just started an year ago and this was their only release. Keep an eye (ear) on the guitar melodies. I'd rate this "only" as high as 9/10 because, well, it's not Omen's Battle Cry. Check it out, brothers

Vault - 1985 - Sword Of Steel (demo)

I dunno why these Dutch bands keep on delivering. Pure heavy metal, no big company bullshit, don't you miss these times, you guys? Just pure winning material here, whether it's a coincidence that there's three songs that are either exactly 4:20 in length or close to it, should it be taken as a message or just a coincidence anyone can choose for themselves. 8,5/10, great record, hard to believe it's a demo.

Immolation - Acts of God (2022)

These guys still have it... Killer riffs, killer solos, right choices for singles and this "Overtures of the Wicked" I digged it!! If you like death metal listen to it without second thought. 9/10

Vault - 1983 - No More Escape

Another great record from these Dutch guys. It has heavy NWoBHM influence and if I didn't know where they're from I would assume them as an UK band. Whereas this isn't exactly best album ever, it does have some really nice guitar melodies and solos, already in the first song I can hear some Iron Maiden-esque melodies going on. My favorite here is the last song, Too Young to Fight, Overall rather enjoyable album, one of the more melodic and less heavy heavy metals. 8/10

Attack - 1985 - Return of the Evil

This is really awesome, somehow gone unnoticed to me so far. Superb power / heavy metal that obviously didn't reach the mainstream audiences. The songwriting is not the most conventional approach, which is also why bands like this will never become very popular. With quick investigation I saw comparisons to Gamma Ray and Scanner, that are accurate, but still this sounds different and an unique band. 8,5/10; why isn't this band on the site?

I have not posted here a lot last, now I re start listen albums, after small hiatus. I do comment there in a albums sections, its better IMO, I will keep that way.

Steel Crown - 1986 - Sunset Warriors

Italians playing some proper heavy metal. Musically this sounds quite interesting; I dunno what to compare this to, it's really original approach with both melodies and heaviness. And listen to this drummer, you guys, he is totally destroying here with some top-notch playing. Dunno what song to prefer, there's good stuff all-round, but also none really stands out as a huge hit song. 8/10, totally recommended material.

edit: okay, the bassist is destroying quite a lot here too; this is something akin to old Helloween legendary Markus Grosskopf and Ingo Schwichtenberg duo; killer musicianship

Written by Bad English on 06.09.2022 at 11:21

I do comment there in a albums sections, its better IMO, I will keep that way.

All albums and bands aren't and won't be on site so I post here. I agree it's better to post on albums, I follow intuition of true steel on what shall be listened next so I might end up with a record that 99,99% hasn't heard about.

Gladiators - 1998 - Steel Vengeance

This is Running Wild's Black Hand Inn 2.0 with the exception that the vocalist is pretty much dogshit. I can't look past my fingers, I have to lower the score because this vocalist is kind of dumpstering the overall record back to the fucking stone age with his dumpster-tier delivery. 7,5/10, but imagine how good this would be if it had some proper singer?

Update: After some listens I guess I kind of acquired the taste for the vocalist. He is not bad, not on the whole record at least, he had some weak moments though. Really great an unknown record. 8,5/10.


Gladiators - 1999 - Bound To Steel

Another killer recording. The vocal performance is better on this record than on the debut. I have nothing bad to say about this material: plenty of good songs and the classic Accept musical direction is having a good result. 8,5/10