out now: The Holeum - prog atmospheric doom

The Holeum

Ensis

March 20th, 2026

Lifeforce Records

1. The Fermi Paradox 05:36

2. Cosmic Void Spheres 06:19

3. Macrocosm + Microcosm 07:43

4. Spontaneous Synchronization 05:23

5. Hyperdimensional Physics 05:16

6. Esoteric Futuristic Visions 04:31

7. Geometric Congruence Vortex 05:46

total time 40:34

To be honest, this band is new to me. I just don't remember ever hearing them before, but man I have been enjoying the album and have been pleasantly surprised. Ensis is the third full-length album. They are a band from Spain. This album just came out on Lifeforce Records. It is my understanding that the band includes musicians who used to play in well-known groups like NahemaH and Hela, but unfortunately I don't know those bands. Check it out though, this is The Holeum's first album since their 2019 album Sublime Emptiness. So, they took their sweet time! Of course, we all know that bands go through problems and it is difficult to keep making music when the problems of life interfere in major ways. Well, I am glad they came back. The album is something like progressive, post-metal and atmospheric all done with a foundation of doom. It's heavy, pretty heavy actually, but can feel melodic in subtle ways, and it goes into gentle, soft segments, too, for a sense of variety.

Ensis by The Holeum

Happy anniversary to the CAVALERA CONSPIRACY album Blunt Force Trauma (2011)!

Cavalera Conspiracy

Blunt Force Trauma

Roadrunner Records Japan

March 23rd, 2011

Metal Archives shows that this is the release date for the Japanese version. This is the second album by the Cavalera Conspiracy2007 [as Inflikted), 2007-present], from the two formers members brothers from Sepultura. The groove thrash metal is all about this album. The songs are short and they get to the point quickly, almost like a reaction to the experimentation that they have done in other eras. This is basic, brutal, loud, aggressive, ugly Cavalera metal!

Max Cavalera (rhythm guitars, vocals, songwriting, lyrics) — Iggor Cavalera (drums, percussion) — Marc Rizzo (lead guitars, backing vocals on track 3) — Johny Chow (bass).

1. "Warlord" (3:05) — 2. "Torture" (1:51) — 3. "Lynch Mob" (2:31) — 4. "Killing Inside" (3:28) — 5. "Thrasher" (2:49) — 6. "I Speak Hate" (3:10) — 7. "Target" (2:36) — 8. "Genghis Khan" (4:23) — 9. "Burn Waco" (2:52) — 10. "Rasputin" (3:22) — 11. "Blunt Force Trauma" (3:58) — 12. "Psychosomatic" (3:07) — 13. "Jihad Joe" (3:28) — 14. "Electric Funeral" (5:39). Total length: 46:19.

Cavalera Conspiracy - Killing Inside

Happy anniversary to the OCEANO album Ascendants (2015)!

Oceano

Ascendants

March 23, 2015

Earache

This is the release date, according to Wikipedia. The band's fourth album sees them delivering a sci-fi type of deathcore, a more technical, prog, mechanical, alien-spired style of deathcore brutality. Of course, there are breakdowns and heaviness galore, and those vocals are sick as ever.

1. "Nephilim" (1:32) – 2. "Transient Gateways" (3:10) – 3. "The World Engine" (3:12) – 4. "Dead Planet" (3:24) – 5. "The Taken" (3:08) – 6. "Dawn of Descent" (4:28) – 7. "The Dulce Incident" (2:50) – 8. "Arc of Creation" (3:05) – 9. "External Existence" (3:14). Total length: 28:03.

Adam Warren (vocals, lyrics) – Michael Kasper (lead guitar) – Scott Smith (rhythm guitar) – Chris Wagner (bass) – Chason Westmoreland (drums).

Oceano - The World Engine (Official Audio)

Happy anniversary to SEPULTURA's album Dante XXI (2006)!

Sepultura

Dante XXI

Steamhammer

March 22, 2006

Derrick Green — Iggor Cavalera — Andreas Kisser — Paulo Xisto

The Metal Archives shows March 22 as the release date for this album. The band goes for a substantially leaner, meaner approach, for a more condensed, less experimental approach: tight, precise thrash guitar for the majority of the album, with a small side of dissonant moments and another small side of experimental vibes. Overall, though, it is a thick thrash groove uptempo, intense album.

Sepultura - Convicted in Life

in memory of BLACK DEATH guitarist Vincent Lindsay (1964-2018)

Vincent Kenyon Lindsay (May 11, 1964 - Mar 22, 2018)

The Metal Archives shows that Vincent played guitars in the Cleveland, Ohio, USA cult heavy metal band Black Death, whose first run was from 1977 to 1988. The Metal Archives shows that he played guitars on the compilation called Until We Rock: The Lost Recordings Guitars released in 2020. He plays guitars on tracks 9 through 19 of the three-cd collection, which in this list begins with the song "The Tank" in Disc 2.

Here is the tracklist: Disc 1: Taken by Force (04:54), Breaking the Chains of Hell (05:42), When Tears Run Red (From Love Lost Yesterday) (11:25), The Last Prophet (The Rise of the Beast) (10:35), Until We Rock (06:49), Taken by Force (04:32).

Disc 2: Sin After Sin (13:57), Slay the Beast (06:23), The Tank (04:20), Dirty Inner City Blues (06:08), The Dead Don't Die (05:48), Black Tears (04:58). Disc 3: Balance of Terror (06:20), When Love Strikes Again (04:22), Black Assassin (06:14), Low Axe (05:21), Burn Like a Fire (05:33), The Promise (03:07), No Deceit No Defeat (04:22). The Metal Archives says, "Tracks 9-19 taken from the Tank Shop Maneuvers (1988) rehearsal demo."

This music is recommended for fans of cult, obscure, rough heavy metal music from the 1980s. The sound quality is that of 1980s rehearsal demos.

Until We Rock: The Lost Recordings Of Black Death by Black Death

Happy anniversary to PANTERA's Far Beyond Driven (1994)!

The Metal Archives shows March 22 as the release date.

Pantera

Far Beyond Driven

EastWest

March 22nd, 1994

Philip Anselmo (Vocals); Dimebag Darrell (R.I.P. 2004) (Guitars); Rex (Bass, Synthesizers - track 12); Vinnie Paul (R.I.P. 2018) (Drums, Bongos - track 12).

Strength Beyond Strength (03:38), Becoming (03:05), 5 Minutes Alone (05:48), I'm Broken (04:25), Good Friends and a Bottle of Pills (02:52), Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks (07:02), Slaughtered (03:57), 25 Years (06:05), Shedding Skin (05:37), Use My Third Arm (04:52), Throes of Rejection (05:02), Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath cover) (04:03). Total time: 56:26.

This album reached number 1 on the Billboard 200! The band built a great reputation as a live act, and after the success of Cowboys from Hell (1990) and Vulgar Display of Power (1991), and the momentum they had built, more fans were ready to jump on the Pantera train, and it showed on the music charts!

Don't quote me on the following, but some internet sources say that this is the top ten for when Far Beyond Driven hit #1 on the Billboard 200 for the week of April 9, 1994:

1. Pantera – Far Beyond Driven — 2. Bonnie Raitt – Longing in Their Hearts — 3. Ace of Base – The Sign — 4. Soundtrack – Above the Rim — 5. Yanni – Live at the Acropolis — 6. Soundgarden – Superunknown — 7. Celine Dion – The Colour of My Love — 8. Counting Crows – August and Everything After — 9. Toni Braxton – Toni Braxton — 10. R. Kelly – 12 Play.

Pantera - I'm Broken (Official Music Video) [4K Remaster]

Happy anniversary to PANTERA's Reinventing the Steel (2000)!

Pantera

Reinventing the Steel

EastWest

March 21, 2000

The above date is the release date for the United States, according to Wikipedia. The tracklist is: Hellbound (02:40), Goddamn Electric (04:56), Yesterday Don't Mean **** (04:19), You've Got to Belong to It (04:13), Revolution Is My Name (05:15), Death Rattle (03:17), We'll Grind That Axe for a Long Time (03:44), Uplift (03:45), It Makes Them Disappear (06:21), and I'll Cast a Shadow (05:19). Total time: 43:49.

This is the final album with the iconic line-up of Dimebag on guitar, Phil on vocals, Rex on bass and Vinnie on drums!

Pantera - Revolution Is My Name (Official Music Video) [4K Remaster]

Happy birthday to Romantic composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881), an inspiration to ACCEPT's Wolf Hofmann, and MEKONG DELTA, and more!

Wikipedia shows that the Romantic composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (Russia) (21 March [O.S. 9 March] 1839 – 28 March [O.S. 16 March] 1881), one of the group known as "The Five," was a visionary that, unlike many of his peers following strict European rules, drew inspiration from Russian folklore, village songs, and the unique rhythm of the Russian language. Critics say that his music is famous for its dark energy, and that it paints vivid pictures in the listener's mind. They say that it evokes images of the haunting atmosphere of a midnight graveyard or something on a grand scale like a royal coronation.

I am not knowledgeable enough to write seriously about his music, but I know it through some metal bands that have taken inspiration from him. Unless there is some other band that I do not know about—which is totally possible given my limited knowledge—the German thrash-prog pioneers Mekong Delta have got to be the most devoted of Mussorgsky aficionados, doing tributes to him on at least two separate albums: Mekong Delta - Dances of Death (And Other Walking Shadows) (1990) and Mekong Delta - Pictures at an Exhibition (1997).

Modest Mussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain (Original 1867 version)

Mekong Delta - Night on a Bare Mountain

In addition, you may already know from the 1985 album Metal Heart that there is a clearly awesome, great and fun tribute to master Beethoven, of course, but guitarist Wolf Hofmann later on has gone on to come out of the classical closet even more grandly by going out full blast in homage to Mussorgsky.

Wolf Hoffmann (ACCEPT) Night On Bald Mountain Official Music Video

Happy birthday to STRYPER drummer Robert Sweet!

The Metal Archives shows that Robert was born on March 21, 1960. He is the drummer of the long-running heavy metal band Stryper [(1980-1981 (as Roxx), 1981-1983 (as Roxx Regime), 1983-1993, 2003-present].

I like what does Robert with drum kit setup: He turns his drum kit sideways so the audience see him playing his drums. Is it a crazy idea?! I like it, though, and I think the audience can see him at work, doing his work, better than a traditional setup.

STRYPER | To Hell With The Devil | Live in São Paulo 2025 | 4K Video |

Happy anniversary to STRYPER's Second Coming album!

The Metal Archives shows that the Japanese version of this special collection of songs came out on March 20, 2013, on the Avalon label. The North American version was released on March 26. The band recorded new versions of their biggest 1980s songs.

Stryper

Second Coming

Avalon

March 20th, 2013

They gave their old songs a modern, heavier sound. The production is of course heavier, a bit thicker and punchier than the original versions, and the drums sound heavier, too. This album features the original lineup: Michael Sweet, Oz Fox, Timothy Gaines, and Robert Sweet.

The production reminds me of observations made by a YouTuber—I think it might have been one of the guys from the show The Contrarians. Don't quote me on it, because I cannot say with 100% certainty who said it, but he was saying that for him, the 1980s Stryper albums were good but maybe a bit too sugary. He felt that Stryper in their second run has become heavier, maybe out of necessity, because Michael Sweet sings a bit lower now that he's older. I kind of see what he is saying. I like these versions, too. The songs have a bit more crunch, almost like thrashy heavy metal at times. Personally, I do enjoy these versions.

The tracklist is: Loud n' Clear (03:46), Loving You (04:28), Soldiers Under Command (05:09), Makes Me Wanna Sing (02:51), First Love (05:23), The Rock That Makes Me Roll (04:53), Reach Out (05:24), Surrender (04:19), To Hell with the Devil (04:06), Calling on You (03:41), Free (03:41), The Way (03:37), Sing Along Song (04:24), More than a Man (04:34), Bleeding from Inside Out (03:44), Blackened (03:08), Together as One (04:45). Total time: 01:11:53.

Stryper - Free (Re-Recorded)

Happy belated anniversary to BRIDEAR's Rise EP!

Bridear (Japan)

Rise [EP]

Radtone Music

March 15th, 2017

1. Ignite 04:25

2. Raider 04:00

3. Remedy 04:19

4. Get Over 04:37

total time 17:21

The Metal Archives shows that this EP was released on March 15, 2017. Bridear (2012-present) is a contemporary metal band that mixes elements of metalcore and power metal, sometimes sounding more metalcore, sometimes sounding more like melodic heavy metal. The music has catchy vocal hooks while the guitar can go pretty fast at times. They tend to add a bit of twists and turns to their music because they don't like to be stay strictly within one genre or style. In general, they like their music to be uptempo and melodic, but keeping things with some variety and some new elements.

BRIDEAR - IGNITE [Official music video]

https://youtu.be/LQIDqudG_DQ?si=KEHpE_aJ7R3Bu140

https://www.facebook.com/BRIDEARofficial/

Khomaniac - thrash band ARTILLERY's perspective on the Iranian regime

ARTILLERY: "Khomaniac"

The album By Inheritance was the third and most well-received album by the Danish thrash band Artillery. On The Metal Archives it has 21 separate long reviews and the average score from all those reviews is a whopping 94 percent! Ninety-four!

Artillery

By Inheritance

R/C Records

May 29th, 1990

On the morning of November 4, 1979, people in the U.S. woke up to the news that 66 Americans were being held hostage by the Iranian Islamic regime. This happened with the full support of their leader, Ayatollah KHOMEINI. Since then, the Iranian terrorist regime and its allies like Hezbollah and Hamas have killed many Americans, Westerners and Israelies. The terrorists carried out the April 18, 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the October 23, 1983 truck bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks that killed 241 service members. They also bombed the Embassy annex in September 1984. The regime has continued funding and arming terrorism across the Middle East.

This is a song that Artillery wrote about the regime of the Islamic Republic of the ayatollah.

ARTILLERY: "Khomaniac" (lyrics)

He once appeared. A harmless threat. A leader wrapped in linen. United fools, bewitched by words, In pact with ignorance. A powermind, dictating thoughts, that leads toward his dream. To free the world, fanatically. Religious slavery. Khomaniac - your holy war is a tragedy. Fataliac - won't your God let you see. And lead by this, insane old man. From shah to battlefield. No one's too young, to fight and die. For what this man believes. Someone must die, insanity's alive. Spreads like disease, the virus increase. Khomaniac - your holy war is a tragedy. Fataliac - won't your God let you see. A voice in my ear says - "Khomaniac". Your killing is pointless - "Fataliac". The war is eternal - "Khomaniac". The outcome infernal. That voice in my ear says - "Khomaniac". Your killing is pointless - "Fataliac". The war is eternal - "Khomaniac". The outcome infernal - So die. He once appeared. A harmless threat. A leader wrapped in linen. United fools, bewitched by words, In pact with ignorance. A powermind, dictating thoughts, that leads toward his dream. To free the world, fanatically. Religious slavery. Someone must die, insanity's alive. Spreads like disease, the virus increase.

Artillery - Khomaniac

remembering TWISTED SISTER drummer AJ Pero (1959-2015)

Anthony Jude Pero (October 14, 1959 - March 20, 2015)

I like the Twisted Sister album You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll (1983). I think it's full of fun, awesome, rocking heavy metal songs. AJ was with Twisted Sister the following years, according to The Metal Archives: 1982-1986, 1997-1998, 2001, and 2003-2015. AJ also played with other bands and projects: Dee Snider (solo), TT Quick, Blaze Bayley (live), Adrenaline Mob, Cities, Circle of Thorns, Father Time, PI, The Foundry, TRED. I am not going to lie, I don't even know most of those names, to be perfectly honest. AJ was with Twisted Sister for all their 1980s iconic albums: Under the Blade (1982), You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll (1983), Stay Hungry (1984) and Come Out and Play (1985). In my worthless opinion, of those albums listed above, the first three are great, great, great starting points to hear Twisted Sister do their Twister Sister rocking heavy metal in their best way. Blast some Twisted Sister today!

Twisted Sister - You Can’t Stop Rock 'N' Roll (Live At Wacken - The Reunion)

WEAPONS OF GOD - ROCKIN' THE WORLD (audio)

new from Roxx Records:

Roxx Records salutes Stryper's "To Hell With The Devil" 40th Anniversary with a stellar tribute album featuring 12 tracks from Roxx Records artists. Here we have Weapons Of God with their cover of "Rockin' The World"". The album will be available on Roxx Records on April 17, 2026.

WEAPONS OF GOD - ROCKIN' THE WORLD

https://www.facebook.com/WeaponsOfGodBand

Happy belated anniversary to HOLYNAME's Rock Against Traffic: Live in Pomona!

HolyName here delivers a magnificent performance of their heavy and melodic grooving, midtempo missionary hardcore. Here is the deal: The Facedown Records website shows that this live recording was released on March 7, 2025. This recording, man, this is a show, now. This performance is HolyName emptying the tank and throwing the kitchen sink at the stage. This wasn't just a concert. It was a soul-moving all-in moment in which every bell and whistle—from the crushing wall of sound to the haunting liturgical imagery—was deployed to create a transformative experience. In addition, they brought out a handul of guests to make the experience as complete as possible:

Eric Gregson from xDeathstarx.

Jason Moody from No Innocent Victim.

Ryan Clark from Demon Hunter.

Brook Reeves from Impending Doom.

Mike Felker from Convictions.

Trevor Tyson from Heal The Hurt.

HolyName's music, according to Facedown Records, "is essentially a love letter to Christ and a tribute to the history of eastern orthodoxy" as an that "sprang from a lockdown project when Joe and Tommy recruited friends from their church community nationwide to participate in a worship 'mix tape.'"

This live album right here brought to the stage everything that HolyName represents.

This event was Run Against Traffic, a foundation started by HolyName singer Tommy Green. The goal is to raise money and awareness to fight human trafficking in the United States. All the funds go toward aftercare for survivors. This money provides counseling and housing to help people build a new life after they are rescued.

HolyName

Rock Against Traffic (Live in Pomona)

Facedown Records

Mar 7, 2025

1.Christ Has Risen 1:56

2.My Way 5:53

3.Creed Featuring – Eric Gregson 6:41

4.Celestial - Featuring – Jason Moody 5:15

5.The Sect - Featuring – Ryan Clark 5:58

6.Mr. Millstone - Featuring – Brook Reeves 3:10

7.They See - Featuring – Michael Felker 4:00

8.Stained Glass - Featuring – Trevor Tyson 4:34

9.Meet Me Somewhere Quiet 5:40

10.Fall On Your Knees - Featuring – Brook Reeves 8:52

11.Fall On Your Knees (Stripped Down) 4:18

https://facedown.merchnow.com/collections/8-99-cds/products/hlynratl00-cd

HolyName - Rock Against Traffic (Live in Pomona) [Full Set]

https://www.facebook.com/holynamewxrship

Happy anniversary to SEPULTURA's album Nation!

Wikipedia shows that Nation is the eighth studio album Brazilian thrash groove band Sepultura. The album was released on the 20th of March of 2001, while The Metal Archives shows the earlier release on March 16th for Japanese version of the album. Nation features guest appearances from artists such as Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta, Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado, Ratos de Porão frontman João Gordo, and Apocalyptica.

In my opinion, Nation is a cauldron of rage and heaviness. This was the second album with new vocalist Derrick Green. The band sounds very hungry to prove themselves on this record. It is a wild mix of groove, nu-metal, and hip-hop. You can still hear the thrash and death metal roots, but they add rap and tribal rhythms too. The energy is experimental and totally out there. Overall, recommended for fans of angry groove heaviness. Overall, that is the dominant feel: angry grooves. Come for the grooves, stay for the raging anger!

Sepultura

Nation

Roadrunner Records

March 20th, 2001

Derrick Green - vocals

Igor Cavalera - drums

Andreas Kisser - guitars

Paulo Jr. - bass

1. Sepulnation 04:20

2. Revolt 00:56

3. Border Wars 05:10

4. One Man Army 05:27

5. Vox Populi 03:41

6. The Ways of Faith 04:53

7. Uma Cura 03:14

8. Who Must Die? 02:58

9. Saga 04:37

10. Tribe to a Nation 02:48

11. Politricks 04:13

12. Human Cause 00:57

13. Reject 02:58

14. Water 02:44

15. Valtio 03:24

Sepultura - Saga

Ozzy Osbourne - Tribute: Randy Rhoads

Ozzy Osbourne

Tribute: Randy Rhoads

Epic Records

March 19th, 1987

Released on the 5th anniversary of Randy Rhoads's passing.

1. I Don't Know 05:43

2. Crazy Train 05:21

3. Believer 05:08

4. Mr. Crowley 05:46

5. Flying High Again 04:27

6. Revelation (Mother Earth) 05:50

7. Steal Away (The Night) (with drum solo) 08:21

8. Suicide Solution (with guitar solo) 07:46

9. Iron Man (Black Sabbath cover) 02:55

10. Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath cover) 05:19

11. Paranoid (Black Sabbath cover) 03:04

12. Goodbye to Romance 05:23

13. No Bone Movies 04:10

14. Dee [Randy Rhoads studio out-takes] 04:22

Ozzy Osbourne - Goodbye to Romance (Live 1980)

in memory of OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads (1956-1982)

Randall William Rhoads (December 6, 1956 - March 19, 1982)

The first episode of the series "Into the Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal" (Hulu/ Disney+ 2025) is about Randy Rhoads. The footage shows Ozzy's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. On October 19, 2024, during his induction speech for Ozzy at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, the comedian Jack Black said, "It is my great honor to officially induct the greatest to ever lace them up in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... The one, the only, Ozzy Osbourne!"

Ozzy explains: "I've been fortunate over the years to play with some of the world greatest guitar players, but I've got one thing for a guy by the name of Randy Rhoads. If hadn't met Randy Rhoads, I don't think I'd be sitting here now."

Sharon adds, "It's true. Randy came along at at time when Ozzy was so low, so depressed. His hope had gone."

Randy Rhoads’ sister, Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio, says that, "... Randy was very serious and focused, and I think that's why he started taking the classical lessons." Drummer Tommy Aldridge confirms this sentiment, "We would be on the road and Rany would have his itinerary, he would be phoning ahead, trying to book time with a classical teacher, and mostly in major markets, like Chicago and New York or bigger cities, 'cause that where the really good teachers [were], 'cause it was hard for Randy to find a teacher that knew more than he knew. It wasn't 'till I heard him playing his classical in his hotel room, just jamming around on his classical. It was transformational, that was just like what God put him on the planet to do."

Sharon also observes, "There's not that many people that I know that would have done that. Actually call up a guitar teacher when you're in a hit rock band. It's just not very common."

Bassist Rudy Sarzo adds, "I don't think he ever saw himself as a rock star at all, you know. He himself as a musician, and he was deeply devoted to the band, there's no question about that. He knew that there was so much more that he coud do as a musician, but first he needed to be educated."

Ozzy confirms that Randy was planning to learn more about guitar, "On that last bus journey from Knoxville, Tennessee to Orlando, Florida, he turned onto to me and said he wanted to quit rock and roll, and wanted to go to UCLA and get a degree in classical guitar. And I said to him, 'Dude, you got the rest of your life to do that.' And he wasn't a guy that was into being a mega, really, rock star. He tried it, he was a success of it, and you know, he wanted to move on."

The point of this portion of the documentary is not to suggest that Randy was totally done with rock music, but that rather that he was often frustrated by the cutthroat business side of music, with the fighting about money, control, backstabbing, record executives, lawyers, tours, managers, so on and so forth. In that setting, often the last thing anyone is thinking about is the actual music and making honest music.

This bothered Randy Rhoads. Because what he loved to do is play guitar, learn the guitar and make music. Randy was only 25 years old. He had been a rock star only for about two and a half years.

(photos from The Randy Rhoads Society on Facebook.)

Happy belated anniversary to IRON MAN's posthumous live album Hail to the Riff!

I certainly recommend Iron Man to fans of 1970s heavy riff music! According to The Metal Archives, the Iron Man --a Maryland, USA 1970s-style doom band-- live album Hail to the Riff was released by Argonauta Records on March 5, 2021. The album features the band's late founding guitarist Alfred Morris III (R.I.P. 1957-2018), vocalist Screaming Mad Dee Calhoun, bassist Louis Strachan, and drummer Jason "Mot" Waldmann. The album was recorded during the band's appearance at the Castle of Doom Festival in Pagazzano, Italy, on July 5, 2014. The 14-track setlist includes "The Fury," "Run From the Light," "The Worst and Longest Day," "Ruler of Ruin," "South of the Earth," "Grown," "As the Gods Have Spoken," "Hail to the Haze," "Sodden With Sin," "A _ in Confession," "On the Mountain," "Fallen Angel," "Black Night," and "Black Morning."

Iron Man is all about 1970s heaviness, like Budgie, Rush, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Black Sabbath, and those early heavy bands. The Metal Archives says that Iron Man began as Sabbath tribute band. The creative force of Iron Man was Alfred Morris III, whose history with heavy music goes back all the way to the 1970s (one previous band was called Force 1976-1984) in Maryland before the "Maryland Doom" scene that came about later. Iron Man is held in high regard by fans of the Maryland Doom scene sound, along with The Obsessed and Pentagram. My favorite album is the 1993 album Black Night, but they have five albums in total and three EPs. To tell the truth, it was through the German record label Hellhound releases that I learned about these Maryland/American doom bands. One more thing just to clarify: This is not polished, smooth, computerized music. Iron Man as a band was dedicated to the heavy, gritty, booming, rough sounds of the 1970s heavy music. It's really not meant to be pretty and supermelodic. It's meant to be primarily heavy and gritty and real.

Iron Man - Hail to the Riff (Full Album 2021)

Happy belated anniversary to LOVEBITES' Glory, Glory, to the World!

Glory, Glory, to the World is the third EP by the Japanese power metal band Lovebites (2016-2021, 2022-present), released on March 10, 2021, according to the information on The Metal Archives. Before this EP, they had three studio albums and a live album. After this EP, the band has two studio albums and several live albums and more. Lovebites is fast and uptempo power metal, with shredding, virtuoso, neoclassical and neosymphonic elements. This is the final studio recording to feature founding member and bassist Miho (ex-Destrose 2011-2015; another good band that I like), who left later in 2021.

The EP includes five tracks, with, according to internet sources, "Winds of Transylvania" serving as the theme for the anime Vlad Love. I don't know that show. The Metal Archives shows that the other songs are: "Glory to the World," "No Time to Hesitate," "Paranoia" and "Dystopia Symphony." The band members on this recording are Asami (vocals), Midori (guitars), Miyako (guitars/keyboards), Miho (bass), and Haruna (drums).

Lovebites - Glory to the World (Heavy Metal Never Dies - Tokyo Dome City Hall 2021)

Lovebites - No Time To Hesitate - [11-05-2023]

Happy anniversary to DEMON HUNTER's 2014 album Extremist!

Wikipedia shows that the Extremist is the 2014 album by American metal band DEMON HUNTER (2000-present). It was their seventh album, Wikipedia shows. It was released on March 18, 2014 on Solid State Records. During its first week the album sold nearly 18,000 copies and debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200 chart, according to Wikipedia, which also says that the album received generally positive reviews, including some glowing ones, with only a few critics showing a lack of enthusiasm for it.

The tracklist for Extremist features 12 songs with a total runtime of 50:31, starting with the intense track "Death" (2:34), followed by the single "Artificial Light" (4:29) and then "What I'm Not" (4:00). Other key tracks on the first half include "The Last One Alive" (4:25), "I Will Fail You" (4:44), and "One Last Song" (4:20). The second half is "Cross to Bear" (4:29), "Hell Don't Need Me" (4:06), "In Time" (4:58), "Beyond Me" (4:23), "Gasoline" (3:56) and "The Heart of a Graveyard" (4:07).

Speaking for myself, I enjoy the variety of the album. While it is true that sometimes the album feels like it features different genres, from melodic death metal to ballads with melodic singing, for me, that's not a problem, and it doesn't bother me. In fact, I think I quite enjoy the feel of hearing different sides. This is not like a coin with two sides, but more like a cake with a bunch of layers! Or, who was it that said that life is like a box of chocolates, was that Forrest Gump? Maybe it was his mother, yes, it was his momma that said it, if I remember correctly. Either way, this album is a like a box of chocolates, and if you change the settings to shuffle, then it really will be a box of chocolates. I don't know how Demon Hunter fans feel about this album, actually, but I'm saying that this albums sounds good to me, especially when I listen to it in the car. Of course, I agree with the YouTube views that really like the song "I Will Fail You," as it is a popular song on there, but I don't skip the other songs, either. I also like the deluxe edition, except maybe not so much the last two techno dance versions because, well, I don't know about that stuff like techno dance, but hey, I did listen to them, so yay for me!

Demon Hunter - I Will Fail You

Demon Hunter - Death

Happy birthday to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908)!

Wikipedia shows these dates: Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (18 March 1844 [N.S.] – 21 June 1908 [N.S.]) (new style dates because, as Wikipedia says, "Russia was still using old style dates in the 19th century, rendering his lifespan as 6 March 1844 – 8 June 1908.")

Wikipedia shows that Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a famous Russian composer, a member of a group of musicians called "The Five." They wanted to create a unique Russian style of music. He is very well known for writing a fast and difficult piece called "The Flight of the Bumblebee." He was an expert at choosing which instruments should play together in an orchestra. He wrote a famous book about how to arrange music for many instruments that students still use today. He also wrote many operas and pieces based on folk tales and legends. Rimsky-Korsakov spent many years as a teacher at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and taught other famous composers. His music is often described as colorful because he was very good at making the orchestra sound bright and exciting.

Some metal artists like Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov because his music is fast and technical. One of the most famous covers is Manowar’s "Sting of the Bumblebee." Have you heard tthe Manowar's cover?! I like it! It is a very fast bass solo played by Joey DeMaio on the 1988 album Kings of Metal. I also have seen Chris Barker and FamilyJules do fast heavy metal guitar versions. Other bands have done different styles. The cello-metal band Apocalyptica did "Flight of the Bumblebee" on their 2022 EP, Metal Classic, Classic Metal. They played it slower and it's doomy. Also, the death metal band Dark Lunacy uses Rimsky-Korsakov's dramatic style in their own music. By the way, below, in the live Dark Lunacy version, they have the symphonic elements prerecorded, but according to Metal Archives, on the original studio recording, the music was played by the band and guest musicians (Metal Archives shows all their names and what instruments they played), not sampled.

DARK LUNACY - Dolls (official Videoclip 4K)

Manowar - Sting of Bumblebee/Fighting the World (Live in Vladivostok, Russia, 03.03.2019)

Flight of the Bumblebee (Tetris 99 Ver.) METAL | FamilyJules

The Flight of the Bumble Bee

Happy birthday to SAISEIGA drummer Kiriko!

March 17 is the birthday of Kiriko 桐子 (also credited as Tohko), a founding member of SAISEIGA, a Japanese a contemporary energetic prog melodic groove band. Their website say that the band began November 30, 2020. The band's vocalist Regan and Kiriko were both members of the band Zettai Club (絶対倶楽部) from 2016 until they disbanded in 2020. They moved on together to form SAISEIGA. They released their first EP, 芽 -Me-, in early 2021. Their first full album was THE SUN in 2022. They released their second album, NOSTALGIA, in 2023 and their third album, THE BLACK HOLE, in 2024. They also have a live album called EVOLVING NOSTALGIA. The video "HANABI" (from the 2023 album NOSTALGIA) is their most popular music video, followed by "RIDE ON." This latter song got them attention as the entrance theme for the character Wakatsuki Takeshi in the anime Kengan Ashura.

About the band (information from their website): SAISEIGA is 4 piece, Japanese Melodic Groove Metal Band since 2020, creating heavy and dynamic sounds to get rid of all negative feelings of audience and listeners. The vocalist, Regan has extraordinary powerful growl and super clean voice, which is always under her control. Every member has top-notch skill of performance, which is even better at live gig and still expanding their playability. 4 full albums including one live album and 1EP has been released in 4 years since the band kicked off. In 2024, we performed at Orange Festival in India. And one of our songs is featured for "KENGAN ASHURA".Everything including songwriting, song arrangement and so on has been done just by ourselves. "SAISEIGA" means "reborn bud" and will NEVER let you down! Vocal: Regan, Guitar: Wakkun, Bass: Katsuki, Drums: Tohko.

https://www.saiseiga.com/

[Official Video] SAISEIGA - HANABI

[Official Video] SAISEIGA - RIDE ON【アニメ「ケンガンアシュラ」若槻武士入場曲】

in memory of SACRED REICH guitarist Jason Rainey (1967-2020)

Jason Wesley Rainey (February 14, 1967 - March 16, 2020)

My favorite era of the Sacred Reich is the 1980s when they were a thrash band. Metal Archives shows that Jason was a founding member of Arizona, USA thrash band Sacred Reich (1985-2000, 2006-present). Jason was part of the band during what thrash fans consider the band's most classic period. Jason was also part of the band when they stopped being a thrash band, when they changed musical to the simplified style of groove metal beginning with the album The American Way. For the band, they gained underground momentum with their debut, Ignorance (1987), and the Surf Nicaragua EP (1988), it was The American Way that propelled them into a higher level of success. Jason continued with the band through the 1990s, playing on the albums Independent (1993) and Heal (1996). He left the band in 2019 due to health issues and did not play on their comeback album, Awakening. Below is one of the most Sacred Reich songs that Sacred Reich ever made!

Sacred Reich - Surf Nicaragua - Live at Wacken Open Air 2017

Sacred Reich - Surf Nicaragua

remembering MOLLY HATCHET drummer Bruce Crump (1957-2015)

Bruce Hull Crump, Jr. (July 17, 1957 – March 16, 2015)

According to Wikipedia, Bruce Hull Crump, Jr., the drummer for American classic rockers Molly Hatchet, was born on July 17, 1957 and died on March 16, 2015. Bruce played drums on the 1970s albums. He was with them from 1976 to 1982, and then again from 1984 to 1991.

Bruce was part of the Molly Hatchet sound for the vast majority of their classic era. As the band's original drummer, he performed on their self-titled debut in 1978 and the multi-platinum follow-up Flirtin' with Disaster in 1979. He continued through the early 1980s on Beatin' the Odds and Take No Prisoners, and after a brief departure, he returned for 1984's The Deed Is Done and 1989's Lightning Strikes Twice. Across these six studio albums, Bruce's drumming helped establish the band’s signature sound of Southern rock and heavy metal.

Wikipedia trivia: (Dave) Hlubek founded the band Molly Hatchet in 1971 on the heels of his first band ('Mind Garden') with longtime friend/bassist Tim Lindsey. Front man/vocalist Danny Joe Brown joined in 1974, plus guitarist Duane Roland, guitarist Steve Holland, bassist Banner Thomas also joined in 1974, and drummer Bruce Crump joined in 1976. Hlubek was also the original vocalist when they started, as well as becoming the band's most prolific songwriter; writing or co-writing the majority of the group's songs, including their most famous, "Flirtin' with Disaster". When they finally signed their recording contract with Epic Records, they received help and advice from Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, who was originally supposed to produce their first album but was killed in a plane crash in 1977. While most people tagged Molly Hatchet as "Southern rock", Hlubek admits it was only because of their location. He considered Molly Hatchet, along with Blackfoot, to actually be heavy metal bands from the South. In fact, he also said that, although hard to talk about, it was the demise of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who were on top of the world at that time, that opened the door for Molly Hatchet.

The "ORIGINAL" MOLLY HATCHET Band - Full Concert - 11/10/78 - Capitol Theatre (OFFICIAL)

[The "ORIGINAL" MOLLY HATCHET Band - FULL CONCERT - CAPITOL THEATRE ... Passaic, NJ 11/10/78 ... Featuring: Lead Singer, DANNY JOE BROWN; Lead Guitarist, DAVE HLUBEK; Lead Guitarist, DUANE ROLAND; Lead Guitarist, STEVE HOLLAND; Bass Guitarist, BANNER THOMAS & Drummer, BRUCE CRUMP. The Band Performs Their Songs ... 1) Bounty Hunter; 2) Gator Country; 3) The Big Apple; 4) Dreams I'll Never See; 5) Trust Your Old Friend; 6) The Harp Jam]