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Wednesday, 30 May 2012

Vikings...Ikea...And Metal.

  This latest collection of songs is devoted to songs from another small, Scandinavian nation punching well above their weight when it comes to producing metal bands.
 Drink a few beers and settle down to enjoy some Swedish Metal.
 

Bestial Mockery -Chainsaw Metal (2001)

Honour to: MofHAce

Bloodbound - Metal Monster (2006)

Honour to: ThrashTillDeath73

Cranium -Speed Metal Sentence (1999)

Honour to: manyusdumbeldore

Cryonic Temple - Eternal Flames Of Metal (2005)

Honour to: M355J0K3R

Dream Evil - Fire Battle In Metal (2006)

Honour to: Ultima228

F.K.U - Horror Metal Man (1999)

Honour to: doomslayer133

And now one of the Swedish Pioneers

Heavy Load - Heavy Metal Heaven (1981)

Honour to: Kristoss666

Lost Horizon - Sworn In The Metal Wind (2001)

Honour to: huscarl4ever

Mustasch -Speed Metal (2012)

Honour to: 666MrDoom

And finally, one of the all-time great "Metal v The World" song titles.

Rocka Rollas - Metal The Posers To Death (2011)

Honour to: mapadeath156

That's it for now. If you have any suggestions for the next country to visit, please let me know. 

Saturday, 26 May 2012

Formidable - Metal From France


 For some reason France, despite being one of the biggest nations in Europe, never seems to have much luck exporting music.
  Now I was under the impression that France just didn't produce many metal bands but a bit of digging revealed exactly how wrong I was. Maybe it's that Anglophone audiences just can't cope with bands singing in French.
 Anyway, here's some songs for you. First a selection from the 1980s.

Anacron _ Heavy Metal (Demo 198?)

Honour to: SlauterXstroyes

Bloody Witch - Metal Attack (1984 Demo)

Honour to: SlauterXstroyes

Bronx - Metal Straight To The Heart (1986)

Honour to: SlauterXstroyes
(Beginning to detect a pattern here.) 


Steel Angel - Spread Your Metal Wings (1984 Demo)

Honour to: SlauterXstroyes

Voodoo Child - Heavy Metal Song ( 1985)

 An instrumental, so not technically a song. 
Honour to: ZeFMJ

And now some that are more recent.


Black Rain Gods Of Metal (2006)

Honour to: Insrc

Manzer - The Metal Side (2011)

Honour to: DeathThrasher69

Nocturnal Depression - Suicidal Metal Anthems (2006)

Honour to: tonnyv635

Sons Of Vikings - Heavy Metal (2007)

Honour to: metalmeltdown12
I'm sure he starts singing about his testicles at one point. 

And lastly a song that has the most...interesting intro I've heard lately (NSFW)

Gorg & Cie - Grui-Gruik Metal F***ers  (2008)

Honour to kalgod

Au revoir. 

Been reading: A Bertram Chandler - The Last Amazon (1984).

Note that nothing remotely resembling this scene or that outfit happens in the book.
  When his spell as Planetary Governor of Liberia comes to an end John Grimes, spacefaring adventurer, is deemed a political  embarrassment by the incoming regime and hurriedly bundled off-planet on the next ship. 
 Not too worry, the next port of call is Sparta and the reigning Archon is one of Grime's old mates. While John waits for his beloved ship to come and collect him he plans to enjoy himself and since another of his old friends  - the lovely Maggie Lazenby - has just arrived, that should be easy.
 There are a few complications. The Neo-Hellenistic Spartans consider syrup coffee and sweet rolls to be a decent breakfast, obnoxious reporter Fenella Pruin has turned up and the Archon gets kidnapped by a gaggle of feminists with revolution in mind. 
 John Grimes has to save his friend,  stop Lady Ellena and her Amazon Guard installing themselves as the new regime and finally get back into the control chair of his damn ship.
 In times like these a man needs allies and luckily for him, Shirl and Darleen - part human, part kangaroo, mostly lethal -  are in town.  

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Been reading: Allan Mallinson - A Close Run Thing

  When Napoleon escapes from Elba young Lieutenant Matthew Hervey finds himself marching towards Waterloo.

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Land Of A Thousand Lakes-And An Awful Lot Of Metal Bands.

  At some point around the start of the 21st Century a small, Scandinavian nation suddenly began cranking out one heavy band after another. With the UK  worshipping at the feet of various assorted dreadlocked, baggy-pants wearing, Nu-Metal oiks it took a while for the more traditionally bent  Nightwish, Children Of Bodom and Sonata Arctica to appear on the radar but when they did, Heavy Metal had a new Great Power elbowing her way into the front ranks.
 Here's a selection of other bands from Finland. Enjoy.

 I don't know if this lot are Finland's first metal band but they can't be far off it.

Hard Rock Sallinen - Heavy Metal Symphony (1982)

Honour to: XysmicExecration

Behexen- Black Metal Baptism (2004)

Honour to: SeigneurLovidicus

Armour - Heavy Metal Drinkers (2009)

Honour to: TIOMACHUKA

Horna - Black Metal Sodomy (2001)

Honour to: xALMAxSANGRIENTAx

Another pioneer from the early days of Finnish Metal

Kimmo Kuusniemi Band - Metallinen Satenkaari (1982)

Honour to: leatherheaven

Malicious Death -Storm Of The Metal (2010)

Honour to: DaRkPlAuGe09

Wizzard - Iron Steel Metal (1998)

Honour to: Christcrusher1

Mosh Angel - High Speed Metal (2001)

Honour to: hautakivi94

And lastly, is there any other country that would send a 
Heavy Metal band to the Eurovision Song Contest?
Twice.
This is the band that didn't quite manage to pull off Lordi's feat again 
but dammit, full marks for effort.

Terasbetoni -  Metallitotuus (2005)

Honour to: FullmoonW0lf

Saturday, 19 May 2012

Hard and Heavy Hellenes - Metal From Greece.

  As is frequently the case elsewhere, the Greek Metal scene is largely overlooked with an odd  handful of bands (Firewind and Rotting Christ for example) acquiring "Cult"status in the UK. With Ozzy Osbourne's new guitarist being Greek fretboard wizard Gus G, maybe that's about to change.  Enjoy.
 And just for a change, let's do these in date order.

Blind Justice - Heavy Metal Revolution (1989)

Honour to: heavymetaller1978

Marauder - Sense Of Metal (1997)

Honour to: petrankaras

Metalmorfosis - Ultra Metal (2006)

Honour to: siribal 

Crimson Fire - Metal Is Back (2010)

Honour to: nikossofis

Emerald Sun - Planet Metal 2011

Honour to: teluriss

Strikelight - Heavy Metal Strike 2011 


Stinger - Metal Madness (2011)

Honour to:MetalManiac542
Band homepage here: www.myspace.com/stingergr

See you next time. 

Metal Videos - Chapter III

 While I've been trawling Youtube looking for songs with "Metal" in the title I found myself stumbling across a number of items where the only thing available was a promo vid. This is a quick selection of those. Some serious. Some not. Enjoy.

 Angel De Metal - Creaturas Del Metal (Mexico 1998)

Honour to: SteelDreamsvideos

And now a spoof

No Redeeming Social value - Heavy Metal (USA ?)

Honour to: OldGlorySkin74

Axewielder -Heavy Metal Zombies (Germany 2009)

Honour to: PatPulverizer

十二単 - Heavy Metal Lady (Japan 1986)

(Google translates the band name as Junihitoe?)
Honour to: maskedlira

The sound picture quality on this next one is fairly poor but I'm posting it anyway because there's not much Indonesian Metal on this blog and certainly none with a female singer. 

Axe Gang - Heavy Metal (Indonesia 1990s)

Honour to: jeancuk

Another bunch who aren't too serious - filmed in somebody's backyard. 

Nasty Disaster - Metal Famine (USA 2001)

Honour to: Victorroland1701


King -Metal Anthem (Slovakia 2002)
Honour to: bandzone

That's it for now. See you next time for more of the same. 

Monday, 14 May 2012

Herz Aus Stahl - More German Metal

What the hell. The nation that gave us Accept, The Scorpions, Helloween, Wacken and Doro Pesch deserves a wee bit more time in the spotlight. Have some more German Metal.
One possible explanation as to why Metal does so well in Germany. 

Arkham - Metal Or Chains (1986)

Honour to ; heavymetaller1978

Bestial Desecration - Attack Of the Metal Hellstorm (2000)

Honour to: thrashersdi

Iron Angel - Heavy Metal Soldier (1985)

Honour to: aerogun18

Iron Kobra - Heavy Metal Generation (2010)

Honour to: chocos8

And now for something a bit bluesier. 

Mass - Metal Road (1981)

Honour to: aerogun18

And now a game of "Spot the reference"

Metal Law - Metal Law (2008)

Honour to: aerogun18


Noisehunter - Federal Republic Of Metal (1986)

Honour to: Cricchio427

Old - Black Thrashing Metal (2005)

(I'm fairly certain the hissing is deliberate)
Honour to: WorshipMountainCave

Paragon - Legions Of Metal (1999)

Honour to: leonardoinvader

And finally...

UDO -Metal Eater (1991)

Honour to: KKarron



Sunday, 13 May 2012

Deutsche Metal Uber Alles - Metal From Germany

 The British may have invented Heavy Metal but once the NWOBHM ran out of steam the Germans were there to take up the reins and to this day remain one of Metal's global Powerhouses.
 And I think it's fair to say that a number of bands remain active purely because of Germany's enthusiastic festival scene.
 I've struggled to find bands for some of these posts. In this case I had trouble knowing where to stop.
 In the words of Accept - "Shake your heads - Till your necks are breaking"

Die Apokalyptischen Reiter - Metal Will Never Die (1997)
Honour to: Keyfun777 

Bestial Desecration - Speed Metal Attack (2005)
Honour to: speedriider

Faithful Breath - Crazy In Metal (1985)
Honour to: metalnurse1984
And now, two songs involving the prolific Kai hansen. 
Helloween - Metal Invaders (1985)
Honour to: uscrire
Iron Saviour - HM  Powered Man 2004
(The HM standing for Heavy Metal, obviously)
Honour to: Blind7Evil

Jackie Wulf - Metal Wings (1988)
Honour to: NWOBHM87
That song  deserved a slightly better singer, I feel.

Mandrake -Heavy Metal 1990
Honour to: SlauterXstroyes

Metal Law - Metal Or Die (2007)
Honour to: aerogun18

Pain - Heavy Metal Warrior (1986)
Honour to: heavymetaller1978

And I honestly can't think of a better band to finish than these guys.
Primal Fear - In Metal (2004)
Honour to: ThrashTillDeath73


And wouldn't this have been so much easier if my  browser & PC hadn't thrown a hissy fit half
way through. Anyway, that's it for now. See you next time.

Saturday, 12 May 2012

Heavy Metal Behind The Iron Curtain.

Today's post is dedicated to bands from behind the Iron Curtain before it came down. 
Further proof that Metal will thrive anywhere there's youngsters who don't like being told what to do.
Access to electricity and beer helps, obviously.
 The sound quality on some of these is less than stellar but all things considered, it's bloody amazing  they get to be heard in the first place.

Biest - Metal (DDR  1988)
Honour to: uwebiernacki

Bombarder - Speed Metal Manijak  (Yugoslavia/Bosnia 1991)
Honour to: leaovdeth

Demoniac - Power Of Metal (Yugoslavia/Serbia 1989)
Honour to: foxkiller017

Doctor Rock - Metal Man (DDR 1988)
Honour to: uwebiernacki

Front -Heavy Metal (USSR 1986)
Honour to: metaalhoofd

Open Fire - Metalowa Milosc (Poland 1985 Demo)
Honour to:Kazmirzk

Ossian - Metalkezeles (Hungary 1989)
Honour to: KisTamas28

Shah -Metal Fight (live) -(USSR 1988)
Honour to: wCwNeverDie

That's it for now, folks. See ya next time.

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Been Watching: Super Shark

Admit it. As soon as you saw this DVD cover you wanted to see this too.

  Cathryn Carmichael, investigator for the Oceanic Investigation Bureau, hires a down-on-his-luck boatman to help her investigate the mysterious destruction of an offshore rig. 
  A young lifeguard attempts to impress one of her male colleagues.
And a big ass shark goes up and down the coast eating people. Including a few that thought they were safe on dry land.  
  Eat Beach Umbrella You Big Toothed Bastard
It's safe to say that introspective character study was never going to be on the cards.  Look at the DVD cover again. Yes, that is a tank fighting a shark. It gets better.
Because this is a tank...ON LEGS.
   Note the Sci-Fi Schannel logo in the corner. Says it all really.
And as you can see, this is a shark that has mastered the hitherto-unrecorded ability to wander about on dry land. It's also extremely large, bulletproof and can leap high enough  to grab a jet fighter out of the air. 
  What we have here is a "Supershark"
 Yes, somebody does actually call it that.
 Now there is some bollocks about a drilling rig hitting a weird rock strata and accidentally waking the beastie from suspended animation but who cares?
 There is also a half-hearted attempt at "Environment vs Evil Oilmen" and frankly all my f***s remain ungiven..
 This is a film where a shark that leaps about the landscape fights a freaking tank on legs.
Ok, so there is slightly more to "Super Shark " than chomping and deeply silly battles.
There's a woman in a bikini.
Cathryn Carmichael, proving that she's a proper investigator by not wearing a bikini.
Oh wait.
It's a movie set on the beach.  Lifeguards make sense. And that is their uniform, I suppose.
Oh come on. You're not even trying to be subtle are you?

Luckily this man keeps his clothes on. Unfortunately you still get to hear him. 

So there you have it. "Super Shark" is essentially "Mega Shark v Giant Octopus" meets "Baywatch" and provided your expectations are low and your blood alcohol level is beyond legal driving limits this is a fairly entertaining bit of silliness. 
 Sometimes you want something deep, 
And sometimes you just want to see boobs and a walking tank kicking a shark in the face.
 

Sunday, 6 May 2012

Unleashed In The East -Japanese Heavy Metal

 

The Japanese took to Heavy Metal quite early on and it wasn't long before they had an enthusiastic scene that was distinctly Japanese in flavour and occasionally downright unhinged.
Here's a selection of bands for your entertainment and edification. Note how many of them seem to really like the NWOBHM.
Abigail - Metal Evil Metal (2009)
Honour to: DesolationESP

Barbatos - Rocking Metal  Mother****er (2003)
Honour to: spikehell666

Birth Ritual - Witching Metal (2009)

 Honour to: Sabbaticalucifer

Blasdead - Keep Heavy...Stay Metal (2006)
Honour to:  84metalera


Gorgon - Heavy Metal Superstar (2004)
Honour to: Sabbaticalucifer

Kuni - Metal Sister (2010)
Honour to: metallioum3

And now a band who seem determined to cram the word "Metal"
 into every single one of their songtitles.

Metalucifer-Heavy Metal Battleaxe (2009)
Honour to: SteelVsMetal

Terror Squad - Blood Fire Metal  (1999)
Honour to: ax2bxconly

I think that'll do to be getting on with. 
See you next time.

Saturday, 5 May 2012

White Widdow - Serenade (2011)


Australia  2011
Tracklisting: 
Cry Wolf
Strangers In The Night
Do You Remember?
Reckless Night
How Far I Run
Serenade
Show Your Cards
Mistake 
Patiently
Love Won't Wait

Personnel
Jules Millis - Vocals
Enzo Almanzi - Guitars
Trent Wilson - Bass
Xavier Mills - Keyboards
Jim Naish- Drums

 Up until earlier this year I'd seen the name "White Widdow" floating about but hadn't bothered investigating further. Alright, so the fact they are a collection of young Australians - a nation not exactly known for AOR - was moderately interesting. 
 Then Classic Rock magazine stuck "Cry Wolf" on a freebie CD and  I was sufficiently impressed enough to go buy their second  album. 
 The one thing that did worry me was this: What if the one track I already knew was the only decent track on the CD? 
 No worries mate.  While "Cry Wolf" is still the standout track the rest of the album is rather good too.
  Describing how they sound is tricky. Musically these guys go in for an updated take on late 80s heavy AOR.  Basically, the stuff that fits into the gap between AOR and Hair Metal. 
The names I keep coming up with are "Tower City" and "Blue Tears" - which is another way of saying there is a definite Def Leppard + keyboards air to some songs. "Do You Remember" in particular could have been slotted onto "Hysteria" without too much tweaking.
 If you are allergic to keyboards then this is probably not an album you will like. Parpy chords are all over most songs giving them an extra dose of  pomp. Meanwhile in true AOR fashion the guitarist keeps it simple but effective, leaving plenty of space for the vocals and those much-missed 80s Big Choruses.
 I don't think there's a weak song on the album but if I were to pick my favourites - or rather, my favourite songs that aren't "Cry Wolf" - I'd opt for "Love Won't Wait" and "How Far I Run"
 I am impressed.
 If you want to know what they sound like, here's a sample.

All the best and see you next time.