The Metal Project: 2014

 First of all, I really should apologise for the lengthy gap between posts. Due to circumstances (mostly) beyond my control I haven't really had the spare time lately.  Now on with the show.

 2014 has been an interesting year in Heavy Metal.

  Metalcore stars As I Lay Dying lost their front man Tim Lambesis. I say "lost". More like "sent to prison for trying to have his wife murdered"
 Cynic frontman Paul Masvidal came out as gay, provoking some unpleasant comments from guitar maker Vik Kuletski, who in turn got a bit of a roasting from less-than-pleased fellow musicians.  
  Black Sabbath played a triumphant set at Hyde Park and then announced that they would be releasing another album next year, as well as a farewell tour.
  Judas Priest delighted fans with  new album,"Redeemer Of Souls" a welcome return to form after the overblown mess that was "Nostradameus" and despite having had their own "farewell" tour in 2011, plan to tour the USA in October. If they decide to slip in some UK dates, I won't be complaining, just as long as they play "Evening Star".
 Angela Gossow stepped down from Arch Enemy for personal reasons, being replaced by Alissa White-Gluz from The Agonist. The Agonist in turn recruited Vicky Psarakis for the vocal slot. Everybody concerned seems to have been quite resonable about the whole thing, which is nice.
 Sticking with new vocalists, Alien invaders GWAR unveiled their new singer as the female-but-still scary  Vulvatron, replacing the late Dave Brockie. (RIP|)
 Metallica were the controversial choice to headline hipper-than-thou festival Glastonbury but played a storming set. The best part about that was watching assorted Radio One presenters desperately trying
to pass themselves off as "Rock" fans.
 Metallica then joined Iron Maiden and The Prodigy as headliners of the revived Sonisphere. Maiden's Bruce Dickinson  treated punters to a WW1 dogfight display before his set. And the band everybody seemed to be talking about was a trio of Japanese teenagers singing about chocolate. Babymetal had arrived in the UK...

 And finally, NWOBHM heroes Truffle were all set to play a reunion gig at Portsmouth Pyramids when the whole thing had to be scrapped due to flooding. Bugger.

 Now let's have some music. As you've probably guessed, all six of these songs came out this year. Enjoy.

 I make no apologies for starting with one of my favourite bands.

 Judas Priest - Metalizer (UK)

Honour to: JudasPriestVevo

Johnny Touch - The Metal Embrace (Australia)

(A new band paying tribute to the rough & ready 80s )

Honour to: pahlsix6sixdoom

Barbarian - Total Metal (Italy)

(A slightly thrashier take on the 80s.)

Honour to: LeoEvilBanger

Salamandra - Metal Fever (Cech. Rep)

(Galloping Power Metal)

Honour to: Vasek Moch

Toxic Death - Speed Metal Hell (Norway)

(No nonsense Thrash)

Honour to: AlcoholicMayhem

Bicoloured Men - Metal Man (Italy)

(Meat & Spuds Metal with  some nice tuneful touches.)

Honour to: Bicoloured Men

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That's all folks.