8-5-2012: Dokken - Back for the Attack

Oddly, this rare Dokken gem is not on the US release of the epic 1987 album of the same name.  In fact, I'm I wasn't sure where in their catalog it came from until I saw the Wikipedia article saying it's a Japanese bonus track on there, but to me, the music and vocal style sounds more like "Under Lock and Key" era Dokken rather than "Back for the Attack" Dokken.

I first heard this song on HardRockin80s.com about 6-7 years ago and thought it was new Dokken, but lo and behold, it was not.  We did get a return to form with 2008's "Lightning Strikes Again" though, so it's all good.

Anyway, this one is an absolutely phenomonal song that most people probably don't know exists.  In my opinion, you could take any one of about half the songs on "Back for the Attack", replace it with this one, and it would have been fine.  Give this one a listen, especially if you're a die hard old school Dokken fan!

7-24-2012: Saxon - Krakatoa

There are a few hidden gems in the Saxon catalog, and this is definitely my favorite.  I found this song by accident back in the Napster era and was instantly blown away.  I subsequently purchased the entire Saxon catalog and never found where this came from.  Apparently, it's supposed to be a bonus track on some anniversary edition of Innocense, but who knows...it's not on my copy.
Check this out and a song called "Live Fast Die Young", which we'll save for another day...

7-19-2012: Running Wild - Shadowmaker

It's been a while, but I'm going to try and start posting at least semi-frequently again!
Running Wild has a new album and SURPRISE!  It kicks ass just like damn near every Running Wild album to date.  Yeah, they have some filler albums there in the 90s, but Rogues En Vogue was awesome and this thing is a real return to their 80s form!  Melodic riffs and the usual pirate themes throughout have you pumping your arm and yelling yo-ho-ho!  There's only a song or 2 that I consider a filler, and the rest of it is catchy as hell with months or even years of replay value.
This is the title track and quite possibly my favorite on the album.

6-6-2012: Helloween - Escalation 666

I know I just did a Helloween song, but it's 6-6 and you gotta find something relevant in the metal world.  It's not 6/6/06, but hey, close enough!  Great song here off the Dark Ride album.  VERY different album for them that I never liked until recently.  Check it out if you want some different sounding, kick ass metal!

6-4-2012: The Cult - Fire Woman

This song was easily the Cult's crown jewel.  A favorite on Metal Mania even now, you gotta love this one!  Even fans of old school 80s rock will recognize it...but if one of those people actually knows it's the Cult, well "you might be a real metalhead".  You've gotta go a little deeper than that IMO, but hey, knowing that this is The Cult is a nice start to weeding out poseurs!

6-3-2012: Saxon - Broken Heroes

I saw Saxon one time and it was roughly 5 months after 9/11...they shocked the shit out of me when they broke out this classic from Innocence is No Excuse!  This was the song that really got me hooked on them.  I had bought a "Best of Saxon" CD a few years before at a used CD shop in South County (I think CD Reunion), and this was the standout track.  I bought Unleash the Beast a few months after that and that was it, I was hooked!  Innocence is by far my favorite "classic" Saxon album, and this may very well be one of the best classic Saxon songs!

6-2-2012: Hardline - Hot Cherie

I just saw these guys have a new album out.  I thought they put out the album in 1992 which this classic was on, did a brief reunion in 2002 and that was it.  I'll have to check out the new one, but Double Eclipse is worth any hard rock fan's listen, that's for sure.

6-1-2012: Helloween - Raise the Noise

This has been my alarm clock wake up song since it came out damn near 2 years ago!  It still isn't old either.  The heaviness and hooks of the 7 Sinners album are just fucking epic!  Album of the year 2010 for me, and with good reason!

5-31-2012: Sleeze Beez - Stranger than Paradise

It was 2001, I was trying desperately to find the most obscure, kick-ass 80s metal bands out there.  Quite the challenge at the time because the internet simply wasn't what it is today.  Rolla, MO had a great station that played hair bands late every Saturday night and I happened to be visiting my buddy Chief for the weekend.  They played this gem and I was blown away!  While I can't say that the rest of their catalog holds up to this song, if you've never heard this song, and you like 80s/melodic metal, give this song a good listen and prepare to be vaulted back to big hair and great sounds!

5-30-2012: Lion - Lock Up Your Daughters

I only just realized that this is a Slade cover song.  For some reason, it made me like the song even more.  I've loved this band since the epic Crispin Glover did the infamous dance in Friday the 13th Part IV!
These guys are highly underrated, and I can't stress enough that fans of the more hard-rock laden, melodic metal MUST check these guys out!

5-28-2012: Dokken - Standing on the Outside

I love me some new Dokken!  When this album came out, I was blown away.  I had wanted catchy, melodic music out of at least one of my favorite 80s bands since I had become hooked on that music in the 90s.  Well, as we all know, many 80s bands turned shitty or weird in the 90s and Dokken was right there with such crap as Shadowlife and Dysfunctional.  They made a good album with "Erase the Slate" in 1999, but it still wasn't quite the same.  This was a real return to form and it looks like they haven't looked back (I got to hear the sample of Burning Empire before they pulled it and it's BITCH!)

5-26-2012: Firewind - Wall of Sound

I've been wanting to do this song since the single came out a few weeks back, but I was in the middle of a theme.
This song is just a no-frills, epic metal song.  No BS, just a straight ahead, get stuck in your head ass kicker!  The album came out Tuesday and it's equally good.  The album takes a slightly harder edge compared to their previous albums, which is exactly what Gus G says they were going for.  They were highly successful IMO.  This is easily my favorite album of their entire catalog already.  For those who have never listened to Firewind, this is an excellent starting point.  For those who have, well, you won't be disappointed!

5-25-2012: Y&T - 25 Hours a Day

Another track I've never heard, but this blog has been void of Y&T until now, so it was long overdue.  When my "May Number Month" is over, I'll have to post some of the Y&T songs that got me going on them.

5-24-2012: Savatage - 24 hours ago

Back to it!  The opening track from the epic "Hall of the Mountain King" album.  This is one of the first Savatage songs I ever heard, and it's a beaut!  I had no idea this thing had a real video until just now.  Not nearly as epic as Hall of the Mountain King, but back in the 80s, most "2nd single" videos weren't.

5-23-2012: Tarot - Descendants of Power

OK, I'm finally fucked.  I couldn't find a song anywhere with 23 in the title, so I give you another Tarot song!  Sure, I've been posting the shit out of them since this blog started, but with good reason!  They kick so much ass, that I have been listening to them rather consistently now for almost a year.  Tarot rules, this song rules...not much else to say.

5-22-2012: Iron Maiden - 22, Acacia Ave.

I thought I was screwed on this 22nd day of May!  But holy shit!  If I would have missed this, one of my all time favorite Maiden songs, I would have been pissed!  This song is pure, kick-ass Maiden.  A song that really just sums up what early Maiden is all about.  Great vocals, great lyrics, great riffs and catchy as all hell.  22, the avenue, that's the place where we all go!

5-21-2012: Rage - Twenty One

This song is from this year, has already been posted, and just generally kicks ass!  I've had a lull for a couple of days with 19 and 20 that I had to pull out of my ass.  This song, however, is worthy of an actual post.  Enjoy this one!

5-20-2012: Montrose - Twenty Flight Rock

Off the first non-Sammy album, I've never heard this song and I don't think I'm going to listen to it now.  Doesn't Montrose without Sammy suck?  Someone comment on this thing if I'm off and should listen to this...

5-19-2012: Angel Witch - Flight Nineteen

Another song I've never heard, but I'm sure it's good. Shit, it's ANGEL WITCH!

5-18-2012: Alice Cooper - I'm Eighteen

One of Alice's classics that's for sure!  Been covered countless times by countless metal bands, but I had to go with the original for this 18th day of May!

5-17-2012: Winger - Seventeen

You knew it was coming!  I for one, am not ashamed to admit I am a Winger fan!  Reb Beach kicks the ass, and they are incredibly underrated musicians across the board.  I'll have to post some of their newer, more ass-kicking stuff when May is over!

05-16-2012: Primal Fear - Six Times Dead (16.6)

I'm going to tap into Steve's ongoing theme since this is the first song I thought of the other day when I knew the 16th was coming up.   Thanks buddy for introducing me to the awesomeness of Primal Fear.  German metal bands rule!

5-16-2012: Kiss - Christine Sixteen

A "metal" song with fucking piano!  Still, few metalheads will say they hate this song.  And virtually none have never heard it.

5-15-2012: Mercyful Fate - Fifteen Men (And a Bottle of Rum)

Another song I've never heard.  What?  Mercyful Fate existed in the 90s?!  You're damn right!  Like most metal bands, they were around in the 90s even when people were shitting on metal.  Raising the big middle finger to all the nay-sayers.

5-14-2012: Guns N Roses - 14 Years

On Use Your Illusion II, it's the song you hit next on after "Civil War" is over to get to "Yesterdays"!

5-13-2012: Megadeth - 13

One of the more mellow tracks from the most recent Megadeth album of the same name.  Megadeth rules all.

5-12-2012: Gary Hoey - 12 Days of Christmas

Yeah, going on a limb a bit, but this is a metalized version of the Christmas classic!  It makes Christmas music suck just a bit less!

5-11-2012: Fates Warning - The Eleventh Hour

Another song I don't think I've ever heard, I just found that it had 11 in the title.  Fates Warning rules, so it's obviously a good time to jam some 90s Fates Warning eh?

5-10-2012: Iced Earth - 10 Thousand Strong

When I first heard this song, I thought we were going to have the best Iced Earth album of all time on our hands with Framing Armageddon.  Wrong.  It's not bad, but nothing like the albums that led up to it.
Anyway, this fucker rips!  If you've never heard it, now is the time to listen.

5-9-2012: Saxon - Cloud Nine

A good song from one of Saxon's lesser known albums "Forever Free".

5-8-2012: Tony Iommi - Not the Same

I couldn't find shit with 8 in the title, so we get the first track from Tony Iommi's Eighth Star album, Not the Same.  I've never even heard this fucker, so I guess I'll listen to it today.

5-7-2012: Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

And what else for our 7th day of May?  This is a classic Maiden album, front to back.  Not a bad song on it.  This is the epic title track for anybody who is reading this who's never heard it before.  Which I'll bet is no one.

5-6-2012: Iron Fire - Enter Oblivion OJ/666

This is from the latest Iron Fire album and contains...a 6.  This is the album opener and probably one of the album's better tunes.  I really like their older stuff that Pandora puts no a basic repeat, but this thing was kind of a let down.

Again, no YouTube, so Spotify it is.

Iron Fire – Enter Oblivion OJ-666

5-5-2012: Domain - Five Way Switch

It doesn't get too much more obscure than this here in the US, folks!  I discovered these guys because at one point in time, Evidence One's singer Carsten "Lizard" Schulz sang for Domain.  Apparently, these guys are active and well.  This comes from what their 1991 album "Crack in the Wall", which is generally pretty solid.  Check that one out!  It's available on Spotify, so what the hell are you waiting for?

I can't even find this bad dog on YouTube, so you get the spotify link only.

Domain – Five Way Switch

5-4-2012: Stratovarius - 4th Reich

This is a great song from early Stratovarius, which is incredibly hit or miss at best.  I bought this album from the Missing Link on a gamble and like most of their early stuff, it's got great songs and some shit.  This is probably my favorite pre-Episode song though.  Enjoy!

05-03-2012: Rainbow - Kill The King

This was my introduction to Rainbow (via 8 track tape no less) and this is one of my top favorites from them.  This particular performance is pretty amazing.  I'll take old school Rainbow from the 70's over any of their later stuff anyday

5-3-2012: Warlock - Three Minute Warning

BrettRox got me into Warlock about a year ago.  I have had Triumph and Agony for a long time, but never really listened to it much.  Solo Doro is OK, but nothing like the older Warlock catalog!  This is the second track from Triumph and Agony, and one of the few metal songs I could find with a 3 in it!

5-2-2012: Disturbed - Two Worlds

OK, so it's a stupid little theme that I wanted to do, for every day of May, we'll do a numeric song that fits with that day.  This is a damn fine song from Disturbed's latest.  Disturbed is good shit, despite not really being "pure" metal, I get into these guys.

5-1-2012: Metallica - One

For May ONE, 2012, I give you the song that really broke Metallica out back in the late 80s.  I still love the infamous story of how fuckin Jethro Tull managed to win the first Hard Rock/Metal Performance Grammy award over And Justice For All.  WTF!?  Jethro Fucking Tull?!

04-30-2012: Yngwie Malmsteen - I'll See The Light, Tonight

I can't believe we haven't posted any Yngwie!!  Let me be the first.  This song was my intro to the awesomeness of the classical metal guitar god.  I'll still never forgive my wife for making me go with her to see the band H.I.M. at The Pageant about 4 years ago to watch the lead singer not give a shit and focus his energy on smoking 2 packs of cigs instead of seeing Yngwie at Pop's the same night.  I will never let this happen again!  Fortunately I did get to see him in the early to mid 200's and Pops was packed.  Probably the most people I've seen myself at a show there.  Plus this cheesy video has the coolest, most bad ass stage dragon I have ever seen.  I want one for my basement.

4-30-2012: W.A.S.P - Inside the Electric Circus

The Critic will remember the epic 1998 search for this album on CD that ended in victory!  80s metal was a rough thing to come by back in the late 90s if you wanted it on CD.  Sure, it was in every bargain bin on cassette or in some rare cases, vinyl, but on CD?  Shit, half the stuff didn't even exist on CD yet!  The glory of the hunt!  It was a damn good time!

04-29-2012: Michael Schenker Group - Are You Ready To Rock

Michael Schenker rules!!  'Nuff said

4-29-2012: Iced Earth - Declaration Day

When Ripper Owens took over for Matt Barlow, I think no one really knew what to expect.  They delivered with The Glorious Burden IMO.  The follow up could have been better (I don't even remember the name of it).  This is the first we heard of Ripper in Iced Earth and fuckin A!  It does not disappoint!

4-28-2012: 3 Inches of Blood - Deadly Sinners

This song has fantastic music even if you hate the vocals.  This is really the only song I've ever heard by them, and it's pretty damn good.  I just haven't checked them out more because of my disdain for death vocals.

04-27-2012: Lizzy Borden - Tomorrow Never Comes

This was one hell of a comeback album (Appointment With Death) from a band that has mostly been dormant since 1990.  This is just killer.  Probably the best stuff they've ever done.  I guess an old dog CAN come up with new tricks after all.  If you like your metal with catchy hooks and melodies then this is it.  Another Rocklahoma 2008 highlight for me.

4-27-2012: Tarot - Warhead

I just can't get enough!  For the Glory of Nothing is their 1998 album is very transitional.  I view Tarot as having 3 distinct eras that sound almost like 3 different bands:  The early, late 80s stuff, the 90s stuff, and the 2000s.  This kind of fits into the 90s stuff, but not really.  Some transitional albums are done well, others not, but this is one I can't recommend enough.  It might be my favorite Tarot album!

4-26-2012: Mercyful Fate - The Oath

I've never really been a King Diamond fan until recently.  This is another one of DirecTV's SonicTap favorites and I credit them for hooking me on King Diamond and Mercyful Fate.  Give him a chance!  Eventually, King Diamond's voice becomes bearable!

04-26-2012: Fireball Ministry - Sundown

I heard this band a couple of years ago for the first time back when the Sirius/XM Boneyard station would play occasional obsure stuff.  If you like this song, go out to Youtube and check out the songs King and  The Broken.  Looking forward to whatever they come out with next.  You can never go wrong with a triple guitar attack can you?  Didn't think so!

4-25-2012 (2): Testament - DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)

Shit, I actually forgot to post yesterday!  So here's a bonus post!

This is an absolute killer track from what we thought would be their last album:  1999's "The Gathering".  This album was a strange hybrid of their classic shit and the Demonic era weirdness they had started on.  I don't like most of this album, but this one stands out as the diamond in the rough.

4-25-2012: Overkill - The Wait/New High In Lows

For my first Overkill post (and continuing the thrash theme), I have to go with this great track from 1994's WFO!  We used to call each other on the phone as teenagers and say "You think you're big time?  You're gonna fuckin die...BIG TIME!".

HERE COME THE PAIN!

4-23-2012: Exodus - Hammer and Life

From their awesome 2010 album "Exhibit B:  The Human Condition", Exodus is considered by many to be one of the best non-big 4 thrash bands.  I don't know if I can get behind that though.  Certainly they've been around longer than almost all others, but I question the quality of their stuff.  I agree with the critic that their recent stuff kills their "classic" material.  So if you never cared for the old shit, be sure to check their newer shit out!

4-22-2012: Slayer - Disciple

Alright, so let's do all the big 4 this week!  This is one of my favorite tunes from the modern Slayer years.  This song opened up their concert (of course after the playing of the studio version of "Darkness of Christ") back then and it really marked a return to form for them.  I saw them on this tour for the first time and it was just brutal!  You gotta see these guys in a small venue to appreciate how loud and brutal they can be.

04-21-2012: Twisted Sister - Burn In Hell

Probably my favorite TS song along with Under The Blade.  They were still kicking butt at Rocklahoma when I saw them in 2008.  Take that Tipper Gore you ugly piece of trash!  Here's what we think of your Parental Advisory stickers. 

4-21-2012: Metallica - Escape

I recently saw Lars on TMS and he said they're going to playing Ride the Lightning all the way through on the upcoming tour!  Who doesn't think this is beyond excellent?  Apparently, James has never been a fan of playing this song (I assume because he can't sing like that anymore), but he apparently said fukkit and they're going to do it!  I'd love to see this...

4-20-2012: Megadeth - This Day We Fight!

Holy shit!  This is my first Megadeth post.  Shame on me.  The only other Megadeth post was the Critic's Public Enemy #1 Review.  This song is the first non-instrumental on their epic "Endgame" album.  And what a set of openers!  Dialectic Chaos leads into this thing and it's like pandemonium in your ears.  Fucking awesome guitar on both tracks and it's just constant!

Nocturnal Rites - Never Again

Why does the chick in this video look more like a man than the singer?
That was harsh wasn't it. Too bad, suck it!
Trivia:
In 1995 Owe (drums) had a zoo for reptiles in Visby, Sweden...Two crocodiles escaped and ran around in the central parts of the city. The whole thing was a huge scandal in Sweden.

4-19-2012: Anthrax - London

2 days in a row of John Bush!  Since he's easier one of my favorite singers ever, that's a damn good thing!  This is available on re-releases of Sound of White Noise as well as the soundtrack to a fucking classic hard rock movie:  Airheads!

4-18-2012: Armored Saint - After Me, The Flood

When Armored Saint's comeback album " Revelation" came out in 2000, St. Louis had an EPIC radio station called "The Rock" that was promoting the shit out of classic hard rock and metal.  It was great.  Really, the whole country had been void of melodic music since grunge had hit almost 10 years before so people were starting to get the need for great melodic music again.  A lot of bands were reinventing themselves, changing their signature sound, etc.  and for the most part, it wasn't working.  Armored Saint returned with this masterpiece which featuring a heavier sound, but the same hooks and catchiness you expect from the Saint.  The Rock played this song here and there, so I went out the day it came out and bought it.  I bought one of CD Warehouse's last copies because that fucker sold like mad!  The Saint rules!

4-17-2012: Priestess - Lay Down

These guys are a bunch of Canadians that I really though would take off when this song landed on Guitar Hero 3 back in 2007.  I was wrong.  Hehe.  According to Wikipedia, they refused to alter the classic hard rockin sound of their second album which ultimately got them dropped by RCA.  I guess that'll hurt you...

4-16-2012: White Wizzard - Flying Tigers

The opener from their latest album, these guys are worse than 90s Helloween with their lineup changes.  The story is shaping up a lot like old Iron Maiden, though, to where bassist Jon Leon pretty much owns this band and he has a vision that he WILL get right one day.  They're definitely on their way.  Check out this greatness!

4-15-2012: Dream Evil - The Book of Heavy Metal

Another one of Gus G's creations, Dream Evil basically comes out and says:  We are melodic metal that most will deem cheesy, F U.  This song sums up the band nicely.  Great song, great band!

04-14-2012: Rainbow - Death Alley Driver

The first concert I ever went to was Rainbow's Straight Between the Eyes tour in 1982. Great song - super cheesy video. Probably one of the worst videos ever but I enjoyed the props to one of the greatest video games of the day - Turbo. Pretty killer keyboard solo near the end.

4-14-2012: Accept - Flash to Bang Time

Another classic from their latest "Stalingrad".  While I really like the album as a whole, there's not too many songs that really stick in your head like on "Blood of the Nations".  I give it a B.  Like most of the album, though, this is an ass kicker!

04-13-2012: Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Know

This is where it all began for me – my road to Metal enlightenment. My stoner friend loaned me his Blizzard of Oz 8-track tape (yes, 8-track!) and I was completely blown away. I hadn’t heard anything like it before. I was hypnotized. Up to this point about the hardest music I had heard was maybe Van Halen or Sammy Hagar. From then on, there was no turning back. Ozzy even got me grounded for a month when I defied my parents in high school and drove up to the Kiel auditorium from Southern Illinois with some friends to see Ozzy with Motley Crue in 1984. Ahh..good times. LOL

4-13-2012: Warrant - Uncle Tom's Cabin

While Warrant is often lumped with all the other hair bands, this song seems to transcend both them and the hair metal genre.  Everyone remembers the song, despite it not being a super big hit at the time.  Everyone remembers the video because it was well done and kicked the ass.  Someone should do a modern day cover and bring it back because this song rules in every way.

4-12-2012: Heaven - Show on the Road

One of those bands even the most knowledgeable metalhead might say "who the fuck is that"?  BrettRox and I had both heard of them however, when we met in 2009.  Great minds think alike one more time!

4-11-2012: Hammerfall - The Outlaw

Hammerfall's first 2 albums were epic, then they went slowly downhill from there until their most recent release: Infected.  This album was quite the change of pace for them, which is good and bad at times, but it has done what it had to do, give Hammerfall some new life.  This is my fav from the album.  Enjoy.

4-10-2012: Jackyl - I Stand Alone

Another early 90s gem that stands right on the edge of metal and hard rock.  If the 90s had continued this way without grunge getting in the fucking way, maybe music would be a lot better today?  Who knows.  Jesse James is one crazy mother fucker.  BrettRox insists I need to see a full length show with guy instead of the 45 minute set I saw them do a year and half ago.  He was nuts on TMS last year, I know that.  Jackyl rules.

4-9-2012: Living Colour - The Cult of Personality

Continuing our early 90s theme we have going, it's a song that's been recently resurrected by WWE star CM Punk as his new theme!  Everyone who hears this song loves it.  What's not to like really?  It's brilliant in every way.  A heavy, hard rock/metal tune typical of the time that somehow holds up really well today.
One thing I never hear anyone question:  what other hits do they have?  THAT is a good question...

4-8-2012: Ugly Kid Joe - Everything About You

Is this some kind of hip new music that I don't understand?

4-7-2012: Faith No More - From out of Nowhere

Are they Alternative?  Are they metal?  Are they hard rock?  Who the fuck knows, who the fuck cares.  They're a fucking excellent band with a ton of excellent songs.  This is one that often gets overlooked.  The first song from the Real Thing album.
Turn this fucker to 11!

4-6-2012: Dream Theater - Pull me Under

Yesterday's post reminded me of an epic track of the same name.  This is quite frankly Dream Theaters' reason for being as prominent as they are.  Without this song, I can't honestly say I think they'd be where they're at today.  This one graced the local KSHE airwaves back in Jr. High and brings back great memories.
Killer song that holds up!

4-5-2012: Winger - Pull Me Under

Yeah, I fucking know.  Winger.  WTF?!  Same guys that Beavis and Butthead mocked because Stewart wore their shirt?  Yeah.  Same guy that had his face plastered with darts in the Metallica video?  Yep.  Fact is, Winger are a set of talented ass musicians that don't get credit simply because of the shit I listed above.  Oh yeah, and I guess Kip was a pretty hard core tool back in the day.
Nonetheless, the talent is there, and their newer shit is better than ever!  This is one of my favorite songs they've ever done from their latest album Karma!  Give it a shot at least.  FUCK!

4-4-2012: Stargazery - Puppet on a String

Funny how you get real excited about something then you couldn't care less.  That's kind of how I feel about these guys.  It's not that it's bad...it's just that other shit (Megadeth, Anthrax) came along last Fall and made me not care about them real fast.  Anyway, they're still worth checking out.  I may be re-discovering them again today!

Shadows Fall - Fire from the Sky

The bridge is sick! "Fire From The Sky" is the title track to Shadows Fall's new album, out May 15

4-3-2012: Every Mother's Nightmare - Walls Come Down

The Critic will surely appreciate this one as it's in his personal vinyl collection!  I have this on a killer compilation gem I picked up in the late 90s called "Heavy Metal Hits of the 80s Vol. 4".  The songs on that thing are hardly "hits", but are great tunes anyway.  Enjoy this classic!

4-2-2012: Slayer - Evil Has No Boundaries

You see Slayer live nowadays and rarely will you get a chance to see a tune from "Show No Mercy".  I think this is their best album.  It's one of those albums that has incredible songwriting and just awful production.  Slayer should take its 30th anniversary opportunity next year and re-record the whole thing a lot like Tarot and Manowar have done.  This is Show No Mercy's first song...fucking excellent.

4-1-2012: Motorhead - The Game

We're big wrestling fans here at MetalBytes, so I have to celebrate Wrestlemania day with HHH's theme music and a Motorhead classic.  Enjoy your Wrestlemania!

3-31-2012: Bonfire - Day 11

I was shocked when I learned these guys were still around!  BrettRox said they put on a great show at Rocklahoma a few years back too, so fuckin A to that.  This song to me is a case and point of what a lot of those old metal bands COULD do, but often don't.  Keep the melodies, add some better production, double kick drums sometimes and some heaviness, and you get what melodic metal is meant to be in the 2000s and beyond.

3-30-2012: Black N Blue - I'm the King

I'm the king of the concrete jungle, BIIITCCCHHH!

3-29-2012: Steeler - Undercover Animal

No, not the Steeler featuring Yngwie Malmsteen and Ron Keel, it's a different Steeler from Europe featuring Axel Rudi Pell.  This is from a very early album of the same name.  I found these guys by accident years ago thinking I was buying another "Yngwie" Steeler album.  Luckily, it was not in vain, because this album kicks ass!

3-28-2012: Running Wild - Final Gates

I seriously think this might be my favorite instrumental of all time.  Yes, there's some great ones out there, Orion and Into the Lungs of Hell come to mind immediately.  This is one by a band you just really need to check out right now if you have not.  This song sounds like it should end a movie!  Indeed, it does end the Running Wild video the Critic got a hold of years ago.

3-27-2012: Triumph - Troublemaker

Triumph, the makers of such wimp ass songs as "Magic Power" and "Hold On", and known also for their killer hard rock anthems "Lay it on the Line" and "Fight the Good Fight".  Few people know that this band lasted all the way into the early 90s and make a little known album called "Edge of Excess" in 1992.  This song was featured on that album and the Hellraiser 3 soundtrack alongside Armored Saint!  I heard this song in the middle of the movie and didn't even recognize it as Triumph because it was so damn metal!  That's right, Triumph, metal!

3-26-2012: Diamond Head - Sucking My Love

If not for Metallica, we know Diamond Head would have fallen into oblivion.  But some of US would still be hunting down there shit even without Metallica.  Their first album is pure classic NWoBHM, their second is almost as great, then they kind of fell to shit with Canterbury.  They came back in the 90s and put out a stellar album called Death and Progress.  After that, their stuff is pretty much mediocre.  Any true metal fan needs to hear Diamond Head's first 2 albums though, and here's another from their first one.

3-25-2012: Adrenaline Mob - Psychosane

I haven't really been into Dream Theatre since 2005's Octavarium, so I really could have given 2 shits when Mike Portnoy left a year or 2 ago.  Then Dream Theatre goes and puts out more mediocre music with "A Dramatic Turn of Events" and I just figured Mike would fall off the radar.  But instead, he announces a project with John Sykes that had me pretty damn excited until it fell apart.  So Mike put together Adrenaline Mob.  Holy shit.  I just can't really describe these guys.  They're different from most stuff out there right now, so it's damn refreshing.  Not a ton of replay value, but still awesome.  Give these guys a shot!

3-24-2012: Enforcer - Running in Menace

Enforcer is a big part of what's called the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal that's boomed in recent years.  These guys are true to the classic sound through and through.  And they're quite a bit younger than even I am!  I consider myself a younger metal fan at 31.

3-23-2012: LA Guns - Electric Gypsy

I've never been a big fan of these guys, but they crank out the occasional tune that gets jammed up in your head for days on end.  This is one of those songs!

3-22-2012: Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills

My 2 year old daughter enjoys the shit out of this song in my car!  The minute she gets in she asks for "The Hills" and sings it!  This is surely one of my crowning achievements as a father!  Wouldn't you agree?

UNISONIC

When I say Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske automatically you should think Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys... They reunited to form Unisonic with Mandy Meyer (ex Asia, Krokus and Gotthard), Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) and Kosta Zafiriou (Pink Cream 69). I forever lost faith in Kiske as a metal singer and most high pitched singers in the metal world. I eat those words cause this song is awesome. Kiske is spot on, Hansen and Meyers make a very formidable dueling guitar demonstration in this song, I mean come on harmonized arpeggios!! Ridiculous!

3-21-2012: Saxon - Mists of Avalon

From the 2011 masterpiece that made #2 on my 2011 Metal Lists, I give you one of the best songs from that album.  Yes, its a bit cheesy, but that's what makes shit stick in your head!  Who the fuck decided "melodic = cheesy" anyway?!

3-20-2012: Savatage - Power of the Night

This is probably my favorite Savatage song.  What a great fucking riff to start the song off!  We lost Criss Oliva a bit too soon, that's for sure.

Skyharbor - Celestial

I'm almost sure this is from their debut album, "Blinding White Noise." Fucking Brilliant Prog Metal! This song features Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth...duh) and Dan Tompkins (ex-Tesseract). I can't wait to get my hands on the full length album!

3-19-2012: Voltax - Unmerciful Reign

Real, old school metal IS still out there, but it's hard to find.  These guys hail from Mexico somewhere, and were lucky enough to grab a Wacken spot last year.  Check out them jamming the first track from their 2010 album "Fugitive State of Mind"!

3-18-2012: Steel Panther - Just Like Tiger Woods

Leave it to these guys to come up with a song about Tiger being a man whore.  From their latest album, this song is about as raunchy as everything they've ever done.  Funny shit.

3-17-2012: Astral Doors - Operation Freedom

Apparently I messed up and posted my post for today a few days ago.  So today, I get to share a song from my favorite new album, Astral Doors - Jerusalem!  This is my personal favorite track because it's catchy and a good ass kicker!  Check out the whole album on spotify!  Enjoy.

03-16-2012: Badlands - The Last Time

Haven't seen these guys represented yet on here. I was totally blown away when I heard the first Badlands album back when it came out. Jake E Lee's guitar and Ray Gillen's voice (RIP) were totally meant for each other. Too bad we didn't get a few more years out of Ray to see what else he could do after the 2 fine albums they made. They were a brightly burning but quickly fading star in the rock n' roll galaxy. Jake needs to come out of hiding and treat us to some new riffs!

3-17-2012: Body Count - Body Count's in the House

Yes!  Ice T was once in a metal band!  And a damn good metal band they were!  He's Ice Mother Fucking T, BITTTCCCHHHH!

3-16-2012: Black Tide - Shockwave

These guys came out kicking the ass a few years back and I was just blown away.  The whole damn album was great front to back.  I am currently listening to the single "That Fire" from their newer album that I didn't know existed until just now.  Apparently their total retro metal sound has given way to sounding a bit more alternative.  It's not as bad as some modern alternacrap, but still, a giant step down from what these guys could have been.  Shame.

Angel Witch - Dead Sea Scrolls

This band has been around since the inception of the NWOBHM. I remember taking a trip to the vintage vinyl in Granite City with my good buddy Steven looking for some obscure metal CD's in the late 90's. I bought my first Angel Witch Cd, Resurrection, it was a compilation of their previous recordings from the late 70's and early 80's. Now that I have mentioned three decades the video I have chosen is from another decade, this one fact. From their brand new album entitled "As Above, So Below" this is Dead Sea Scrolls.

3-15-2012: The Sword - How Heavy this Axe

These guys made some waves in the middle of the 2000s probably because they toured with Metallica.  They are average at best, but we're running out of first timers for the blog!  This is one of their better songs IMO.

3-14-2012: Tesla - Forever More

MOST Tesla is killer hard rock.  They had a little time there in the 90s where they kind of choked, but hey we'll forgive them for that, just like we'll forgive Megadeth, Slayer, etc. for their 90s output.  This is from their latest album and a killer track it is!

3-13-2012: Tool - Prison Sex

Somewhere along the lines of metal, rock, alternative and psychedelic weirdness is Tool.  I have liked their shit since I first heard Sober on MTV back when I was in middle school.  I don't know too many people who don't really.  Enough said.

3-12-2012: Danzig - Twist of Cain

When Danzig wants to sound good, he sounds like this.  When he wants to sound shitty, he makes Danzig 4-8 or whatever.  John Christ is a ripping guitar player.  Don't know what happened to him though.

3-11-2012: Firewind - Dreamchaser

Because it gets stuck in your fucking head and there's no getting it out!  Gus G rules.

03-10-2012: Wildside - Hair Of The Dog

Sadly, this first CD was their only good one but what a killer it was. I think they used up all the good song in them for this one. From Under The Influence 1992.

3-10-2012: Black Sabbath - The Headless Cross

I've been doing a lot of posts on shit that gets overlooked here lately and this is one of the best examples of overlooked metal greatness that I can think of:  Tony Martin - era Sabbath!  I heard this song on XM's Boneyard right after Dio died and the dumb ass DJ said it was her tribute to Dio!  WTF!!  I hope she has since found a different job.

3-9-2012: Chastain - For Those Who Dare

This is another favorite on DirecTV's Sonic Tap!  I love this song, but the rest of their stuff is just so-so.

3-8-2012: W.A.S.P - Let it Roar

The first song from the album that really put WASP back where they needed to be IMO.  "Unholy Terror" remains their finest album to me even to this day.  Strange as most the bands whose heyday was in the 80s can't pull that off, but there are a few out there and WASP is one of them!  Check out their later catalog if you want some good ass-kicking WASP!

3-7-2012: Running Wild - Under Jolly Roger

Running Wild is one of those pure metal bands that kind of remains underground to this day.  As the Critic pointed out, they're getting back together with a new album in the next few months, so I'm stoked.  These guys invented the submetal genre "Pirate Metal".  Why?  Because they sing about pirates.  It's as good a topic as any!

Xandria - Valentine

From their new album Neverworld's End. Good alternative to old school Nightwish. A close second for February's album of the month.

03-06-2012: Raven - Break The Chain

I've been waving the Raven flag since I first heard them in the early 80's. One of those under-the-radar bands from the NWOBHM. If you don't have the All For One CD from these guys you owe it to yourself to check it out. The singer's vocals can be an aquired taste but I love'em. Should have been bigger but they made some bad directional choices after the 3rd album to go more commercial. Check out their first 3 albums and their latest couple. These guys are riff masters.

3-6-2012: Testament - Souls of Black

The often overlooked album by one of the kings of thrash!   I think it's a damn solid album and is really the last album of theirs that I think has their classic sound.  Check it out if you haven't!