First is the Spotify playlist (I think you have to click through to the Spotify app to listen to the songs in full) scroll down further for my notes.
- Shirley Knott
Koolaid by Accept from Rise of Chaos (2017) I'm much more of a fan of the Mark Tornillo Accept than the Udo era, and their performance at Wacken last year was legendary. As if the new material isn't great enough, they were joined in the middle by an orchestra to perform some of Wolf Hoffman's classical / rock mashups.
Lightning Strike by Judas Priest from Firepower (2018) Priest have been consistently good through the decades but Firepower was nevertheless a particularly exciting release.
Black Metal by Venom from Black Metal (1982) The time was the early 80's. Vocalists weren't generally growling and the Venom formula also included Satan and a bit of anarchy. All players are still playing but we now have one of those situations where the band splits and both halves want to keep using the name. So now we have Cronos still putting out albums as Venom, and Mantas & Abaddon working under the name Venom Inc. And it's all good. This song popped up recently on random play in the car to remind me how good it was.
Kraid's Lair by Powerglove from Continue (2018) Guitar-based instrumental metal based on video game themes.
Slither by Velvet Revolver from Contraband (2004) Slash, Duff and Matt from Guns and Roses with Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots, a great combination, though I don't think the later Slash / Myles Kennedy combo can be beaten.
Awful Fellow by Hound from Settle Your Scores (2018) classic rock / stoner but with huge balls. As is often the case, the last track on an album is the maverick.
Copperhead Road by DevilDriver from Outlaws Till The End Vol 1 (2018) Brand new release, bizarrely an album of metal covers of country songs which makes for something maybe a little more melodic than you'd expect from DD (only a little) but surprisingly good.
Deja Vu by Monument from Hellhound (2018) A British band that have somehow got away with writing songs that often sound just like that Maiden track that you just can't quite place. That's something I respect much more than if they'd taken the 'tribute band' route. They acknowledge the influence on their recent album with this cover from the (not very classic) '86 Maiden album Somewhere in Time.
Darkside of Aquarius by (the real) Bruce Dickinson from Scream for me Sarajevo (2018) I have to acknowledge this album although I'm not a huge fan of it. It seems that if you give a singer a free hand, you get something quite ponderous. I read that before his departure from Maiden, Bruce had wanted to take the band in a more acoustic direction which led to tension, and although the softer stuff isn't too prominent in his solo albums, it seems to be the direction he felt more appropriate for this historic concert in besieged Sarajevo. This is one of louder tracks.
S.A.T.O by Ozzy Osbourne from Diary of a Madman (1981) As far as Ozzy's solo career goes, I think the first two 'Blizzard of Ozz' albums featuring Randy Rhoads were the height of his powers. (thanks in large part to the creativity of Randy, who sadly died after these two albums). Each album features an epic track verging into classical territory (Revelation Mother Earth on Blizzard of Ozz and the title track of Diary of a Madman). S.A.T.O is from 'Diary' and bonus points for anyone who knows what it stands for.
Eternal Rest by Hidden Intent from Fear, Prey, Demise (2018) Brand new groovy thrash release from Aussie three-piece. From their second full-length album.
In Hell by Defiatory from Hades Rising (2018) A recent Bandcamp discovery, proper old-school thrash, second album by Swedish band.
Win Hands Down by Armoured Saint from Win Hands Down (2015) A recent album from an 80's band.
Instrumental, Meliah Rage by Meliah Rage from Kill to Survive (1988) a quality debut full-length from the band, listed incorrectly on Spotify as a 2018 release) A real Metallica / Megadeth influence here. If you like those bands, give the rest of Kill To Survive a listen. The track I've chosen here is an instrumental but it's worthwhile hearing some of the vocal tracks from the album too.
Slither by Velvet Revolver from Contraband (2004) Slash, Duff and Matt from Guns and Roses with Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots, a great combination, though I don't think the later Slash / Myles Kennedy combo can be beaten.
Awful Fellow by Hound from Settle Your Scores (2018) classic rock / stoner but with huge balls. As is often the case, the last track on an album is the maverick.
Copperhead Road by DevilDriver from Outlaws Till The End Vol 1 (2018) Brand new release, bizarrely an album of metal covers of country songs which makes for something maybe a little more melodic than you'd expect from DD (only a little) but surprisingly good.
Deja Vu by Monument from Hellhound (2018) A British band that have somehow got away with writing songs that often sound just like that Maiden track that you just can't quite place. That's something I respect much more than if they'd taken the 'tribute band' route. They acknowledge the influence on their recent album with this cover from the (not very classic) '86 Maiden album Somewhere in Time.
Darkside of Aquarius by (the real) Bruce Dickinson from Scream for me Sarajevo (2018) I have to acknowledge this album although I'm not a huge fan of it. It seems that if you give a singer a free hand, you get something quite ponderous. I read that before his departure from Maiden, Bruce had wanted to take the band in a more acoustic direction which led to tension, and although the softer stuff isn't too prominent in his solo albums, it seems to be the direction he felt more appropriate for this historic concert in besieged Sarajevo. This is one of louder tracks.
S.A.T.O by Ozzy Osbourne from Diary of a Madman (1981) As far as Ozzy's solo career goes, I think the first two 'Blizzard of Ozz' albums featuring Randy Rhoads were the height of his powers. (thanks in large part to the creativity of Randy, who sadly died after these two albums). Each album features an epic track verging into classical territory (Revelation Mother Earth on Blizzard of Ozz and the title track of Diary of a Madman). S.A.T.O is from 'Diary' and bonus points for anyone who knows what it stands for.
Eternal Rest by Hidden Intent from Fear, Prey, Demise (2018) Brand new groovy thrash release from Aussie three-piece. From their second full-length album.
In Hell by Defiatory from Hades Rising (2018) A recent Bandcamp discovery, proper old-school thrash, second album by Swedish band.
Win Hands Down by Armoured Saint from Win Hands Down (2015) A recent album from an 80's band.
Instrumental, Meliah Rage by Meliah Rage from Kill to Survive (1988) a quality debut full-length from the band, listed incorrectly on Spotify as a 2018 release) A real Metallica / Megadeth influence here. If you like those bands, give the rest of Kill To Survive a listen. The track I've chosen here is an instrumental but it's worthwhile hearing some of the vocal tracks from the album too.
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