Metal

The biggest names featured on Metal Massacre II are Armored Saint and Overkill, both of which are (more or less) active to this day. The compilation also introduced cult metal favorites Obsession, Savage Grace and Warlord…

Arguably the best in the series. Omen, Voivod, Overkill, Metal Church, and Hellhammer all feature excellent non-album tracks (though some will be familiar from demos and reissues). Also includes strong material from Fates Warning and Attack…

Like the famous Metal Massacre, Vol. 1, which is noteworthy for introducing the world to Metallica, Metal Massacre III's major claim to fame is that it unleashed thrash legends Slayer…

This is where it all began. For the first time ever Chuck Schuldiner’s pre-DEATH band MANTAS’s recordings have been officially collected into one fully authorized compilation. ‘Death By Metal’ is the brutally raw sound of an entire genre being born out of the garage of Chuck Schuldiner’s Florida home close to 3 decades ago. These are the earliest recordings of death metal legend, pioneer and groundbreaker Chuck Schuldiner absolutely ripping the face off of hordes of devotees worldwide. This is the first time that these recordings have been legitimately available since their original release as the Death By Metal demo tape (1984). This is the beginning of DEATH!

The 2-disc compilation NWOBHM - '79 Revisited was put together by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich to collect tracks from some of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement that so influenced him when he was growing up. With this set, you get a good overview of the various sounds within the NWOBHM as well as a look at some of its best and least well-known bands…

Metal Allegiance burst onto the scene in 2015 with one of the strongest debut metal albums in years. It’s even more impressive when you consider that Metal Allegiance are a collaboration, a metal super-group comprised of some of the busiest and most decorated musicians in the genre. David Ellefson (MEGADETH), Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, ex-DREAM THEATER, et al.) and Mark Menghi comprise the core four, and are joined by a laundry list of metal legends both new and old…

Vikings and metal tend to go together very well, and the idea of combining the two has obviously been made popular by the likes of Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth and German power metal band Rebellion, and now a new challenger has arrived to prove themselves worthy of fighting for Odin. That band is Brothers of Metal, from Sweden, and they have unleashed their debut Prophecy of Ragnarok, which is not only an incredibly addictive power metal album, with varying influences from other genres and a ton of different exciting elements, but it also happens to be perhaps the very best Viking themed metal album I’ve ever heard, as the band takes familiar ideas and mashes them together perfectly, while also managing to create their own distinct sound that really has to be heard…

Hanging In The Balance can be considered Metal Church’s coming of age. They really hit their creative prime here. The lyrics and music are well refined. The production is crystal clear thanks in part to producer Paul O’Neill, famous for his excellent work with Florida metal band Savatage. This album is highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a great thrash/power metal record as well as any REAL fan of Metal Church…