5th album from 1978 by this legendary Australian Hard Rock band, widely regarded by fans and fellow musicians as one of the most authentic and representative releases of their entire career. Released during the classic Bon Scott era, it captured the band at the height of its creative powers, just before achieving worldwide superstardom.
Its sound embodies everything that makes AC/DC great: irresistible riffs, infectious groove, memorable choruses and the unmistakable streetwise attitude that helped turn them into a global phenomenon. Less commercial than some of their later classics but remarkably consistent from start to finish, it remains an essential release for understanding one of the greatest Rock bands of all time.
Recommended for fans of: ROSE TATTOO, THE ANGELS, AIRBOURNE and KROKUS.
9th album from 1993 by this legendary German Heavy Metal band, marking the long-awaited return of Udo Dirkschneider after several years away from the group. Released following a lengthy recording hiatus, the album successfully reunited the band with the classic sound that had made them one of the leading names in European Heavy Metal.
Its music brings back the power, memorable choruses and strong melodies that defined the band's classic 1980s releases, combining powerful riffing, excellent twin-guitar work and Udo's unmistakable vocals. A strong and inspired record featuring several highlights of the band's later catalogue and proving they still had plenty to offer the world of traditional Heavy Metal.
Recommended for fans of: U.D.O., JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON and RUNNING WILD.
8th album from 2011 by this acclaimed Swedish Melodic Death Metal band, once again drawing inspiration from Norse mythology and Viking sagas, themes that have become central to the band's identity. Released after the hugely successful "Twilight of the Thunder God", it further cemented their status as one of the leading names in modern melodic death metal.
Its sound combines powerful riffing, epic melodies and memorable choruses with the band's trademark heaviness. Johan Hegg's unmistakable vocals and a collection of direct yet highly effective songs make this album a gathering of Viking anthems filled with strength, emotion and warrior spirit.
Recommended for fans of: UNLEASHED, ENSIFERUM, WINTERSUN and INSOMNIUM.
5th album from 2001 by this influential Finnish band, marking another step forward in their constant musical evolution. Having gradually moved away from the Death Metal roots of their early releases, the band embraced a more melodic, atmospheric and experimental direction, further expanding the boundaries of their already distinctive sound.
Their music blends Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock and psychedelic elements with the band's trademark melodic sensibility. Rich keyboard arrangements, sophisticated songwriting and the expressive vocals of Pasi Koskinen result in an elegant and highly personal album that represents one of the most creative and adventurous periods of their career.
Recommended for fans of: SENTENCED, THE GATHERING, ANATHEMA and PARADISE LOST.
Live album from 1990 by this legendary British Heavy Metal band and one of the finest documents of their second 1980s era. Recorded in Los Angeles with Kevin Heybourne once again leading the band, it features a strong selection of material from their first three studio albums and captures the group at its live peak.
The setlist includes essential classics such as "Angel Witch", "Atlantis", "Baphomet", "Gorgon" and "Angel of Death", performed with the power and intensity that helped make the band such an important influence on later Thrash, Speed and Doom Metal acts. An outstanding live document from one of the key bands of the NWOBHM movement and an essential addition to any classic Heavy Metal collection.
Recommended for fans of: DIAMOND HEAD, SATAN, TOKYO BLADE and TYGERS OF PAN TANG.
Compilation album from 2017 by this American Thrash Metal band from Texas, gathering for the first time the band's complete classic recordings from 1987 to 1990. Originally active between 1986 and 1989, they were one of the many acts to emerge from the American Thrash explosion, leaving behind a small but highly regarded catalogue among collectors of the genre.
This release includes the complete "Anialator" (1988) and "Anialator II" (1989) EPs, three tracks from an unreleased 1990 demo and the band's original 1987 demo. Their sound delivers aggressive, old-school American Thrash Metal with strong influences from bands such as SLAYER, DESTRUCTION and OVERKILL, driven by sharp riffing, relentless speed and a thoroughly underground attitude. An excellent opportunity to rediscover one of the hidden gems of late-'80s Texas Thrash.
Recommended for fans of: SLAYER, DARK ANGEL, MORBID SAINT and DEVASTATION.
11th album from 2005 by this legendary Canadian Thrash Metal band, released during the Jeff Waters and Dave Padden era. Following the mixed reception of "All for You", this record marked a return to a faster and more aggressive direction, bringing back much of the intensity that had made the band a leading force in technical Thrash Metal during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Its sound blends Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal and some of the modern elements associated with the Dave Padden period, all driven by Jeff Waters' outstanding guitar work. Fast riffing, strong melodies, impressive solos and a powerful production result in an intense and dynamic album featuring some of the band's strongest material of the 2000s. Certain editions also include bonus tracks taken from historic 1985 and 1990 demos.
Recommended for fans of: MEGADETH, OVERKILL, TESTAMENT and EXODUS.
2nd album from 2017 by this Swedish Thrash Metal band, confirming the huge potential displayed on their acclaimed debut and firmly establishing them as one of the strongest acts of the new European Thrash generation. Remaining faithful to the spirit of the 1980s, the band avoids modern trends and delivers an authentic, aggressive and uncompromising old-school approach.
Their sound is built around fast, violent Thrash Metal packed with razor-sharp riffs, outstanding musicianship and relentless energy from start to finish. Without relying on Black Metal, Crossover or Crust influences, the band focuses on pure, rabid Thrash, constantly evoking the genre's classic era while maintaining a distinct identity of its own.
Recommended for fans of: DESTRUCTION, KREATOR, DARK ANGEL and NEKROMANTHEON.
The only album from 1991 by this Swedish Death Metal band. Although overshadowed by some of the era's most celebrated Scandinavian classics, it has gradually earned recognition as one of the most interesting hidden gems of early Swedish Death Metal.
Its sound combines the aggression of early Swedish Death Metal with strong Thrash Metal influences, resulting in dynamic, dark and riff-driven compositions. An intense and criminally overlooked release that deserves to be rediscovered by any fan of classic Scandinavian Death Metal.
Recommended for fans of: DISMEMBER, ENTOMBED, early THERION and ABHOTH
14th album from 1989 by this legendary British Heavy Metal band and the 2nd to feature Tony Martin on vocals. Widely regarded by many fans as the finest release of the Tony Martin era, it marked a major resurgence for the band thanks to the arrival of legendary drummer Cozy Powell and an exceptionally strong collection of songs.
Its sound blends the classic darkness of BLACK SABBATH with a more powerful production and a strong epic and melodic character. Highlights such as the title track, "Devil & Daughter" and "When Death Calls", featuring a memorable guest guitar solo by Brian May of QUEEN, showcase a band operating at a remarkably high level, delivering one of the most respected albums of their post-Ozzy and post-Dio years.
Recommended for fans of: DIO, RAINBOW, MSG and JUDAS PRIEST.
2nd album from 2014 by this Portuguese Brutal Death Metal band, released eight years after their debut and showcasing a clear progression in both songwriting and musicianship. Without abandoning their extreme roots, the band expanded its approach with stronger technical elements and a more refined production, further establishing itself within the Portuguese extreme metal scene.
Their sound blends Brutal Death Metal, Grind influences and technical touches, alternating crushing passages with more intricate moments while maintaining a relentless level of aggression. Massive riffs, brutal vocals and precise musicianship result in a powerful and intense album that also features a guest appearance by Nocturnus Horrendus of CORPUS CHRISTII.
Recommended for fans of: SUFFOCATION, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEEDS OF FLESH and MONSTROSITY.
The debut album from 1993 by this Swedish Death/ Thrash band, presented here in a comprehensive 2-CD reissue featuring the "Memento Mori" (1991) and "Domination" (1992) demos as bonus material. Although they never achieved the recognition of some of their Scandinavian peers, this release has gradually earned cult status among fans of technical and sophisticated Death/Thrash.
Their sound combines Thrash aggression with Death Metal heaviness, delivering complex riffing, frequent tempo changes and a strong technical approach that gives the album its own distinctive identity. An intense, dynamic and highly underrated release that showcases an ambitious and forward-thinking take on early 1990s European Death/ Thrash.
Recommended for fans of: DEATH, SEPULTURA, PESTILENCE and ENTOMBED.
2nd album from 1990 by this influential American band led by Glenn Danzig, firmly consolidating the musical direction established after the end of SAMHAIN and moving even further away from his Punk roots in favour of a darker, heavier and more distinctive sound. Widely regarded as one of the finest releases of his entire career, it represented a major step forward in songwriting, atmosphere and identity.
Its sound blends Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Blues Rock with a dark and occult atmosphere that became the band's trademark. Heavy riffs, moody textures, memorable melodies and Glenn Danzig's charismatic vocal performance drive a record packed with classics such as "Her Black Wings", "I'm the One" and "Long Way Back From Hell". An essential album that helped define the DANZIG sound and stands as one of the highlights of American Heavy Metal in the 1990s.
Recommended for fans of: THE CULT, TYPE O NEGATIVE, ALICE IN CHAINS and SAMHAIN.
Debut album from 1991 by this legendary Norwegian band, and the only release fully rooted in Death Metal before their historic transformation into one of the most influential Black Metal acts of all time. Although often overshadowed by the albums that followed, it has gradually earned recognition as a cornerstone of early Scandinavian Death Metal.
Far removed from the classic Swedish chainsaw sound of ENTOMBED or DISMEMBER, the album delivers technical, dark and atmospheric Death Metal filled with intricate riffing, tempo changes and a distinctive personality of its own. Recorded at the legendary Sunlight Studios with Tomas Skogsberg, it captures a band in transition while standing as one of the most unique and underrated Death Metal releases of its era.
Recommended for fans of: NIHILIST, AUTOPSY, MORBID ANGEL and NOCTURNUS.
2nd album from 2020 by this Swedish Heavy Metal band, built around bassist and songwriter Mattias Reinholdsson and featuring musicians associated with acts such as UNLEASHED, FIRESPAWN, NIFELHEIM, KATATONIA and GRAND MAGUS. Following a promising debut, this release firmly established the band's identity, blending tradition, darkness and a distinctive character within the classic Heavy Metal framework.
Their sound sits somewhere between epic, melancholic Heavy Metal and traditional Doom Metal, featuring strong melodies, excellent guitar harmonies and a solemn atmosphere reminiscent of some of the genre's finest bands from the 1980s. An elegant and highly inspired album that proves how musicians from extreme metal backgrounds can pay tribute to classic Heavy Metal with complete authenticity.
Recommended for fans of: CANDLEMASS, SORCERER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS and GRAND MAGUS. [Slipcase]
The only album from 1990 by this French Thrash Metal band, one of the most overlooked and deserving hidden gems of the late '80s and early '90s European underground. Although the band's career was short-lived and never reached the visibility of some of their contemporaries, this release has gradually earned cult status among fans of dark and aggressive Thrash Metal.
Its sound combines the speed and aggression of classic Thrash Metal with dark atmospheres and an occult edge that gives the material its own identity. Sharp riffing, constant tempo changes and a thoroughly underground attitude result in an intense and highly underrated album that deserves a place among the finest European Thrash obscurities of its era.
Recommended for fans of: DESTRUCTION, PROTECTOR, ASSASSIN and SODOM.
11th album from 2015 by this legendary British Hard Rock band, released seven years after "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge", marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band's career at the time. Simply titled after the band itself, it was conceived as a statement of identity, bringing together every facet of the group's musical legacy into a single release.
Its sound blends melodic Hard Rock, AOR and Arena Rock with huge choruses, layered vocal harmonies and polished production. Balancing energetic tracks such as "Let's Go" and "Dangerous" with more melodic and adventurous moments, the album finds the band revitalized and fully aware of its strengths. Regarded by many fans as their finest studio effort in decades, it also marked a significant creative and commercial comeback.
Recommended for fans of: JOURNEY, FOREIGNER, BON JOVI and EUROPE.
2020 compilation album by this legendary American Thrash Metal band from Oakland, gathering for the first time their entire pre-album era in a comprehensive 2-CD edition. The release contains all official demos recorded between 1986 and 1994, the previously unreleased "Jackson Street Sessions", live recordings and additional bonus material, providing a complete overview of the evolution of one of the most respected acts from the second wave of Bay Area Thrash.
The material documents the band's progression from aggressive and straightforward Thrash Metal to the more technical and progressive approach that would define their classic studio albums. An essential release for understanding the band's history and discovering early versions, rare tracks and hidden gems that showcase the remarkable talent of a group often overshadowed by some of the bigger names of the California scene.
Recommended for fans of: TESTAMENT, FORBIDDEN, HEATHEN and VIO-LENCE.
Debut album from 2009 by this American Death Metal band from Illinois. With strong satanic and anti-Christian themes, the group embraced a strictly old-school approach from the very beginning, avoiding modern trends in favour of the dark and blasphemous Death Metal tradition of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Their sound combines crushing riffs, dark atmospheres and relentless aggression rooted in the classic American school, while also incorporating touches of extreme Thrash Metal. A solid and powerful release that clearly reflects the band's devotion to old-school Death Metal, including a cover of SLAYER's "Necrophiliac" as a tribute to one of their key influences.
Recommended for fans of: DEICIDE, VITAL REMAINS, MORBID ANGEL and ANGELCORPSE.
2nd album from 2020 by this Russian Brutal Death Metal band, continuing the extreme and devastating approach already showcased on their 2016 debut. Compact and utterly uncompromising, the album once again demonstrates the band's ability to combine brutality, technique and sheer heaviness within the classic boundaries of the genre.
Their sound is defined by crushing riffs, relentless drumming, deep guttural vocals and highly precise musicianship that keeps the intensity at maximum level throughout. A punishing release that successfully balances aggression and technicality without sacrificing impact, further establishing the band as one of the strongest acts in the contemporary Russian brutal death scene.
Recommended for fans of: DEEDS OF FLESH, SUFFOCATION, DISGORGE and PYREXIA.
