The List of Steel is upon you!! Now you will know trve power and glory as Steel Druhm‘s Top Ten(ish) unfolds and expands to fill all the metalverse.
Theocracy
Kenstrosity’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023
Kenstrosity ‘s waitied patiently to uncork his first ever big boy list upon the world, and here it comes! Get ready to be convinced.
Sentynel and Twelve’s Top Ten(ish) of 2023
Angry Metal Guy provides a bounty of lists for his loyal readers! Herein, Sentynel and Twelve regale readers with their take on the Top Ten(ish) Records o’ 2023!
Axenstar – Chapter VIII Review
“”Is it necessary for artists to grow?” A question that haunted me as I listened to Chapter VIII, the eighth album by Swedish power metal act Axenstar. When an artist finds their niche, deviations always run the risk of alienating their audience from what they found appealing in the first place. Power metal in particular carries plenty of clear expectations—soaring choruses, galloping drums, warbly vibrato for days—and it’s easy for a band to fall into a groove. But where is the line drawn between comforting familiarity and stagnation?” Chapter and old verse.
Theocracy – Mosaic Review
“The powers that be behind Theocracy saw fit to make us all wait nearly 7 years for a follow-up to 2016s Ghost Ship. This is a sin and something I cannot countenance in good faith. That’s because Theocracy are one of, if not the best American power metal acts running and they deliver such massive, emotion-drenched compositions when they deign to grant us an audience.” Slightly stained class.
By Fire and Sword – Glory Review
“When Steel sees a band calling themselves By Fire and Sword with an album bearing the simple title of Glory, grand visions of an armored titan hacking his way through demon hordes on a burning, blood-drenched battlefield come to me. Thusly brimming with barbaric bloodlust, your Beloved Lord of Viking Primates seized the full-length debut by these mysterious men from Boise, Idaho. But a funny thing happened as I girded my hairy loins and sharpened my remorseless war grinder. You see, By Fire and Sword aren’t about the kinds of glory attained by disdaining fortune and splitting skulls.” No one expects the Boise Inquisition!
Narnia – Ghost Town Review
“Everyone’s favorite Christian band is back (that isn’t Stryper or Theocracy). No new gimmicks, no new twists—just the same sermons explaining why all you sin-sucking sons of bitches are going to Hell.” Holy ghosts and goblins.
Bloodbound – Creatures of the Dark Realm Review
“As Lord Protector of the Dark Angry Metal Realm, Steel Druhm is entitled to the right of primo promo. He can often be seen pushing his massive haul of pre-picked albums around the AMG office in a giant flaming wheelbarrow, its spiked wheel crushing the skulls of failed n00bs littered about the floor as it rolls. His dragon’s hoard of promos is so large that some inevitably fall to the ground, where sniveling peons like myself snatch them up for our own reviewing pleasure. So it goes with Bloodbound’s newest release. In his 2019 review of the band’s eighth studio album, Rise of the Dragon Empire, Lord Steel recounted the transition that the band has made over the years, moving from a more traditional heavy metal sound to a syrupy-sweet Euro-infused iteration of power metal.” Fanbound glory.
Hevilan – Symphony of Good and Evil Review
“If you are one of the poor souls who’s managed to follow my pedestrian music journalism career, you know that I’m a hopeless Nevermore weenie. There’s just something about the way they combined immense, progressive, down-tuned riffing with powerful, operatic vocals that is incredibly pleasing to my ears. I was therefore absolutely defenseless against the promo blurb that touted Hevilan guitarist Johnny Moraes as having appeared in Warrel Dane’s live band, as well as on the late Nevermore singer’s posthumous solo release, Shadow Work.” Good times, bad times.
Veonity – Sorrows Review
“Not long ago, I began to question why I take power metal assignments from our Promo Pit. Looking back, power metal and I haven’t gotten along too well over my tenure here, and I’ve begun to feel like reviewing the style is simply inviting disappointment. At that point, however, I was already slated to review Sorrows, the fourth full-length from Veonity, a Swedish group I’d previously never heard of who began storming up the scene in 2013.” Hope blooms in the Pit of Despair.
