Manilla Road

Into the Obscure: Brocas Helm – Defender of the Crown

Into the Obscure: Brocas Helm – Defender of the Crown

“Join me, boys and girls, for a little history lesson slash tragedy. It was the early 80s in the United States, with thrash metal on the verge of taking over the metal scene completely, particularly in the infamous Bay area. Traditional heavy metal bands in the US were far and few between. Manilla Road’s star was rising, but from San Francisco came the sounds of a wildly creative band, sprung up from the ashes of a band called Prisoner. This band was Brocas Helm, and for a little while after their 1984 debut Into Battle, they seemed poised to be at the forefront of US traditional metal.” Trve romance.

Exit…Hall Left: The Weenie Metal Round-Up [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

Exit…Hall Left: The Weenie Metal Round-Up [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

“Not everyone can be BRUTAL ENOUGH!!! Some of us are hobbits; diminutive, folksy, averse to Camo™ and Camo™-derived accouterments. Maybe you just want to smell the flowers, despite your allergies. That’s ok. We’re here for you.” Hello, weenies.

Panegyrist – Hierurgy Review

Panegyrist – Hierurgy Review

Steel Druhm‘s black metal appreciation days have largely come and gone as we’ve grown apart and developed irreconcilable differences. Because I’m such a self-aware, introspective gent, I give the genre a wide birth when it comes to promo pluckery lest I savage a band for my own lack of interest. But a strange thing happened on the way to the sump recently. Madam X was sampling new arrivals and I didst hear such a compelling cacophony that I simply had to know who was responsible.” Risky blackness.

Night Viper – Exterminator Review

Night Viper – Exterminator Review

“Somewhere in an alternate universe exists a blog dubbed “Happy Metal Guy” which exclusively runs reviews of throwback traditional metal albums. This must be true, because enough records of this sort make their way into our promo bay – where the majority are subsequently ignored – to make such a website a reality. I think so many of these records are glossed over by AMG staff because, by their very nature, innovation is the least of their priorities, and most aren’t solid enough to make up for the lack of originality.” Escape from Dimension HMG.

Manilla Road – To Kill a King Review

Manilla Road – To Kill a King Review

“18 albums into their crusade to bring Kansas proto-metal to the masses and Manilla Road keeps right on truckin’. To Kill a King is yet another cobblestone on their pathway to Vahalla and predictably delivers a flying buttress of epic, olde-timey metal mixed with doom and 70s hard rock, sounding like Atlantean Kodex would if the current members were replaced by dirty bikers.” The crime you’ve selected is… regicide.

Hellwell – Behind the Demon’s Eyes Review

Hellwell – Behind the Demon’s Eyes Review

“On the fateful day Mark “the Shark” Shelton was begotten, the planets and stars aligned and the Prime Mover proclaimed him the Eternal Champion of Trve Metal and Ass-tastic Productions. Burdened thusly by the crushing weight of metallic destiny, young Mark immediately set about the Herculean task of putting Kansas on the map for trveness. Founding the now venerable Manilla Road in the late 70s, he’s been churning out epical, olde timey metal ever since. The band’s sound always had one boot in the 70s prog rock scene with the other in early metal (and I mean way early, like Iron Butterfly), and though the results have been uneven over the decades, much respect is owed the man.” In-a-Gadda-Manilla.

Revel In Flesh – Emissary of All Plagues Review

Revel In Flesh – Emissary of All Plagues Review

“”Listen to them, the children of Entombed. What sweet music they make!” Or something like that. There can be no denying just how ubiquitous the genre has become, but I harbor a serious love of all things Swedish death. Clearly so do Revel In Flesh, a band who have been successfully churning out body-blow Scandinavian flavored death metal for the last 5 years.” Left Hand wrath.

70,000 Tons of Metal Live Review

70,000 Tons of Metal Live Review

“I don’t agree with my dad on everything, but there’s one thing we do agree about: cruises are the best way to vacation. Free all-you-can-eat buffets, breezy tropical weather, alcohol and entertainment available everywhere, and – most importantly – you’re always within walking distance of your room, so you never have to worry about getting a DUI or throwing up in an Uber on your ride back to the Red Roof Inn. But a cruise with 60 metal bands and over 3,000 fans from all over the world, making a four day round-trip to Jamaica with bars that never close? That’s a whole different beast entirely!” In the Navy, you can rock the seven seas!

Ravensire – The Cycle Never Ends Review

Ravensire – The Cycle Never Ends Review

“One look at that cover and you knew I’d be the chosen one to review it, didn’t you? And rightly so, as Ravensire has an imposing Throne of Usurpation built directly on the epicenter of my metallic wheelhouse. They rock a burly form of trve metal similar to Visigoth and Ironsword, and since that means Conan-core, you can expect much Cirith Ungol worshiping, Manowar loin clothing and Manilla Road raging.” If you’re bored, reforge the sword!