Victory's rise began in 1984 when former Fargo musicians united under the new moniker. One year later the debut hit the shelves and it was the sophomore release 'Don't Get Mad - Get Even' which was like a trey for the Hannover-based band. The album was recorded by a great line-up, including Peter Knorn (b),... Continue Reading →
CD review THE THREE TREMORS ‘The Three Tremors’
(8/10) The Three Tremors, that's a wowing collaboration of three of the best singers in traditional metal. It's a cooperation of no less than Cage's frontman Sean 'The Hell Destroyer' Peck, Tim 'Ripper' Ownes and Harry 'The Tyrant' Conklin with Peck being the initiator. Already the fact that these three guys worked together on an... Continue Reading →
CD review DIAMORTE ‘The Red Opera’
(7/10) DiAmorte is the brainchild of Canadian singer and songwriter Drake Mefestta. After having revealed a first EP in 2015 the guy debut sharp before Christmas with 'The Red Opera'. The album is a ten chapter featuring longplayer that units symphonic arrangements, rock and metal. It's a dramatic storyline about time and betrayal that frames... Continue Reading →
CD review NAILED TO OBSCURITY ‘Black Frost’
(8/10) 'Black Frost' with all its blackness fits perfectly into the dark month of January. Nailed To Obscurity's debut for Nuclear Blast is a seven-track trip into melancholy and greyness,a journey you should joi. The quintet from Northern Germany adds with 'Black Frost' an album to their discography that shows the band on a next... Continue Reading →
CD review METAL INQUISITOR ‘Panopticon”
(8/10) Koblenz-basedMetal Inquisitor might not be the band with a high-frequent release pattern, but every album so far for sure provided quality. It takes between 4-5 years for the band to come with a next longplayer, beginning with the debut ‘The Apparition’ from 2002. Good things come to those who wait, seems to be the... Continue Reading →
Classics: ATROPHY ‘Socialized Hate’
And here comes another chapter of my little Classics-series and it features a band hailing from Tuscan, Arizona. It was in 1986 when a new quintet got into a work mode, a band that delivered a first demo in 1987. A second demo tape followed a bit later and last but not least it was... Continue Reading →
CD review DEVOUROR ‘Slay For Satan’ (EP)
(8/10) This EP comes from a band, based in Asia. Singapore, that's where Devouror has their home base and it's Malaysian Metal Zone Records that releases a first EP of this exotic powerhouse. Devouror plays blackened death metal that finds its roots in bands like Possessed, Death and partially Sodom. 'Slay For Satan' is a raw... Continue Reading →
Classics: LIEGE LORD ‘Master Control’
If you're a regular reader of Markus' Heavy Music Blog you probably read sometimes about a band called Liege Lord being a reference when it comes to power metal. This quintet started in 1982 (as Deceiver) and belongs to the pioneers of US Metal. The powerhouse, hailing from Stamford, CT, premiered in 1985 with an... Continue Reading →
Classics: QUEENSRŸCHE ‘Queensrÿche’
In my review for the new Flotsam And Jetsam album, I referred to Swiss radio station DRS 3 and their metal show that took place in the eighties. Next to Flotsam And Jetsam's debut the guys also played, next to a lot of good stuff, two Queensryche song from the first EP the Seattle-based band... Continue Reading →
Classics: STORMWITCH ‘Stronger Than Heaven’ – re-issue
I guess the artwork would qualify for being one of the 10 most embarrassing covers in metal in the '80s. However, the witches brew that's produced by the 'three witches' seems to have metallic firepower that can be transferred to musicians. According to the album title the brew makes you 'Stronger Than Heaven' and you... Continue Reading →
Classics: AGENT STEEL ‘Mad Locust Rising’
In the second half of the '80s, Agent Steel was one of the candidates for becoming a really big metal act. The debut 'Sceptics Apocalypse' was critically acclaimed and also the sophomore album 'Unstoppable Force' was very welcomed in the '80s metal scene. Furthermore, the band was part of the legendary Metal Hammer Road Show,... Continue Reading →
CD review FLOTSAM AND JETSAM ‘The End of Chaos’
(8/10) In 1986 Internet wasn’t existing and the main source of information when it comes to metal were fanzines and partly radio.Especially the latter dealt with metal as being a side note in music and therefor it was even more appreciated that Swiss radio station DRS3 dedicated 2 hours to metal on a weekly base.... Continue Reading →
CD review MAGNUM ‘Live at Symphony Hall’
(8/10) Although legendary UK rockers Magnum have released already quite some live albums and compilations, the moment of a next live album is always a treat. It was the final show of Magnum’s ‘Road to Eternity’-tour that was recorded and acts as a base for this live record. Magnum played in total 42 shows on... Continue Reading →
CD review RAVEN ‘Screaming Murder Death From Above: Live In Aalborg’
(8/10) Not to know is sometimes not a bad thing at all. So how is this related to Raven’s new live album? The metal pioneers have been on tour in Europe towards the end of 2017. After having gone through a tough time with the band’s longtime drummer Joe Hasselvander suffering from a heart attack... Continue Reading →
CD review FLEDDY MELCULY ‘ Live @ Graspop Metal Meeting ’18
(8/10) I’m not sure how many of you heard of Fleddy Melculy earlier. The band is well-known in the Benelux and the moniker is already a hint that things aren’t be taken that seriously, at least when it comes to the lyrics. Fleddy Melculy started a few years ago and is the brainchild of De... Continue Reading →









