Heavy Metal

Sabbath Assembly delve further into progressive metal on “Angels Trumpets.”

Witchbanger, Duel‘s second LP, recalls a different time but is more than welcome today.

For their next trick, The Wizards show you their new music video.

Witches Brew provide a home for underground death, thrash and heavy metal bands.

High Strangeness, the third full-length from Texas rockers Mothership, incorporates a variety of sounds and influences for a diverse and fun album.

“Praying at the Chapel Perilous” is the promising debut song and video from dark metal band Sollertia (In The Woods, ex-Ad Inferna). 

We’re just one week from the start of the Decibel Magazine Tour 2017 featuring Kreator, Obituary, Midnight and Horrendous. Don’t miss out; tickets are still on sale!

Swedish traditional metal group Saturn have a sound that is both old school and modern, something that remains apparent on “Still Young,” a single from their forthcoming sophomore album.

Hyborian‘s first record will tell the story of an intergalactic traveller. You can hear the first part of the tale now. 

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal wasn’t a movement. Until it was a movement. Early on, bands—mostly categorized as hard rock—merely created music the only way they knew how.

For Saxon’s Wheels of Steel [February 2017, #148] interviews, we were able to gather all five original members. As required by Hall of Fame edict #1. The current and former members of Britain’s heavy metal legends couldn’t have been nicer and more talkative. Graham, Steve, Biff, Pete, and Paul spun all kinds of fun and interesting stories about the events leading up to landmark album Wheels of Steel and what happened shortly thereafter.

Tony Reed of Mos Generator counts down his favorite hard rock/heavy metal albums.

In which I discuss heavy metal, Sword & Sorcery fic, Manilla Road, the modern hardcore scene, and much more with Jason Tarpey, vocalist of Texas’ toughest epic heavy metal band, Eternal Champion.

Saxon have enjoyed a prolific career, with a multitude of live albums. Inspired by their upcoming vinyl box set, The Vinyl Hoard, Season of Mist’s Greg Karlowitsch ranks Saxon’s already released live albums from worst to best.

Evil Invaders‘ “Raising Hell” is a speed-drenched, retro tune. 

Wretch
A master’s return
dB rating: 8/10

The ‘Witch is Back! And The Apothic Gloom four-track EP features the best material of Skeletonwitch‘s career. Hear it now.

Flashback 1982. Hollywood, California. The various members of newly formed W.A.S.P., still high on George Miller’s Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior aesthetic, are in a friend’s metal shop.

Necromancing the Stone has an all-star lineup and an upcoming record offering a new take on traditional heavy metal. 

Dead Revolution
Full of life
dB rating: 9/10

You probably didn’t hear traditional metal powerhouse Damien Black in 1992, so, here’s a second chance.

Diamond Head
>Heady Topper
dB rating: 8/10

Close out this week with your palms skyward via new trad metal from Canada’s Spell.

30 years of epicus doomicus metallicus means new EP(icus). 

By the time 1983 rolled around, those bands participating within the loose construct known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal had become well aware that there was more to their scene and sound than playing time-tested and amped-up blues-based riffs in the back rooms of pubs or moldy rehearsal rooms.

Fates Warning leader, guitarist and chief songwriter Jim Matheos will be living parallel lives in 2016. He’s helming the writing and recording of the band’s 12th album with the current lineup, and will concurrently assemble a lineup from the band’s distant past, including guitarist Frank “X” Aresti plus co-founders John Arch (vocals), Joe DiBiase (bass) and Steve Zimmerman (drums).

There will be shred. 

Journey Blind
Mob rulers
dB Rating: 8/10

It’s that time of year again! Decibel has been banging our heads overtime to concoct our annual special issue with 100 percent never-before-seen content. Slip on your old studded vest and behold The Top 100 Old-School Metal Albums of All Time!

Before checking out for the long weekend, enter for a chance to win three new CDs of doom, occult, heaviness, kings, hammers, and more kings, courtesy of Cruz Del Sur.