WITCHFINDER GENERAL: DEATH PENALTY

Witchfinder General is a band I just very recently discovered. They combine the energy and power of music coming out of The New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the doom and crushing riffs of 1970's era Black Sabbath. The only album I have of theirs so far is "Death Penalty, which was released in 1980. The production is a little muddled, but other than that, this a classic heavy metal album. Sometimes they sound a little too derivative of Black Sabbath but that is really not a problem because the energy level of the music is so high. Their vocals are extremely melodic, but for the most part the vocalist stays away from the high falsetto notes, staying in a mid-range Ozzy sort of vibe. The riffs are pure slabs of molten doom, revved up to a furious, heavy stoner metal pace, a la Kyuss' "Sky Valley". Witchfinder General also paved the way for early 1980's doom metal bands such as Saint Vitus and Trouble. Anyway, Witchfinder General's 'Death Penalty" comes highly recommended. Seven tracks, all heavy and no filler. I'm truly glad I stumbled upon this band, and hope to acquire more of their material soon.

ANGEL WITCH: ANGEL OF DEATH

I don't know why, but I've been on a huge New Wave of British Heavy Metal kick lately. Here's another classic band from the era...Angel Witch. The song "Angel of Death" comes from their self titled 1980 album. This is one I have to get...it's going on my list. Been listening to pieces of the album here and there. Great stuff. It sounds a little dated at times, but these guys have some potently heavy riffs. Enjoy.

SIR LORD BALTIMORE: MASTER HEARTACHE

Sir Lord Baltimore is a band I just recently discovered. Their legendary debut album "Kingdom Come"(1971) is hopelessly out of print with high prices being asked for it...so all I have to go from is songs I can find on the Internet. Hailing from New York, these guys are one of the harbingers of heavy metal. Forget the sludge of Black Sabbath...Sir Lord Baltimore offers up pure molten, euphoric fury, like The Stooges, Led Zeppelin, and Blue Cheer rolled into one and launched into a high octane overdrive. This is some of the purest and most face removing metal you will ever hear. Sometimes they remind of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" that would soon be brewing overseas. Nevertheless, Sir lord Baltimore's intensity is tough to match. Here's "Master Heartache", the best track of theirs that I have heard so far, for your enjoyment.