OBLIVION KNIGHT

Any fans of this band around here?

Their demos recently got re-released on a CD put out by Steel Legacy Records. This is pretty cool stuff if you are into old school slightly progressive power metal from the Texas Scene. It's reminiscent of other Texas bands at the time (HELSTAR, WATCHTOWER, MILITIA, etc.) If you're into that kind of cult power metal, this may well be worth checking out.

The singer on the first half of the disc is Mike Soliz from MILITIA/WATCHTOWER and the singer on the second half of the disc is Chris Collins, who sang on MAJESTY/DREAM THEATER's first demo.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oblivionknight
http://texasmetalunderground.com/profiles/oblivion%20knight/oblivion%20knight%20profile.htm

I had been talking to their bassist (who lives in Alabama now) about playing on our next recording but it didn't work out. He has an instrumental jazz/metal/fusion project that sounds pretty interesting too:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/osv2

Great band. That anthology disc completely shreds! Although I have to say I like the first demo a lot more. The second demo is just a little too finnicky progressive for my taste, but it's not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Steel Legacy is a great label. The Zions Abyss, Tyrant, Syrus and Chozzen Phate releases are essential listening.

Yeah, I've bought a few of their releases. Good stuff for all the die-hards out there.

SALEM SPADE is pretty good too.

Yeah, the Salem Spade disc is awesome. Kinda Jag Panzer-ish in parts, but with more prominent bass like Omen. Have you heard the Tyrant compilation disc? That is one of my favorite compilations of rare stuff ever. The new stuff they release is pretty mediocre though. Solitary Sabred, a US-styled heavy metal band from Cyprus, released their debut through Steel Legacy, and they are pretty crappy if you ask me.

Another great Greek label is Arkeyn Steel. They did the Cross and Scarlet Rayne releases, amongst others.

I haven't heard the TYRANT. If it's the same band I am thinking of then I have one of their CDs somewhere but it didn't click with me yet.

Yeah, Arkeyn Steel is also providing the die-hards with some hard to find stuff. I didn't care for CROSS or SCARLET RAYNE though.

It seems like no matter how bad the playing, the songs, or the production is as long is it has really clean, ultra-high singing then one of these cult labels will release it.

Checked them out on the link you provided ToB. These guys sound really good!!!

Temple of Blood wrote:

I haven't heard the TYRANT. If it's the same band I am thinking of then I have one of their CDs somewhere but it didn't click with me yet.

Yeah, Arkeyn Steel is also providing the die-hards with some hard to find stuff. I didn't care for CROSS or SCARLET RAYNE though.

It seems like no matter how bad the playing, the songs, or the production is as long is it has really clean, ultra-high singing then one of these cult labels will release it.

Could be that it's a different Tyrant. The Tyrant release on Steel Legacy is the English band.

I thought the Cross album was pretty good, but nothing spectacular. The Scarlet Rayne disc I really, really like. The problem with labels like Arkeyn Steel is that they basically release everything obscure from the US from the 1980s, so a lot of stuff is very generic. Bands like Manifest and A Shattered Dream are nothing special imo. However, they've also rereleased some gems, like the two Longings Past albums, the Enchanter demos (the only band that actually comes close to sounding like Fates Warning, albeit not as good), and Omega Point.

I have heard that description of ENCHANTER, but I don't see that much. I think stuff like DEADLY BLESSING, early MYSTIC FORCE, and CAULDRON BORN is much closer to the Arch-era FATES WARNING style.

I have that OMEGA POINT CD but I haven't listened to it much. I'll have to listen to LONGINGS PAST, although I think I have already heard them.

What do you think about REIGNSTORM?

Also, how did you get into cult heavy metal bands being as young as you are? You should be listening to Fallout Boy.

Cauldron Born definitely have a FW-ish sound, but I think it's more in the details than anything else. That said, they're an amazing band. Haven't listened to Deadly Blessing in ages, and unfortunately I'm not familiar with Mystic Force.

I remember hearing a Reignstorm song a while ago on the label's myspace, but it didn't leave much of an impression.

Hahaha, well, I discovered Manilla Road when I was about 12 years old, and after that the ball started rolling. You'd be surprised how popular old fashioned heavy rock/metal is these days among kids though. Since I started university half a year ago I met like a dozen people that are into bands like Manowar, Priest and Maiden. Maybe there's hope for my generation after all, haha.

Ohhh, you guys are talking about some great bands. (DEADLY BLESSING, CAULDRON BORN, old MYSTIC FORCE, ENCHANTER....).
GOTHIC KNIGHT, KING´S RANSOM or SCARLET RAYNE are other faves of mine.

yeah, I got into metal with Styx, W.A.S.P., Maiden around 10 or so.... then power metal from Maiden when I was 15.. more of the dungeony US and DEU bands around that time as well progressing up to the present, in which I have Oblivion Knight to newly go listen to...Some of us just fall into it. My latest is Liege Lord.

Now that we're talking about obscure metal, this should interest some of you:

Quote :

Arkeyn Steel Records would like to wish to every metalhead out there a
merry metal X-Mass and a happy new metal 2010! with greeeat news!!



Arkeyn Steel Records sign with HEIR APPARENT!!

https://2img.net/h/i194.photobucket.com/albums/z286/kostasgr/HEIRAPPARENT.jpg



And no time like the present to announce our new deals for the New
Year that will have all U.S/Canada power metal aficionados drooling
with anticipation.

First off, around the end of January, is Saharra's (New York)
magnificent demo Times... featuring both unreleased and live tracks as
well as a full digital remaster, a detailed bio and rare pics! All
Queensryche, Heir Apparent, Sacred Warrior, Lethal fans will excited!


What we have next, is the release that will take Arkeyn Steel Records
to its next level and elevate its status. After months of negotiating,
we are proud to present Heir Apparent and the reissue of probably one
of the best U.S prog/power albums EVER limited to a handnumbered 2000
copies! This is of course the "One Small Voice" album with the added
bonus of "Two Hearts" (featured only on the original Japanese issue),
“The Haunting” (never released before!) and a different version of
"Alone Again" that will see the light of day from Terry Gorle's
archives for the very first time!!! But what is the biggest surprise is
the extra bonus DVD. Inside the disc you'll find a live show from 1988
in Riviera clocking in at about 60 minutes! This recently discovered
1988 video footage is the only complete Heir Apparent concert with this
legendary line-up. The show took place about 3 months after they
recorded the "live in studio" demo that was released by Hellion in 2000
as the Triad CD. It's the ONLY video with Steve Benito on vocals and it
has never ever been released. Audiovisual quality is fantastic and as
you will hear Steve's voice was near always perfect!



DVD tracklist:

Crossing the Border

Just Imagine

Two Hearts

Young Forever

Tomorrow Night

Alone Again

Cry For Rome

The Fifth Season

The Sound of Silence

Another Candle

Keeper of the Reign

We, The People



Line-up

Steve Benito - vocals

Terry Gorle - guitar

Derek Peace - bass

Ray Schwartz - drums

Mike Jackson - keyboards



https://2img.net/h/i194.photobucket.com/albums/z286/kostasgr/NEWS.jpg



Next up from Arkeyn Steel Records is Blackkout (Florida), the
ultimate prog/power band from Saint Petersburg! Arkeyn Steel Records
made a deal for the re-release of their 1989's amazing LP-Tape
“Ignorance Of Man” and 1985's 7" single “Fallout” as bonus, limited as
always to 1000 handnumbered copies. Both the LP-Tape and the 7" single
are now sold at sky-high prices since only 500 copies were released
back then. Fans of Watchtower, Hittman and all power metal lovers
should add those to their must buy lists.



Out of Massachusetts comes our fifth release in the form of the
power/prog group MORIAH. Arkeyn Steel Records bought the rights to
their 1990 demo, the private mini-CD “Speak” (1991), their Live Demo
1993 and as bonus material their so far unreleased 1994 demo. This will
be a double CD with more than 100 minutes of music and, as always,
digitally remastered.



Last but certainly not least are the Canadian power metal troupe
Kraken (Toronto, Ontario)!!!! A deal with the band has been struck for
the first official release of their unreleased 1983 album, the title?
“Kraken I”, producer? Lips from Anvil!


But that's not all, as we managed to get a hold of an entire Kraken
album produced by Chris Tsangarides with material from the 1980-1983
periods entitled “Underground”. The only release of this album so far
has been a bootlegged LP. Also included will be the 1980 demo (The
Kraken, Executioner, Kill the King) and the Executioner live.



Both albums have been remastered by the band themselves and transferred directly from the original master tapes.



As you can see, 2010 will be Arkeyn Steel Records' year!!!

I hope to have more releases of you soon enough!



Kostas Athanasoglou

Steel Gallery Records

Arkeyn Steel Records

General Manager

MSN: panzero@windowslive.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steel Gallery Records (Record Shop, Record Label, Distribution)

c/o Kostas Athanasoglou, Filikis Eterias 33, GR-54621 Thessaloniki, Greece

Web: www.steelgallery.com e-mail: kostas@steelgallery.com

Web: www.arkeynsteel.com e-mail: info@arkeynsteel.com

Tel./Fax.: +30 2310 233363

I've got a copy of this on the way.

Hope you like it nevermore.

Thanks for the update Dave.

I relistened to SCARLET RAYNE and they are better than I remembered. I may have to pick this up.

I listened to the samples on cdbaby and liked what I've heard.