If you're not into Metal, you are not my friend!

"If you're not into Metal, you are not my friend!"

A quote boldly stated in the song Metal Warrior by Manowar rings incredibly true in at least 99% of all lovers of the Metal. I am unsure if Joey DeMaio of Manowar is the creator of this quote but it truly encapsulates everything that is Metal.

Although the Heavy Metal scene seems pretty dried up in the U.S. these days, inundated with terrible Rap and R&B, slutty Pop, Emo, Screamo, and Nickleback clones, all of which are auto-tuned up the wazoo, Heavy Metal seems to still be going strong in Europe and certain parts Asia.

Metal may not be in the public eye anymore, as it was in the 1980's, but I still seem to have very little trouble finding someone that enjoys it. I feel it's only a matter of time until whatever is appealing about Rap/R&B and Pop starts to wane and people will once again yearn for the guitar riffs and wailing voices that only the Gods of Metal can bestow upon us.

Thrash and Speed still seem to get some play around the US stations but it is mainly limited to older Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Iron Maiden. Don't get me wrong, I love Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Iron Maiden, but the day that I heard the classic rock station in town playing Metallica, I knew that they were getting old. We are in desperate need of some good Metal bands in the US that can "light a fire under our butts" and get us into good music once again. The reign of tyranny of manufactured crap disguised as music needs to come to an end. As of right now the only American metal bands that I can list off the top of my head are:

DevilDriver, Dethklok, Kamelot, Iced Earth, Symphony X, Probot, Megadeth, and Dream Theater.

The list of European Metal and Power Metal bands is ridiculously large and that is a shame. I know my ramblings are mainly just me being hopeful that people will see the light, but I will never stop proselytizing about the wonders of The Metal.

My favorite genres are: Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Groove Metal, and some Death Metal. I am especially partial to Power Metal. The fantasy themes and powerful guitar riffs really speak to me. Although, if I'm in a bit of an angry mood some Death Metal really helps me get it out. Power Metal doesn't seem to get any of the respect it deserves in America, and I very perplexed as to why that is. We have 12 million World of Warcraft nerds on this planet, many of them in America, and we can't get behind a musical genre that rocks out to epic tales of slaying enemies and dragons on the battlefield? How much sense does that make?

If anybody is looking for some good Power Metal bands to listen to, do some Googlin' for: Astral Doors, Dream Evil, 3 Inches of Blood, Alestorm, Angra, Avantasia, Axenstar, Blind Guardian, Children of Bodom, Dark Moor, Demons and Wizards, Dionysus, Dragonforce, Edguy, Firewind, Hammerfall, Rage, Rhapsody of Fire, Revolution Renaissance, Helloween, Iced Earth, Savatage, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, Kamelot, Luca Turilli, Tad Morose, Manowar, Masterplan, Thy Majestie, Thunderstone, and Nightwish.