Avalanche - Here Comes The King (1994), 29 have in discogs.com
This album is an absolute jewel lost in the world of metal. It may be my favorite album on this list and the most obscure. It was a 1994 independent release. They were a quintet from Germany doing power/speed metal very similar to Helloween. At the time they filled the void between the Keepers and Master of The Rings. While not original, the song writing captivated me and the songs are very catchy. The vocal is unapologetic soaring high pitched. The album is front loaded, and too long, but the first half is brilliant. They are in the metal archives and the album can be found on youtube. I actually don't know how I found them or how I ordered the CD. But I am glad I did.
Stream: https://youtu.be/XfyIUtM0jFY (not on Spotify)
For the fans of Helloween
Jackal - A Safe Look In Mirrors (1994), 89 have in discogs.com
Jackal was a 4-piece Power Metal band from Denmark who enjoyed some success in Europe and Japan. A Safe Look In Mirrors (and their 1993 album Vague Visions ), I remember ordering from Japan! It cost me a 'fortune'. A Safe Look In Mirrors is their 3rd album and my favorite, even if their best song is "There by the trees" is from Vague Visions. I remember those albums filling the void left by Maiden without Bruce/Adrian. Instrumentally they are more like Primal Fear, but the vocals are very similar to Bruce's. They put a touch of progressiveness into their power metal with a bit longer songs and mid-tempo passages. It's close to how Maiden sounded in Fear of The Dark. Unfortunately Vocalist Brian Rich (R.I.P. 2013) was replaced by Carsten Olsen in 1996 and band was dissolved some years later due to label difficulties. They are in the metal archives and the album can be found on youtube.
Stream: https://youtu.be/9Hnz-0QM_ek (not on Spotify)
For the fans of Iron Maiden and Primal Fear
Time Machine - Act II - Galileo (1995), 120 have in discogs.com
Time Machine was a Prog Rock/Metal band from Italy and Act II - Galileo was their first full-length album. They were a five piece with the bass player also doing the keyboards. It'a an ambitious concept album full of instrumentals, samples, even a song with sax. Beautiful melodies and arrangements. It's a very cool mid-tempo prog album with a bit of atmospheric moments. Singer Folco Orlandini sounds a but like Andre Matos, but he didn't exaggerated on the high pitched screams. He did a great job here. Unfortunately he left the band before their second album which I didn't like.
Stream here (not on Spotify)
For the fans of Dream Theater and Angra
Ivanhoe – Symbols Of Time (1995), 170 have in discogs.com / 510 Monthly listeners on Spotify
Ivanhoe is one of the few still active bands on this list, they actually released an album in 2020! So I debated if they are really that obscure. Also, they can be found on Spotify albeit very small number of followers. This album is a bit buried in their page though. I must admit, it's not a perfect album, but it has some awesome moments. The opening title track is fantastic and it is what led me to get to know the band in the first place. I also own the album prior and the one after Symbols Of Time. The singer back then was Andy B. Franck who is still very active with Brainstorm. But here they were making a more progressive metal and not the power metal of Brainstorm. Franck in Ivanhoe uses less drive in his vocals and more high notes than he does in Brainstorm. The performance on "By A Feeling" is stunning.
For the fans of Dream Theater and Fates Warning
Superior – Behind (1996), 202 have in discogs.com
Superior was a Prog Metal band from Germany formed in 1988 and releasing this full-length debut in 1996. They were a 6-piece with two guitars and keys. This album has some amazing songs, specially the first three. "Why" in particular is my favorite, a 9-min masterpiece with an amazing build-up. Ypu know it's good when the longest song comes as track 2 on the album. The vocalist delivers a fantastic performance. Superior sound something like the less complex songs from early Dream Theater. They released a couple more albums and split up at the end of 2007. They are in the metal archives and the album can be found on youtube.
Stream: https://youtu.be/lVFKZCtLUtw
For the fans of Dream Theater
Hollow – Modern Cathedral (1998), 224 have in discogs.com / 96 Monthly listeners on Spotify
Hollow were a progressive power metal band from Sweden active from 95 to 98 releasing two albums and since 2018 a solo project by Andreas Stoltz (Vocals, Guitars). The debut Modern Cathedral featured three other band members and it's more power/traditional metal than progressive. It features 12 songs in 45 minutes. Despite the last few songs getting a bit boring, the first 2/3 of the album are great. It's just straightforward metal with incredible hooks.
For the fans of Crimson Glory and Angel Dust
Artension – Into The Eye Of The Storm (1996), 262 have in discogs.com / 584 Monthly listeners on Spotify
This is simply a magnificent album! Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004. I have some, if not all, of those albums. But their debut is still my favorite. The musicianship is superb, but instrumental interludes are not overdone. In addition, the band has also a good mix of melody and aggressiveness. John West is an amazing underrated singer and this album also features Mike Terrana on drums. It a prog metal class.
For the fans of Dream Theater and Threshold
Below – Across The Dark River (2014), 404 have in discogs.com / 436
We turn gears to something very different within this list. First it's a rather recent album and it's an Epic Doom Metal from Sweden. Medium length and well-written songs with soaring clean vocals, doomy riffs and a love for Candlemass. While not really original, this band knows how to deliver epic doom. This is their first LP, the second one Upon a Pale Horse is a bit better but also got much more attention due to Metal Blade's promotion. For this list purpose I chose the debut.
For the fans of Candlemass
Scanner – Ball Of The Damned (1997), 491 have in discogs.com / 2289
Scanner is a German power metal band and Ball of the Damned is the fourth full-length album. I may have another album from them somewhere but this one was the first. The album highlight is Ralf Scheepers guest vocals on "Puppet on a String", the album opener. So it's very confusing when the opening track is fully sang by a guest. In any case, the songs that follow with Leszek Szpigiel are also very good. The longest more progressive songs being the best ones.
For the fans of Gamma Ray and Vicious Rumors
Lethal – Programmed (1990), 928 have in discogs.com / 1762
Programmed is the first album of two by American heavy metal band Lethal. This a fantastic metal album in the lines of early Queensryche and relatively know in the underground power metal scene. Despite being with Metal Blade, I have no idea why they didn’t get more exposure. This is the last hidden jewel on this list and for some the strongest. As with all of those 10 albums, better late than never.
For the fans of Queensryche and Crimson Glory
Reference point:
54,063 have Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind in discogs.com and Iron Maiden has 5,786,974 monthly listeners in Spotify
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