Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy and mythology, as well as numerous songs celebrating the genre and its core audience. The band is also known for a loud and emphatic sound. In an interview for MTV in February 2007, bassist Joey DeMaio lamented that "these days, there's a real lack of big, epic metal that is drenched with crushing guitars and choirs and orchestras... so it's nice to be one of the few bands that's actually doing that". In 1984, the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria in 2008. They also have been known for their slogan "Death to false metal". The band maintains a strong cult following and has sold over 30 mln copies of their recordings.
The new wave of British heavy metal was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term in a May 1979 issue of the British music newspaper Sounds to describe the emergence of new heavy metal bands in the mid to late 1970s, during the period of punk rock's decline and the dominance of new wave music.
Saxon are an English heavy metal band formed in 1975 in Barnsley. As one of the leading forces of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement, they had eight UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including four UK Top 10 albums and two Top 5 albums. They had numerous singles in the UK Singles Chart and chart success all over Europe and Japan, as well as success in the United States.
Angel Witch are a British heavy metal band which formed in London in 1976 as part of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement.
Barry Graham Purkis, more commonly known as Thunderstick, is an English drummer who wore various masks and used to perform on-stage closed in a cage. He was in the cult-band Samson, with whom his name is most associated.
Witchfynde are an English heavy metal band, forerunners of the new wave of British heavy metal in the late 1970s.
Hollow Ground were an English heavy metal band.
Jaguar are an English heavy metal band formed in Bristol in December 1979. They had moderate success throughout Europe and Asia in the early 1980s, during the heyday of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
Cloven Hoof are an English heavy metal band from Wolverhampton, active from 1979 to 1990, and again from around 2000 onward. They were associated with the new wave of British heavy metal movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Diamond Head. Enduring many line-up changes, only founding bassist Lee Payne has remained a constant member throughout the decades.
The Opening Ritual is an EP by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, and their debut release. The track in this EP, "The Gates Of Gehenna" was re-recorded by the same band for their self-titled first full-length studio album. There exists a bootleg split album of this EP and the band's live album Fighting Back.
Cloven Hoof, released in 1984, is the first full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. The track "Gates Of Gehenna" from the band's debut E.P., The Opening Ritual, was re-recorded in this album. Neat Records re-released this album on CD in 2002 and included 3 bonus tracks that were recorded on 10 June 1983 for the BBC Friday Rock Show.
Fighting Back, released in 1986, is a live album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. Unusually for a live album, it features a selection of new tracks not featured on previous albums, although the song "Eye of the Sun" would later resurface on their 2006 album of the same name and "Reach For the Sky" and "The Fugitive" were used on the follow-up 1988 album, Dominator. This is the only Cloven Hoof release to feature singer Rob Kendrick, and the last with guitarist Steve Rounds and drummer Kevin Poutney before breaking up the band.
Sentinel Records (Sentinel) is an independent record label & webstore. Previously a record store based in Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland in two locations, Cope Street & Upper Fownes Street..
Sentinel was founded in August 2000 with the initial intention of releasing a compilation of Irish Metal bands from across the country and then to continue to develop into a Record Label.
An Irish Metal mail-order was established to stock and sell everything released by Irish Metal bands from demos to CDs and LPs and also stock shirts, fanzines and any other related merchandise. Later this was expanded to world-wide metal and an on-line store was created. The webstore and label has had somewhat of a resurrection in recent years and expanded their stock greatly.
Play It Loud! Festival was a heavy metal festival held annually in Orzinuovi, Italy since 2007. It is organized by the My Graveyard Productions independent record label. The festival has up-and-coming bands from Italy and Europe, re-united Italian metal acts from the 80s and old-school international metal acts from the past. The first edition featured NWOBHM legends Blitzkrieg and Raven, while the second hosted the likes of Elixir, Cloven Hoof, Helstar and Manilla Road. The third edition of the festival took place on February, 2009, and it will be co-headlined by Exciter and Jag Panzer.
Russ North is an English singer, best known for his role in the heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. North had several stints with Cloven Hoof, from 1987 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2009. In 2011, he was asked back with the band only to leave for the final time in 2012 under bizarre circumstances.
Tredegar were a Welsh heavy metal band formed in 1982. It was named after the town in Wales.
Banshee is a power metal band that was formed in 1986 in the American Midwest. Although they shared the image and sound with the glam/metal scene of the 80s, their music also displays elements of melodic power metal: catchy guitar riffs, eclectic drums and bass, powerful guitar solos, and intense vocals.
Salem UK is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Hull, England. It was formed following the split of the new wave of British heavy metal band Ethel the Frog. Salem recorded three demos and a single in the early 1980s; a compilation album of these recordings was released in 2010.
Acid Witch is an American heavy metal band formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 2007. They released their first album, Witchtanic Hellucinations, in 2008 on Razorback Records. The band then released two EPs, Witch House in 2009 and Midnight Mass in 2010. The band released their second album, Stoned, in 2010, on Hells Headbangers. In 2012, Witchtanic Hellucinations was re-released on Hells Headbangers.
