Friday Morning Metal – Amon Amarth – Gjallarhorn

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Happy Friday! Here’s Amon Amarth singing about my favorite rocket launcher in the Destiny series! It’s Gjallarhorn! Gjallarhorn is an Exotic Rocket Launcher. It is also the only rocket launcher that has tracking missiles that each function separately from the warheads. Or it’s about Heimdall’s kickass horn that lets people know Ragnarök is about to happen. Amon Amarth’s been around forever, so you’ll know what you’re getting into: big epic guitars and crazy vocals and songs about vikings doing viking things! Gjallarhorn’s tracking rockets are pretty great when trying to shoot down dropships and such. It’s a bummer Density has effectively ended, that game was pretty fun.

The song kicks off with some epic harmonized chanting before a killer guitar chugg and bigass drums blast your face off. The singer talks about drinking from Gjallarhorn, but I thought it was a music horn, not a drinkin horn. Or a badass rocket launcher one should not drink from. Regardless, the song is big and bombastic and full of Norse mythologizing. The guitarmonies during the verses are pretty great, while the riff on the chorus is bound to get stuck in your head. FILL THE. GJALLARHORN.

The video cuts between the band in some badass locations and an older fella walking around being mystical and magical. Ooh it’s Odin trying to drink from Mimir’s well to get wisdom. Way to go Odin, being all mystical and magical for wisdom! I wonder if the band portion was done in the Volume™. Because it really looks like they’re out on some windswept craggy fjord. Can’t imagine fjord fog is good for guitars and drums.

Friday Morning Metal – Mountain Witch – Back from the Grave

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Enjoy some stoner Hamburger metal! This week it’s Mountain Witch’s Back from the Grave. These guys have been playing old timey doom metal since 2008, with themes of Occultism, Horror, and/or Doooooooom. It’s good to know that doom metal can come from everywhere including Hamburg, Germany. They sound like they could’ve opened for Sabbath in the 70s. Also these guys should not be mixed up with Witch Mountain, who played Mayrmoor festival in Radmond in 2025 and are also a doom metal band. I wonder if they’d ever double bill, that’d be pretty rad. Maybe there are bands called Witch Witch and Mountain Mountain so we could have every combination on the bill.

The song kicks off with big guitars setting the tone. It’s not quite as drony as other doom/stoner metal bands, with a solid chord progression going through the verses. Felt almost like a more ominous Iron Butterfly. Vocals don’t kick in until a minute in, letting you soak up the solid riffs. I also dig that the walking bass is up enough in the mix that you can actually hear it. I thiiink there’s some synth going on in there, but Encyclopaedia Metallum doesn’t mention a synth player in the band. Regardless, it gives a good haunting vibe to the song. Like it should be played in a shlocky horror movie! There’s a solid noodly solo toward the end, to finish em off, can’t go wrong with a closing solo.

There’s not much to the video, aside from the band name and song title, but they did add some pops on the screen to make it look like you’re watching a really old film or something. I kept waiting for the hand to move or something, but no dice. Much like I mentioned earlier, if they had set up the video to look like a horror movie that starts with someone dying, getting buried, then coming back from the grave for vengeance on those horny teenagers, it would’ve been wild. Like I Know What You Did Last Summer of Sixty Nine. Or something.

Friday Morning Metal – American Sharks – Overdrive

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Happy Friday, here’s some punk-metal from way out in Austin, it’s Overdrive from American Sharks. These guys apparently did a tour with Red Fang, which sounds incredibly apt, as this song has solid Prehistoric Dog vibes. They don’t have an encyclopedia metallum entry which is a shame. I bet their themes are party, fast, and beer. But I can’t be sure.

The song wastes no time before mashing your face in with chunky riffs and heavy drumming. The vocals are that great level of shouting that fits with their catchy hooks. I think he says half a brain a lot. There’s also a solid guitar solo right off the bat. Being punk-metal, their sound is reallly straightforward but great to hear. The song clocks in at like two minutes, because you don’t need more time than that to kick someone in the head with a great party anthem.

The video starts with the band stealing some “beer” before we see house show performance stuff. There’s a lot to see in there, gotta really pay attention to the crowd, or watch it a few times. And it’s only a couple minutes so it’s not like you’re out of luck if you watch it twice. Then some dudes in hazmat suits show up to investigate their RV. Their glowing RV. I think one of them farted extra hard in it and it turned nuclear.

Friday Morning Metal – Crying Steel – You Got the Look

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Oooh this week we’ve got some Metal Bolognese, it’s You Got the Look from Crying Steel. They’ve been playing metal as long as I’ve been around, and that’s pretty cool. You can tell they aren’t baloney. The band has a solid classic sound and apparently sing about love, feelings, and sadness. Those are good vibes to draw on. Waiting for Encylopaedia Metallum to cite a band’s themes as “carpet installation, dog training, and vcr repair” like they learned to rock via Sally Struthers.

The song starts off with some solid hooky guitars and stompy drums before the singer gives us a good falsetto AWWWWRIIIIIIIGHT. You can’t go wrong starting a song with guitars and AWWWWRIIIIIIIGHT. The chorus is fun, you can tell they’re Bolognese when the singer says “You got the lewwwk.” About 2/3 through there’s a pretty solid solo which transitions into another solo. Double solo! This song rips and shreds and feels very much like it’s from 1985. Which is cool, there was some good metal back then.

The video is a lot of almost like animatics of a space lady trying to find a band to sign. There’s some shots of the band playing live on her viewscreens, so you can see just how awesome these guys are. In her effort to find the most rocking band ever, she happens upon a dork playing a grandspas guitar next to a campfire, which definitely does not rock. Eventually she finds Crying Steel and realizes they’re the band she has to sign to whatever space music label she represents. Their sound is pretty out of this world.

Friday Morning Metal – Battlesnake – I Killed Satan

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Here we go, some more Battlesnake, this time it’s I Killed Satan! This is much bigger and more bombastic than I am the Vomit, which is fun to hear. They’re stretching out! Or they were already stretched out, and I just wasn’t paying enough attention. Regardless, they’re bringing some more Australian cheek with this song and video combo.

The song starts with some soaring guitars and synthy sounds, definitely gives vibes of the intro to a Saturday afternoon movie. The general sound of the song is that kind of big power metally vibe similar to Dream Evil or Hammerfall. The vocals have a solid edge to them, not leaning on the operatic vibe of the rest of the song. After the breakdown there’s a solid guitar riff that sounds like a car revving, and then we’re back to the races of yelling about how they killed satan. This would be pretty rad live, getting the crowd to yell I killed satan. No solos, but that’s fine. Also the song is three and a half minutes long. Probably don’t need to do much more after describing how they killed satan.

Like I am the Vomit, the video has some great visuals, but now it looks like a movie that would’ve been on channel 11 at noon on a Saturday or something. I guess they also kill satan with an automatic gun! There’s some interesting green screen stuff they do to look like they’re out in this map from Hexen. Interesting in that they don’t line up the camera angles perfectly so it’s all janky and silly. All in all these guys look like they’re having a hoot making these videos and I look forward to more of them.

Friday Morning Metal – KK’s Priest – One More Shot at Glory

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Here we go, One More Shot at Glory from KK’s Priest. Apparently it’s KK Downing’s band, not KK Slider. Though if Animal Crossing had him play this song on one of those weekends it would’ve ruled. KK Downing used to play guitar in Judas Priest, and you can hear some of the parallels between the two. But a little dog dude shredding a flying V and singing in the Animal Crossing gibberish, that’d be the stuff right there.

The song starts with a bass intro before the guitars join in and we eventually get the main melody of the song. Wouldn’t you know, it sounds an awful lot like a Priest song but not necessarily One Shot at Glory. The galloping rhythm does give a bit of a Maiden vibe to me. Oh hey the singer is the guy they got to replace Halford for a few years. Man this really is like “we have Judas Priest at home.” It’s still fun and shreddy and has solid metal hallmarks. Downing’s solos cover the gamut, from noodly and frenetic to intimate and mildly soaring. Four and a half minutes for the song is a little long; a couple spots felt kind of draggy, but they weren’t unnecessary.

The video cuts between the band on a soundstage and a big epic battle scene. It’s fun how much fire they got on the soundstage, it must have been extra toasty. Oooh synchronized guitar posing! After the big battle, all seems to be lost, but then main sword guy goes for his one more shot at glory. The band is sufficiently leathered up, aside from the drummer. They even do some slow mo Downing shots, just to let you know how epic he is.

Friday Morning Metal – W.M.D. – Eyes of a Killer

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Well this band has Canadian markings, it’s Eyes of a Killer by W.M.D. The youtube comments say they’re from Vancouver, but Encylopaedia Metallum claims they’re from Calgary, Alberta, Canadaaaaaa, so I guess that’s a point of debate. Hah their demo was called ‘DEMO’lition, that’s pretty clever. Gotta appreciate that.

The song starts off with some spooky whispers before a drum fill and chuggy guitar kicks into gear. You can hear the bass in the mix, which doesn’t seem like something thrash bands do. But these guys do it, and it’s springing and slappy and awesome. Dang the drums in this song are badass, super driving but with a couple solid breakdowns for the crowd to fist pump before crashing the pit. The solo is shreddy and soaring and completely deserving to be played on a flying v. There’s even a key change toward the end! The screams give off a solid Slayer vibe, and the vocals fit in pretty well. Despite being from Canada, they don’t say aboat, so that’s interesting.

The video cuts between the band playing in a forest, and a lady hiding in the woods or running from a killer? Or a dude in a hoodie? Or the guitarist? There’s a bit where he’s standing on a road and walking toward the camera. The video ends before we figure out what happens to her. Hopefully she makes it to safety.

Friday Morning Metal – Leatherwitch – Heroes and the Dice

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Woo shreddy lady metal featuring ladies! This week we’re listening to Heroes and the Dice, from Katowice, Silesia. Silesia is apparently a region that covers a bit of Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. I just learned that. So now you get to too! The band was started by Marta Gabriel, who was in Crystal Viper and also worked as a session musician with like Manilla Road and stuff. And she shreds! Also it’s spelled Leatherwitch, not leatherwich, which I assume is what happens to a hoagie if you leave it out in the sun too long.

The song starts off with some plinky plunky grandspas guitars before the drums come marching in. Definitely has the vibes of a Maiden song that would be the first song out the gate live. The pivot to chuggy guitars and big drums is pretty great. Marta’s got a great voice that soars overs the melody real well. The solo is fun, with crazy noodling and soary interludes. The drums are tomtastic and ready to guide many a runner to a huge PR on their next race.

The video is a combo of her performing along with clips of what looks to be wizards playing D&D in the woods. Or at least they’re rolling dice in the woods. I think they’re magical scrying dice or something. Then I think a dude gets stabbed with an enchanted dagger which someone buries on a beach. Maybe they were playing dice over who got stabbed. Or who had to do the stabbing. Marta’s white leather fingerless gloves are pretty badass, and there’s plenty of opportunities to watch her shred out. The placement of the lights behind her does make it look like she’s standing in front of a Jeep Wrangler while singing. But all in all it’s a fun song and video!

Friday Morning Metal – Visigoth – Warrior Queen

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Happy Friday, here’s some power metal coming straight out of Salt Lake City, it’s Visigoth’s Warrior Queen. I’ve talked about these guys previously with their song Dungeon Master, about guys who like… battle orcs and have maximum charisma. This time it’s about a lady who’s badass and has a sword & stuff.

The song is pretty straight down the fairway power metal, kicking off with a drum fill before the singer shows off his pipes. It’s got a solid chugga guitar line during the verses, putting it right at home with like Dream Evil and whatnot. There’s a solid solo halfway through the song, chock full of finger taps and sweeps picks. Seems like most bands, if they do a solo, put it halfway through. I guess that gives the band a breather. They get an extra breather with a big epic breakdown to let the singer play flute. He plays flute you guys. And sings about marching through the fog. The big vocals transition to a good shouty part that I assume gets the crowd ready for huge moshing right at the end.

The video cuts between the band on a soundstage, and the titular warrior queen standing alone and ready to fight some guy who has a flail or something. Oh and she defeats a king who looks like he’s king of the comic shop down the street. The vocalist seems like a nice guy but he also looks like “we have Halford at home” with his studded jacket. Oooh there is a bit of some rock guitar posing.

Friday Morning Metal – Green Carnation – Sanguis

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What in Green Carnation? Here’s some super prog from Norway’s own Green Carnation. The song is Sanguis, off Part two of Prog Bards Epic Album Trilogy™, and that’s a fantastic phrase right there. These guys have been progging all over since 1990, with themes of life, death, sorrow, and introspection. Sanguis does seem to play in those themes. Also their drummer’s shirt is buttoned all the way up. He looks like a server at a fancy restaurant, not a drummer. Maybe that’s how you can tell they’re a professional prog® band.

The song kicks off with some organ vibes before dropping into the main melody. It’s pretty cool to see a band prog rocking with an organ instead of a keyboard. But a keytar would still be epic. The vocals are big and clean, and with the way the guy is moving his hands around I bet he’s like an opera type singer too. Oooh and sometimes he pivots to a growl, that’s neat. There’s a pretty noodly solo at the halfway mark, not like crazy noodly but definitely fun and technical. The chorus is pretty floaty, not like much of the stuff I’ve posted recently, but it’s a pretty big and epic 7-minute prog fest.

The video itself is primarily on a sound stage, but sometimes they make it look like it’s snowing/raining blood? I guess that’s the Sanguis part. Also a lot of strobe lights, so if that is no damn good for you maybe listen to the song on Sportify or scroll the video off the page? The lead singer looks like Santa giving a Ted Talk, too.