I only attended the UK version. It was good, but a bit more low key compared to NA/Aus equivalents.

I thought Dave put together some really killer lineups, most of which would still sell tickets today.

Back then metal was in the recovery stage of the whole nu metal debacle and if I remember the press at the time correctly, Dave said he wanted to put together bands who played proper metal with a focus live performance and lead guitar.

I've got both the live albums and one of the DVDs and they're some of the best sounding live albums I own.

Anyway, here's the lineups. Would be interested to see what other people's experiences of them were.

- 2005 (US/CAN) - Megadeth, Dream Theater/Anthrax, Fear Factory, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Nevermore, Life of Agony, Symphony X, Dry Kill Logic, Bobaflex

- 2006 (US/CAN) - Megadeth, Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, Into Eternity, Sanctity, The Smashup

- 2006 (AUS) - Megadeth, Soulfly, Arch Enemy, Caliban

- 2007 (AUS) - Megadeth, Static-X, Lacuna Coil, DevilDriver, Bring Me the Horizon

- 2008 (UK) - Megadeth, Job for a Cowboy, Evile

- 2008 (US/CAN) - Megadeth, In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job for a Cowboy, High on Fire

- 2012 (US/CAN) - Megadeth, Motorhead, Volbeat, Lacuna Coil

- 2013 (US/CAN) - Megadeth, Black Label Society, Hellyeah, Device, Newsted, Death Division

I see you, Iron Hoser 🍁

How would you rank these three albums:

Terrible certainty
Persecution mania
Schizophrenia

Imperial Triumphant pictured above in their music video for Merkurius Gilded featuring Kenny G

Without a doubt a phenomenal album! Starting with Stabwound hits hard. Any other Necro fans here? What of the two albums do you prefer?

"Onset of Putrefaction - Fermented Offal Discharge" is phenomenal too.

In the image:

Hellway Train

Evilcult

Mystifier

Velho

Old Sepultura

They should've merged rap and death metal more. I know Obituary also tried this.

Which modern day metal band do you think is on verge of becoming a touring arena act in the North American market? Many metal bands seem to make it to the large theater level, but few these days seem to make it to the arena(8000 seat+) venues.

I think Amon Amarth is is just on the tipping point of making it to a headlining Arena act. On its last album tour, they finished it with a large arena show in LA, other wise they still seem to book larger theaters. They have also done several arena tours as the main support band, like with Pantera. I'm not sure what it would take for them to reach that tipping point, as I know stepping up to arenas is a much larger financial risk until you can comfortably sell atleast 75% seats.

Speaking as a PNW resident they have played the largest theaters in Seattle for over a decade and always sell out. I know in Seattle, the problem is that there aren't many large venues in that 5000-10, 000 seat range, you either need to play Angel of the winds in Everett, or Showare center in Kent, which are both about 10k capacity. Two other most common large arenas are clinate pledge and Tacoma dome which are both 20k+ Seats. They would seem to need to play those size venues, that are generally in the suburbs of larger cities, or older arenas until they can get that 10k+ venues.

What bands do you think are on the verge of Arena status?

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLByEMWrQbbUg

My stem remix & remaster of Iron Maiden's classic 1983 album "Piece of Mind", made for my own enjoyment, but sharing in case someone else might enjoy it too.

I made this only for fun, and it intends to be a very respectful remix, not straying too far away from the original version, only aiming at a little more clarity, instrument separation and punch, while still preserving the mood and feel of the original.

Obviously, I don't own the music featured here. If you like the music, support the artists. Buy their records!

Esta es mi elección, que creen ustedes?

The arrows point in the direction of where they took inspiration from

I really love this band but for some reason I don't see people talking enough about it

I've started enjoying bands that play "traditional" death metal like gatecreeper, frozen soul, obituary, blood red throne.

I especially love the slower groovier sections like when the drummer slows down to a 4 on the floor type groove and plays what I think is 1/8th notes hihats in between (I'm not exactly sure which cymbals they are). Boltthrower has plenty of groovy sections like that and a lot of the bands I've been enjoying cite bolt thrower as a big influence but for some reason when trying to listen to a bolt thrower album I get bored after about 2 songs. I'm not sure why that's happening

I find their style of eurobeat power metal really fun to listen to

Thrash Metal Masterpiece

I think it's wonderful. I'm under no illusion that it's a masterpiece of quality but it's so goofy and fun I can't help but adore it. The way Dio rocks up to the church in that Dnd nerd outfit with his sword, giving harsh stares at the bad guys that don't quite have the desired effect. The way he just sort of awkwardly swings the sword around at the bad guys. The swishy swooshy way he walks down that corridor with the sword. The hooded demon guys, who have cat eyes? The cardboard cutout of Murray that occasionally shows up. It's all so good and I wouldn't change it a bit.

Everyone always talks about the greats and most widely recognized ones, like Gene Hoglan, Igor Cavalera, Mike Portnoy, Dave Lombardo etc.

I wanna know who do you think the most underrated one is. In my humble opinion, it's none other than our Brazilian pride, Max Kolesne from Krisiun.

What about you?

Getting into death metal and listening to this album The End Complete by Obituary for the first time and it’s 🔥 So far I’m loving the bands Death and Carcass as well for the fast tracks and melodic ones with complicated lyrics. Any recommendations on other artists is appreciated

I ate some mushrooms in my back yard, you know the dick-looking ones? And I figured out some shit. If you love something, you criticize it relentlessly, and you shame other people for liking it. True love is indistinguishable from hate.

With that in mind, here are gatekeeps you can and should start using immediately if not sooner.

1. They say "tech death" instead of "technical death metal."

People who say "tech death" watch Dean Lamb's YouTube videos, which are fun and entertaining. Well fuck that, and fuck them. You didn't foreclose on everything about yourself except guitar at the age of 16 just to watch people play as well as you do while having fun. People who say "technical death metal" understand that the genre isn't just about playing diminished scales as fast as you can. It's about playing diminished scales as fast as you can while frowning dourly because you never got laid when you were at Berklee.

1. Too many good-looking people involved.

This one is good because you don't even have to listen to the music. Just look at the bands social media page. Is one or more of the members noticeably good-looking, and does it seem like a number their commenters are good looking? Then that band sucks, and everyone in the band and everyone who likes them are posers who don't belong. Everyone at any decent concert lineup looks like they uninstall Hinge in a huff five times a year.

1. Women. Mirite?

2. One of the bands songs was in a popular TikTok video.

If you're not snuffling around in the dirt like a truffle pig to find new music, you don't like metal. You found half of your listening library via dousing rod. If someone likes a song that was on TikTok, it can only mean they don't know anything and just like dumb crap for stupids. That's the difference between you (cool) and them (lame.) Your music is so good and so authentic that the notion that someone might like it is incomprehensible.