Metal from the Land of Ire

[FenderMedium]

Have you ever tried Cruachan's - Tuatha Na Gael?

not bad stuffs actually. Irish folk BM prototype. Original version is the recorded in the vein of Metal From Hell. Well, almost. The remastered one I haven't heard. Well, if you like Primordial, you may find this ok too. I guess they are better than Waylander though they share members.

Fantastic killer near perfect album and a must to hear!!! I love their debut it crushes. Its true the sound is awful, but the music is so intense and its really something different, a forgotten masterpiece! I wouldn't even call it BM, it has a strong thrash edge, and above that the most out-of-tune flute I ever heard I think, and some of the best songwriting in decades!

The later albums are not bad either, but much more tranquil and a bit boring, just not that METAL with all the folky stuff and those boring female vox, no match for TUATHA.

I need to check the re-recorded version, but generally new recordings, even with mucho improved sound, are almost always a let-down for me. It's the SPIRIT that cant be reproduced in most cases.

Perhaps I finally agree with you.

[Piotr Sargnagel]

Cruachan's very early material was really something else than what they became. I tried Waylander recently and couldn't even finish listening to the album unfortunately. Tin whistles sometimes really wreck the sound if they are not recorded well. The new Mael Mordha album rocks however!

[Noisenik]

From memo-vaults of Mr. Ezy Meat come some more obscurer 80s Irish bands:

Aftershock
Decadence
Gehennah
Haden
Judgement
Kemikill
Miscreant
Panic
Richard III

Anyone at least vaguely familiar with them? I surmise at least Kemikill and Aftershock must be speed or thrash.

[omen of hate]

There's an Irish band called ASPHYXIA they released an EP in 1990 called "Conflagration".

You can also check DRIVESHAFT, in NWOBHM style, they recorded a 7" "Heartbreaker" in 1982

[Bane]

Dan, I'm glad you like Mael Mordha. They're only getting better and better. If you're interested in catching them play with Cruachan (and Candlemass, Entombed and Sabbat to name just three more) check out www.dodfestival.com

From memo-vaults of Mr. Ezy Meat come some more obscurer 80s Irish bands:

Aftershock
Decadence
Gehennah
Haden
Judgement
Kemikill
Miscreant
Panic
Richard III

Anyone at least vaguely familiar with them? I surmise at least Kemikill and Aftershock must be speed or thrash.

I won't lie - I've heard of all but two of them by name only. They really are as underground as you can get. I suggest asking about them over at www.metalireland.com/forum as you should hopefully find out more about them there. Or I could enquire there on your behave if you can't be arsed registering? I'm actually interested in finding out more about them myself, being a redhaired Mick myself!

[DaN]

You can also check DRIVESHAFT

Now why do I start humming to "You all, everybody..."?

[The Erlking]

Didn't see Severed Head mentioned here so I have to recommend them.
If I recall correctly they were from north ireland? I'm enjoying their only single. Pretty catchy heavy metal.

So any new discoveries in this area? Looking especially for some early 80's heavy metal from the emerald isle.

[DaN]

I was negotiating a trade w/ Mr. Sargnagel and the issue came up. Why am I so oblivious to the history of Eire Steel? The only bands that come to mind are TROJAN, SWEET SAVAGE and the ones on that "Green Metal" comp. Is it just that the scene never were that big? Or that good? Or were there loads of obscure acts we need to know about? Did the NWOBHM-explosion ever reach Irish shores? Enlighten us, ye faerie-Metal bastards!

[ION BRITTON]

It's also KILLER WATT with their the notoriously rare "Death" EP. You're not missing anything if you haven't heard it, pretty typical heavy/thrash, very easily forgettable.

And BLACKWYCH with their "Out of control" LP, which i don't like.

Don't remember any others right now. I think the scene was not that big at all, maybe there are a few more undiscovered demo/obscure bands, but they can't be that many...

[Dirty Rocker]

Hawks of cairo! Wasn't Sweet Revenge from Ireland?

[GJ]

According to the Encyclopedia Metallum: The Metal Archives site Driveshaft was Irish:

Last known line-up
Garry Lane - Vocals, Guitar
Peter Gordelier - Bass (Marquis de Sade, Blind Fury, Angel Witch)
Luke Zamberlin - Guitar
Mike Maher - Drums
Nicky Dal Bo - Keyboards

Former/past member(s)
Jeremy Nagle - Guitar (Megaton (UK))
Jamie Page - Guitar (Trilogy (Aus), Black Alice, Black Steel, Angus McDeth)
Neil Murray - Bass (Empire (Ger), Brian May, Whitesnake, Gary Moore, M3, National Health, Company of Snakes, Bow Wow, Gogmagog (UK), Rondinelli, Iommi (Guest), Tony Martin, ex-Black Sabbath)
John Sinclair - Keyboards
John Hennessy - Bass (Sledgehammer (UK), Ore)
Fred Avesque - Guitar
Graham Waxman - Drums (Last Flight)

A few pretty well-known members there. Which of them are irish?

Also from the same source - Winter's Reign.

Anyone knowing if these bands were based in Ireland all the time or if they moved to the UK?

[omen of hate]

Some others : FREEWAY, STRYDER, EZY MEAT, URGENT, PURPLE HAZE, EASY FEELIN'.

[Black Axe]

Thin Lizzy! , Driveshaft, Stryder, Winter's Reign, Freeway, Ezy Meat. I've seen a few other 7" only bands, but I've never heard those. It seems releasing full-length albums in early '80s Ireland was almost impossible. Maybe there weren't any Irish labels?

[Black Axe]

Anyone knowing if these bands were based in Ireland all the time or if they moved to the UK?

Gerry Lane moved to London in 1983 and continued Driveshaft there.

[vasilis2112]

Check that: www.irishrock.org