New Theocracy

I tried a download of their newest album.  Yes, I got it for free as I didn't want to buy yet another album I may or may not like.  I didn't care for it at all.  The vocals are just low enough under the mix that I can't understand the lyrics.  So, I deleted it off my FiiO player and off the computer.

I might recommend Wingdom and Gloriam Dei.  Wingdom features former Sonata Arctica keyboards Mikko Harkin while Gloriam Dei features Wingdom vocalist Sami Asp.

For female fronted symphonic metal, I might recommend LEAH or Hypersonic.

I had Wingdom and eventually sold or traded it.  I just couldn't get into it at all.  I just don't dig overly progressive metal.

Dynamis wrote:

I might recommend Wingdom and Gloriam Dei.  Wingdom features former Sonata Arctica keyboards Mikko Harkin while Gloriam Dei features Wingdom vocalist Sami Asp.

For female fronted symphonic metal, I might recommend LEAH or Hypersonic.

LEAH is another personal favorite, as well as Tarja, though the latter is more operatic metal and something fewer folks have a taste for.

ChristTrekker wrote:

I need to place a massive order to Ulterium and get a bunch of their stuff, including everything from Theocracy.

I'm on the lookout for other bands of this genre. When I found Ulterium it was like stumbling onto the mother lode. Any others, besides HB?

Another you might like is DivineFire. The lead singer is  Christian Liljegren of Narnia, but the band is more of a symphonic power/thrash band, with some core-type growls alongside Christian' tenor.

BearDad wrote:

Strictly Christian bands? I ask because Sinbreed has stated they are not, InnerWish supposedly is (according to Encyclopedia Metallum) but their lyrics don't make it obvious like Theocracy and Signum Regis, and Diviner doesn't make any claim either way (but their lead guitarist apparently is, and he was originally with InnerWish). If you like female-fronted power metal but aren't concerned about it being a Christian group as long as the lyrics are clean you might like Seven Kingdoms, a favorite of mine, with fantasy-based lyrics.

InnerStrength and Jacobs Dream are also good Christian power metal bands, although more the American than the European style. (There is a difference for those that don't know.  )

Not necessarily strictly Christian, though if I'm going to buy any secular music, I've got a couple holes in my collection named "Chuck Berry" and "Beatles" that I'll probably fill first. The discretionary budget isn't what it once was before mortgages and kids.  But feel free to give me pointers to anything. At least I'll get a taste of what's out there now. Thanks to the internet I've been able to legally download samplers for free, to have music on-the-go, and stream while at work. I've added a bunch of artists to my wishlist this way that I never would have heard of otherwise, mostly within the past two years. I honestly can't imagine how bands managed to do it back in the day, because I almost never get word of so-and-so playing a show at such-and-such until after the fact. Unless you're really into that scene, you'd think what was on the radio was the sum total of music. I'm finding great stuff from 10+ years ago and thinking, "How did I not know about this sooner?"

By way of introduction, I'll say my musical tastes are pretty diverse. I grew up in the 80s, so I've got a soft spot for pop and hard rock of that era, but I mostly listened to oldies—rockabilly, doowop, British invasion, surf music, Motown, all of it. I was introduced to Metallica, Manowar, and Savatage too. In the 90s there got to be enough Christian music around that I started to listen to that almost exclusively, and by 2000 my tastes started to wander out of the mainstream. I was into the ska craze (FIF), and other acts you wouldn't hear much on the radio, like The Electrics and Maire Brennan. I've long appreciated classical, and there's nothing wrong with country (including bluegrass). I like novelty songs and well-executed parodies (ApologetiX rocks). My tastes in metal run toward symphonic and European-style power (yes, they are different!), but I still like thrash too. My wife is into R&B and EDM, and a lot of that stuff is great. Regardless of the genre, I've got to be able to make sense of the vox or I'm going to turn it off. I've started rocking with some great punk or metal, only to have the singer start gargling razors in my ear—very disappointing. (Some screams or growls for effect is one thing, but I don't want to listen to it for 3+ minutes.) I'm fairly meticulous classifying my music to build playlists; I'm refining this constantly.

My metal playlist right now includes ApologetiX, Black Fate, Darkwater, Demon Hunter, Disciple, DivineFire, Diviner, End of September, Everything in Slow Motion, Harmony, HB, Head, Holy Soldier, Hope For The Dying, Incrave, InnerWish, Michael Sweet, Millennial Reign, Narnia, Righteous Vendetta, Sinbreed, Sincerely Autumn, Scandinavian Metal Praise, Signum Regis, Skillet, Sleeping Romance, Theocracy, Tourniquet, Waken Eyes, Within Silence.

^^ I just realized I typed InnerStrength when I meant InnerSiege. "Inner Strength" is the name of one of InnerWish's albums. Too many inner's!

Not to push Seven Kingdoms (I like them, but I'm not their agent!  ) but below is a YT playlist that includes some of theirs. I accidentally ordered two of their latest EP and would be happy to send the extra to you if you like; just $5 to cover shipping.

Staybrite wrote:

Cydonius wrote:

I don't know why but I can't get into Theocracy at all. I have the first two albums and am intrigued by 'Ghost Ship' but am hesitant to get it since I can't get into the band at all.

You probably wouldn't like it then.  I recommend spending your money on something you will like better.

Actually got the new Theocracy anyway to give them one last chance and I liked it well enough. Gonna revisit the others.

Cydonius wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

Cydonius wrote:

I don't know why but I can't get into Theocracy at all. I have the first two albums and am intrigued by 'Ghost Ship' but am hesitant to get it since I can't get into the band at all.

You probably wouldn't like it then.  I recommend spending your money on something you will like better.

Actually got the new Theocracy anyway to give them one last chance and I liked it well enough. Gonna revisit the others.

Very cool!

I tried Ghost Ship when it first came out and after the first couple of songs was bored and really never came back to it again. Surprising since I think As the World Bleeds is a monster record. Last night I dug this one back out and listened to it all the way through...really listened. I'm so mad at myself. When I first heard As The World Bleeds, I didn't think it was that great and left it on the shelf for a long time, only to pick it up later and find the gem that it really is. Darned if I didn't do the same thing all over again. Ghost Ship is terrific! I think I still like ATWB better, but this one is great. 

Someone mentioned variety. I noticed that too. There's heavy stuff (approaching thrash) and lighter stuff more like melodic metal or AOR. There's orchestral stuff and down-n-dirty rock and roll (which I've never heard on a Theocracy record till this one).

"Around the World and Back" instantly became one of my favorite Theocracy tunes.

Matt Smith will be performing on the next Neal Morse extravaganza, "Jesus Christ the Exorcist."  Other noteworthy names:  Rick Florian, Mark Pogue, Eric Gilette (who's also part of the new Trytan lineup), and Jake Livgren.

I've been listening to the released songs and it sounds great. Alldat will hate it, the songs are long. 

He should do another album soon!

Black Rider wrote:

I've been listening to the released songs and it sounds great. Alldat will hate it, the songs are long. 

I have already decided to not get this.

Normaniac wrote:

Matt Smith will be performing on the next Neal Morse extravaganza, "Jesus Christ the Exorcist."

That sounds like the title of some B horror movie.

Yeah, i'm not enamored with the title but I understand why he named it that.

I dig Ghost Ship. Got the LP when it dropped, then a few months back I scored it on CD for a very cheap 5 bucks. Like Seventh Avenue and other Power Metal outfits, you sorta have to spin the albums all the way thru more than twice, giving them some, if not all, of your attention.  If you like that old classic power metal with some symphonic mixed in, then a good solid fair listen will make you totally fall in love with this and other Theocracy albums. Good stuff Maynard

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I dig Ghost Ship. Got the LP when it dropped, then a few months back I scored it on CD for a very cheap 5 bucks. Like Seventh Avenue and other Power Metal outfits, you sorta have to spin the albums all the way thru more than twice, giving them some, if not all, of your attention.  If you like that old classic power metal with some symphonic mixed in, then a good solid fair listen will make you totally fall in love with this and other Theocracy albums. Good stuff Maynard

That is part of my problem, though.  If something doesn't grab me right away, I simply cannot focus on it and give it full attention.  It doesn't matter what it is.  Even when I have tried albums like you mentioned, somewhere my mind clicks off to something else and I never hear what everyone else does.  I guess that is why I love hair metal so much.  You don't need a lot of concentration to hear what is going on with the song.  It just tosses what they have at you and leave you wanting more.  It works.