This is the most crucial period for Aerosmith and their future. As most of you might know, following a number of clashes and several announcements, mostly through the internet, the band is in search of Steven Tyler’s replacement. Is this possible? Well, that’s a matter for debate. I strongly believe, though, that there is no Aerosmith without Steven Tyler…

Manowar is a band that definitely needs no reference, since it is one of the bands with the most dedicated fans, but also with the most sworn enemies in history of heavy metal. There are also some people who acknowledge Manowar’s contribution to world’s heavy metal discography with classic albums, but now they see them as a shadow of their glorious past that have nothing more to offer. No matter what you think, you should still agree with the fact that, beyond their latest releases and your opinion about them, their contribution to the heavy metal scene has been huge and they have been and still are a major source of inspiration for many bands. 

My favorite Slayer album is “Seasons In The Abyss”. What a way to start a review on “Reign In Blood”! Well, “Seasons ...” was the first I bought and heard thus I feel closer to it. Still the masterpiece offered by the American thrashers was, is and will be “Reign In Blood”, Rick Rubin’s first ever rock / metal production! The great and high-requested producer (also co-head of Columbia records) before Slayer had released LL Cool J, Beastie Boys and Run DMC, all of them successful artists but in the hip hop genre. 

Mercyful Fate (King Diamond – vocals, Hank Shermann / Michael Denner – guitars, Timi Hansen – bass guitar, Kim Ruzz – drums) is one of the greatest heavy metal bands to emerge from Europe during the ’80s. They were a product of Denmark, that hadn’t offered a lot of metal until then, inspired by Judas Priest and their first 70s influences, with punk origins (see Brats) though, became creators of a lot of new genres and an inspiration themselves for other bands. Funny thing is that most of those bands were parts of extreme metal genres that followed. If we go back to 1997, there was a Fate (not Shermann’s band!) tribute album full of black / death / thrash metal acts! It’s very impressive how influential was King Diamond’s spooky image and perception, his themes, instead of their amazing riffs.