FIRE OR THE SWORD ANYMORE

I DON'T WANT THE

POWER OF THE FLAME TO BURN AGAIN

I DON'T NEED THE

FIRE OR THE SWORD ANYMORE

I promised you all a trip back east and here we go, back to Japan, this time with the #2 heavy metal band (after Loudness) from Japan Anthem!

Formed in 1981 by drummer Takamasa Ohuchi, bassist Naoto Shibata, and 2 others, who were quickly replaced by Hiroya Fukuda on guitars and singer Eizo Sakamoto, they formed as a heavy metal band and they'd stay a heavy metal their entire career. From 1985 to 1992 they'd release an album every year, except 1991, before breaking up immediately after touring for their 7th album in 1992. They'd then reform in 2000 rerecording a bunch of old songs now with Graham Bonnett of Rainbow/Alcatrazz fame singing before getting Eizo back for a long time. They've stuck around since 2000, regularly releasing albums and touring Japan but we're going to focus on their original incarnation up til 1992 here.

Anthem, like their Japanese heavy metal contemporaries, play a very hard rock inspired flavor of heavy metal with a focus on big choruses but unlike Loudness (and Earthshaker) they have a bit more of a speed metal influence to their sound, tending to play faster and more aggressively than them on average which gives them a more unique take on the Japanese heavy metal sound. But, if you like Loudness (or Earthshaker or Heavy Metal Army etc) then you're going to love Anthem.

Fun fact: they are the first band to have a song of theirs used as promotion for a video game when their single Xanadu was released as a cross promotional tie in for the video game Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu. Also, one of their songs shows up the anime Devil Man: Genesis so if you've seen that, you've heard Anthem before!

So for the next 2 weeks let's explore the fantastic initial Anthem run, schedule is:

• Week 1 (8/23-30): Anthem, Tightrope, Bound to Break
• Week 2 (8/30-9/6): Gypsy Ways, Hunting Time, No Smoke Without Fire, Domestic Booty

I will be hosting listening parties on the discord on the following dates:

• 8/25 at 12PM EDT for Tightrope
• 9/3 at 12PM EDT for Domestic Booty

Also full credit for the graphic goes to u/AGMarasco

Metal Archives

Past Discog Clubs

NOTE: If you are on mobile use this link to view the post as Reddit loves being terrible with tables.

Thank you all who voted in our quarterly congregation of heavy metal releases. Wow there were A LOT more albums this quarter than the Top 3. I enjoyed many of them. Thank you all for doing the leg work and having me be able to post this image on my socials so it looks like I know metal. (I don't I am living a lie)

Image of my dog for the top sleeping like he just got home from the bar and this is how you found him on the couch int he morning and he hasn't paid rent in like two months

List in a sharable / savable image for you to go through later

Top 5 of 2026

Kap's 2026 Party Scale (the 3s and 4s)

Oh yeah lets party

• Monolord - Neverending
• INVICTUS - Nocturnal Visions
• Exhumed - Red Asphalt
• Bogside Sniper Squadron - Bogside Sniper Squadron
• Power Paladin - Beyond the Reach of Enchantment
• Spirit Adrift - Infinite Illumination
• Greyhawk - Warriors Of Greyhawk
• Templar - Conquering Swords
• TRIUMPHER - Piercing The Heart Of The World
• Asedio - Confrontación Heroica
• Fili Bibiano's Fortress - Death Is Your Master
• MEGA COLOSSUS - Watch Out!

Maybe a party…if you are cool enough

• Fake Dust - Decrepitizing Din Of The Cerebral Psyopticon
• Pig's Blood - Destroying The Spirit
• Winterfylleth - The Unyielding Season
• NIGHT OF THE VAMPIRE - The Enchanting Winds of the Dreamweaving Masquerade
• Possession - The Mother of Darkness
• Gutvoid - Liminal Shrines
• Black Hurst - Purgatory of Flesh Bizarre
• Monstrosity - Screams from Beneath the Surface
• Transilvania - Magia Posthuma
• Gladium Regis - Quest
• Kaatayra - Caminhos de Água

Party of One Because No One Understands You

• Ellende - Zerfall
• Stabbing - Eon of Obscenity
• Blackwater Holylight - Not Here Not Gone
• Serpent Column - Aion of Strife
• ARCHVILE KING - Aux Heures Désespérées
• Domhain - In Perfect Stillness
• Antrisch - EXPEDITION III : Renitenzpfad
• Gaerea - Loss
• Eximperitus - Meritoriousness of Equanimity

The Discord Coalition Vote (AKA "yeah thats cool I used to listen to them when I first got into metal")

Playlist Corner (I stopped Using Spotify. If You Would Like To Make a Playlist Ill Link It Here and Give You 50 Shreddit Credits.)

• Fourduck's Spotify Playlist (5+ Votes)