By Andrew Bansal
The year of 2014 witnessed plenty of old, jaded rockers preaching the ‘rock is dead’ philosophy, but on the other hand, the year also saw the birth, rise and metamorphosis of new, young hard rock and heavy metal bands that did their utmost best to defy that very statement. Through quality studio recordings and live performances, these emerging artists went about setting the world of heavy music alight. Here are my picks for the top 14 in this category:
14. 
Morbid Eclipse – Certain bands take a while to grow on a listener, but there are some for whom one mere performance is more than enough to create a long lasting impression. Orange County CA’s Morbid Eclipse most definitely comes under the latter, as this writer discovered first-hand at a garage show in Santa Barbara where the band put on a high-octane show of epic proportions and garnered the unanimous approval of first-timers. Their 2014 demo release ‘The Bomb Shelter Session’ destroys everything in its wake, and with a diverse blend of thrash, black, doom, sludge and death metal to go with an entertaining on-stage persona, Morbid Eclipse are set to turn some heads soon enough.
13. Blade Killer – Belonging to the newest legion of traditional heavy metal flag-bearers, Los Angeles’ very own Blade Killer began in 2012 and have announced their arrival on the scene with the release of an extremely righteous four-track self-titled EP this year. Twin guitar harmonies, galloping rhythms and epic clean vocals decorate Blade Killer’s music and the production on this EP excellently captures their energy as a live band. The band has stayed active with a number of well-selected gigs in the LA area this year, and show no signs of stopping. Old-school metalheads, be on the lookout for Blade Killer to bring you sonic bliss in the immediate and distant future.
12. Diamond Lane – In terms of the volume of live gigging, Los Angeles-based Diamond Lane have been more active in 2014 than ever before, and have caught the eyes and ears of several in the LA scene in the process. Bringing forth classic hard rock and pure heavy metal with an undeniably fresh, energetic vibe, Diamond Lane give old-schoolers plenty of reason to rejoice. Their highly impressive 2014 full-length release ‘Terrorizer’ bleeds unadulterated American blue collar firepower. Besides their LA shows they’ve also done minor touring elsewhere this year, and look poised to do a lot more of it in the coming years. Diamond Lane is face-melting, fist-pumping heavy music at its exuberant best.
11. Legal Tender – Hailing from Burbank, California, ridiculously talented young melodic thrash quartet Legal Tender spent most of 2013 working on their debut EP ‘Lust In Demons’ and in 2014 they bore the fruit of this compelling creative effort as they presented these tunes on stages all over Los Angeles and beyond. Simultaneously, they also wrote new music and included it in their live sets, and throughout the year they’ve established themselves as a band impossible to dislike. With the onset of the next release, Legal Tender is slated to escalate to the next level very soon.
10. Future Villains – Emphatically embodying the LA rock ‘n roll spirit, Future Villains came a long way as a band in 2014, completing an overwhelmingly successful North American tour with Steel Panther and developing into an extremely solid live act as a result. Their self-titled EP speaks volumes for their ability to portray a simplistic rock sound with conviction, and they continue to work on new material which will amplify these qualities even further. Watch out for Future Villains, as they are coming to crash a party near you.
9. Visigoth – The modern age of metal suffers from a grave scarcity of well-done pristine heavy metal. But, Salt Lake City-based quintet Visigoth have been on a mission to fill this void with their brand of straightforward no-frills traditional metal since 2010. Their hard work through two independent releases and various spellbinding live gigs saw them make the leap forward this year as they got signed to Metal Blade Records. Their fortunes are on the rise, and this signing should now enable them to showcase their heavy metal mastery far, far beyond Salt Lake City.
8. Amulet – Traditional heavy metal quintet Amulet have emerged from their hometown of London, England and the UK/European metal underground out to pastures beyond, signing to Century Media Records and releasing their debut full-length album, simply titled ‘The First’, this year. Paying homage to the godfathers of the genre through their own interpretation of the music they grew up worshiping, Amulet have so far succeeded in their mission to bring back a long-gone era of all-guns-blazing pristine heavy metal.
7. Wings Denied – Based out of Washington DC, progressive metal quintet Wings Denied have made rapid strides in the two years of their active existence, and 2014 has certainly been their best year yet with the release of their fantastic debut album ‘Mirrors For A Prince’. Wings Denied find the perfect and often elusive balance between catchy melodies and skillful progressive musicianship throughout the 10-track effort. Jamie King’s involvement behind the board and guest contributions by the likes of Joe Lester prove that Wings Denied already have the approval of the modern metal world, and things will only get better for them from here onwards.
6. Black Trip – Following a long period of inactivity since their 2004 inception, Swedish occult-themed metal band Black Trip sprung into activity in 2012 and released their debut full-length ‘Goin Under’ in 2013. They signed with Prosthetic Records in America and the album was released stateside this year to finally introduce Black Trip to listeners here. Having plied their trade in other respectable bands prior, all members of Black Trip bring forth their individual and collective passion for classic 70s hard rock and channel it in their own creations that comprise ‘Goin Under’. The album is pure gold from start to finish, and firmly puts Black Trip on the global map.
5. Fallujah – San Francisco Bay Area-based atmospheric/progressive extreme metal band Fallujah have managed to take not one but several giant leaps as a band this year, with their mind-blowing latest album ‘The Flesh Prevails’ via Unique Leader Records and an endless amount of touring, including a spot on the much-coveted Summer Slaughter run alongside greats Morbid Angel and Dying Fetus. The unique blend of scorching death metal and ethereal atmospheres prevalent on the album sets them apart from others in the genre and transcends them out and above the metal underground.
4. Rivers Of Nihil – Based out of Reading PA, technical death metal band Rivers Of Nihil toured with the likes of Broken Hope and DevilDriver in the first half of this year and followed it up with plenty more touring including headlining runs of their own and an appearance on the popular ‘Death To All’ package. Capitalizing on musical craftsmanship as evident on 2013 Metal Blade release ‘The Conscious Seed Of Light’ along with unmatchable work ethic, Rivers Of Nihil are already sitting somewhere near the pinnacle of modern extreme metal and it shouldn’t take them too long to get there.
3. Allegaeon – Denver/Fort Collins, Colorado extreme metal cohorts Allegaeon have certainly conquered the genre with their unmistakably fantastic new Metal Blade Records release ‘Elements Of The Infinite’ and a captivating live show to go with the quality of musicianship. Solidifying the band lineup and getting on appropriate tours, Allegaeon have done everything right in 2014, and in hindsight, the year might well turn out to be instrumental in their metamorphosis as a force to be reckoned with in the realm of extreme metal.
2. Nekrogoblikon – From the infernal depths of obscurity, Southern California-based goblin metal outfit Nekrogoblikon catapulted themselves to modern legendary status on a global level this year. Growing together both as creative musicians and skillful comedians, Nekrogoblikon have successfully infused the two traits and with the help of their insanely out-of-control mascot John Goblikon, they’ve laid waste to every stage they’ve embarked on in 2014. Melodic death metal, unbridled humor, and goblins. Nekrogoblikon have it all to become the next big thing in metal.
1. Exmortus – No band has taken the metal universe by storm quite like Exmortus did this year. Based on the strength of stellar new album ‘Slave To The Sword’ which marked their Prosthetic Records debut and their entry into heavy metal prime-time, they toured relentlessly across North America on their own and with several high-profile bands to convert the masses into loyal fans. Having toiled laboriously as an underground band in Southern California for a number of years, Exmortus have emerged on top and proved that hard work pays off, even in the music industry’s current state. Metal is king, and so is Exmortus.
