Satan's Empire

In the early 80's, compilation albums were the way for both startup record labels and unsigned bands to to get exposure, and several of those labels put out these albums just to see who would catch on (Metal Blade's Metal Massacre series being the most famous). Invariably these albums would feature tracks by bands who would never record again, prompting listeners to ask "Whatever happened to X?". Case in point: Lead Weight, the very first compilation from the fledgling Neat label in 1981. It featured bands such as Raven, Venom, and Blitzkrieg, among others, who would go on to record with the label, but it closed with a epic track entitled "Soldiers Of War" by a completely unknown band called Satan's Empire. And with that track completed, the band all but disappeared. Yet 30+ years later, the guys got back together and, miraculously, released a full-length album, Rising, in 2018. Unsurprisingly, Rising is very much entrenched in the NWOBHM style, yet it really doesn't sound stale at all. Fame and fortune will probably never come to these guys, as this is a labor of love more than anything, but it makes for a worthy addition to any NWOBHM collection.

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Discography

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