Black Widow-Sacrifice (1970)

Often compared to Black Sabbath due to their name and the satanic lyrics on their first album, Black Widow had released an album under the name Pesky Gee in 1969 before changing their name. However, that comparison was rather unfair, because their style, unlike the gloomy and dark sounds of the band led by Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne, was more boisterous, cheerful, and with proto-progressive elements, albeit with undeniably demonic lyrics. This trend would change on their next two albums, which wouldn't go in that direction, as their style remained within the confines of hard rock and more conventional progressive rock. Hailing from Leicester in the east of England, this band was founded by vocalist Kip Trevor, guitarist Jim Gannon, and keyboardist Zoot Taylor, with drummer Clive Box, bassist Bon Bond, and flautist/saxophonist Clive Jones completing the lineup. Even with their previous band, Pesky Gee, they had garnered considerable attention for their satanic concerts, where they simulated the sacrifice of a naked woman on stage. In 1970, they left Pye Records and signed with CBS, with whom they released their first album under the new name Black Widow. Musically, this debut release is not a funeral dirge despite its controversial lyrics; the melodies are uplifting, with hints of prog folk and some jazz elements, all filtered through the lens of progressive hard rock. The album opens with the progressive track "In Ancient Days", brimming with Hammond organ sounds, Mellotrons, and string instruments. The commercially oriented "Come To The Sabbat" was a surprising hit due to its sinister and diabolical lyrics. On the other hand, the pleasant and more earthy "Seduction" and the extensive and complex "Sacrifice" completed a superb work of the best proto-progressive metal of the early 70s. But from this point on, due to pressure from their own record label and certain very powerful and influential fundamentalist Christian groups, the band stopped including satanic lyrics in their subsequent works.

Black Hole-Land Of Mystery (1985)

Black Hole was an obscure Italian heavy metal band that released one of the gems of the so-called Doom Metal subgenre in 1985. Their lineup consisted of vocalist Robert Measles, who also played organ and synthesizers, guitarist Nicholas Murray, and drummer Luther Gordon. Their origins trace back to the city of Verona in the early 1980s. "Land of Mystery" was the third album by this Italian band, a raw recording with dark synthesizer and atmospheric organ sounds in the purest style of the early 1970s, haunting vocals sung in English, and powerful, hypnotic, and gloomy guitar riffs. Here, connotations of classic heavy metal appear, such as "Demoniac City", while "Land Of Mystery" is close to heavy and energetic stoner rock. The twisted and eccentric "All My Evil" gives way to the grim "Bells Of Death", which at the same time welcomes the most atmospheric and sinister moments with "Blind Men And Occult Forces", the psychedelic "Spectral World", or the heavy instrumental rock "Obscurity In The Ethereal House", which brings to a close a lapidary and chilling album of surreal and hypnotic heavy metal.

Tramp-Tramp (1969)

Tramp was a blues band comprised of musicians from other groups who worked on this project in parallel, united by their love for the most basic sounds of British rock and blues. Founded by siblings Dave Kelly and Jo Ann Kelly, guitarist and singer respectively, in 1969 they convinced Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood (drums), Bob Brunning (bass), and Danny Kirwan (guitar), along with pianist Bob Hall (formerly of the Groundhogs), percussionist Ian Morton, vocalist Memphis Lil, and saxophonist Dave Brooks, to record an album, which was released at the end of 1969. This debut album features a repertoire of solid blues and rock tracks, such as the galloping opening track "Own Up", while the instrumental "Hard Work" also follows that rock trend, contrasting with the bluesy and leisurely "Street Walking Blues", the melancholic "Baby What You Want Me To Do", and the funk. The light and catchy “Oh The Scene” is a highlight. The rest of the album leans towards a more eclectic sound, navigating between jazz and R&B, and features dynamic tracks like “Same Old Thing”, the effective “What You Gonna Do When The Road Comes Through”, the boogie-jazz “Somebody Watching Me”, and the elaborate “Another Day”. In short, a fine blues and rock album recorded by excellent musicians, with Danny Kirwan delivering an immeasurable guitar performance that would become the pinnacle of the group's bluesy sound, while also making him the most outstanding of the former Fleetwood Mac members.

Praying Mantis-Time Tells No Lies (1981)

Praying Mantis is considered one of the leading bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene; however, unlike their contemporaries, they followed a much more melodic and commercial musical direction. Their origins date back several years before the NWOBHM genre was officially established, specifically to the mid-seventies. Founded by brothers Chris and Tyler Toy, on bass and guitar respectively, along with drummer Dave Potts and guitarist Steve Carroll, they released the EP "Soundhouse Tapes" in 1979. The following year, due to their growing reputation, they opened for Iron Maiden and Ronnie Montrose in the UK. Their spectacular concerts opened the doors to Arista Records, with whom they released their first album and, ultimately, their most commercially successful work, "Time Tells No Lies", in 1981. Featuring a spectacular cover by the renowned illustrator Rodney Matthews (a trend that would become a hallmark of all their work), this debut album contained an explosive mix of epic and powerful heavy metal with soaring melodies and intricate instrumentation, as demonstrated in the opening track "Cheated". Their epic side is showcased in the sensational "Lovers to the Grave", and their energetic melodic heavy metal tracks include "Children of the Earth" and "Beads of Ebony". Meanwhile, their furious cover of The Kinks' "All Day and All Out of the Night" adds a touch of commercial appeal. However, the band's instability and poor promotion by Arista hindered their ability to achieve greater success. The following year, the band changed labels, signing with Jet Records and releasing several singles that met with little success, leading to their eventual breakup until their reunion in 1987. However, during those early years, Praying Mantis had amassed a large following in Japan, a country where they were revered and their work enjoyed great success. In recognition of their thousands of Japanese fans, the band reformed in 1990, with former Iron Maiden members Dennis Stratton and Paul Di'Anno joining the lineup for a nostalgic tour of Japan. The Japanese audience responded enthusiastically, which motivated them to release the album "Live At Last" and a new studio album, "Predator In Disguise" (1991), achieving overwhelming sales and critical acclaim. From this point on, the band continued releasing a series of well-received and highly successful albums such as “A Cry For The New World” (1993), “To The Power Of Ten” (1995), and “Forever In Time” (1998), all sharing a common thread: frequent lineup changes. Despite these changes, the quality of their work never diminished. In 2007, they released one of their most celebrated albums, “Sanctuary”, which garnered widespread acclaim and achieved phenomenal sales. The same success followed with their subsequent albums, “Legacy” (2015) and “Gravity” (2018), which garnered them thousands of fans worldwide. Currently, Praying Mantis is one of the few remaining active bands from the NWOBHM movement, having sold over 30 million albums globally after a 40-year career.