Hi Darcy First band that comes to mind is Icon, why they didnt made a sucess is a big mystery. Great video as always. Cheers from Sweden.

Hey Darcy, very good overview! I love this period also, grew up on this era of Metal. I have seen every one of these bands. My only exception to your list is Meliah Rage. Never warmed to them. Your biggest omission, considering the majority of these bands were on Metal Blade and you are 😃obviously are a Maiden fan, is Fates Warning. They hail from my hometown Hartford, Connecticut. I've seen them live numerous times. They have been so influential to other bands. It's unfortunate they never obtained a wider following. Keep up the great work!

Hey Darcy. Check out Warrior Soul. That band was so amazing. Punk attitude and lyrics in a hard rock metal fusion. Their lyrics were amazing and somehow just tanked with the arrival of grunge. I saw them on tour with Danzig and Soundgarden in 1990. Kick ass stuff. Check em out.

Here's my list: - Diamond Head, - Angel Witch, - Grim Reaper, - Whiplash, - Razor, - Sacrifice.

Hey Darcy. Interesting topic. To me, the ultimate band that should have been big is Marshall Law. Excellent metal that never got much recognition. I'd also add Leatherwolf, Killer, Praying Mantis, Demon and Blitzkrieg. Lots of amazing stuff on the way to my mailbox. Can't wait 🔥. Have a great week brother.

Lizzy Borden is fantastic.. got into them from watching your channel, was no turning back. I actually do not have the latest record either. Every other band mentioned here I know they exist, I’ve heard of them all, but have not listened to them.. I will make it a point too, especially Omen.. great video brother.. stay heavy!!🤟🤟🤟

We've talked about them before. Vicious Rumors fall into this category. The first 4 albums with Carl Albert are great: Digital Dictator (1988) Vicious Rumors (1990) Welcome to the Ball (1991) Word of Mouth

I'd have to go with Savatage. Very well known in the metal world but outside of that no one knows them. Another band I never hear anyone talk about are Heavens Gate and Scanner both from Germany I believe.

THE KILLER DWARFS should have veen much bigger. Pun kind of intended but its still very true. \m/

Wildside, Everymothers Nightmare, Vicious Rumors, Savatage, Lillian Axe, Chastain, and Leatherwolf.

Great idea for a video, Darcy! As I was thinking about this topic, I initially had the concept of bands that were never widely known at all. But as I thought about it more, I think there are some bands who are relatively well-known, but yet, they still should have been even bigger. Some of those that come to mind for me are Overkill, Testament, Death Angel (who all should have been included in the true Big 4), and Canada's very own Anvil! And sticking with the (mostly) thrash theme, Accuser and Sadus should have been bigger as well. Reverend comes to mind on the more "traditional metal" side of things. Lots of great bands to check out, no matter how you look at it!

‘Omen’ are a band that have been firmly on my radar for quite a while now… but I’m yet to get my hands on any of their albums! ‘Laaz Rockit’ are a criminally overlooked band imo… ‘Annihilation Principle’ is a masterpiece! I love those two ‘Meliah Rage’ albums… riffs for days! Their later albums are okay… but not spectacular! Good to see you as always Darcy!🤘🏻

Great choices here man 🤘I need to hunt down some of those Omen albums. Laaz Rules🤘have a great week ahead my friend

Armored Saint #1 for me. The band blamed it on their label for not letting them tour Europe. Budgie deserved to be bigger. Tony Bourge is my favourite riff master after Tony Iommi. I wish Cathedral and Raven had been bigger.

Hi Darcy!!! cool list of bands and yes very underrated and should have been bigger. I really need to check more Meliah Rage and Malice too. Here are some bands that can fit here Manilla Road, Virgin Steel, Acid, Tokyo Blade, Onslaught... cheers and be well

Good topic Darcy and really good choices of the bands. I've heard at least one album by all these bands and can't see why they couldn't have been bigger. I guess with how popular metal was when these bands were putting out those albums it was a pretty saturated market. The only album I own that you picked out is Know your enemy, which is killer. Off the top of my head other bands that should have been bigger: Iced earth, Raven (definitely), Satan and probably a few other bands from that nwobhm era.

Enjoyed the video, have to check out these bands.

Trouble, St. Vitus and Badlands w/ Jake E. Lee should've been bigger also...

Excellent stuff,Darcy. I got to see Laaz Rockit( at a festival with Megadeth and Overkill)and Malice ( supporting Slayer) live back in the 80s. Never picked any of thier albums up, must admit. Maybe it's time to revisit.... 🤘🍻

Nice overview of underrated bands. I'm familiar with all of them. I've seen Meliah Rage and Omen live as well.🤘

Two words. Crimson Glory.

off the top of my head 1. Riot 2. Witchfinder General 3. Cirith Ungol 4. Mothership 5. Hanoi Rocks 6. Jon Oliva's Pain nice list you have there. agree with all. i was just listening to Liege Lord the other day. keep up the good work!

Hey Darcy im 5 spins in on the new Bruce album and just LOVE IT !!! And just watched the new video of metal school on Medevil steel and there not Bad and keep up the great videos!!! From PITTSBURGH !!!!

Die Happy - 1992 Intense Records....had 2 lps ....big,, heavy ......should have been big !!!!

Hey D-Axe!!….Very interesting vid here, need to check out some of ya pix (Malice for dang sure)…Zebra certainly burst out of the gate with a blast but never quite conquered the music world…And what about Dokken?…Yeah they were big but were always overshadowed by Motley Crue (which bands weren’t, right?)….Thanx for the vid D-Rock!!

Always great to be at Planet6Strings, Darcy, and cheers to you always! 😁🥃A new band that deserves to be more well known is Jelusick, the project from Dino Jelusick. Follow the Blind Man was my album of the year in 2023 by a wide margin (came out last fall, i snapped it up on vinyl and cd). Phenomenal album, killer performances and songs and production. A hard rock/metal masterpiece that deserves far more awareness. Dino's other project, more of a prog metal project called Whom Gods Destroy (with Bumblefoot on guitar and Derek Sherinian, both from Sons of Apollo), debuts mid March with Insanium and I can't wait!

Awesome stuff Darcy, I love Omen & Lizzy Borden, have a few of their releases but I def need more especially the LB debut Have those 2 Laaz albums, never heard anything else by them Received a few Meliah cds in a vclt from Kim, good stuff Great to see Liege Lord, love and have those two albums, I’d love the debut Fantastic stuff Mate 🤘

Malice first two are great, Rock Candy puts out excellent reissues. Got Meliah Rage KTS on cassette at release and now have first two on cd both excellent albums

Thanks to pandora found some good stuff I missed back in the day. Treat, Lillian Axe, XYZ and early TNT.

Wow... Quite some Things I gotta check out... great Video, as always😄👍🤘 To me Death Angel is a Band that should be right next to the big Bands of Thrash Metal 🤘🤘

I still have The Curse on cassette. I have all of Borden's stuff. Laaz Rocket were awesome, really Underrated.

One band that I totally love that are completely underrated is Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction. The High Priest of Love e.p. is amazing AC/DC meets the Cult, L.A. Sleaze Rock Magic!

Meliah Rage, Wargasm, Extreme, Shout…….. I remember all the Boston bands excited about the possibility of being signed. Everyone thought they had a shot - at a major label.

Wow such great bands Darcy! I need Love You Pieces still as well as Nothing Sacred by Laaz Rockit! Meliah Rage I have those you showed and Death Valley Dream that's a little different but still good!

Metal album "Blood" by Red Sea ....1994..............badlands 2.0 !!!!!!

Master Control is a great album got the re issue from Europe the shipping was more than the album lol.Those Malice albums are mandatory listening James Neal was an amazing vocalist. Great picks Darcy as always take care 🤘

I never heard all those bands in your video Darcy 😅

Cool video I agree on those picks.i just played annihilator waking the fury on my ride home from a poker game Wrathchild America would be a pick for that list

Black Crown Initiate was criminally underrated 😢

Saw Meliah Rage on the Kill to Survive tour.

Helstar is my choice and I'm glad to see you at least name-dropped them. The 80's stuff is great and the guitar arrangements, especially on A Distant Thunder and Nosferatu, are quite advanced for the time. I'm not fond of their post-2000s stuff though. Rivera obviously can't scream like he did in his 20's but I don't like the sound of his voice now, plus I don't get the sudden reliance on cartoonish evil/satanic lyrics and imagery, which they didn't really do in the 80's. I also thought of Raven, although they're not as obscure as the bands you chose, and they still continue to put out high quality material even today.

In a fair world, Demon would be bigger! First class melodic metal. Darcy, stay heavy!

Hi Darcy, great show! Check out Meliah Rage Idol Hands. Meliah Rage were very underrated.

After re-familiarizing myself with Forbidden, they would have to be near the top for me. Such a great band. I’m pretty familiar with Lizzy Borden, and a few tracks from Laaz Rockit but I really haven’t heard much from the rest of those bands. I guess I will have to wait until a friend decides to let go of them😉

Cool video Darcy omen and liege lord are on my to check out list for me I'm going to mention a industrial rock band from the 90s called stabbing westward should have been bigger we're signed to a major label columbia supported the likes of nine inch nails and Depeche mode but could never quite crack the big time git dropped after their 3rd album darkest days then signed to koch records for their 4th self titled album then disbanded in 2002 have reunited in recent years put out an album in 2022 called chasing ghosts albeit with only two original members left

Dead Horse (Houston, TX) first two albums still amazing and unique today, should’ve been huge

Liege Lord Freedoms Rise is straight up US Power Metal. Got cd a few years ago on reissue. Different vocalist very good and different than MC album

Ufo , Y&T , Magnum , Diamond Head , Samson to name a few . Was better as a fan back in the day when 'your' bands were underground . Cheers big ears 👂👂

Nice job. What’s your take on The Mandrake Project?

W.A.S.P. should have been at least as big as Queensryche at the time. Bigger IMO

From the UK, GUN should have been way bigger. The first three albums are awesome. Also, Thunder, Little Angels, The Almighty and The Wildhearts. From the States, Love/Hate, Vain and The Throbs. All great bands with great albums.

Always thought Hanoi Rocks should maybe have been more successful As glam metal bands went they had some excellent songs!

Great list of underrated bands, Darcy! UFO, Meliah Rage and Lizzy Borden definitely doesn't get enough attention.

Great pick with lizzy borden

I saw Lizzy borden last year and got my picture with him\,,/

the 3 Malice had 4 new songs and the rest are redos from the 2 lps James Rivera sounds good

Kill to survive and solitary solitude are amazing

Sully from Godsmack was in meliah rage

In my humble opinion, the most underrated band of all time is definitely Pagan Altar. I'm always shocked at how few people have ever heard of Pagan Altar.

Looks like Lizzy Borden's cover inspired tesla's cybertruck. I think Annihilator and Lillian Axe could've been more successful if only they could've kept a settled lineup. Circus of Power and The Four Horsemen put out some good stuff in the late 80s & and then disappeared.

Symphony X

Armored Saint and Savatage

First band comes to mind although hard rock is thin Lizzy.

Anathema Evergrey Leprous Prong Rage Iced Earth Metal Church Cathedral

Just about every band that didn’t make it could have made it big one way or another just based on talent alone :( 🤘

White Skull from Italy is great }":"{+

Did you review new bruce Dickinson album. I don't really care for it. My opinion

Obscene Jester

Tank from the UK. But they had no major record label

I have 3 Omen cds and I have heard some lizzy borden but not real familiar with them or Malian rage

RAVEN

Ok, here are my SIX cents (hehe...) The last Lizzy album is not very good, I like everything by the band but after 3 or 4 spins I sold it, it´s very mellow and moody. The newer Omen stuff isn´t worth getting imo. Poorly produced and the songwriting is far away from being exciting. Malice toured for "Licence..." as support for Slayer´s "Reign in Blood" tour here in Europe, they were trown things at and booed off stage every night, that´s what broke the band. "New Breed..." is pretty cool, just four new songs, the rest is rerecorded stuff from the first two. It comes with a DVD containing a making of , live 1987 and live @Keep It True. Well worth getting! Meliah Rage have a very consistant discography. Apart from the album "Once Human" everything is very good. The first Liege Lord is a pretty epic album, pretty different to the other two. "Master Control" is their masterpiece, Iron Maiden on speed.

def will get Liege Lord’s master control… i hv Laaz Rockit’s know your enemy.. annihilation principle .. & left for dead… for Omen.. i hv the first three studio albums… got introduced to the band through this mini album called ‘Omen - battle anthems’… do u collect Savage Grace too… i hv their first two studio albums (LP)… my fave would be the first one.. that’s a killer album.. they did release an album last year.. with of cos new line up with Chris Logue the only one i know… honestly… not so gd… really can’t beat their first album… Lizzy Borden.. same.. i don’t hv their last known release.. only hv love you to pieces.. menace to society.. visual lies… & master of disguise… u don’t hv any Cirith Ungol or Manilla Road..? i don’t hv their full catalog.. but do hv Cirith’s latest album.. they still sound gd as usual… \m/

Bang Tango,.

I hardly know these bands but I know plenty of people dig into them once they've covered all the bigger bases. I'm guessing none of them offer anything new at the time and in the music business theres only a limited amount of tolerance for emmulation. They've probably all had the careers they deserve have they not? Bruce 'fcuk the artwork' Dickinson this year lol

the 2018 Lizzy Borden it's not that good it's ok in my opion.

Iced Earth.

Tyrant (Germany) Rough Mad Max Not Fragile

That 1997 Omen album is a stinker

3 Inches of Blood Mutiny Within Human Abstract God Forbid Woods of Ypres Iotunn (sorry newer stuff)

last lizzy cd ....the worst one he ever made !!

The Canadian heavy metal band Unleash The Archers. They deserve more attention from the metal community.