10 Best New Heavy Metal Bands Of 2018
8. Runescarred
After a duology of British bands, the Texans Runescarred are now taking the reins with their technically wondrous take on vintage speed metal. Providing a 21st century update on the classic heroism of Iced Earth and Judas Priest, Ven Scott and company are a clan that deliver everything metalheads adore about their favourite genre:
Big, dramatic melodies? Check! Mythical lyrics? Check! Face-melting guitar shreds? Check! Head-bang-inducing rhythms? Check!
Upon first listening to this quintet’s EP, We Are, the appeal for old-school metal loyalists is instantly obvious. Frontman Ven captures both the grit and operatic power of a Rob Halford or a Bruce Dickinson, while Tim Driscoll’s six-string savagery is a faster, more mathematic take on the harmonic guitar leads that dominated the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal. However, Runescarred prove themselves to be far more than just a sped-up throwback, as drummer Payton Holekamp builds a more thrash metal-inclined backbone with his relentless and subtly progressive drumming.
Hence, Runescarred are a collective that bridge metal’s generational gap, with fans of both the old and new practically guaranteed to find something to cling to.