BravePicks 2021 - KONQUEST's The Night Goes On #22
December 9, 2021, 2 years ago
As the world continues to battle a virus, we present the ultimate escape! It is time to celebrate our BravePicks 2021! Heavy metal is the ultimate diversion, so let's let the music do the talking. It is time to unveil our annual BravePicks countdown, where the devout scribes at BraveWords cast their votes at the hits and misses of the year! So who will be our #1? You’ll find out as we count down the BravePick Of 2021 each day in December!
Everybody has an opinion and it’s time for ours! And stay tuned in January for the writers’ individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), What/Who Needs To Stop In 2022? and Metal Predictions For 2022. All will be showcased come the New Year!
First up, the best of the best for 2021 begins NOW!
BravePicks 2021
22) KONQUEST – The Night Goes On (Iron Oxide)
Digging deep into a surprise from early 2021 and on a fledgling label no less; Konquest’s The Night Goes On turned our heads with the debut full-length. The Italian squadron barge through the doors with great bravado with a razor sharp focus on an early-‘80s metal sound akin to Heavy Load. There’s this NWOBHM vibe Konquest has going on and it’s done tremendously. Listeners will hear influences from Diamond Head, early Iron Maiden, and Angel Witch as mainman Alex Rossi has totally immersed the band’s sound when heavy metal was becoming a force in the music world.
Konquest has the world ahead of them and they have konquered the #22 spot on our countdown. Be sure to the check these guys out!
Scribe Mark Gromen praised Konquest in his review: The real comparisons to Heavy Load come in the final pair. Beginning with "Heavy Heart" (purposeful pun?), the resemblance is uncanny, but the piece de' resistance is the fist-pumping finale, "The Vision" and at 7:19, is the disc's longest duration. Not only does it frequently change speeds (though predominately remains the fastest cut, overall), but the length allows for embellishment. Wouldn't mean a thing if it weren't a catchy bit of metal.
Great debut for a new label (brought to you by the same people behind the traditional-minded output on Skol Records).
BravePicks 2021 Top 30
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22) KONQUEST - The Night Goes On (Iron Oxide)
23) IRON MAIDEN - Senjutsu (Parlophone)
24) CRADLE OF FILTH - Existence Of Futile (Nuclear Blast)
25) DANKO JONES - Power Trio (Bad Taste)
26) DARKTHRONE - Eternal Hails (Peaceville)
27) SMITH/KOTZEN – Smith/Kotzen (BMG)
28) TODD LA TORRE - Rejoice In The Suffering (Rat Pak)
29) KK’S PRIEST – Sermons Of The Sinner (EX1)
30) ASPHYX - Necroceros (Century Media)
