Old Man’s Child – Ill-natured Spiritual Invasion (1998: Century Media)

Galder’s Dim-muse band

blackishly melodic core

not so kvlt to haunt

http://www.centurymedia.com/release.aspx?IdRelease=68

Bernie Tormé – Wild Irish (1998: Retrowrek)

journeyman axe guys

should learn don’t sing if you can’t

workable elsewise

http://www.bernietorme.co.uk/

http://www.retrowrek.com/retrk103.html

Sinner – The Nature of Evil (1998: Nuclear Blast)

lunchpailer keeps line

aroll, churning good/bland track

one after ‘nother

http://www.nuclearblastusa.com/en/music/band/discography/details/75005.70935.the-nature-of-evil.html

Event – Electric Skies (1998: Leviathan)

Berklee grads go prog

for better and worse; as drab

a ton of chops gets

http://www.myspace.com/eventband

http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Event/Electric_Skies/71796

Sacred Steel – Wargods of Metal (1998: Metal Blade)

Manowar hath borne

hordes of hapless dorks for whom

this crap sadly rules

http://www.sacredsteel.eu/html/releases.html

Dragorlad – Incantations (1998: II Moons)

Cover speaks volumes

yet contents sneak past first glance,

C-grade spook show cheez

http://users.skynet.be/dagorlad/incantations.htm

Death – The Sound of Perseverance (2011: Relapse – a reissue of 1998: Nuclear Blast)

More godly tech skills
densely-layered, no let up
another classic

http://www.emptywords.org/TheSoundOfPerseverance.htm