Volume 24, Track 14
“Brazen Bull” by Zoroaster (2007) And now for something completely different… This song is overlooked, but so is the band. Easily the least recognizable name on this list, they are also among the most talented metal musicians I’ve heard in a long time. Hailing from Atlanta, Zoroaster is a trio that shakes the earth with [...]
Volume 24, Track 13
“Sonne” by Rammstein (2001) We travel from Sweden to Germany on the European Metal Tour. Rammstein has a weird reputation, with most of their notoriety coming from MTV’s heavy rotation of their video for “Du Hast” in the late ’90′s. The Reservoir Dogs-inspired video portrayed the band’s five members in creepy masks and eventually blowing [...]
Volume 24, Track 12
“Blackwater Park” by Opeth (2001) Clocking in at a shade over twelve minutes, this is less a song than a mini-orchestral composition. Opeth eschews the normal verse-chorus-verse structure, a nod to their progressive leanings, and produces a meandering metal masterpiece. Many of this Swedish band’s songs are long and elaborate, containing myriad time changes, shifts [...]
Volume 24, Track 11
“Time Heals Nothing” by Crowbar (1995) Kirk Windstein’s full-time band, Crowbar, doles out a similarly-heavy but more deliberate style of sludge than Down. “Time Heals Nothing” is the title track of their 1995 album, and it may be the heaviest song contained in this volume. If some of the thrash tracks I’ve covered are shooting [...]
Volume 24, Track 10
“Losing All” by Down (1995) The next two tracks are related, with a common creative thread being guitarist/vocalist Kirk Windstein. “Losing All” comes from the New Orleans-based heavy metal supergroup Down’s debut album, NOLA. Along with Windstein, Down is comprised of guitarist Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), drummer Jimmy Bower (Crowbar), and vocalist Phil Anselmo [...]
Volume 24, Track 9
“…For Victory” by Bolt Thrower (1994) Hailing from Coventry, England, Bolt Thrower produce an extremely heavy and relentlessly fast style of metal. Influenced by Slayer and a variety of hardcore punk bands, the band is also notable for bassist Jo Bench. There are very few female musicians in the extreme metal world, and Bench is [...]
Volume 24, Track 8
“Take the Power Back” by Rage Against the Machine (1993) Rage Against the Machine would find a lot of success with their 1996 release, Evil Empire, and it’s pervasive single, “Bulls on Parade.” However, the 1993 release of their eponymous debut contains their best collection of songs to date. “Take the Power Back” is a [...]
Volume 24, Track 7
“Escape from Within” by Flotsam and Jetsam (1988) No Place for Disgrace was Flotsam and Jetsam’s major label debut with Elektra Records, and this song is their masterpiece. “Escape from Within” lulls you into a false sense of safety with a beautiful acoustic intro and lead singer Eric A.K.’s mellifluous tones before thrashing you mercilessly. [...]
Volume 24, Track 6
“Black Prophecies” by Dark Angel (1986) Continuing our trend of otherworldly drummers (not to mention gravestone-themed album covers), we move onto Gene Hoglan and Dark Angel. Hoglan is kind of like a giant metal drumming robot. His feet move in patterns and at speeds that shouldn’t be possible for a human. Darkness Descends marks Hoglan’s [...]
Volume 24, Track 5
“Beyond the Black” by Metal Church (1985) I bought this CD in high school strictly based on the cover of the album. It turned out to be a wise choice. Metal Church is one of the bands that originated in the early 80s while the thrash movement was taking shape. This band, along with Testament [...]
Volume 24, Track 4
“Chemical Warfare” by Slayer (1984) As a young metalhead, Slayer seems like the most evil thing you could ever hear. The chaotic guitar style of Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, breakneck speed of Dave Lombardo on the drums, and devilish delivery of singer/bassist Tom Araya makes for a very menacing total package. Slayer combines the [...]
Volume 24, Track 3
“Dreamer Deceiver/Deceiver” by Judas Priest (1976) (Note: I forgot to add my Distinguishing Factor section in the first two posts. Oh well, 12 out of 14 ain’t bad…) “Dreamer Deceiver/Deceiver” are listed as two tracks on the much delayed U.S. release of the classic Sad Wings of Destiny album by Judas Priest. It was obviously [...]
Volume 24, Track 2
“Evil Woman” by The Doobie Brothers (1973) I recently found myself craving a listen to the first few Doobie Brothers’ records, an odd feeling that caused me to actually seek them out. I was running through my staples, the songs I’ve always associated with the band: “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Long Train Runnin’,” “China Grove.” [...]
Volume 24, Track 1
“N.I.B.” by Black Sabbath (1970) Fittingly, we begin with Black Sabbath. This track from their eponymous debut album begins with a short bass solo by Geezer Butler entitled “Bassically” on some U.S. releases. As soon as you hear Geezer turn the bass amp up, you know “N.I.B.” is on its way.[1] Musically, this is probably [...]
Volume 24 Introduction
[Editor's note: MDS, an admitted non-metalhead, is handing over the keys to this site to BTN, metalhead extraordinaire, for this Volume. How metal is BTN? When he was 15, he and Dave Mustaine got drunk and beat up the lead singer of Bush within an inch of his life just because. He lives on the [...]
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