Beat logo

The 'List: Heavy Metal

20 Headbanging Hits for That "Gotta Rock Out" Day!

By Carlos GonzalezPublished 6 years ago 10 min read
Like

Hello, one and all.

So, here it is. The first official heavy metal 'list compiled by me and by good friend Calvin (Quaker Oates) Cherry. This one was a bit long to compile on account that we both love the genre and wanted to come up with the absolute perfect 'list. Yes, we here at... I'm not sure what we call ourselves; except Hall & Oates 0.2? We want to give you the best balls-out metal experience! Anyways, on to the 'list, but first, a history lesson.

The UK was the birthplace of the metal genre as it was a more of an experimental genre that had its roots in blues and R&B as well as acid and psychedelic rock. The clear emphasis was on distorted amps, loud, crunching ear-ache guitar licks and lengthy solos. Occasionally some bass guitar added and plenty of loud, over-excess on drums and percussion and had the distinction of often lifting melodies from classical music and their composers. With the music came the attire. Black leather, spikes, and lots of metal (hence, no surprise, why the word resonates), often lengthy, long hair and plenty of badass attitude... sometimes with the dangerous added mix of drugs, alcohol, sex and violence. Let's face it. "Church" music it is not! Many Christians have abhorred the genre openly, even including them in many a sermon. Often citing it as occult-driven and Satanic, with very anti-God messages. Take it from me. I grew up in a Seventh-Day Adventist household—try living with a three-ply bag over your head when it came to choosing your entertainment! Not literally, folks.

Anyways, back to the metal lesson. As metal music began to go vastly mainstream as well as be king on MTV in the 80s, many sub-genres began to emerge. Glam, extreme, death, power, speed, hardcore, goth, alternative and yes, (*cue gasp!*) Christian metal for those of you who thought that the "Love of Jesus" would remove you from those Stonehenge idealizations and your dreams of dancing on top of a pentagram... just kidding. Pop metal would also be the order of the day. But, as the 90s rolled in, metal began to sideline and in its place came a rock movement from Seattle WA, called "grunge." Then, as the 00s and 10s came into view, Nu-metal was born. While the genre hasn't died, it hasn't exactly ruled the roost in ages, but guitar-driven, acidic, rebellious rock will never go out of style, thank G-d!

Prime examples of metal bands and artists:

Led Zeppelin (main pioneer), Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, The Who (not official, but often would dally), Judas Priest, AC/DC, Motörhead, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Dio, Def Leppard, Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer, Motley Crue, Scorpions, Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Poison, Europe, Bon Jovi, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Dokken, Giuffria, Cinderella, RUSH (considered more of a progressive band), Yes (ditto), Jethro Tull (very debatable), Vixen (an all-female band), Lita Ford, Skid Row, Warrant, Winger, White Lion, Pantera, Sepultura, POD, Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed...

And the 'list goes on and on!

Put on those spike collars, grab that axe-guitar, find a loud-ass drum kit. turn that amp up to "heart attack" mode and shake your head 'till you get an anyeurism! Here are our 'lists!

Cherry Picks

According to Wikipedia, it's about the war between the Christians and the Native Americans. Off the UK band's album, The Number of the Beast, it is a lengthy song at nearly seven minutes and has some long guitar cadenzas and strong harmonies to boot!

Another UK metal band with founding member Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals. From the boastfully titled: We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'N' Roll, it's under three minutes and notable for its superfast guitar chords.

Yet another UK metal band fronted by the late Ian Fraser Kilmister, better known as Lemmy. It's highly noted for its accelerated drums and insane crunch guitar solo and Lemmy's very gruff, raspy vocals.

The UK was certainly the home for metal. This band was known for its metal-clad lead singer Rob Halford, who years later, came out as gay and was known for often subtly infusing his sadness and aggression about coming out into his music. A simple groove distinguishes this song. The band faced Christian scrutiny ironically enough for being the cause of two teenagers who committed suicide based on listening to their music. My two cents—music doesn't cause suicide. Deeper issues do. Mooooving on to....

From his Blizzard Of Ozz album. The frontman for Black Sabbath would enjoy a successful solo career and massive success on the album charts and concerts. The song plays with sound effects, I'm guessing more for comic effect. Speaking of crazy, the eccentric rocker was known to have bitten the head off of a dove and a bat (allegedly, it bit him back) in two separate concerts. After years of drug and alcoholism, he would clean up and become no less than a reality TV star with his now ex-wife, Sharon!

And now, for a US metal band, led by the late Ronnie James Dio—a member of Black Sabbath also. Loud drums and bass emanate, but the harmonious guitar chords are also a highlight. Not sure about lyrical content, but it seems to delineate a need for spirituality.

Another US band, this one from Bellevue, WA, having been together since 1981, but savoring chart success in the 90s with this... presumably, a power ballad. Use of strings and sound bytes is very apparent and has an almost Gary Wright, "Dream Weaver" vibe without the use of synthesizers only. Interesting fact: this song may qualify as a rare metal tearjerker as whenever I hear it, I start bawling. Strange fact, take it as you wish. The positive power of music.

As metal in the 90s began to change its name (not sound) to alternative or grunge; this WA band, part of the movement, would carve a nice niche in the opening of said decade. Lead singer Eddie Vedder admitted the song was semi-autobiographical as he questioned if his father was actually his biological one.

This song is actually a cover of The Who's 1970 hit song. This band was from Jacksonville, FL, and were one of the early bands to meld "rap" into their metal (or rather, Nu-metal) music. It's successful on the Billboard Rock Charts, and notable for its use of a "Speak & Spell" computer voice.

This L.A. band, led by loud, abrasive frontman, Axl Rose and noted for curly-haired guitarist "Slash" had a string of hits out of the box when they came out with their 1987 multi-diamond album Appetite For Destruction which yielded many hits such as "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Welcome To The Jungle." Their double-yet-separate albums "Use Your Illusion I & II." This power ballad from number "I" was one of many metal opuses that would incorporate classical music and often change tempo and mood in mid-song. Examples of these are coming in my 'list—and that being said...

My Picks

And now... a band from "down unda"! Sydney, Australia would be the home of this leather-clad-who-gives-a-flying-fuck band whose name is an abbreviation meaning "alternating current/direct current" electricity. Led by Brian Johnson and Angus and Malcolm Young (who passed in 2017), they were noted for their wild concert performances, and Angus wearing schoolboy uniforms and imitating Chuck Berry! Fun and strange fact, hardcore bodybuilders love using this in their posing routines. Don't ask how I know this!

This L.A. band would score a few mild hits with an emphasis on a more pop sound rather than hardcore. A bigger hit on the Mainstream Rock Charts than the pop charts, it would have a second chart life in the 90s as a teen pop/dance hit by a now-forgotten band called The Party. They were Mickey Mousketeers! True 'Dat!

Off their multi-platinum seller, Pyromania, this hard, aggressive, metal/hard rock band from Sheffield, UK had the distinction of producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange opening the song with German-gibberish: "Gunter glieben glauten globen," also to have been inspired by the Bible itself (who says G-d can't inspire a metal tune?) and even a Broadway stage jukebox musical. And now, we move on to....

Controversy time. Is it metal or hard rock? This NYC hard rock/blues band took a very controversial Negro work song by Lead Belly from 1939 and in my opinion, "metalized" it, despite all my research, coming up as a hard rock song, not a metal song. Either way, it's fast, abrasive, loud, angry and...perhaps a tad overtly racist. Metal music never played it safe, and neither did these guys. A surprise hit in 1977 and known for it's use of the gong cymbal.

The metal makeup gods from NYC, all with a character (cat, star, spaceman and of course, demon) and having tons of it on stage. The "demon" would sing lead this time, Gene Simmons. A staple in every one of their concerts. The only metal band to inspire comic books and action figures!

An anti-love power ballad by a Philadelphia, PA metal/glam/hair band. What makes this song stick is, much like the Queensryche song, it strikes a strong, emotional chord with me. Yeah, I'm a big ol' softy! Not bad for a band named after a popular Disney-fied fairy tale!

The only metal band to be featured in both our 'lists and has quite the most iconic chorus known to man! Rob Halford sings lead and has superfast drums and guitars as its hook.

This L.A. makeup/hair/thrash band scored a major hit in the last of the metal smashes that would make a dent as the decade drew to a close. Vince Neil mentioned that the controversial 1983 gangster thriller Scarface with Al Pacino, was the main source of inspiration.

I often wonder if this hit song was the first ever number one pop song by a metal band. Oh, well—who cares! The Pasadena, CA bad boys had made one of the most infectious rock anthems of the 1980s and it would feature one-time lead singer David Lee Roth at his prime and his ability to do what the song demanded of you. Sammy Hagar would replace Roth in 1986, but they never scored another number one after that... ever! I'm going to cry now. Noted more for its heavy synth opening and bridge, Eddie Van Halen would still give it a killer guitar solo. Fun fact, he waived the fee for soloing on Michael Jackson's classic rock ditty, "Beat It."

Off their And Justice For All album. This L.A. band was more hardcore than its counterparts, but it would score a big hit out of the park with this blatant eight-minute opus that took its cue from blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo's 1938 novel Johnny Got His Gun and feature the 1971 film prominently in its hit music video. The emotionally-charged song is a very forward and angry rumination about one of our major human horrors. War. The song which slows the tempo at first, then jaggedly and violently changes tone and tempo is one of my all-time favorites to this very day. Last one...

Finally... the UK metal pioneers led by vocalist Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page would have a smash hit without the benefit of a hit single. Off their iconic fourth album of many titles (IV, ZOSO or Number 4), it would start slow with acoustic guitar and pan flutes. A soft song at first, then the tempo changes and gets more and more eerie as it progresses. Then, it goes full-on rock mode and returns to peace in the end. My pick as the BEST metal song ever and one that also moves me to my very core.

Apparently, the song was also the target of Christian religions as having secret Satanic messages found through a method called 'backmasking' where a record was played backwards. This, of course, was when we had LPs and turntables; then CDs became the rage. My basic two cents. Religion has often tried to censor art because of their paranoia over the occult and the devil. My sermon is this. Evil and good are often one and the same. We just choose to indulge in one more than the other. Music does not destroy. It creates and elevates. It stirs and is the closest thing we have to actual "divinity." There. Off the pulpit, now.

One more for the road.

Rock on and on and on and...

Next 'List Pending

playlist
Like

About the Creator

Carlos Gonzalez

A passionate writer and graphic artist looking to break into the BIG TIME! Short stories, scripts and graphic art are my forte! Brooklyn N.Y. born and raised. Living in Manchester, Connecticut! Working on two novels now!

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.