Metal School

[Moulin Rogue]

That being said I had a thought he other day in the car. OK metal heads: If you had to pick one song, ONE song, that was the anthem for metal. The one song that among the many guises metal has had over the years, the one song the to you displays the elements of what metal should be or was or will be. The song that you would play if someone asks what metal is. What is that song to you?

I'm going to go with "Blls To The Wall" by Accept. First off, it is, to borrow a word you mentioned, an ANTHEM. That's a chorus that you just have to raise your first and shout along to. The lyrics are about the oppressed rising up, and that's a very metal thing, the whole attitude of "even if society is against us we will never surrender, we will not conform".

The song gets quiet in the middle and that's a classic metal thing done for dramatic effect, makes the heavy part seem even heavier, "One" is another excellent example of that of course. The singer alternates between growling and shrieking his head off It's got the great simple but heavy guitar riff, nice solo too, big heavy drums, that cool gothic chanting part, it's got just about everything that sums up "metal" basically.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If you had to pick one song, ONE song, that was the anthem for metal. The one song that among the many guises metal has had over the years, the one song the to you displays the elements of what metal should be or was or will be. The song that you would play if someone asks what metal is. What is that song to you?

For me, no such song exists: Metal has too many forms & subgenres, each with at least one truly song that epitomizes the genre like few others can. The early days of metal (Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, or Led Zeppelin) are so radically different from the metal of the 80's (Y.J. Malmsteen, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Slayer, Sepultura) 90s (Metallica, Megadeth, Korn, Rage Against the Machine, Godflesh, Helmet, Soulfly) and the new millenium (Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Opeth) that they don't sound like they're part of the same genre.

Looking back at the ones I listed, you'd note that within a given decade, you'd have bands that don't sound like each other, or overlap with bands that preceeded or followed them.

Is Black Sabbath any less metal than Mayhem? No, how could they be? They invented the genre. But Mayhem or any given Danish Black Metal band has a heavier, harsher sound than Black Sabbath ever did or ever will.

The least I could do is play exemplars of the various kinds of metal.

 

[Testament]

For me, no such song exists: Metal has too many forms & subgenres, each with at least one truly song that epitomizes the genre like few others can. The early days of metal (Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, or Led Zeppelin) are so radically different from the metal of the 80's (Y.J. Malmsteen, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Slayer, Sepultura) 90s (Metallica, Megadeth, Korn, Rage Against the Machine, Godflesh, Helmet, Soulfly) and the new millenium (Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Opeth) that they don't sound like they're part of the same genre.

Looking back at the ones I listed, you'd note that within a given decade, you'd have bands that don't sound like each other, or overlap with bands that preceeded or followed them.

Is Black Sabbath any less metal than Mayhem? No, how could they be? They invented the genre. But Mayhem or any given Danish Black Metal band has a heavier, harsher sound than Black Sabbath ever did or ever will.

The least I could do is play exemplars of the various kinds of metal.

Danish? DANISH?! DANISH!? I hereby revoke your metal licence. Mayhem and their ilk were part of the vast wave of Norwegian Black Metal that was run pretty much from Helvete, the music store owned by the late Euronymous (Mayhem's original guitarist and still the object of an insane cult of personality). And it was a scene that did more to give Metal an evil rep than anything before it, complete with church burnings, satanism, suicides and capped it all off with murder.

In response to the earlier question about the anthem, as a fan primarily of Black Metal, no other song sums up everything I love about the genre more than I Am the Black Wizards, by Emperor. A killer riff, Isahn in full demonically howling flight, oozing sinister atmosphere, and yet posessing a majesty and beautiful harmony that shines through the low-budget production.

And yeah, suffice to say I'm not a big fan of necro/kvlt/tr00 BM or whatever the hell you want to call it. Darkthrone, Burzum, Judas Iscariot and the like all do some good stuff, but I'll take Mayhem or Emperor over it any day.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ach- I'm a little loopy and typed without fact-checking.

Welcome to teh Interweb!

But revoking my metal license? HAH!

First, you'll have to cut me open, and THEN you'd better make sure you brought your non-metric toolset to loosen the bolts that hold the plate in my chest to get to it!



Besides, its not like the Danes...er...Norwegians have a monopoly on the genre- it started with Brits & Swedes, and after the Norwegians washed over the genre like a black avalanche, the Swedes increased their numbers and the Finns jumped on the (devil)bandwagon.

Must be something about those northern icy climes...

Now you've got the Russians and the Eastern Europeans joining the fray.

 

[Ferret]

The more the merrier!

I might be tempted to pick Holy Wars by Megadeth, but their a favourite of mine. Maybe What Doesn't Die by Anthrax. You couldn't pick one song though out of all of them, and I've only heard a small amount of metal!

 

[Fenris]

Ach- I'm a little loopy and typed without fact-checking.

Welcome to teh Interweb!

But revoking my metal license? HAH!

First, you'll have to cut me open, and THEN you'd better make sure you brought your non-metric toolset to loosen the bolts that hold the plate in my chest to get to it!

A bone saw would do quite nicely

And no weaseling out Danny. Pick one song. Metal wears many forms. Someone wants to know what metal is. You can play them one and only one song, what is it? I'll be sharpening my saw

 

[Thunderfoot]

Sorry kiddies, I am with Danny on this one. If you are under the age of 30 and you are asked that question... I can think of all sorts of answers, but to ask for just one... that's like asking for that one song that defines rock n' roll. Do you pick metal, pop, new wave, techno, disco (eww I feel dirty now), punk, classic, AOR, bubblegum, oldies, southern fired, blues- or country-?

It just cannot be done, regardless of any cheap attempts to do so. I understand the sentiment; its a nice gesture, but it just doesn't jive. I love so many TYPES of heavy metal that to pick one from each genre would be a monumental task. So, no, I cry foul and tell you to put it back in your gym shorts. And BTW, "Balls To The Wall", though a great song, would HARDLY be my first choice of songs that came out during that time frame, much less for all time. (See what I mean?)

And also, at some point I will post the next two chapters of school, there will be homework and a semester exam, so you had better be studying. Class dismissed.

 

[Fenris]

Sorry kiddies, I am with Danny on this one. If you are under the age of 30 and you are asked that question... I can think of all sorts of answers, but to ask for just one... that's like asking for that one song that defines rock n' roll. Do you pick metal, pop, new wave, techno, disco (eww I feel dirty now), punk, classic, AOR, bubblegum, oldies, southern fired, blues- or country-?

It just cannot be done, regardless of any cheap attempts to do so. I understand the sentiment; its a nice gesture, but it just doesn't jive. I love so many TYPES of heavy metal that to pick one from each genre would be a monumental task. So, no, I cry foul and tell you to put it back in your gym shorts. And BTW, "Balls To The Wall", though a great song, would HARDLY be my first choice of songs that came out during that time frame, much less for all time. (See what I mean?)

And also, at some point I will post the next two chapters of school, there will be homework and a semester exam, so you had better be studying. Class dismissed.

No dice. You may have a favorite mexican food, a favorite chinese food, a favorite american food, but you still have one favorite food regardless of the type. So Thunderfoot, I don't buy your arguement. Yes, there are lots of different types, but out of all the types YOU listen to, you will have a single song. If you like, use the desert island metaphor. You are marooned on an island and you only have one song to listen to...........

No weaseling for you either.

 

[Nyaricus]

I have many fav songs, but these rise heads and shoulders above the others for me:

Lamb of God - 'Laid to Rest'
Cradle of Filth - 'Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids'
Rammstein - 'Ohne Dich' ('Without You')
Slipknot - 'Purity'

Think of it as you may, but these songs can send shivers up my spine, given the right mood.

cheers,
--N

 

[Thunderfoot]

No dice. You may have a favorite mexican food, a favorite chinese food, a favorite american food, but you still have one favorite food regardless of the type. So Thunderfoot, I don't buy your arguement. Yes, there are lots of different types, but out of all the types YOU listen to, you will have a single song. If you like, use the desert island metaphor. You are marooned on an island and you only have one song to listen to...........

No weaseling for you either.

Sorry, I don't have a favorite song, neither can I stand to listen to a song for more than a few times before I get sick of it... BTW, you do realize I'm a producer so this is kind of like asking me to cut off my ears, right?