Current Events > The Month of Metal. 28 days, 28 artists.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Disclaimer: As always, this list is not authoritative in any way. As Im dealing with a genre of music that is often interchangeable in both sound and theme, as well as heavily, heavily layered and textured with all kinds of distinct sounds some artists listed will inevitably fall under an umbrella instead of a laser focused sub-sub-subgenre. Iron Maiden, for instance, will list under Traditional/Heavy Metal instead of New Wave of British Heavy Metal. This is purely for entertainment, because I want to do something fun for CE, and I want CE to engage, discuss, and share as always.

Welcome to the month of October, aka The Month of Metal! For 28 days, I will be covering 28 artists, four subgenres of metal. Each week will showcase seven artists respective of the DNA and legacy they influenced and practiced. For most of these artists, metal is a way of life. And for some, its taken to serious and often extreme degrees. Ill touch on such things when I get around to them.

As Im covering 28 artists, I hope CE doesnt expect me to do my standard 1 to 2 paragraphs of detail on them, as that would be extremely exhaustive. Therefore, Ive decided to ascribe my standard to the introduction of each weeks subgenre and write approximately one sentence for each days artist.

Ive been wanting to do this for a long time, now. Im looking at this as sort of my magnum opus of the music topics Ive been doing each month. I still plan on continuing the topics after this, but Im not sure for how much longer. These were always a labor of love, and Im running out of music that I enjoy to talk about. That said, I have a plan for next years October, too, but Ill leave that alone for the time being.

Tomorrow, Ill introduce the first subgenre along with the first artist of the month. I hope CE enjoys!!
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WEEK ONE: Traditional / Heavy Metal (TOP CIRCLE)

For most people, these artists are whom they're invoking when they think of the genre 'heavy metal.' An extremely popular genre pioneered by Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, but spearheaded in the 70s by acts like Black Sabbath, they'd go on to be at the forefront of a lot of record sales. Not to mention mainstream controversy as Dee Snider of Twisted Sister would accuse the overwhelming Conservative moral panic in the 1980s as an act of "character assassination."

This week, we'll be taking a look at this broad genre. It encompasses a number of acts that range from the laden machismo of Motorhead to the subversive glitz of the aforementioned Twisted Sister. If you were a 'metalhead,' you more than likely were listening to any or all of the seven artists we'll be taking a look at this week.

DAY ONE: Black Sabbath - Paranoid

What is there to say about Black Sabbath that hasn't already been said? One would be remiss to not include them in a list about heavy metal. They are the beginning. They are the end. Sabbath will remain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v24ljjtqb-U" data-time="
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Although nowadays most people won't call Black Sabbath "metal" but they are a solid choice to begin the month. My favorite song from them is either Symptom of the Universe or Fairies Wear Boots.
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Sabbath is pretty splendid and I've always found it interesting how flexible their sound was throughout most of their career. It provided a lot of springing off points for a whole rainbow of bands that seemed to focus on that one era of Sabbath or another. The genre as a whole would probably be nothing without them.

A lot of their most commonly heard stuff is off of Paranoid, and come to think of it I think that was the first Sabbath album I got as well. It's very cohesive but I wouldn't call it their best. What you could of course is extremely subjective; you could really say just about anything and you wouldn't be far off. Personally I think Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is head to toe the band at their best. Lush production, catchy songs, Ozzy at his height and wonderfully cosmic, somewhat haunting and mysterious lyrics. Spiral Architect stands out to me as a bizarre experimentation unlike really anything else they ever recorded and it will always be my favorite song by them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkx7SQ4Wuh0" data-time="


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bumping for later today
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DAY TWO: Judas Priest - Breaking The Law

Another heavyweight in the realm of heavy metal, Judas Priest may as well be one of the almighty pillars of the genre. Led by Rob Halford, the album 'British Steel' is both a smash album and a landmark one. Here's one of the all-time greats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L397TWLwrUU" data-time="
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Nice, Id have picked something off screaming for vengeance, but carry on
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Early Priest albums are an anomaly compared to the rest of their catalogue. Rocka Rolla, their debut, is completely forgettable and an obvious grab for commercial success that wasn't really available to the type of band JP was at the time. In the wake of that failure, they shifted their focus to a much more esoteric and strange style that produced three of the best albums in the genre. Sad Wings of Destiny is an experimental and fascinating journey that completely shirks the attempt at commercialism their first album has, followed by the often-overshadows Sin After Sin that represented a solidification in that sound before ending in the absolutely amazing Stained Class, which is an album that I feel everyone needs to listen to at least once from front to back, metalhead or not.

But they never really let go of that desire for a commercial sound. Stained Class is probably the most challenging material in their catalogue, but it was clear that as a band they wanted to be bigger and more accessible. The following albums, Killing Machine and British Steel represent not only a simplification in sound but also a simplification in subject matter, moving from lyrics that could be taken as very thoughtful and philosophical deeper and deeper into simplistic anthems about freedom and being a cool dude that wouldn't feel out of place on a Scorpions record or something. Afte that, it was a matter of course-correcting and falling off the horse over and over again for decades after

I kind of feel bad that Priest never got that big chart topping hit they always really really wanted (not for lack of trying well past when they were clearly beat though. We dont talk about Turbo) but at the very least Breaking the Law and You Got Another thing Coming are metal radio staples that have stood the test of time


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The-19th-Sparta posted...

Although nowadays most people won't call Black Sabbath "metal" but they are a solid choice to begin the month. My favorite song from them is either Symptom of the Universe or Fairies Wear Boots.

Where are these people who don't think Black Sabbath is metal? I really don't think this is a thing, at least not among people who know anything about the genre
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DAY THREE: Iron Maiden - Tailgunner

Maiden started with something of a punk edge under Paul Di'Anno's stewardship, but quickly took the reigns of one of the all time greatest when frontman Bruce Dickinson replaced him. Today's track is my personal favorite of Maiden's. It may not be one of their most memorable songs, but it always had a place in my heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47-RGMQXn4g" data-time="
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Panthera posted...

Where are these people who don't think Black Sabbath is metal? I really don't think this is a thing, at least not among people who know anything about the genre

Agreed

theyre pretty much the blueprint for the entire doom and stoner metal genres

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DAY FOUR: Mtley Cre - Live Wire

Before Crue became too androgynous, became too glitzy, they were every bit as fast and as heavy as a metal group could ask for. That's not a knock on Crue - they lived the metal lifestyle their way and never truly embraced the softer side the likes of Poison and Def Leppard did. Today's track is, once again, a bit punk and a bit speed metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahq4blDfU5s" data-time="
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bumping for later tonight
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DAY FIVE: Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It

Twisted Sister might look the part of the soft, pliant, and marketable 'glam' metal band that was beginning to pop up in the early to mid 80s to cash in on the rising female demographic. And it would have been easy to woo as many with the almighty "power ballad," but Dee and his boys used the makeup for a subversive effect. Dee, being the gatekeeper of hard rock and heavy metal that he was, would later show up in court (not dressed for the occasion, obviously) in an effort to defend the music that was taking a beating in the mainstream by Conservative would-be "moral guardians."

With all due respect to Tipper, fuck you. Show them how it's done, Dee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9AbeALNVkk" data-time="
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DAY SIX: Anvil - March of the Crabs

A prolific group of guys from Canada, Anvil's body of work consists of fast riffs while retaining an impressive degree of technical aptitude in their lead guitar. Sometimes characterized as speed metal, they've been going since 1978 and haven't slowed one bit. Today's track is an instrumental, and I wanted to showcase just how good, just how..well.."epic" their sound can be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGEny13GNdI" data-time="
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bump for a bit
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Tbh Im interested in this but you kinda lost me with your choice of bands to do write-ups about for this section

would have been more interesting if youd picked more formative or lesser known trad heavy metal bands (like Anvil)

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TheGoldenEel posted...

Tbh Im interested in this but you kinda lost me with your choice of bands to do write-ups about for this section

would have been more interesting if youd picked more formative or lesser known trad heavy metal bands (like Anvil)

One of the issues I ran into when doing this was I was afraid of being called out for not including such acts as Priest, Maiden, or Sabbath. I didn't think I'd get called out for not doing lesser known acts, admittedly. But I'm hoping as the month goes on I can provide people with some acts they may not be terribly familiar with.
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I agree with starting with the well known stuff. Otherwise you might get people popping in here like "What the fuck is this shit" or asking for the entire month where Iron Maiden is. I look forward to you getting into some lesser known stuff though. Keep it up.

DAY SEVEN: Motrhead - Back at the Funny Farm

We close out the end of the week, and the end of the traditional heavy metal scene with Motorhead. Front manned by the incomparable Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead were as fast as they were heavy and their legacy inevitably helped paved the way for certain sub-genres of metal to come, including the aforementioned speed metal (in yesterday's selection) and the punk influenced thrash metal. It's no real coincidence that these last two picks herald the coming week's type of metal, as you probably have already guessed.

Motorhead ends this week's look into heavy metal, and I want to think Lemmy and the boys for everything they did for the genre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWIVDLC1MLA" data-time="
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WEEK TWO: Thrash Metal (MIDDLE CIRCLE)

Thrash had its origins in both punk and speed metal, but grew out of both in the mid 1980s as a counterbalance to the increasing conservatism that was starting to grow along with the more mainstream and glitzy showmanship of glam metal that was starting to become so popular and marketable. Thrash's lyrics also borrow in theme and tone from hardcore punk, usually being anti-establishment.

The genre is typically known for its incredibly fast riffs, and the genre would come to its prominence through the synonymous "Big 4" of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. All 4 would go on to massive success, but there were plenty of other acts that shared that thrash metal stage with them. This week, we'll be taking a look at some of those bands and at the anti-authoritarian nature that seeps from their music.

DAY ONE: Sepultura - Dead Embryonic Cells

From Brazil, Sepultura got its start in 1984 between two brothers and would go on to become a fairly well known staple of the genre. Though they were never terribly well known in the states, they would go on to sell roughly twenty million records worldwide. Today's track comes from the 1991 album, "Arise," and is the groups second overall single in spite of producing three LPs before it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Z8Ww1EmMk" data-time="
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At the doc's atm. Bumping for later.
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DAY TWO: Terrifier - Reanimator

A newer act in the scene of thrash metal (and not to be confused with the movie of the same name), the guys formed in Vancouver, BC Canada in 2012 and proudly help carry the torch that's been brightly blazing from the golden era of the scene. Reanimator comes from 2017's appropriately titled release, "Weapons of Thrash Destruction."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y8_bDBlyis" data-time="
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I approve, keep up the good work

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DAY THREE: Holy Moses - Rest In Pain

Fronted by Sabina Classen, Holy Moses is a German thrash band that's been kicking since 1980. They went on hiatus in 1994, but reformed in 2000. Today's track comes from the 1987 album, "Finished with the Dogs."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BilxqFc6les" data-time="
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tag
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DAY FOUR: Slayer - Jesus Saves

While they'd released a couple albums prior to 1986's "Reign In Blood," it was this album that firmly established them in the mainstream along with the other Big 3 as a critical act in the thrash metal genre. Slayer embarked on a final world tour this May, and will conclude as a band later next month. They've been an extremely instrumental and influential act to the world of metal, and on a personal note this album and this band were probably my favorite metal act in my later teen years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAshGDujjms" data-time="
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DAY FIVE: Metallica - Battery

Another entry that needs no real introduction, and as important Sabbath is to heavy metal so to is Metallica to the thrash sub-genre. When these guys reached the summit of their mountain there was no coming down. They've remained at that peak and haven't stepped down since, not even in the untimely death of legendary bassist Cliff Burton.

The best track on the album, in my opinion. "Battery" is white hot fire, even with the overwhelming shadow of the almighty "Master of Puppets" looming above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17E-zFb-0aE" data-time="
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DAY SIX: Anthrax - Caught In A Mosh

The third of the "Big 4" in thrash metal, when Anthrax wasn't helping establish the burgeoning "rap metal" genre they were dedicating this album, "Among The Living," to recently deceased Metallica bassist, Cliff Burton. "Caught In A Mosh" isn't one of the singles off the album, but I'd argue it's just as amazing as "I Am The Law," and "Indians."

We're coming up on the end of the thrash metal week in the Month of Metal. We've done three of the legendary "Big 4" so far. You can probably guess who is last ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XphUURIAx5g" data-time="
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Also, as something of a bonus (and because I have no idea if I'll ever do a "obscure European Darkwave" 7 days of) I've been wanting to share this with CE for a while, now. It came out several years before "Caught In A Mosh," and ever since I heard it I've always thought the riffs were similar. I dunno, hope you enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0VZe1NseZ8" data-time="
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DAY SEVEN: Venom - Black Metal

My apologies if anyone thought Megadeth was up next, and it probably would have been if I hadn't included some of the lesser known acts in this week's list, but I'm not gonna pass up the chance to highlight a song and a band that were instrumental to the founding of one of the genre's most extreme and distinctive subsets. People debate whether or not the album is thrash or black, but I posit it's arguably both. The music is thrash, and the lyrics and vocals are undeniably black metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp_NKr_XDxQ" data-time="
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WEEK THREE: Doom Metal (LOWER CIRCLE)

Arguably pioneered by the first metal band (Black Sabbath) in the first song (Black Sabbath) of their first album (Black Sabbath), Doom Metal has been a part of the genre's DNA since creation immemorial. While traditional metal and its brasher thrash brethren revel in more livelier realms of machismo and anti-authoritarian bravado, its off-color cousin is more likely to be creeping about in cemeteries, mausoleums, graveyards where it waxes in concerns of despair, death, depression, drug addiction, and the general failings of human existence.

This isn't always the case, and Doom Metal isn't necessarily always so self-reflective or slowly treading avenues laden with the distant wailing of church bells as the inevitability of death's presence looms larger and larger with each passing second...but sometimes, it is. This week, we'll be taking a look at a group of artists that (maybe, possibly) are more likely to quietly haunt man's final resting place than they would an energetic mosh pit.

DAY ONE: Candlemass - Bewitched

If there's one thing Candlemass is known for, it's for the absolutely jaw-dropping vocals of vocalist Messiah Marcolin. Well, that or his notorious diva-like ego. That's not to say it's not well earned. Messiah knew he had a voice like an angel, and got the position in the band when he rang up bassist Leif Edling and sang the group's signature song from their initial outing entirely a-cappella.

Today's track is perhaps one of Candlemass' most well known and most beloved. It also lends credence to the virtuosity of Messiah's operatic vocals, considering the lyrics of the track in mention. The music video itself is not without some potential narm to it, but it's this poster's opinion it's arguably the greatest metal video ever conceived. I personally fucking love it.

(Side note: In the video itself, Per Yngve Ohlin (otherwise known in the community as 'Dead') makes an appearance. This is noteworthy not just because of the band he participated in himself (which may or may not show up later in this thread), but also because his death was fairly notorious in the metal scene he was a part of. RIP)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3uvf0cn0jo" data-time="
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DAY TWO: Agalloch - The Hawthorne Passage

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest of America, Agalloch is a group of individuals that would arguably feel more comfortable in the woods, in nature, than any aforementioned man-made place of rest. A considerable portion of their music dabbles in different shades of darkened metal. Call them folk, call them doom, call them black, call them American Style Folk Black (and, no, that sort of genre isn't as estranged as you might think - Blackgaze is an actual thing, and been particularly popular these last few years) - 2002's The Mantle is a tour de force of beauty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcXRx-Umcsg" data-time="
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Need an entire week for Babymetal

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DAY THREE: Saint Vitus - Dying Inside

Released in 1986, "Born Too Late" is the third studio album by Los Angeles natives, Saint Vitus. While they never saw much appreciation from the local metal community they pressed on, and eventually found something of a strange home in the punk community while playing with the likes of Black Flag. 'Dying Inside' is an ode to sobriety, or at least trying to remain sober while having a proclivity for the drink.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8bTHId_T-s" data-time="
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DAY FOUR: Trouble - Psalm 9

Founded in 1979, Trouble is one of the earliest pioneers of Doom Metal. As they were heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, naturally their sound had echoes of said group as well as some streaks of psychedelic rock thrown in for good measure.

What really helps set Trouble apart from the rest of their contemporaries, not just in Doom Metal but in metal overall, is lead vocalist Eric Wagner's lyrics. As he grew up Catholic, much of Trouble's music had biblical imagery which led their label to market them as "white metal," as sort of a tongue in cheek reference to the burgeoning Black Metal scene in addition to making the group more distinct. Naturally, Wagner didn't embrace the term - they were just a metal group with references to the bible. Still, their fanbase acknowledges their "Christian" metal and either endorses it fully, or simply ignores such trappings in favor of how good their sound was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfk5GYzHrPs" data-time="
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Agalloch was so good the one time was able to catch them live

shame about the recent stuff >_>

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DAY FIVE: Pentagram - The Ghoul

Another one of the pioneering acts of Doom Metal, Pentagram had been as active as 1971 before actually recording and producing work in 1985. Those 14 years, or so, have so far seen two albums come and go that detail the material they were working with during the 70s. Vocalist Bobby Liebling has been the only consistent member of the group during its lifespan, and while Pentagram's most recent album was released in 2015 the group has continued to maintain activity.

Today's track, "The Ghoul," comes from that debut album and the riffs therein almost sounds like they wouldn't have been out of place in the first Doom (1993).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRIkfMSnED4" data-time="
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Loving the doom metal
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TheGoldenEel posted...

shame about the recent stuff >_>

You mean about them disbanding? If so, yeah, I lament I never got the chance to see them live. Then again, what I really like of Agalloch is from their earliest material (their purely black metal stuff) and their one neofolk album, which aren't exactly indicative of most of the work they were putting out. Like, even though I've known The Mantle since 2005 or whatever, I never liked any of the work from it until I was doing this list.
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Soggy_Pocket posted...

Loving the doom metal

Glad you're enjoying it!
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EverDownward posted...

You mean about them disbanding? If so, yeah, I lament I never got the chance to see them live. Then again, what I really like of Agalloch is from their earliest material (their purely black metal stuff) and their one neofolk album, which aren't exactly indicative of most of the work they were putting out. Like, even though I've known The Mantle since 2005 or whatever, I never liked any of the work from it until I was doing this list.

I mean them disbanding, their former singer saying antisemetic stuff on Facebook that wasnt *super* incendiary, but his former band mates all putting out a statement disavowing him as well as his new band mates quitting so you know it wasnt just the one incident

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Let's see if you include my fav

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TheGoldenEel posted...

EverDownward posted...

You mean about them disbanding? If so, yeah, I lament I never got the chance to see them live. Then again, what I really like of Agalloch is from their earliest material (their purely black metal stuff) and their one neofolk album, which aren't exactly indicative of most of the work they were putting out. Like, even though I've known The Mantle since 2005 or whatever, I never liked any of the work from it until I was doing this list.

I mean them disbanding, their former singer saying antisemetic stuff on Facebook that wasnt *super* incendiary, but his former band mates all putting out a statement disavowing him as well as his new band mates quitting so you know it wasnt just the one incident

Oh, I didn't know about that...that's unfortunate :/

LiqiudusSnake posted...

Let's see if you include my fav

Maybe, but probably not. Sorry ._.
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Love that Pentagram album, would have picked Death Row from it myself
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Panthera posted...

Love that Pentagram album, would have picked Death Row from it myself

Yeah, the title track is great too.
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Seen trouble open for kind diamond at the stone pony in nj, was drunk and hanging out in front of a nearby 7-11 after the show eating a box of stolen frootloops when they pulled up in a ratty van, tried to share but they wanted frozen burritos
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DAY SIX: Pagan Altar - Satan's Henchmen

Though formed in 1978, Pagan Altar are yet another group of guys that never really released any material during their hey day - save for an independently produced, self-titled album that would see heavy circulation in the metal community but never an official release until 1998. Traditionally a father and son project, father Terry Jones passed away after battling cancer in 2015. His son, Alan, plans to continue the band if only so that he can re-record the next upcoming album as he, nor his father, ever believed it was good enough to put out.

Today's track comes from their "first" appropriately produced album, called Lords of Hypocrisy, released in 2004.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uER2YburLC8" data-time="
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bump, since today was fucking dumb but at least now i'm back home. i'll get on this before midnight.
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DAY SEVEN: Dolorian - When All The Laughter Has Gone

Known as one of the forerunners of blackened doom, Dolorian didn't get their launch until around 1997, releasing their debut LP "When All The Laughter Has Gone" later in 1999. In addition to their sound, their lyrics and vocal styles helped distinguish them further from many contemporaries at the time.

Dolorian's debut provides a fitting end to the lower circle up Doom Metal and provides a decent segue into next week's final metal genre. Most of you can probably guess what's coming next.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLA7w3E6IYs" data-time="
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