Vote for Best Heavy Metal Song - Ever

[morsecode]

What's with this "Black Sabbath is not metal" thing some of you have going around here? So you wouldn't consider Sleep, Electric Wizard, Church Of Misery metal? they sound like Black Sabbath after all, they just had the privilege of starting up after Eddie Van Halen tweeked all those Marshalls.

 

[Daisy]

Definitely Pantera!!!

 

[Zeuhl34]

What's with this "Black Sabbath is not metal" thing some of you have going around here? So you wouldn't consider Sleep, Electric Wizard, Church Of Misery metal? they sound like Black Sabbath after all, they just had the privilege of starting up after Eddie Van Halen tweeked all those Marshalls.

Thank you! Someone else on my side. What you said could basically be extended to all doom/sludge/to a lesser extent stoner metal this side of Funeral Doom metal.

Also, as far as the "Most Blatant Rip-Off of Sabbath Imaginable," check out the band The Sword. Undoubtedly metal, but a near-carbon-copy of Sabbath.

 

[Bbucko]

While Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and The Who were astounding influences on heavy metal, they themselves are not heavy metal. Calling them heavy metal is like calling the MC5 punk. They were huge influences, but are not within the genre itself.

When I was growing up as a teen in the 70s, the music I linked (with the possible exception of Tommy) was called "heavy metal". Most of what has been mentioned is Hair Rock, which was a heterosexual affectation, IMO.

As my friend Mr Wiki says:

Heavy metal (often referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music[1] that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States.[2] With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Heavy metal lyrics and performance styles are generally associated with masculinity and machismo.[3]
The first heavy metal bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple attracted large audiences, though they were often critically reviled, a status common throughout the history of the genre. In the mid-1970s Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its blues influence; Motörhead introduced a punk rock sensibility and an increasing emphasis on speed. Bands in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal such as Iron Maiden followed in a similar vein. Before the end of the decade, heavy metal had attracted a worldwide following of fans known as "metalheads" or "headbangers".

Again: Metal's best with no mention of Led Zeppelin just isn't possible, and I'm hardly a superfan of the genre.

 

[Zeuhl34]

When I was growing up as a teen in the 70s, the music I linked (with the possible exception of Tommy) was called "heavy metal". Most of what has been mentioned is Hair Rock, which was a heterosexual affectation, IMO.

As my friend Mr Wiki says:


Again: Metal's best with no mention of Led Zeppelin just isn't possible, and I'm hardly a superfan of the genre.

There were a number of bands that are, by today's definition, hard rock that were referred to as "metal" in the genre's nascent years, including Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Humble Pie, and AC/DC. (That's not to say some of those bands never put out songs that could be classified as metal--for example, "Achilles' Last Stand" and "Highway Star"--but on the whole, they do not fit the contemporary definition of heavy metal.) The term has evolved over the decades to refer to bands that are more consistently heavy and tend to use certain types of chord progressions and drumming and downtuned guitars.

Few bands from that initial wave of "metal" from c.1968-c.1975 can still be considered metal. It is essentially Black Sabbath (though this can be argued due to some of their later Ozzy-era material), Blue Cheer, Budgie, Sir Lord Baltimore, Pentagram, Motorhead (despite Lemmy's insistence that Motorhead is not a metal band), and Judas Priest.

Again, while bands like The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple may have had enormous impact and influence upon the direction and various subgenres of metal, they are not considered metal bands by today's standards. I'll use an analogy I used earlier: Calling those bands heavy metal bands is like calling the MC5 punk. The MC5 had an enormous impact on the development of punk rock, but they were not a punk band.

 

[Qua]

No discussion of metal is complete without IRON MAIDEN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vP2hFFV57E&feature=related

Bruce Dickinson is a GOD

Also...metal can be so much more than the cock strutting and devil worship people associate. This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvLn8j4c5l4


And as far as sheer heaviness...no one can come even close to touching Meshuggah...and it's also just about the funniest music video I've ever seen. It's refreshing to see a metal band that doesn't take themselves too seriously

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A_tSyJBsRQ

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

Queensryche, for the Lady, of course I love this band. One of the best vocalists on record, so to speak.

Yes, he has an amazing voice. But decided to go with a different mix of songs, more new than old stuff.


Ok, I have thought about it and have a few that I could listen to over and over, which makes them the best. :smile:

Korn - Shoots and Ladders or My Gift to You (Only the original version)
Sevendust - Angel's Son
Mudvayne - Dig
Testament - More Than Meets The Eye
Godsmack - Voodoo (One of the sexiest songs ever)
Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls (Needs no explanation)

Also, Living Color's Love Rears Its Ugly Head. While more bluesy rock, LC has always been a fave. Not adding anything by Sepultura

I gave Korn the top spot because their debut album renewed my love of Metal. \m/

P.S. YouTube can suck it for messing up the videos with commercials and shit.

 

[Qua]

Oh noes! I was sincerely hoping we could go through one metal thread without numetal...it's the one style that as a metalhead and musician I abhor. It honestly bothers me that people like that stuff and scoff at some of the truly envelope pushing extreme metal acts like Opeth and Meshuggah, saying they don't like the vocals etc etc.

If you can stomach death growls (along with a beautiful folky warm singing voice) I'd highly recommend checking out Opeth...they're the only band I've ever heard to make death metal both aesthetically bearable and incredibly beautiful, playing clean ballad sections and ambient parts without sounding melodramatic like metal bands are wont to do

This is one of the most massive songs I've ever heard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JCgVAa5xFk&fmt=18

 

[KTF40]

It honestly bothers me that people like that stuff and scoff at some of the truly envelope pushing extreme metal acts like Opeth and Meshuggah, saying they don't like the vocals etc etc.

Why does it bother you? People like what they like. Who cares?

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

Oh noes! I was sincerely hoping we could go through one metal thread without numetal...it's the one style that as a metalhead and musician I abhor.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JCgVAa5xFk&fmt=18

Good for you. May I suggest beginning a thread about Metal that specifically excludes the types you "abhor", so as not to offend your eyes with my selections.

 

[B_cigarbabe]

You wouldn't have any metal without the "old guys like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin!"
C.B.:saevil:

 

[coryv1975]

I don't know about the best metal song ever.....my favorite is Dark Places by Dysern.....course i wrote it lol!



myspace.com/dysern

 

[D_Jurgen Klitgaard]

I agree with _avg_ - Metallica is the only heavy metal band in the poll so should win by default. Metallica also happen to be my favourite metal band, but I would have voted for Welcome Home (Sanitarium) and/or Seek & Destroy just because those are my favourite tracks of theirs. Though MoP is also one of their best.

Holy shit, you're my new best friend! :biggrin1:

 

[D_Kaye Throttlebottom]

Led Zeppelin - The Immigrant Song
Heart - Barracuda
In Living Color - Cult of Personality
WhiteSnake - In the Still of the Night (although David Coverdale is a tool for getting rid of John Sykes after he recorded the guitar on this song - one of the best of all time)

 

[D_Jurgen Klitgaard]

Led Zeppelin - The Immigrant Song
Heart - Barracuda
In Living Color - Cult of Personality
WhiteSnake - In the Still of the Night (although David Coverdale is a tool for getting rid of John Sykes after he recorded the guitar on this song - one of the best of all time)

All great songs, but I LOVE Living Colour - Cult of Personality!!

 

[Zeuhl34]

You wouldn't have any metal without the "old guys like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin!"
C.B.:saevil:

True, but they themselves are not considered to be actual metal bands by music critics, music historians, and the vast majority of the heavy metal community. I addressed this in a bit more detail on the last page.

 

[Catchoftheday]

Todays favourite heavy meatal song is Hey Hey My My (Into The Black) by Neil Young

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYV6PAckr5w

 

[Mr. Snakey]

For me it would have to Black Sabbath with Ozzy. C.B. mentions Deep Purple. They were also very good. And by the way Bowie beat them all to heavy metal in 1969 with his album The Man who Sold World.


She Shook Me Cold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiIa6URAxqY

 

[B_curiousme01]

Not one vote for GNR. I still think this is a metal song, but oh well. The thing about music is that it is suprapersonal, just like artwork and maybe even this site. With so many different varities there's something for everyone whenever we want it

I went to an all day type Death Metal concert. Once. Why? Someone told me I could not make it through the concert, so I challenged myself. He stayed and I left. I simply cannot get into the vocals or the zillion mile an hour guitar chords. No best of anything there for me. Except Sepultura. I do think Slayer is the leader of the pack in that arena (ouch! Did I just get bitten by something?)

I do not consider Whitesnake (or similar bands) heavy metal in any fashion. Mostly extensive hair and makeup, but WS had lovely John Sykes. He can play anything and I'm happy.

Has anyone mentioned the Cult? Are they heavy metal or blues or what? Maybe I need to get a few "best of" copies of KERRANG! And read through Malcom's rants and raves to brush up!

Maybe I should just do another poll...how about best guitar player - ever? Hahaha. Nope. Not even going to touch that one.

Thanks to everyone for participating.

 

[Mickactual]

What's with this "Black Sabbath is not metal" thing some of you have going around here?

I was just gonna ask the same question. To me Black Sabbath define metal. All hail to Lord Iommi!