Best Metal Ever

The other day I came across a list of the 50 best metal songs of all time. Naturally I had to check it out, but I knew deep down that it would probably fall short of my expectations. Metallica’s Master of Puppets was hailed as the greatest metal tune ever. That’s a respectable start, but soon things would fall apart with far too many nods to the same bands, disregard for progressive metal, and an alarming blind spot for music made in the last 20 years.

Lists like this are always troublesome because you’ll never get a bunch of metal heads to agree to anything, much less the best bands and songs. I think that speaks to the diversity of the genre. There are many sub-classifications of metal: death, black, doom, progressive, melodic, speed, thrash, and so on. Music is the sum of its parts. As different musicians take influences from their varied backgrounds, new flavors are born. I mean, what is metal? What makes something the most metal? Good grooves, ripping guitar solos, deep and powerful vocals? Any song that starts a crazy moshpit with just the opening riff is definitely metal. But ultimately the definition of metal belongs to the bands and the fans – as it should be.

Without a doubt the titans of early metal were bands like Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Judas Priest. Then came the thrash metal icons like Metallica and Slayer. Even so, it’s hard to believe that in a list of the 50 greatest metal songs only 20 different bands would be represented. Metal runs much deeper than that. Unlike sports or politics it’s not actually dominated by a handful of successful acts. And as all music has evolved over that last several decades, metal has continued to grow and stretch beyond conventional expectations. It’s a shame that a list of metal neglects modern progressive metal or the boundary bending trailblazers that combined death growls with epic, clean vocals.

I could make my own list of the best metal songs, but as you can see it would be futile. Instead, I’m going to shed some light on the bands that most lists will overlook. Looking for some of the best metal? Here’s my top 5 in no particular order:

1. Opeth – Swedish death metal pioneering progression with heavy riffs, shifting vocals, and epic compositions. 

2. Pantera – I’m not sure how anyone could make a list of metal songs without Pantera. Vulgar Display of Power; Cowboys From Hell; Reinventing The Steel… enough said.


Check out the video for Pantera's Cemetery Gates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVMvART9kb8

3. Dark Tranquillity – DT has influenced just about every band that dares to mix death growls with clean vocals amid bludgeoning riffs.

4. Neurosis – deep, dark metal that twists and turns back on itself. Every listen turns up something new that you hadn’t heard before.

5. Anthrax – When you hear about the big four, they’re talking about Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. These Jersey boys consistently churn out the best thrash metal ever made. Get caught in a mosh! 






This is rock. This is life. What are you listening to?