Underrated but great metal bands vol. 1

We're starting with great underrated metal bands, so if you haven't heard these bands before you were missing a lot...

This time it's Riot, Savatage and Tygers of Pan Tang

Riot's sound initially started out as straightforward heavy metal, but since their 1988 release Thundersteel their musical direction has been more along the lines of power metal. The band was founded in New York City in 1975. by guitarist Mark Reale. Reaching a peak in popularity in the early 80s, the band has continued a long-running successful career, but always remained somehow underrated.

Savatage is founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida. In 1987, they released their first commercially successful album, Hall of the Mountain King, which became the base for the band being catapulted into a more mainstream arena. Great progressive/heavy stuff \m/

Tygers of Pan Tang are  formed in 1978 and originating from Whitley Bay, England and they are a notable band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Fans of Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake that it's the first band of John Sykes who played on their first albums. One of the best NWOBHM bands in my opinion. Check them out if you haven't already...

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enjoy and discuss

Just some very heavy stuff !!! \m/

Forbidden, Testament and Kreator.... Thrash metal's finnest \m/

Enjoy this and discuss your favourite \m/

Heavy metal anthems Vol. 2

Another three anthems of heavy metal!

 This time it's Accept, Saxon and Black Sabbath

 "Balls to the Wall" was the lead single from Accept's fifth studio album with the same name. The album's best known song, which became Accept's signature tune, is the anthemic title track, for which a music video was shot that received American airplay on MTV.

Very powerful song with great classic heavy riffs.
Asked about the meaning of the song, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann (the guitarist) replied:
"We've always been interested in politics and in human rights and things like that, so a lot of the lyrics that we had in those days, and to the end actually, were dealing with human rights, for instance, and that's really what "Balls To The Wall" is all about. "One day the tortured will stand up and kick some ass!"

Denim and Leather is from Saxon's fourth studio album of the same name. The name of the album and song was inspired by the popular attire of metalheads in the early 1980s, defined by denim pants and leather jackets. The song is seen as a tribute from the band to their fans while describing the history of the sub-culture and the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).

Enjoy this live version from Wacken!

Iron man from Sabbath's second album Paranoid is instantly recognizable for it's signature guitar riff.
Upon hearing the main guitar riff for the first time, Osbourne remarked that it sounded "like a big iron bloke walking about". It is interesting that the song was originally entitled "Iron Bloke"

enough of talking now... Listen and enjoy!!!
Discuss your favourite \m/

Heavy metal anthems

Now something for all you metalheads out there... We're starting with essential songs of heavy metal. Judas Priest are one of the first heavy metal bands, that's for sure, Iron Maiden took it to the next level, while Metallica fluctuated from heavy, to thrash and speed metal, and eventually even to hard rock. Personally, I've always favoutited Maiden's "The Prisoner" to hits like Run to the Hills and The Number of the beast, it's really a great passionate song, especially in this live version.OK Metallica and Priest's stuff here are pretty well know, but never out of date \m/

Three songs this time...

Which one do you like the most and why?
enjoy and discuss \m/

100 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos

  

  1. Comfortably Numb - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
  2. Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
  3. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
  4. Free Bird - Allen Collins (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
  5. Maggot Brain - Edie Hazel (Funkadelic)
  6. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
  7. Eruption - Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
  8. Highway Star - Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
  9. Cause We've Ended As Lovers - Jeff Beck
10. Hotel California - Don Felder/Joe Walsh (Eagles)
11. Mr Crowley - Randy Rhoads (Ozzy)
12. Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
13. Time - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
14. Layla - Eric Clapton/Duane Allman (Derek & The Dominos)
15. Sweet Child O' Mine - Slash (Guns N' Roses)
16. Cliffs Of Dover - Eric Johnson
17. Nottingham Lace - Buckethead
18. For The Love Of God - Steve Vai
19. Voodoo Child (slight return) - Jimi Hendrix
20. November Rain - Slash (Guns N' Roses)
21. Shine On You Crazy Diamond - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
22. Blue Sky - Duane Allman/Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band)
23. Satch Boogie - Joe Satriani
24. Lazy - Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
25. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoads (Ozzy)
26. White Room - Eric Clapton (Cream)
27. Rock You Like A Hurricane - Matthias Jabs (Scorpions)
28. Sultans Of Swing - Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
29. One - Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
30. No More Tears - Zakk Wylde (Ozzy)
31. Since I've Been Loving You - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
32. Floods - Dimebag Darrel (Pantera)
33. Black Star - Yngwie Malmsteen
34. Atom Heart Mother - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
35. Red House - Jimi Hendrix
36. Big Sur Moon - Buckethead
37. The Rocker - Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy)
38. Those Were The Days - Eric Clapton (Cream)
39. Bohemian Rhapsody - Brian May (Queen)
40. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Eric Clapton (The Beatles)
41. Fade To Black - Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
42. Dream - John McLaughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
43. Sound Chaser - Steve Howe (Yes)
44. Alive - Mike McCready (Pearl Jam)
45. Mood For A Day - Steve Howe (Yes)
46. Aqualung - Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)
47. Stone In Love - Neal Schon (Journey)
48. Child In Time - Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
49. Like A Hurricane - Neil Young
50. Dreams - Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band)
51. Cortez The Killer - Neil Young
52. Over The Mountain - Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)
53. Money - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
54. Killer Queen - Brian May (Queen)
55. Two Minutes To Midnight - D. Murray/A. Smith (Iron Maiden)
56. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad - D. Allman/E. Clapton (Derek & The Dominos)
57. Southern Man - Neil Young
58. Kid Charlemagne - Larry Carlton (Steely Dan)
59. Surfing With The Alien - Joe Satriani
60. Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughan
61. Heartbreaker - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
62. Too Many Humans - Buckethead
63. Under A Glass Moon - John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
64. Desert Rose - Eric Johnson
65. Dazed And Confused - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
66. Tender Surrender - Steve Vai
67. Still In Love With You - Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy)
68. Bold As Love - Jimi Hendrix
69. Don't Keep Me Wondering - Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band)
70. Ramblin' Man - Dicky Betts (Allman Brothers Band)
71. Always With Me Always With You - Joe Satriani
72. Tale Of Brave Ulysses - Eric Clapton (Cream)
73. Stranger In A Strange Land - Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
74. You Really Got Me - Dave Davies (The Kinks)
75. 25 Or 6 To 4 - Terry Kath (Chicago)
76. Devil Takes The Hindmost - Allan Holdsworth
77. Have A Cigar - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
78. Trademark - Eric Johnson
79. La Villa Strangiato - Alex Lifeson (Rush)
80. Super Stupid - Edie Hazel (Funkadelic)
81. Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
82. Beyond The Realms Of Death - Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)
83. Bulls On Parade - Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)
84. Unrestrained Growth - Buckethead
85. Miserlou - Dick Dale
86. Far Beyond The Sun - Yngwie Malmsteen
87. Brighton Rock - Brian May (Queen)
88. Dogs - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
89. Master Of Puppets - Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
90. Beat It - Eddie Van Halen (Michael Jackson)
91. Sow Thistle - Buckethead
92. Whipping Post - Duane Allman/Dicky Betts (Allman Brothers Band)
93. The Way It Has To Be - Shawn Lane
94. 21st Century Schizoid Man - Robert Fripp (King Crimson)
95. War Pigs - Toni Iommi (Black Sabbath)
96. Dreams - Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
97. Padmasana - Buckethead
98. Whole Lotta Love - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
99. Working Man - Alex Lifeson (Rush)
100. Love Is The Law - John Squire (Seahorses)

Famous guitar riffs vol. 2

Simple but heavy, Jimi Page's riff is one of the undisputed roots of heavy metal music. This timeless simbol of rock is based on E power chords and typical Zepp's bluesy-hard rock style. Page played the loose blues riff for the intro, on a Telecaster through a 100W Marshall "Plexi" head amp with distortion from the EL34 output valves, which ascends into the first chorus. 

Led Zeppelin's bass player John Paul Jones has stated that Page's famous riff probably emerged from a stage improvisation during the band's playing of "Dazed and Confused", but Page denied that: "No. No. Absolutely incorrect. No, it was put together when we were rehearsing some music for the second album. I had a riff, everyone was at my house, and we kicked it from there. Never was it written during a gig--where did you hear that?" And later explained: "I had [the riff] worked out already before entering the studio. I had rehearsed it. And then all of that other stuff, sonic wave sound and all that, I built it up in the studio, and put effects on it and things, treatments".

Enough of talking, just enjoy this one... \m/

100 Greatest Metal Songs

  1. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden
  2. War Pigs - Black Sabbath
  3. Master of Puppets - Metallica
  4. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
  5. Angel of Death - Slayer
  6. Ace of Spades - Motorhead
  7. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
  8. Victim of Changes - Judas Priest
  9. The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
10. Iron Man - Black Sabbath
11. Raining Blood - Slayer
12. Stargazer - Rainbow
13. Beyond the Realms of Death - Judas Priest
14. One - Metallica
15. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due - Megadeth
16. The Trooper - Iron Maiden
17. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
18. Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath
19. Run to the Hills - Iron Maiden
20. Painkiller - Judas Priest
21. Seek and Destroy - Metallica
22. Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath
23. Hellion/Electric Eye - Judas Priest
24. N.I.B. - Black Sabbath
25. Creeping Death - Metallica
26. Fade to Black - Metallica
27. Peace Sells - Megadeth
28. Cemetery Gates - Pantera
29. Witching Hour - Venom
30. Holy Diver - Dio
31. Phantom of the Opera - Iron Maiden
32. The Oath - Mercyful Fate
33. Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden
34. Symptom of the Universe - Black Sabbath
35. You've got Another Thing Coming - Judas Priest
36. Aces High - Iron Maiden
37. Pull The Plug - Death
38. Am I Evil? - Diamond Head
39. Enter Sandman - Metallica
40. Children Of The Grave - Black Sabbath
41. For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica
42. Cowboys from Hell - Pantera
43. Black Metal - Venom
44. Breaking the Law - Judas Priest
45. Seasons in the Abyss - Slayer
46. Symphony of Destruction - Megadeth
47. Halloween - Helloween
48. Fast As A Shark - Accept
49. Caught in a Mosh - Anthrax
50. Freezing Moon - Mayhem
51. Mr. Crowley - Ozzy Osbourne
52. Queen of the Reich - Queensryche
53. Walk - Pantera
54. Hangar 18 - Megadeth
55. 2 Minutes to Midnight - Iron Maiden
56. War Ensemble - Slayer
57. Metropolis Part I - Dream Theater
58. Into the Void - Black Sabbath
59. Balls To The Wall - Accept
60. Rainbow in the Dark - Dio
61. The Four Horsemen - Metallica
62. The Philosopher - Death
63. Fear Of The Dark - Iron Maiden
64. Pull Me Under - Dream Theater
65. I am the Black Wizards - Emperor
66. Bonded by Blood - Exodus
67. Hammer Smashed Face - Cannibal Corpse
68. Battle Hymn - Manowar
69. Over The Mountain - Ozzy Osbourne
70. Powerslave - Iron Maiden
71. Keeper of the Seven Keys - Helloween
72. A Fine Day to Die - Bathory
73. Heartwork - Carcass
74. The Last In Line - Dio
75. South Of Heaven - Slayer
76. Transilvanian Hunger - Darkthrone
77. Sweet Leaf - Black Sabbath
78. Eyes of a Stranger - Queensryche
79. Killers - Iron Maiden
80. Screaming For Vengeance - Judas Priest
81. Guardian - Fates Warning
82. The Exorcist - Possessed
83. Kill The King - Rainbow
84. Crystal Mountain - Death
85. Wasted Years - Iron Maiden
86. Elimination - Overkill
87. Blackwater Park - Opeth
88. Blinded By Fear - At the Gates
89. Divine Wings of Tragedy - Symphony X
90. Neon Knights - Black Sabbath
91. Evil - Mercyful Fate
92. Tornado of Souls- Megadeth
93. Over the Wall - Testament
94. Solitude - Candlemass
95. Nightfall - Blind Guardian
96. Jesu Død - Burzum
97. Exciter - Judas Priest
98. Chapel of Ghouls - Morbid Angel
99. Battery - Metallica
100. Fairies Wear Boots - Black Sabbath

What is this all about???

This blog is made for promotion of good rock and metal music, based mostly on 70's hard rock and 80's heavy metal. So if you like band like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest; Metallica... or even bands like The Beatles, Eagles, Rolling Stones, all the way to some more brutal stuff... This is the place for you!

Opened for discussions, we are waiting for you!

Promotion of good hard rock and heavy metal music
Keeping the spirit alive! \m/