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Forums > All other metal related talk..

5 bands that changed for your life

oldmate
Sun, 05/07/2020 - 09:31

I always find this type of discussions interesting. For me it would be the following. In order

1 - MetallicA - This is the band that started it all for me. Got me right into metal. Open the door to so many amazing thrash and metal bands !

2 - Cannibal Corpse - First band that really made me appreciate death metal. Cannibal Corpse are not my favorite death metal band, but like MetallicA they opened a door for me.

3 - PanterA - Kept metal going in the late 90's when alot of other metal bands were changing their sound or releasing average albums, in my opinion PanterA was the new blood metal needed.

4 - The Kill - I had listened to a fair bit of Grindcore before I saw The Kill live, but without doubt this band and had a level of intensity and energy I had just never seen. Gave me fresh eyes when looking at Grind bands!

5 - Gutalax - Groovy poopgrind. Do I need to say anything else ?

a few bands that did not make the top 5 would have to be, Blood duster, SOD, Alestrom, Carcass and Kreator.

What 5 bands would you say changed your life ?


MorticiA's picture

For me, pretty much in order (pretty much.)

1: Smashing Pumpkins 90's era (Mellon Collie specifically:) Through out my life I would often come back to it, it's EXTREMELY diverse, love and scathing, mature and juvenile

2: Metallica classic era (mostly Lightning and Puppets:) This band was revolutionary in any aspects, and I ended being a diehard fan back in the day; now I lok at my old self and face-palm. Albums like Garage Inc introduced me to other artists (ie, Misfits,) but the band also got me into play Guitar! My first tab book WAS for Garage Inc! (And I still have it.)

3: Misfits, Danzig era: What's not to say, and what hasn't been said before? A MASSIVE library of AMAZING, infectious music. Where many Punk bands of their era didn't have songs/notes or much at all, the Misfits was saturated with catchy guitar hooks and memorable lyrics.

4: Dimmu Borgir (Enthrone Darkness Triumphant:) I can't say much for their later albums, in fact I can say there's a whole bunch of stuff I hate, but this album alone is truly a masterpiece and one that would Direct me to the Black Metal world and then some.

5: Emperor In the Nightside Eclipse: If Black Metal showed me what a true bassist should sound like then they did that and much more for me as a listener and a musician. The album was SOLID through and through, a magnum opus for an entire genre of the decade. Ever song captivated me... The drumming was sublime, and at the time in 2004/2005 I was a tough critic about drummers and there were but a few bassists that I thought were any good (ie: Cliff Burton.) This album changed it all, and did far more what Dimmu Borgirs' aforementioned album did. By the end of the album, I was awestruck. Granted, tastes are subjective, but I don't know when I will see/hear another album like this again...

BONUS: MayheM (Out From The Dark, & Dawn of the Black Hearts.) John Mayall London Blues 1964-1969. Blasphemy alert: I'm sick of traditional Blues... Why? I grew up with it most of my life because of my Dad blaring it in the dead of the night during his all-nighters with alcohol for about 2 decades. Granted, I heard all kinds of music from the 70, 60, 50 during those nightsand before that, but John Mayall always stuck out to me, his London Blues music was detailed, thick, it could have loads of energy, innovative, avant-garde and I ended up learning a bunch of Blues and rock licks from his music; even if it was stumbled upon late night stoned jamming on the guitar. And then low and behold I find out his old Bluesbreakrs band was the thinktank for many of the famous bands of the late 60's and early 70s, from Led Zeppelin, to Cream, to the Rolling Stones and even Fleetwood Mac.

'Sorry I really couldn't leave out the last 2 bonus artists. By all rights I should put Immortal in there too as well as Slayer; but this is more than enough.

Hliðskialf's picture

In no particular order

Asphyx/Bolt Thrower - When I listened to Bolt Thrower for the first time I was completely underwhelmed. Why was everbody making such a fuss about such a (supposedly) mediocre band? At that point, the only death metal I liked was the fast-paced, almost thrashy kind (Obituary's Find the Arise, Possessed's Seven Churches). Then I saw Asphyx at RockHard festival - which felt like an epiphany. Their slow-paced doomy death metal hit the spot exactly - and Martin van Drunen chilling in his Twente Enschede jersey during the signing session, just being a super nice person all around certainly helped. I needed more like that and gave Bolt Thrower a second chance. Boy, did I feel stupid about my initial assessment. Both Asphyx and Bolt Thrower embody everything I like about death metal and have greatly helped making that my favourite genre.

Bathory - I listened to Quorthon's debut relatively late for the first time - that is, after I had already discovered German bands who were trying to keep the spirit of Bathory's eponymous album alive by playing raw black thrash metal (Cruel Force, Ketzer, Witching Hour, Burstin Out). This anachronistic approach resulted in me not appreciating the album to its fullest extend (I still think that Cruel Force's cover version of Necromansy blows Bathory's original out of the water). However, what really made me worship Bathory was the day that I picked up Twilight of the Gods at my local record store. I was blown away - and more than delighted to find out that Hammerheart, Bloon on Ice and the two Nordland albums offered plenty more of the music that I was craving.

Burzum - I came for the black metal and stayed for the ambient. Filosofem is one of my favourite albums of all time - initially that was due to absolute bangers such as Dunkelheit, Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments und Jesus' Tod - but the real MVP is Rundgang um die Transzendentale Säule der Singularität. It's like the musical manifestation of an out-of-body experience where you become a being that is pure spirit and roams endless plains forever. Hliðskialf elaborates on that ambient theme by retelling important episodes of Norse mythology - a match made in heaven. On a related note, Die Liebe Nerþus' is my go-to song to play on loop for helping my daughter fall asleep.

Children of Bodom - The band that pushed me over the edge. I still remember that 9th grade music lesson - everyone was doing presentations about their favourite bands and a mate picked CoB. Mask of Sanity started blasting and I made the conscious decision "Yeah, that's the kind of stuff that I want to listen to from now on". Especially the use of keyboards is what I found fasniating (which is why I also picked up listening to early Sonata Arctica shortly afterwards). I still like their early stuff (Something Wild, Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper).

Dissection - The first song that I came across was Black Dragon which was recommended by the algorithm of a popular video website. It sounded like an incantation and I was hungry for more so I checked out the full Reinkaos album. Wow. Reinkaos still ranks in my top 3 albums of all time. I only picked up the classics The Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane afterwards but was impressed nevertheless. Even Dissection's earliest demo tapes (The Grief Prophecy, Into Infinite Obscurity) are absolute bangers. The versatility of Jon's discography is what makes Dissection one of my favourite bands - whether it's the early old school death metal, the intermediate melodic death/black metal or the later melodic death metal sound, all of their releases are absolute masterpieces. Now, what maked Dissection my undisputed favourite band of all time is the fact that I was wearing my Dissection tribute kutte when I found out I was going to be a dad :)

Thane's picture

Quorthon is a fucking god. Hammerheart, man that album is just so fucking good

Heavy Metal Chemist's picture

Very interesting topic, so let me chip in here.

1) IRON MAIDEN
This is the band that got me into heavy metal. This is, and will always be, my favorite heavy metal band.

2) DISSECTION
Storm of the Light's Bane was recommended by Youtube. Having an epic album cover I decided to give it a spin, and I was simply blown away. This album one of my all time favorites and I discovered that Dissection played what is now my favorite style of metal....melodic black/death metal. There are still many band to discover for me within this genre but one pearl I found is Hyperion from Sweden 🤘😫🤘

(Highly recommended: check Hyperion's debute album Serephical Euphony! My favorite song is Zephyr of Grace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPXKNhgR7hg which goes full epic melodic on 2.17)

3) DEATH
Their whole discography is simply amazing and also showed me Death metal can also be melodic, progressive and technical, rather than simply brutal.

4) BEHEMOTH (specifically the Satanist album)
The first time I heard the Satanist I was just blown away. This album gave me an appreciation for black metal which before I found very hard to get into (probably due to poor production). Now I quite frequently listen to black metal.

5) TRIVIUM
Although I don't listen so much to them anymore, they opened the doors for the heavier and faster genres of metal such as Thrash and Melodic Death Metal. Through them I discovered one of my all time favorite bands: Megadeth

oldmate's picture

Go Iron Maiden i like the way they are just locked in! I just picked up all the studio remasters of the first 9 albums. Need to get rest

Jen Gruesome's picture

1 - Rammstein - Someone mentioned in above comment also but yeah was definitely gateway for my early teen self to break into everything else. Late night MTV memories, I was sold, hands down. Still love them.

2 - Devin Townsend - This will sound weird, but I've never really felt 'love' from an artist like I do with Devin. Have followed his works for many years and he always keeps surprising me. Love to talk everything Devin (as those who know me are well aware, rofl).

3 - Venom - I didn't really listen to Venom until just a few years ago, I went a show here in Perth not having listened to them, and wow - talk about a punch in the face, I loved it. Kept listening. Don't know why, can't explain it, but that was an epic moment for me, gave me a real sense of who I was and what I was about, sort of thing. Strange.

4. Laibach - Someone recommended them to me back in highschool, at first I wasn't sure about it, but then over the years they really got in deep. Opus Dei, Sympathy for the Devil, their spin on The Sound of Music - endless choices for covers and tracks that I just can't stop loving. I find their music very life affirming, and it's incredible. I got the amazing chance to fly over to Sydney in January to see their first Australian performance, I went by myself, biggest smile on my face the whole night. A band that is at times a little controversial but then again what band isn't - I don't care about the politics, just the music.

5. Silent Knight - I started going to a lot of local gigs after I graduated from Uni and got a job, and Silent Knight was a band that I kept seeing and kept wanting to see all the time! Such an awesome power metal band, made me want to explore local scene more and without that my life would be very very different to what it is now, that's for sure!

Thane's picture

God Devin is sooooooooo good

Thane's picture

Alright this is going to be kind of difficult haha so many good bands.

1. Boston - This band is the one that started it all for me. The first time I heard them from my Dad, I was sold. They started me down the rabbit hole of rock/metal and I just kept going heavier and heavier and heavier from there. Seeing them live (even though Delp had already passed) was life changing as well. Favorite albums - Boston and Don't Look Back

2. Metallica/Megadeth - I have to lump these two together because I discovered them and was hooked on anything and everything I could find that they released. Found them both at pretty much the same time. They were my gateway from classic/hard rock into metal. Metallica gave me a taste and appreciation for longer tracks, and laid a blueprint for pretty much every other metal song I'd listen to. Megadeth helped take it even farther with more complex songwriting and more interesting riffs and solos. Megadeth Rust in Peace was the first metal album I ever bought. I will never forget that day in High School, I went to a Fred Meyer's after school with some money I'd earned and previewed Holy Wars, and Hangar 18. When I hit Take No Prisoners, I dropped all the other albums I was looking at and went straight to the register. To this day I still know and love just about every track by both bands. I saw Megadeth live and they played Take No Prisoners I've never been happier haha Favorite albums: Metallica - Kill em All, ...And Justice for All. Megadeth - Rust In Peace, Peace Sells

3. Primus - Just after getting heavy into thrash a friend tipped me off to these fuckin weirdos. I hated the way they sounded at first, mostly because of the vocals, but the guitar and bass were so interesting that I just kept coming back and then I was hooked. Primus showed me that music literally has no boundaries and helped me take an open-minded approach to every band I ever came across after that. I drove 20 hours to see them and it was one of the greatest concerts ever. Les' creativity on the bass was a game changer for me and is still the reason why I tend to like bands with more audible bass tracks in their songs. Metallica and Megadeth were the reason I started playing guitar and Primus got me to pick up the bass. Sadly, I don't play anything anymore (bills and kids lol) but those years playing gave me a giant respect for the bands I like. Favorite albums - Frizzle Fry and Sailing the Seas of Cheese

4. Dream Theater - After years of listening to mostly the same stuff a friend showed me these guys and they were like a breath of fresh air. Hearing images and Words for the first time was like being born again and just blew me away. They did so many things different and incorporated techniques and instruments and sounds that I'd just never imagined could fit in metal or rock. The band's technicality also just blew me away. They pushed me into the true musical nut I am today. Just made me completely obsessed with finding new and interesting takes on metal and rock. I started looking at everything and anything and digging deep into underground metal bands. They have probably influenced my musical taste the most, but I have to give the top spots to those other 4 just because of the direction they pushed me in first. They gave me an appreciation for progressive music, inclusion of other instruments, concept songs and albums and just really opened my mind as far as what can be done with instruments to express yourself. Favorite albums - Images and Words, Systematic Chaos

5. This one's a tough choice but I'd have to say Avatar. After going to several shows and listening to tons of music there was a point where music had gotten kind of stagnant for me. Avatar again was like a breath of fresh air. Their combination of heaviness, groove, songwriting, melody, incorporating mellow parts, and then seeing them live just solidified it for me. They are the most united band I've ever seen or heard. Their energy and presence live is so commanding it's just unreal. They really showed me just how close some of these musicians are and how much they really pour into their writing. They gave me a renewed appreciation and respect for musicians, plus they are just so chill and friendly and not afraid to be ridiculous. Another thing I got from them and Primus is that you don't have to pretend to be such a hard ass to be a metalhead. You can be doofy and stupid and still be heavy and catchy. Favorite Albums - Feathers and Flesh, Avatar

Honorable Mentions go to Death (obviously) for really getting me into Death Metal, Cattle Decap for really pushing me into digging deep into Death Metal bands and not judging a band by their name or appearances and Alice In Chains... just because I think we've all had times where we are depressed and having their music to help me realize I wasn't the only one going through it and that it was okay to express or talk about really just changed my life. Layne is an absolute legend.

CCraun's picture

1. Metallica-
Many people including myself attribute this band as their reason for dipping their toes in the metal genre. People give them a lot of crap because they're the most popular metal band out there, but I gotta say they are in that place for a reason. Moscow 1991 has gotta be the best concert of all time, I wish I was alive to attend it.

2. Pantera-
This band was a gateway for me into darker, heavier subgenres after I went and followed some of Phil Anselmo's side projects (especially Superjoint Ritual and Down). In my opinion they are the best metal band of all time.

3. Cattle Decapitation-
I used to not be into death metal (or whatever you categorize them as... goth-rock vegan grindcore?) until I discovered "Manufactured Extinction". They are insanely talented and really blend all genres of not just rock and metal but others as well into a relentless signature sound. Their lyrics are really thought provoking as well, and really make you aware of how awful humans really can be and are. Definitely one of the heaviest bands out there.

4. Stryper-
Glam metal about Jesus. My uncle had a bunch of their vinyls in his trailer, and when he passed they were given to me. Michael Sweet is an incredibly talented singer, and their tone is awesome. They're still kicking butt forty years later as well!! They kinda moved away from their glam metal roots and towards a heavier, faster sound similar to some of Maiden's and Judas Priest's catalog. Gotta say, if you're not into that kind of sound and think that Glam is all about cheesy lyrics and swag, you really gotta check these guys out.

5. Korn-
I used to think that a band had to be fast and loud to be "heavy". Korn really changed that for me. Their catalog is very diverse (to the point of Skrillex cooperations) and they are really constantly innovating and changing their sound. I also love Fieldy's slap bass and more recently, JD's low growls that have been insane lately, especially off their last album. They also have very emotional and thought provoking lyrics that go beyond just their music and into realms of rape and child abuse. Great stuff.

oldmate's picture

seems to me to be the cool thing to give MetallicA shit these days. I think they are an amazing band! like you say they are most popular metal band for a reason

we share 2 of the 5 bands so thats cool

I would like to see Stryper live !!

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