My 10 Greatest HEAVY METAL Albums

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Andy is a drummer, producer and educator. He has toured the world with rock legend Robert Plant and played on classic prog albums by Frost and IQ.
As a drum clinician he has played with Terry Bozzio, Kenny Aronoff, Thomas Lang, Marco Minneman and Mike Portnoy.
He also teaches drums privately and at Kidderminster College

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Sorry about the Glitch at the end. Watch the rest here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bam3h6R-qrSihsU

[@lyndellwilliams5890]

Thanks for the like & I have a Jazz album that could blow you away but only if you're interested?

[@rakeshadhin]

Kudos for having Voivod on the list! My personal favorite is "The Outer Limits" (1993). The compositions, the playing and the production are top-notch. It's Voivod's "Birds of Fire" if you know what I mean. They got everything right at this point. Anyway, this is my personal TOP 10 METAL ALBUMS (in chronological order): Metal on Metal (1982) - Anvil Don’t Break the Oath (1984) - Mercyful Fate Master of Puppets (1986) - Metallica Lightning Strikes (1986) - Loudness Abigail (1987) - King Diamond Taking Over (1987) - Overkill Alice in Hell - Annihilator (1989) Rust in Peace (1990) - Megadeth Dances of Death (1990) - Mekong Delta The Outer Limits (1993) - Voivod

[@Frip36]

A band called "Mekong Delta" is hilarious.

[@vagabond197979]

I know about half of these and really like them so I'm going to check out the rest in your list soon!

[@rakeshadhin]

@vagabond197979 You're very welcome to do so!

[@macseinchin]

Great show, Andy. Getting into Metal in the mid-80s, Iron Maiden's 'Killers' was a big album for me, and Clive Burr's brilliant drumming especially. I loved that all the drummers of the hard rock/metal bands I listened to had their own particular style and sound - John Bonham, Bill Ward, Ian Paice, Cozy Powell, Philthy Animal Taylor, Vinny Appice, Andy Parker, and Brian Downey.

[@douglasanderson8636]

I,m no metal fan but Clive Burr was an incredible drummer

[@knorkstea606]

I love brian downey One of the best for sure

[@macseinchin]

@@knorkstea606 Made it look easy. Boogie Woogie Dance one of my faves for his drumming.

[@knorkstea606]

@@macseinchin thats a good one He switches from rhythm to rhythm so seamlessly on every album His work on bad reputation is my favorite especially what he plays over the solo of opium trail

[@DavyDredd14]

My 10 : Motorhead - Overkill Accept - Restless and Wild Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell Anthrax - Spreading the Disease Saxon - Wheels of Steel Slayer - Reign In Blood Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden King Diamond - Abigail Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance Annihilator - Alice In Hell

[@John-k6f9k]

Good to see Saxon and Wheels of Steel! I remember in the early 80s Saxon and Iron Maiden were just about equally popular among the metal heads.

[@cirjames2540]

Look at all the bands/albums you named-all bands originally came from listening/playing other genres of music to create metal. Recently we have musicians that grow up listening to metal and play metal and it can be stale with nothing new to add.

[@contrabandivory]

Yo dee yo dee oh! Master of Puppets cannot be denied. Murder Inc. Battery, and Cliff Burtons Bass lead on Orion is sublime.

[@contrabandivory]

The lead is at 6:36

[@david-vp4ku]

I would have Sabbath at number one. Great list though. Check out "The lay of thrym" by Scandinavian band called Tyr. My favorite metal album. That would be near the top.

[@ronaldmorgan7632]

Unfortunately, I had given up on rock at that point, and completely missed all of those bands mentioned. Until recently, the last hard rock show I had seen was UFO. Yeah, that long ago.

[@scottmcgregor4829]

This is without a doubt my favorite list that you have put together (Not because of the genre in of itself). Heavy metal/hard rock probably has the most diversity of cross pollination of music genres. However, the American metal bands and musicians don't have that New Wave of British Heavy Metal aesthetic (😉😄😂).

[@riffmondo9733]

I love all of these albums. Not a bad list.

[@kniknayme9865]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I enjoy the "Its my channel and I am going home" moments.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

It's all a bit of fun in the end....

[@Emlizardo]

Wow, I feel like Andy's the only other person in the world who would pick Sin After Sin for their list! I am not alone!

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Simon Phillips !!!!

[@pkats9093]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer Sin after sin my number one priest album. Sad wings of Destiny a close second!

[@aidenswords5809]

Almost their best, not quite

[@chutspe]

I'm really glad that you picked Metallica for Number 1. Because: It's so fashionable these days to leave them out of such lists deliberately, because they, Metallica, and this album, Master of Puppets, are too obvious a choice to put them on a fancy, cool list. But both, the band and the album, just ARE the obvious choice for all the reasons you mentioned. (Also, in 1986 I was only 9 years old, so my very first Metallica album was indeed the black album. I don't think, however, that they intentionally went "commercial" when recording it, maybe Bob Rock had that in mind, but the band themselves? I doubt it. It was just their next ambum, and they didn't want to persue the same ways they did with their previous albums, so they changed their process. But a whole generation of first wave Metallica fans, I sense, never forgave them for ever doing something different than Kill 'em All, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. And so it's almost a trope to point out the amateur status of Lars Ulrich as a drummer (and his Napster issue), the questionable vocal style of James Hetfield, the Wah-wah use of Kirk Hammet, and only accepting Cliff Burton as a god on bass, which he was, but god is dead.)

[@1848revolt]

Metallica = yuck

[@Frip36]

Do you cover metal for Mojo, Jojo?

[@chutspe]

@@Frip36 Hehe! (No.)

[@mcosu1]

Would have thought you would include Mastodon!

[@johanjotun1647]

some oddballs i'd like to throw out there; Acid bath "when the kite string pops" (pure genius) Macrabre Sinister Shaughter ( Denis the Menace most revolutionary drummer all time) Dissection "Storm of the Lights Bane" (none was blacker) Stratovarious "Visions" (awesome execution)

[@EyeTunz]

OH man this one scares me. Here's mine (before watching): 1. Paranoid 2. British Steel 3. The Number of the Beast 4. Master of Puppets 5. Black Sabbath 6. Ace of Spades 7. Severed Survival 8. Reign in Blood 9. To Mega Therion 10. Iron Maiden HM: Slowly We Rot, From Enslavement to Obliteration, A Blaze in the Northern Sky

[@DwainDwight]

Melvins Bullhead would also be up there.

[@grimtraveller7923]

Andy, I love you to bits and I think you have so much to say on progressive rock and jazz and jazz-fusion and I love your channel and what you have to say, but on this one, you lost me when you said regarding heavy metal, "It's not just the sound." I did listen to the rest, but I think, and have thought since 2006, that this is where heavy rock writers and documentary makers go so wrong. Granted, heavy metal has definitely progressed and changed _since 1966_ but it goes back a long way and the imagery is not the music, nor does it make the music. I always apply the blind person test to musical genres and their development, namely, if a blind person listened to albums from the genre, would they classify them in the same sphere ? Would they see the lines of development ? I think they would. I was using the term heavy metal in 1979 and the term had been applied to bands for almost 10 years at that point. There is quite a bit of documented evidence of this. The fact that the music has changed is largely irrelevant. It's a bit like leaving Africans out of the history of Black Americans, Black Brazilians, West Indians etc because those peoples are no longer classed as "Africans." Heavy metal rock has long been an intelligent music that has itself split into many sub-genres. I don't actually have a problem with any of the albums you've selected because they are your choice and your choice is interesting. But I disagree wholeheartedly with utilizing the imagery of the bands playing heavy metal as a touchstone for what constitutes the music. Heavy metal is primarily _sonic_. And Black Sabbath did not invent the genre. They took it on, yes, they were hugely influential, yes, but invention ? Nope. But that's another story for another time.

[@AlmostEthical]

I feel old. I remember when Sabbath, Purple and Led Zep were the big three heavy metal bands. I never went for the super harsh metal sound from Judas Priest onwards. The music lacked the warmth of Sabbath and the others. I admit to liking some Tool and Dream Theater and, of course, lots of Crimson, but that's as heavy as my ears can tolerate. Weirdly, I saw the Cure live and they beat Rainbow as the loudest band I ever saw. Go figure.

[@stevenworden1802]

I own 9 out of 10 of these albums but very few of your choices would be my choices as the TEN GREATEST. In fact, every one of these albums (almost) has a better album in each band's discography.

[@elbib2446]

sad wings of destiny was the british steel for me,there was a underground about priest,not many had the sad wings album at the time,dudes were like ,its heavier than sabbath,of course they werent,but had a different /new sound.sad wings/sin after sin/stained class are my golden age priest,maybe killing machine too,then it went completely leather and motorbikes,and a move towards american,dumbed down stadium rock,thankfully they got back on the proper metal vibe later

[@jimmycampbell78]

Agree with you completely

[@Frip36]

@@jimmycampbell78 Screaming for Vengeance blows Sad Wings out of the lava.

[@jimmycampbell78]

@@Frip36 Screaming is a great 80s metal album. Something about Sad Wings, the melodic feel, atmosphere & production of it does it for me though.

[@dennismason3740]

I couldn't/wouldn't/would probably get killed for do this. I am regularly communicating with youngsters concerning the definition of metal. I saw Cream, Black Sabbath, Hendrix and the OG Purple. Yours is a cultural definition. I saw the Mick Taylor Bluesbreakers. I babysat Mayall's kid. I stood behind Bowie in the coffee line. I have my creds. What is metal? What happens when a band tears your head off, tosses it around the sun and plonks it back onto your neck? Is that metal? It's only words, and words are all I have...Ozzie saw me dancing naked in 1974. I saw him standing alone on the grass, staring to the south, in a blue track suit with a yellow stripe. 1999. I thought I should say something to him and I didn't, I wish I had. At least "hey, mate, after the meeting let's go get chips on Melrose!".

[@grimtraveller7923]

I've no idea what point you're making Dennis, but I almost agree with you !

[@dennismason3740]

@@grimtraveller7923 - the categories, the categories, the categories are absurd. We don't really need them, the name of the band/artist will do.

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@dennismason3740 I don't think categories are absurd. If you want to communicate to someone the types of music you like, the genre will get you further than the band or artist.

[@DwainDwight]

South of Heaven from Slayer would be in my top 10. would be in my top 5.

[@dennismason3740]

The actual phrase came along in 1967 - Heavy Metal - to describe the more thunderous aspects of Deep Purple and Cream and Hendrix. I was there, that is an actual cultural phrase that arose from folk's need to categorize. I would call John Lee Hooker metal, but that's me. Nirvana arose from Kurt Cobain's need to express himself or die trying. Kurt told honest stories in a sea of liars.

[@Frip36]

What book did you read that put that 'Hooker is metal' idea in your head?

[@dennismason3740]

​@@Frip36 - John Lee Hooker put that idea in my head when I saw this....kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYSakJhvgcmpeqs - or this - kzbin.info/www/bejne/foWnm3eVisl9j9U - "metal" and "heavy metal" are states of being when a solid beat is generated. Blues was metal, is metal, as well as Ozzy, who agrees with me on "metal and blues". They are words that originated in an atmosphere that had no description. The beat is steady, the tempo whatever, the mood electric and thundrous. Categories are convenient to those that use them. The phrase "heavy metal" actually was invented by the Royal British Navy to describe their massive guns on ships.

[@Frip36]

@@dennismason3740 Customer: I'd like a chocolate cake. Waiter Dennis: Sure. Be right back. Customer: Why did you bring me vanilla cake? Dennis: Chocolate IS vanilla. CHRIST! PEOPLE ARE SO STUPID!

[@petegreenfield3645]

Voivod's latest album is killer, possibly better than Nothingface...

[@lyndellwilliams5890]

Hahaha I think Body Count probably should have been on your list however KZbin probably wouldn't have wanted you talking about them?😁 You know the Cop Killer thing.😁👍

[@ColdGrayMorning]

Please best 10 Thrash metal albums!

[@matsfrommusic]

I just find it impossible to rank HM albums, in my (somewhat limited) view there's very few bands that I like and the one's I do like, I like so many of their albums, bands such as Alice in chains, White/Rob zombie, The Cult, Pantera, Soundgarden, Marilyn Manson.

[@matsfrommusic]

Entombed

[@jackneidinger9544]

The real metal top ten, this is not negotiable, is 1, Pronounced leth-er skin-er by Leather Skinner 2,Liquidate by Mikrogroove 3,A Murder of Crows by Deathcamp, 4, A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Baste by Sudgemonkey 5, Roadkill vol. 4 by klaw 6, Incelligencia by the Straighteners 7,Deep Six by Maggot Brain 8, Edify by Edifice (American Pressing) 9, Self Abnegation by Spirochette 10, Ultravengeance by The Howdy Doody Boys.

[@johnlouiswessels6083]

No 80' metal without Van Halen and ACDC...

[@johnlouiswessels6083]

Soulfly is the shit...

[@elasmojones]

Hard to say what's metal and what's hard rock. I mean how hard is British Steel?

[@jonhoward180]

Stained Glass 😂

[@stevesheroan4131]

While I agree that Metallica is probably the overall heavy metal GOAT, I don’t like them at all. They did to metal music what Nirvana did to hard rock/glam. Both genres were definitely due for a shaking up, but I liked my metal with more of a proggy, melodic bent. My metal journey ended with Iron Maiden’s Powerslave record, and my favorites are a tossup between Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind. I believe Black Sabbath is the most important metal album though.

[@magicsinglez]

I hate the Voivod sound. I don’t get how someone could aspire to sound like that. A mistake? I get it. An experiment? OK, a poor one. But aspiring to sound dry and sterile. . . How did they even do it? Try to sound like ‘Never Say Die’ but 10 times worse?

[@kevinbrown1893]

That was a good list. Here's mine, one band per album: 1. Judas Priest - Painkiller (1990) 2. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988) 3. Metallica - And Justice for All (1988) 4. Dio - Holy Diver (1983) 5. Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (1983) 6. Black Sabbath - Mob Rules (1981) 7. Megadeth - Rust In Peace (1990) 8. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990) 9. Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman (1981) 10. Mercyful Fate - Melissa (1983)

[@necroscope5064]

Piece of Mind was my starting point in metal, and still up their among my favourites. So Far So Good So What - Megadeth, South of Heaven - Slayer make up my top 3.

[@elbib2446]

wouldnt of when i was a youth.but nowadays i class killing joke as one of my fave heavy metal bands,though not classed as one ,they are much heavier,with proper occult and doomy lyrics/image,georgies guitar sound is unique,like a wall of sound

[@volkhardruhs7662]

Wel. To be boring. Yes, not much to disagree. Albeit, that Robert Halford is for me always been a sort of Schlager Sänger. Singing Schlager with some cutting howling guitars. Sorry. Anyway at my old age I can‘t listen to Heavy Metal more than a half hour at a time. Without getting sooo boooooord. Ok, I kwow. I am a grumpy old man.

[@narosgmbh5916]

we love heavy metal Schlager m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJbMcnqMpK95ocU Did you know that?

[@normanjones9663]

Ok, when you talked about Voivod never having mentioned in the comments, I felt that I just had to give a big shout out to the (in my mind) best thrash metal band, and that is Mekong Delta. With a dozen albums under their belts, this is an unbelievable mixture of thrash with classical (yes, classical) influences with strong Lovecraftian imagery. The first four albums rank highest in my mind, but all of them are incredible. To start with, I'd probably go with 'The Music of Erich Zann'. I just had to get this out of my system.

[@godetonter4764]

Hut of Baba Yaga , and Black Sabbath were great songs

[@elecrocity]

Last few minutes are messed up? Just a frozen face leaving us in anticipation.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I don't know what happened. But the video was nearly finished anyway

[@StefanFreuden]

Any Prog Fanboys doubting the veracity of Andy's somewhat unique selections should checkout Voivod's interpretation of Astronomy Domine from 'Nothingface'. Excellent choice!

[@robnykulaik7337]

I'm from Canada and sadly never really gotten into Voivod all that much, I have seen them tho! But I do know their cover of Astronomy, and I love it!! but I bet Andy would really like the version of 21st century schizoid man!? Probably has heard it tho I've never heard Andy mention it!? Rock on!!

[@elbib2446]

ride the lightning for me

[@leonyetman8700]

I would never put Metallica ahead of iron maiden or Judas priest or Black Sabbath. Not that they shouldn’t be on this list but not number one.

[@dennismason3740]

I saw the Bluesbreakers with Mick Taylor, Albert King, and Deep Purple all at the Pasadena Rose Palace one night in 69. That was a metal night. Sometimes a show tears your reality to its very molecules. One dollar to get in, no chairs, sawdust on the floor.

[@stewarttiley9683]

Good list Andy! Budgie was the best support band I ever saw, opening for Gillan on the Double Trouble tour. I too was lying in bed as a teenager listening to Tommy Vance playing a track by a new band named Metallica. It was "Metal Militia"! We immediately hated it, had a big NWBOHM meeting at school on Monday and unanimously agreed to boycott them! Except for one quiet member of the committee, who purchased the album, taped us all a copy and the rest is history! But I must point out a band who came before Metallica and were life changing- MERCYFUL FATE!!! Melissa/Don't Break The Oath albums!!! Just saw them live and they were better than I could have wished for with the mighty encore "Satan's Fall"! PS. My first 45 at the age of 12 was "All Night Long" and it still sends shivers up my spine! Bonnet is the best rock singer imo!

[@stephenbarrow3352]

Only discovered your video's recently but I'm loving them. Keep up the good work.

[@chrismorgan7494]

Sin After Sin is my favorite Priest album. Always available for the "nice price". I was always entranced by the album cover.

[@oman3809]

My favourite too. Simon Phillips really kills on it and couldn't agree more about "Dissident Aggressor".

[@chrismorgan7494]

@@oman3809 There's a recent video of him performing that song. He's got so much going on with it it's uncanny.

[@countdebleauchamp]

Assuming Soundgarden belongs on this list, it has to be Badmotorfinger. Superunknown is a different sound.

[@robnykulaik7337]

Loved the list but I probably would of omitted Soundgarden (even though I really love them) for the band Metallica really wanted to be, the mighty Mercyful Fate!! Hands down the scariest and heaviest band I ever heard growing up. Also Slayer would have to be on there. Merry Xmas from Canada Andy. Love your channel and keep up the great work. BTW I loved your version of Jimi's Manic Depression!! Wow!!

[@sconni666]

I saw Faith no More and Soundgarden open for Voivod on the Nothingface tour. It ruled.

[@countdebleauchamp]

😮

[@mdarts8861]

What do you think about Opeth?

[@mgerometta]

Ace Of Spades is my all-time favourite!

[@Numfuddle]

I’m late to the party because I discovered your channel literally three hours ago and I had to watch a lot of your “History of Prog” series (which is great stuff by the way) first so bear with me please. For me the theatrical aspect of Metal gets overlooked so often even though it is so central to the whole genre and experience. It’s not just a group of people on stage playing instruments. It’s fog machines and over the top costumes, it’s 7 foot animatronic creatures, it’s Alice Cooper playing a villain on stage that always has to die at the end, it’s Ozzy biting the heads off of bats and Gwar covering their whole audience in blood and gore. It’s the pyrotechnics of Rammstein or Floor Jansen riding a giant pendulum on stage at a Nightwish concert. It’s the theatrics of Ghost or Hollywood Undead. It’s leather clad Judas Priest driving motorcycles on stage. On the other end of the spectrum you have Storytelling bands like Blind Guardian or Santiano who aren’t as heavy on the animatronics and the movie blood but who can draw you into a world or a compelling story or you get the stunning virtuosos who have mastered their craft and awe you with their prowess and panache like a knife thrower or a lion tamer would. I could literally go on forever It’s the pomp and circumstance of a great circus show or the magic of a compelling theater play. The band telling stories through their music or their on stage antics or both. It’s larger than life and a great show as well as a great musical performance. A lot of a Metal IS musical theater in the best sense of the world and a lot of bands even borrow a lot of its techniques and trappings (e.g. Bruce Dickinson’s singing technique or the elaborate stage shows a lot of them put on) …but I’m rambling. Metal borrowed bits and pieces from a whole host of different historic and contemporary genres (like baroque and classical music, prog or musical theater) when it helps the bands put on a great performance and a great show and this is an aspect of the genre that many people tend to overlook and that many contemporary bands don’t seem to understand.

[@metalmat3651]

Yes Soundgarden's album "Superunknown" is quite good but I wouldn't consider that album a Metal album.

[@EyeTunz]

Oof. Stopped watching at Pantera. Sorry man. That's a deal breaker. I barely got passed Anthrax. Cheers!

[@stephensuddick1896]

Led Zeppelin Presence is the most brutal music I have ever heard in my life.

[@Nephilim-81]

Love your diversity and choices. I absolutely love metal music. :)

[@NelsonMontana1234]

I'd just go with everything Maiden did from Number of the Beast to 7th Son. And South of Heaven and Master of Puppets. That's about it for me.

[@tobiasschmuecking4958]

Voivod! Thanks, Andy!

[@adnilrummut105]

indeed! *dissident aggressor* anno 1977 can be seen as the icon of new metal in the very beginning!

[@nilstegtmeier7850]

There's a reason why Slayer covered it on South of Heaven

[@adnilrummut105]

imdeed and the reason is called thrashriffing.

[@philyeary8809]

Voivod Flotsam and Jetsam Death Angel Monstermagnet Anacrusis

[@godetonter4764]

My Top 10 1. Cirith Ungol - King of the Dead 2. Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian 3. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin 4. Anvil - Forged in Fire 5. Helloween - Keeper of the 7 Keys 6. Mercyful Fate - Melissa 7. Cannibal Corpse - the Bleeding 8. Witchfynde - Stagefright 9. Bathory - the Return 10. Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out

[@johanjotun1647]

thanks for not snubbing keeper, no one includes "Visions" by strato shit blew my mind when it dropped.

[@hugogomes1077]

no megadeth? seems to me one of the most interestingly complex, groovy, "jazzy" and bluesy thrash metal out there, also taking into account dave mustaine seems to have been a godfather of the genre writing most of the hits in the famous metallica kill em all album. Rust in Peace or Countdown to extinction should always, in my opinion, be always above any metallica album, its just about musicianship and song writing, it seems to me another level. I know you said you didnt want to fill the list with thrash metal but i just cant stand metallica being there, specially keeping in my mind how bad they are live, cause they are not very skillfull musicians asides from james hetfield xD but i respect peoples view. BTW I came to know this channel cause of my jazz guitar teacher at university, subscribed! :)

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

They were pretty close to being on the list. Imagine the comments if I didn't put Metallica on.

[@hugogomes1077]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer yeah i can understand ahah good vides, keep up the good work, specially found interesting your videos on the modern jazz scene

[@oliviermuller8214]

You're so right about Anthrax, and about the doors they broke open in so many minds...

[@Neofolis]

Weirdly, I'm a similar age to you, but I came to metal from hip-hop. My 10 would be. Motorhead - Ace Of Spades Pearl Jam - Ten Death - Human Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Exhorder - Slaughter In The Vatican Machine Head - Burn My Eyes Matallica - Master Of Puppets Pantera - Cowboys From Hell Sepultura - Arise Slayer - South Of Heaven

[@adnilrummut105]

10. darkthrone - panzerfaust 09. slayer - reign in blood 08. iron maiden - killers 07. motörhead - overkill 06. judas priest - sin after sin 05. psychotic waltz - mosquito 04. black sabbath - master of reality 03. morbid angel - altars of madness 02. pantera - far beyond driven 01. death - symbolic out of list because far out the best: CARCASS - HEARTWORK worth mentioning: celtic frost - to mega therion atheist - unquestionable presence cynic - focus kreator - coma of souls sodom - agent orange metallica - ride the lightening annihilator - alice in hell ozzy - blizzard of ozz rainbow - rising exodus - bonded by blood dark angel - darkness descends

[@Squirrelconga]

...when u said "one thrash band" I knew that you were going to say Anthrax! ...we have very similar tastes

[@miykaelp5284]

You putting Voivod "Nothingface" in here warms my heart, they were my gateway to all progressive rock and fusion later as a kid. Stll love Voivod, saw them a couple months ago and their recent work is awesome too.

[@casablanca2745]

In my middle teens I was a big fan of Mott the Hoople. They released Brain Capers in 71 with a tremendous heavy track “The Moon Upstairs”. Saw them a couple of times in the early to mid 70’s and they had Queen open for them on one show. Several years ago saw Ian Hunter and the Rant band in Boston and they played it and blew everyone away. Mott’s not known for heavy metal but I know this tune was influential. Great stuff Andy, look forward to the next one.

[@kevinjohnfarrugia9406]

Tried to look up Voivod's Nothingface on Spotify but funnily enough that particular album is missing from their discography!!

[@SB-kr1dw]

Voivod is my favorite metal band, hands down. I prefer Dimension Hatross by a hair but Nothingface is classic.

[@mdarts8861]

Why were Nirvana such a cultural explosion? Definitely do a video on Grunge.

[@hippomancy]

my fave Soundgarden is Badmotorfinger. was a little let-down by the slick production of Superunknown... also prefer the earlier Metallica. great Metallica story...

[@adnilrummut105]

yeah simon philipps on drums makes the difference!!! he plays heavy funkmetal to the point

[@jeffreycoy]

No Tomb Mold?? No Witch Vomit?? No Goat Semen?? Come on, man.

[@user-mad7max11dystopia]

Stained Class is a great Judas Priest album. Exciter is just sizzling guitars!! But you could go with several of theirs and get no argument from me.

[@spanishpeaches2930]

Axe Attack. My eldest brother bought me that for Xmas in 1980 when i was getting in to Metal.

[@66hss]

Nothing to complain about your list. Good arguments for them. Sin after sin, yes.

[@rockadrome7235]

Anthrax and Pantera.....no thanks

[@shawnminnier6117]

My favorite thrash album will always be Overkill - Taking Over

[@dennismason3740]

Black Sabbath didn't invent it but they sure defined it.

[@jimmycampbell78]

My take has always been that Sabbath invented it and Priest defined it. Who do you regard as the ‘inventors’ of heavy metal? There’s definitely proto-metal bands on both sides of the Atlantic. In North America: Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly, Vanilla Fudge, the Guess Who, Steppenwolf. In the UK: Yardbirds, Cream, The Who, Zeppelin. But listen to those bands, there’s a lot of psychedelia, blues, hard rock. In terms of ‘metal’, its Sabbath who truly invent it, and do it consistently- imo. Otherwise you can take it even further back and say Link Wray invented it with Rumble.

[@dennismason3740]

@@jimmycampbell78 - right on, Vampyre. I saw Link Wray at a small club in West Hollywood in 1975. You couldn't be more right.

[@Frip36]

@@jimmycampbell78 I crack up how Andy makes out like the Brits invented everything. I'd say our (I'm American) Detroit band MC5 started the thrash sound on Kick Out the Jams. '69. But in a proto-metal way like the early bands you mentioned. Agree about Sabbath being the full sound and look and theme of metal. My favorite metal band is Judas Priest (pre Turbo). People say they changed metal with Sad Wings, Sin after Sin, and Stained. But I listen to them and think, "Is this different in kind from anything Deep Purple did before them?" I don't think so. For me, it wasn't until Unleashed in the East that Priest really separated themselves. Purple had the speed, and wildness, and chops and metal hellion vocalist. But Unleashed had a massive metal wall of pummeling sound that out-did everyone. Most people say it the metal shift started with Stained Class. I'd grant that argument, IF, Stained Class had the proper production sound. But it was produced by a jazz producer. He didn't know what a metal guitar was supposed to sound like. So, sorry Stained Class, you lose to Unleashed. Ask any teenage metal fan to listen to Stained Class now, and I don't think he'd be that impacted. But have him listen to Unleashed and he WOULD get it. He'd relate. That's the big sound. (Yes, I realize it was made in studio. Doesn't matter) We can thank Tom Allom, the Unleashed producer, for giving NWOBH a proper massive sound. Then he/Priest did British Steel. And that was the best NWOBH done best, yet again. Priest had another advantage over its screechy NWOBHM contenders. And that's the Halford factor. Purple's Gillan was great. But his high notes could sound parodic. And Merciful Fate's singer's high notes lack the beauty, fullness, and manliness of Halford's. He sounds like '76 era nasally Halford before Halford's style matured.

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@jimmycampbell78 Heavy metal rock, like most genres, was not an invention, but an evolution. Some of the bands you mention had their place in the evolution of the genre and they all pre-date Sabbath. Sabbath are a hugely important band in heavy metal, but not as its inventors. Lots of different bands were taking the heavy metal aesthetic and doing their thing with it, some exclusively, some as just one part of their ouvre. No one band or artist invented it. Human life isn't as simple and black and white as that.

[@grimtraveller7923]

@@Frip36 " People say they changed metal with Sad Wings, Sin after Sin, and Stained. But I listen to them and think, "Is this different in kind from anything Deep Purple did before them?" I don't think so." I agree. I got into heavy metal in 1979 and Purple {who had already broken up 3 years before} were still considered as one of the genre's leading lights and people were looking at Whitesnake, Gillan and Rainbow with an expectation that they would show the NWOBHM "upstarts" how to do this. At that time, Judas Priest were, quite frankly, a footnote in heavy metal. That changed a year later, as did the entirety of how heavy metal was viewed, with Back in Black, Ace of Spades {and Overkill}, Permanent Waves British Steel and other albums plus the deaths of Bon Scott and John Bonham.

[@RIPMMD]

I know of a band that you probably have never heard of. That would be fates warning. Prog metal at its best. Check them out if you haven't already.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I did a video on Progressive metal and spoke about them then

[@CountBrass]

Wonderful vid as usual. My ten favorites, in no particular order. [Only 1 per band] Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 Scorpions, Taken by Force Judas Priest, Sin after SIn Iron Maiden, Killers Saxon, Strong Arm of the Law Michael Schenker Group, MSG Tygers of Pan Tang, Spellbound Ozzy Osbourne, Diary of a Madman Dio, Holy Diver Metallica, Kill 'em All

[@Frip36]

The songwriting on Sin after Sin is very good. But I can't get over the guitar sound. The producer Roger Glover made them sound very non-threatening. I agree with Andy on the opening to Dissident Aggressor. That was huge. (Still, though, the guitar sound, sound like fake tough metal. Just odd). Simon Phillips is a big reason why this album held much listening interest. I prefer him to Les "Feather Touch" Binks and his cowboy shirt.

[@randykreifels6171]

Rust in peace is more complex and heavier than most! Vol 4 is a great choice, also not on the list.

[@underrated5006]

Agree with Sin After Sin. Best 70s Priest album.

[@dennismason3740]

Or Billie Holiday does Stones. Yes, I do Billie Holiday, I've heard her since the fifties.

[@tomtabler6534]

Your fans request a thrash metal video

[@xavierpaquin]

the 90s sound so horrible now, can't stand 'em

[@DwainDwight]

1001% agree re Judas Priest & Dissident Aggressor.

[@godetonter4764]

My other List 1. Manilla Road - Crystal Logic 2. Disgorge - Consume the Forsaken 3. Venom - At War With Satan 4. Tygers of Pantang - Spellbound 5. Nazareth - No Mean City 6. Loudness - Disillusion 7. Motley Crue - Too Fat For Love 8. Darkthrone - Under a Funeral Moon 9. Angel Witch - Angel Witch 10. Warlord - Deliver Us

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Love Venom, Tygers and Angelwitch

[@ata5855]

nooooo, holy diver is the best, at least of the 80s

[@Guls574]

I got into metal around the same time as you and I get where you are coming from in terms of defining metal. The parameters have shifted over time, and even the 'heavy' prefix marks one out as a metal fan of a certain age. I've not listened to your whole selection yet, just thought I'd get my choices down and see if there's any overlap in our tastes... 1) Could be any of the early 6 Sabbath records, particularly from Paranoid onwards. But Black Sabbath is more a heavy blues record and the last couple, although still heavy in places had started to expand into psychedelic, experimental and even pop (mind you, even Vol 4 had Changes). So Master Of Reality gets my vote, even though these days it might be regarded as Stoner Rock maybe? In any case, any respectable metal 'best of' ought to include a Sabs record. 2) Likewise, no metal fan of our vintage has to have gone thru a Maiden phase, surely? They produced great records for many a year, and if I had to pick a favourite I nearly plumped for Killers but in the end went for Somewhere In Time. Good balance between hard rock and prog influences, Dickinson's vocals are top-notch and the dalliance with synths was adding an interesting texture without losing the core sound. 3) Metallica, Ride The Lightning. Still their best record and obviously one of the defining recordings of the thrash period. Brutal in places but also adventurous with great melody and atmosphere. 4) Slayer, South Of Heaven. Could just as easily have been Reign In Blood or Seasons In The Abyss though. Songs like the title track, Live Undead and Mandatory Suicide still sound the dogs bollocks, and covering Judas Priest is a nice tip of the hat to their influences. 5) Fear Factory, Demanufacture. The recording and production technology leaves a sonic stamp very much of its time but this, still FF's strongest set of songs to my ears. The man/machine dichotomy was still a fresh conceit, as was Bell's clean/harsh vocal delivery. New Breed and Pisschrist in particular get regular spins. 6) Nefilim - Zoon. Bit leftfield, Fields Of The Nephilim singer Carl McCoy's foray into harder-sounding realms retained the mystical lyrics and psych/prog bent of Neph swansong Elizium but introduced a thrash and industrial influenced sonic palette. Thrash banger, Penetration and the 3-part, proggy title track still make regular appearances in live sets. 7) Are Tool metal? Prog? Psychedelic? Alt-Rock? All that and more. Definitely 'heavy' as... Often imitated but still unequalled in the cerebral realm that they inhabit. Any of their albums could make the grade, except Fear Inoculum maybe, which is a bit too clever and long-winded for its own good. I have a particular fondness for 10,000 Days. 8) Crimson Glory, Transcendence. Often unfavourably compared to Queensryche, they deserve kudos for making a small number of albums and then fucking off, rather than embarassing themselves decades. I'm not including QR's comeback albums with Todd La Torre (who also fronted CG for a time) by the way, I've not heard them. They might be great for all I know. Transcendence is unique, melodic hard rock/power metal with mystical lyrics and prog overtones in songs like In Dark Places and Eternal World. 9) Last Crack, Sinister Funkhouse #17. Another borderline band - metal is just the base, er metal to which other styles are alloyed. Definite 'arty' pretensions, the potential po-facedness of which is pricked by humorous, absurdist touches. 10) Fair To Midland, Fables From A Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True. If I'm ever asked to nominate an 'underrated' band or album, this (and Levitation's Need For Not, but that's definitely not Metal) is the one. Lacking trad metal soloing, but delivers everything else in spades, heavy riffs, characteristic melodies, one of the best, most versatile and distinctive singers in rock in the shape of Andrew 'Darroh' Sudderth. Best or just a reflection of my taste? Maybe more the former, I'm no scholar but I love my heavy music...

[@Frip36]

I like your full on thrash aesthetic. To hell with paragraph separation, am I right? Just non-stop word riffage. For those who ain't got time for spaces...we salute you.

[@joseantoniomarmol6324]

You are f…right! Sin after Sin, no more!

[@johannhauffman323]

Great picks Andy. Very entertaining.

[@cbr9914]

heavy metal is supposed to be goofy and silly

[@rrsjr]

It's "REEEEEED CANYONS!!"

[@herculesrockefeller8969]

Great fun, Andy, thanks!

[@Ritchiearg]

AC/DC Back in Black?

[@SpookyLuvCookie]

Ferrets fail