ASK THE ARTIST: Who Are The Best Lyricists of Metal? | Metal Injection

[@lazarefilms9290]

CHUCK SCHULDINER?!

[@mealsonwheelsszn2387]

LazareFilms Right?!!!!!!!!! I was like wtf.. these people need some Death in their lives.

[@spingo8236]

That was the first person I thought of

[@DallasGunther]

LazareFilms absolutely. It struck me after soaking in the message that underlies symbolic, they could have changed their name to "Life" and it would have been congruent with lyrical subjects. A move like that would look cheezy as fuck, and alienated a fair percentage of their fanbase. And Chuck was not the only voice of reason helping me through my formative years. Rush helped a great many instances that might have ended differently.

[@3du76]

Amazing Lyricist (in the musical sense too: phrasing, tone...)

[@t045tSKT]

This fan base doesn't know who that is dude.

[@foorgutmipants9940]

Not even because Metallica is so big or popular, I'm surprised no James Hetfield I mean Ride the Lightning Master of Puppets and And Justice for All are lyrical masterpieces ,

[@Huddle_House56]

Haven’t watched yet and I’m not going to based on this. To not include Cliff Burton, Lars Ulrich, or James on this is blasphemy. That is one of the main things that made them so damn legendary was their songwriting ability.

[@psnpanuch8142]

The thing that should not be, damage inc. Master, Harvester of Sorrow, Dyers eve, Blackened taught me so many new words

[@riff_junkie]

chuck schuldiner ofdeath he is fucking genius. Lyricists \m/ rip

[@metaldeath-cw6jz]

fuck yea that's the fucking truth

[@ZSquared123]

Maynard James Keenan?

[@juneauz]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[@ZSquared123]

+juneauz just his work on songs like pushit or sober or 10,000 days alone should earn him a spot here

[@foulhes4972]

Pushit is my most favorite song. It's painful yet very beautiful. Maynard is a genius.

[@jacoby8208]

I was thinking that the whole time

[@jakejortles3485]

zac zwaschka lateralus is my all time fav song. The things he was talking about on that song changed my life

[@RandomGianfranco]

Maynard James Keenan, Mikael Stanne, Devin Townsend, Mikael Akerfeldt

[@KishoreShenoy1994]

Why no mention of Chuck Schuldiner? His songs were poetic and had lots of meaning. "End it now, it is the only way Too cruel, that is what they say Release me from this lonely world There is no hope - Why don't you Pull the plug Let me pass away Pull the plug Don't want to live this way Once I had full control of my life I now behold a machine decides my fate End it now, it's all too late"

[@edwinderkater8297]

True

[@foulhes4972]

Where the hell is Maynard? Chad Gray? Chino Moreno? Joe Duplantier?

[@foulhes4972]

to name a few...

[@MrSuperjay99]

yeah Chino and Maynard were the first two who popped up for me

[@MrSuperjay99]

yeah Chino and Maynard were the first two who popped up for me

[@MrSuperjay99]

yeah Chino and Maynard were the first two who popped up for me

[@DecoraPunk]

+MrSuperjay99 agreed!!!! also zach de la rocha

[@Mayheml]

Fred Durst. I mean, cmon. "I did it all for the nookie, c’mon, The nookie, c’mon, So you can take that cookie, And stick it up your… yeah!" Who can top that?

[@tonykratos]

Lol

[@svensvensson9308]

Truly an underrated genius.

[@svensvensson9308]

Truly an underrated genius.

[@METALLiCMETALLEr]

Made my day =D

[@llongone2]

Oh....I get it now. "I did it all for the nookie." - truly profound!

[@yaboiwarp]

Jerry Cantrell, Peter Steele, Alan Averill(Primordial).

[@rollingrock2561]

Till Lindemann. He is underrated because his lyrics are mostly in German.

[@mayntlassbeatztv580]

Yes, he is❤

[@Heavywall70]

Agree. He’ll get crazy complex , even mire than German already is, and then sing two or three words that punctuate the idea.

[@paulpinargote5199]

Geezer Butler man

[@SubBigDic]

yeah \m/

[@nocturne9257]

Robin Staps from The Ocean, Tomas Haake from Meshuggah, and Maynard James Keenan from Tool.

[@RETIREDRammsteinFan490]

Tomas fucking YES!! Early(or earlier*) tracks especially! like Cyanide Christ, Corridor of Chameleons and Dancers even. Maynard is amazing too but way more romantic :P

[@drgnslyr221]

The Ocean are so underrated.

[@josephp111]

My fav is probably Dani filth. I love how his lyrics are just so poetic and the way he can tell stories in them is amazing

[@Frostwulf1313]

100%

[@hydraglyphics]

Randy Blythe is my all-time favorite lyricist. Others are Chuck Schuldiner, Jerry Cantrell, Corey Taylor, MJK.

[@filipvasicek1341]

Lucas T good

[@jasonsolomon4745]

Kelly Schaefer from Atheist. During an era when brutality was king, his lyrics were very thought provoking and touched on issues not commonly written about in metal.

[@guybrushthreepwood3002]

Steve Harris? Bruce Dickinson? Myles Kennedy?

[@ununseptium7961]

Myles is one of my favorite singers, but sermons aren't good lyrics.

[@Andge121]

unun septium metal vocals. Death death death. And what’s sad is that I’m not even exaggerating for 90% of the time

[@Odd_Combo]

J.R. Hayes of Pig Destroyer writes some beautiful, yet, absolutely demented poetry. Tommy Giles. Jesse Leach. Trevor Strand (RIP)

[@CarlHH777]

If we're discussing lyricists in Metal, we have to start with Martin Walkyier. He's so underrated. If you're not familiar with his work, go check out his lyrics for Sabbat and Skyclad.

[@deafeningecho9696]

Mike Williams of Eyehategod and J.R. Hayes from Pig Destroyer

[@dambo8822]

Backed hard, J.R. Hayes is a great writer.

[@DNOWAKJR]

Deafening Echo jr Hayes ftw

[@stabyourcat]

Best two IMO

[@rogeliogarcia-cavazos3715]

I kept waiting for someone to say J. R. Hayes

[@pjn2432]

I am surprised not many people chose Dave Mustaine, Geezer Butler or Steve Harris... those are by far the best. Of course I am missing so many but these come to my mind when thinking of really deep & meaningful lyrics

[@santorashane]

Hetfield. Creepind Death's story is by far my favorite

[@pjn2432]

Shane Santora Its literally in the bible

[@Chuloloc]

For me, it's Brett Hoffmann (Malevolent Creation), Chris Barnes (Six Feet Under), Glen Benton (Deicide), David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), Paul Oulettte (Diabolic) and James Hetfield (Metallica).

[@forteviktoria]

Randy Blythe: "David Yow from The Jesus Lizard is a great lizzar-lyricist

[@olegosaccharidesuperpositu1531]

I have a sieve of sifted thistles and a sieve of unsifted thistles. Because I am a thistle sifter.

[@furnacefire]

Hetfield for ...And Justice For All . Justice is a masterpiece of lyrical truth!

[@pjn2432]

furnacefire Those lyrics for Harvester of Sorrow were bad. But then the other songs all have outstanding lyrics

[@PsychoMantis308]

Hetfield gets shit on for the post Black Album stuff. But the first 4 and the last 2 albums were great

[@nemanjaklun509]

Mustain wrote them all, metallica is shit...

[@pjn2432]

Nemanja Klun Please be kidding

[@nemanjaklun509]

Cmon, listen to all other underated/rated metal bands, and you will realise that shitallica is pure shit

[@rsolsjo]

Maynard James Keenan, Steve Harris, Corey Taylor and even Robb Flynn (yes, seriously). The very best may well be Trevor Strnad though. If you're listening to The Black Dahlia Murder without reading the lyrics, you're seriously missing out.

[@nut8856]

Tomas haake? Joe duplantier? Maynard James Keenan?

[@getbig666]

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DID I WATCH , NO ONE SAID CHUCK SCHULDINER !?!!??!?

[@MrFerrell55]

I was about to say, "Where's Chuck?"

[@MrMetalhead6]

King Diamomd,Travis Ryan,Chuck Shuldiner,Warrel Dane,and both of the 1st 2 vocalists for Candlemass.

[@MrMetalhead6]

Schuldiner*

[@arsonne]

Dani Filth. He writes alot of genuinely beautiful lyrics and he has so much fun with wordplay.

[@WeWantYouToStay]

Definitely James Hetfield

[@RyanBromberg]

I AM THE TAAABBLLLEEE!!!!

[@frankthebutcher6679]

Darwin Lebowski he didnt write that.......

[@dprob1985]

maynard...thats all

[@RETIREDRammsteinFan490]

try listening to meshuggah ;)

[@hand-heldmisfortune]

THERAMMSTEINFAN490 maynard...no one tops him.

[@Darfaultner]

@Mookie Blaylock Yes

[@justinkillsaquino]

J.R. Hayes of Pig Destroyer. Almost all the songs lyrics have a twist of dark and disturbing poetry (other than Iron Drunk, that song's lyrics are just fun). Most of the time, it has to do with gore and lust and perhaps personal sotries (especially on Prowler In The Yard if you read the booklet on the re-issue) (which is disturbing in a way where you want to uncover the complete meaning). When ever I have some free time (fuck you, college), I try to find out the meaning of Pig Destroyer songs and it's difficult as hell, but it's so intriguing. If a lyricist makes you do that, then you know that damn are damn good .

[@judsonruddick5240]

MJK, Chino Moreno, and Dustin Kensrue

[@shanemcdonnell4322]

Steve Harris?

[@jacoblyons79]

Rou Reynolds, Maynard, Zach De La Rocha, David Bowie

[@MrNikellKrom]

Jacob Lyons Finally, someone said Zack de la Rocha !

[@xIExile]

Gareth from slice the cake , tom barber , trevor strnad , nergal

[@pouncebaratheon4178]

Akerfeldt, Maynard, whoever writes for Protest the Hero. Progressive and similar styles seem to spawn great lyricists the most often.

[@DallasGunther]

Whomever penned the lyrics for Deathspell Omega is some kind of demi-god. That shit hits in a way the canonized books never will.

Till Lindemann. That guy writes poetry

[@DramaqueenEstrella27]

yes!! i was waiting for someone to mention him!!

[@DarcMurkee]

Keith Buckley.

[@Redhairedviking09]

Even though it's not metal, I do agree with what Kurt Ballou said about Robert Smith. I also spent most of my adolesence reading his lyrics and I think that the way he writes is just marvellous. And I would also add Chrigel Glanzmann, Eluveitie's frontman. I think no-one else is doing what he's doing, at least at his level. The way in which he explains the history of the Celtic peoples during the Roman Invasion of Gaul is incredible. There's also a lot of research behind the lyrics, and the topics often go beyond just the Celtic tribes.

[@aryamoghaddam912]

Nergal from Behemoth ? He's a philosopher !

[@johnredcorn1131]

Aria moghaddam yessssss! Every song Nergal writes seems like a crazy ancient text or something. Dude is on a whole nother level of song writing

[@setholiver5658]

what about Trevor Strnad from The Black Dahlia Murder?

[@ddelopkwapn5985]

YES

[@chrissouth4353]

Thank you

[@johnredcorn1131]

The Cryptic Stench Was thinking the same thing. I always get the chills when I read his lyrics

[@rutbuck121]

Tom Araya hands down! He literally takes you too the scene of the crime or into the depths of Hell itself!

[@ZachJohnson1996]

Tuomas Holopainen, Paul O'Neil, Jon Oliva

[@kevinkuypers]

Tomas Haake (Meshuggah), Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation) and Warrel Dane (Nevermore)!

[@nickmaestas8441]

Neil Fallon of Clutch, Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquillity, and Mille Petrozza of Kreator

[@Vasilis_Metalhead]

Martin Walkyier, Chuck Schuldiner, Dani Filth, Byron Roberts and Mark Shelton. Even with two of the five being already dead not many can hope to outdo their masterpieces.

[@biorythmicshifter]

Martin is at the top of my list too. History of a Time to Come and Dreamweaver are literally masterpieces to me…

[@adamgaron7409]

RIP Warrel Dane, metal's greatest lyricist.

[@BenjaminKuruga]

Tomas Haake, Ashe o'hara, Spencer Sotelo, Devin Townsend.

[@DarcMurkee]

Yesss, Ashe O'Hara forever.

[@DrAutisto]

Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die. Just read some of the stuff he writes like "Typical Miracle", "Wanderlust" or "Pigs is Pigs".

[@chadsmit1085]

Trevor Strnad? He’s got to be my favorite lyricist.

[@Soviet_Saguaro]

Nergal and Dani Filth are probably the top two for me when it comes to crazy amazing and complex lyrics

[@beniciolimon8995]

Maynard James Keenan? Chris Cornell? Zack de la Rocha? Anthony Keedis?

[@radhwangothic]

Maynard James Keenan , Dio, Steve Harrison, Corey Taylor

[@sethappleton7628]

Loving that people in the comments were with me on MJK

[@RETIREDRammsteinFan490]

how couldnt you? :P im thinking either because you never listened to his music or never listened to his lyrics haha

[@robfullman2326]

Maynard, Randy Blythe, and Mikael Åkerfeldt are my three.

[@najtrows]

And Trevor Strnad ofc

[@pajtim9079]

James Hetfield is one of the best of all.

[@danielmayfield4391]

Pajtim Hasani yeah

[@RETIREDRammsteinFan490]

Daniel Mayfield in Hetfield terms thatd be YAAEEORH

[@Bogeyman19DidNotScareMyAss]

Pajtim Hasani was

[@pjn2432]

James Hetfield has got nothing on Steve Harris and Geezer Butler

[@christophersutphin4877]

P Jn you’re crazy! Papa Het is the best

[@shreddiekrueger359]

"they call me El Jefe, El primo De los matadors, the master of the metaphor, a chaw chewing troubadour, the one you've come to love and adore, and I come to take you away"- Neil Fallon. Fallon deserved some love in this category.

[@Duffzig]

randy Blythe, chuck schuldiner, J.R. Hayes, Maynard. oderus was pretty weird with lyrics but great at stringing it all together.

[@mremppu94]

Jacob Bannon, Scott Kelly/Steve Von Till, John Haughm and Mikael Åkerfeldt are probably my favorite lyricists in metal, but overall I'd say Beth Gibbons of Portishead is my number one all time favorite. Her lyrics just pour cold bitterness and depression and with her amazing voice delivery, it all just melds into something else.

[@andersonsmith8625]

I was going to say haughm to. His lyrics are so emotion driven

[@opeth0606]

I'm surprised nobody threw Trevor Strnad out there

[@juangil9628]

Dax Riggs... of Acid Bath! only 2 albums, but those were some awesome lyrics on both.

[@biorythmicshifter]

Absolutely! When The Kite String Pops is pure poetic sadism in it’s most beautiful violently peaceful form…

[@chrisstone-streetlightinte5629]

I'd have to go with Dax Riggs...Acid Bath was amazing and Dax is a poet. Kevin Moore, awesome lyrics on Dream Theater's Awake and the stuff he wrote for OSI was really good. Matt Holt from Nothingface wrote some amazing lyrics, the song Sleeper comes to mind. Phil Anselmo especially on The Great Southern Trendkill. 10's, Suicide Note, Floods. Rob Flynn had some really good stuff especially Darkness Within. Jesse Leech has had really good moments. Chino Moreno does a really good job of capturing atmosphere and mood. Last, but not least, Guillaume Bideau from Mnemic. I know I'm going to get shit for that, but I'm sorry he's a really good lyricist.

[@biorythmicshifter]

Dax makes things poetically disturbing and beautifully dark. No one like him.

[@strangekitchenappliances2314]

Maynard, Serj, GG Allin.

[@overman4333]

I'd say Tomas Haake of Meshuggah is pretty badass. I mean all the big words that he puts in there and how well they fit together and on top of that the songs always mean something pretty intelligent and cool

[@juraskender5895]

What song is in the background?

[@karlpatron4853]

Nergal is my all time favorite....the band as a whole and the lyrics are just powerful..you feel everything he says.

[@johnzackarias11]

My three picks (off the top of my head): Dani Filth, Cradle of Filth - His ability as a storyteller and poet is amazing. He is a master of the English language and probably knows a lot about litterature. Shagrath & Silenoz, Dimmu Borgir - These two have written some beautiful lyrics over the years. "Sense the withering eternity as it fades away, the ultimate graceless voyage of all times. Only death will be guarding your angels, silently. Cripples joining arms in clamor, institutionalized for the rebirth, the herd will be hunted". Coupled with the outro of Kings of the carnival creation, I find them haunting though I have no idea what they mean. Whoever writes the lyrics for Cannibal Corpse - they really make poetry out of songs about decapitating people and using their heads as projectiles for stoning.

[@TheSlackassCrew]

Randy will be the best in a very long time

[@Lucols4]

Randy Blythe got it right.

[@causticgodband1184]

Neil Fallon. No contest.

[@XTREMESAINT]

Dave Mustaine definitely, Fantastic Lyricist, Song Writer. He's at the Top of the Mountain for sure

[@aayushsagar6898]

Alexi Laiho wrote some amazing stuff 🖤

[@DiegoCaceresLuna]

Bruce Springsteen? The question was: Who Are The Best Lyricists of METAL?

[@Juunasd]

Ronnie Dio definitely!

[@aaronoshea7683]

Maynard James Keenan, and Travis Ryan

[@rybutz]

There's definitely a drug deal going on in the first one

[@RMichael2221]

Tommy iommi ?? Geezer buttler ??? From black sabbath ????

[@mikestanislaus1107]

Nice to hear Randy Blythe give Mike Williams from EHG props for lyricism; he's definitely underrated. Randy himself is awesome too.

[@timothyrego8428]

what song was playing in the background? loved it!

[@KaylaHall-bb2zf]

My names Brandon using my wife’s account but I just had to comment! Quite a few great lyricist out there but one who stands out as one of the best imo and definitely no surprise since he’s mentioned in the video Randy Blythe! He’s still an amazing lyricist to this day from 1st record to newest! You wanna read the definition of top tier metal lyrics/poetry in general? Then go check out the lyrics for every track on the album seriously! Exclude the song Ashes of the Wake named after the album it’s a instrumental with real solider speaking!

[@MainEventMafia4Life]

Quorthon of Bathory, Chuck from Death, James Hetfield from Metallica, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, and Nergal from Behemoth. All poetic!

[@Siff16]

Robert Smith, hell yes

[@JanderVK]

I guess they didn't ask for metal specifically, which is a good thing! Awesome to hear mention of Robert Smith & Nick Cave! But you have to add Ian Curtis and Rozz Williams to that list. As for metal, I'm surprised no one mentioned Bruce Dickinson. But I guess people were thinking more on the deep poetic side.

[@RiceShouldBeFluffy]

I was really stoked on Randy Blythe talking about The Jesus Lizard of all bands. I dunno, I mean I know that most of the artists we know probably listen to plenty of music outside of their genre, but the fact that he specifically picked a post-hardcore/noise-rock bizarre indie outfit with very basic skilled musicians (not a diss; just saying that they lack the technicality that you would find in metal), the kind of thing a "true kult metalhead" would outright reject is something I got really happy about I guess. Definitely the mark of an open minded musician.

[@isaacleiva1518]

Mikael Åkerfeldt is poetic and gutteral ugh I love that guy

[@reptilianviking8356]

if trevor strnad from the black dahlia murder isnt mentioned im done

[@jessedeleon4123]

I'm surprised no one said Phil anselmo either those pantera and down albums were nothing short of amazing!

[@ManuSDP]

Warrel Dane (Nevermore, Sanctuary) and Sean Killian (Vio-Lence)

[@eetujaako9894]

Dax Riggs from Acid Bath, Ben Falgoust from Goatwhore, Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica, Phil Anselmo and Jani Liimatainen from The Dark Element / Cain's Offering. Those are some of my favorite Lyricists!

[@RyTrapp0]

Neil Fallon, plain & simple. I don't know of anyone that can write such intelligent and complex lyrics that are both completely and utterly dripping with sarcastic, yet undeniably well written & polished musically. One of the most understated geniuses in music. The guy will NEVER get his due when this kind of thing comes up, but I don't think that there's anyone that's legitimately listened to Clutch and doesn't think that he's one of the most skillful & talented ever.

[@linkiny]

Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquility, their lyrics are pure philosophical gold. Mark Jensen from Epica's lyrics are incredibly deep about our world and the false image the deceptive human mind perceives it to be, his work on his second band MaYaN is also full of harsh messages about modern day human insanity. For more peotic lyrics, Niilo Sevänen from Insomnium is unmatched for me, I mean the guy wrote a book and won awards on it, then made a full album around it.

[@amnesios3263]

Winston Mccall

[@franlovelsimic8421]

Mastodon, Devin Townsend, Joe Duplantier, Mikael Akerfeldt, Maynard, Chino Moreno, Ihsahn, Steve Harris, Johannes from Avatar, Randy, there is so much good music out there!

[@davidjoubert8018]

Nilo Sevanen from Insomnium. The guy writes novels… Check out their album Winter’s Gate. His lyrics are a cut above anyone else’s.

[@Vaisin]

One of my favourites is Serj Tankian

[@khanmaykr8021]

Crazy no one mentioned Chris Barnes, with all the lyrical tricks and vocabulary he used in early Cannibal Corpse.

[@tomspencer7307]

Chuck Schuldringer imo despite the band being fairly rated his lyrics are what separates Death from simply being another gory death metal band to being one of the greatest metal bands of all time