Monsters of Rock By Márcia Schwarz Perel

The fury of Hurricane Sandy inspired me to write about the fury of Heavy Metal. Intense sound, angry lyrics, strong beat. Culturally, Heavy Metal has a much more positive message to send unlike Hurricane Sandy, unfortunately.

I am not an expert in the subject but I am a fan nonetheless.  Heavy Metal, Hard Rock bands and its varieties are extremely relevant not only for rock’s history but as pavers for the bands that are trying to achieve today what their professors achieved before.  These bands are still alive and kicking, making new fans every day and still making happy their loyal followers.

Since I am just a regular fan, I will not use terms that will confuse the readers (or myself) who are not familiar with the genre (sorry loyal bangers). But I feel that it is essential to talk about the differences of sounds and names here.

Hard Rock (Heavy Rock) is a subgenre of rock music. It is a louder and more aggressive type of rock.  You hear more the electric guitar and the bass usually accompanies the drums. Vocals are raspy, screamy and might even involve a falsetto sometimes. It came around in the mid-60s with bands like The Kingsmen’s (Louie Louie), The Kinks and even The Rolling Stones.  Jimmy Hendrix, The Who are also huge developers of this sound. I find it peculiar that The Beatles also attempted developing the sound by recording Helter Skelter. But to me, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, Kiss, Queen and The Scorpions are the stars of this category. Hard Rock paved the way for the Heavy Metal sound.

The Kinks

AC-DC

Led Zeppelin

Heavy Metal (Metal) is another subgenre of rock with its roots in blues and psychedelic.  Distorted guitars and heavy drums dominate the sound.  The voice is intense and heavy. Mettalica, Motley Crue, Motorhead are the examples here.  The lyrics are as dark as the sound. Hair bands fall into this category but I find them more satirical. I cannot tell if it is the make-up, the lyrics or the outfits. Heavy Metal even enters the world of sports. According to my husband, Enter Sandman by Mettalica is Mariano Rivera’s theme song. I guess that makes Heavy Metal accessible to anyone.

Motorhead

                            Mettalica

Other sounds and fusions came along with time, but Hard and Heavy rock speak louder. Grunge and what is now called “Glam Metal” came along.  Nirvana and Pearl Jam are of extreme importance in rock’s history. Eddie Veder (Pearl Jam’s vocalist) has an intensity that shows through his voice and his lyrics. No wonder he is still kicking ass!!!!

Nirvana

Pearl Jam

Do you have a favorite metal band? Even if you are not a fan, I am sure that at some point there is a song or a band that you enjoyed listening to. Here are ten worth paying some attention to not in order of coolness or any preference:

  1.     Sepultura: Beneath the remains

  2.     Motorhead: Iron fist

  3.     Mettalica: Trapped under ice

  4.     Megadeth: Five magics

  5.     Iron Maiden: Still life

  6.     Black Sabbath: Heaven and hell

  7.     Judas Priest: Riding on the wind

  8.     AC/DC: Highway to hell

  9.     KISS: God of thunder

  10.    Deep purple: Smoke on the water

Rock festivals are fundamental for these bands. They give the fans an opportunity to enjoy more than one band at a time and pave the way for newcomers. Ozzfest, Lollapalooza, Rock in Rio, Crue Fest travel the world and spread its heavy message.  They are so successful, that they ended up being subsequent through the years. 

So, here is my rendition to these guys, may they be now Grandparents of rock. If you age like them and rock like them you can be 100 and still kick ass!!!! ROCK ON!!!!!

                  Immigrant Song _ Led Zeppelin 
By Márcia Schwarz Perel
Images NET