World Metal Instrumentals Part I
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Transylvania by Iron Maiden (England)
Taken from Iron Maiden
One of the perfectly crafted tracks in the band’s self titled debut album, Transylvania is the band’s first instrumental piece (and perhaps, their only instrumental - but I need to check my Maiden fanatic mates to confirm this!) and is truly remarkable. At just over four minutes long, it’s quite a feat for any new band to nail an instrumental - but Maiden did it without breaking a sweat. Surely a sign of things to come, as Maiden has grown as the greatest metal band of all time - and with 14 studio albums under their belt, they truly deserve to be the kings of heavy metal.
Moondance by Nightwish (Finland)
Taken from Oceanborn
Moondance is a stunning piece from Finnish Power Metal greats Nightwish - and with all of the band’s songs, it can be said that songwriter/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen had everything to do with the inception of this folk-tune-meets-metal masterpiece. Moondance starts off as a melodic piano piece, and after the 0:18 mark it goes into full gear with other instruments joining in to create an amazing array of sounds - but it doesn’t stop there. The track goes through a number of progressions until it finally stops right after the 3:30 mark - leaving the listener in a euphoric state.
The Quest Of Enigmatic Dreams by Old Man’s Child (Norway)
Taken from In Defiance Of Existence
A pleasant surprise from yet another landmark Norwegian Black Metal band, The Quest Of Enigmatic Dreams is a mesmerizing classical guitar instrumental. The main guitar melodies could have well been taken straight out of the courts of a medieval castle, and the double guitar work is arranged to perfection by Old Man’s Child mastermind Galder. The man’s decision to insert this near-minute long track smack in the middle of a fast and brutal Black Metal album is rather perplexing, though, but it would be unwise to question the decisions of a seasoned and very talented musician.
Peace Of Mind by King Diamond (Denmark)
Taken from House Of God
The last song of yet another brilliant concept album by the greatest storyteller in Metal history, Peace Of Mind is the finale of the tragic story that takes shape in this album. The instrumental piece starts of with riveting guitar parts, which are soon accompanied by the band’s rhythm section towards the 0:54 mark - and the amazing guitar solo (contributed by guitar maestro Andy LaRocque) that starts soon after makes Peace Of Mind one of the best tracks in the album.
Choir of the Damned by Kreator (Germany)
Taken from Pleasure To Kill
Choir of the Damned is the opening track to the Pleasure To Kill album - which is the best album the band has produced, and one of the greatest Thrash Metal albums of all time; second only to Slayer untouchable masterpiece Reign In Blood. The track starts off with gripping electric guitar parts, and towards the mid point of the song the entire piece takes an altogether different shape; the modern sound of electric guitars give way to melodic classical guitars. The classical guitars and percussive effects in the background shape a very medieval era sounding piece which is subtle yet resounding enough to demand the attention of the listener.
Ex Nihilo by Dark Tranquillity (Sweden)
Taken from Damage Done
This instrumental piece was a first for the pioneers of Swedish Melodic Death Metal - who have never recorded an instrumental in their recording career. Ex Nihilo starts off with a brilliant guitar piece which is then accompanied by the band’s unmistakable distorted guitars, bass and drums. It’s interesting to see how the band managed to write an instrumental that fits in perfectly with the rest of the songs of Damage Done, as all the songs in the album have a common feel to them.
World Metal Instrumentals Part II
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
The Call Of Ktulu by Metallica (America)
Taken from Ride The Lightning
Ride The Lightning has got to be the band’s finest display of songwriting, as all 8 songs in the album are extremely well written and executed. The birth of this instrumental piece took shape from departed bassist Cliff Burton’s interest in the writings of H.P. Lovecraft - a master of fictional writings. At just under 9 minutes long, The Call Of Ktulu is a progressive piece that was also performed live by the band with an orchestra during Metallica’s S&M DVD recording to raving reviews by music fans.
Requiem by Opeth (Sweden)
Taken from Orchid
It would be difficult to pinpoint and highlight just one instrumental from a band known for intricate instrumentals, but the Swedish Melodic Death Metal kings have a masterpiece in their hands in the form of Requiem. Clocking at just over a minute long, Requiem is a captivating arrangement of acoustic and bass guitars; their strings gently plucked to reveal a haunting and memorable melody. Other such instrumentals from this famed band include Patterns In The Ivy, Ending Credits, Hours of Wealth and Epilogue.
The Wanderer by Emperor (Norway)
Taken from Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk
At just under 3 minutes long, this gem by Norwegian Black Metallers Emperor stands as the only instrumental track in Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk - arguably their best album to date. By using distorted rhythm guitar work and employing the services of the band’s drum wizard Trym, The Wanderer is a lot different from other instrumentals in the genre - the guitars and drums create a solid sonic foundation for the main synthesizer tune, thus creating a nice blend of melancholy and intensity.
1776 by Iced Earth (America)
Taken from Something Wicked This Way Comes
This brilliant instrumental stands as the only one in the album, and its Civil War-era tune (forgive me for not knowing the name of the original tune!). Complete with a flute melody, 1776 (obviously referring to the year America attained its independence) is a great and highly refreshing track to listen to. The band is not famous for coming up with instrumental tracks, but they have successfully covered Iron Maiden’s Transylvania - among other Iron Maiden tracks - perfectly. While we wait patiently for the band’s newer material to emerge, we can never get bored of listening to tracks like 1776.
She Mourns In A Lengthening Shadow by Cradle Of Filth (England)
Taken from V Empire or Dark Faerytales In Phallustine
Haunting, yet equally entrancing, it would take a million words to describe just a second of the endless beauty captured by this instrumental track by one of England’s best known Metal exports Cradle Of Filth. In the vein of a motion picture soundtrack, the piece utilizes clever orchestral arrangements that support the main synthesizer tunes present in the song. It’s sad to see that the band has long forsaken their practice of including meaningful instrumental tracks, such as this masterpiece, into their newer albums in favor of simpler, catchier tunes.
Hopeless Optimism by Warmen (Finland)
Taken from Unknown Soldier
Warmen started off as a side project of Children Of Bodom’s keyboard wizard Janne Warman, but soon began grabbing the attention of Metal fans worldwide after some brilliant albums. While the band’s songs and albums may vary rather drastically (Warmen has had a plethora of guest musicians on board throughout its years alongside the permanent members) all 3 albums of the band are linked together through Janne’s distinct passion for classical music and Power Metal. Hopeless Optimism is a 5-minute long instrumental opus which is progressive, powerful and melodic - trademarks of any good Power Metal song.
Raving Rockers Part I
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Axl Rose
With Axl Rose, it’s a love or hate affair. He was the original vocalist of Guns ‘N Roses and only remaining original member left in the new lineup touring today.
Rose shot to fame (pun intended) during the illustrious years of the band in the early 90s - especially after the release of their landmark album Appetite For Destruction - and helped bring immense commercial success to the band with his soulful and energetic singing in songs like Welcome To The Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child O’Mine.
It was not all fine and dandy for Rose, though. His temperamental attitude got him and the rest of the band in hot soup in trouble several times, and was probably the reason why all the other members of the band started quitting Guns ‘N Roses one by one.
Rose has landed the band in hot soup numerous times, but one infamous incident involving a fan who was videotaping a Guns show allowed the world to see Rose rear his ugliest head yet. He was also criticized by gay rights activists, who accused Rose of being disseminating anti-gay propaganda.
Fans of the band will never forgive Rose for not allowing the name of their beloved band to rest in peace after having “created” a preposterous Guns ‘N Roses alternate with a forgettable lineup. Not only that, Rose is entirely responsible for the band’s most expensive album never released, entitled Chinese Democracy - which has swallowed over $13 million in production costs over the course of several years, and with no release date in sight. To make matters worse, Rose has said many times previously that the album will be out soon - but with most of the fairly-forgettable material readily available on the internet it’s no surprise that the album will not revive the bands seemingly futile existence.
Even though Rose allowed his personal turbulences get the better of him, he will be remembered as one of the most unique rock ‘n roll voices of the 90s.
Freddie Mercury
Mercury was born in Zanzibar to Indian immigrant parents and later grew up in Bombay, and was the world’s first rock star of Indian descent - but largely kept his heritage under the media spotlight because he felt that it would not go to well with his rock star image.
This flashy frontman of Queen had an exceptional vocal range that surpassed 4 octaves, and delivered some technical vocal duties with relative ease and composure. Not only did he front the band, he also wrote most of their songs - ranging from the complex Bohemian Rhapsody (a piece that has over 60 chords) to the band’s simpler and catchier tunes like Under Pressure. Mercury’s talent in music and singing was undeniable, as he could hardly read music and never underwent formal vocal training in his life.
Having graduated with a background in arts, Mercury personally designed the Queen crest himself, and injected Queen with an unmistakable stage presence. Mercury would also spice up the band’s live performances with his piano and guitar playing as well.
Mercury had a troubled personal life, and succumbed to AIDS-related complications the day after he publicly announced his affliction to the world. Mercury’s death created saddening shockwaves around the world, and brought significant attention to the disease - the illness that took the life of one of music’s most talented sons.
Freddie Mercury will never be forgotten as the voice of Queen’s eternally memorable tunes such as We Are The Champions - known to be one of the best known songs in the world - and as an inspiration to thousands upon thousands of musicians and rock ‘n roll fans around the globe.
Raving Rockers Part II
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Ozzy Osbourne
Born John Michael Osbourne, Ozzy - as he was to be known later in life - went through an agonizing childhood. He was frequently bullied in school as a kid for his slow learning abilities, as he was born with dyslexia, and sought refuge in music from an early age.
He sang in various bands but the breakthrough moment for him was when he and guitarist Tony Iommi formed Earth - a band playing a heavier version of blues than their contemporaries. Iommi later changed the name of the band to Black Sabbath (after seeing a poster of the movie with the same title) and they formed what was to be the first heavy metal band.
Ozzy didn’t last long in Black Sabbath, however, as he was procedurally fired by the band’s manager for his lingering drug abuse. Legendary vocalist Ronny James Dio of the band Rainbow replaced him in Black Sabbath, and this alternate lineup produced 3 groundbreaking albums for the band - including the masterpiece Heaven & Hell.
It didn’t take long before he relocated to the United States and carved a rather successful solo career for himself, having sold around 27 million albums to date in the United States alone.
Eccentric and extroverted, yet extremely down to earth to those around him - Ozzy’s success was marred by depression and mood swings brought on as a result of his drug and alcohol abuse - he once infamously bit off the head of a bat on stage after mistaking it for a rubber one. Ozzy was also once found under a piano with a shotgun in his hand by wife Sharon - only after he used the weapon to kill the family’s 17 cats - and was also known to have physically abused her on several occasions.
Ozzy drastically toned down in the latter years of his life - owing much of this to his drug and alcohol-free lifestyle - and has had several television and movie appearances, most notably on his family’s own reality TV show on MTV and the blockbuster Little Nicky where he appears as himself.
Ozzy turned 58 this year, coincidentally alongside some of the greatest rock vocalists in history: Robert Plant, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper and Steven Tyler - and despite battling his inner turmoil he still tries to perform for his rabid, die-hard fans whenever he can.
Robert Plant
Fabulously fashionable with equally fabulous looks and vocal proficiency, Plant was probably rock’s greatest frontman. He made his fame and fortune with British rock legends Led Zeppelin, and played a vital role in helping the band sell their 300 million albums worldwide.
Robert Plant, alongside guitarist Jimmy Page, were the dynamic duo of the band; and with their flare jeans and chest-baring shirts they captured the hearts and minds of millions over the world. Their chemistry on stage, coupled with the raw energy from the rhythm section of John Paul Jones and John Bonham, cemented Led Zeppelin’s place in the annals of rock history.
Plant’s admirable vocal prowess allowed him to add another dimension of mystique and charm to the band’s emotionally-charged tunes, and his trademark stage presence and energy was unparalleled at the time. He can be heard doing what he does best on such Led Zeppelin hits like Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog.
The tragic death of their drummer John Bonham marked the heartbreaking end of their touring years but Plant will always be remembered as the voice and face of Led Zeppelin. Plant, alongside guitarist Page, is the only active members of Led Zeppelin.
Metal Screamers Part I
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)
Tarja (pronounced Tar-Gar) deserves to be mentioned for her contributions to power metal, through the brilliant band from her native Finland, Nightwish.
Tarja was one of the few original members of the band, alongside guitarist Erno Vuorinen and keyboardist/songwriter Tuomas Holopainen, and saw the quick shift of Nightwish from an acoustic rock band to a full-fledged, power metal unit.
Tarja’s impressive operatic vocals proved to be one of the most distinguishable elements of Nightwish, and because she was classically trained since the tender age of six her vocal prowess was versatile, emotional and energetic. Tarja has been with the band from the start, and has been the face of Nightwish through all the years as well until she was fired from the band by the other members. Tarja’s firing was in the form of an open letter on the band’s official website, and it was stated that her diva-like attitude and unwillingness to rehearse and travel with the band on tours was unacceptable.
Band leader Holopainen is still auditioning for another female vocalist, and Tarja has found a considerable amount of fame and solace in her solo ventures. It is very unlikely that the two parties will ever team up again, as a result of their bitter breakup. The biggest disappointment, however, is how Tarja’s allowed her ego to get the better of her.
We would love to see one of metal’s best female singers make a comeback with another metal band someday, but it seems like she’s relishing her features on Finnish TV and radio shows.
King Diamond (King Diamond)
King Diamond is a man - or more accurately, a fearful character - right out of a twisted and macabre horror movie. His full-face make up and equally frightening stage props and stunts complement his horror-filled concept albums, and his strange, creepy falsetto vocals - usually arranged to represent different characters in his grotesque stories - can scare the daylights out of anyone.
He is the key person of his band King Diamond, and his other equally successful outfit Mercyful Fate - and through all his years in the business, his vocals are either loved or hated - there is no middle ground when it comes to the King’s vocals!
King Diamond is truly an extreme metal persona - larger than life, and definitely larger for just the black metal genre. King Diamond, with lead guitarist Andy LaRocque, form a dreadfully talented team in King Diamond - and continue to push the boundaries of creativity and musicianship of heavy metal to this very day.
King Diamond’s best musical works would be Abigail (with King Diamond) and Don’t Break The Oath (with Mercyful Fate) - and is dedicated to turning every metal fan’s dreams into nightmares, every single night. Thanks for all the scares, King!
Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)
Mikael Stanne is the vocalist for distinguished Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, and is the best example of a Jekyll and Hyde vocalist.
The reason I’m using such an analogy is because Stanne can be a frightening death metal growler one moment, and an operatic and touching vocalist the next. He is vocal versatility in the form of one single man, and his life’s work with these pioneers of Swedish melodic death metal speaks volumes.
Stanne moved from rhythm guitar to vocals very early in his career, and we fans are still thanking our lucky stars that he decided to quit the six strings to work with his vocal chords.
Stanne has contributed his vocals to all Dark Tranquillity albums, including the beautiful Projector, the hard-hitting Character and the band’s first truly commercially successful album Damage Done.
Metal Screamers Part II
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
Through all the years in heavy metal’s existence, Rob Halford of Judas Priest always becomes the target of unflattering comments and discussions - mostly about the fact that he openly admitted his homosexual nature in recent years - but no one can deny the man’s talent and vocal prowess behind the microphone.
Halford has been with legendary British heavy metal band Judas Priest from the start, although he did leave for some time to pursue his solo career (Halford) and another band of his (Fight). He came around full circle when he announced his return to the band that brought him fame and success - ousting American replacement Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, who later joined American power metal leaders Iced Earth.
Fans of Judas Priest will testify that no one else belongs behind the mic in Judas Priest, and Halford proved that to be true enough when his comeback album, Angel Of Retribution, garnered rave reviews from all ranks.
An extremely gifted frontman, Halford possesses an impressive vocal range - spanning at least 4 octaves. His work with the band, on live and studio recordings alike, have made the man a true legend of metal and rock ‘n roll. We hope to hear more of him in the latest Judas Priest offering, chronicling the life and times of the mystic Nstradamus, due to be released this year.
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Iron Maiden, like most bands in the heavy metal genre, went through numerous lineup changes before settling with a steady one some years into their career. Bruce Dickinson, as it turned out to be, was one of those people who came into an already amazing band and just made everything about Iron Maiden better.
Dickinson came in for the band’s third album, entitled Number Of The Beast - arguably the best Iron Maiden record ever. His predecessor, the volatile and equally impressive Paul DiAnno(can’t recall the spelling, but I’ll call refer to him as “DiAnno” anyway), left due to creative differences with the other members of the band - after finishing 2 outstanding albums: the self titled debut and Killers.
When Dickinson came in, he carried some of DiAnno’s vocal qualities, and also had within his vocals an impressive, almost-operatic approach to singing. The first recorded result, of course, was the brilliant and groundbreaking Number Of The Beast.
Dickinson was with the band save for a period where he left to further his solo career (as it’s usually the case for vocalists) but returned to front Iron Maiden once again, and has been a regular feature to this day.
Last year’s Maiden release, A Matter of Life and Death, was brilliant and displayed a band comfortable at the very pinnacle of its creativity. And, of course, Dickinson was there to top off an impressive vocal performance.
Matt Barlow (Iced Earth)
Matt Barlow was a relative unknown before he stepped into formidable American power metal band Iced Earth, but once his haunting screams and powerful singing was recorded on tape for the Burnt Offerings album there was no stopping the mercurial rise of one of metal’s brightest stars.
Barlow delivered unbelievable vocal performances for most of Iced Earth’s albums, including the aforementioned Burnt Offerings, The Dark Saga, Horror Show and Something Wicked This Way Comes. His unique, soulful singing and terrifying, high-pitched screams earned him a massive reputation and a loyal fan base.
Sadly, Barlow announced his retirement from music to serve in the law enforcement field after the 9/11 terrorist attacks - and proved to be the most devastating effect of the 9/11 incident to the fans of Iced Earth. Barlow’s outstanding vocals have been sorely missed, and even the skillful Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens can’t shake off the ‘Barlow replacement’ tag - almost every Iced Earth fan hopes to see Barlow come back, but it isn’t a likely scenario.
One of heavy metal’s brightest talents has called it a day, apparently for good.
Guitar Greats Part I
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
Tony Iommi from proto-metal band Black Sabbath was probably the man who started it all. Back in the days when the word “metal” was only used to describe a particular element, Iommi and his band - with vocalist Ozzy Osbourne on the microphone - were rehearsing in a studio when he spotted the movie poster for the classic horror movie Black Sabbath across the street. He went on to change the band name to Black Sabbath, and the music he helped create would soon weave grotesque, macabre mental imagery in the minds of the band’s fans.
Iommi is probably the best guitar riff writer in the vast realms of the music business - and those riffs of his were unheard of in the days the members of Black Sabbath started making a name for themselves, performing in clubs all over their native England. Iommi’s guitar playing, at the time, was both revolutionary and strangely familiar: he was known to coerce some of the scariest guitar riffs out of his down tuned Gibson SGs, while still paying homage to his blues roots when it came to his guitar soloing.
To this day, many metal fans would testify to the impact the band, and Tony Iommi in particular, has had on the metal scene today. Black Sabbath rose up from the ashes around 40 years ago and single-handedly created the genre of heavy metal, without even intending to do so in the first place. They can also be credited for inspiring the numerous sub-genres of metal we have today, including doom metal and death metal - some fans even consider Black Sabbath to be the first doom metal band in existence.
Adrian Smith & Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)
It would be impossible to credit just one of these guitarists for the tremendous success and influence Iron Maiden has garnered in their twenty-plus years of rocking the world with their signature brand of traditional metal.
Iron Maiden was formed in the late 70s but only released their self titled debut album at the start of the next decade. They have gone through numerous lineup changes in their years - including the departure and return of vocalist Bruce Dickinson - only to emerge as the greatest metal band of all time.
Adrian Smith and Dave Murray have been in the band since the beginning, and forged Iron Maiden’s signature twin guitar attack - similar to Judas Priest’s guitar duo of K. K. Downing and Glen Tipton. Even though Smith once left the band - only to rejoin them for the Brave New World album - his replacement guitarist Janick Gers is still in the band to this day, bringing the tally of guitarists in Iron Maiden to three (four, if you include bassist/songwriter Steve Harris).
Smith and Murray are known for sharing lead and rhythm guitar duties in Iron Maiden, and possess a very different approach to the instrument that helps create a welcome variety in the guitar parts of the band. While Smith is a no-nonsense, straight-up player who has a penchant for firing away the band’s energetic rhythm parts, Murray is your gentler guitarist who has the time of his life belting out the melodious guitar solos of Iron Maiden.
Smith and Murray - and now with Gers as well - have teamed up to play some of the most memorable heavy metal songs of all time. Their contributions to such classic albums like Killers, Number Of The Beast, Powerslave, Piece Of Mind and Somewhere In Time are priceless, and its wonderful to know that they, like fine wine, have only gotten better in time. Their latest effort - A Matter of Life and Death - is their 14th studio offering and is an amazing piece.
Guitar Greats Part II
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
James Hetfield (Metallica)
James Hetfield can be credited for so many things - for co-founding the one-time Kings of Heavy Metal Metallica, for writing some of the best heavy metal songs and for bringing a thrash metal band into the mainstream from the depths of the underground music scene.
Hetfield IS Metallica, pure and simple. He was the frontman, vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, lyricist and face of the band in all of their years - almost 25 years, to be exact - in business.
Through all the hardships and tribulations the band went through in all their years, Hetfield managed to keep the band in check for quite some time - until his alcohol problems got the better of him. This, and some of the other problems plaguing the band, is captured in the documentary Some Kind Of Monster - fans should definitely watch this.
He wasn’t the same after rehab, but James Hetfield will always be remembered for almost single-handedly crafting the band’s earlier metal masterpieces: Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets and …And Justice For All - all of which have contributed to over 120 million copies of Metallica albums sold worldwide.
Currently working on the band’s follow-up to the dismal St. Anger, the future is rather bleak for this bunch of aging rockers but credits due to Hetfield for working his ass off even after making his millions more than a decade ago.
Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)
Jeff Hanneman is one of the guitarists and main songwriter of the great American thrash metal band Slayer.
Hanneman has been the driving force of the band in many different aspects - usually by writing, unaided, the greatest tunes the band has ever had in their vast arsenal off guitar riffs and killer thrash pieces. Among his achievements: writing the gigantic Angel Of Death (and some other tracks) from the band’s benchmark album Reign In Blood at the tender age of eighteen, and writing the whole of the classic South Of Heaven album without the help of the Slayer’s other members.
Hanneman has been writing and performing for Slayer for as long as the band has been in existence, and continues to be an integral part of the songwriting process in the band - although the band’s last two albums (God Hates Us All and Christ Illusion) have been largely written by guitarist Kerry King.
Credit can be given to Hanneman for forging and spearheading the success of Slayer: ultimately the biggest - and arguably, the best - extreme metal band of all time.
Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)
Darrell Lance Abbott - known as Diamond Darrell earlier in his career with heavy metal band Pantera, was later remembered fondly as Dimebag Darrell. Dimebag was brutally killed, on stage, by a deranged fan who suffered from mental problems in December 2004.
News of his tragic demise shook the music world, and his peers and fans suffered the loss of a charismatic and down to earth musician - who inspired many guitarists with his trademark guitar riffs and flawless shredding.
Dimebag’s thick, crunchy guitar sound was complemented by his respectable knowledge of music theory, but his best skill lied in writing memorable guitar parts that helped Pantera scale never seen before heights. Dimebag, alongside brother Vinnie Paul on drums and the formidable Rex Brown on bass guitar worked in tandem to create the skull-crushing sound of Pantera.
There will never be a guitarist like Dimebag, who never failed to win the hearts of the millions of Pantera fans worldwide when he was alive - and will never be forgotten by everyone inspired by the man. Rest in peace, Dime.
Drum Destroyers Part I
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Dave Lombardo (Slayer)
Dave Lombardo has been with thrash metal titans Slayer since their inception in the early 80s - and has achieved tremendous success as a versatile percussionist. Before he teamed up with the guys in Slayer, he was a pizza delivery man - and has now been credited for contributing to classical music albums.
Lombardo possesses a great amount of stamina and speed in his drumming, but this Cuban born musician has a groovy feel to his percussion skills as well. His double bass drum playing sounds meaty and full, and his multi-tom fills have been a signature of Slayer since the very beginning - so much so that no other drummer really fit completely in the band in the time he was away.
Having drummed in Slayer’s classic albums (Hell Awaits, Reign In Blood, South Of Heaven and Seasons In The Abyss) he has also lent his drumming prowess to other such acts like Apocalyptica, Grip Inc. and Fantomas.
Lombardo left Slayer in the early 90s, due to differences with guitarist Kerry King - but returned to the fold a decade later, to the joy of Slayer fans worldwide. This original lineup is still recording and performing, and Lombardo’s first studio album since his return to the band was last year’s Christ Illusion - the album was a sure sign that he has only gotten better during his time away from the band that carved him a professional career in music.
Nicholas Barker (Testament)
It would be difficult to credit Nicholas Barker to just one band: this man has played for Cradle Of Filth, Brujeria, Dimmu Borgir, Old Man’s Child, Lock Up and Benediction prior to joining American thrash metal legends Testament for their upcoming recording - who are in the studio working on the follow up to their 1999 album The Gathering.
Although it would be unfair to remember the man for his numerous band changes, Barker’s main drumming weapon would be his multi-tom drum fills, and technical double bass drum work.
Barker’s incredible versatility and speed, coupled with his fearful appearance has made him one of the premier Black Metal drummers of all time - especially for his work with Cradle Of Filth, Old Man’s Child and Dimmu Borgir. Barker is also a master of the blast beat - rapid, machine-gun like drumming prevalent in death metal.
Richard Christy (Iced Earth)
Currently doing comedy on Howard Stern’s show, Richard Christy is an avid amateur movie director and comedian, as well as being one of the greatest drummers in the extreme metal genre.
Christy has worked with pioneering death metal band Death, Iced Earth and Demons & Wizards - among other bands - and is known for his rapid double bass drum playing and versatility. He found considerable comfort playing in death metal band and power metal bands alike.
Although he has almost totally quit playing, he still is a band member of the band Burning Inside, and continues to perform as a stand up comedian.
Chris Adler (Lamb Of God)
Perhaps post-thrash metal band Lamb Of God’s most destructive weapon, Chris Adler is the man responsible for the hyper-speed drum work of the band. Although relatively new in the metal scene, Adler has been hailed, again and again, as the spearhead of the next generation of talented extreme metal drummers - alongside newer names in the business like George Kollias, Tim Yeung and Joey Jordison. Adler has proven his worth through the bands six studio album and their terrifying live album Killadelphia, and we know that the man will continue to wreak havoc through speakers the world over for many years to come.
Drum Destroyers Part II
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment
Hellhammer (Mayhem)
One of extreme metal’s most frightening human drum machine, Hellhammer has plied his services for countless bands - Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir, Winds, Immortal, Arcturus, and Covenant - among others.
The epitome of the extreme metal drummer, Hellhammer utilizes lightning quick tom and snare hits with his machinegun bass drum work - allowing him to execute precision blast beats with relative ease. Even though he made his name as one of the only two surviving members of the cult black metal band Mayhem, he will always be remembered as the drum maestro who was as versatile as he was talented - and always prepared to jump on the drum throne in the studio or on stage to help out a band who are in dire need of a drummer, like in the case of Dimmu Borgir and Immortal.
Sadly, though, his stage name was directly translated and ridiculed by the narrow minded tabloid magazine editors here in Malaysia, who just couldn’t accept the fact that he is, after all, just a musician. The result was another black metal fracas, which resulted in Mayhem not given permission to perform in Malaysia and the detention of hundreds of innocent people by the police. As it has been proven, time and time again, the real hell for music is the one-dimensional authorities and media of Malaysia, not anyone or anything else.
Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
Having been invited to join Iron Maiden after the departure of Clive Burr, Nicko McBrain has been an outstanding figure in the music of legendary metal band Iron Maiden.
The man is known for his high hat playing in many Iron Maiden tunes, and incredibly fast bass drum work - even though he only uses a single pedal bass drum instead of the often used double pedal bass drums. One of the best examples of McBrain’s high hat playing would be the phenomenal, war inspired track Paschendale from their post millennium masterpiece Brave New World - in which Mcbrain’s high hats complement the introduction guitar riff - thus making the introduction much more memorable.
McBrain’s latest endeavor would be Iron Maiden’s amazing 2006 album, A Matter of Life and Death - where, in true Nicko McBrain fashion, he created some memorable drum parts to complement the vocals of Bruce Dickinson and the guitars of Adrian Smith, Janick Gers, Dave Murray and Steve Harris.
Inferno (Behemoth)
After the release of the albums Satanica and Demigod, Polish (yes, you read it right) Death Metal outfits Behemoth has been receiving their fair share of commercial success - even in the United States as well.
Their flair for producing inspired songs and memorable albums - thanks to songwriter Nergal - has seen to their sensational triumph in the past few years but they also owe a lot to Inferno, their extremely gifted drummer. When he joined the band, he was the catalyst that slowly directed the movement of the band from sounding like an archetypal black metal band to a more rhythm heavy death metal band. Inferno’s insanely fast drum work led the band to heights never before seen by the band, and proved to the world that the other Polish band - Vader - isn’t the only decent band out of the largely unknown European nation.
The band is currently in the studio working on The Apostasy - the follow up to the smashing Demigod - and if we can count on Nergal’s words (and after my viewing some footage taken during the band’s recording sessions in the studio), then we can safely say that we have so much more to see from Inferno. After all, the man himself has said that his drum tracks in The Apostasy is his “life’s work”.
