Speed Metal and the upgrade Heavy Metal received

What is Speed Metal and how is it came to be?

Speed Metal GIF

Sometimes the genre might be referred as Speed'n'Thrash just like the label Hard'n'Heavy used by the press and fans showing that there's no clear delimitation in between. 

Musically and conceptually speaking it is represented by what is more than the traditional Heavy Metal in velocity, delivery and complexity of the overall song structures.

In comparison, with Thrash Metal, for example, Speed Metal band's music contains less Punk or Hardcore influences, although being at the same abrasive musical attributes and...speed, of course!

At the second part of the 70's where the genre has its roots the general rock musical realm was populated by some shy, so to speak, heavy metal releases, the prog-rock scene and punk rock on the other hand

These genres dominated most of the overall rock stage.

First of all, many consider that Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy" released in 1974 must be the first 100% speed metal act and it had a huge impact, especially on Metallica and the whole metal development, musically speaking.

About the same period of time the contribution of Motörhead and Judas Priest bands are considered by many being the first former Speed Metal bands.

Also, the german band Accept were an important catalytic, as well.

"Fast as a Shark" song being a great example, in that respect.

As Black Sabbath started to change and forwarded to a more mainstream discourse adding prog or even Beatles influences on "Technical Ecstacy", even their legacy has been already passed for this upgrade with "Symptom of the Universe" or "Children of the Grave" still there was definitively a need for something more exciting to take place.

The mid 70's saw other jams, as well in which we can foresee the upcoming metal genre taking shape. Those are for sure Deep Purple's "Speed King", "Highway Star" or "Fireball".

Also, the british band Budgie had an undeniable highlight in this fashion with the memorable "Breadfan" single.

Along with the start of the 80's, the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement saw the unholy birth incarnated in bands like, the undisputed, the almighty VENOM, which is above Heavy Metal, but not yet Thrash Metal, musically speaking.

As they claimed, bands at that time were not enough savage for their taste, so they managed to add some punk attitude music-wise to a general Heavy Metal structure and overly spiced it with a satanic imagery and baptized it as "Black Metal"!

Other representative bands to be added here, pioneering the genre, as we can think of, must be Angelwitch,Raven,Diamond Head,Tank, besides the canadian bands Anvil and Exciter.

Later in the 80's and 90's bands like Agent Steel, Annihilator, Helstar, Running Wild, Enforcer, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear, The Great Cat, Cacophony, Blind Guardian, Dragonforce or Skullfist in 2000's consolidated the style and added more substance and diversity to the general musical picture.

Sometimes, the genre seems to be entwined with the newer Power Metal, especially if we look at the vocal delivery style.

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King Diamond with Mercyful Fate being more on the traditional part of the Heavy Metal, his solo project, despite the theatrical approach contains all the instrumental ingredients of Speed Metal. There's numerous examples of songs throughout his rich discography in order to sustain that approach.

 

 

The Californian band Metal Church is one of the greatest metal bands to walk the earth and best protagonists, for sure when speaking about speed in metal delivery. 

Their entire catalog being recommended, as well.

Anthrax - Persistence Of Time GIF

 

 

 

Some argue that Megadeth are not exactly Thrash,but Speed Metal in the first place,

especially for their first three albums.

The same arguments goes for Metallica's first albums or even Anthrax. 

However, the Thrash Metal status was later on cemented beyond any shadow of doubt when the more complex and heavier albums like "Master of Puppets" or "Persistence of Time" were released.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, there's an opinion, going on, stating that the first Black Metal wave represented by Venom, Bathory and Sodom are, in fact, some sort of Extreme Speed Metal and later on Black Metal evolved in that form of Speed Metal fashion.

 

Darkthrone's "Transilvanian Hunger" being such an edifying example in that way.

Pedal to the metal!!! \m/

Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger GIF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deathrash

Thrash / Death Metal wasn't an intentional musical admixture, so to speak like Gothic Metal or Doom / Death. The genre evolved along with Death Metal and it was played by bands who tried to sound closer to Slayer or even more aggressive, in the first place.

Deathrash GIF

Sepultura is for sure the first example, in that respect. 

Their first demo, "Bestial Devastation" EP and "Morbid Visions" album are mostly on the Black / Death Metal side and starting with "Schizophrenia" up to "Arise" album, their music surely is too brutal to be called Thrash and not yet Death Metal as it came to be at the end of the '80s. 

As many of you know, starting with "Chaos A.D." they changed to groove metal...and other whatever influences.

Californian band Possessed match in this category, as well, even they are credited as Death Metal inventors, their thrashy energetic riffage is more than obvious to everybody. That would be another example of a-little-bit-more-aggressive-than Slayer music.

 

In 1987 Necrophagia released their debut "Season of the Dead" which surely represent an undeniable milestone in the Death Metal history, as well along with Death's "Scream Bloody Gore" opus, but their music wasn't 100% within this genre as they still have a foot in the Thrash Metal "grave" throughout their entire catalog.

It seems that musically speaking Thrash / Death it's like Death Metal devoid of doomy-sabbath-ish or Celtic Frost influenced way of writing music , but filled with the insane dynamics that Thrash has to offer to the audience.

Floridian bands Malevolent Creation and Massacre are worth to be mention in here, even that the last one moved to a more groovy type of approach on their recent works, the classical "From Beyond" must be a perfect example for sure.

The more technical oriented Sadus, the original Steve DiGiorgio's band is here to be mention hailing, again from the Floridian brigade and, of course, genre-wise hanging between Thrash and Death Metal.

Legendary Paul Speckman's band Abomination,  originally formed in Chicago, Illinois, with the same line-up Master had on their first released LP must be one of the most important player in this game, chronologically and conceptually speaking.

Abomination has two releases "Abomination" and "Tragedy Strikes" plus two EP's "The Final War" and "Live in Germany".

The same goes for the French scene from the '90s consisting of Massacra, Loudblast, No Return and Aggressor. 

These bands manage to consolidate the genre in an original manner and their discographies are a strong recommendation to get into, especially the first three Massacra albums that are absolutely fantastic!

The German band Protector, as well, fits the same category and their music remains absolutely brilliant to this day. From "Golem" onward, every release added more and more brutality and maturity at the delivery section towards Death Metal, even that the thrashy guitar structure remained essential in their music, up to this day. 

Albums recommended? All of them!

The Netherland's Pestilence first three issues complete the ranks in this fashion up to the conceptual "Testimony of the Ancients" album. 

Starting with their fourth "Spheres" album, the music shifted to a more technical death metal with jazz inspired rhythm sections, possibly influenced by the musical direction can be heard on Death's "Individual Thought Patterns" LP.

Swiss band Messiah would be great to listed to. Their conceptual album "Rotten Perish" from 1992 being their greatest achievement, so far.

Another great work to dig must be "Scrolls of the Megilloth" of the Australian band Mortification.

Their entire discography fit in the same Thrash / Death style, as well.

The Colombian band Masacre are, also a strong example to pin-point, here, as an undisputed veteran exponent for this sub-genre.

The three brothers from Krisiun, somehow followed the same path co-nationals from Sepultura opened and despite the velocity, blast-beats and the brutality of their overall music display, the energetic Thrash riffs are everywhere to be found in their musical structure.

With a perfect crossover between Thrash/Hardcore/Death Metal and a discography spanning for only three albums, the great and brutal Thrash Metal "Tortured Existence" the even more aggressive and their best achievement "Epidemic of Violence" and the more groove oriented "Time Bomb"  New Yorkers from Demolition Hammer gained a well deserved respect from the metal community worldwide and the legendary status every band dream of.

In terms of absolute great, great music is the now the almost forgotten Brazilian band Incubus and their "Beyond the Unknown" first release. They have a unique sound and their riff work flow in a close to perfection fashion on that one. A totally unforgettable jam. 

Later on they moved to U.S.A. in Louisiana and changed their band name into Opprobrium continuing to release music in the same fashion.

Crown of Thorns who later rebranded themselves as The Crown coming from the endless swedish metal contingent with an explosive admixture of Thrash/Death and Death'n' Roll, extremely dynamic and memorable enough to tear down any doubt about originality, as well. 

A not-to-be-missed act for sure!

The German combo Dew-Scented and the Swedish Deathchain complete the circle for this musical endeavor and they are not to be overlooked in a hypothetical history of the Thrash / Death Metal, as a whole.

Black Sabbath and the birth of Heavy Metal - A dive into the main motifs used in the first metal album

Black Sabbath - 1970 - Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath GIF

"What is this that stands before me,a figure in black which points at me". 

That mysterious dark silhouette appeard in a dream "Geezer" Bulter had was probably Satan and it might have been inspired by the occult stories he was into, at that time,  according to what he revealed in some of his interviews, later on.

Also, it might symbolize the materialization of a
new rock genre, demanding you to follow into the most exciting, creative, imaginative and energetic music of all times - HEAVY METAL!

Once the flower power movement gained its momentum and started to slowly fade away, there was a need for a new artistic expression for the disillusioned youth. 

Something to mirror and exorcise their deep concerns, fear and unrest towards this unforgiving sick society.

The end of an era, for sure, and the beginning of the metalhead "breed", which is so well described by Henry Rollins in an interview when he pictured the typical Black Sabbath fans' behavior in the mid of the 70's.

Musically and conceptually speaking Heavy Metal inherited elements from the venomous blues such as Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry's rebel musical groundbreaking rock'n'roll attitude and the Robert Johnson's dark satanic vibes added upon the above mentioned blues skeleton, psychedelic and/or the other rock style called acid/dirty rock.

On the other hand, the dramatic overtones of classical music inspired the sonic structure and the song writing in years to come, according to the musical analysts.

Composers like Wagner, Beethoven or the Paganini's mad virtuosity inspired bands like Van Hallen, Yngwie Malmsteen and most of the bands from the later N.W.O.B.H.M movement.

Later on, it has been revealed that the genre was baptized by the Steppenwolf 's song "Born to be Wild" where the phrase "heavy metal thunder" coined this new, heavy musical approach on which, back in those days, the Sabbath crew was reffering in their interviews with the term of "heavy-rock", when they were asked.

Besides their counterparts from Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly or Jimi Hendrix who are, also cited among the pioneers in creating the genre, they are more regarded as the creators of the Hard-Rock scene.

In comparison, Black Sabbath sounded a lot heavier starting with their very first release by fully introducing the riff, via the riff master himself - Tony Iommi.

Let's see what happens behind curtain of the pouring rain and the sinister bell chimes...

First of all, what differentiates this album from their future works is the undeniable underground and occult attitude of the music, here, accentuated by the baritonal tone used by Ozzy in order to fit the overall riff-tone contruct.

The album begins with a journey to the witches' sabbath accompanied with a crushing and one of the most memorable riffs of all time, devilish tritones and an almost dancing groove in the end, the much praised Black Sabbath track created both heavy metal and doom metal at once, greeted with a smile from the dark one as the "flames got higher and higher". 

Nothing more to add about this classic.

As a second card in this pack, the harmonica blues-influenced "The Wizard" balanced the previous evil deed with his determination to dissipate evil by spreading his magic. "Never talking, just keep walking". 

The music itself suggesting the mission developing and galloping in order to accomplish the compelling quest.

"Behind the Wall of Sleep" transports you to a mid-paced doomy work, a great landscape added at the lyrical section, genius bass lines and brilliant guitar licks provided by the riff master Tony Iommi. 

The backbone of the album for sure and the Sabbath's creativity in full display. There's no question about it!
 

With the "N.I.B." song we get a quite strange riff following now-the-well-known bass introduction , judging by today standards, and the groove provided here can be considered catchy and fun for a listener back in those days.

As for the overall atmosphere, the obsession for the occult and the love affair with Lucifer must be the main deliverer here.

What follows is a very enjoyable tune. A cover version from the band Crow called "Evil woman, Don't you play your games with me!". Again, the more baritone tone of Ozzy's voice stands out on this one.

"Sleeping Village", could be considered as the second back bone of the album matching perfectly with the art cover, like a soundtrack of the mysterious picture. A crescendo solo ends the song in the same bluesy fashion.

The last chapter for the trip "Warning (Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation Cover)" it's a monument of guitar virtuosity.

Besides the first part of the song, being some of pure blues awesomeness interpretation, Iommi builds up a bridge showing off and let loose his soloing cascade at the end, before the final closing chorus.
 

Just to summarize the ingredients for the overall occult climax of the album we have :

 - The pouring Rain

 - Bell chimes

 - The Figure in Black

 - The Wizard

 - Lucifer

 - Countryside Village

 - The evil woman and her deeds

 OFFICIAL VIDEO : Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Jungle Rot - 2015 - Order Shall Prevail

Jungle Rot - 2015 - Order Shall Prevail GIF

These Wisconsin deathsters united under the Jungle Rot combo managed to release a new 10 pieces of fury gathered under "Order Shall Prevail" name.

Starting with a memorable "Doomsday" overture their groove based death metal hooks your ears from the first short guitar-solo-scream to the end of the last song.
 

"Nuclear Superiority" being a perfect OSDM to close a retro death metal sound for this modern age, if you like.
 

The band will not prove something else than their previous works but seems to be enjoyable as it didn't lack any dynamic variation.

That being said, with every track there is enough contrast and variety to keep your interest grinning and our head banging.
The most stand out tracks must be :"The Dread Pestilence";"E.F.K.";"I Cast The First Stone";"Trench Tactics" and the one set up to promote the album on youtube:

 Jungle Rot - Paralyzed Prey  

 

Jungle Rot - Order Shall Prevail 

                                       https://www.amazon.com/Jungle-Rot/dp/B07D51Y7RT

My Dying Bride's new opus and first track revealed

My Dying Bride's new opus and first track revealed GIF

My Dying Bride's "Feel The Misery" opus sees a return from the Academy Studios in Dewsbury West Yorkshire marking the 12th full studio album for these gothic doom heroes which will be released on September 18th via Peaceville Records.

The new 8 track set filled with crushing epic doom spanning in about an hour time frame was recorded, where all of My Dying Bride's classic early albums were produced. 

 

Mixing once more took place at Futureworks in Manchester UK with the band's long-time studio engineer/producer, Mags.

 

 

The new issue featuring the return of original guitarist Calvin Robertshaw behind the second guitar is being described as "undoubtedly amongst the band's heaviest, darkest, and most majestic works to date, along with My Dying Bride's 25th anniversary on the doom metal barricade.


The band's assessments on the themes of Feel The Misery: "Contained within are all the grandeur and mastery of the melancholic one would expect to find on a recording from this group of musicians. 

 

The crushing of hearts and the solemn farewells to friends and lovers twinned with the destruction of flesh and the passions of cruelty are laid neatly for the listener to devour and savor. 

 

Eight new compositions detailing the path of life through dark doors and the burdens we all must endure simply to make it to the end, My Dying Bride have returned with a foreboding new album which may enlighten, delight and consume the soul in one epic sitting."

A new track was published from the upcoming 2015 album:

My Dying Bride - And My Father Left Forever