A Grindcore history and review

There's undeniable musical evidence that Grindcore genre is somehow the "blood" brother of Death Metal since its foundation and development, back in the late 80's, when both genrs started to transfer infuences back and forth, especially at the rhythm and the riff concept.

The overall characteristics are described as downtuned guitars, overdriven bass, high speed tempos, blastbeats, guttural and/or screamed voice delivery and short span songs.

Mick Harris joined Napalm Death in December 1985 replacing Miles "Rat" Ratledge, as the band

Napalm Death - Scum Grindcore GIF

wanted to move their music concept more towards metal. The term Grindcore was used by him referring to the music of Swans, the noise-rock heroes and, obviously without the intention to "baptize" the new musical concept as he managed to achieve later on. 

By the year of 1989, Jose "Jesse" Pintado's original band Terrorizer released the legendary "World Downfall" album with David Vincent of Morbid Angel handling on the bass duties. A milestone for Grindcore and for metal in general.

Their next albums "Darker Days Ahead" 2006 ; "Hordes of Zombies" from 2012 and "Caustic Attack" 2018 are great outputs for sure featuring the well known Pete "Commando" Sandoval, as well, in back of the drum-kit.

As for the musical concept,first of all, the playing style and guitar tone of Jose "Jesse" Pintado (R.I.P.) former of Terrorizer and Napalm Death was clearly inspired by the Death Metal band Master. Later on he perfected his genius riff delivery to a more diverse range, as we can hear on albums like "Harmony Corruption"  ; "Utopia Banished" and so on.

Another main influence for the Grindcore inventors, Napalm Death, coming from the Death Metal side is cited as being the American Death Metal band Repulsion, with all their demos circulating in the underground, that were, later on, compiled on their one and only LP "Horrified" published back in 1989.

1987's "Scum" despite the brutality and the inaccessibility, so to speak, it's the first album in this genre gained an unexpected success,being such a innovative, game-changer and uncompromising musical statement. 

Heavily influenced by both punk and metal bands the output consists with two parts. 

The first one containing 12 tracks up to, You Suffer song included, that was recorded with Nic Bullen (voc/bass) ; Justin Broadrick (guitar) and Mick Harris (drums). 

The second part is recorded with Lee Dorrian (voc.) ; Bill Steer of Carcass (guitar) ; Jim Whitely (bass) and Mick Harris (drums) from track 13. Life? to the last 28th called Dragnet.

The song "You Suffer" has since been recognized by the Guinness World Record as the shortest song ever recorded.

Their second product "From Enslavement to Obliteration" from 1988 show a more matured band, tracks have better arrangements, sound and it's even more brutal. 

The international success grew as a result of that, establishing the album among the classic ones for the whole metal scene. 

Shane Embury joined the bass section in the band before the recordings.

Carcass followed up with the debut "Reek of Putrefaction" at the same year consolidating the genre and establishing other future extreme subgenres at the gory side of the metal scene.

Later on, both bands moved to a more Death Metal musical approach, but still keeping riffs and blast-beats reminiscent of their first works. The decision wasn't embraced by some of the fans, as we can hear on the classic Napalm Death's "Live Corruption". 

Part of the audience being quite unsatisfied, as it can be heard between the songs, beside the newer Death Metal fans cheering and enjoying the show. 

As a result the new members of the band were kind of forced to carry a baseball bat for a while, in that respect.

Mark "Barney" Greenway (voc.) ; Jose "Jesse" Pintado (guitar) ; Mitch Harris (guitar) ; Shane Embury (bass) ; Mick Harris (drums) is the better "armed" Napalm Death ready for the musical assault that will follow placing the band on the top of the extreme metal bands worldwide.

On the other hand, Carcass while being in Germany touring for the "Symphonies of Sickness" their second release, were literally defending themselves, at one show from some angry fans, just because the tracks on the album were too long for their taste...

After a quite chaotic primitive Death Metal debut "In Battle there is no Law" garnished with thrash-like riffage, co-nationals from Bolt Thrower, imported some clear grindcore influences on "Realm of Chaos" and "War Master" albums, placing the band, conceptually speaking, among Carcass and Napalm Death. 

On their next releases they moved to a more groovy/doomy type of Death Metal song writing.

Hailing from UK, as well Extreme Noise Terror originally started as a crust-punk act and then adopted the Grindcore velocity, even moved to a more Death Metal approach on the album "Being and Nothing". 

The LP "Damage 381" was recorded with "Barney" Greenway of Napalm Death who was, for a brief moment, out of the band.

This album sounds much like into the "Utopia Banished" direction and it can be viewed as a decent follow-up, in that respect.

Other contribution from the british bands can be counted from bands like Sore Throat and Unseen Terror, both inspired by the "Scum" album, as well.

The American band Brutal Truth featuring legendary Danny Lilker on bass must be the third band, as relevance in the whole Grindcore scene development. "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses" ; "Need to Control" ; "Kill Trend Suicide" or "Sounds of the Animal Kingdom" are classics for the genre, by now.

Brutal Truth's music video for "Collateral Damage" once held the Guinness World Record for the shortest music video ever made.

Impetigo from Illinois manage to establish the cult band status, by this day, in the same fashion and spiced with black humor song intros.

On the same side of music and lyric-wise should be considered Seth Putnam's band AC that is regarded as noise-core, being very extreme and chaotic in their delivery, sometimes.

The band Atrocity from Connecticut could be an example of Death/Grind, as well with albums like "Infected" 1990 ; "The Art Of Death!" 1992 and "Let War Rage" 2009. 

Their overall sounding and song writing reminds of Repulsion, at times.

Also, the supergroup Brujera should be mentioned here. Originally formed by guitarist Dino Cazares (Asesino) of Fear Factory and later on joined for live performances by Shane Embury hidden under the name of "Hongo" and Jeff Walker featuring as "El Cynico" at the bass section, they released interesting and referral albums over the time.

The Belgian band Agathocles, also are an important piece in this puzzle, for sure, with an insanely rich discography released throughout their career.

All of their albums being recommended for audition, especially the first "Theatric Symbolisation of Life" from 1992 which is considered to be their best achievement, so far.

Swedish Nasum , General Surgery and Regurgitate played an important role in the grind-game. Their albums being recommended for a great grind experience, as well.

From Austria we have Disharmonic Orchestra and Pungent Stench who's first releases where quite inspired by Napalm Death at first, again moving on to a more Death/Grind delivery on their second outputs.

One of the best bands out there and the much respected in the underground for their consistence must be the german band Blood. Albums recommended? All of them! Their music could be described as Death Metal with Grindcore song structures. 

A totally memorable act and music so much appreciated in the undergound scene.

Other bands like Cattle Decapitation , Exhumed , Cephalic Carnage or Aborted had Grind/Death beginnings and/or later moved to a more diverse musical discourse even with prog/technical influences added.

Misery Index , Pig Destroyer and their coleagues from Agoraphobic Nosebleed could be the three top American examples ,for the genre, and about the level of what Grindcore represents nowadays.

Overall, the genre still resists with countless underground protagonists many of them being invited to the much appreciated "Obscene Extreme Festival" happening in the Czech Republic each year.

At January 29 the international blast-beat day is being celebrated,cheers!

IN GRIND WE TRUST!

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 what is more than the traditional Heavy Metal in velocity, delivery and complexity of the overall song structures.

In comparison with Thrash Metal, 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 dominated the overall rock stage.

Although, 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 is considered by many being the first former Speed Metal bands.

Also, the german band Accept were an important catalytic force of the genre "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 and 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 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 picture.

Sometimes the genre seems entwined with the newer Power Metal, especially at the vocal delivery style.

Mercyful Fate GIF

 

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.

 

 

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 and all doubts removed with the more complex and heavier albums like "...And Justice for All" or "Persistence of Time".

 

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

 

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

 

 

Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger GIF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pedal to the metal!!! \m/

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 with "Chaos A.D." they changed to groove metal...and other whatever influences.

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 "Scream Bloody Gore", 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 infuenced 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 Agressor. 

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 achivement, so far.

Another great work to dig must be "Scolls of the Megilloth" of the australian band Mortification.

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

The Columbian 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, blastbeats 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 "Tortued Existence" the even more aggressive and their best achivement "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.

Death Metal - A videographic chronological history of the classical times

Death Metal GIF

As some of us already know the golden age of the death metal scene stretch from the late 80's to the second part of the 90's. 

Within these years, the bands involved managed to release videos made for MTV, using technical equipment very different that is used today, paid a lot of money and spent a lot of energy and time in order to achieve what they wanted to express in order to promote the musical message, their live abilities, the fan-base reaction or the band's image, in general. 

In that respect many of the videos created back then are pure masterpieces.

Let's see how bands managed to portray themselves back in the Death Metal heydays.

The first video issued in the classical death metal scene undoubtedly must be Death's performance in 1988 at the Combat Tour, along with headliners Raven plus Dark Angel, Forbidden and Fate or Fear, containing : Left to Die ; Pull the Plug ; Forgotten Past and Denial of Life songs.

The second one is surely Paradise Lost's performance "Live Death" at the Peaceville Mischievous Night Party, Saturday 4th November 1989 at Bradford Queens Hall containing tracks from their "Lost Paradise" album : Deadly Inner Sense ; Frozen Illusion ; Breeding Fear ; Paradise Lost ; Our Savior ; Rotting Misery and Internal Torment played in such a passionate way. 

The video cassette was officially released exactly one year later on November 4th, 1990.

Morbid Angel released "Live Madness '89" recorded at Nottingham on November 14 performing most of the "Altars of Madness" LP proving that they are a total Death Metal machinery and a crucial future metal force.

Grindcore and Death/Grind inventors, Napalm Death issued "Live Corruption" in 1993, captured at the Salisbury Arts Centre in Salisbury, England on June 30th, 1990 when they played a lot of their classical tracks taken from their first albums, new tracks as well, interviews, plus a video-clip made for "Suffer the Children" one of the most outstanding songs from "Harmony Corruption" LP, their most successful album, so far.

It was 1990 and Entombed, the Swedish quintet,  released the "Left Hand Path" video from the same named disc, showing their live performance and establishing their leader status on the Scandinavian Death Metal scene.

Norway was represented by the famous Darkthrone with "Live in Oslo 1990"  performing 6 tracks from their classic "Soulside Journey" Death Metal debut LP.

 

Sci-fi horror inspired tech-death-metal Nocturnus genius performance for the "Lake of Fire" the first track taken from their most outstanding and original albums in the history of metal published under the name of "The Key" back in 1990.

Massacre From Beyond GIF

Legendary Massacre with "Chamber of Ages" promoted the first "From Beyond" issue showing their energetic live act in front of their unleashed fan-base. 

A black and white masterwork, for sure!

Death's first video-clip perfectly pictured a psychological tragedy described in the lyrics of the song taken from the classical 1991 "Human" opus called "Lack of Comprehension".

Steve DiGiorgio's original band Sadus released "Good Rid'nz" and "Certain Death" videos containing edited live footage taken from their first two albums "Illusions" and "Swallowed in Black".

The very charismatic Floridian combo, Obituary chose "Turned Inside Out" played live, the last track from their "Cause of Death" classic disc, in order to portray and prove to the world their full potential.

Once again, the iconic band Morbid Angel presented themselves with a video-clip for "Blessed are the Sick/Leading the Rats" taken from the much praised 1991 - "Blessed are the Sick" album. 

The video express what the track and the album is all about at the musical and lyrical concept.

War themed, British Bolt Thrower came up with "Cenotaph" taken from the 1991 "War Master" album representing their Death-Grind delivery performance, the band and their legions produced in a very dynamic fashion.

By year of 1991, Napalm Death returned more energetic than ever and this can be seen in their "Mass Appeal Madness" official video.

A video-clip documenting their tour around the world, probably taken when they toured for the "Harmony Corruption" LP.

As, of the same video content was presented on"The World Keeps Turning" in order to promote their fourth "Utopia Banished" effort just a year later.

The German quintet Morgoth chose "Sold Baptism" as a video-clip and "Isolated" live performance to represent their first and much praised "Cursed" output released back in 1991. 

The first above mentioned is a short horror movie featuring the band members and the front-man Mark Grewe as the main character.

Just like a short B-grade horror movie, the British band Cancer made a video-clip for the "Back from the Dead" song present on the much appreciated "Death Shall Rise" work dated in 1991.

"Shrunken and Mummified Bitch" being a quite sick/black humorous video-clip made by the Austrian trio Pungent Stench, and from the same album they came up with "Sick Bizarre Defaced Creation" a black and white live video-clip edited with overlayed reprises here and there from their 1991 "Been Caught Buttering" Death-Grind second album.

Carcass tried to capture the musical message on the much appreciated "Necroticism - Descanting and Insalubrious" album with the "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" video released in 1991 and the second video, being a live footage and a master interpretation for "Corporal Jigsore Quandary" taken from the famous "Grindcrusher Tour".

The above mentioned tour, also includes a full performances by both Carcass and their fellow Bolt Thrower

The Dutch quartet Pestilence managed to portray themselves in a very effective way, the general message and the atmosphere from the conceptual 1991 released "Testimony of the Ancients" album,  throughout the undoubtedly masterpiece of a video-clip : "Land of Tears".

A short horror story.

Their previous second effort named "Consuming Impulse" dated back in 1990 featuring Martin Van Drunen handling the bass and the vocal duties, at that time was presented with the "Out of the Body" video-clip.

Their colleagues from God Dethroned made a video-clip for the "Necromagnon" track, in a wretched, construction area, presenting the debut album "The Christhunt" dated as of 1992.

Colleagues in Death/Grind and co-nationals of Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra launched "Groove" video in order to promote "Not to be Undimentional Conscious" their second album back in 1992.

The famous, by now, polish combo Vader were presenting themselves playing in a post-communist industrial environment with the song "Dark Age" taken from the debut album, "The Ultimate Incantation" issued as of 1992.

Floridian based Nocturnus returned with a video for the "Alter Reality" track taken from their second LP "Thresholds" released in 1992.

At the same year, British Death Metal veteran quintet Bolt Thrower, spearheaded again with "The IVth Crusade" video from the same named release with an energetic live collage.

There's no question that Morbid Angel's "God of Emptiness" video is another Metal masterpiece , representing the one of the band's main lyrical topics. 

One of the most viewed out there and a symbolic representation for the genre's overall song themes - religion. 

It is the last track taken from their third much appreciated album "Covenant" dated in 1993. Also, we have "Rapture" video to enjoy, the song opening the 1993's classic, by now long-play. 

"Covenant" is one of the most sold death metal full-lengths out there.

Another true memorable masterpieces in terms of video production must be the Entombed's "Stranger Aeons" from "Clandestine" and Dismember's " and "Dreaming in Red" videos taken from their both second releases. 

Dismember, also released a video for the above mentioned second album, titled "Indecent&Obscene" opening track "Skinfather" consisting moslty of their live experience.

Prior to that, Dismember promoted their music with the "Soon to be Dead" video-clip taken from the "Like an Everflowing Stream" classic disc, dated in 1991.

From the same Swedish lands, the soon to became, one of the most death metal influential personality Peter Tägtgren presented his band Hypocrisy with two videos "Impotent God" which is a live performance and a videoclip for "Left to Rot" in 1992 promoting their "Penetralia" debut album.

One year later they returned with a video called "Pleasure of Molestation" a song which is published on the second disc "Osculum Obscenum", and by 1994 released "Inferior Devoties" a video-clip made for a track taken from the same named EP showing themselves as a trio, for the first time, with Peter Tägtgren behind the frontline microphone.

As, for the fourth effort dated in 1996 "Abducted" album, the band chose to make a video-clip for the song "Roswell '47" consisting mostly from their touring footage.

The, heathen to become, Johnny Hedlund's Unleashed show their live strong display of "Before the Creation of Time" from the first "Where No Life Dwells" album. 

Later on they promoted their third effort "Across the Open Sea" and their fan-base with "The One Insane" video performing in a club.

Interment from Sweden, again, presenting themselves with a video-clip created for "Infestering Flesh" back in 1992, a song taken from their first demo.

The first progressive death metal band, Dan Swanö's Edge of Sanity filmed "Black Tears" the power play for the "Purgatory Afterglow" in a black and white low-budget fashion. 

The vocal clean delivery resembles much of what is called Gothic Metal, today, as the overall album's direction is quite diverse.

The Australian trio Mortification presented themselves with a video taken from "Scrolls of the Megilloth" LP, their best achievement, so far, with the eponymous song, published back in 1992.

Besides the "God of Emptiness" artwork the Carcass' "Heartwork" must be another important vector and surely a masterpiece for the genre, up to this day.

A true terrifying videoclip, but perfect in portraying the viciousness of the music presented on the eponymous album issued in 1993. "No Love Lost" being at the same quality level in terms of video production and musical inspiration.

Germans from Morgoth, also returned with the much appeciated "Odium" disc, promoted by the "Under the Surface" video at the same year.

Also, Chuck Shuldiner , the Godfather of Death Metal returned and brought Death back to live  inviting Andy LaRoque, King Diamond's lead guitarist, Steve DiGiorgio, the famous and very technical bass player and no other than Gene Hoglan to record one of the most daring metal issues of all times "Individual Thought Patterns" that was promoted with a video for the closing track "The Philosopher".  

A total outstanding performance, there!

Californian Autopsy had "Voices" played in a garage hailing the unforgettable "Acts of the Unspeakable" LP back in '93.

Entombed returned with "Hollowman" and "Wolverine Blues" from their Groove Death Metal opus out in '93, with Lars G. Petrov (R.I.P) handling, again the vocal duties. 

"Hollowman" is such a great work in 'good optics' register, per say, showing the band playing in an old factory. Another video masterpiece for Metal, indeed!

Again, hailing from Sweden, Grave veteran band , provided the Death Metal hordes with the "Soulless" video made in 1994, from the same named collection of songs.

As, on the same year, british quintet Napalm Death made short horror film for "The Plague Rages" which would be one of the power plays of the "Fear ,Emptiness, Despair" album.

The much appreciated Obituary returned with "The End Complete" video-clip inorder to promote the same named album back in 1993 and for the "World Demise" effort decided to release a video made for the opening track "Don't Care" dated back in 1995.

Gorefest Erase GIF

 

From the dutch front the four Gorefest highlighted their "False" opus through the "Get-a-life" video containing a fine edited live performance followed by the 1994 "Erase" as one of the most memorable moment from the same named disc.

"The Eindhoven Insanity" released in August 11th, 1993 documents Gorefest's live performance at the much famous and appeciated Dynamo Festival in the same year containing 9 songs.

Same goes for their co-nationals from the Sinister band, who released a video-clip for the song "Leviathan" taken from the much appreciated and one of their best LP's ,"Diabolical Summoning" dated back in 1993.

The video represents the band besides a short horror movie about wichery, time distortion and occult practices.

Dismember returned with the masterpiece named "Casket Garden" taken from their 1995 issued album "Massive Killing Capacity". One of the most beautiful videos made in Death Metal.

Carcass released "Swansong" opus back in 1996, before the split-up and chose as the power play, the first song "Keep on Rotting in the Free World" containing a mix of live and other video footage to please their worldwide fan-base.

Cannibal Corpse watch us "Through the eyes of the Dead" video, enjoying one of the most inspired albums released in metal ever "The Bleeding", released back in 1994, being their first official one.

The British iconic quintet Benediction released "Foetus Noose" an interesting video-clip made with overlayed live footage, presenting their fan-base.

Also, not-to-be-missed "The Grotesque" video-clip taken from the eponymous EP from 1994.

This video-graphic journey through one of the most aggressive metal genres out there will be closed by mentioning the last videoclip dedicated by the same Birmingham veterans Benediction to Jack the Ripper, naming the first song taken from the 1995 output "The Dreams you Dread" called "Down on Whores - Leave them all for dead!"

Industrial Metal and its development

Industrial Metal GIF

One of the most extreme and fringe heavy metal branch, totally not sufficient musically explored is what is called Industrial Metal. 

The fist band we can thing about regarding the industrial (rock) music, must be the British post-punk band Killing Joke.

Which is surely one of the pioneers to start exploring and playing with indus-like riffs.

The second exponent, here, must be the American Ministry band.

After a first excellent New-Wave album called "With Sympathy" they released "Twitch" where they started to experience with industrial sounds, repetitive musical formulas and a more aggressive, dark and twisted songs building up an interesting assembly found through albums like "The Land of Rape and Honey" ; "The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste" ; "Psalm 69" ; "Filth Pig" ; "Rio Grande Blood" and so on.

Featuring Justin Broaderick, as drummer, the British band Head of David it's a must in this gearing. A total underrated act, if you like, not to be ignored and quite inspiring for other, bigger bands within the genre.

Justin Broaderick of Godflesh must be a pivotal name in the whole development for this genre. 

First of all, he played with a project called Final before joining Napalm Death as guitar player, where he was invited just because the guys in the band admired his previous work with Final. 

Apparently, he was kind of terrified while playing the songs from the first part of the "Scum" album and that happened, especially when the ultra-rapid grindcore passages set in, as he was more into the long, crushing, type of riffs.

Albums like "Streetcleaner" ; "Pure" ; "Selfless" ; "Us and Them" must be the pin-points from the Godflesh very special and unique catalog to get into.

The french band Treponem Pal must be mentioned, as another great example of Industrial Metal, heavily influenced by Ministry, The Young Gods and Godflesh with works like "Treponem Pal" (1989) ; Aggravation (1991) ; "Excess & Overdrive" (1993) ; "Higher" (1997) or "Weird Machine" (2008) they cemented their status as an important player in the scene.

The American band Prong should be, also took as pioneers for the Industrial Metal subgenre, here, especially with their mid albums of their discography.

First of all, they started like a Thrash-Crossover Metal band and then developed their style adding more and more industrial sonorities and groovy riff-work, later on.

"Soul of A New Machine" the first Fear Factory LP created such a great sonic replica for metalheads worldwide, being an assembly of death metal meets industrial, growl meets clean voicals and an outstanding, original riff signature delivered by Dino Cazares. 

The albums that followed incorporated more mainstream metal elements, but still remaining at the same level of creativity and authenticity and not altering their own musical identity.

We, also have to take in consideration Pitchshifter, the British combo, responsible for memorable albums like "Industrial" ; "Desensitized" or "Infotainment?".

Sadly, later on, their music moved more into the Alternative style of rock music.

Dead World band hailing from Colorado U.S.A. built an enjoyable Industrial Death Metal sound through albums like 1992 "Collusion" ; "The Machine" from 1993 and "Thanatos Descends" output on 1996, heavily influenced by Godflesh' music.

Nailbomb project is an interesting industrial project consisting of Max Cavalera and Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel.

They released an album called "Point Blank" which was sustained live, also at Dynamo Festival in Eindhoven back in 1995.

As, for the German Rammstein band, could it be called the AC/DC of Industrial Metal? 

Their music is simple, straight to the point, memorable and effective combining Industrial Metal with Neue Deutsche Härte, just like their co-nationals from Eisbrecher, for example.

From the 1995 "Herzeleid" to their last "Zeit" the band managed to capture attention with unforgettable tunes despite the German language used on most of their music.

The band gained international success from their second "Sehnsucht" issued in 1997. 

This album was certified with platinum by the RIAA in the U.S. The single "Du Hast" hitting like a thunderstruck in the hearts of the metalheads worldwide, at that time.

Peter Tägtgren's project Pain must be counted here as well, as an original mix of Industrial Metal-Rock and Electro outputs that created a strong fan-base, starting from the second part of the 90's from the first self titled disc to the last "Coming Home" dated in 2016.

The classic Napalm Death line-up from the first part of the "Scum" album with Mick Harris, Justin Broadrick and Nic Bullen reunited in 1992 under the banner of Scorn in order to issue "Vae Solis" 

Later on, the band moved to a more experimental music and becoming one of the first dub-step acts out there.

However, their first album is definitively an 100 percent Industrial Metal effort.

The german band Die Krupps plays, also a pioneering and significant role in the general mechanism of the early industrial gearing. Their catalog stretch from the 1981's "Stahlwerksinfonie" to the last "Songs from the Dark side of Heaven" dated back in 2021.

Their heydays are represented by albums like "II - The Final Option" released in 1993 "III - Odyssey of the Mind" 1995 or 1997's "Paradise Now". Their best received products at that time.

The swiss band Samael started to experiment with electro-metal admixture added to their basic groove Black Metal background. 

Albums like "Eternal" or "Reign of Light" made them the Rammstein of Black Metal, so to speak. 

Other Black Metal bands were experiencing with this kind of musical approach, such as the Italian Aborym, The Kovenant or Thorns from Norway, but that's another story and it belongs more to a Black Metal article.

Another stand out product is for sure "Embedded" issued in 1993 by the project Meathook Seed formed by Napalm Death's Shane Embury - bass, Mitch Harris - guitar plus the Obituary's Donald Tardy - drums and Trevor Peres as a front man. 

A quite creative musical approach filled with interesting riffs. Their second opus called B.I.B.L.E. (basic instructions before leaving earth) has a more industrial rock direction, but still recommended for a listen, although.

Speaking about Napalm Death, they were inevitably influenced by this kind of sounds and contributed with industrial tunes from time to time within their quite rich discography they have. 

The much praise "Fear,Emptiness,Despair" output is suspected to host indus-like riffage throughout its entire display,also tracks like "Morale" ; "Contemptuous" ; "The Lifeless Alarm" or "Inside the Torn Apart" and, of course the main riff from  Greed Killing video are more than obvious examples, in that respect.

Fleshing some industrial samples to a Doom-Thrash Metal skeleton the swedish band Misery Loves Co. released some interesting albums like the eponymous from 1994, "Not like Them" in 1997 and "Your vision was never mine to share" by 2000.

The well known musician Devin Townsend the main composer and mastermind of Strapping Young Lad combined Thrash with Death Metal with industrial influences through "Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing" dated 1995 to "The New Black" album released in 2006 with such a corrosive and obnoxious atmosphere,very dynamic at times and obviously experimental and equal as unexpected, surprisingly good Industrial Metal to get into.

Up fronted by Jörgen Sandström founder of the legendary band Grave, the swedish The Project Hate MCMXCIX band produced an interesting and original mix of industrial, Death Metal and Gothic inflences throughout its very rich discography starting with 2000 "Cybersonic Superchrist" to the last "Spewing Venom into the Eyes of Deities" dated as of 2021.

The Floridian band Schnitt Acht, who was active in the first half of the 90's released two albums "Subhuman Minds" (1991) being more into EBM-electronic music, but their second effort "Slash and Burn" (1993) added a more metal substance and riffs to the general concept, resulting into an original and excellent album.

The music in this video being absolutely fantastic in terms of creativity and inspiration!

The contribution of bands like Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie and his band White Zombie, Front Line Assembly, Oomph!, Swans, The Young Gods, KMFDM, Revolting Cocks and Skinny Puppy or even Marylin Manson are surely the main Industrial acts, but they cannot be overviewed in this history, although, their music reach metal at times, all these well known and appeciated bands, balanced their musical content from rock to electronic, even electronic body music and they are not exactly anchored, so to speak, in the Heavy Metal musical spectrum, per say.

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 that he red at that time,  according to what he told in some of his interiews, 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!

Later being revealed the genre was baptized by the Steppenwolf song "Born to be Wild" where the term heavy metal thunder coined this new, unexpected, explosive, yet heavy musical approach on which, back in those days, the Sabbath crew was reffering, in their interviews, when asked, with the term of "heavy-rock"!

 

What we call metal music today emerged from the early murky waters of blues, rock, psychedelic and the so called acid/dirty rock.

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" so much well described by Henry Rollins in an interview when he pictured the typical Black Sabbath fans' behavior in the mid 70's.

Musically and conceptually speaking Heavy Metal inherited elements from the venomous blues such like the Howling Wolf, Chuck Berry's rebel musical groundbreaking rock'n'roll attitude and the Steve Johnson's dark satanic vibe added upon the above mentioned blues skeleton.

Besides their counterparts Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple who fully developed the Hard Rock scene, Black Sabbath managed to contribute by introducing the riff, via the riff master himself - Tony Iommi.

On the other hand, the dramatic overtones of classical music inspired in years to come, according to the musical analysts, by Wagner, Beethoven or the Paganini's mad virtuosity. 

All in order to create its own magical and unique universe...

Let's see what happens behind curtain of 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 display.

The album begins with a journey to the witches' sabbath accompanied with a crushing and the most memorable riff of all, 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. 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

Wisconsin deathsters Jungle Rot 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 last.
"Nuclear Superiority" which is 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.

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