How to get into Metal Music: Part 5 - Advanced Listeners

For the advance course of my little "how to" blog series, I will start to tune away from the more radio played bands from the previous posts, and more into heavier bands.

Lets start out with some newer Thrash metal artists and albums

Band: Testament

Album: All albums, especially "Formation of Damnation"

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: Exodus

Albums: All albums, especially "Exhibit B" 

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: Slayer

Albums: All Albums

Heaviness: 7/10

We will start out with these Thrash bands. Keep in mind that Slayer was the foundation for Death Metal, so its a good idea to listen to them and get to know their sound. After all, Slayer is one of the leaders of the heavy metal genre overall. 

Next, I will ease you into some metalcore...

Band: August Burns Red

Albums: All albums

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: Killswitch Engage

Album: End of Heartache

Heaviness: 6-7/10

Band: All That Remains

Album: The Fall of Ideals, Overcome

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: Trivium

Album: Shogun, The Crusade

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: Shadows Fall

Album: Retribution

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: Unearth

Album: The March

Heaviness: 7/10

Now, I threw in 4 specific bands here. All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, Unearth, and Shadows Fall were known as the "big 4" of the metalcore genre. All 4 are from Massachusetts as well. These bands have either HAD a big fan base or STILL has a big fan base, and are good bands to get to know.

Now, its time to ease you into death metal by showing you some melodic death metal bands, and some Groove metal bands.

Band: Lamb Of God

Album: As The Palaces Burn

Heaviness: 8/10

Band: Chimaira 

Album: Impossibility of Reason, The Infection 

Heaviness: 7/10

Band: In Flames

Album: Clayman, Colony, Reroute to Remain

Heaviness: 7-8/10

Band: Machine Head

Album: The Blackening, Unto the Locusts

Heaviness: 8/10

Band: Sepultura

Album: Roots, A-Lex

Heaviness: 8/10  

Band: Soulfly

Album: Primitive, Enslaved

Heaviness: 8/10

Band: Amon Amarth

Album: deciver of the Gods, With Oden on our Side

Heaviness: 8/10

Try out all these bands, and be sure to enjoy all tracks on each album. Keep in mind itunes usually has some of these albums on sale for $7.99. Next, we will get into even heavier metal. I know, like there is such thing as heavier than this...?