Here are 10 records that provide a solid overview of heavy metal`s 20-year history:
”Led Zeppelin” (Atlantic/1969), Led Zeppelin: Though perhaps not their best album, this British supergroup`s debut was certainly their rawest. Robert Plant`s banshee screams and Jimmy Page`s guitar defined the genre.
”Machine Head” (Warner/1972), Deep Purple: Contains the classic metal guitar riff ”Smoke on the Water.” Every garage band knows it, every teenager loves it.
”Greatest Hits” (Warner/1974), Alice Cooper: Cooper was one of the few metal artists to consistently write hit songs, and this collection contains all his anthems: ”Eighteen,” ”School`s Out,” ”Elected,” ”No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
”Agents of Fortune” (Columbia/1976), Blue Oyster Cult: Teens loved them, which is no surprise, but so did the critics, because the band satirized apocalyptic, satanic themes that other metal bands took seriously. This album`s centerpiece was the eerie ”Don`t Fear the Reaper,” a Top 20 hit.
”Permanent Waves” (Mercury/1980), Rush: This Canadian power trio`s style could best be described as ”heavy mental” for the cerebral nature of their lyrics and their powerful yet fluid arrangements.
”Back in Black” (Atlantic/1980), AC/DC: An Australian quintet led by knickers-clad guitarist Angus Young, AC/DC mixed crunching bar-band rock with an unusually acute pop sense, which led to the hit ”You Shook Me All Night Long.”
”1984” (Warner/1984), Van Halen: Show-stopping technique (guitarist Eddie Van Halen) and raunchy comedy (singer David Lee Roth) combined to create this pop/metal classic, which included the hit ”Jump.”
”. . . And Justice For All” (Elektra/1988), Metallica: The premier
”thrash” or speed-metal band in America has spawned countless imitators with their ferocious rhythms and wrenching lyrics.
”Louder Than Love” (A&M/1989), Soundgarden: This Seattle quartet both celebrates and satirizes the excesses of `70s arena rock with a sound as thick, relentless and overwhelming as molten lava.
”Nothing Face” (MCA/1989), Voivod: A post-apocalyptic science-fiction concept album from Montreal, complete with soul-searching lyrics and cover art by the visionary drummer known as ”Away.”
