# What got you into heavy metal?



## Metalkitsune (Jul 11, 2011)

Me,i remember during about 1989 about when i was living in Maryland,i turned to a radio station in the car and heard this neat rock song and from there i started liking heavy metal. I'm still listening to metal at age 34 still. 

Of course in Hawaii,i have to usually listen to it on Youtube or the like,because the classic rock stations here mostly play new wave.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Metallica for me. Ride the Lightning was my favorite from them. Master of Puppets was great to.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

If I'm to make the distinction between heavy metal (which I dabbled with) and hard rock (which I loved and still do) then with me it was twofold:

1/ Borrowing Motorhead's debut album off a friend sometime in late 1978. The album was difficult to get at the time as it was released on the small Chiswick label with a relatively limited pressing and I was mighty pleased when I managed to get a copy of the original pressing some years later. Along with the follow-up, Overkill, it's still my favourite Motorhead album - you can almost smell the poverty, struggle, anger and desperation and I'd never heard an album quite like it up to then.

2/ Getting my first Black Sabbath album (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath) in early 1979. I managed to snaffle up an original copy on the shortlived WWA label - this was before Sabbath's back catalogue was re-released by NEMS so I was lucky to get it all as it was a weird time when most of their pre-Technical Ecstacy albums were temporarily unavailable. The riff of the title track did me in - it was like 'upon this rock I'll build at least SOME of my church' and hastily got into other metal bands like Judas Priest. Then the NWOBHM scene happened with groups like Iron Maiden, Tygers of Pan Tang and Saxon and from then until about 1983 I listened to metal more than anything else. 

Sadly, my loyalty towards metal didn't last beyond the mid-80s - the ever-increasing penchant for over-fussy sub-genre categorisation took a lot of the fun out of it and once hair/poodle/lite/whatever metal in one corner and speed/death/black/whatever metal in the other started to proliferate I found neither to my liking (I suppose I was pining for my 70s timewarp comfort zone really, which was probably why I got into bands like Nebula and Black Crowes later).


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## Cnote11 (Jul 17, 2010)

Black Metal was what got me really into metal music. Most people apparently don't start that way but I found it an easy entry point. It took me awhile to get into Death Metal. I'm not really that much into classic metal or thrash even, although I do like a fair share and I love Black Sabbath.


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## Iforgotmypassword (May 16, 2011)

I started out in like 4th grade listening to metallica with the San Francisco symphony and Godsmack on the radio and plateaued there for several years until about 18 or 19 when I began to delve very deeply into the more obscure avenues of metal, beginning with thrash and moving on to progressive, sludge, death, doom, drone and a bit of black metal.


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

The Fall of Man.


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## smoledman (Feb 6, 2012)

A lot of metal these days is symphonic heavy metal with lots of fussy parts. Not my thing at all. Give me Metallica's "Orion" any day over this.


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

My dad listened to some Black Sabbath and Slayer among the rest of his dad-rock. I recognized that "those two bands are better". (I guess with the exception of The Doors, I can't deny their first album.)

Metal's diseased now, but at least there's the classics.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

80's. Just couldn't get away from it. Way more musical back then, too.


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

iron maiden


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

The song "One" by Metallica. I think I was 10. My sister played it, and it was the first time I realized that heavy metal could be emotional and touch on serious issues. I followed that up with my first heavy metal album purchase, the Metallica self-titled album a couple years later. Dream Theater and Queensryche I am far more passionate about in terms of metal, but they are progressive metal not straight up heavy metal.


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## Jord (Aug 13, 2012)

I must of been about 5 or 6 and Number of the Beast came on one of the music channels, speaking of Maiden, anyone of to Download next year?


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

fast and technical&melodic guitar parts.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

My brother (who is 10 years older than me) used to tape a show on Friday Nights called The Rock Palace (which showed about 20-30 minutes of a concert) and Friday Night Videos (which aired music videos). 

In 1983-1984 he made VHS tape which I still have to this day.
It featured 20 minute concerts of Ozzy, Ratt and Night Ranger on The Rock Palace and then a bunch of music videos from Van Halen, Dio, Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, etc.

Long story short, I watched that tape almost everyday as a kid, either by myself or with my brother and will always be my favorite music.

Sidenote: My brother also played guitar which inspired me to play. Those two things combined, I believe I've played every semi-popular Hard Rock/Hair Band song from the 70's and 80's in bands over the years


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

The opening guitar riff from Iron Maiden's Wasted Years.

I never really got into metal beyond my personal trifecta of Metallica, Maiden, and Megadeth (with a brief foray into Anthrax) but for about a four year period those bands pretty much ruled my world.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

realdealblues said:


> My brother (who is 10 years older than me) used to tape a show on Friday Nights called The Rock Palace (which showed about 20-30 minutes of a concert) and Friday Night Videos (which aired music videos).
> 
> In 1983-1984 he made VHS tape which I still have to this day.
> It featured 20 minute concerts of Ozzy, Ratt and Night Ranger on The Rock Palace and then a bunch of music videos from Van Halen, Dio, Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, etc.
> ...


Good story!


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

realdealblues said:


> My brother (who is 10 years older than me) used to tape a show on Friday Nights called The Rock Palace (which showed about 20-30 minutes of a concert) and Friday Night Videos (which aired music videos).
> 
> In 1983-1984 he made VHS tape which I still have to this day.
> It featured 20 minute concerts of Ozzy, Ratt and Night Ranger on The Rock Palace and then a bunch of music videos from Van Halen, Dio, Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, etc.
> ...


What do you think about Steel panther?


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## SpanishFly (Oct 13, 2012)

Metal has, to some extent, been weaving in and out of my life for 17 years now. 

I'm sure I listened to a lot of metal before my memory fully developed, as my dad has always been into hard rock and hairbands.

This is going to sound really bad, but when I was 2 1/2, I first heard 'The Lumberjack' on my dad's Jackyl tape - not sure if I'm proud of that or not. Probably not 

The first real beginnings of metal for me which I can fully recall, though, was Van Halen's '1984' on cassette - when I was about 3, I absolutely loved it and my parents would play the tape in the car for me. To this day it remains one of my favourite albums.

In 2001, when Nickelback put out 'Silver Side Up,' my dad bought the CD and I fell in love with the heaviness of the guitars and the punch of the drums. My mom didn't like the fact that I enjoyed such 'heavy music' - remember this is 2001  

Ever since those early beginnings, my dad has periodically brought out old tapes from Motley Crue, Tesla, Cinderella, Guns N Roses, Firehouse, and so on. The overall sound - especially that of the guitars - is what really caught my attention; that heaviness, that crunch. 

When I turned 13, I started liking a bit of metalcore, which only lasted for a year. I then got into Metallica from their '...And Justice For All' album - Metal with true meaning, not just random screaming and chugging guitars. From there, I grew into a huge fan of Metallica, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Guns N Roses - you name it. Any old metal band is good enough for me.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

jani said:


> What do you think about Steel panther?


Steel Panther is pretty entertaining. I watched an interview with the guitarist once and he wouldn't be serious for one minute. They ask him questions and he'd answer like he was in Spinal Tap or something...lol.

I'd like to see them do an actual "serious" album where the lyrics were a little more serious and more along the lines of the bands they pay homage too, but yeah, I dig them.


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## SpanishFly (Oct 13, 2012)

realdealblues said:


> I'd like to see them do an actual "serious" album where the lyrics were a little more serious and more along the lines of the bands they pay homage too, but yeah, I dig them.


I totally agree! I love their sound and think they'd be better off skipping the comedy bit.


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## Metalkitsune (Jul 11, 2011)

realdealblues said:


> My brother (who is 10 years older than me) used to tape a show on Friday Nights called The Rock Palace (which showed about 20-30 minutes of a concert) and Friday Night Videos (which aired music videos).
> 
> In 1983-1984 he made VHS tape which I still have to this day.
> It featured 20 minute concerts of Ozzy, Ratt and Night Ranger on The Rock Palace and then a bunch of music videos from Van Halen, Dio, Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, etc.
> ...


Cool,i play guitar as well. It seems though many hate on people when they play metal.


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Metalkitsune said:


> Cool,i play guitar as well. It seems though many hate on people when they play metal.


That's funny. I always used to get that kind of response because I prefer to play classical pieces on the guitar as opposed to metal pieces.


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## Metalkitsune (Jul 11, 2011)

Lukecash12 said:


> That's funny. I always used to get that kind of response because I prefer to play classical pieces on the guitar as opposed to metal pieces.


Well the people also said to turn the distortion down.


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## Chrythes (Oct 13, 2011)

King Crimson's Red! The beginning of metal! And maybe Larks' Tongues in Aspic.

I tried getting into metal by listening to Metallica, I liked some of their stuff, but most it seemed very bland to me. Then I heard Opeth and I found some of it really enjoyable, mostly Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries, though the album that I most listened to was Damnation, which I am not sure if one could consider it as metal. Also, Mikael Åkerfeldt vocals are extremely good, best growl I've ever heard and a great clean as well. 

I also enjoyed Pain of Salvation at that time, though they are more progressive rock/metal. Never really got into Dream Theater.


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## BaronAlstromer (Apr 13, 2013)

Kiss in around 1976-1977.
There were a couple of older kids who used to paint their faces put on shows in the basement.
Then in 1981 I started started to buy a new teen music magazine who in the beginning had Kiss in every issue and presented a lot of other new heavy metal bands which I then began listening to.


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

My big bro (he's 12 years older than me) had this record in his collection, totally out of character with his normal choices









I loved it. When I stated buying my own records (vinyl in them thar days) it was one of the 1st
It started an appreciation, and a collection.
I've still got the lp.


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

I first started listening to Megadeth and Anthrax, then slowly started to grow into it. It ws an acquired taste for me.\w/


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## Tero (Jun 2, 2012)

Yngwie Malmsteen. You have unleashed the fury!

(Just kidding)


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

neoshredder said:


> Metallica for me. Ride the Lightning was my favorite from them. Master of Puppets was great to.


same here:






never gets old!


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

Queen was and still is my favourite band and first love musically (Freddie Mercury has never been bested (though Ronnie James Dio comes close)). Freddie's Barcelona album also later led me to Classical Music later so discovering Queen as a gateway to Rock, Metal, Classical and Opera has been one discovery I will be eternally grateful for.

When the time came to progress, it was Iron Maiden for me, a re-release single of Run To The Hills with The Prisoner & 22 Accacia Avenue live as B-Sides around the time Rock in Rio came out. This led to Judas Priest naturally. Also led to Wolfsbane thanks to Blaze Bayley - a fantasic singer and a good lyricist but struggled to fit in Maiden ( I.e. singing in the key of Bruce Dickinson live - just too different a range) - his subsequent work is superb for the experience and he did some great work in Maiden. 

Then came Metallica (whom I rarely listen to beyond the first four) which directly led me to other Thrash bands such as Megadeth, Sacred Reich, Testament, Exodus, Slayer etc and other bands, particularly Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Budgie and Diamond Head.

Then a friend lent mea copy of Marilyn Manson's Holywood and my mind was pried open. Mechanical Animals and the live album that followed were also jewels.

My biggest discovery and my favourite was Black Sabbath with Dio-Era. Love all eras of Sabbath but Dio is my favourite singer by far. This led me to Deep Purple, Dio-Era Rainbow, the Dio band, Iommi's few works outside Black Sabbath and other Stoner/Doom tinged bands such as Pentagram, Trouble, Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Krux, Alice Cooper, etc. Ronnie James Dio is the only rock/metal singer who comes close to Freddie Mercury and sets the standard.

The big link for me between the various works of Dio & Maiden is the sense of narrative in the lyrics, that drew me to metal and kept me. It also opened the door many, many years later to Opera but that is another story.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something but that is the basic gist, for metal and rock. It did also lead to Blues just before I truly discovered Classical for myself. Without Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, I would not have discovered Classical or Blues.


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

Is it just a coincidence this thread was started on 4/20?


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I started out with The Yardbirds, Cream, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Spooky Tooth, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, into hair-metal, then Thrash, then Death Metal, on to Satanic Death Metal, to Antinomian Metal, Existential Metal, Post-Structuralist Metal, Foucoultian Metal, Post-Modernist Metal, Zoroastrian Good/Evil Metal, Abstract Expressionist Metal, New Minimalism Metal, Sartre's _Being and Metalness,_ Giacomettian "Thin Man" Metal, Post-Reagan Conservative Metal, New Young Republicans Metal, The Family Preservation of Traditional Values Metal, Post-Industrial Metal Pollution, and now I'm into Conceptual Metal.


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## HeartofGold (Aug 23, 2013)

I was never really into metal until I got an Apocalyptica album for Christmas last year.
My dad was talking to the shop assistants about how I play cello etc. They recommended that I check out Apocalyptica, so dad got me a CD. I listened to it and thought "this is really good!" 
Then at the start of this year I got a DVD of them, and it just blew me away!!!
I'd never seen anything like it before, it was so amazing.
I loved it so much I decided that I wanted to be a metal cellist!
I also started exploring other metal bands, especially from Finland.
I've liked metal ever since and I keep finding new bands that I like all the time.
(also, a guitar solo sounds much better played on a cello)


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## georgedelorean (Aug 18, 2017)

Metallica got me in with For Whom the Bell Tolls. Not even three years old, and I was already into it.


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## ST4 (Oct 27, 2016)

Iron Maiden - Prowler, Slipknot - The Nameless, Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath/Iron Man, Metallica - One, Fear Factory - Replica, Motorhead - Motorhead, Sepultura - Roots Bloody Roots and Judas Priest - Painkiller when I was a kid. 

But this is only what got me into metal. 

I've dug about as deep into metal as I have 20th century music, meaning that I've explored a lot of obscure and crazy stuff. My first awakening in music was with progressive metal, I thoroughly destroyed that sub-genre, then moved onto industrial metal (and dark ambient) etc. So many years of metal and modernism :lol:


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I believe it was my mind that got me into metal. In the early 80's I got Unleashed in the East by Judas Priest and The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden on LP. Also Knights of the New Thunder by Norwegian band TNT. It took some time for me to get into more extreme metal, but now I listen to almost anything. Actually I only listened to classical before I heard Queen...QUEEN is the answer.


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## Agamemnon (May 1, 2017)

I think my case is the classical case: as a child I listened to The Beatles and other radio friendly pop/rock but when I was around 12 years old my friends introduced me to classic hard rock like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath (and Pink Floyd) and it was like smoking your first doobie or first making out with a girl: the music was so bad-*** that it felt like an introduction to the world of grown ups with sex, alcohol and drugs. This music separated the boys from the men! For some reason Freud could probably give I have always liked hard rock/ metal since then (while my friends moved on to other genres)...

When I was around 16 though I lost interest in metal in favor of punk rock. I hated all music of the 80's including the metal. But when punk and metal came together in bands like Metallica, Pantera, Suicidal Tendencies, Deftones, Corrosion of Conformity, System of a Down, Machinehead etc (and some radio friendly bands like Livin Colour, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park) which gave the metal a fresh shot of rawness and agression I got interested in the metal genre again.


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## georgedelorean (Aug 18, 2017)

Thrash was the answer to making Metal a much more significant driving force in American music from what I've seen.


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## Robert Gamble (Dec 18, 2016)

Queensryche's "Silent Lucidity". I knew the song from my teenage years. And heard it on the radio in college and finally heard the name of the band. So I bought one of their 'greatest hits' CDs and discovered that most of their music wasn't at all like Silent Lucidity.  I eventually ended up liking them a lot, mostly because of their vocalist (Geoff Tate) and the smart lyrics. I would try other groups (Symphony X and Dream Theater) but was always disappointed.

Then I ran into a guy who LOVES heavy metal, and as is often the case he got me interested because of his passion in the genre. I dove in, and have since sampled almost every genre within metal.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I like heavy metal.
It's called gold.
The heavier, the better.
Wish I had more of it.


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