The Best Heavy Metal Bands You Should Listen To

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If you have just started listening to heavy metal or been stuck in one sub genre of music, it can be confusing where to venture to. There are dozens of sub genres of metal music, all ranging with different styles. For those who are looking to break out for a new area here are the best heavy metal bands to listen to.

 

Keep To the Classics – Traditional

Stay with the classics with the bands that brought heavy metal to main stream. This is the basic and most pure form structure of true heavy metal.

Iron Maiden

 

 

Black Sabbath

 

 

Judas Priest

 

 

Dio

 

 

3 Inches of Blood

 

 

Fast with Epic Solos – Thrash

When you are looking for a fast tempo metal with an aggressive stance pick thrash metal. Combined with overlaid shredding solos, sit back and enjoy.

Metallica

 

 

Megadeth

 

 

Slayer

 

 

Pantera

 

 

Anthrax

 

 

Those Who Like It Brutal – Death

Death metal will give you low distortion with palm muting, tremolo picking, double bass, and deep growling vocals, also known as “Cookie Monster” vocals.

Death

 

 

Behemoth

 

 

Nile

 

 

Cannibal Corpse

 

 

Morbid Angel

 

 

When Metal Needs to Melo Out – Melodic Death

Also known as melodeath metal, melodic death metal has all the elements of death metal, but with more melodic guitar riffs and vocal singing.

Amon Amarth

 

 

Dark Tranquillity

 

 

In Flames

 

 

Insomnium

 

 

Kalmah

 

 

Dark, Loud and Eerie – Black

Most common element in black metal is the shrieking vocals and high treble guitar distortion. The raw recording and emphasis on atmospheric sounds come standard on most albums.

Darkthrone

 

 

Immortal

 

 

Enslaved

 

 

Agalloch

 

 

Mayhem

 

 

What You Would Listen To While Slaying a Dragon – Power

Closely related to traditional metal, power metal will give you uplifting sounds with fantasy based subject matter and powerful choruses.

Blind Guardian

 

 

Manowar

 

 

Kamelot

 

 

Iced Earth

 

 

HammerFall

 

 

Low and Slow – Doom

Heavy distortion and low tuned guitars, doom metal has a heavy sound and long notes. It has characteristics of despair, dread, and impending doom.

Katatonia

 

 

Swallow The Sun

 

 

Candlemass

 

 

My Dying Bride

 

 

Ahab

 

 

Could Be Used in Game of Thrones – Folk

Folk metal comes in different forms, but is characterized by the instruments of choice. There will be musicians using folk instruments such as tin whistle, bag pipes, accordions, hurdy-gurdy, or fiddle.

Ensiferum

 

 

Eluveitie

 

 

Finntroll

 

 

Moonsorrow

 

 

Equilibrium

 

 

Complex Structures and Intricate Sounds – Progressive

Progressive metal is heavy metal with a more experimental and complex compositions. Giving you a loud and aggressive but controlled style.

Opeth

 

 

Dream Theater

 

 

Amorphis

 

 

Nevermore

 

 

Ayreon

 

 

If You Love Seeing the Orchestra – Symphonic

If you are looking for some metal that has deep drums, full symphony orchestras, keyboards and close relation to classical music, symphonic metal here for you.

Nightwish

 

 

Epica

 

 

Cradle of Filth

 

 

Within Temptation

 

 

Apocalyptica

 

 

It's Not Quite Metal, It's Not Quite Core – Metalcore

Metalcore has a high energy and emphasis breakdowns, promoting intense moshing. Most characteristic found in metalcore is heavy guitar riffs, double bass, and screaming vocals.

Killswitch Engage

 

 

Between The Buried and Me

 

 

As I Lay Dying

 

 

All That Remains

 

 

Darkest Hour

 

 

You Heard It On The Radio – Alternative

Alternative metal is closely related to rock music but combines elements of heavy metal. This music is characterized with heavy guitar riffs, melodic vocals, with limited harsh vocals.

Trivium

 

 

Tool

 

 

Sepultura

 

 

Avenged Sevenfold

 

 

Slipknot

 
Average: 4.1 (7 votes)
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About Cody Sparks

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Writer and Developer for Metal CallOut.  Favorite sub genre of heavy metal includes Melodic Death, Thrash and Traditional. Sparks can be found at @SparksFury or at Google+.

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