Top 10 songs to learn for a new metalhead

[Sloan]

Dudez.
I've only been posting here for a short while because I really enjoy all the recording chit-chat. As some of you know, I don't know shit about metal other than like some old school and stoner/doom sounding stuff. But even then, I have no clue really where to start when it comes to playing it because I've been playing in classic rock bands forever tuned to standard and don't really have a lot of time to dick around in B or whatthefuckever tunings.

Anyway, I've been really wanting to get into playing some more metal stuff lately just to expand my musical mind. I'm not too good of a lead player since I've always played rhythm and had to sing too, right now I do lead vocals but in the past i was always backup vocals etc... I would really like to improve my lead playing, but never can find a good practice schedule that works out, it's always on and off shit and i can't stick to it.

So, with all this junk said, what are your guys top 10 MUST KNOW songs for someone new to the world of metal guitar. I like fast thrashy stuff and I like doomy stuff. I'm completely not into metalcore and or pig destroyer sounding stuff whatever the fuck it is.

I NEED UR PRO TIPS

Thanks,
Sloan




uke:

 

[006]

Definitely learn some old Metallica man, seriously thrash. As far as doom stuff...dunno what to tell you really. If you search for a thread I made a while back about what doom bands to check out there are a fuck-ton of good ones. As I've learned you really gotta check out a bunch of them because there are several different styles of doom, so it's hard to tell you what to check out, kinda have to find one you like first, haha.

~006

 

[Sloan]

The doomy stoner stuff I dig is defiintely ELECTIC WIZARD, PENTAGRAM, WITCHCRAFT, GOATSNAKE, BONGRIPPER, THE SWORD (why does everyone give this band shit?!). Also, Black Sabbath of course. I LOVE the way Tony Iommi plays, it's fucking killer. I was watching some of the Heaven & Hell concert on VH1 Classic and he just rips all right here in like one block of the pentatonic scale and it blows my fucking mind apart.

Also, I figured old Metallica would be in the list somewhere, I think I'm the only person that thinks Master of Puppets was the beginning of the end. I really don't like it or anything afterwards.

I listen to a lot of "heavy" stuff, but I just don't have the right mindset to play it on guitar or whatever yet. This I'm trying to change that!
Basically, if I were going to audition for a metal band, what songs should I expect they would want to jam on. METAL STANDARDS.

 

[Metaltastic]

If your going for just songs...hmm

What immediately comes to mind would be Nevermore's "The River Dragon has Come;" In Flames' "Gyroscope," "Dead Eternity," "Suburban me;" Decapitated's "Spheres of Madness;" Children of Bodom's "Follow the Reaper (song)," "Hatebreeder (song)," "Silent Night, Bodom Night;" Carcass' "This Mortal Coil;" - these are all pretty different stylistically, and people aren't necessarily gonna know how to play them, but it'll give you a good introduction to the heavier side of metal, I'd say (and there's tons more of course, that was just a quick 2-minute list off the top of my head).

EDIT: They're not as popular or as well-liked, but Vital Remains' "Dechristianize (song)" has one of the greatest sweep sections/groove-breaks I've ever heard in my metal-listening life

 

[Tommy Gun]

I've been playing for almost 20 years, so some of these suggestions will be very old-school, that said... Play these tunes, leads included, up to speed and you will be more than well on your way.

1. "Diary Of A Madman" -Ozzy Osbourne- Diary Of A Madman

2. "Aces High" -Iron Maiden- Powerslave

3. "Creeping Death" -Metallica- Ride The Lightening

4. "Die By The Sword" -Slayer- Show No Mercy

5. "Hangar 18" -Megadeth- Rust In Peace

6. "I Am The Law" -Anthrax- Among The Living

7. "Elimination" -Overkill- The Years Of Decay

8. "Practice What You Preach" -Testament- Practice What You Preach

9. "Domination" -Pantera- Cowboys From Hell

10. "The Toxic Waltz" -Exodus- Fabulous Disaster

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, "some of these suggestions," Tommy? Not a single one of those songs came out in the last 15 years

 

[Tommy Gun]

Haha, "some of these suggestions," Tommy? Not a single one of those songs came out in the last 15 years

haha, well. better to start off in the roots of it I think. I was going to throw "Heartwork" in there, but the lead-trade-off's in "Toxic Waltz" bumped it.

 

[ATLA]

listen to great metal bands with great lead players!

ANY song of megadeths rust in peace, the song holywars..tpd. is the reason i play guitar today. marty's solos on this record imo are just awsome!

the first 5 metallica albums(although my personal favs are mop and ajfa) kirk may not be the best lead player but nobodys solos would of fit that band better.imo.

RACER X! eventhough its super cheasy 80's shred this is where you can really learn alot about shredding, listen to the first two albums.. and then technical difficulties..

Pantera probably has some of the heaviest riffs ever written, as well as some of the most bad ass solos ever.

for some newer bands..

nevermore : the river dragon has come.

decapitated : spheres of madness(this is going to get stuck in your head for the rest of your life) + vogg is imo the best deathmetal rythm guitar player, the guy can plug into any amp and still sound like him.

Children of bodom : downfall

opeth: you can listen to most albums with out ever having to skip a song. granted i dont listen to the first two albums ever.

 

[JBroll]

MOAR TESTAMENT!

Jeff

 

[Sloan]

Tommy Gun's list is almost exactly the type of thing I'm looking for, I've heard a lot of those songs every once in a while too. I have no fucking clue about modern metal stuff outside of the doom/stoner shit. haha. Am I the only person that can't stand Dave Mustaine's voice???

 

[Metaltastic]

Well just for the record, thrash (esp. old school) is easily my least favorite genre of metal - I find it to generally be too dull and unrefined for my tastes, at the worst not being much more than heavier punk with solos (NOT my thing, I hate punk). I don't mind rawness in music (I love Primordial's "To the Nameless Dead" because of its rawness, for example), but old school thrash for the most part just bores me (and of course there are exceptions). I figured I'd point that out just to illustrate that some of what's on Tommy Gun's list isn't a standard from my perspective, though naturally this is about as opinion-driven a category as can be had, so I'm certainly not gonna defend that claim too vigorously I love old Maiden/Priest though, and I love old prog-rock from the 70s; it's just the thrash part that turns me off (all I can think is hairy mulleted 30+ year-olds driving Trans-Ams )

 

[Torniojaws]

I'll go playing-wise, so here goes. Oh yeah, every song should be learnt from the beginning to the end:

1) String-skipping: At the Gates - Cold
2) Fast palm muting: Fear Factory - Hunter/Killer
3) Downstrokes: Metallica - Master of Puppets
4) Tightness: Opeth - Master's Apprentices
5) Syncopation: Meshuggah - Sane
6) Sheer speed/accuracy: The Berzerker - Pure Hatred
7) Solos, level 1: Black Sabbath - Paranoid
8) Solos, level 2: Sentenced - Neverlasting
9) Solos, level 3: Metallica - Ride the Lightning
10) Solos, level 4: Dream Theater - As I Am
Secret level) Solos, level 5: Nile - Cast Down the Heretic

And don't think you'll master these songs in a few weeks/months

 

[Djabthrash]

I'll go playing-wise, so here goes. Oh yeah, every song should be learnt from the beginning to the end:

1) String-skipping: At the Gates - Cold
2) Fast palm muting: Fear Factory - Hunter/Killer
3) Downstrokes: Metallica - Master of Puppets
4) Tightness: Opeth - Master's Apprentices
5) Syncopation: Meshuggah - Sane
6) Sheer speed/accuracy: The Berzerker - Pure Hatred
7) Solos, level 1: Black Sabbath - Paranoid
8) Solos, level 2: Sentenced - Neverlasting
9) Solos, level 3: Metallica - Ride the Lightning
10) Solos, level 4: Dream Theater - As I Am
Secret level) Solos, level 5: Nile - Cast Down the Heretic

And don't think you'll master these songs in a few weeks/months

Very good list for most of it (and funny as hell ), though i don't know items 6 / 8 / 10 so much (know the bands but not those songs)

Personally i improved a lot covering Slipknot songs (which covers a wide range of riffing : thrash, death, power, nu), and of course Pantera songs. If you wanna learn crazy extreme and diverse stuff (that equally uses very simple chuggy riffing + crazy tapping (included in some rythm riffs) + crazy soloing + fast & technical palm muting and tremolo stuff) you should try to cover some songs from Dying Fetus ' "destroy the opposition" album.

 

[Djabthrash]

Tommy Gun's list is almost exactly the type of thing I'm looking for, I've heard a lot of those songs every once in a while too. I have no fucking clue about modern metal stuff outside of the doom/stoner shit. haha. Am I the only person that can't stand Dave Mustaine's voice???

I can't stand Dave's voice either

If you wanna learn modern metal check out those albums and learn a few songs from it :

Nevermore - enemies of reality (remastered version)

Soilwork - natural born chaos

Scar symmetry - holographic universe

Bands that made me improve a lot guitar-wise, since they cover a lot of types of riffing/styles and have songs that really fun to play (which is really important), are :

-Slipknot (since the S/t album)

-Pantera (from "Cowboys from hell" till' their last stuff)

-Dying Fetus (especially the "Destroy the opposition" album)

 

[Headof75]

If you are into doom stuff and have previously played classic rock, then I would definitely recommend you check out some of Cathedral's albums. They pretty much kickstarted the modern doom scene back around 1990 and they play what I describe as extreme rock - tones and vocals from extreme metal, but classic riffs and influences from sabbath, zeppelin and any number of 70s prog bands.
Some standout songs -
Ebony Tears from Forest of Equilibrium
Ride from Ethereal Mirror
Corpsecycle from their latest Garden of Unearthly Delights

Also, most metal bands still play in standard 'universal' tuning albeit shifted down by between 2 and 7 semitones, so you can still play the songs provided you can work out what the base note is, i.e. the bottom string - which in the case of most metal bands is the one that goes chugga-chugga-chugga.

 

[Djabthrash]

If you are into doom stuff and have previously played classic rock, then I would definitely recommend you check out some of Cathedral's albums. They pretty much kickstarted the modern doom scene back around 1990 and they play what I describe as extreme rock - tones and vocals from extreme metal, but classic riffs and influences from sabbath, zeppelin and any number of 70s prog bands.
Some standout songs -
Ebony Tears from Forest of Equilibrium
Ride from Ethereal Mirror
Corpsecycle from their latest Garden of Unearthly Delights

Also, most metal bands still play in standard 'universal' tuning albeit shifted down by between 2 and 7 semitones, so you can still play the songs provided you can work out what the base note is, i.e. the bottom string - which in the case of most metal bands is the one that goes chugga-chugga-chugga.

Not 100% doom but i'd also recommend to play tunes from the 3 awesome DOWN albums.

 

[ahjteam]

I re-read your post twice, but I couldn't tell how long you have been playing, but I would really start with the basics. Lets start with the right hand.

• Max Cavaleras parts for right hand training and just for the consistency. especially from Sepultura - Chaos AD/Roots and first four Soulfly albums, later move to Sepultura - Arise and Soulfly - Dark Ages. This is because the left hand stuff is basically just 0101010101 or 02020202
  
• Fear Factory for palm mutes and twiching rhythms, especially Demanufacture and Archetype. Again riffs are really basic, for example the verse riff from Slave Labor from Archetype is 3-22-222-(x4)-555-555 (repeat four times)
  
• For the groove I would recommend Pantera. Cowboys from Hell and forward. Again, some riffs aren't that hard (one of the hardest being the main riff of Cowboy from Hell, which isn't that hard either), but the Pantera songs groove more than anything you can ever write. RIP Dimebag.
  
• For consistency, speed and endurance on down picking, I would recommend Metallica - Master of Puppets. The song, and the whole album. Masterpieces them both. Use only down picking, no cheating!
  
• For alternative picking, I would recommend Slayers Reign In Blood. And especially the songs that are over 4 minutes long.
  
• For rhythms, I recommend anything Meshuggah. New Millenium Cyanide Christ from Chaosphere is one of the easiest songs to start from their catalog
  
• For string skipping I couldn't come up anything else except some gothenburg stuff like Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Arch Enemy and At The Gates, but no particular songs comes in mind.

Remember, its not about the difficulty, its about muscle memory.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Master of Puppets.

Play the whole album.

Downpick that shit to death.

Good pick hand you will attain.

 

[Torniojaws]

Oh and if Master of Puppets the song isn't difficult enough for downstrokes, learn these babies:

Metallica - Through the Never
Nile - The Burning Pits of the Duat (the intro riff is downstrokes only! )
Mokoma - the majority of their stuff is downstrokes only, except for Punainen kukko

 

[Sloan]

Kickass, thanks for all the replies!

I re-read your post twice, but I couldn't tell how long you have been playing, but I would really start with the basics. Lets start with the right hand.

MUSIC BACKGROUND:
I've been playing since 2000, but when I got into recording around 2003, my actual playing suffered a whole lot. Also, I never started playing other people's songs till about 2004, I would just write and record my own stuff.

I've almost always been in a band since about 2001. My first band was like a modern rock band (think radio rock like staind and shit like that) I played bass in which was good because I learned that bass is played completely different than guitar. I did A LOT of improvisational rock jams, even worked with a bluegrass radio station/venue and setup shows and jammed a little with those people for about a year.

Then I started a classic rock covers band with this guy I met in a music store. Everyone in this band was 50+, but I'm and old soul anyway. I learned a lot of songs and realized that it really can be fun to play covers. At the same time I was playing with this band, I was heavily into the Chattanooga, TN punk/metal crowd and eventually formed a weirdass punk band ( see TYBER STRYKE lol ) that I thought sounded kinda shitty, but people really liked because we had a good time I guess and didn't take ourselves too seriously. The other members in this band weren't really at the level of musicianship I would prefer so I didn't really get to stretch out with my guitar skills as much as I needed, but it did offer another type of sound that began to influence the rest of my solo stuff. During these two bands, I was really trying to get a recording situation going and did a few demos for local acts.

Now, a drummer that played in that classic rock band invited me up here to MD to start a new band. I took up the offer because I wanted to get the hell out of my hometown. So far it's been ok, I've been taking the reigns of the band and decided not to be such an anti-social dude and start booking shows myself and it's fucking easy as shit to book stuff. kinda. I used to be paranoid about making deals, but now I don't give a shit because I HAVE to do it if I want to eat. lol. We've been through two lead guitarists and two bass players already, but I'm taking this band a bit more seriously and I'm definitely gonna make it work out one way or another. I've already commited myself to a life of rock n roll, I literally don't have anything else so I have no other choice right now unless I want to get another pizza delivery job, save up to finish school, and work up from there. fuck that, music or death.

LANKS:
http://www.myspace.com/sloanstewartmusic
- some my solo recordings, i consider them unfinished ideas/demos

http://www.myspace.com/tyberstryke
- TYBER STRYKE southern punk band. I seriously shouldn't post this. oh gawd.
- note: bass player is indeed a crossdresser and he's fucking insane, it was hilarious at times.