ARTHUR'S FAVORITE BANDS
I was sitting here listening to my iTunes on my Mac (which by the way runs ITunes 100 times better than your PC) and I got to thinking… “Who are my favorite bands?” It is a question that everyone gets asked but I am not sure that many of us can nail down at Top 10 favorite bands so I decided that I would give it a shot. This list is very different than some of the other Top 10 lists that I have done becauese of the fact that I am ONLY taking into account my personal tastes and preferences. I will not pretend that this is a definitive list, although I am sure it is better than the shit that you listen to… but that is because I am better than you. I guess I thought, “If I could only listen to one band for the rest of my life who would it be?” Once I found #1, did the same with all the remaining music in the world, and so on. So here it is… Arthur’s Top 10 Favorite Bands.
For you musically challenged out there I am going to also add my Top 10 songs from each artist so that if you decide to become a man and listen to some real music you will have somewhere to start.
1. Iron Maiden
To me this one was too easy. Iron Maiden, in my view, is the greatest metal band ever. No band can bring 10+ strong albums to the table; most bands have four to six tops. From the subject matter of their songs, to the bassmastery of Steve Harris to the wailing of Bruce, I just cannot listen to too much Maiden. I love the fact that their last three albums have been original and still top notch. They have not been slowed by age and now with three guitarists they are coming into their own for a second time. They are simply a marvel. Anybody who listens to rock music and appreciates it as an art form has to revere the greatness of Maiden. Their catalog of genius is too voluminous to even talk about here… just trust me and start listening.
Top Ten Songs (no particular order)- Paschendale, The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg, Journeyman, The Longest Day, Hallowed Be Thy Name, Flight of Icarus, The Trooper, Powerslave, The Evil That Men Do, Run To The Hills…and so many more.
2. Slayer
No band brings more unbridled anger and hatred to my Viking ears, and I love them for it. Every Slayer song brings out my “metal face”… you know the face of anger that just happens when you are experiencing a great metal song. I will not say that they are the most musical or creative, I would say that every band on this list is likely more musical, but no amount of musical douchebaggery can create the sheer aggression that Slayer personifies. Their lyrics are crude, blasphemous, obnoxious and crass, exactly what I expect from Slayer. From genocide to murder, and from rape to necrophilia, they cover it all. Similarly to Maiden, they have not been destroyed by years of fame and relative fortune. They are still pissed at the world. Shit, I just love Slayer, plain and simple.
Top Ten- Jesus Saves, Show No Mercy, Angel of Death, Mandatory Suicide, Ghosts of War, Raining Blood, Die By The Sword, Metal Storm/Face The Slayer, Circle of Beliefs, Killing Fields. (Notice a trend? That’s right DEATH)..SLAYER KILLS!
3. Metallica
I know, I know, I have talked endless shit about them over the last few years and it is well deserved. The reason I and so many others, have been so disappointed is that these guys were GREAT. Their first four albums were the best four album sequence ever, end of story. They simply changed metal and sent it into a completely different direction, just like Maiden and Priest had done before them. They took the musical ambitiousness of bands like Maiden and combined it with the aggression of Motorhead. It was that combination that blew me away at age 13. I owe these guys a lot. I was a stupid ass city kid listening to urban sewage and when I heard “…And Justice for All”, and it changed my life for the better. Instead of listening to music that encourages stupidity and criminality, listening to Metallica exposed me for the first time to music about war, liberty, politics and self-preservation. I would venture to say that if it were not for Metallica in my early teens I would not have this site, it is much more likely that I would be a jewelry wearing, tough guy armband tattoo sporting, woman chasing chode. God knows the world is a better place with one less of those pieces of shit. Thanks Metallica.
Ten Songs- The Four Horsemen, Creeping Death, Ride The Lightning, Orion, Master of Puppets, One, Dyers Eve, Eye Of The Beholder, ..And Justice For All, Through The Never.
4. Megadeth
I have to admit that I am new to the legion of Megadeth followers. Or should I say MegaDave. No band in metal is so dominated by one person. The only constant for this band is their lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Dave Mustaine. I used to think of Mustaine as a whiny bitch who could not get over his ouster at the hands of James Hetfield. Now I realize how stupid Metallica was to get rid of him. I cannot imagine the fury that would have ensued if Mustaine would have stayed in Metallica. As great as they were, they would have been leaps and bounds better. Anyone with a brain knows that Mustaine is 10 times the musician Kirk Hammett is. Not to mention Hammett is a complete pantywaist.
It is plainly obvious that Mustaine was critical in the first three albums of Metallica’s catalog and he brought his unique form of genius to his own band. Listening to Megadeth has always led me to believe that this band only exists so that Dave can play guitar and write biting lyrics. It is no secret that Dave is no picnic to work with being that Megadeth has never had a stable lineup and for the most part Dave has held his own. Rust in Peace is metal mastery, no album has more pissed off guitar riffs and solos. Most metalheads thought that Mustaine was done up until recently when he released United Abominations, the best metal album of the last three years. He is fucking back pussies. Simply put, Mustaine is the king of thrash.
Ten best tracks- Holy Wars..The Punishment Due, Hangar 18, Peace Sells, United Abominations, Countdown to Extinction, Take No Prisoners, Rust In Peace..Polaris, Disintegrators, Train of Consequences, Mechanix.
5. Iced Earth
Who you say? That’s right, Iced Earth. If you don’t know about these guys, stop reading and go buy “The Blessed and The Damned” right now. It is a double album that will introduce you to the greatness that is Iced Earth. If you could combine the songwriting virtuosity of Iron Maiden, the guitar sound of Metallica, and throw in some extra aggression a la Slayer you would come up with Iced Earth. The more I listen to these guys the more I love them, I can see them passing up every band but Maiden in my favorites before they are done. Driven by a Harrisesque bass gallop and over-the-top image filled songwriting, Iced Earth is blazing quite a trail in the world of metal. I am not sure they are doing anything super original, but they are melding the existing sounds of metal into one perfect package. I am also new to Iced Earth. Shatner introduced me to the band knowing that I would love them, and he was right. They will be releasing a new album at the end of year and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
Ten Best Songs- Stormrider, Travel in Stygian, Curse The Sky, Iced Earth, I Died For You, Declaration Day, Attila, Gettysburg (all three parts), Green Face, Angels Holocaust.
6. Judas Priest
Priest, in my view, invented what we call heavy metal. Before them, there was no such thing as metal, plain and simple. They came together in the early 70s and soon were doing things that no one had ever done. Their music does not hold up all that well especially when compared to Maiden and that is why they are number six on my list. KK Downing and Glen Tipton invented the idea of dueling leads, which of course is now standard fare.
More than anything Priest brought the manliest gay man since Alexander the Fabulous, Rob Halford to the world. Without question, he is greatest vocalist in metal history. His only equals, in terms of talent, in rock history are Freddie Mercury of Queen and Geoff Tate of Queensryche. His impact on our favorite brand of music is limitless. That kind of wailing with driving bass, guitar and drums behind it had never been heard before. It set the stage for guys like Bruce Dickinson and Geoff Tate. I would love them more if their music was more complex instead of sounding like a sped up AC/DC. Obviously, I love complicated arrangements, riff changes, time changes, etc and Priest never did much of that. That being said, if I want to hear some excellent guitar solos and powerful, blood boiling singing, I will always crank some Priest.
Ten great songs- Judas Rising, Electric Eye, Ram It Down (and yes by “IT” he means his cock down some straight groupies throat!), Diamonds and Rust, Metal Meltdown, Living After Midnight, Tyrant, Victim of Change, Hot Rockin, Freewheel Burning.
7. Queensryche
I know that there are many of you who are not all that familiar with this band but as a fan of metal, it behooves you to become familiar. I do have to admit that I had more access to these guys since they were discovered and first promoted by KISW, our local hard rock radio station. While Queensryche is widely known as a progressive band, mostly due to their concept album Operation Mindcrime. You may have seen them on MTV with their massive hit video, Silent Lucidity, a sappy but incredibly good rock ballad. Don’t judge them by this song, it is not representative of what they did in their heyday in the late 80s and early 90s.
The lead singer, Geoff Tate, may be the most talented singer in any genre. So talented that, for years, I thought he was gay. His voice has unbelievable range and depth. He is, without question, the best straight singer ever! His vocals power the band, but they were not a one man show. I say “were”, this is a misnomer as they are still together and performing but they have not made a good record in over a decade. They are one of those bands that just lost their touch after two albums and it’s a shame. Operation Mindcrime and Empire are must haves for any metal fan. Expand your catalog and buy these albums…NOW.
Best 10 songs- Queen of the Reich, Operation Mindcrime, Best I Can, I Remember Now, Jet City Woman, Revolution Calling, Speak, The Needle Lies, I Don’t Believe in Love, Empire.
8. Rush
Ok, ok..I am a bit of a prog rock nerd. There I said it. No band, not Maiden, not Metallica, no one can stand in the same musical ring with these guys. I will stand by this statement until the day I die. Their drummer, Neil Peart, is widely known as the best percussionist of the modern age. Geddy Lee plays incredible bass while singing and fucking around, with great aplomb, with the synthesizer. Alex Lifeson, the only guitarist, plays a highly technical brand of guitar and the combination of just three men have made some of the most complex rock music ever. Their music inspired many young musicians including Steve Harris of Maiden. They may be somewhat spacey and the subject matter is typically based on politics or science fiction…nothing wrong with that. They are also notable Libertarians, which is respectful since they are silly ass Canucks. I don’t know how else to put it, they are one of a kind and I love them.
Ten best- 2112, The Trees, Subdivisions, YYZ (the drum solo of all drum solos), By-Tor and The Snow Dog, Priests of the Temples of Syrinx, Limelight, La Villa Strangiato, Force Ten, Time Stands Still.
9. Mastodon
This is another band that Shatner introduced me to about 4 years ago and here they are. Mastodon is a band that I can see climbing this list as the years go by. No modern metal band is pushing the limits of metal like Mastodon. In my view, they are the first band in a decade to do something new in the world of metal. The combination of guitar riffs and the incredible drumming of Brann Dailor gives these guys a powerful sound that is unmatched in metal. My only complaint is that the singer sounds like a juiced up Cookie Monster. Not horrible..but not on the level of the rest of the band. As average as the singer is, he does utter glorious Viking lyrics like “Precision of Grungir/Spear of the Norse God Odin/Praise our Pagan Father/Founder of the Althing”! Now that is some Viking metal.
Top 10 songs- Megalodon, Island, Hearts Alive, Blood and Thunder, I Am Ahab, Iron Tusk, Trilobyte, Trainwreck, March Of The Fire Ants, Bladecatcher and every other song on Blood Mountain! Go buy Leviathan and Blood Mountain now!
10. Alice In Chains
This is the only non-metal band on my list and it is not a mistake. AIC may have been my first “favorite band”. Growing up in the shadow of the Space Needle gave me a special level of access to these guys growing up. Their first big hit “Man in the Box” was a smash on KISW long before MTV and the rest of the world figured out that these guys were a special band. Their music was nothing special but the interplay of the haunting voice of Layne Staley and the guitarist/back up singer Jerry Cantrell gave AIC a darker grunge sound that appealed to me as a pissed off 12 year old. I can picture myself as a freshman in HS with my straggly ass goatee, my AIC t-shirt and flannel shorts and boots and I think about these days every time I pop in some AIC. It just brings back great memories. I am not sure these guys will ever be outside of my top 10, I love them for what they were in my life as a teenager. I despise that they destroyed themselves with heroin. That being said, the heroin and their addictions fueled their bleak version of Seattle Grunge. Obviously, Staley is long gone so their catalog is what it is but I don’t think I will ever stop listening to them. A great band at a great time in my life.
Top 10 Songs- Man in the Box, Sea of Sorrow, We Die Young, Dirt, Down in a Hole, Rain When I Die, Angry Chair, Brother, Got Me Wrong, Sickman.
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