C O L U M N S

Tales from the Jugular

Escaping the Extreme: The Non-Metal Moments

By: Eric Compton
Published: Friday, June 3, 2016
We've all experienced it...that moment where metal no longer is a reason to rise and exist each day. Granted those moments are few and far between, but at some point our brains need that wine and dine, all-inclusive resort for some rest and relaxation. Mine? Folk music for a few weeks, maybe some actual Country and Western music or-- my favorite-- horror movie scores.

"Horror movie soundtracks are typically connected in some way to heavy metal at its deepest core."

Horror movie soundtracks are typically connected in some way to heavy metal at its deepest core. While Beethoven himself would probably worship some neo-classical shred king out of Finland right now, I think that he might equally admire a lot of the retro wave bands that are doing 70s and 80s styled synth. There's a whole host of them out there from GosT to Lazerhawk to Cluster Buster that are enamored with the slasher films of the 80s and those Italian zombie movies that you tape traded for back in the day. As we've seen more and more extreme bands go electronic (i.e. Ulver), it is this type of synth heavy music that bridges the two worlds and accommodates fans that might need a little melancholy with their metal.

Here's a few bands and albums to check out with some emphasis on key songs that best represent their catalog:

BAND: GosT
SONG: Night Crawler
ALBUM: Behemoth

BAND: Cluster Buster
SONG: Regiment of the Undead
ALBUM: Knee Deep in the Dead



BAND: Anders Manga
SONG: Hexed
ALBUM: Hexed
BAND: Anima Morte
SONG: Illusion is the Catalyst
ALBUM: Upon Darkened Stains


BAND: Slasher Dave
SONG: Graves
ALBUM: Tomb of Horror
BAND: Gavino Morretti
SONG: The Living Dead (II)
ALBUM: Assault of the Living Dead


BAND: Lazerhawk
SONG: Visitors
ALBUM: Visitors
BAND: Umberto
SONG: Night Stalking
ALBUM: Prophecy of the Black Widow


BAND: Videogram
SONG: Walpurgisnacht
ALBUM: Videogram
BAND: VHS Glitch
SONG: Run for your Life
ALBUM: Night on the Dark Hill



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RANDOM ACTS OF METAL
. Hate Eternal. White Skull
. Chaingunn. Misery Index
. Perzonal War. Solemnity
. Deceased. Seven Witches
. Helloween. Circle II Circle
. Powergod. Late Nite Romeo
. Alchemy X. October 31
. Agony Divine. Supervillain
. Godiva. Fireball Ministry
. Curriculum Mortis. Runemagick
. Kilfast. Mourning Beloveth
. Rage. King Diamond
. Malstrom. Sinergy
. Soul Reaper. Tesla
. Drowning Pool. Gothic Knights
. Ebony Ark. UFO
. Messiah's Kiss. Madison Paige
. Disarmonia Mundi. Velvet Revolver
. Marillion. Brutal Mastication
. Estuary. Joe Lynn Turner
. Scorpions. Vox Tempus
. Meliah Rage. Lilitu
. Final Dawn. Aina
. Unearth. Megadeth
. Z02. I.C.E.
. Marshall Law. Internal Bleeding
. House of Shakira. Six Feet Under
. Within Temptation. The Lizards
. Jackyl. Betrayer
. Of Infinity. Code Black
. Cradle To Grave. Rottweiller
. Kamelot. Sabaton
. Strikelight. Hellfire
. Mystic Prophecy. Samael
. Fire Alley. Strapping Young Lad
. Thunderblast. Ignitor
. Sinisthra. Disbelief
. Groundcrew. Astarte
. Vicious Art. Maximum Overdrive
. Subterranean Masquerade. Dynamic Lights
. Nuse. Leaves Eyes
. Power Quest. Widow
. Holy Blood. Lake Of Tears
. The Atomic Bitchwax. Pagan's Mind
. Monster Magnet. Violent Storm
. Infliction. Chain Collector
. Zero Down. Detonation
. Vanquished. Absu
. Beecher. End of Level Boss
. From This Day. Nobody's Fool
. Thryfing. Witchery
. Naked Beggars. Ephel Duath
. Lair Of The Minotaur. The Berzerker
. Moonspell. Phoenix Mourning
. Elvenking. Cavalar
. Candlemass. The Strongest Proof
. Dawn of Azazel. Unsilent Phenomenon
. Vengeance. Bloodbound
. Smohalla. Psycroptic
. Sahg. Time Requiem
. Agalloch. Jeff Walker und Die Fluffers
. Belphegor. The Finals
. Enochian Crescent. Battle Bratt
. Eyes of Ligeia. Biolich
. Venom. Lesbian Bed Death
. The Showdown. Starkweather
. Kotipelto. Phazm
. Twisted Into Form. Stonegard
. Battered. Dream Theater
. Merciless Death. Trouble
. Mithras. Glorior Belli
. Randy Ellefson. Hellveto
. Hell N' Diesel. Diamond Dogs
. Night Ranger. Distorted
. Alkemyst. Glenn Hughes
. Ride The Sky. Jesus Martyr
. Blood Haven. Kreator
. Virgin Black. Intolerant
. Uriah Heep. Something Beautiful
. Caliban. DC4
. Raven. Giant Squid
. Sister Sin