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



[Other Maximum Metal Columns]

<< back >>





RANDOM ACTS OF METAL
. Cathedral. In Flames
. Steel Prophet. The Great Deceiver
. Children Of Bodom. Misery Index
. Poisonblack. Dokken
. Rebellion. Stratovarius
. Deranged. Warhorse
. Nazareth. Advent
. Mortician. Widowmaker
. Wizard. Abigor
. Powergod. Power of Omens
. Led Zeppelin. Conquest
. The Chainsaw. Evolution
. Black Sabbath. Saint
. Catch 22. Paragon
. The Graveyard Boulevard. Morbid Angel
. Mourning Beloveth. Steel Preacher
. King Diamond. Rob Rock
. Thunderstone. Halloween
. Krisiun. Slayer
. Secret Sphere. Fairyland
. TNA. Jag Panzer
. Evanescence. Donnerkopf
. Spiral Madness. Fabrizio Bonanno
. Devil In The Kitchen. Unleashed
. Killswitch Engage. Wintersun
. Tearabyte. Lullacry
. Eternal Flight. Annihilator
. Age Of Silence. Polterchrist
. Conquestador. Within Temptation
. Ironhorse. Made of Iron
. Anger. Avenue F
. John Oliva's Pain. Mercenary
. Legion. Bloody Sign
. The New Breed. Miles Beyond
. Kings X. Lost Soul
. Crionics. Quiet Riot
. Labyrinth. Hibria
. Vicious Circle. Tarot
. Hellfire. Soulscar
. Angtoria. Nevermore
. Apocalyptica. Oathean
. Boomerang. Chastain
. Debris Inc.. Fire Alley
. System Of A Down. Neil Turbin
. Groundcrew. Rudra
. Mirador. Graveworm
. Darkane. Sentenced
. Taake. Evemaster
. Killing Spree. Frameless Scar
. Nightvision. Thor
. Love Forsaken. Warchild
. Armored Saint. Violent Storm
. Winterfell. ASG
. Forever Slave. Algol3
. Damnation. Asrai
. Skullshifter. The Classic Struggle
. Absolution. Early Man
. Insense. Brother Hawk
. Pile of Heads. Codeon
. Nikki Puppet. Beyond Fear
. Fields Of The Nephilim. Daylight Dies
. Degree Absolute. Viron
. The Smackdown. Vreid
. Cavalar. Dreams of Damnation
. Cult of Luna. Woodtemple
. Hurt. Zero Hour
. Death Breath. Abominant
. Setherial. Zoroaster
. Obtest. Sathanas
. Extium. Quest of Aidance
. Stonegard. Mindgrinder
. Zyklon. Dezperadoz
. Nagelfar. Mendeed
. Wuthering Heights. Glorior Belli
. Fight. Sworn Enemy
. Himsa. Keep of Kalessin
. Echoes of Eternity. Night Ranger
. Distorted. I Shalt Become
. Cockpit. Ost Est Ima
. Jesus Martyr. Moonshine
. Son of Eric. Papa Roach
. Faded Hope. Sotajumala