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
. Steel Prophet. Immolation
. Poisonblack. Dokken
. Dirty Power. Gun Barrel
. Seven Witches. Celestial Ode
. Warhorse. Circle II Circle
. Lamb of God. Mortician
. Black Label Society. Carnal Forge
. H.I.M.. Nicta
. Black Sabbath. Shakra
. Iced Earth. Thunderbolt
. Morbid Angel. Steel Preacher
. Lanfear. Assrockers
. Dream Weaver. Silent Scythe
. Attacker. Krisiun
. Primal Fear. Probot
. Project: Failing Flesh. Secret Sphere
. Soul Reaper. Three Inches of Blood
. Black Stone Cherry. Killik
. Construcdead. Scala Mercalli
. Highlord. Marillion
. Black Zodiac. Joe Stump
. Estuary. Juggernott
. Schenker/ Pattison Summit. Therion
. Mob Rules. Chapter VIII
. Ungodly. Bonfire
. Skeletonwitch. Dream Evil
. Black Destiny. Saxon
. Potential Threat SF. Katagory V
. Annihilator. Scavenger
. Age Of Silence. Z02
. Slowlife. House of Shakira
. Ironhorse. Anger
. Seventh One. The 7 Method
. Rush. Creed
. Kinetic. Scenteria
. Gods Of Fire. Divine Fire
. Blood Red Throne. Necrophagia
. Suidakra. Darkthrone
. Samael. Crimson Moonlight
. Argument Soul. Novembers Doom
. Kinrick. Ignitor
. Disbelief. Defleshed
. Communic. Darkane
. Sentenced. Slik Helvetika
. Horna. Ritual Killer
. Havochate. Morgana Lefay
. Future is Tomorrow. Loits
. Mercyful Fate. Lake Of Tears
. Monster Magnet. ASG
. Savage Circus. Ewigkeit
. Even X. Wolfmother
. Skullshifter. God Forbid
. Dogs Of Winter. Dismember
. Decapitated. Pile of Heads
. Powerglove. Cannibal Corpse
. 286. Moonspell
. The Smashup. Vreid
. Nicodemus. Black Crucifixion
. Dawn of Azazel. Before Silence
. Vengeance. Fleshgore
. Shadows Within. Zero Hour
. Pretty Maids. Pump
. Anata. The Abominable Iron Sloth
. Zoroaster. Biolich
. Lupara. Panzerchrist
. The Showdown. Extium
. Centinex. Gaza
. Handful of Hate. Twisted Into Form
. Melechesh. With Passion
. Battered. Manticore
. Cruachan. Retrospective
. Malevolent Creation. Funeral
. Nation Beyond. Fight
. Hellveto. Echoes of Eternity
. Spheric Universe Experience. Mongrel
. Mass Extinction. Pathology
. Father Befouled. Demonic Symphony
. The Obsessed. Witchfinder General
. Embalming Theatre. Son of Eric
. Ihsahn. Caliban