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
. In Flames. Into Eternity
. Leng Tch'e. Scanner
. Slipknot. Steel Prophet
. Immolation. Dokken
. Solemnity. Grave Digger
. Machine Head. Skullview
. Iron Maiden. Agoraphobic Nosebleed
. Sickspeed. Legend
. Late Nite Romeo. Power of Omens
. Evolution. Catch 22
. Bloodbath. Morbid Angel
. Dream Weaver. Malstrom
. Nordheim. Sinergy
. Mnemic. Project: Failing Flesh
. Doro. Hard Echo
. Black Stone Cherry. Yngwie Malmsteen
. Babylon Mystery Orchestra. Evanescence
. W.A.S.P.. Wolf
. Icon And The Black Roses. Edge Of Forever
. Marillion. Schenker/ Pattison Summit
. Krokus. Joe Lynn Turner
. Therion. Lilitu
. Saxon. Psychotron
. Final Dawn. Beaten Back To Pure
. Tearabyte. Nashville Pussy
. Katagory V. Megadeth
. House of Shakira. Throcult
. Witchburner. Silent Force
. Seventh One. Behemoth
. Rush. Betrayer
. Dark Tranquillity. Azrael's Bane
. Legion. Kinetic
. Bloody Sign. Divine Fire
. Kamelot. Soilwork
. Labyrinth. Astral Doors
. Sabaton. Nevermore
. Apocalyptica. Mystic Prophecy
. Backyard Babies. Darkthrone
. Marduk. Alex Skolnick Trio
. Drunkard. Axel Rudi Pell
. Biss. Agents Of Man
. God Among Insects. Maximum Overdrive
. Unshine. Taake
. Horna. Alice Cooper
. Blitzkrieg. Flotsam & Jetsam
. Lake Of Tears. Illuminatus
. Bolt Thrower. Ghost Machinery
. Dechrist. Crystal Ball
. Spellbound. Vile
. Infliction. Bronx Casket Company
. Taunusheim. From This Day
. Mental Care Foundation. Pile of Heads
. Thryfing. Across Tundras
. Southern Black Sand. Katatonia
. Cannibal Corpse. 286
. The Berzerker. Boris
. Viron. Ampast
. Bal-Sagoth. Cataract
. 8th Sin. Abysmal Dawn
. Jotunspor. Swashbuckle
. Hydrogyn. Psycroptic
. Hurt. Jeff Walker und Die Fluffers
. Anata. Zoroaster
. Rotting Christ. Lordi
. Better Left Unsaid. Celtic Frost
. Quest of Aidance. Phazm
. Diagnose: Lebensgefahr. Lost Eden
. With Passion. Terry Sullivan
. Throne of Katarsis. Warbringer
. Static-X. The Chronicles of Israfel
. Crescent Shield. Old Man's Child
. Cattle Decapitation. Chrome Division
. Mithras. Antigama
. Aborted. Kruger
. JR Ewing. Hell N' Diesel
. Pathosray. Frosthardr
. Spheric Universe Experience. Heresi
. Cockpit. Deceiver
. Ost Est Ima. Father Befouled
. The Obsessed. Witchfinder General
. Last Stone Cast. SOS
. To-Mera. Embalming Theatre
. Virgin Black. Trinacria
. Intolerant. Faded Hope
. Nasty Idols. Caliban
. Uli Jon Roth