A Cup of Tea & Biscuits

Heavy metal, or simply metal, is a misunderstood genre. While there is very little of mainstream music I admire or even listen to, metal has been a good friend through my teenage years and has followed me into adulthood.  There is an element of metal music that hits home. It's not just the loudness and the bass and distortions. There is feeling in it, the lyrics are more intense, the music conveys a far deeper meaning. It's not noise. It's larger than that. I'm an 80's child that grew up in the 90's so I know what pop music is supposed to be and I've enjoyed my share of boy bands and solo artists. But most of the artists I like and songs I bobbed to were before my time. They were from the 70's and 80's. I couldn't enjoy a lot of the late 90's music because of the importance given to performance than actual singing or music. It became more about the 'oompf' factor. Metal, on the other hand, goes for the subtle bang. Yes, most to all me...

Bible Black by Heaven & Hell from The Devil You Know (2009) Last year at this time I was reveling in the victory of my favorite football club - them winning the Premier League was the highlight of May 2010 - and all I listened to for weeks were Chelsea FC songs . While they mean a lot to me, they don't qualify as my favorite songs. Going back into my blog by a year, I realized that it was also my Black Sabbath (and all related) phase. I listened to their entire discography and if I remember correctly, Bible Black was an obsession for me. Ronnie James Dio is one of my metal idols. His voice! Ah! I would've given anything to watch him perform live, but when he was performing I was too young, and then I never had the opportunity! But his music shall live on! At last alone, his fire's dying, burned another day Now to pretend and make up an ending, somewhere far away He reached for a book all bound in leather Something that he knows he's never...

Master of Puppets by Metallica from Master of Puppets (1986) An absolute favorite of mine from my most loved band of all time! It's quite amazing how many times I've heard this song over the years. Most surprising to me, I suppose, is the fact that I hear it almost everyday on the radio when I'm at the gym. It's either the first or last song I hear. Kirk Hammett's and James Hetfield's solos are amazing, Lars Ulrich's drum intro is something I've played often on the steering well. I would give anything to watch this song played live because it is, to me, one of the best songs to have ever been composed into this genre of music - it does figure in several lists of 'Best Metal Songs Ever'. To me this defines, to a very large extent, what music should be - fast riffs, slow rhythms, powerful and meaningful lyrics, grating and smooth vocals, energy and absolute epic-ness! Written by: Ulrich, Lars; Hetfield, James; Burton, Cli...

Until It Sleeps by Metallica from Load (1996) I can give no reasons for this song. Metallica is one of my favorite bands ever, even though they were formed long before I was born and produced some of their best music long before I began listening to thrash metal. I've even performed some of their songs, not really doing justice to James ' voice, but I try! ;) Although I am a fan of their albums when Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted served as bassists, they ARE one of the Big Four - what I would give to go to one of those concerts! - and definitely on my all time favorite lists forever and ever. Where do I take this pain of mine I run but it stays right by my side So tear me open and put me out There's things inside that scream and shout And the pain still hates me So hold me until it sleeps Just like the curse, just like the stray You feed it once and now it stays Now it stays So tear me open but beware There's things inside without a care And...

Fear of the Dark by Iron Maiden from Fear of the Dark (1992) Yes, this song makes me happy :) Odd choice? No, I don't think so. I love the pace and eeriness of the song, and it makes me smile every time I listen to it. This was probably the first metal song that I sang the guitar solo! Hummed, more likely, and it stuck with me through the many years of Iron Maiden and my musical journeys. I think one of the main reasons this song makes me smile is the energy Dickinson induces during a live performance - you can hear and feel the surging energy and that makes me happy. Written by Steve Harris I am the man who walks alone, and when I'm walking a dark road At night or strolling through the park When the light begins to change, I sometimes feel a little strange A little anxious when it's dark Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have constant fear that something's always near Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone's alw...