Angel Witch

Band: Angel Witch

Genre: New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM)

Albums: Angel Witch 
Sample:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckW6FH2AGlc

If you enjoy the lighter, and more melodic side of metal, then this just might be for you.  Angel Witch is one of the first in the genre of NWOBHM, and thus you might recognize similarities between them and the famous Iron Maiden, but I wont guarantee anything sounding too alike!  Regardless, there are plenty of guitar solos to go around, and some very interesting tunes.

Jag Panzer

Band: Jag Panzer
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Albums: Ample Destruction
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FASlLZV4anU

With a mix of heavy and early power metal, these madmen of the band Jag Panzer have made vicious music about the typical war, steel, and other 80's metal elements.  Basically, these guys are the best at creating stereotypical 80's metal, and by no means is the music unoriginal simply because of cheesy content.  In their appropriately titled debut, "Ample Destruction," they've got plenty of unique, heavy riffs and high-pitched operatic vocals to keep you entertained!

BONUS: If you enjoy literature, check out their 2nd album titled "Thane to the Throne," which is a concept album about William Shakespeare's "Macbeth."

Candlemass [LEGENDARY]

Band: Candlemass

Genre: Epic Doom Metal

Album: Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)

Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woe_4gkS4XU

Candlemass took the sound of Black Sabbath and took it one step further.  In their debut album, "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus," Candlemass created such a dark and depressing atmosphere that even the most joyful being on the planet would want to commit suicide.  On top of that, this particular atmosphere had an intensely epic vibe; the epic vibe arose from the powerful, crushing riffs in this album that illustrate a sense of impending doom on a grand scale via the emphasis on the pounding drums.  If you are a fan of epic music, you may enjoy this!

Bathory [LEGENDARY]

Band: Bathory
Albums: From Bathory (self-titled debut) to Hammerheart 
Genre: Black metal (first three albums), & Viking Metal (Hammerheart-present)
Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyYnstGB3rM


Coming in from Sweden, Bathory is truly a one-of-a-kind band.  With just a single band member, whose name is Quorthon, this band produced genre-defining albums such as "Under the Sign of the Black Mark," which is often considered to be one of the first black metal albums of all time, and "Hammerheart," which is the first true viking metal album of all time.  Most of Bathory, however, has very strong roots of raw thrash metal, and when Quorthon mixed that with his "black metal vocals," he ended up making some of the first ever 1st wave black metal albums.

The Opening Ceremony

For years, the metal genre (and its subgenres) have been looked down upon by many as mindless, blasphemous music played and listened to by rebellious and confused young people.  This must be the most misleading fact about the metal genre itself.  Therefore, the sole purpose of this blog shall be the listing and recognition of glorious bands that have far outperformed other musicians from the pop "musicians" to even the classic/romantic era composers.  In other words, this blog shall be for bands that have become gods of metal!  And thus I will present to you the first metal god in this Opening Ceremony of the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame:

Black Sabbath

Band: Black Sabbath

Genre: Heavy/Doom Metal

Important Albums: Black Sabbath (self-titled), Paranoid, Master of Reality, Heaven and Hell 

This band was the first to ever truly play the "metal" sound.  They had the right amounts of all of the metal elements: perfect distortion on guitars, emphasis on loud drums, the "dark" atmosphere, dark lyrics, and an overall feeling of heaviness with lots and LOTS of metal riffs.   

There are also some exclusive recognitions that must be given: Ozzy Osbourne, lead vocalist from the debut, who stayed for several other albums; Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler for their innovative work on the guitar and bass, respectively; Bill Ward, for his metal drumming; Ronnie James Dio for his trademark 80's metal vocals.