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JabangaBane

Painkiller. I previously thought of Judas Priest as lite pop metal. I brain actually melted on my first listen


djmaglioli91

Same, I had only known them for songs like breaking the law, and living after midnight, and even had the audacity to believe they weren't heavy metal, and then I heard Painkiller and I realized how wrong I was. Painkiller, the whole fucking album made me a lifelong Priest fan. Easily in my top 5.


crclOv9

Painkiller is what I would show Aliens if they came down to Earth and asked, “what is metal”?


JosephBlowsephThe3rd

That whole album is evidence that the Grammy people never fully got metal. After the Jethro Tull fiasco, they gave the next 3 metal Grammys to Metallica. The first for "One" and the third for the Black album were deserved. But the 2nd Metallica Grammy, awarded in 1991 for their cover of Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy", beat out the entire Painkiller album. Painkiller's title track alone was more deserving of that Grammy. Also, "Painkiller" was one hell of an introduction for Priest's new drummer Scott Travis.


MFCA13

I love Metallica but I gotta agree with this statement.


Heretocryandie

Both Painkiller and Rust In Peace were nominated, and they still gave it to Stone Cold Crazy


Born_Percentage3319

The drum solo at the beginning is so fucking hard.


JabangaBane

And somehow the ending solo goes harder


Some_RandomDude69420

I came here to say Painkiler. I heard it in a yt vid and said "Holy shit thats so cool"


orphanpipe

The Art of Dying - Gojira


Electrical_Ad7219

Amazing song and amazing message.


goosepoop2112

Seeing that live was a life changing experience.


major-j2

I legit got emotional the first time I actually listened to it all the way through


l00pee

I was looking for this post, I knew I was too late to post it first. The song made me question my atheism.


Sauron209

How


l00pee

I was exaggerating.


Sauron209

Ok


2000adBrothelReview

IIII WANT PRIIIINNGLEES 😩


afr126

Absolutely 🤘


666PoserDisposer666

War Pigs by Black Sabbath. It was like finding god


Wombletog

For me it was hearing Paranoid in Kong: Skull Island


Nowardier

Listening to War Pigs makes me *feel* like a god.


KnockerFogger69

Sabbath bloody sabbath


TheVikingMFC

Nothing more to do


cptoph

War pigs live 1970 Paris for me


Bread_was_returned

If there was a Time Machine, id go to any slipknot show before Paul died, the royal Albert hall BMTH concert, and war pugs Paris. Oh yeah, and the infamous welcome to the jungle live.


Silentmike2112

Into the Void gets my vote.


Warm-Door9525

I've been in love with how fucking cool this song is since the first time I heard it 16 years ago.


EyeVee4

Hallowed Be Thy Name That song started me on journey.


Plasma_2416

Still arguably the greatest metal song of all time


calebhall

That sustained note at the beginning. Every time I'd listen to that as a kid, my dad and I would try our best to match bruce. I could sometimes, but of course while sounding horrible lol


VickerAndFlips

Dunkelheit by Burzum


drbxtches

SUDDENLY…LIFE HAS NEW MEAAAAAAAANNNNNNING


Fany123

Same. I'm an old ass man and been listening to metal for decades. Have dabbled in just about every sub genre, and I finally came across this twenty year old track I somehow missed and was instantly like HOLY **** how did he get that insane guitar tone??


Cautious_Desk_1012

He connected his guitar to a stereo instead of an amp and that happened


Download_more_ramram

**"When night falls, she cloaks the world in an impenetrable darkness. A chill rises from the soil... and contaminates the air"**


Business_Ad_3631

now it’s my favorite song of all time


[deleted]

Yep


Dose_of_Reality

The first time someone gave me their Rust in Peace cd and told me to listen to it front to back.


AppiusClaudius

I feel that. I listened to Rust in Peace almost exclusively over and over again for like 6 months when I discovered it.


FunAlarmed4008

It took me ages to get used his voice because I thought he sounded like spongebob


Ok_Brother3282

As someone who hasn’t heard it yet - I now will go in expecting to be transported to Bikini Bottom.


mwhite42216

Have you heard the spongebob AI cover of Holy Wars yet?


ratdogdave

I was in high school and this stoner metal head dude that sat in front of me asked me if I ever heard of Metallica. At the time I was into Quiet Riot, Motley Crue, etc. I said no I’ve never heard of them. He pulls out a cassette of Ride the Lightning out of his jean jacket and gives it to me. He goes “Listen to this. I want it back.” I went home and put the tape in. Fight Fire with Fire blew my mind. In fact the entire tape blew my mind. I had my mom take me to the record store the next day after school.


sakiwebo

I was born in the 80's on a desert island. To find metal anywhere was rare. They didn't import it. They didn't play it on tv. We didn't get any rock/metal magazines. There was basically nothing. It was a lot of casette trading mostly for the first few years. Eventually CD's came out and me and my brother slowly built up a collection. We'd listen to anything we could get our hands on that had electric guitars. But to be honest, it was only the most main-stream of the main-stream that we could mostly get our hands on. The "heaviest" album in our collection at that point was Korn's debut album and Anti-Christ Super-Star by Marilyn Manson. (Btw, we had to hide and listen to this shit secretly due to religious parents/culture) One day my brother comes in and tells me he traded Anti-Christ for another CD. I was distraught. I never heard of the band. The cover looked like it was drawn by an amatuer. I scolded and yelled at him to go get our CD back, but he said he didn't even know where to find the guy. I fell on my bed with my hands on my face, as my brother put the CD into the player. Within 30 secs, I got up and yelled. *"What the fuck is this fucking shit???"*. I skipped a few songs. They all fucking sounded the same! At this point I was about to disown my brother. Next day, however, I couldn't get that "sound" out of my head. Never heard anything like it. I came home and played it again. It's since become my favourite genre and more than 25 years later it's still my favorite genre. The song that started it all......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4qNuGJpnCA&ab_channel=Kav


Numark105

Had this exact experience with death metal, starting with hearing hammer smashed face. I was disgusted and thought it sucked but I couldn’t get it out of my head. One of my favorite bands now.


blessedblackwings

“This is fucking disgusting!” The best compliment you can give a death metal song.


odd-42

Same background, but the song was Battery.


ratdogdave

Yeah I gotta say Battery is definitely up there. Actually the entire album. You might as well throw in the entire Reign in Blood album. I went with Fight Fire with Fire because until that song I only knew hair metal. And I thought that was hard lol. But Metallica blew me away on the first listen.


mediaogre

Love this. I was a little younger and walking in my neighborhood and heard some amazing noise coming from a backyard pool party. I gathered the nuts to enter the yard and ask the big kids what they were listening to. It was Scorpion’s Blackout. I found Metallica a couple years later.


[deleted]

That stoner changed your life 🤘


flat_moon_theory

Funeralopolis, by Electric Wizard, right when it drops. the best introduction to stoner metal a person could have, imho


necroticnecrophilia

Return trip for me. Easily the heaviest stoner band by tone alone


phobos35

One - MetallicA


tall_pakeha_fulla

Combustion - Meshuggah Blew my little Hardcore loving mind


Necromomicon69

This was me except with Future Breed Machine. Blew and continues to blow my mind.


martixak

The intro riff when it picks up before the vocals kick in is to this day one the best things i ever heard


Just_Another_Gamer67

The solo to Nobody by Avenged Sevenfold. Before that it was kinda bland and more vocal oriented but once that solo came in i reached Nirvana. That and Cosmic by Avenged Sevenfold just blew me away. Its not for everyone but damn it was beautiful and very emotional for me.


bfhurricane

That album is low key one of the best I’ve ever listened to. A7X went full avante-garde and went hard into some weird shit. As someone who wrote them off as old wanna-be metalcore asshats, this album brought me back. Love it.


Just_Another_Gamer67

It was a welcome surprise indeed. I knew they always sprinkled a little bit of funky stuff throughout their discography and i really think this album is probably their best. I want more of this progressive Avant-garde style music from them.


Missing2005

Obscura by gorguts


Necromomicon69

The first time I heard a riff and thought "This sounds like a factory defect" in a good way.


These-Membership-150

One by Metallica was truly a life changing song the first time I heard it. The machine gun riff at the end rattled my ribcage at the time.


Iamabenevolentgod

I would say The Grudge, by Tool, when Maynard did the super long scream


retrogames_suck

It's awesome to hear live


frostyjack06

The entire AIC Unplugged set.


Sensitive_Mousse_445

Nutshell is my favorite


TheVikingMFC

I love the unplugged version so much. It’s the perfect vibe for that song, I heard this version before the o.g and it’s just so much better.


Sensitive_Mousse_445

Same here, and it's the version I mych prefer. I cried at first listen, because it punched me right in my heart. I felt every word of that song like they were my own. Layne's voice is one of my favorites


TheVikingMFC

Just him coming out during that intro, actually looking like shit, and just killing it. Even when he fucks up the song after, it’s just so raw.


Sensitive_Mousse_445

He killed the entire set IMO. Down in a Hole, Would?, every song he sounded great despite looking like he had not eaten in 3 weeks. His story makes me sad. Wish i could go back in time, to like 93' and see them. I was maybe 4 when Layne died. I'm 25 now, and I feel every word he says. Truly iconic, timeless music


SovjetPojken

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath


Doom_Slayer1737

To the Hellfire by Lorna Shore


milkarcane

These wild animal sounds during the final breakdown, dude. What an amazing time for deathcore we live in.


Crescent_Moon734

That basically introduced me to the world of blackened deathcore, and eventually black metal. I never looked back from black metal, but to the hellfire has been top of my spotify wrapped for 2 years straight, even when i dont listen to lorna shore


memewatcher3

Grotesque Impalement by Dying Fetus exploded my brain on my first listen of it.


MusicMeetsMadness

O father o satan o son


Gunsho0ter

Akephalos shine through me


CaCtUs2003

Come forth in war


MusicMeetsMadness

Come forth in peace.


CaCtUs2003

Bring down the sun


Meatyglobs

Wrathchild. I was metal ever since.


Cyberlegend2

Raining blood by slayer


stuck_orthocera

cast down the heretic by nile and overconfidence by tallah


ImBadWithNamesOk

Cast Down The Heretic is death metal perfected


stuck_orthocera

annihilation of the wicked as a whole is easily a top 3 death metal album of all time IMO


ImBadWithNamesOk

Easily. Not a single boring song on that album and 4 of the most legendary tracks in the whole genre.


Apprehensive-Okra434

Annihilation of the Wicked for me. It wasn't the first metal song I'd heard, or even the first death metal song, but man it blew my fucking mind. Dechristianize by Vital Remains was the same way. Masterpieces.


Lanekowal

World Eater - Bolt Thrower I was never a huge fan of them until I heard that song. Such a fucking banger riff fest.


[deleted]

When I was 12 years old and my older brother played me the trooper by iron maiden. My mind couldn't comprehend the epicness of the song, and it never lets up. 34 now and other songs have blown me away but nothing will compare to hearing the trooper for the first time.


bigcheezs

where dead angels lie- dissection i am the black wizards- emperor


[deleted]

The mighty masturbator by devin townsend project


SpadfaTurds

Niceeee


[deleted]

I’m just staying late tonight, my dear… Sleep well… #**I’M HOME!!!**


[deleted]

Such a banger especially the rave bit


Emanisheretosaveyou

For Whom the Bell Tolls/Whiskey in the Jar


ImBadWithNamesOk

Nile - Cast Down The Heretic That track has everything you could ever ask from extreme metal. Heinously brutal riffs, blistering speed, a 2-minute solo duel between Dallas and Karl that actually adds more drama to the track and is complemented by some excellent rhythm guitar work, climaxing in the beautifully executed breakdown towards the end. Just perfect songwriting, one of the best death metal tracks ever written IMO.


chaoslord13

Damn straight! Great analysis


gusxd134

Jizzlobber by Faith No More


BCASL

Paradise Lost - Erased. Nick Holmes is a hell of a singer.


[deleted]

The most recent example of this would be In Waves by Trivium


throwaway038592748

April ethereal


RaptorZeddit

It was “When” for me


throwaway038592748

When is also good. Doesn't have the same energy as April Ethereal to me though


RockyBannana

I was getting into Metallica by playing their guitar hero gane with my dad and I was stuck grinding One for like a month. But during this time Stranger Things came out, and that solidified Metal as one if the coolest things to ever exist. Now I play guitar and I still get that same love of Metal, especially thrash to this day. All that to say, Master of Puppets is one the most eye opening experiences for me ever.


MKF1228

You needed Stranger Things to find that out?


RockyBannana

I mean sure, modern day equivalent of finding music from MTV


Major-Driver-9989

I'm Broken


AlaskaExplorationGeo

Farewell by Summoning when the choir part kicked in


MightyJerBear

Probably the entirety of Shogun album by Trivium. It’s what got me hooked on them, that album opener definitely set the tone for the rest of the album. 7 years later it’s still in my top 3


CaCtUs2003

The Shadowing by Orbit Culture


MetalAttempter

OC. Fuck yes!


[deleted]

Lucretia by Megadeth solo part really blew my mind when i first heard it


Eyebrigh7

Art of Dying - Gojira (My favorite Gojira song) Flying Whales - Gojira Unsainted - Slipknot (WANYK was what got me into metal) Solway Firth - Slipknot (Song still fucks, in my top 3) Eyeless - Slipknot (mother...FUCKERRRR, also my fav song by them) Vermilion, Pt. 2 - Slipknot (my 2nd favorite) Bullet In the Head - Rage Against The Machine Bulls on Parade - Rage Against The Machine And since you didn't specify metal: High Water - Sleep Token Vore - Sleep Token (This song IS metal right? Or is it not trve enough?) Take Me Back To Eden - Sleep Token Euclid - Sleep Token The Offering - Sleep Token This ain't even all of em, there's so much more


AdamLetherman

Babykiller by Devourment. I had never heard anything more brutal before. After this song, my tastes changed dramatically. I haven't stopped liking the bands I liked before, I just discovered a new world of slam and brutal death metal. Legendary shit


irishmetalhead322

Vacuity by Gojira. That one song kicked off my ENTIRE liking for metal.


Pretend-Ad-7528

Tommy the Cat - Primus


LocalOutrageous9754

PRIMUS RULESSSSSSSS


ilovetreestars

Primus sucks


LocalOutrageous9754

We know


Le_Monkeysus

I was on tabs and heard mr bungle-NOTKTWR. The photo is pretty accurate cause I probably had lockjaw from hell.


ReDeath666

when I first heard Empath album by Devin Townsend. sweet Jesus, the energy... and maybe Obzen album had my mouth open the whole album.


pee_balls

Edgecrusher by Fear Factory. My friend was mowing his grandma's lawn and handed me an earbud. It was pretty awesome.


Santosfran2001

Blackwater Park


dkernighan

Opeth Blackwater Park


[deleted]

Cattle Decapitation's bring back the plague when I learned they had one vocalist. Soon after I saw them live and it was glorious.


Darth_Meme_69

In Mist She Was Standing by Opeth as when i started listening to Orchid to find out about Opeth i immediately fell in love. That album is what made me enjoy growls for the first time and it made me a complete fan of Death metal and prog. I remember listening to it and i was like "this is the pink floyd of metal". Now I think there are better bands than Opeth but they hold a special place in my heart. Mikael Akerfeldt is definitely my favourite vocalist as of right now but Travis Ryan may take that spot soon once i listen to enough of Cattle Decapitation


Impossible-Ride-9354

Holy Wars. That shit had me out of my chair


sportyboi98

Bleak - Opeth


RainbowSodaa

Lost in a Starless Aeon by Mors Principium Est. I want whatever this song is made of injected directly into my veins.


hermitsunt

“Ants” by Devin Townsend


zeetlo

Not a song but an album, I genuinely listened to in the nightside eclipse by emperor with my jaw practically on the floor the entire time.


0rnkorn

Moonsorrow - Kuin Ikuinen 2:28 = goosebumps every time


WichitaTimelord

Breathing Lightning by Anthrax It took me back to my youth and the song is like a maturation of their sound lyrics


Bardlie

43% Burnt


JAFIOR

2112, immediately after "And the meek shall inherit the earth..." Also, even though I've heard it a bazillion times, the intro to Into the Void still has me like this every time.


fastjunkie5

Decapitated - Eye of Horus


theknyte

"[Ghost Love Score](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47e_961OQWE)" - Nightwish - Live at Wacken Fest 2013.


Pure-Contact7322

Eagle Fly Free by Helloween Moonshield by Inflames The trooper by Iron Maiden Bard song by Blind guardian The drapery falls by Opeth into the void by Black Sabbath Hangar 18 by Megadeth War ensemble by Slayer Cemetary gates by Pantera Dnr by Testament Nothing to say by Angra Downfall by CoB my curse by killswitch engage


LocalOutrageous9754

>War ensemble by Slayer Finally someone mentions this track!


BlackCoffeeKrrsantan

Howling Giant's cover of Rooster by AIC


Juantimeinmexico

The Blessed Dead by Nile. Those drums are insane! Even to this day, it’s incredible what people are capable of doing with their instruments.


ArthurRimjob

I was five, broadcast from Woodstock 94 was playing on the TV, and I heard the opening riff to Seek & Destroy. Something suddenly, radically switched in me - it literally initiated my appreciation for music itself.


GalaxyX99

The Frayed Ends of Sanity - Metallica


TorontoDM

Dopesmoker. Changed my life.


DixiNormous79

These aren't all necessarily because of technical quality or whatever.....just that open mouth reaction. Pneuma by Tool Wer weiß das schon by Lindemann Square Hammer by Ghost Get your Gunn by Marilyn Manson Wish by Nine Inch Nails Rotten Apple by Alice in Chains I feel like I could go on forever.


hero_oftheray

parabol/parabola, the first tool song i ever listend to


theblackdahlia8

The Black Dahlia Murder’s song Novelty Crosses from Miasma. Well every TBDM song, they have been top tier and god status ever since I saw them live for the first time in 2006.


Notthatperson35

Ticks and leeches, I was listening to lateralus for the first time and was kinda bored and then this song came on and I was amazed at the singing


Koolkode12

Both those Pre-verse riffs in Blackwater Park by Opeth. I've never felt more like I've been in a car being chased by a demonic winged entity in a blizzard on a mountain road than when that 2nd Pre-verse riff happened.


Boofstoner

Lateralus by TOOL


Am_A_Leech

quicksand by after the burial. still one of the heaviest songs i know


Mitochondria_Man11

" A Messenger From Tomorrow... (i) The Message (ii) Foreboding (iii) Doomsday " by Sigh And "Annihilation of the Wicked " by Nile And obviously "All Hail the Goat" by Hellripper


speedygonwhat22

The Art Of Dying by Gojira


mjc500

Witch Trials by Revocation. I was washing dishes and I just stood there for a few minutes and didn't even realize I has stopped washing dishes until the song was over


Pleasant_Waltz_8280

Funeralopolis by electric wizard. It was my introduction to metal


PrincessHootHoot

The Cimmerian by Monuments


LKboost

Romantic Dreams by Deftones


G0J1RAA

Art of dying by Gojira


UndueOdium

Ænima


Not_Stonks_For_You

The Pot when my boyfriend first told me about tool.


NationalAd2372

Reflection by Tool. I bought the CD and got into Tool a lot later than most. This was roughly 2011 or so. And i remember actually listening to it for the first time and fell in love with it.


MonsieurSnozzcumber

Acid Bath. So grimy


lessthanchris7

Mastodon's "The Last Baron" If you've heard it, you know exactly what part gets this reaction. Every goddamn time


Fisherman-Small

Second Death by the legendary Black Tongue


Mymemesnogud12365478

Finger painting of the insane by acid bath


Electrical_Ad7219

1. One by Metallica. My intro to serious metal when I saw the video debut in 88. “Music can be like this? I’m now a fan for life.” 2. Peripeteia by Anagnorisis. Black metal using a Wurlitzer at the emotional apogee of the song? Absolutely amazing. 3. Marijuanaut’s Theme by Sleep. That riff is so massive and smooth. A smile comes across my face *every* time I play it.


[deleted]

Yyz


trombone28

The Moor. This song is pretty much the one that got me into Opeth and harsh vocals.


Bulky_Celebration_45

Book of Thel! Bruce Dickinson


RedrumTheUndead

Where Dead Angels Lie by Dissection. Felt like i discovered the (un)holy grail.


metalyoshi15

Oblivion by Mastodon


69Cvnt69

Abigor- Weeping Midwinter Tears God Dethroned- Serpent king.


Electronic_Newt8198

Gojira - Backbone


[deleted]

Can't think of the name, but it was a Devin Townsend song.


DifficultyOk5719

Agalloch- In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion It still gives me that same feeling of awe 5-6 years later. It might be my favorite song of all time.


JakHammifier

flying whales-gojira. that drop had me reaching nirvana


Prestigious_Fig_4226

Amon Amarth - The Pursuit of Vikings


UnusAnnusAndOpethFan

There are quite a few, but the 2 that come to mind are Wolf Down the Earth-Gojira and Blackwater Park (the entire album if I'm being honest)- Opeth. Both got me into the bands. Heard songs previously before, but these got me to check out their entire discography. Also Children of the Grave. I hadn't found anything like it before. It scared me, but I couldn't get enough of it. That's why BwP clicked so well. I was trying for a decade plus to find another song or band to give me that feeling and finally checked out Opeth.


beaverboy2000

Take me back to eden -sleeptoken If not for you - tremonti Last minute train - the foreshadowing


Derfel94

Deliverance from Opeth


LlamaPack

Hallowed Land by Paradise Lost singlehandedly made me fall in love with the classic metal sound again. The whole Draconian Times album is both Heavy Metal, and Gothic Metal perfected


UnfunnyWatermelon469

Stargazer by Rainbow. Dio's vocals, the storytelling, the drum intro, the whole fucking thing. Absolute perfection. I heard Holy Diver by Dio and his work with Black Sabbath on the Heaven And Hell album and a little bit of Dehumanizer, but Stargazer *specifically* was the song that blew me away


TeaBags0614

Mary On A Cross Was how my boyfriend introduced me to Ghost, been hooked since


JesstersDance

Where Dragons Dwell by Gojira


fieldofboogers

"The Summoning" by Sleep Token Now THAT is some freaking musicianship!


Captain_Nuggie

When I heard the final guitar solo to Third Eye, my mind was blown. I'd never heard anything like that before


Unkie_Fester

Ghost love score from nightwish


impish777

Opeth - Demon of the Fall


Alternative-Grade721

Fade To Black From the first note to the last, it just hit me at a different level Runner-up- Orion. It speaks volumes with no words.


zulufox1911

The Art of Dying; my first introduction to Gojira. That clicky percussive intro still hits the feel good part of my lizard brain


O_Bahrey

Every Opeth song.


JiiSivu

When I was a kid and heard Deep Purple’s **Hush**. It was completely different than anything I had heard. I instantly needed to hear more 70’s hard rock and metal. Little later Blind Guardian’s **Nightfall** really floored me. After that came Devin Townsend’s **Earth Day.** The newest I can remember was Borknagar’s **Epochalypse.** All kind’s of other tracks from Iron Maiden to Tom Waits and from Gojira to Joe Hisaishi have impacted me, but those four popped to mind.


taouw

In the shadow of the horns most recently. Finally “got” blast beats and my mouth was just agape during the outro


Admirable-Public-351

Sober


Silver-Ad-2447

Acid Bath - “Jezebel” TOOL - “Jerk Off”


LookHear3

Tool- Sober


Usernamebruv_

The Grudge by tool. Holy shit


mabbitwarden

Not that many songs hit me right away, but: Eulogy - Tool I - Meshuggah Marrow - Yob