These metal songs are guaranteed to get your blood pumping! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the heaviest jams to ever make us raise our fists and yell!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the heaviest jams to ever
00:09make us raise our fists and yell.
00:19Number 30.
00:20See You In Hell, Grim Reaper.
00:23The British band may have been the butt of some jokes back in the days of MTV's Beavis
00:27and Bunhead, but don't sleep on this new wave of British heavy metal institution.
00:38Grim Reaper combined deceptively simple arrangements with memorable riffs and caterwauling vocals
00:45to provide a perfect starting gate for neo-metalheads.
00:48Nick Bocot leads the charge with a main riff that's catchier than the common cold, while
00:53vocalist Steve Grimmett howls at the moon with reckless abandon.
01:02See You In Hell doesn't pretend to be anything more than the sum of its parts, a great meat
01:07and potatoes metal song that flies high the flag of stainless steel.
01:17Number 29.
01:18Over The Wall, Testaments.
01:21Much has been said about the big four of American thrash metal, but what about the
01:25groups that comprise the second tier?
01:32Testament just has to sit among the very top of this genre's 1%, a technical masterclass
01:38of precision and skill.
01:41Guitarist Alex Skolnick in particular is a generational talent, a man whose six-string
01:45wizardry allows songs like Over The Wall to sound both anthemic and combustive.
01:56The song races right out of the starting gate with Reckless Abandon, as Over The Wall becomes
02:01not only a centerpiece for Skolnick, but also lead vocalist Chuck Billy.
02:06The melodic midsection in particular has become something of a sing-along setpiece for Testament,
02:12a live highlight that's become a favorite of the band's fans.
02:20Number 28.
02:22Elimination, Overkill.
02:24The American thrash metal train rolls on, this time with New Jersey's finest, Overkill.
02:34These working-class heroes have become something of a metallic institution, thanks to a career
02:39that's endured over 40 years and counting.
02:43Elimination is taken from the group's fourth LP, and their first with producer Terry Date.
02:52The latter's bone-dry production style allows the song's riffs to crunch like milkless
02:56cornflakes, while also allowing Dee Dee Verney's nasty bass tone to rattle fans' speakers.
03:04Elimination wouldn't quite be the same without singer Bobby Blitz Elworth's captivating
03:08shriek however, and it's the man's charismatic presence that assists in elevating Overkill's
03:13global metal stock into elite company.
03:20Number 27.
03:22Fighting The World, Manowar.
03:24New York's Manowar cares little about whether or not doubters question their over-the-top
03:29theatrics and macho posturing.
03:40All this band cares about is pleasing their legions of fans around the world that crave
03:44some seriously muscular metal.
03:47Fighting The World is taken from an album of the same name and signified something of
03:51a commercial breakthrough for Manowar.
03:57Sure, the band's cult status was assured, but Fighting The World felt like a call-to-arms
04:06anthem that spoke to more than just the knowing faithful.
04:09This was a measured, mid-paced hobber to the face of false metal, leaning heavily upon
04:14singer Eric Adams' intense power and unconquerable passion.
04:26Number 26.
04:27I Want Out, Helloween.
04:30Heavy metal possesses a myriad of sub-genres, with only diehard fans being able to differentiate
04:35all of the subtle differences.
04:40Germany's Helloween strode the creative lines between speed, thrash and power metal,
04:48and their Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II LP helped formulate the band's lasting legacy.
04:54The title track was an epic, to be sure, but it's the immediacy of I Want Out that perhaps
05:00serves as Helloween's defining metal moment.
05:08This is a song where riffs, vocal melodies and an all-time classic chorus create layers
05:14like a German chocolate cake, alternating the sweet and the savoury in a manner that
05:20feels impossible to deny.
05:23Number 25.
05:25Stargazer, Rainbow.
05:27Historians often differ as to whether or not Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin or
05:32Rainbow were the first heavy metal band.
05:40One thing for sure, however, Stargazer helped codify many of the genre's most powerful and
05:46glorious trappings.
05:48There's an aura of mysticism associated with this song, as the guitar of former Deep Purple
05:53leader Ritchie Blackmore weaves its magic spell.
06:00Elsewhere, Ronnie James Dio is Blackmore's partner in sorcery, a captivating presence
06:07on the mic that allows Stargazer to enter the hallowed halls of metal magic.
06:12Long may it reign!
06:20Number 24.
06:21Du Hast, Rammstein.
06:24The Neue Deutsche Härte discography of Rammstein contains a veritable laundry list of bangers,
06:30including Feuer Frei from the band's landmark Mutter album.
06:36However, fans could also point to the chart success of Du Hast as a point where commercial
06:44radio really began paying attention to Rammstein.
06:48This was no mean feat either, considering that the pop chart landscape of 1997 was
06:53largely unreceptive to heavy metal.
07:05Du Hast has endured, however, and found an audience that eagerly lapped up Rammstein's
07:10heavy riffs and martial rhythms, juxtaposed against an almost gothic atmosphere.
07:17This was an industrial revolution in heavy metal that helped keep the genre afloat during
07:22difficult weather.
07:30Number 23.
07:3110,000 Fists, Disturbed.
07:32Chicago's Disturbed is a modern metal band that just seemed to improve over time.
07:4210,000 Fists was the title track of Disturbed's third LP, improved without a shadow of a doubt
07:51that the success of their debut album, The Sickness, wasn't a fluke.
07:55What's most remarkable about the song is how it represents Disturbed's progression
07:59as a band.
08:00Gone are the gimmicky vocalizations of The Sickness, and in their place a soaring and
08:06commanding register from frontman David Draymond.
08:11Elsewhere, the guitar playing has become significantly more dynamic and impressive, perhaps being
08:21influenced by European artists such as Sweden's Soilwork.
08:25It all comes together in solid fashion on 10,000 Fists, and Disturbed would only improve
08:30further from this point.
08:35Number 22.
08:36The Toxic Waltz, Exodus.
08:39The Bonded by Blood debut from Exodus is inarguably one of 80s thrash metal's finest moments.
08:46But it was the Toxic Waltz from 1989 that helped increase the Bay Area band's international
08:51profile.
08:58Lead singer Steve Zetrosuza possesses a screech worthy of Cobra Commander, while the song's
09:03lyrics possess a knowing sense of irony and humor.
09:07The riffs, however, are no joke as the duo of Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt unleash licks
09:12that punish and please in equal measure.
09:21The mosh part that occurs as the Toxic Waltz leaves its solo section is the stuff of legend,
09:27while Zetro, for his part, commands that Exodus' audience destroy each other with extreme prejudice.
09:33To paraphrase the band, it's good, friendly, violent fun.
09:42Number 21.
09:43I Wanna Be Somebody, Wasp.
09:46The 1984 self-titled debut from Wasp was something unique and special from the Los Angeles explosive
09:52glam metal scene.
10:00That record, particularly its lead single, I Wanna Be Somebody, combined shock rock excess
10:06with songwriting chops that were catchy, but also a little menacing.
10:11This was a band that felt sleazy, while I Wanna Be Somebody also worked as something
10:16of a heavy metal anthem.
10:22The arrangement is economical, but possesses a killer main riff, while frontman Blackie
10:27Lawless hollers like a delirious deviant.
10:31Wasp weren't just a batch of sunset strip pretty boys, but instead came to play with
10:35an arsenal of tricks that made them very dangerous against their competition.
10:48Number 20.
10:49All We Are, Warlock.
10:51The landscape of mid-80s heavy metal wasn't exactly where one might expect to find one
10:56of the most dynamic female singers of her generation.
10:59But then again, Doro Pesce was nobody's wallflower.
11:05Instead, Doro pioneered heavy metal in her native Germany with the band Warlock before
11:14embarking upon a solo career that continues to this day.
11:18All We Are is a true heavy metal anthem, taken from Warlock's most commercially successful
11:23album, Triumph and Agony.
11:28Doro's vocals are immense and charismatic, while the song's arrangement balances the
11:36catchiness of hair metal with a riff attack that's burly enough to easily stand toe
11:41to toe with the boys.
11:50All We Are is a rallying call to arms that still gets us pumped.
12:01Number 19.
12:03Balls to the Wall, Accept.
12:05Speaking of German heavy metal, another formative act from that country was Accept, who laid
12:11Plenty of groundwork for younger bands to follow in their wake.
12:22In fact, Accept's early speed and aggression heavily influenced the thrash metal scene,
12:27thanks to rippers like Fast as a Shark, Metal Hearts, and our personal pick, Balls to the
12:32Wall.
12:41The track works in a mid-paced mold, driving home a main riff that frankly defies you to
12:46not headbang to its earworm-level catchiness.
12:50Meanwhile, the middle section features multiple breakdowns, chanting, and enough bass-led
12:55sing-a-longs to satisfy any heavy metal maniac.
13:02Oh, and lead singer Udo Dirkschneider has a voice that can peel paint from the walls,
13:11which is always a plus in our book.
13:22Number 18.
13:23Burn in Hell, Twisted Sister.
13:25Twisted Sister was always sort of an outlier within the world of 1980s hair metal, with
13:30the band's early material echoing their influences from 70s glam and glitter rock.
13:46Their 1984 album Stay Hungry was a breakthrough success, combining that early aggression with
13:52streamlined and economic songwriting.
14:02Burn in Hell also hit at the perfect time, when the perceived satanic content of heavy
14:07metal was frightening parents across the United States.
14:18Burn in Hell has its cake and eats it too, playing coy with cheeky lyrical content while
14:23also possessing inspired riffing.
14:25Dee Schneider also proves underrated as a frontman and singer, absolutely belting it
14:31out from the first note to last.
14:41If this is Hell, then Hell ain't a bad place to be.
14:51Number 17.
14:52Abigail, King Diamond.
14:55The legacy of Danish singer and songwriter King Diamond was secure after the dissolution
14:59of his former band, Merciful Fate.
15:02More on them in a minute.
15:03With legions of fans flocking to the King's unique and idiosyncratic falsetto vocals,
15:16the King Diamond solo band, however, would delve into even more theatrical and conceptual
15:21storytelling, with each studio effort working simultaneously as heavy metal arts and performance
15:28Abigail is perhaps the most actualized of these efforts, a fan-favorite LP whose title
15:38track is bombastic, melodic, and even melancholic.
15:48There's a profound sadness to the story told within the Abigail album's lyrics.
15:53While the song itself boasts perhaps one of guitarist Andy LaRock's most memorable riffs.
16:06Number 16.
16:07Curse of the Pharaohs, Merciful Fate.
16:10We just mentioned King Diamond's previous band, Merciful Fate, earning some real-deal
16:15fan recognition with their studio output.
16:17How real-deal, you may ask?
16:20Well, how about Metallica?
16:30The heavy metal icons were profoundly influenced by Merciful Fate early on in their careers,
16:36and even covered this track, Curse of the Pharaohs, in medley form on their album, Garage
16:41Inc.
16:42It's easy to see why Metallica were so impressed, too, because the guitar work from Hank Sherman
16:51and Michael Denner was truly on another level.
17:03It's almost criminal how talented the pair was as a guitar team, since not only does
17:07Curse of the Pharaohs contain an instantly catchy opening riff, but harmony, soloing,
17:12and relentless rhythmic aggression.
17:14It's truly one of the greats.
17:24Number 15.
17:26Witching Hour, Venom.
17:28Behold and bear witness to the insidious roots of heavy metal's darkest and most mysterious
17:34sub-genre, black metal.
17:43The new wave of British heavy metal, from which Venom first emerged, was used to dabbling
17:48with occult themes, but these lads from Newcastle went all-in with their satanic imagery.
18:02The band also shunned subtlety in their tri-pronged attack, operating in an intentionally hyperactive
18:08and crude, some might say sloppy manner, that sought to offend and excite in equal measure.
18:14Witching Hour is blazingly fast for the time, and merciless in its intent to pound you over
18:19the head and absolutely kick your ass.
18:27Meanwhile, the theatrics of Kronos, Mantis, and Abaddon would inspire legions of corpse-painted
18:36black metal bands to get even more extreme in their wake.
18:41Number 14.
18:42Am I Evil, Diamond Head.
18:44We couldn't have a more drastic contrast of styles from our last pick to our next entry,
18:49Diamond Head's Am I Evil.
18:52Both songs arrived from the new wave of British heavy metal movement, yet Diamond Head's
18:56influences and execution are clearly more indebted to the majesty of classic rock like
19:02Led Zeppelin than the simplicity of Venom.
19:12Am I Evil even opens up with a tribute to the classical piece The Planets by Gustav
19:16Holst, before breaking into a righteous heavy metal thunder.
19:27Diamond Head hang their hat on the song's epic main riff in Brian Tatler's guitar pyrotechnics,
19:33while singer Sean Harris weaves a tale of true wickedness within the lyrics.
19:44It's classy, proper heavy metal at it's old school best.
19:56Number 13.
19:57Arise, Sepultura.
19:59At the crossroads between death metal and thrash metal, there you will find the sonic
20:04steel that is the classic Sepultura sound.
20:14These Brazilian legends grew from an underground black metal career to surprising mainstream
20:19success with their albums Chaos A.D. and Roots.
20:31It's the middle era that's the true sweet spot for Sepultura fans however, with Arise
20:36serving as it's creative zenith.
20:38The song is just five years removed from the groove metal of Roots, yet couldn't sound
20:43more different, defining death slash thrash perfection in a little over three minutes.
20:56Max Cavalera's vocals are guttural, yet decipherable, while his brother Igor counteracts
21:02the ripping guitars with a simple, effective groove.
21:06Not a second is wasted and every moment kicks maximum ass.
21:18Number 12.
21:20Pull Me Under, Dream Theater.
21:22The world of progressive metal rarely, if ever, achieves crossover chart success, however
21:35this is exactly what happened with Pull Me Under.
21:38A surprising hit single from Dream Theater's sophomore effort, Images and Words.
21:49The song was, in the band's own words, a fluke, yet there's nothing surprising about
21:54the level of talent laid out on display here in Pull Me Under.
22:06It retains a constant level of excitement, despite it's eight plus minute running time,
22:11with chugging heaviness contrasting with an amount of melody that's nothing short of
22:15anthemic.
22:16The whole band works every angle, fires every creative cylinder, and drives home unlimited
22:21energy throughout every mini-movement achieved by Pull Me Under and it's progressive metal
22:26mastery.
22:34Number 11.
22:35Caught in a Mosh, Anthrax.
22:38There's traditionally a big four of the American thrash genre that come into the overarching
22:43heavy metal conversation, so much so that a series of live events celebrating those
22:48four artists were held in places like New York City and the city of Sofia in Bulgaria.
23:01Anthrax opened up those shows and a number of songs were constant in their setlist, including
23:06this one, Caught in a Mosh.
23:14The track is taken from what's arguably the band's finest hour, 1987's Among the
23:19Living, and instantly catches listener's attention thanks to Frank Bello's iconic
23:24opening bass line.
23:34From there, it's a thrasher piece of intense drumming, hardcore-influenced guitar riffs,
23:39and a breakdown section that gets bodies moving every single time.
23:52Number 10.
23:53Holy Diver, Dio.
23:55There are a million moments from the career of Ronnie James Dio that could have made this
23:59list, from his stint fronting Black Sabbath, to the mini-movie that was the video clip
24:05for his song, Rock and Roll Children.
24:11However, the world would likely point to Holy Diver as one of Dio's most commercially
24:18successful songs, from what became a defining album for the singer.
24:30Holy Diver revels in the sort of medieval and magical atmosphere for which Dio would
24:35become known.
24:45To the point where a dragon-slaying spot was once included in the band's stage show.
24:50Meanwhile, the melody is set on full display, while Holy Diver's mid-paced groove allows
24:55future Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell to show off his amazing chops.
25:08Number 9.
25:09Cemetery Gates, Pantera.
25:12Pantera was undoubtedly one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the last 30 years, laying
25:17groundwork for the immensely popular power groove sound that would dominate after the
25:22group abandoned their hair metal roots.
25:32Cowboys From Hell signified this sort of sonic rebirth.
25:36An amplification of their previous album, Power Metal, and a true coming of age for
25:40Pantera's still-new singer, Philip Anselmo.
25:49The album's title track served as a fearsome call to arms, but it's perhaps Cemetery
25:54Gates that's the best distillation of Pantera's new and exciting sound.
26:05Complete with the genius guitar work of Dimebag Darrell, it's a rousing mixture of heavy
26:10metal's past and future.
26:11A power ballad that's all power, yet retaining all of the emotion required to remain a stone-cold
26:17classic.
26:27Number 8.
26:28Holy Wars, The Punishment Due, Megadeth.
26:32Megadeth exists as perhaps the most technical example of thrash metal from the genre's
26:37big four acts.
26:38A clinical exercise in how to perform the genre with surgical precision.
26:48To further that end, the band's fourth album, Rust in Peace, blew minds back in 1990 with
26:54exactly how complex and thoughtful Megadeth had become as songwriters and arrangers.
27:07Holy Wars, The Punishment Due is a prime testament to that idea, as it's basically two songs
27:13in one.
27:14The first being a fast and melodic speed metal exercise, before getting very, very heavy.
27:27The Punishment Due section slows things down to a crushing mid-pace, before picking things
27:32up with an array of mind-melding lead guitars.
27:44We've never heard an ode to Marvel's The Punisher sound quite like this.
27:49Number 7.
27:50Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne.
27:53Sometimes you've just gotta give the people what they want.
28:02Former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne did this when he departed from the formative
28:06heavy metal legends for a solo career, delivering the genre a fresh and commercially viable
28:12shot in the arm.
28:20Crazy Train is just one of those universal Ozzy songs that everyone knows, yet it was
28:25elevated by the X-Factor that was the once-in-a-lifetime guitar talent of Randy Rhoads.
28:36Rhoads' classically influenced playing made the arrangement of Crazy Train iconic, while
28:41at the same time being easily digestible for so many different kinds of people.
28:53Yet the actual work on display is so dizzyingly awesome and impressive, there's no doubt
28:58that Ozzy and Randy were truly inspired when composing Crazy Train.
29:08Number 6.
29:09Ace of Spades, Motorhead.
29:20Motorhead is another band with such a rich musical history that it proved very difficult
29:25to choose just one song to stand out from the rest.
29:37Killed by Death, Overkill, Iron Fist, and more all proved to be worthy candidates.
29:43But sometimes your first instinct is the best, and that instinct was Ace of Spades.
29:53Lemmy's blower bass kicks the whole shebang off in classic fashion, as Phil Filthy Animal
29:59Taylor's double kick drums sound the call for Fast Eddie Clark's riffing to take charge
30:05and lead the way to glory.
30:13It's a simple but outstandingly effective example of over-driven rock and roll done
30:18to excess, and performed with charisma, style, and sleazy charm to spare.
30:32Number 5.
30:33Angel of Death, Slayer.
30:36Slayer's Reign in Blood is widely regarded as one of, if not the finest examples of thrash
30:41metal ever recorded by one of the big four.
30:53It's easy to see why thanks to songs like Reigning Blood and our next pick, Angel of
30:57Death.
31:06The world wasn't ready when Slayer unleashed this beast, so unstoppable was their level
31:11of aggression.
31:20It's not enough that the song rips out of the starting gate with a riff that instantly
31:24sets every nerve alive, but then there's a matter of what occurs at about a minute thirty-eight.
31:39The bottom drops out of our world when Angel of Death lets loose with an earth-shattering
31:43breakdown before racing down to hell with frenzied soloing and drumming, killer.
31:56Number 4.
31:57The Trooper, Iron Maiden.
31:59The music of Iron Maiden is many things to many different people, but one constant behind
32:03their creative process has always been the adaptation of historical events into their
32:08lyrics.
32:17The Trooper might be the most beloved example of this.
32:20A song that combines the bombast of heavy metal with the story of Britain's infamous
32:25Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War.
32:33Although Run to the Hills is just as well known, the Trooper presents Maiden's musical
32:46attack in a near-perfect way.
32:57The guitars of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith harmonize, bassist Steve Harris gallops along
33:02with drummer Nico McBrain, while singer Bruce Dickinson proves once again why he's on the
33:07shortlist of heavy metal's all-time greatest frontmen.
33:18Number 3.
33:19Painkiller, Judas Priest.
33:21Speaking of that short list, is there any heavy metal singer who quite exemplifies all
33:26of the trappings of the genre more than Rob Halford?
33:29For many fans, he's unequivocally the voice of metal, with his band Judas Priest also
33:35serving as judge, jury and executioner against any pretenders to the throne.
33:49Painkiller might be the band's heaviest moment too, a reaction to the rising popularity of
33:53thrash metal and a promise that the old guard was not going to be left in the dust.
34:08Painkiller is overdriven and excessive, with steel polish to a razor-sharp edge that cuts
34:13with killing riffs and a relentless rhythm.
34:24Halford screams like a demon possessed, announcing to the world that they were not going quietly
34:29into that good night.
34:39Number 2.
34:40Master of Puppets, Metallica.
34:42Knock, knock.
34:43Say who's there?
34:44Surprise!
34:45It's Metallica, with the greatest thrash metal song ever.
34:57Bad jokes aside, many metal fans would be hard-pressed to argue against how Master of
35:02Puppets clocks in at nearly 9 minutes in length, yet never feels boring or drawn out.
35:08Instead, every riff has its place, and every place its riff, as Metallica elevates thrash
35:14into a true work of art.
35:24Master of Puppets possesses movements and mood, taking listeners through a journey of
35:28one man's addiction via a song that's as aggressive, melodic and memorable as anything
35:34offered by Metallica's many peers.
35:44Enter Sandman may be the band's biggest single, but Master of Puppets laid down greatness
35:49back in 86 as a true thrash metal masterpiece.
36:14Number 1.
36:15Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath.
36:18We can't imagine what it must have felt like to have dropped the needle on Black Sabbath's
36:22self-titled debut from 1970 and actually hear the birth of heavy metal right in front of
36:27our eyes and ears.
36:36That was a very good year for the sabs, as songs like War Pigs, Paranoid and Iron Man
36:51all burrowed their way into the DNA strands of a fresh new genre.
37:00But there's just something special about this opening track that continues to send
37:04shivers up our spines so many years later.
37:16The tolling bells of doom, that doomy pace, Tony Iommi's ominous riffs and Ozzy's
37:21harrowing wail, there's just no getting around it.
37:25This is capital H, capital M, heavy metal.
37:29Oh lord yeah.
37:40What does heavy metal mean to you?
37:42Let us know in the comments.