One Hour of Metal is where I either put my iTunes on shuffle or tune into a metal internet radio station and for one hour I document what I hear. The good, the bad and the downright awful are always represented with honesty in this segment. Some hours are better than others as you will see in this series.
This time around I just put the iTunes on shuffle and let it go. Kind of like a Russian Roulette of sorts. Pretty scare because you never know just what your going to get. So let’s get started shall we?
Aldo Nova – Blood on the Bricks
Wow. I didn’t even know I had this album. So I never liked that Aldo Nova song “Fantasy” that was such a huge hit for him. I remember when this album came out it was a kinda comeback of sorts for him or something. Jon Bon Jovi took him under his wing and I think he co-wrote, produced, and sang on this album. This is some of the most unoffensive hard rock I have ever heard. It’s a bit heavier than Bon Jovi but not by much. It’s nothing memorable but I didn’t flat out hate this. I may give the album a listen just to see what else is there.
Allen/Lande – Wish for a Miracle
Two of my favorite all time metal vocalists together singing some pretty catchy, pop tinged prog metal is never a bad thing. I love these albums so much and this song is just awesome. Just about every song these guys have done in this duo setting could be a hit song if we lived in a different world. I never get tired of hearing these two. Love this song.
Testament – Into the Pit
Fucking LOVE this song but what I hate about it is that the production just strips it of any punch and balls these guys have. So many great, timeless thrash/metal albums were plagued by bad production but seeing them live give you the real story. Testament is no different but regardless, this song just slays my face. Always.
Heathen – Breaking the Silence
Fucking righteous! I just really got into Heathen and I love these guys. Classic Bay Area Thrash! I never really noticed but much like NWOBHM bands, the Bay Area thrash bands had such a unique and distinct sound all their own. Heathen must’ve been a band that just got lost in the shuffle but their 1987 album Breaking the Silence kicks so much ass. Listen to these guys if you can. Trust me, you’ll thank me. This is awesome shit!
Kiss – Boomerang
Wow. Definitely up there on the list of top thing KISS NEVER SHOULD’VE FUCKING DONE! This song is just such a big ass bowl of fail. Boomerang? BoomerWRONG.
Iron Maiden – Powerslave (Live from Flight 666)
Easily one of my favorite Maiden songs but when played live it’s that much more awesome. There is some seriously awesome guitar work on this one and the guitar solo in this song just may be one of my all time favorite solos. This song is always awesome. Hell, I listened to it twice. Why? Because it’s my challenge and I can do whatever the fuck I want to.
Axel Rudi Pell – The Temple of the Holy
I love ARP so much and I think him and singer Johnny Gioelli are just amazing together but this song just isn’t one of my favorites. Now don’t get me wrong. For me to say it’s not one of my favorites doesn’t mean it sucks. I just don’t feel that this is a good representation of what they do together but as always, Pell’s guitar playing just melts me. See, even their not best songs still managed to touch and do a little something for me.
Kiss – Is That You?
How did I manage to get two of the worse KISS songs of all time in one challenge? I can’t even say anything good about this song. Ugh. Please… kill it with fire.
Judas Priest – Blood Red Skies
I have to give Priest some props for not always playing it safe. Even when it left the fans scratching their heads, the band was never afraid to go into dark waters and try new things and new sounds. Turbo was such a weird album and Ram It Down followed in suit with the use of synths and synth guitars and what not. I never liked the album that much but after hearing this song, I may need to revisit it. This is a really cool song and it has all kinds of cool layers and sounds. This is a really cool surprise. Diggin’ this one.
Bulletboys – Hang on St. Christopher
These guys get hated on but man, their debut album and this album (Freakshow) are two of my favorite fucking albums. They were such a weird, over the top band and I loved their songs. I always thought this song was bad to the bone and for years didn’t even know that it was originally a Tom Waits’ song. That right there earned them extra cool points in my book. This song and album still sounds great, fresh, and fun as all hell. Long live the Bulletboys!
Pantera – Shattered
I was a HUGE Pantera back in the day. I still say that Cowboys From Hell and Vulgar Display of Power are great albums. This song totally sounds like it could’ve been on Judas Priest’s Painkiller album. It’s too bad that Anselmo blew his voice out from being a grade a douchebag all those years and just abusing himself. He really had so much potential to be one of the all-time greats. I really like this song but I can’t stand Diamond Darrell’s town.
Animal Bag – Fluid
What a way to close out this challenge! I love this song and I fucking love Animal Bag. That band could do no wrong and I hate it that the world never got to truly see and hear just what this band was capable of. Image Damage is such an awesome, unique album and it was a move in the right direction coming off of their debut. Now I know that I need to go listen to some Animal Bag and relive their greatness! You should do the same too.
About The Author
