Carlos Ramirez

Now, more than ever, heavy metal is a worldwide affair. The Internet has empowered a generation of would be metal enthusiasts in corners of the planet that once had little to no access to the music we cover here on Noisecreep. But as common as it is right now to discover and fall in love with bands from exotic countries throughout the world, Europe remains the biggest hotbed for metal music.

The 45 single was the ideal companion to the 3-minute pop song in the ‘50s and ‘60s, but the rise of the double album in the late ‘60s proved to be a godsend to the world of progressive rock. The elongated time the two pieces of vinyl provided was exactly what the wildly inventive (and long) arrangements of the prog world called for. Groups like Yes embraced the medium, making double albums a common sight in record stores from Duluth to Denmark.

While some groups have built a great business dedicating their careers to paying tribute to other artists, most choose to add cover songs to their repertoire to add a bit of spice to them. How many times have you been at a concert and the group on stage has broken out into a cover tune? Sometimes you dig it, other times you wish they would just keep to their original material. Either way, it's just part of the deal.

Although they’ve had seven singers pass through their ranks since forming back in 1981, most fans of the band consider Joey Belladonna the voice of Anthrax. Hiring Belladonna in late 1984 to replace Neil Turbin, the new singer's melodic and soulful approach helped set the New York City-based outfit apart from the rest of the bands in their scene.

AC/DC's "if ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude towards their ballsy brand of hard rock has done the Australian band well. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, AC/DC have achieved all of their success on their own terms, largely avoiding many of the music industry-related nonsense many of their peers have bowed down to.

A good cover song goes a long way. The reinterpretation of a classic tune is another great way for an artist to show off their creative side while letting the world know they have impeccable musical taste at the same time. Heck, some of the artists we cover on Noisecreep even got their start playing the cover band bar circuit. Van Halen and Slayer are just two of the acts who began their careers performing other band's songs before they broke out with their own material.

Featuring nine studio albums, four live albums, six compilation albums, one covers album, one collaboration album, and a handful of singles, Metallica‘s discography is an impressive one. With the exception of Black Sabbath, Metallica are arguably the most influential heavy metal band in the history of the genre, and they’ve done it while still taking bold stylistic chances. They’ve stumbled more than a few times along the way, but the artistic experimentation has paid off more times that not.

The heavy metal and hard rock scenes boast some of the most theatrical singers this side of opera and Broadway. Metal’s typically intense lyrical style needs to be delivered with a heighted sense of fervor and passion. Quite simply, many of the artists we cover here on Noisecreep write the kind of music that lends itself perfectly to the love and tragedy one would witness at a dramatic stage play, at least emotionally speaking.

Metallica are preparing to unleash their new 3D film, 'Metallica Through the Never,' which centers on the adventures of a runner named Trip who is tasked with an important mission for the band that must be completed during their live performance.

How gifted a songwriter is Dave Mustaine? Well, the heavy metal mastermind has written so many great songs that some of them haven't even made it onto regular Megadeth albums. Like his former Metallica bandmates during their peak years ('86-'92), Mustaine has given record collectors a lot to be happy about, dropping stellar non-album Megadeth tracks on everything from soundtrack compilations to single B-sides.