genesis

Ian Christe is a heavy metal renaissance man. Not only has he written for everyone from Spin to Metal Maniacs, he's also released music as Dark Noerd and in 2007 he launched his own book publishing house called Bazillion Points. Since then he released Daniel Ekeroth's 'Swedish Death Metal,' the unofficial bible for the beloved scene...

Guitar, bass and drums are the conventional instrumentation for nearly all heavy metal. Some bands have also used organs or synthesizers, and throughout the history of the genre, a select few have utilized the Mellotron, a magnetic-tape keyboard originally invented as the Chamberlin organ in a California garage in the late 1940s...

While the name Barren Earth might suggest desolation and destruction, this Finnish band is growing like a finely watered metallic plant. And their name doesn't have any super deep meaning about the future of man and the planet he calls home...

Casablanca Records was one of the most successful labels during the 1970s. In terms of disco, they had no real competition with acts like the Village People and Donna Summer on their roster. But it was their 1973 signing of Kiss that helped fund the label's later foray into disco -- and later, feature films...

For the last five years, it seems as though the entire Kiss Army lets out a collective grumble each fall, when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees are announced for the coming year. Like the Moody Blues (who still aren't in the Hall) and Black Sabbath, who were ignored for years until their induction a few years back, Kiss always seemed to get ignored -- and the fans have responded in kind...

Crafting a full-bore concept album, complete with 17-minute epics, is a daunting task for any musician. To remain focused while following a thematic template is no easy feat. For prog rock forward thinkers Astra, who employ things like mellotrons, synths and flutes into their unconventional sonic stew, it was a beautiful mistake...