How did you get into metal?

 

1984, I was 10 years old, and after an older friend introduced me to Iron Maiden and Metallica (among others, the guy was a real metal freak at 13 years of age), Ride the Lightning came out.  It was the first record I bought with my own money.  Been hooked on metal ever since, and still hooked today, at 35 years of age.

You Kids!(Get off my Lawn!).
It truely amazes me to see comments like "My Father listened to..." or "Guitar Hero got me into..." and for me "those" Bands are relatively young, and I realize a few things, I'm an Old Fart and where did I go wrong? I am probably older than most of those Fathers, and I have no kids and not much of a life.  I guess because I'm not your average Headbanger, I never had a thing for booze, just the smell of Pot gives me a headache, I dont talk to people like an [%&*@] and I look waaaaaay younger than my age.
I love wearing Long Sleeve Death/Thrash/Prog Rock-Metal Shirts on occasion and the length of my hair has grown under my shoulder blades only within the past 5 years or so (and 1st time in my life I'm happy with my hair) with its few threads of white (My Father and Grandfathers died with full heads of hair, so I'm blessed with that) .
And I dont go into the Slam Pits (Yes you youngins, thats right! we folk back'in dem days called them Slam Pits! Moshing wuz when da' music slowed down and 'evryone started goin' 'round in a circle before slamin' agin'! Woo Hoo!), I go to as many Club Shows and Concerts as I can when I can afford it, and I still get carded.  . . . I'm 46 I've actually been around for the "Births" of Metal Sub-genres.
. . . thats freakin' scary.

Every memory I have can be a Push-pin brought on by a Song in Metal, a time and place I was, what I was thinking, a smell, a taste, a terrible momment, an embarrasing thing I said, the wonder of something new, a transition in life . . . my life.

Time for a LONG read

Story time!  So forgive, get your fave brew (or whatever), sit back and hopefully you wont fall asleep . 

All your stories are your own and I am enjoying the read .  And its great that a younger generation is finding outlits to discover Heavy Metal.
But I hope you don't mind, please indulge me while I tell my story and thank you, even if you are bored out of your mind (and forgive some of my "opinions").

" . . . MY Opinion is just a Point of View, and YOUR position, is the otherside"
- Fates Warning

Music, Rock, Metal, Prog, LIFE.

Logan wrote: Metal isn't just music; it's a way of life -- heavy booze, heavy banging, and heavy metal, who could really ask for anything more? I'm not so much into the annihilation thing, though 'tis better to bang out than to burn out I say.

I'm a picky sort, and I sometimes "think too much", there are certain citeria of what appeals to me, but at the same time I have such a love for a variety of music, that it can be hard reading other peoples views that seem to come from only one side.  And "Heavy Metal" seems to be the epitome of that unfortunately.
I NEVER understood the "Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll" thing, I've only seen it destroy my Heroes, and lives throughout my life, from people I knew or stories I read or made the headlines. 
Pete Townsend once said, "To you they were your heroes, but these were my Friends!".   It must be hard to see your peers make bad choices and lose them .
The Sex part, I figured...  I'll watch Porn , or experience the real thing.  Though Metal should have NO bounderies AT ALL, no rules. I had my own ideas what appealed to me. Sure the occasional Sex inuendos are hard to avoid, but what really mattered to me was the gift of playing their instruments to the highest degree . . . period.  Later, I would identify with the lyrics and would read and learn it all word for word.
I hated the sloppy, or the "fits in a round hole" or this is whats in.  I was in for the Guitarists, the Tone, The Execution, The Creativity, Originality.  But as long as you did it with a heart and soul, you believed in it, then it would shine through to the music.

Seeds of Distortion (and 8-Tracks, 45's and LP's).
The Late 1960's brought a change in the air for the Guitar, not only "Fuzz" but Distortion, not only distortion but no more plucking individule strings sounding like a distorted Rubber Band, other than Guitarists like Alvin Lee (of Ten Years After) who was Blues-based but added Overdrive yet his tone was very clear but Heavy.  Hendrix, Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton with Cream, learned the power of the "Power/Bar Chord", that sustaning note strummed to let the chords "ring out", which Critics would scold because they were still in a frame of mind of "Rock 'n Roll" and making Hit Songs, "Just another 4 Chords Band" they would say.  I was just a little geeky kid, but I remember that somewhere, TV interviews, Critics criticizing things they just analized too much. But those Chords appealed to me something primal.
But the Beatles were the building block of my formative Years, especially Rubber Soul and the Albums after.

My Father had a Cheapy Acoustic Classical Guitar and a Harmony Hollow Body Electric with a Tube Harmony Amp, I tried to play both, but they were "Clean", too clean in sound and I always remembered at around 5 to 7 years old that I couldnt squeeze out the DISTORTION!  I just didnt understand.
So I gave up on it for awhile.

Cream, Vanilla Fudge, Jimi Hendrix, Blue Cheer, MC5, Alvin Lee and Ten Years After, The Kinks, The Who, and a few others, all these Bands that I only heard small bits of on Radio drew me in with the facination of Distorted Guitars, then . . . I noticed the "sound", their abilities to sound so different than each other.  I grew up on all kinds of Music so I was well versed on variety at a very young age. 
Everything was new, a very different time, it almost seemed that even Pop songs had a bit more musicality, even if they were less than 5 minutes long.  But I was exposed to almost every possible music . . .
And I was open to anything with a young fertile mind.

The Move to Angrier Tones.
Where the roots come from . . .
At 7 I moved from California to Louisiana, from day 1 I hated it, me and my Father were rediculed about our Spanish Heritage (I'm Spanish/Sicilian, my Folks are from Honduras with a Heritage that goes back to Toledo Spain and a 16th Century Painter) and I was a timid nappy headed boy who was completely naive to everything. My Father was a pretty tough guy in Central America.
He Ran my Grandfathers Ranch, a Forman at 15! But his mind was always to come to America, California specifically, the land of Movies and "Rock and Roll" to raise a Family.
He used to be the "Head guy" in his group of friends, an Uncle told me and my Brother in recent years that he used to carry around an Acoustic Guitar, singing and strumming like some balladier.  Apparently thats what attracted my Mom, and he looked like a young Elvis (me and my Brother have his "Lip Quiver" thing, but only when we get really pissed-off).   But he was also the guy "If you have a problem with my friends, you had to go through me", thats what my Uncle told us he'd say to Bullies.
My Father tried to become a Citizen at 19 by joining up with the Marines in 1959, then again in 1961, but he had flat-feet, so he took the old fashioned route by applying for citizenship, so did my Mom.
He probably would have gone to Vietnam, if he survived, no telling how his "temper" would've been "back in the World". My Mom learned English in College in "British Honduras" (now Belize) and my Father learned by watching Football Games , we became hard-core Oakland Raider Fans.
So my Father went through alot.  In the Parish we lived in, it was really racist, and my Dad dealt with alot at the Avondale Ship Yards as a Welder on Destroyers.  Me, I learned very young that I wasnt good at anything, except Drawing, and not doing well in class brought redicule from Teachers, Bullies, then at Home . . . I was a mess.
A big dissapoinment to my Parents.

The 3 things that saved me was Music and my Art.  And divine intervention (and possibly the 5 years of Shotokan Karate, I was a 3rd Dan Brown Belt by 14). 
Many of the Music the Family owned was only in the more "Rock" catagory and Contemporary Vocalists.  I was totally emersed in the Beatles. And Santana because my Father loved the 1st 5 albums.  So these were the seeds for Progressive Rock, but the harder edged stuff came a close 2nd in my life.  Grand Funk Railroad would be the first of the Hard Rock "Bands" to enter my conciousness, the wailing soulful singing and Blues Heavy Guitar of Mark Farmer made an impression to these young ears (and the Hammond Organ sound!).
Along with many others and those distorted guitars.

The 2nd.
One day in English Class in Junior High, struggling through the books while the Teacher was out of the room, one of the Bullies had a small Transistor Radio, he says to me "Hey! You know who THIS is?" . . .
as I hear these slow pulsing riffs on a Guitar that I actually noticed was kind of cool.  I said to him, "I dont know, Grand Funk?" . . .
He slaps the back of my head and he says, "No BITCH, thats Fog Hat!".
. . . my introduction to "Slow Ride" and Foghat .

From that day, I knew my Bands, what songs stood out.  I started listening closer to what I liked.  And to this day, I want to punch that pricks face-in! (Probably a Fat balding b*****d now).

UFO, Amboy Dukes, The Who, The Eagles, Heart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alman Brothers Band, Grand Funk, Foghat, Black Oak Arkansas, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Brownsville Station, Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO), Queen, Humble Pie, Nazereth, Mahogany Rush, Uriah Heep and Led Zeppelin.  These bands had a heavier sound, but for some reason I was missing out on the Bands that would come into my collection Years later and represented what "Heavy Metal" sounded like from the beginning like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Deep Purple.
But the memory of a few Deep Purple songs, without really knowing "who" they were would stay until my rediscovery decades later.

A Heavier Direction.
By the time we finally decided to move away from Louisiana after 7 long years, other Bands were starting to make their way with bigger hits and newer Bands.  Boston was everything I wanted in a Band, dualing Guitars, A fantastic Vocalist and catchy but Hard Rock tunes. It was the summer of 1977.  "Don't look back"
would debut and I'd listen to my LP on a regular basis.

Soon after the move, Van Halen made its debut . . .
What the HELL is that guy doing to that Guitar!?  So many people take for granted what he's done, but to my generation, it was like seeing Hendrix at Monterey Burn his Guitar while still plugged in! (Later on in life, I would discover Steve Hackett with Genesis and Allan Holdsworth were using the same techniques before Van Halen, even though they were not as "flashy" with it).
4 Bands were my ultimate faves:
1. Kansas. My 1st foray into Progressive Rock.
2. Boston. They were the perfect Hard Rock Band.
3. Van Halen . . . welcome to a Heavier Hard Rock World.
4. Kiss. I listened to "Destroyer" Religiously.

I got my 1st Albums and Cassettes of my own, though I got a few more Albums from Kiss. They really never satisfied after Destroyer and I never went backwards in their catalogue, I think I was more into the "Image" and following the crowd.  Foriegner, ELO, Ted Nugent, Eagles would be the next LP's and Cassettes. Rock with a more "progressive" bent started to prevade my time.  Along with 1 hit wonders and . . .
DISCO !!!
That only lasted for a few months when I got bored with the repetitive lyrics and simple music.  I chanted "Disco Sucks" with every other kid Rocker.
But then I started noticing Bands like Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Bad Finger, Bad Company, Journey, AC~DC, Thin Lizzy, Sweet and more Led Zeppelin, Heart, Kansas, Queen, and The Who. Just the "Hits" on AM and my rare listens of FM Radio.

We lived in the sweltering heat of the "Valley" (San Fernando Valley) in an Apartment Complex right off Van Nuys Blvd. that was famous for Car "Cruising" until it was outlawed that Summer.  But that lasted only a Year till we found a nice neighborhood in West Covina with a new House and I started Highschool.
Highschool was a 3 and a half year blur, all I remember was un-happiness, except for a few friends, noticing pretty girls and my Art/Drawing class, otherwise a very unhappy time in my life.

It wasnt until I turned 17 that Kansas, Yes, Van Halen, Heart and Boston were my faves.  But the Prog side of things were dominating. Then in 1980 . . . I heard . . .
"The Spirit of Radio" . . . this song had such odd time changes, such a strange vocalist, the Drums and the Guitar were soo . . . I dont know, this song sounded like 3 songs in one. And for the 1st time I noticed . . . the Bass Guitar, but in this case, it was Geddy's famous Tone.
I did not know what to make of Rush.  But by 1981 when I had to go to a Continuation School to get my Diploma, I had a classmate who was telling me that he was going to see Rush on their "Moving Pictures Tour" and he talked about the Drummer how awesome he was.  Then "Tom Sawyer", "Red Barchetta" and "YYZ" hit me like a Ton of Bricks . . . I was hooked. 
But "Camera Eye" and "Witch Hunt" were profound (as "Jacobs Ladder" and "Natural Science" on the previous album "Permanent Waves").
Also, the Scorpions "Animal Magnitism" debuted, I didnt know "Germans" made this kind of Music!
This could very well be my 1st real "Heavy Metal" Album.  Soon the NWOBHM would hit our shores but I missed it, I was in some sort of bubble, all I heard from it was the fantastic debut of Def Lepard "On Through the Night".

The Change.
At 18 my best friends nieghbor Alex, was getting into Hard Rock and he had a Guitar, so we clicked right away and he got me a Job (my 1st) where he worked.
Then music got a turn for the heavier, Ozzy Osbourne from the Band we were just discovering, Black Sabbath, split and he got his own band . . .
Then came Randy Rhodes.  The DARK version of Eddie Van Halen.  Same chops, just a bit less flash and heavy on the HEAVY and the Classical influence turned up a notch.
THIS was Heavy Metal.

My Best friend Glenn, was a Kansas fan as well and he introduced me to Genesis, its soo hard to imagine that I "couldnt get it", so many time changes, weird lyrics and strange sounding instruments.
It was like a friend in High School playing Pink Floyd's "Animals" on his high-end Stereo System, so strange and wonderful yet . . .
I just didnt understand it. 
I remember asking Alex while driving back home late after our Graveyard shift, "Alex, have you heard this band called Iron Maiden? I was hearing about them somewhere" . . . "Nope" he'd say.
Amazing that I wouldnt hear their music till about 6 years later.

By the time I got my 2nd Job at 19, I was a Rush fanatic, across the street, there was a "Zody's" Dept. Store and they had an LP sale, all Records $4.99!   They had EVERY Rush Album up to the latest Moving Pictures . . . I bought them all and just dived in. For a time I thought Peter Criss of Kiss had the ultimate Drum Solo on "Kiss Alive II" that I worshipped since 1978.  Then I heard "YYZ" on "Exit... Stage Left".
. . . turned into a Drum Worshipper overnight and Neil Peart became God on Earth. It was because of him I started identifying with Lyrics (Song Writer/Lyricist).
I started getting into early Shredders as well, like Robin Trower, Jeff Beck, Pat Traverse Band, Ronnie Montrose, Sammy Hagar (He was a Guitar Hero way back when) and more.


Somewhere over the Rainbow.
At Alex's House, we watched a Late Night Video show called "Rock World", keep in mind this is 1982 (MTV was just a thought).  On this particular night a Concert Festival in England called "The Monsters of Rock at Castle Donnigton Speedway" was shown.
And here is Top40 Radio DJ "Rick Dees" announcing Rainbow!
. . . . . . Oh My God!
How could I have missed out on Ritchie Blackmore and Deep Purple all those Years?
The Rainbow album "Down to Earth" debuted a few months before and I noticed the "Hits" on the Radio, but seeing Graham Bonnet WAILING those songs, and Blackmore, such a Showman reving-up the crowd and doing weird things to his Guitar . . .
Then the Sound FX Guitar Solo, all alone on stage making the strangest noises,  a (Rush and) Rainbow fanatic I became.  I bought all the previous Rainbow albums and discovered not only the HUGE Deep Purple "Family Tree", but . . . DIO.
The Ronnie James Dio era of Rainbow just floored me, I was hooked.  Both "Rising" and "Long Live Rock n Roll" just bring me back to the sounds, the "smell" of the Vinyl and the Cardboard of the Covers, the time, like stepping into a time machine. Reading the Lyrics and the credits, admiring the Art.
It prompted me to ask my Parents for a "Strat" Guitar from a neighborhood Guitar Shop in West Covina, across from the School I couldnt wait to leave, Nogales High School in LaPuente Ca.  So me and Alex played, bought Stomp Boxes and emulated our heroes as best we could.
Dio soon replaced Ozzy in Sabbath and I became a big fan of "Heaven and Hell" (the Album) and the subsequent albums with vocalists Dio, Glenn Hughes, Ian Gillan (Both from Deep Purple) and Tony Martin.
From then on, I became an Album Collector at 20.

I also got into the Southern Rock phase, Molly Hatchett, Point Blank, 38 Special, The Outlaws, Blackfoot, Atlanta Rythem Section, Allman Brothers Band and others. Some of these guys embraced the Metal edge as well.
Music was getting heavier, progressive and I ate it all up.  I had no idea what would come next . . .

Discovery, A Sea of Possibilities.
Well like everyone else, one Band leads to another, to new eras of Sub-genres, to re-discovery or discoveries of Bands you missed out on.

Then on a local Station (Now gone) KMET, the very popular DJ "Jim Ladd" had one of the 1st 3 Hour Metal Shows in the Nation called "The KMetal Shop".  This is when I became a full fledged Metal Head!
Judas Priest, UFO, Black Sabbath, Scorpions (with Uli Jon Roth), April Wine, Rush, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Gary Moore (in the hey day of his Metal years), Motorhead, Whitesnake (the days when they were a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Blues Band), Triumph, Accept, Krokus, Budgie, Praying Mantis, Samson, Saxon and more were played.  I never realized there was so much!
And to hear the actual debut albums from:
Metallica, Megadeth, Savatage, Queensryche, Savage, Razor, St. Vitus, Trouble, Metal Church, Exciter, Possessed, Slayer, Testament, Armoured Saint, Roughcutt, Anthrax, Exodus, Angelwitch, Bodine, Anvil, TNT, Warlord, Laaz Rockit, C.O.C., Y&T, Heritic, Hades, Demon, Dokken, Vandenburg, White Sister, Lizzy Borden, Tyrant, Man O War, Virgin Steel, TT Quick, Fifth Angel, Sanctuary, Great White, Alcatrazz, Stryper, Riot, Malice, Raven, WASP, Diamond Head, Cirith Ungol, Rail, Motley Crue, King Diamond, Candlemass, Shock Paris, Pretty Maids, Dwarf, Mamma's Boys, David Chastain/Chastain, Cathedral, Tank, Manilla Road, Crimson Glory, Zebra (Which would be my 2nd Concert to attend, they were really awesome too!) and many others.  And from Japan! Loudness, Earthshaker, Bow Wow, Anthem and Dead End. . . . Heavy Metal heaven. 
I started buying as much of these as I could and started making Compilation Tapes.  Metal engulfed my world.

"Youre no Metal Fan!" . . .
Its kind of funny, I was often ridiculed not being an "AC~DC" Fan, "How can you be a Metal head if...".  I liked a few of their songs, but it seemed most of their songs sounded too alike, with Bon Scott and the era with Brian Johnson (I wanted them to break out of the Blues-bar based Rock foundation, but then, they wouldnt be AC~DC).  I would defend myself by saying, "Well, I like the Accept, Krokus and Def Lepard's High and Dry versions of AC~DC, they seem to have a harder edge and better Guitar skills!"
. . . yes, I still believe that, my taste is not for everyone .
If your'e smacking your face about "Krokus"!?, Krokus made a name for themselves when the "Headhunter" album was released, and had a Hit with "Screaming in the Night", but the rest of the album was VERY heavy for its time.  But their previous albums were totally influenced by AC~DC, even Lyrically with that "Bad Boy/Scrapper" attitude, only they were from Switzerland.  It was like knowing the latter day Scorpions and finding a "new band" from their past with Uli Jon Roth (haha, that was me!).
Accept could also be the 1st band that I had no problem with the Rough/Screaming voice of Udo Dirkschneider, which was a sort-of heavier Johnson but the music side was very Heavy Metal.  "Fast as a Shark" has been recognized as possibly being the 1st Speed Metal song of its kind (Motorhead could be argued as being the 1st, but there was a familiarity with FaaS, it wasnt raw, it was precise).
Savatage was beat to the punch by one year (Accept 1982), for in 1983 they released their 1st album "Sirens", another super heavy band for its time and "Rage" may have been up there as another 1st for Speed Metal, Metallica's "Kill 'em All" would be released on the following June.  I still have the original pressing of Siren's on LP with the original Artwork.
Loudness from Japan was next, the album "Law of the Devils Land" was simply astounding, Guitarist Akira Takasaki was incredibly technical and fast . . . then to learn that this album also came out in 1983, but on January 21st.  The cuts "In the Mirror" and the appropriately titled "Speed" can very well be the 2nd Speed Metal songs (who went into the recording studio 1st I wonder).
. . . I devoured these Accept, Savatage and Loudness albums.  This was a new Era, the birth of Heavy Metal and seeds for a new sub-genre.

A few years later. . .
The next change was my younger Brother, he was getting into the old and newer Punk.  And a new genre of Punk started, The "Crossover" Bands that would soon turn into "Speed Metal", as "Thrash" would become the term. So he would play DRI, Excell and Nuclear Assault.  I didnt get it.  Theyre playing soo fast I dont understand it, the vocals werent "Melodic" but rough.  But something stuck, the more I listened, the more I understood it.  He also introduced me to "Beneath the Remains" by Sepultura. Possesed and Slayer were the 1st steps of "Death Metal" (I remember Slayer being called Death Metal, I think only because of the so-called "Satanic" lyrics, how far we've come), but it took a bit of time to get used to the Screaming and "Cookie" vocals.  But Sepultura were so damn tight, the drumming by Igor Cavalera was incredible, I quickly got into them.  I got into the Joey Belladonna era of Anthrax as well whole-heartedly.
At this time I also discovered Warrior, a Band much like Queensryche.  And it was watching a local Video show when I saw "Fighting for the Earth" that I turned my Brother and friend onto it.  I'd soon find the Album and play it religiously, an excellent album! (Its really too bad that this album was not re-released on CD, I have seen the original pressing once. Though I still have the LP).

Soon after that, we moved from West Covina to Chino California.  The KMET show was now long gone but I started noticing College Radio Stations.  I had a real good Antenna and I picked up on the local station of Harvey Mudd College in Claremont.  Here was this guy doing an ALL Thrash and Death Metal Show, I believe around 1990 at 10pm.  From Countries I could not imagine. Finland, Norway, Germany, Sweden, South America.  The show was called "Infernal Rage" and was the number 1 Radio Show at a Prestigious Ivy League University! At 10pm to 1am.  In-Turn that made a local Store called Rhino Records THEE place
to find rare and precious "Metal".
He was so Hard-core, he refused to play Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth .
So I was treated to (many Debut albums!):
Sepultura, Slayer, Exodus, Sentenced, Realm, Forbidden, Holocross, Powermad, Nuclear Assault, Voi Vod, Carcass, Holocaust, Coven, Mordred, Testament, Kreator, Viking,  Deathrow, Pestilence, Morbid  Death, Coroner, Dark Angel, Death Angel, Liege Lord, At the Gates, Napalm Death, Iron Christ, Celtic Frost, Tournaquet, INC, Faith or Fear, Atrophy, Acrophet, S. O. B., Destruction, Kataklysm, Toxic, Autopsy, M.O.D./S.O.D., Possesed, Carnivor, Cynic, Exhorder, Hirax, Excell, Waysted Youth, Suicidal Tendencies, Overkill, Zoetrope, DRI, Intruder,  Vio-Lence, Godflesh, Gorefest, Evil Dead, Bathory, Mercyful Fate, Leeway, Sabbat, Znowhite, Obituary, Entombed, Atrocity, Acid Bath, Demolition Hammer, Cryptic Slaughter, Flotsam & Jetsam, Heathen, Tankard, Sodom, Hexx, Lawnmower Death, Mortal Sin, Xentrix, Hellb*****d, Annihilator,  DBC, Overdose,  Holy Moses, Holy Terror, Uncle Slam, Onslaught, Artillery, Mekong Delta, Malevolent Creation, Mortification, Dorsal Atlantica, Deicide, Anacrusis, Defiance, Cromags, Sacred Riech, Sadus, Benediction, Nocturnus, Extreme Noise Terror, Nuclear Death, Athiest, Attaxx, The Accused (and TONS more. Thats about all I can remember off the top of my head).
I talked to the DJ alot on the Phone about the Genre, and then ended up visiting him, and he was this young Kid in his late Teens from Seattle Washington, pimpled faced, but really knew his stuff.  But I was really amazed at his collection, he would bring in about 3 Milk Crates filled with Swedish Thrash Compilations and other Thrash/Death Metal Albums, and he said, "I have alot MORE at Home on LP's CD's and Cassettes!".  Just so hard to imagine so-much, especially back then.
I then discovered some on my own, sometimes word of mouth, a write-up in a Trade Mag or taking the chance on a cool Album Cover.  So I made alot of Prog and Metal finds.

Things took a turn- for what would become my fave Genre of Metal.  Tech-Thrash (Prog Metal and Math Metal later in life). I discovered Watchtower and Cacophony, I was FLOORED at how they remembered all the time changes and Ron Jarzombek, Marty Friedman and Jason Becker would be my new Guitar Gods, up there with Blackmore, Alex Lifeson, Kerry Livgren and Rich Williams (Kansas), and Steve Howe (Yes).
But I wanted more! Soon I became huge fans of:
1. Watchtower
2. Cacophony
3. Athiest
4. Sabbat (uk)
5. Cynic
6. Forbidden
7. Sanctuary
8. Rosicrucian
9. Powermad
10. Realm
11. Anacrusis
12. Death (later days)
13. Atrocity
14. Panic
15. Wrathchild (US)
16. Depressive Age
And also got into Christian Thrash Metal like, Deliverence, Believer, Tournaquet, Vengence Rising, The Crucified and Mortification (All these bands above are a bit spread out throughout the next 10 years, so my references of time are a bit blurred).

The Power of 4.
Sabbat, Realm, Powermad and Forbidden made big impacts in my life.
The men from Nottingham! Sabbat was different, they talked of Paganism but in such a heavy way,
by the time their 2nd album came, "Dreamweaver: A Reflection of our Yesterdays" I was a full blown
fan.  Martin Walkyier I'll say time and time again is a Shakesperian, Dickens-like Bard!  His clever
use of double entendre's and of the English is truely poetic, no-one comes close except John Arch
with Fates Warning back in the day. Martins voice- rough, screams and cookie vocals fit perfectly.
And the Music got more complex with an addition of a 2nd Guitarist, the whole package was unique
and so different than anything out there at the time.  By the time we saw a 3rd album, Martin left and
formed "Skyclad", and Sabbat went in a more "Math" direction, much to the shigrin of most of their
fans, but I LOVED it.  A more operetic, melodic vocalist was hired by the name of Ritchie Desmond
and Andy Sneap's Guitar playing had almost no trace of "Rock and Roll structure".  His wild fusions
in the guitar solos were outrageous and amazing . . . "Mourning has Broken" was way ahead of its
time and most listeners. Sneap would go on to be a Famous Heavy Metal Engineer and Producer
(To reform Sabbat later with Martin, and go on a first-time World Tour in 2008 and 09).
Forbidden was a band to me that epitomized everything I wanted in Thrash; Techanical, Complex,
the Riffage we come to expect but they played difficult Arpeggios and Motifs.  Russ Anderson the
vocalist who looked like a Viking with Long Redhair, on the 2nd album "Twisted Into Form" (On the
back of the LP version) there is a photo of him as if he was engulfed in flames! THAT is the
representation of his vocals, from a Rob Halford like Scream, to melodic "singing", rough thrash to
grunting, but with emphasis on melody as well as barking the words in syncopation with the
percussive attacks of all the musicians.
Also the song lyrics were about everything I was interested in, self integrity, anti-drug (Step by
Step), the self-destruction of Racism (Twisted into Form) and just about any real world issues.
On their reformation album and 3rd full length release "Distortion", they were adding a bit more
Progressive elements, including doing an awesome Thrash version of King Crimson's "21st
Century Schitzoid Man". You also have 2 members that went onto grace other Bands like Guitarist
Tim Calvert (Nevermore) and Drummer Paul Bostaph (Slayer, Testament).  An amazing Band.
Powermad, another Band ahead of their time as well with their modern melodic Thrash, but
could be just as complex and added stop and go timing, with a VERY melodic singer (Much like
Toxic, but I think this voice was more fitting) Joel DuBay and he could really sustain a screaming
and 5 octave yell!
And he played Rythem and Lead Guitar along with his more than capable fellow Guitarist Todd
Haug.  Sadly, they only recorded 1 EP and 1 Full-length. They also had a famous member from
Drummer John Macaluso (Absolute Power), he would go onto Bands such as Riot, TNT,
Yngwie Malmsteen, Ark and his own John Macaluso & Union Radio.
Realm was highly unusual, their structures were not typical Thrash, fast, chugging, but with
lightning fast tempos and chord changes, but they could do melodic songs that were just as heavy,
but not following the typical structures of most Thrash, highly Progressive influences and they are
1 of the 1st Thrash Bands to use Guitar Synths.  The vocalist Marc Antoni could scream
unbelievably high, and had an unusual melodic but strong powerful voice (and an interesting
vibrato at times).  They are well known for their remake of one of my fave Beatles classics "Elenor
Rigby".  Its how I would have done it, I remembered being completely floored how fast but how
they kept the integrity of its core, as the Guitars would do the "String Riffs" and Antoni just belting
-out  "Whoooaaa!, Look at all the Lonely People!!!!" and then he would perfectly split his voice into
Harmonies at the right time . . . truely amazing. 
They also do "One more Red Nightmare" by King Crimson on the re-release of "Suiciety", sadly
again, only 2 Full-length albums.
Later: Rosicrucian, Athiest, Cynic and Wrathchild were soon to follow.  As well as the "Human" thru
"The Sound of Perseverence" era of Death would be the other extreme Tech-Thrash/Math Metal to
totally engross my ears and my ever growing collection.

The Virtuosos.
I would also discover other Shredders ala' Friedman and Becker, like Yngwie Malmsteen's solo albums (I was already a fan of him in Alcatrazz) defining the "Neo-Classical Prog Metal" era along with Tony MacAlpine. Then Joe Satriani, Joey Taffola, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe, Paul Gilbert (and Racer X) and Steve Vai whom I discovered a few years before on his Debut, as he would become one of my fave Guitarists as well, and having a collection of Guitar Player Magazine, a Cover story of Frank Zappa and an insert called, "Zappa's Italian Virtuoso".  I would read about Vai 1st, then on another Local College Radio show I heard "The Attitude Song" . . .  was my reaction, and I have the 1st 3 pressings of that album with its different covers.  And before Zappa this would be my introduction to "Humour" in Rock/Metal and Prog.
It was there I would discover all the Prog and Jazz/Fusion Shredders.  And Bands with incredible Guitarists like Michael Schenker (and MSG), Blue Murder w/John Sykes, and Hard Rockers Tesla, Tora Tora, Saigon Kick and Kingdom Come.


Forgive forgive! (Me or Them?)
"Painted plastic faces stealing mommies make up
Masque the false gods with mannequin smiles
Prima donnas play upon their pedestal of fame
Unborn girls false fascade illegitamate child
I won't play your game . . ."
- "Valley of the Dolls"/Fates Warning

From their things took a turn for the rediculous . . . "Glam Rock", not the cool stuff from the 70's like Sweet, Slade or Bowie. "Cock Rock" and the INSULTING "Hair Metal" (I refuse to put the word Metal into anything associated with this . . . music). Well welcome to "Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll to excess times 150!
Those bands appealed NOTHING to me, it was pretty much incapsulated by the Film, "The Decline of Western Civilization: The Metal Years" They all looked and sounded like a bunch of Bafoons, you could smell the STENCH through the TV speakers. It all came to a head when at the end of the Documentary . . . the Saviours of the Film summed it all up, Dave Mustaine, and Dave Ellefeson of Megadeth:
"...I want to stay at a street level, I dont want to have any pretentious values in life, to write music for the dollar sign" -Mustaine
"...I'm in this business because of Megadeth is in this business-and thats because of attitude, integrity and music" -Ellefeson

I was one of those guys who whole heartedly believed in "NO GLAM FAGS", (sorry fans).
I just hated that stuff and still do.  The Metal I liked was full of integrity, yes, some succumbed to Drugs and Alcohol, but many cleaned-up, some didnt make it, but this goes back to what I said about Sex, Dugs and Rock 'n Roll, I just see it as self-destructive, plain and simple.
Lyrics mean the world to me and I always wanted to hear what bands had to say, and Glam said nothing to me, it wasnt my scene, I couldnt relate, and I wasnt a womanizing b*****d.  I have always likened Thrash and Death Metal as the "Modern Folk Rock" of that era because they spoke Independence, free thinking, life, liberty and the persuit of happiness, no matter what backround youre from. From Politics to the Human Condition, and nothing was Taboo (though some of it was perverted and revolting).
As long as it was a creative and a profoundly insightful, it was all good.

From then on with 3 new friends, we discovered new Music Stores, I played my compilation Tapes in their Cars and we planned on seeing Bands for the first time.
Iron Maiden, Queensryche and Metallica fought to be 1st place in my Metal mantle though.  All completely different from each other, but Metallica opened the door for the extreme Metal.  From the 1st listen of "Fight Fire with Fire" . . . its all it took.
Iron Maiden was the late find, but by the time "Piece of Mind" was released, I worshipped them.
Queensryche was probably my 1st Prog Metal Band, they were discovered from their debut on the KMetal Shop program like Metallica's debut with "Kill 'em All".
Can't tell you how me and my friend worshipped that debut (EP) Album and how we couldnt wait for their next Full Length Album "The Warning".  An excellent album all the way through but it was NM156 and Roads to Madness that really blew my socks off ("Rage for Order" would be the 1st time to see them, at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium).  Savatage and Metal Church would be close behind, as well as the Tech/Thrash Bands I mentioned.  In later years, that list of Tech/Thrash bands would grow and they were vying for top of the heap (hehe, to mention all of them, would be to list my entire Catalogue).

I emersed myself into Metal, I moved in with a friend named Don in Garden Grove California (Orange County), and he became a "Guitar Junky".
He was more into the Guitar Shredders and he was a big "George Lynch (Dokken)" fan, so he bought Aria Guitars, modified them and painted them in the Famous "Tiger Stripes".  He would have parts strewn all over the Living Room, we looked like a Music Parts Store!  We would make trips to Hollywood on "Guitar Row" on Sunset Blvd., stop at The Mesa Boogie Repair Shop to get parts. What a time we had.
I tried to emulate the sounds of Metallica, Metal Church, Queesnsryche, Saxon and Savatage by buying Pedals, tweaking my friends Mesa Boogie Studio 22 Amp, and modify my Piece of sh*t Memphis Strat, it got routed, re-gutted and drilled soo much, I cut-out a few stickers and stuck the words "Killed" onto my Guitar.
Whats the saying, "You can't polish a piece of  S. . ." , you know?
But I learned alot about creating my own sounds, it never fails nowadays, when ever I hear a sound that people eww and awe about, many a time I can honestly say . . . " hmm, I did that one".

He was into playing covers and good at reading Tabliture.  Me on the other hand had a pretty good ear, but I could never get everything accurate, I took lessons at the little Guitar Shop in West Covina, but like the Lessons and Math in School, it wouldnt keep.  So I ended up being an "Improvisational" player, not with any plans to be a Guitarist instead of a Professional Artist, I just couldnt imagine writing songs and recording them.  I limited my limitations unfortunatly.

I was getting more into the heavier stuff than Don was . . .
We had the Florida, New York, and San Francisco "Sound" from Thrash and Death Metal, The Swedish Death Scene that progressed to Norway and Finland.  Grindcore grew, "Gore Metal" started gaining more footing, but I started getting into "Doom Metal" even though I had a taste a few years earlier on KMET, like Celtic Frost, Candlemass, St. Vitus, Cathedral, Trouble, Solitude Aternus, Momento Mori and others.

A new station from Orange County hit the Airwaves as well, KNAC of Hunington Beach.
The 1st all Metal Radio Station, for the 1st few years it was pretty cutting edge, and thats where I 1st heard Pantera as "Cowboys from Hell" debuted.  I loved the Stop and Go timing of "Dimebag" and his Brother on Drums.  Thanks to them and Bands like Propain, Sepultura and the "Chaos AD" sound and Machine Head, out grew the "Aggro Metal" Scene. Also about this time The "Seattle Sound" hit, I was only into a few Bands that came out with this "sound", its funny how some of these we consider "Metal" now.
Alice in Chains, STP, Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and at this time I became a big fan of Primus, they were so unusual but their chops were like King Crimson meets Rush meets Zappa meets Monty Python!
This Seattle Sound also spawned "Funk Metal" which I really liked, especially Mordred, 24/7 Spyz, Mind Funk , Fishbone and Faith No More.

But then KNAC became too watered-downed, "Trash Rock" became pervasive with the "Hair Bands", Glam and Grunge Gods Nirvana, which I have never understood why they were soo popular. So pick your Glam flavour and the newest sensation Guns and Roses. I couldnt get into them either.  I figured, if I wanted to hear sloppy Rock, I'll listen to the guys who made it sound "good" and that was Aerosmith!
And then "NU Metal" started growing after I left Orange County, The idea of Rap and Metal just makes me want to Puke, I can totally understand a little "flavour", but not throughout a whole song.  Thats why I liked "Funk Metal" it just seemed a bit more real, it had more to do with "Parliment/Funkadelic" and the Rapping was more of a "statement" than being wanna-be urban tough.  The whole "Thug" look with the baggy pants and boxers sticking out , Hoodies and "angled" Baseball caps just seemed so damn fake.  It was more about "Bling",  or the "Dont mess with me!" attitude, not the music.  But of all the fads, Nu Metal would stick around for quite sometime, along with its Fashion image. Ugh .

I just saw Metal being over-run by Fads, Corporate Greed and Popularity.  Basically this is when Radio died for me and I was left to my own devices searching out and finding the True Metal Bands (imo, just my own observations, so forgive me).  The Record Industry would never be the same.

Gretchen goes to Nebraska!
But a little Band from Austin Texas (by way of Mississippi) gave me a little light through the cracks, a power trio named Kings X with their blend of Rock, Blues, Gospel and Prog Metal. The lyrics were positive and all 3 members knew what a "groove" was, they would become a favorite Group in my ever growing collection as I follow them to this day.  It gave me a little hope.


Then and Now.
Things took another left-turn as the Tech Thrash became more pervasive in my collection.
After hearing about Fates Warning, my 1st Album was going to a HUGE Record Store called "Music Market" (now long gone unfortunately). The newely released "No Exit" was my first Album.
Like Rush, I was hooked! By the time the needle reached the Epic "The Ivory Gate of Dreams", I think the Technical side of things just became "it", Rush . . . Then Tech Thrash.  Such awesome Guitar work from Frank Aresti and John Matheos, and the debut of Ray Alder and his soaring vocals. From their I went backwards in their catalogue and discovered, like the Dio era Rainbow . . . John Arch. Arch's era of Fates was soo different than anything out there.
Though the 1st 2 albums he was obviously a Bruce Dickenson fan, he came to his own on "Awaken the Guardian", for me, just a perfect album of Metal at that time. Melodic yet heavy, not too fast but had Time Changes that were very unsusual and ahead of its time period.  And Arch, became such a unique and powerful Vocalist. It was a shame I missed all those years of him in the Band, and that would be the last time he'd hold a Mic till his Solo Album after . . . 30 years!  I hope we will have more.

If Queensryche and Fates Warning were the Seeds to make this new Genre germinate, It was an ad in the back of a Kerrrrang Magizine that would blow the doors wide open.
It said:
"If you like Rush and Queensryche, you'll Love Dream Theater".
The ad was for "When Dream and Day Unite", went to Music Market, found it, bought it, couldnt wait to put it on my Turntable (Yes, I have the Mechanic Label 1st pressing) . . .
From "Fortune in Lies" on Side A to the last song "A Matter of Time" on Side B, I think my mouth was agape.
I listened to that album soo much, by the time I 1st heard their next Album "Images and Words", I was upset that they let Charlie Dominici go, for me he was the voice of DT.
It was like when "Operation Mindcrime" by QR was released, I thought Rage for Order was Heavier and it actually had to grow on me!  And now I look at Operation and IAW as Classics!
And now James LaBrie IS the voice of Dream Theater (and Charlie has his excellent Prog Metal Band Dominici).

Epilogue.
Well, from then on, I kept EVERY love I had for each genre of Metal (and Prog), as it grew with a love for Jazz and Classical music, and as Bands got more experimental, heavier, stranger, I loved it all (well almost everything).
Music fell in-sinc with my Art, either enhanced it, inspired or made it easier to create so I was constantly drawing and listening to my ever growing collection. 
It also inspired me to create Logo art, from looking at my fave artists on many album covers that I emulated, and became an amalgamation of various styles, in which I became a Professional Illustrator in the Film and Video Game Industry, as well as creating Logos for various Bands (especially in Heavy Metal and Progressive Rock).
My taste for Prog grew endlessly, there was no sub-genre I did not like.  On the other hand, Metal has its genres that are too pretentious, or "gross" and others fall into somekind of Corporate Decision to sell records to Teens.  This so-called "Emo-Screamo" thing is just another cash cow, which is too bad because some of the Bands you can hear have "chops", but they sold their souls, and they seemed "put together" by Record Exects.

But I've been through the Industrial Metal, Power Metal, Dark Wave/Goth Metal, and the ever growing Death, The Gothenburg Sound/Swedish Invasion, The Nordic Invasion, Black (and "Viking Metal") Post-Avant Garde, Doom, Sludge (and Southern Sludge), Folk (Thanks to Skyclad and Martin Walkyier), Tech-Thrash, and Math Core/ Metal.  Whatever struck a cord with me, past or present it stuck, never to be forgotten and still play on my CD players.
Some are pushing bounderies while others try but get lost through the cracks, but at-least they are trying to add something to the World, something real and truely creative.  As long as you try and its from your very core of your being.

But true Metal will always be about Integrity, those are the ones who will last through time because you can hear the music, read the interviews, see them speak how much the music means to them and WHY they do it, not through their clothes or trying to look tough or how many records they sell.  Most are doing it because they are "compelled", they have to keep their "9 to 5 Jobs" to suppliment their craft, yet they play their music to offer something new.  Their creativity will shine through, in the honesty on which they play, to the highest denominator in their abilities to push the envelope.

. . . with lots of DISTORTION!!!

Thank you.
I've been through alot of ups and downs on this road, and still going through some hard times, but this love for music and the 3 constants in my life, PrOg, Metal and the Big Man upstairs (and I'm sure my Father watching over me) have literally saved me.  The Music gets me up to face the day, and when all is good, its also a comfortable place to go, no matter how complex or aggressive it is.
So thank you to the musicians that I have taken on every step of my journey.
And to the Fans that support it too . . . and to those who actually read this all the way through!
And to those others, hope it gave you a goodnight sleep .

Metal for Life! its been my Life.

-MAVIII


Sources:
If you would like to checkout my "Essays" on my Life with Prog Music, So far I have
5 Chapters written and you can find them here:
http://progrockin.blogspot.com/2008/04/road-to-life-and-progressive-rock-part.html
(Click on "MAVIII" to find other Chapters).
These stories (and above) will be the Basis for a Book I plan on writing about my Life.

To see a current list of Tech/Math Metal I'm into:
A. http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/spiral-architect/254094-i-need-bands-like-spiral-architect-4.html
(See #85 by "MAVIII")
B. http://www.progulus.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=451

And where I go to listen to Prog Rock and Prog Metal:
http://www.progulus.com/rprweb/playing.php
A great source for Prog.

Also, I think THIS Film is what Heavy Metal is all about, seeing it from the core of what it is, I EMPLORE
you all to watch "Heavy Metal in Baghdad".  Heres Part I:


Enjoy the Ride and thanks again! 

It's still one of my favorite metal albums.  

 

 

 

I got into metal music very slowly.

 

I felt bored with the music that came on TV, but I always liked dynamic songs. I listened to pop music or easy listening songs. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Billy Idol, and an East German band called Silly got me into more rocky music than I listened before.

 

Then I discovered Chris de Burgh's Spanish Train and Crusader which I enjoyed very much. It was not metal, but I liked the way the songs were structured and the way it sounded. It was similar to epic metal just without the guitars. Now, I think that these songs could be great metal songs.

 

Chris de Burgh was until then the most dynamic music I listened to. Maybe, because I started with these songs, I am still a fan of Epic Metal or Epic Doom etc. I like well-structures songs with good storytelling.

 

The music that introduced me to distorted guitars were mainly metal ballads and AOR and music from Eloy. The two songs The Final Countdown by Europe and Still Loving You by Scorpions were one of the first songs that contained some distorted guitars.

 

There was a Radio station called Radio Luxembourg and they had a rock show called Rockline with Tommy Vence. This show introduced me to AOR bands such as Journey, Boston, Loverboy, Lee Aaron, and Survivor. Also the movie Rocky III got me into AOR due to the Soundtrack of Survivor.

 

When I listened to Rockline at Radio Luxemburg, I also discovered rock bands such as Ramones, Simple Minds, The Hooters, and John Cougar Mellencamp. Also music from Toto, Kansas, and similar bands were on their programme. Then they also played some songs from Kiss mostly their album Crazy Nights. They also played songs from Rush (Hold Your Fire album) and Pink Floyd.

 

Another, way to discover rock bands was by watching Rock/Pop Live Show called Peter Pop/Rock Show on German TV. This was a Rock/Pop Show in the 1980s. Bands performed live on stage and they were pop and rock musicians. I remember that I especially enjoyed songs by Gary Moore, Europe, Bonfire, and Brian Adams. This show introduced me to some harder sounds than I had ever heard before.

 

I began recording music from Radio Luxemburg Rockline. Mostly they played rock and aor, but sometimes they also included songs from the band Victory and Meat Loaf. There is had been a class mate who invited the class to a musical called The Rocky Horror Picture Show which intoduced me to Meat Loaf. At that time, it was the hardest music, I had ever listened to.

 

I also got introduced to band such as Magnum, Triumph, and other similar bands. Another classmate introduced me to Rainbow, Deep Purple, BAP, and others.

 

The hardest album I had so far was The Final Countdown by Europe and Crazy Nights from Kiss. However, my brother bought a Long Player from Def Leppard which was Hysteria. First , I just enjoyed the slower songs, but the heavier songs grew on me over time. This record was a mixture of slower and harder songs which was good for me to get accustomed to the different sounds. First, I considered the song Run Riot as Thrash Metal, because it was the fastest and loudest I heard so far. I have not heard any real speed and thrash yet.

 

However, the more I listened to songs like Women, Run Riot, and Dogs of War, I enjoyed it.

 

At Christmas Eve, I received three albums which I of course chose: 

1. Triumph and Agony by Warlock

2. Tell No Tales by TNT

3. Fireworks by Bonfire

 

They were a step forward to Heavy Metal. Warlock and TNT introduced me to faster songs such as Three Minutes Warning or Tell No Tales.

 

It discovered the bands at another Radion show at Radio Bremen 4 which had a show called Wildside which was later renamed Nightmare. Then the was another show on a different channel called Monday Evening Rock Show. They showed everything from AOR to Thrash Metal and later Death Metal.

 

I got introduced to more harsh vocals by listening to Die Toten Hosen/Rote Rosen and Circle Jerks.

 

I discovered many bands through them and recorded their music. I discovered the band Helloween which was a big step forward to Speed Metal which has become my favorite genre, because I was so different from what I listened before. I recorded the song Twilight of the Gods on tape next to Against the Empire of Malice.

 

The interesting thing was that I did not know the title of the song of Helloween which was Twilight of the Gods. However, I wanted to have their album. Because I did not know the title of the song, I did not know from which album it was. Therefore, I just grabbed one Helloween album with the hope that this song is included. Wrong!!!!!

 

Imagine you expect a song such as Twilight of the Gods, but instead the album begins with Ride the Sky. I just got accustomed to the song Twilight of the Gods which I considered fast, but Ride the Sky was much heavier and brachial than Twilight of the Gods. Instead of Keeper of the Seven Keys, I purchased Walls of Jericho which introduced me to more brachial metal music. I have never regretted the purchase of this album, because it grew on me slowly, but surely. This album was like a bridge for me from traditional heavy metal to thrash metal. Although, I got used to Walls of Jericho, it took me a long time to appreciate thrash metal with harsh vocals and harsh vocals in general. Harsh vocals such as deathgrunts, growls, and screatching was still taboo for me.

 

Walls of Jericho was just purchase by mistake, but it turned to be a good album after several listening. First, I had trouble getting used to songs such as Ride the Sky, Phantoms of Death, and Metal Invaders, but there were more melodic songs such as Guardians and How Many Tears that I started to like first. After that I started to like Heavy Metal Is The Law and then the rest of the album.

 

During the radio show, they show a live concert of Helloween. It was the Hell On Wheels Tour and this show was in Minneapolis. Through this show I also discovered Armored Saint and bought their album Raising Fear. I was interested in Grim Reaper, too but I forgot about them until right now.

 

This was Helloween with Twilight of the Gods:

 

This is Armored Saint with Chemical Euphoria:

 

This was Grim Reaper with Lust for Freedom:

 

Through Helloween, I also got introduced to other bands by purchasing the split album Death Metal which included bands such as Helloween, Running Wild, Avenger from UK, and Hellhammer who became Celtic Frost. I was not yet ready for Hellhammer's music and I almost puked due to shock.

 

May first two thrash albums were The Principle of Doubt by Mekong Delta and World Neurosis by Living Death. The purchase of Hammerheart of Bathory introduced me to more extreme vocals, while Candlemass' Tales of Creation introduced me to Doom Metal.

 

Thrash Metal was introduced to me through a flexi disc which was included in a Metal Magazine. This disc included bands such as Atrophy, Flotsam and Jetsam, Toxic, Sacred Reich, and Znowhite. The first thrash song I ever heard had been before that which was Toxic Trace by Kreator. However, it took me a while to get accustomed.

 

The same magazine also included a similar disc which showed bands that played Hardcore such as The Idiots, Emiles and Youth of Today which introduced me to more aggressive music. I started to like Kreator's Extreme Aggression which sometimes reminded me of Warlock, but thrash.

 

Through Tiamat and Amorphis but also Crematory, Neolithic, and Bolt Thrower, I got into metal with growls and deathgrunts. Through a magazine The Legacy, I was introduced to band from the Dark Metal section such as The Third and the Mortal, Neolithic, Crematory, In the Woods..., Elend, and Novembre.

 

Here I made another mistake in purchasing an album, but this introduced me to more extreme metal that I had ever heard before. The was an article in the magazine about Novembre or In the Woods... or Carcass,  but I also read an article about Kataklysm. Somehow, I mixed up the information and instead of Novembre, I purchased the album Sorcery by Kataklysm. I thought I already got used to extreme metal, but this was too much for me, but because in the past I listened to Protector's Golem, I tried this album although it is more extreme than Protector. I regarded Protector as the most extreme so far. I had not listened to black metal or this yet.

 

Kataklysm is still tough for me, but when I recorded Sorcery and then after that I listen to Helloween's Ride the Sky then Ride the Sky is almost like a ballad.

 

I have not listened to black metal with the exception of Catamenia. I prefer growls over screatching or squealing and screaming.

 

That is my story.

 

I also like Balinese Metal. They play traditional metal music with metal gongs and percussions

 

At the time, I enjoyed the Metal I saw on MTV (Ozzy, Maiden, Def Leppard), but wasn't actively pursuing it.

 

Then in 1985 a buddy turned me on to Yngwie (Marching Out)...around the same time I discovered Theatre Of Pain, Out Of The Cellar and Animalize...I was hooked.