How Heavy Metal is Inspired by Classical Music

How Heavy Metal is Inspired by Classical Music

When you think of heavy metal, you might not think of classical music as an influence. But many metal bands have been inspired by classical composers – from the early days of Black Sabbath to modern groups like Metallica. In this blog post, we explore how classical music has influenced heavy metal, and some of the best examples of this musical cross-over.

Introduction

It is widely accepted that classical music has had a profound influence on the development of heavy metal. In fact, many of the early pioneers of metal were classically trained musicians who drew inspiration from the likes of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart. In this article, we will explore how classical music has inspired some of the most famous heavy metal songs of all time.

The Birth of Heavy Metal

Classical music has been inspiring musicians for centuries and the genre of heavy metal is no exception. Many heavy metal bands have been influenced by classical music and have incorporated elements of it into their own sound. In this article, we’ll explore how heavy metal is inspired by classical music.

Hard Rock and Psychedelic Rock

Hard rock and psychedelic rock were the two genres that metal was born from. Hard rock was a direct descendant of the blues-based rock that came before it. Bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple took the bluesy basics of bands like Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience and added a harder edge to them, with heavier guitars and drums. This new sound inspired a new generation of musicians, who would go on to form some of the most influential metal bands of all time.

Psychedelic rock, on the other hand, was a completely different animal. Bands like Pink Floyd and Van der Graaf Generator were pushing the boundaries of what could be done with music, using mind-bending techniques like feedback, electronics, and extended jams. These bands would have a huge influence on metal, particularly in the realm of early prog-rock bands like Rush and King Crimson.

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath is often credited as being one of the first heavy metal bands. Formed in Birmingham, England in 1968, the band’s debut album, Black Sabbath, was released in 1970. The album’s dark, atmospheric sound was inspired by classical music and horror films, and it quickly gained a following among fans of hard rock and metal. Sabbath continued to experiment with their sound on subsequent albums, adding elements of jazz and blues to their metal base. Today, Black Sabbath is considered one of the most influential metal bands of all time, and their music has been a major influence on the development of heavy metal.

The Golden Age of Heavy Metal

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band formed in London in 1968. members were Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica), John Paul Jones (bass guitar), and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, although their style drew from a variety of sources.

Deep Purple

Deep Purple, one of the first heavy metal bands, were inspired by classical music. Ritchie Blackmore, the band’s guitarist, took inspiration from Bach and Beethoven when creating his riffs and solos. He was also influenced by Django Reinhardt, a jazz guitarist from the 1930s.

The band’s keyboardist, Jon Lord, was also a classically trained musician. He drew inspiration from composers such as Sergei Rachmaninoff and Richard Wagner. In fact, Lord’s solo on the song “Space Truckin'” is based on Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor.”

While Deep Purple may not have been the first heavy metal band, they were certainly a pioneer in the genre. Their classical influences set them apart from other bands of the time and helped to create a new sound that would go on to inspire other musicians.

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal

Judas Priest

Judas Priest is one of the most influential and well-known heavy metal bands of all time. Formed in Birmingham, England in 1969, Judas Priest helped pioneer the “new wave of British heavy metal” sound that would come to define the genre in the 1980s. The band is known for their powerful guitar riffs, high-pitched vocals, and elaborate stage shows.

While Judas Priest’s music is certainly heavy, it is also heavily influenced by classical music. Guitarist and songwriter K.K. Downing cites classical composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Niccolò Paganini as major influences on the band’s sound. In an interview with Guitar World magazine, Downing said that “a lot of [Judas Priest’s] arrangements are based on classical pieces” and that the band even uses classical chord progressions in their songs.

So if you’re a fan of heavy metal music, be sure to give Judas Priest a listen. You just might hear some familiar sounding classical compositions hidden within their songs!

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden is one of the most influential and iconic heavy metal bands of all time. They were one of the leaders of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and their music has been hugely influential to the heavy metal genre as a whole.

Interestingly, though, Iron Maiden’s music is actually heavily inspired by classical music. Many of their songs are based on classical works, or they feature classical-inspired melodies and harmonies. This influence is most evident in the band’s early work, but it can still be heard in their later material.

If you’re a fan of heavy metal, or if you’re just interested in exploring the ways that classical music can be used in non-traditional contexts, then you should definitely check out Iron Maiden’s discography. You might just be surprised at how much you enjoy it!

Thrash Metal

Although it may not be obvious, there are many ways in which thrash metal is inspired by classical music. For example, the fast-paced, aggressive nature of thrash metal is often compared to the sound of a classical symphony. In addition, the use of guitars in thrash metal often employs techniques that are similar to those used by classical composers.

Metallica

Formed in 1981, Metallica is often cited as one of the “big four” thrash metal bands, along with Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. The band’s fast tempos, instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship placed them as one of the genre’s pioneers. Metallica’s current lineup comprises founding members James Hetfield (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Lars Ulrich (drums), along with long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine (who went on to form Megadeth) and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton (who died in a bus accident in 1986), and Jason Newsted are former members of the band.

Megadeth

Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine’s dismissal from Metallica. A pioneer of the American thrash metal scene, the band is credited as one of the genre’s “big four” with Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer, responsible for thrash metal’s development and popularization. Megadeth plays in a technical style, featuring fast rhythm sections and complex arrangements. Many of its songs use unusual time signatures, while others range from ballads to popular songs to cover versions.

The band has released fifteen studio albums, five live albums, two EPs, thirty-six singles, ten video albums and forty-six music videos. Megadeth has sold over 38 million records worldwide, earning platinum certification in the United States for five of its fifteen studio albums. Although the band has had controversy surrounding certain members throughout its history, it has maintained a strong influence on the heavy metal community.

Death Metal

Death

Death metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, breakneck drumming, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes. Pioneered in the early 1980s by bands such as Venom, Celtic Frost, Slayer, and Mercyful Fate, death metal developed through the efforts of groups such as Possessed, Obituary, Death, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation. Death metal is strongly influenced by earlier black metal, such as Venom and Bathory, and often shares musical traits with doomed metal.

While many bands are credited with being early death metal groups, there are two bands in particular that are credited with developing the sound and style that would later be adopted by other bands. These two bands are Possessed and Death. Possessed is often cited as the first death metal band. Their debut album Seven Churches (1985) is considered a groundbreaking release in the death metal genre jfor its extremely fast tempos, schizophrenic riffing structure jand use of guttural vocals. Death is also considered one of the pioneers of death metal; their debut album Scream Bloody Gore (1987) was also highly influential on the genre.

Obituary

Obituary is an American death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1985. The band’s current lineup consists of founding members John Tardy (vocals) and Trevor Peres (guitar), bassist Terry Butler, guitarist Kenny Andrews, and drummer Dale Crover (of the Melvins). Obituary has released ten studio albums, and with sales exceeding two million copies worldwide,[1] they are labelled as one of the commercially successful death metal bands of all time.

Originally called Executioner, they changed their name to Xecutioner in 1986 to avoid confusion with the thrash metal band Executioner from Boston, Massachusetts. The following year the band changed their name to Obituary. The band’s first album Slowly We Rot was released in 1989. Since their formation, Obituary has had several line-up changes, with Peres and Tardy being the only constant members. In 1990, former guitarist Allen West joined Cannibal Corpse while release their second studio album Cause of Death in 1990. Despite lineup changes and external pressures from record companies, Obituary has continued to record and release new material, including nine studio albums and three live DVDs/CDs. They have sold over 2 million albums worldwide=[2]

Conclusion

In conclusion, Heavy Metal is greatly inspired by Classical Music. Though it may not be as obvious in modern times, the origins of Heavy Metal can be traced back to Classical Music. Many of the same compositional techniques are used, such as the use of Contrasting Sections and Leitmotifs. The instrumentation in Heavy Metal is also similar to that of a Classical Orchestra, with electric guitars taking the place of violins, and drums taking the place of percussion. Even the lyrics in some Heavy Metal songs are inspired by Classical Poetry. So next time you’re listening to your favorite Heavy Metal song, take a moment to think about the classical origins that may have inspired it.