Top Metal Album Opening Tracks

Set and Setting are super important.

Especially when it comes to “setting the tone” for an entire album.

You’ll want to double up on your favorite relaxer, shut out the world for a bit longer than you usually would (maybe even take a trip) and JOIN US as we go through some of our favorite opening tracks and intros (and maybe even a #softintro or two…) from some of our favorite metal albums all over the Metal spectrum.

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Listen to this episode from Metal Nerdery on Spotify. Set and Setting are super important. Especially when it comes to "setting the tone" for an entire album.You'll want to double up on your favorite relaxer, shut out the world for a bit longer than you usually would (maybe even take a trip) and JOIN US as we go through some of our favorite opening tracks and intros (and maybe even a #softintro or two...)

Black Sabbath

Neon Knights

1985 Thrashers Abattoir

Heaven’s Not Overflowing

King of the Rotten

Holy Diver

Killing The Dragon

Temptations Wings

Lysergik Funeral Procession

The Last Act of Defiance

Demanufacture

Distortion

Forsaken at The Gates

Chalice of Blood

Aces High

Prowler

Stand or Fall

Crusher Destroyer

Blood and Thunder

Wake Up Dead

Holy Wars…The Punishment Due

Fight Fire with Fire

Battery

Helpless

In the Beginning and Shout at the Devil

Live Wire

Ace of Spades

I Don’t Know

Over the Mountain

Ultimate Sin

The Great Southern Trendkill

Surf Nicaragua

Angel of Death #bestopeningtrackEVER

Practice What You Preach

Stinkfist

Mean Street

Celestial Crown

In the Meantime

Living Monstrosity

Roots Bloody Roots


Show Notes:

(00:00): A “quiet” word from Archie/Welcome Back to the Metal Nerdery metalverse/#hotasballs/ #athletesdick and #freshballs Intros and Openers: setting the “tone” and the different types of Intros on Metal albums

(04:20): Black Sabbath 1st Album (#dontdenythepowerofintros): 50 years later: STILL the EVILEST riff in all of Metal/Neon Knights (Live Evil version and Heaven and Hell Version: #bolth)/Really The First 6 Songs on the First 6 Sabbath Albums should ALL be included!!! #futureshowidea/EMAIL US: METALNERDERY@GMAIL.COM or ping us on the Gram or the Book with your favorite Opening Tracks.

(13:35): 1985/Thrasher’s Abattoir (Carcass)/C.O.C.: Heaven’s Not Overflowing (Break out the Suicide Paneling and Shag Carpet) and King of the Rotten (#setandsetting)/Dio: Stand up and Shout (YES! HAIL to Ronnie James Dio (R.I.P.))/Killing the Dragon (#DioImagery)

(21:10): Down: Temptations Wings (The NOLA Dive is Metal Nerdery Episode 26)/Down II: Lysergik Funeral Procession (That riff!)/A Tangentionally related moment: Phil performing “Would?” with Alice In Chains/Exodus: Deranged (BEST intro EVAH!) #batshitcrazy The Last Act of Defiance and The “H” Team (and #thisfuckingriff) GO!

(29:42): Fear Factory: Demanufacture/Forbidden (*A METAL NERDERY FAVORITE*): Chalice of Blood (#fountainofyouth) / Distortion/ Forsaken at The Gates (GO BUY THIS AND ALL FORBIDDEN ALBUMS!!!!)/#cantbefastenough

(36:07): Iron Maiden: Aces High (Live After Death version)/ See Also Favorite Live Metal Albums: Episode 14/Where Eagles Dare (Piece of Mind)/#harmonyburps/Prowler (tangentionally tangentional item: also check out Prowler ’88 w/ Bruce singing)/Leatherwolf: Stand or Fall (#guitarboners) The “all in one” late 80’s Intro

(46:37): Mastodon: Crusher Destroyer (Remission): #atlmetal: No Post, No Core, Just METAL/ Blood and Thunder (Leviathan) Remembering the Thanksgiving show w/ Mastodon, Killswitch Engage and Slayer/Megadeth: Wake Up Dead (#nowarning #thebestmetal) and Holy Wars…The Punishment Due / Metallica: the 2 most important openers in Metal during the 80’s/Fight Fire with Fire (how the fuck do they play THAT fast!?!?)/The Underratedness of Ride the Lightning / Battery (#thegoodness of #juicenewtons) Wait, WHAT?/10 guitars!/Helpless (Garage Days)

(1:03:45): Motley Crue: Live Wire (Too Fast for Love): #audiocoke/ In the Beginning and Shout at the Devil (YES, they used to play BOLTH of these on the radio!!!)/#eviler/#riffswagger

(1:09:20): Motorhead: Ace of Spades (and Russ’s “Final Wishes”) #lemmywithnochaser/Ozzy: I Don’t Know (#isntitobvious)/Over the Mountain (#thedrums)/#postmalonecore/#partofthedill/*A MESSAGE OF METAL NERDERY POSITIVITY*/Ultimate Sin (Did Jake E. Lee get the Newsted treatment?)

(1:18:37): Pantera: Strength Beyond Strength (and “special” effects)/Riffs and The Laughter Test/The Great Southern Trendkill (#vomitingmetal)/#letmemakesureitsup/Hellbound (KILLER fucking opener LIVE!!)/Some relatively tangentionally tangentional tangentials #panteratribute

(1:25:38): Sacred Reich: Surf Nicaragua (#GO!)/Blue Suit, Brown Shirt (Heal)/Sabbat: The Beginning of the End (#waitWHAT!?) (Definitely Late 80’s thrash). From the Dreamweaver album/FUCKING SLAYER: Angel of Death #bestopeningtrackEVER /#cantbeLOUDenough): the clarity of the vocals on Reign in Blood vs Hell Awaits (#filetofslayer)/ Killing Fields (and the Tower Records in Store visit story).

(1:35:38): ALL FUCKING SLAYER Opening tracks are Awesome (see also Sabbath Opening Tracks comment referenced above): Darkness of Christ/Disciple (#dontdenythepowerofSLAYER)/*RE-UP ON YOUR RELAXER IF NEEDEDEDED*/Testament: Practice What You Preach and their glorious eerie rifftacular goodness/D.N.R. (feat. Dave Lombardo on drums) #waitforit (you’re smiling now aren’t you!?): GO PURCHASE TESTAMENT ‘THE GATHERING’ and ‘TITANS OF CREATION’/Tool: Stinkfist and Vicarious (and the PROPER way to listen to Tool).

(1:45:10): Van Halen: Mean Street (and the incredible wonderment of everything Eddie Van Halen)/*Check out Van Halen at the US Festival from 1983*/Korn: Blind (A “good” left turn in Metal; Episode 12 Album Dive)/The Sword (Celestial Crown): Russ has homework to do (and if you’re not familiar with The Sword, so do you!)/#metalsmoothie/Helmet: In the Meantime (check out Episode 37: Meantime Album Dive)

(1:53:00): Death: Living Monstrosity (Matt has homework to do, too)/HAIL to Chuck Schuldiner!!/S.O.D.: March of the S.O.D. (Episode 41 Album Dive)/Sepultura: Roots Bloody Roots and Isolation (#takeagetreadypill) (*Check out the video for Isolation….GO BUY QUADRA*)/#futurevolumes


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Consider supporting us at Patreon - patreon.com/metalnerderypodcast 

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