amazon-heavy-metal1If you ever wanted a true audio history of Heavy Metal music then you might want to consider the Heavy Metal Box released by Rhino Records. The set contains 4 CDs in a neat box shaped as a Marshall head with knobs that go to “11.”

Yesterday, we discussed the classic songs on disc one that included the heavy psychedelic rock of the late 60’s and the Hard Rock through the late 70’s.

The second disc of the box set features 18 tracks that schools the listener in the Heavy Metal developments of the early 80’s, beginning with Motörhead, the N.W.O.B.H.M., and finishing with the Thrash Metal of a practically adolescent Metallica. Here is the complete track listing:

  1. Ace Of Spades – Motörhead (Lemmy Kilmister established himself as a Metal god on this definitive track)
  2. Am I Evil? – Diamond Head (One of my favorite N.W.O.B.H.M. tunes. Metallica later covered this song, “The Prince,” and “Helpless” as huge Diamond Head fans)
  3. Nice Boys – Rose Tattoo (This is the original and better version of the tune Guns N’ Roses honored on Lies)
  4. Attack Of the Mad Axeman – Michael Schenker Group (Former Scorpions and UFO axeman created this diddy with MSG in 1981)
  5. Denim And Leather – Saxon (If you watch the video for this tune then you can see just where Spinal Tap got their chops and facial expressions from)
  6. Blitzkrieg – Blitzkrieg (Metallica covered this tune too as Blitzkrieg was one of the early Thrash pioneers)
  7. Gangland – Tygers Of Pan Tang (An under appreciated metal band)
  8. Witching Hour – Venom (You can’t have a true compilation to the genre without this evil Metal band)
  9. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming – Judas Priest (Classic!)
  10. The Number Of the Beast – Iron Maiden (Classic!)
  11. Star War – Raven (Not the greatest, not the worst either)
  12. Say What You Will – Fastway (Infectious guitar riffs from ex-Motörhead and UFO members)
  13. Black Funeral – Mercyful Fate (Gotta the love high pitched King Diamond of Denmark. These guys were the heart of early Black Metal)
  14. Animal (F**k Like a Beast) – W.A.S.P. (The rise of the L.A. scene would not be complete without Blackie Lawless)
  15. Mean Streak – Y&T (The San Francisco Bay area produced some great acts as well)
  16. Holy Diver – Dio (This tune should be on here, but “Neon Nights” needs to be replaced on disc 1)
  17. Queen Of the Reich – Queensrÿche (One of my favorite songs by this band)
  18. Whiplash – Metallica (Solid Thrash tune by perhaps the most successful band in this box set)

Disc 2 is by no means a perfect compilation of the NWOBHM era, the rise of Thrash, and the early stuff coming from the Sunset Strip. Slayer and Mötley Crüe must be represented here to provide a definitive collection of this age. Other than that, this disc is still full of great songs that deserve to be honored. 8/10

Buy the Heavy Metal Box (Rhino Records)