This Week In ‘Hard & Metal Throwback’ 04/52

Megadeth, Judas Priest, Metallica, Sepultura, Alice In Chains, L7, Queensrÿche, Kiss, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Living Colour, Napalm Death

They are the ‘Hard . Metal Throwback’ artists selected among the 350 Posts we publish this week.

Here, they are reunited in one glorious playlist. Enjoy!

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Tracklist

1 . Megadeth . In My Darkest Hour

“In My Darkest Hour” is a brooding anthem that threads personal heartbreak with the grim shadow of grief, birthed from the turbulence of Dave Mustaine’s life in the wake of Cliff Burton’s tragic passing and a shattered romance.

The track unfolds with a somber bassline from David Ellefson, dragging listeners into a sonic abyss before Jeff Young’s guitar weeps with measured restraint. Then there’s Mustaine himself—half preacher, half wounded beast—delivering lyrics that feel less like a song and more like a venting catharsis for layered despair.

Recorded for Megadeth’s 1988 album “So Far, So Good… So What!”, this piece teeters between despair and aggression, all while captured under the production quirks of Paul Lani. Its infamous MTV-banned video only added to the lore, as whispered accusations of promoting suicide brushed against Mustaine’s pointed lyricism.

The song’s strength doesn’t merely rest on its tragic origins; the intricate guitar solos and the haunting dynamic shifts throughout its runtime allow it to resonate long after the last chord fades. Critics like Adrien Begrand and Mike Stagno have praised its craft, hailing it as one of Mustaine’s crowning moments as a songwriter—a high compliment for a catalog dripping in ferocity and technical brilliance.

It stands as a pillar within Megadeth’s repertoire, wielding both musical might and emotional fragility with equal confidence. Whether high on “best of” lists or reinterpreted by other artists like NonExist and Parasyche, it’s a reminder that metal thrives not just on speed and volume but also in its raw confrontation with vulnerability.


Lifted from : Megadeth rock in Rio II (1991)

2 . Judas Priest . PainKiller

“Painkiller” by Judas Priest crashes into existence with a thunderous drum intro that borders on chaos but swiftly becomes precision incarnate.

Scott Travis, thrashing his percussion with inhuman speed, sets the tone for a track drenched in speed metal ferocity.

The lyrics position a cyborg messiah as humanity’s savior, a theme as grandiose as the track’s blistering riffs and Halford’s unmistakable, skyscraper-high vocals.

The track’s technical prowess is as much about flash as it is about orchestrated aggression, blending Tipton and Downing’s dueling guitars into a sonic frenzy.

Clocking in at 6 minutes and 6 seconds, it feels more like a gauntlet than a mere song, daring listeners to keep up.

Released in 1990, “Painkiller” redefined the band’s sound, dropping any pretense of restraint and stripping down to pure, unrelenting power.

Its cultural footprint extends far beyond the genre, showcased in covers ranging from devoted recreations to creative reimaginings—Babymetal’s 2016 rendition steps out as an eclectic highlight.

The accolades come pouring in: once ranked the greatest Judas Priest track, though some would argue its bombast can overwhelm its nuance.

Still, Judas Priest leaves little to ambiguity here: this is a hit-you-between-the-eyes anthem, meant to annihilate subtly in favor of spectacle.

Performed live many times over, its outing at Rock in Rio II with Travis in full force cemented its place as a juggernaut in setlists ever since.


Lifted from : Judas Priest rock in Rio II (1991)

3 . Metallica . Master of Puppets

“Master of Puppets” holds its sinister sway over the metal genre, not just as a song but as a cultural artifact of rebellion, addiction, and control.

Released on March 3, 1986, and emerging from the cold confines of Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, this track feels like a sharp, unrelenting weapon forged in the fires of angst and precision.

The dizzying pace of the downpicking somehow balances chaos with order, while the extended instrumental section turns what could have been a relentless auditory assault into something far more operatic, even cerebral.

Fast-forward to 2015, and the entire “Master of Puppets” album lands in the National Recording Registry—an unlikely but deserved archival honor that pairs thrash metal with the hallowed halls of history.

Then came 2022, when Netflix’s “Stranger Things” snagged the song for a climactic moment, retrofitting it for a new generation and improbably shoving it onto the Billboard Hot 100 at number 40—for the first time since its release.

Metallica’s nod to the Duffer Brothers for orchestrating this strange resurrection may have seemed uncharacteristically warm for a band often defined by its defiance, but the truth is this: “Master of Puppets” is both timeless and mutable, tethered to its dark origins while continually reemerging with new shades of relevance.


Lifted from : Metallica visit Sydney (2004)

4 . Sepultura . Amen

Few songs manage to hit as viscerally as Sepultura’s “Amen,” the in-your-face fourth track from their 1993 album *Chaos A.D.* The song isn’t subtle—and why should it be? With lyrics like “Terror Raids The Land” and “Children Burning in Flames,” Sepultura unflinchingly tackles the horrors tied to religious fanaticism. The track is a brutal reminder that blind faith can scorch everything in its path, delivered with a sound utterly unapologetic in its aggression.

Max Cavalera’s cutting riffs and deranged growls are the centerpiece here, setting the tone for what he aptly referred to as “riot music.” The message, though, is more than just raging noise. Sepultura kicks at societal norms, urging listeners to question, to resist, to refuse complacency. It’s music with teeth, demanding engagement while pummeling you senseless.

Released during a time when metal was either indulging in stereotypical fantasy escapism or flirting with grunge, *Chaos A.D.* stood out like a clenched fist. It’s no wonder the album peaked at number 11 on the UK charts; anger clearly had an audience. Tracks such as “Refuse/Resist” and “Territory” (also on the album) expanded the band’s focus to include global sociopolitical issues, but “Amen” digs deep into the personal, showing no mercy in its critique of humanity’s darkest impulses.

Watching Sepultura perform this live at Rock in Rio in 1994 is equally electrifying. The snarling intensity of the track translated seamlessly to the stage, with the band’s raw energy elevating the chaos to a fever pitch. Sepultura isn’t there to entertain; they’re there to make you feel uncomfortable, and they do it exceedingly well. “Amen” doesn’t just ask questions; it screams them, pours gasoline over the institutions that demand reverence, and lights the match.

Whether or not you agree with the song’s perspective, there’s no denying its urgency, both musically and thematically. As part of *Chaos A.D.*, it carves out a ferocious niche that drags the genre into deeper—and darker—territory. And maybe that’s the point: to remind us that heavy music isn’t just sound; it’s thought, rebellion, and confrontation wrapped in dissonant chords and unapologetic ferocity.


Lifted from : Sepultura rock in Rio (1994)

5 . Alice In Chains . Man In The Box

“Man in the Box” walks a razor-thin line between gritty dignity and stadium-ready growl, emerging as one of Alice in Chains’ most potent contributions to 90s rock culture.

This track, from their debut album *Facelift,* drips with the brooding despair that would come to define grunge, all while dipping its grungy boots into hard-rock theatrics.

The grinding, wah-heavy riff by Jerry Cantrell feels less like a melody and more like a chainsaw slicing through industrial detritus.

Layne Staley’s howled vocals channel a primal frustration, tangled with cryptic warnings and a lingering sense of unease.

The production, courtesy of Dave Jerden, amplifies this tension, keeping the track teetering just on the edge of chaos without allowing it to collapse into incoherence.

The lyrics, ostensibly addressing themes of censorship and control, manage to be simultaneously biting and oblique—gritty statements wrapped in layers of menace.

The MTV video, with its stitched-shut eyes and shadowy figures, is as unnerving and allegorically opaque as the track itself, contributing to the song’s status as a dark cultural artifact.

Its Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance and enduring rotation on rock stations speak more to its ability to resonate than a barrage of vintage accolades ever could.

But the song isn’t without its contradictions; for all its dirge-like heaviness, it found a surprisingly mainstream foothold, bridging underground ethos with radio-friendliness in ways purists might find uncomfortable.

Whether a polished anthem or a raw scream from the belly of early 90s disenchantment, “Man in the Box” remains a vital postscript to an era’s embrace of harsher truths and snarling guitars.


Lifted from : Alice In Chains rock in Rio (1993)

6 . L7 . Wargasm

“Wargasm” by L7 kicks off with a provocative bang, emblematic of the band’s penchant for confrontation wrapped in distortion.

Borrowing Yoko Ono’s primal screams from the Plastic Ono Band’s “Live Peace in Toronto 1969,” Donita Sparks’ decision to seek direct permission feels like a sly nod to punk etiquette—rebellion polished with a courtesy call.

The track blends chaotic energy with sharp riffs, a sonic grenade lobbed at the sanitized edges of early-’90s rock.

“Diet Pill” follows as a darkly comedic slice of societal critique, wielding L7’s signature edge to jab at consumer culture’s banalities.

The humor is acidic, the guitars relentless, and the vocals toggling between sarcasm and genuine bile.

Shifting gears, “Pretend We’re Dead” streamlines the aggression but doesn’t dilute the impact.

Its grunge-pop hooks took it to chart heights, embedding it in playlists, gaming soundtracks, and a pantheon of ’90s alt-anthems.

But L7 doesn’t linger on radio polish—“Shitlist” snarls its way into cult status.

Its placement in the “Natural Born Killers” soundtrack and its later adoption as wrestling entrance music speaks to its enduring grimy charisma.

“Everglade” brings a feral energy that hints there’s no intention of softening the edges.

Its UK chart presence underscores how audiences across the Atlantic were equally drawn to L7’s snarling feminist ferocity.

The album’s reach extended to carnivorous festival stages, unapologetic in its rawness, as proven during its 1993 Brazil stop alongside genre titans like Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

For a finishing twist, “Used to Love Him” toys with expectations, reworking Guns N’ Roses’ irreverence through L7’s sardonic lens.

This isn’t homage as much as hijacking, a reclaiming with a smirk instead of a bow.

The cultural impact of “Bricks Are Heavy” reverberates through the 2016 documentary “L7: Pretend We’re Dead,” where the band’s defiance and humor stand front and center, cheered on by peers like Krist Novoselic and Lydia Lunch.

The album remains a jagged snapshot of a moment when grit outweighed gloss and rebellion wore combat boots rather than glitter heels.


Lifted from : L7 rock in Rio (1993)

7 . Queensrÿche . Empire

“Empire,” a loaded track from a September 1990 album sharing its name, takes an unapologetically gritty aim at the underworld of American drug trade and its cascading violence.

The lyrics don’t feign subtlety, hammering the gravity of the issue with unflinching graphicness.

There’s a spoken word breakdown mid-track, throwing cold enforcement stats into the grim narrative—an unusual choice, but not exactly out of place given the subject matter.

The song climbed to number 22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, which, while not exactly a chart-topper, gave it more traction than you might expect for such a stark message.

Live performances saw it delivered over a thousand times by April 2016, even making its way across continents to Rock in Rio II in 1991, where undoubtedly its bleak tone contrasted sharply with the electric festival vibes.

Musically, the track leans into its late-’80s/early-’90s hard rock DNA, with brash instrumentation meant to jolt rather than soothe, and yet the sheer heaviness of its message overshadows whatever slick riffs or hooks it offers.


Lifted from : Queensrÿche rock In Rio II (1991)

8 . Van Halen – Runnin’ With The Devil

Van Halen’s “Runnin’ with the Devil” arrives with a swagger that defined late-‘70s hard rock, opening their debut album like a sledgehammer swung with finesse.

The rumble of overdriven engines—achieved using synced car horns—kicks off the track, setting the stage for a gritty, uninhibited ride through the glam-laden highway of excess that David Lee Roth paints with his cocky, half-snarl vocal delivery.

The lyrics, riffing on the Ohio Players’ “Runnin’ from the Devil,” trade existential dread for a sort of reckless freedom, enhancing the song’s misfit appeal.

Despite only reaching #84 on the Billboard Hot 100, it found delayed success years later, climbing international charts and earning cult rock canon status.

Eddie Van Halen’s guitar, restrained by his standards, still exudes a sense of purposeful urgency, leaving enough space to amplify the rugged charisma of the band’s performance.

Produced by Ted Templeman, the recording feels raw yet calculated, capturing an energy that’s feral without descending into chaos.

In its visual counterpart, the 1978 music video leans into smoky, neon-drenched aesthetics, as though it were recruiting viewers to join a no-rules nightlife underworld.

The track’s acclaim has swelled over time; by 2009, VH1 ranked it the 9th greatest hard rock song ever, and its influence continues to ripple, even landing on modern rock charts decades after its release.

For all its bravado, “Runnin’ with the Devil” isn’t necessarily a virtuoso showcase—it’s a tightly arranged anthem of indulgence that threads together menace and mystique with no inhibition.

Equal parts polished and primal, it’s a rock blast aimed at the gut, even if its aspirations seem more barroom brawl than pop-chart ambition.


Lifted from : As we remember, today, Eddie Van Halen on his Birthday, the day is perfect for a ‘Van Halen At Their Bests’ post

9 . Bon Jovi . Wanted Dead Or Alive

“Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi straddles the line between rock ballad and anthem, dripping with the type of rugged, road-weary imagery that could only spring from the 1980s glam metal era.

The track, plucked from their 1986 juggernaut album *Slippery When Wet,* solidifies its identity as a hybrid of cowboy romanticism and arena swagger.

With Jon Bon Jovi’s gravel-adorned vocals and Richie Sambora’s shimmering guitar work, the song oozes a cinematic quality, channeling Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” but swapping the stark heartbreak for leather-clad bravado.

Chart-wise, it carved a respectable niche, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10, an impressive feat for a genre often dismissed as style over substance.

Its stripped-down acoustic rendition at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards inadvertently birthed MTV’s now-iconic “Unplugged” format, confirming that the song functioned just as well with raw minimalism as it did under layers of glossy production.

Lyrically, it leans heavily into outlaw mythology, likening the touring life to that of a lone desperado, yet the imagery feels both overly romanticized and pointedly effective—a quality that undoubtedly helped the track land in TV series like *Miami Vice* or *The Vampire Diaries.*

By the time Jon Bon Jovi croons the line “I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride,” it’s clear the song doesn’t deal in subtlety, but that never seemed the point anyway.

Bon Jovi’s knack for channeling blue-collar grit into stadium-ready singalongs has always been a double-edged sword: too polished for the purists, yet undeniably effective for the masses.


Lifted from : Bon Jovi rock in Rio (1990)

10 . Aerosmith . Remember (Walking In The Sand)

Aerosmith’s rendition of “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” is a bruised love letter to the past, drenched in nostalgia but not without its rough edges.

Written by George “Shadow” Morton and immortalized by the Shangri-Las in 1964, the original carried a theatrical sense of torment, all brooding harmonies and melodrama fit for a heartbreak stage.

In Aerosmith’s 1979 cover, that raw ache is pushed through a hard rock filter, creating an uneasy juxtaposition between Steven Tyler’s gritty vocals and the song’s girl-group fragility.

The band’s decision to include the track on their “Night in the Ruts” album raises eyebrows, as it shifts from their swaggering sonic blueprint to something more reflective, though not without bombast.

The uncredited contribution of Mary Weiss from the Shangri-Las sneaks authenticity into the backdrop, her whispers a ghostly tether to the song’s origin.

Though it charted modestly, climbing to number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100, the track’s Canadian performance, peaking at 29, hints at a broader appetite for its layered melancholy.

Critics often spotlight its blend of the Shangri-Las’ lush despair and Aerosmith’s trademark jaggedness, a cocktail that veers toward uneven yet remains undeniably intriguing.

As part of an album that reached number 14 in the U.S. charts and number 8 in Canada, the song plays like a hesitant gamble amid the band’s turbulent late ’70s trajectory, a risk that both honors and disrupts its source material.


Lifted from : Aerosmith visit Maryland (1980)

11 . Living Colour . Desperate People

“Desperate People” from Living Colour’s second studio album *Time’s Up* offers a raw portrayal of human struggle, weaving themes of addiction and self-awareness into its core.

While the album itself stormed the airwaves, peaking at number 13 on the US Billboard 200 and eventually earning a Gold certification from the RIAA, this track operates more as a brooding undercurrent than a chart-topping highlight.

Bracketed by marquee singles like “Type” and “Love Rears Its Ugly Head,” the song feels like the restless sibling at the dinner table—arguably less visible but equally potent in its narrative punch.

The band’s January 1992 Hollywood Rock Festival performance in Rio de Janeiro props this song up as a live staple, their energy electrified and purpose undiluted amidst a raucous Brazilian crowd.

Living Colour’s ability to channel social commentary through intricate rhythms and searing guitar lines gives “Desperate People” a pulsing authenticity, even if it may never bask in the limelight its siblings enjoy.


Lifted from : Living Colour rock in Rio (1992)

12 . Napalm Death . Hierarchies

Napalm Death’s “Hierarchies” lands with the ferocity expected from a band that practically invented grindcore, yet it carries a surprising sense of melody amidst the chaos.

Perched on their fifteenth studio album *Apex Predator – Easy Meat*, released under Century Media in January 2015, the track finds itself among sharp-edged peers like “Cesspits” and “How the Years Condemn.”

The album itself garnered critical acclaim, clocking an impressive 89 on Metacritic, a playground in which many metal releases barely make a dent.

Production duties fall to the veteran Russ Russell, stitching the record together across locations from Kettering to Prague—and perhaps, metaphorically, across the global discontent that fuels Napalm Death’s relentless politicized rage.

While the spotlight on “Hierarchies” remains dim, its placement in an album critiquing modern consumerism, capitalism, and systemic hierarchies ensures that it carries thematic weight despite its lack of standalone accolades.

The band, returning to an earlier grindcore aesthetic, pair their unforgiving sonic textures with a more nuanced ear for structure, a move evident in this track and others like “Smash a Single Digit,” whose 1,093-frame video painstakingly unravels with a visual grit matching their sound.

Napalm Death excels at holding a mirror to society, even if the audience might not like what they see—or hear.


Lifted from : Napalm Death release their fifteenth album . ‘Easy Meat . Apex Predator’ (2015)

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