Once again, I adress the question of old faces behind new veils!
6 - The Fly by U2
from album Achtung Baby, 1991
Saving words:
80 s U2: Irish demigods of good n old Rock N Roll with idealistic lyrics.
90 s U2: Irish demigods of new Electronica-infused Rock N Roll with cynical, post-modern lyrics.
This track is superb - half Thrash Metal, half Electronica. Bono Vox vocoded vocals interwoven with The Edge s fat riffing, Adam Clayton s poison ivy bass lines and steady Larry Mullen on drums! The beginning of U2 Mark II. One of the defining singles of the 90 s.
7 - Crush With Eyeliner by REM
from album Monster, 1994
REM, indie demigods simultaneously the most commercial of indie bands and the indiest band of mainstream, hugely influential, decided that they should ROCK. Like they have never rocked before.
Thus, hugely influenced by 70 s ROLLING STONES, late 70 s TELEVISION and mid 80 s SONIC YOUTH (whose leader Thurston Moore makes a cameo here), REM carved a sludgy piece of guitar-laden Hard Rock freakout. Peter Buck sounds like a detuned radio. Mike Mills is arguably almost inaudible. Bill Berry pounds relentlessly. And Micheal Stipe sounds like a vocoded madman. Indeed, he s vocoded. In the background, Thurston Moore brings his cacophonic guitar work and muddled vocals. They REALLY wanted to commit commercial suicide. And to ROCK!
8 - Mama Said by METALLICA
from album Load, 1996
METALLICA, the forefather of sophisticated Thrash Metal, one of the heaviest bands in the world, carves a country-ish
mellowy ballad. With James Hetfield actually SINGING (and pretty good). With Kirk Hammett pounding smooth licks, not malevolent ligados and arpeggios from hell. With Jason Newsted on acoustic bass. With Lars Ulrich sounding like John Mellencamp s drummer. Fans truly freaked out. With lyrics not dealing with violence, politics or mysteries, but with...the feeling of miss you mom on the road.
This is one of the most hated numbers ever in Heavy Metal. Unlike JUDAS PRIEST cover of JOAN BAEZ number Diamonds and Rust - which is a folk number turned into a Heavy Metal power ballad - METALLICA truly sell their souls to the devilish commercialism . And by doing so they deliver in spades!
9 - Eleanor Rigby by THE BEATLES
from album Revolver, 1966
THE BEATLES had carved sophisticated ballads before (Yesterday) as well as tons of non-sophisticated ones. But this is where they first and foremost departed from their love-doovie stuff, addressing the odd (still today) issues of solitude and ageing, amidst a true musical epiphany of gorgeous orchestration and melancholic Paul McCartney vocals. A masterpiece. One of theirs. No. Their best!
10 - Ratamahatta by SEPULTURA
from album ROOTS, 1996
Once again, saving words:
SEPULTURA in their early years: a stone-cold Heavy Metal band despite their Brazilian roots.
SEPULTURA in their latter years: a stone-cold Heavy Metal band specially due to their Brazilian roots!
They progressively incorporated the complex Brazilian rhythms and imagery in their sludgy, monster sound. To the point they invited famous Brazilian musician CARLINHOS BROWN to collaborate in their breakthrough album Roots - if not the best, surely one of the best Heavy Metal albums of that decade.
The typical strong and malevolent SEPULTURA sound meets Brazilian percussion and instruments and, surprising, this number is sung in PORTUGUESE! To truly shining results. If you wanna now anything about Heavy Metal, 90 s, it s here. Even if you don t know how to deal with the peculiar language twists of my native language!
See ya! We are still waiting for the RETURN OF THE PARADIGMS!
