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We all have “those bands” that really got us started on a path in music, be it getting into metal in general, or into death metal, black
metal... bands that, for all intents purposes, changed our lives and molded what we listen to today. We are featuring a piece with each update on the bands that influenced us and special guests.
This second edition features staff writer Dave Larmore.
 BLACK SABBATH - Without these
guys, there would be no Heavy Metal music, period. All that would be around without these guys would be faster and uglier versions of Punk Rock bands. These guys are
responsible for the birth of Heavy Metal music, as well as the Stoner Rock and Doom movements. Because of Black Sabbath, it is possible for all of us to be able to listen to bands
such as: The Obsessed, EyeHateGod, Down, Cathedral, Alabama Thunderpussy, The Melvins, Place Of Skulls and Trouble.
PANTERA - The Great Southern Trendkill was the first metal album I ever owned, after I heard the song "The Underground In America" at a
friend's house one night. Immediately afterwords, my pure love for metal music and my love for music period expanded and the same exact copy of that album I purchased when it first came out is still
in rotation in my CD player. The Great Southern Trendkill has to be the most pissed off record in existence, and I'll gladly go on record
as stating that it has to be one of the heaviest records of all-time. After I purchased The Great Southern Trendkill, I immediately went
after collecting their other nation-wide available albums, as well as obtaining copies of the four infamous but rarely discussed Glam-era
Pantera albums and any bootlegs I could get my hands on. Even to this day, I hold Philip H. Anselmo to be one of the greatest frontmen in Heavy Metal history, and the late (and sorely missed)
Dimebag Darrell is the greatest Guitar picker to ever grace the world of Heavy Metal. Other bands equal to the calibur of sheer music prowess to Pantera are Exhorder, Demolition Hammer and
HateSphere.
 DEATH - Chuck Schuldiner is
unquestionably one of the founding fathers of Death Metal along with Killjoy (of Necrophagia), and the music of Death possessed such an intelligent and technical edge that really
intrigued me. Schuldiner was Metal's version of Mozart, and a majority of Death's alumnis contained some of Metal's most technically sufficient musicians around. Whether it was Steve
Digiorgio, Gene Hoglan, Richard Christy or Shannon Hamm, Death always tended to mold it's various incarnations with extraordinary musicians, because Schuldiner was a perfectionist in every way
with his music. The melodies, the riffs, the tempo shifts, the lyrics, the very audible Bass work (in Death's later material), the solid and fast drumming and the Guitar
solos were all important elements in molding Death into something to behold... and I loved all of the elements that I induced about two years ago. Sadly Chuck Schuldiner passed away three years
ago, but the music of Death will live on forever in the hearts of underground metal fans. Let the Metal flow! Other Death Metal bands worthy of note include: Vader, Dying Fetus, Asesino and
Vital Remains.
TESTAMENT - The first track I ever heard from Testament was a snippet on the Spitfire Records website of the 2001 version of "The
Preacher"... and I was hooked from the moment the song started. I immediately purchased the First Strike Still Deadly album, and my
taste for Metal changed forever. Sure I really liked Slayer and old Metallica previously, but Testament really compelled me to devolve further into Thrash Metal. Surely how could one resist Testament
and the rest of the genre after hearing the drum intro to "First Strike Is Deadly"? First Strike Still Deadly (along with The Gathering) was the only thing that could top Testament's early
albums, and every metal fan should own that album. Chuck Billy possesses such a giant voice that is simply unmatchable in the Thrash Metal ranks. Here's hoping that they follow-up to The
Gathering very soon after they are done jerking off with the original line-up on the mini-reunion tour, because Steve Digiorgio and Johnny Tempesta (or Paul Bostaph) are certainly superior to Greg
Christian and Louie Clemente. Other Thrash bands that make me tick: Stormtroopers Of Death (S.O.D.), Exodus, Kreator, Overkill and Shadows Fall.
 NEVERMORE - When the teeny
boppers are praising the infamous music scene from Seattle, never do I hear them once mention Nevermore. As a matter of fact, I seldom hear Nevermore's name come up in metal discussions, and
that's a shame. Nevermore have seemingly always been struck with a case of bad luck when it came to their place in the music world, because they never got the recognition and break that they
so rightfully deserve. Could Nevermore be an enigma?
Whenever I flip through Guitar magazines, I always see them performing fellatio on Zakk Wylde, but there is never a single mention of the genious that is Jeff
Loomis. The first songs I heard of Nevermore's were "Dead Heart In A Dead World" and "I Am The Dog", and I was intrigued by the
different approach taken by the band, not to mention that they are the only metal band to emerge out of a drug-infested Grunge scene. I purchased Dead Heart In A Dead World when it came out, and
the thing that immediately stuck out to me about the band was the artwork of the album. It wasn't just the album cover and the track
listing artwork, but the inside of the booklet as well. I was mesmerized at how much effort these guys put into their album artwork, and the only thing that matched the effort placed into
their package artwork was the effort placed on their music. Decipherable vocals, dominant riffs, extraordinary Lead guitar work,
solid drumming, appropriate Bass... what more could you ask for? Nevermore has both heaviness and intelligence in their metal music,
and that is one hell of a combination. In my opinion, Jeff Loomis is currently the best Guitarist on the planet.
 THE MISFITS - The face of the
fiend, the devilocks, the home-made guitars... these guys looked like a dead version of Kiss, but the music kicks the shit out of the space ace, the demon, the star child and the cat man. I am guilty
of owning American Psycho and Famous Monsters before I owned Legacy Of Brutality and both Misfits Collections, but Michale Graves was a damn good frontman. After I picked up the Michale
Graves-fronted discs, I then got a few of the Danzig-fronted albums, and there was definitely a difference. The Danzig-fronted Misfits lacked the production value, but these were the classics that
molded the legacy of the Misfits; "Death Comes Ripping" is one of my all-time favorite punk and Misfits songs. After listening to
The Misfits, this led me onto the road of checking out other old school punk including: Black Flag, The Ramones, GG Allin and the Dead Kennedys.
VENOM - A Black Metal fan not liking Venom is like a Heavy
Metal/Doom/Stoner Rock fan not liking Black Sabbath, period. A bit over the top, but Venom has some gems in their discography. My favorite album is the 2-disc deluxe edition of Cast In Stone. These
guys are responsible for: Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum, Immortal and just about any other corpse-wearing satan-hailing thunder drumming Black Metal band.
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Check out the previous edition of Influential Metal Bands..
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