Heavy metal is a genre whereby the integrity of the album is sacrosanct. Whereas popular music is often driven by singles, the satisfaction of listening to a stellar album straight through is something quite special. Within this sphere, opening tracks hold a special significance. Some albums prefer their opening tracks to be short build up sections, leading into a second track when the music really kicks in.
However, that is not what we are considering here. Here we are looking at opening tracks that kick off an album full guns blazing. Straight into the meaty metal goodness. On a first listen, this can not only give you a great indication on how the artist intends the album to be heard, but can be your first introduction to a band altogether. On this list, we have 25 killer heavy metal album opening tracks. Each one giving you a perfect introduction to the band in question.
Angel of Death – Slayer (Reign in Blood)
Let’s just kick it off with the king of opening tracks. In my eyes (and many others) the greatest metal song of all time. Angel of Death is prototypical Slayer, containing not just one but multiple of the greatest riffs ever written. A trademark Tom Araya blood curdling scream and textbook Kerry and Jeff wild solos. Simply perfection.
Jotun – In Flames (Whoracle)
You young whippersnappers may not be aware that your friendly neighboourhood radio rock band In Flames wrote some of the greatest melodic death metal albums ever to grace this mortal fold. Whoracle is the pinnacle of their work, and Jotun is an opening track full of awesome melodeath riffs and Anders‘ growls in his prime.
Mein Hertz Brennt – Rammstein (Mutter)
Rammstein‘s third album Mutter shot them to international stardom, on the back of stellar songwriting and live shows rivalling most stage productions. Opening track Mein Hertz Brennt took the German industrial titans into a far more grandiose direction, paving the way to becoming one of the biggest (and most controversial) heavy metal bands of all time.
Awakening – Unleash the Archers (Apex)
Canadian power metal band Unleash the Archers ride on a wave of pummelling drums, lightning fast riffing and Brittney Slayes‘ towering vocals. Awakening, off their fourth album Apex is a walkthough of exactly what to expect, pummelling your face with straight up bulldozing power metal. Try to be careful listening to this whilst driving for risk of committing multiple speeding violations. You have been warned!
Hammer Smashed Face – Cannibal Corpse (Tomb of the Mutilated)
A death metal song known for its appearance in Ace Ventura is something to truly treasure. It also happens to be one of death metal’s ultimate tracks, and contains some of the most notable, filthy riffing ever committed to tape. Mixing lightning fast passages and mid tempo groove, Chris Barnes‘ inhuman gurgling, and a breakdown so heavy it needs a crane to lift it off the sofa.
Prison Song – System of a Down (Toxicity)
Kicking off an album that defined a generation, Prison Song is System of a Down at their brutal and creative best. Packed with political messaging that they are well known for, and deliciously simple riffing that is recognisable simply from the very first muted strum. A breakdown overlaid with Serj Tankian screaming about the amount of people in prison is simply magnificent.
Holy Wars…The Punishment Due – Megadeth (Rust In Peace)
Before Megadeth took their turn trying the hard rock approach, they released Rust in Peace, one of the defining albums in all of metal. The first album to feature lead guitarist Marty Friedman, his trademark eastern influenced guitar style added an additional layer to their notable thrash chops. Nothing else sounds like this album, and Holy Wars… is an opening track to perfectly set the stage for thrash mastery.
Battery – Metallica (Master of Puppets)
Being a driving force of the first wave of thrash with their first 2 albums, the mighty Metallica wrote their songwriting masterpiece Master of Puppets. Widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time (as damn well it should be), the off tempo opus Battery to open the album holds nothing back. If only there was a way to remove the knowledge of an album from your brain, just so you could soak it in first the first time once again.
Davidian – Machine Head (Burn My Eyes)
Back in 1992, when thrash and glam had largely disappeared, it took a set of bands creating what we now know as groove metal to kickstart the underground scene once more. Maintaining all the energy and aggression of thrash metal, but showed down As far as opening tracks on debut albums go, Davidian is as a good as it gets. Of all the classic tracks Machine Head have written since, their very first song remains a firm favourite. The outro breakdown is the stuff of legends.
Legion of the Damned – Legion of the Damned (Malevolent Rapture)
Blending trash and death metal together for almost 3 decades now, Legion of the Damned pump out never-ending riffs to give you permanent neck damage. Their self titled track to open Malevolent Rapture is a lesson in how to perfectly bridge the gap between thrash and death metal, a template many bands have found influence from. Opening tracks with this much groove are as luring as the fabled Sirens.
The American Nightmare – Ice Nine Kills (The Silver Scream)
It took until their fifth album for Ice Nine Kills to write their definitive piece. The Silver Scream, with each song based around a particular horror movie – and gruesome movie killers, set INK as one of the premier modern metalcore bands. The American Nightmare kicks off in full theatrical style, focussing on a notable sharp fingered dream terroriser. “Nine, Ten, Never Sleep Again….”
Twilight of the Thunder God – Amon Amarth (Twilight of the Thunder God)
Well respected, but largely confined to the underground scene (with much of death metal) for over a decade, it was the release of Twilight of the Thunder God when Amon Amarth turned up the melody and their meteoric rise was unstoppable from there. The title track of the same name showcased this new found songwriting style, focussing on a more traditional heavy metal style and cementing their transition to melodic death metal.
In the Minds of Evil – Deicide (In the Minds of Evil)
One of the death metal originals to come out of Florida in the late 80s, In the Minds of Evil is Deicide back at their brutal best. Wheras their early work was far more chaotic and objectively evil, their later work evolved into a more melodic sound. However, 2013’s release of In The Minds of Evil took them back to their old school death metal sound, and it sounds as glorious and evil as ever.
Psychosomatic – Immortal Guardian (Psychosomatic)
Progressive power metal can often focus too much on the odd tempo nonsense. Not from Immortal Guardian, who keep the tempo regular, but keep the extravagant technicality and song structure to produce a truly magnificent album. The self titled opening track Psychosomatic builds up the pressure and bursts to life showcasing the technical wizardry of every member, and collective expert song writing.
This Calling – All That Remains (The Fall Of Ideals)
American metalcore band All That Remains hit their peak with second album The Fall of Ideals, and opening track This Calling kicks things off full bore. Vocalist Phil Labonte using his range of screams, cleans and growls to devastating effect and a mix of straight forward chugging and harmonised lead patterns make for a spectacular start to an album.
Cancer of the Soul – Bloodbath (Nightmares Made Flesh)
The only album by death metal supergroup Bloodbath to feature all round musical master Peter Tägtgren on vocals, Nightmares Made Flesh is filthly, groovy old school death metal done to perfection. Cancer of the Soul opens the album like it means to go on, brutal, uncompromising and full of classic death metal groove.
Beast in Black – Beast In Black (Berserker)
Another debut album that burst its way into the consciousness of the metal crowd. Beast In Black have grown significantly since the release of their second more Europop focussed sophomore album From Hell With Love, but it was their debut album Berserker that produced a fantasy power metal clinic. Opening tracks on power metal albums need to turn the epic up to 11, and their self titled opener is an extravagant demon slayer.
Walk the Plank – Alestorm (Sunset on the Golden Age)
Pirate metal doesn’t immediately offer a path to stardom, but the filthy Scottish landlubbers in Alestorm have broken the mould to become one of the most popular bands in modern metal. Whilst they feature overt use of pirate theme and instrumental inspiration, it is their expert song writing that truly sets them apart, and Sunset on the Golden Age saw them embrace this to the max. Walk the Plank opens the album with glorious purpose.
Needled 24/7 – Children of Bodom (Hate Crew Deathroll)
One of melodic death metal’s biggest and most notable bands, Children of Bodom turned down the neoclassical elements, and turned up the heavy on their fourth album Hate Crew Deathroll. The additional straight forward pumping characteristics of this album rose COB to increased popularity, and opening track Needled 24/7 is a fast, brutal and technical delight.
Explosia – Gojira (L’enfant Sauvage)
Gojira don’t do bad, they don’t even do mediocre, everything they touch is gold. Their fifth album L’enfant Sauvage was met with widespread acclaim, and continued their path to the height of the metal masses. However, the true mastery of L’enfant Sauvage is the 1-2-3-4 punch to open the album, starting with Explosia. No other album can rival this opening punch. Full of emotion, savagery and expert songwriting.
Blind – Korn (Korn)
The song that gave birth to a nu-metal generation. Kickstarting one of the most commercially successful periods in the history of heavy metal. Popularising the use of 7 string chugging, along with the haunting cries of vocalist Jonathan Davis and the hip hop influenced bass lines, nothing like it had been seen before. Over the next decade nu-metal hit mainstream success worldwide, due to the widespread success of Blind.
Kirisute Gomen – Trivium (Shogun)
After producing one of the defining early metalcore albums in Ascendancy, Trivium returned with their masterpiece third album Shogun. Focussing on innovative songwriting, each song feels like a musical opus, rather than the straight forward pumping metalcore of their early work. Opening track Kirisute Gomen is over 6 minutes of glorious melodic heavy metal, and cemented Trivium as masters of their craft.
Beast and the Harlot – Avenged Sevenfold (City of Evil)
Much like Trivium above, on their third album Avenged Sevenfold moved away from their straight up metalcore earlier work, but this time moved to a more progressive and melodic style which would feature throughout their later work. Opening track Beast and the Harlot showcases this new found melodic style, with lead guitarist Synyster Gates at his trademark best.
Push It – Static-X (Wisconsin Death Trip)
Start as you mean to go on. On their debut album Wisconsin Death Trip, Static-X produced a clinic in American industrial metal. Opening track Push It is simple, relentless and full of aggression. It takes a special skill to stand out in industrial metal, which prioritises simplicity and subtle innovation. Only the masters can succeed, and Static-X were indeed one of them.
Loco – Coal Chamber (Coal Chamber)
Loco feels as much a band description as it does an album opening track. One of the pioneering bands in the first wave of nu-metal, Coal Chamber fully embraced the turn of the century goth outsider vibe. Their debut album took the freshly emerging nu-metal in a groovier direction – leading naturally into frontman Dez‘s post Coal Chamber band DevilDriver. Opener Loco is dripping in nu-metal swagger. Get out the black trousers with a dozen zips and bounce along.
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