Below is a list of my favorite bands and my opinion of their music. I have direct links to most of their web sites and some band photos as well.

Accept - A prototypical 80's heavy metal band led by German lead singer Udo Dirkschneider.  Their big hit was "Balls to the Wall" which still gets some airplay.

AC/DC - A definite favorite band of mine going back to high school.  Their first lead singer, Bon Scott, had a sound that could only be paralleled by Ozzy or Dio - very recognizable and unique. He died in 1980 and was replaced by another Australian, Brian Johnson. I feel the band remained strong throughout the 80's, but has fizzled out in the 90's. I saw them in concert in 1991 which was the apex of their popularity.  Some of their lesser known songs are their best ones in my opinion.

Anthrax - A refined heavy metal band.  I have a few of their CD's.

Arch Enemy - a Norwegian heavy metal band front by female lead singer Angela Gossow.  See photo below.

Black Sabbath - They started it all, no further explanation needed.

Clutch - I just started listening to Clutch after I saw them in concert earlier in 1999.  They have a strange blend of a 70's sound and 90's sound.  Their lead singer is very clean cut, and looks like he should be working at a white collar computer job, but can he belt out the notes.

Corrosion of Conformity - One of my favorite bands in the mid-90's.  They haven't done much lately.  Their CD "Blind" is very good.

Bruce Dickinson - Also lead singer for Iron Maiden.  Left Maiden in 1992 to pursue a solo career, but is now back with Maiden.  Without a doubt, he has the best voice in hard rock and heavy metal in my opinion.  The best concert I ever saw was a Bruce Dickinson concert at the House of Blues in Chicago.  Bruce puts on a great show with or without Maiden.

Ronnie James Dio - What can you say about Dio?? He is a heavy metal legend.  He has lent his voice to Rainbow and Black Sabbath albums as well. I have a great deal of respect for Dio and he is very professional in concert. You will never find him swearing at his fans (ala - Limpbizkit, etc) or acting like a prima donna on stage.  He is one of the few performers who have that special, recognizable voice and appreciates his fans.  See photos below:

Drain STH - All female band from Sweden.  They are an up and coming metal band that played at Ozzfest '99. Any of you mushheads who think Jewel and Sarah McLachlan are good female acts ought to start listening to Drain STH.  But don't expect Sarah to invite them to the next lesbian riddled Lilith Fair Tour. Check them out below.

Dropkick Murphys - This band probably belongs in the honorable mention section, but I saw them open for Motorhead last year. Their music is punky, high energy rock.  I spoke to their lead singer after the show when I saw him leaning up against a bike rack watching 4 guys  fighting. Between his thick Irish accent and my deafness from the Motorhead show, I didn't understand anything he said to me.

Drown - A somewhat unknown industrial heavy metal band from LA.  However, I became enamoured with this band after I listened to the "Hold on to the Hollow" album. They haven't quite hit the national scene yet, but I've seen them in concert twice already.  They are all business on stage. Their music is angst ridden mayhem, but without the 90's grunge sound. Below is a photo of Drown.

Fight - Rob Halford's band after he left Judas Priest. Music is similar to Judas Priest.  Halford is now on his own.

Iron Maiden - One of my favorite bands of all time.  Despite their success, they are underrated. They are, and have been, an immensely talented band for 20 years now. They are back together now with Bruce Dickinson, and and have a new CD out, "Brave New World". Their two albums with Blaze Bayley as lead singer were fairly good, but he's no Bruce Dickinson.  I have all the studio Iron Maiden CD's. Below is a photo of the maiden concert in Milwaukee in 2000.  Below that is the awesome four guitar lineup with Bruce standing on a platform in the rear.  "Maiden Rules!" They are simply the best.

Jimmie's Chicken Shack - Kind of a 90's metal/alternative band. I like a few of their songs. I named my fantasy football team after them.

Judas Priest - Another legendary heavy metal band.  Their sound epitomized heavy metal throughout the 80's.  Some of their songs still get considerable airplay on local radio stations. Rob Halford left the band in 1992 and was replaced in 1997 by Ripper Owens, who basically trained his voice to sound like Halford.  I did not like their album with Owens as their lead singer - I never listen to it. Many of the older Priest tunes really kick ass.

Korn - I was a fan of Korn when they first emerged on the scene, but I could take them or leave them now. I saw them in concert at The Rave, and the opening band was a rap act.   For those of you who know me, you can imagine how I was enraged with that. I was ordered by a security guard not to stand on a chair at a Korn concert in Chicago, when there were 15 year old girls smoking pot nearby. Geez, what's wrong with that picture? 

Krokus - I really liked Krokus when I was in college in the 80's, but like many 80's metal hair bands, they faded from the scene.  I thought they were worth mentioning here as a favorite band of mine.

Megadeth - I am a fairly big fan of Megadeth, however their CD "Risk" is a departure from their past stuff. I hope they don't forget their heavy metal roots.  Overall, they are one of the best heavy metal bands of the 80's and 90's. I have all of their CD's and have seen them in concert three times.  They put on a good concert as they are well polished.

Metallica - Well, most hard-core Metallica fans will say they like the older Metallica stuff much better than their recent recordings. I agree. This band has really done what it takes to hit it big time in the 90's by softening up, and it worked. I don't like much of what they've done in the 90's.  The "Turn the Page" and "Whiskey in the Jar" tunes suck big time.  Without a doubt, their older albums are true heavy metal treasures. I've only seen them in concert once and they put on a very good show.

Ministry - This band has defined industrial heavy metal music in the 90's.  I like their sound.

Motorhead - Probably my favorite heavy metal band of all time. They have an unmatched speed metal sound to blend with the aged, gravelly voice of Lemmy. This band is seriously underrated in my opinion. They claim to be the world's loudest band, and I concur. I have seen them in concert five times, and met the band backstage in 1995.  Being backstage isn't all it's cracked up to be.  There were a lot of shifty characters and psychotic fans hanging around, and it stunk of death back there.  Not the place an insurance adjuster from Jackson should be seen at. Below is a photo of Motorhead from the 80's.

Ozzy Osbourne - Ditto Black Sabbath comments.

Pantera - One of the best pure heavy metal bands of the 90's.  Several bands have tried to emulate their sound. Pantera is angry, hard-driving, ear-splitting fury.  Their CD "Vulgar Display of Power" is a must for metal fans.

Pist-On - A lesser known band. They are more of a gothic rock band. I like some of their songs.  Their latest CD seems a bit more commercial.

Powerman 5000 - This is Rob Zombie's younger brother's band. Their music sounds similar to Rob Zombie.  They are an up and coming metal band who played at Ozzfest '99.

Pro-Pain - A very heavy, hard-driving band resembling Pantera. 

Rammstein - Maybe Germany's only pure heavy metal band.  Sort of a techno, industrial, heavy metal mix. All of their songs are in German, but they have gotten some airplay on Lazer 103 and WJJO in Madison.

Scorpions - Very high on my all time list of favorite bands. They have been together for nearly 30 years now. One of the heavy metal pioneers in the 70's. Their popularity is waning now unfortunately.  They have numerous classic albums.

Speedball - I saw this band open for Motorhead and took an immediate liking to their speed metal sound.  Not sure what they've done lately, but I hope they record another album.

System of a Down - This band has given a Middle Eastern twist to heavy metal has set them apart from the other tired late 90's hard rock acts.  Their lead singer Serj (at left in photo) is from Lebanon.  They mix some bizarre vocals with speed metal guitars for a rather unique sound.  They have risen quite quickly up the heavy metal ladder and landed a spot on the main stage for Ozzfest '99.  Their latest disc "Toxicity" does not contain the profanity that their debut CD had. On stage they are rather creepy. Below is a photo of the band.  Nice looking group, hey?

Tool - This is an underrated band.  Their sound is very refined and they are very crisp and business-like on stage. I thought they put on the best show at Ozzfest '98.

Type O Negative - Probably my favorite gothic band.  Their lead singer has a very deep voice which blends well with their dark, gloomy sound.

Rob Zombie - His first solo CD is better than the previous two White Zombie albums in my opinion.

Honorable Mention (other lesser favorites past and present) - Arch Enemy, Boiler, The Cars, Cinderella, Coal Chamber, Cradle of Filth, Deep Purple, Deftones, Dimmu Borgir, Disturbed, Fear Factory, Godsmack, Gravity Kills, Hammerfall, Helix, Incubus, In Flames, Kick Axe, Machinehead, Meliah Rage, Mental Hippie Blood, Mushroomhead, Nightwish, Nothingface, Paradise Lost, Prong, Rainbow, Rollins Band, Michael Schenker Group, Sepultura, Sevendust, Slayer, Slipknot, Soil, Souls at Zero, Billy Squier, Static-X, Step Kings, Strapping Young Lad, Glenn Tipton, Triumph, Union Underground, World Bang and others I can't think of right now.

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