History - Heavy Metal Chapter 1 (Part 3 of 4)

The first few years of heavy metal (the music being called classic metal at times because of its pioneering status) are considered by most as the best era of the genre ever. Without a doubt, it is quite a memorable segment of this music's history. It was back then that Led Zeppelin, unquestionably the most popular heavy metal band ever, created classics such as "Black Dog" and the Arabian "Kashmir;" but also had the brilliance of experimenting with forms of music such as reggae and folk. In fact, the latter was an essential part of the most widely known heavy metal song ever: "Stairway to Heaven." The masterfully created masterpiece was crafted by Page and vocalist Robert Plant to perfection and even today remains a constant radio staple.

Led Zeppelin - Kashmir

It was, however, until 1970 that Black Sabbath inaugurated what many consider the "true" spirit and essence of heavy metal. Gloomy, crunching, and foreboding, albums like Black Sabbath, Paranoid, and Master of Reality demonstrated the wicked musical direction of guitarist Tony Iommi and band members Ozzy Osbourne, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler through classic songs like "N.I.B.," "Paranoid," and "Children of the Grave." Bands such as Corrosion of Conformity, Metallica, and Nirvana were all influenced by the metal anthems provided by one of the genre's most memorable bands ever, and the face of modern music has hardly ever been the same since the Birmingham act exploded unto the scene.

Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave

Meanwhile, Deep Purple, after going through a progressive rock stint with vocalist Rod Evans and bassist Nick Simper, developed a solid slab of rock on its classic Deep Purple In Rock, and would for a long time be heralded as a true innovator of music. In fact, Ritchie Blackmore's classical guitar training, along with Jon Lord's synthesizers and Ian Gillan's piercing shrieks, was crucial in the development of heavy metal as it is known today.

Deep Purple - Child in Time

Queen - Brighton Rock

During the mid-Seventies, six new bands were to also walk into the spotlight: Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Queen, Aerosmith, and Kiss. Judas Priest would be responsible for popularizing the concept of two guitarists in a heavy metal band; Aerosmith for bringing back the blues, sex, and drugs; Thin Lizzy for breaking through with aesthetical and musical flash and style; Queen for introducing perhaps the greatest degree of experimentation within music and the renewal of majestic melodies and harmonies with a progressive rock edge; and Kiss for revolutionizing the art of live shows, at times presenting slightly macabre theatrics strongly reminiscent of Alice Cooper's. And the Blue Oyster Cult? They disappeared into oblivion after a series of forgettable albums released in the 80's. But during their halcyon days in the 70's, they were an important part of the hard rock arena circuit, combining beautiful 60's harmonies with searing guitars.

Thin Lizzy - Emerald

History - Heavy Metal Chapter 1 (Part 2 of 4)

Several new bands, including the bluesy Savoy Brown, Foghat, and Bad Company, the ferocious Budgie, and the legendary UFO, were spawned by the growing heavy metal explosion, while others like Status Quo hardened their sound; but until 1973 the kings of heavy metal were undoubtedly Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. The three were bands with a technical prowess and a compositional inventiveness and passion unseen before, which coalesced into the hardest music existing during those times. Moreover, the era also marked the beginning of Satanic imagery and of spectacular, energetic live shows in heavy metal.

Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused

Status Quo - Is it Really me/ Gotta go Home

Budgie - Who do you want for your Love

The Satanic imagery came courtesy of two English bands: Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin's guitarist Jimmy Page (formerly of The Yardbirds, a band that was critical in influencing heavy metal with its psychedelic distortion and in spawning legendary guitar players Page, Clapton, and Jeff Beck) had a strong personal fascination with the occult, while many of Sabbath's lyrics within their ample range of themes dealt with it as well. The Sabs, however, did not claim to be Satanic, unlike many future metal bands; in fact, Ozzy Osbourne, vocalist of the band during those times, claims to have been scared off by fans wearing black robes and carrying candles with themselves.

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Deep Purple - Speed King

Alice Cooper - Killer

As for the live shows, they were carried out by every band, most notably by Led Zeppelin's "rock till you drop" concerts that lasted about two hours and by Alice Cooper's colossal shows, known to feature boa constrictors, mutilated female mannequins, and Alice Cooper himself in a beheading spectacle. Bands moved onstage, introduced bigger-than-life special effects into their shows and recreated their music in front of fiery crowds of fans.

Rainbow - Rising

One of the most Underappreciated hard rock outfits ever, Rainbow were, in their heyday, one of the most talented and interesting bands of the '70s. Though its impossible to not compare them with Deep Purple (due to their guitarist's credentials,) and though they share many similarities with the groundbreaking band, they are an entity of their own.

When guitar hero Ritchie Blackmore departed Deep Purple in 1974, he met a then unheard of singer by the name of Ronnie James Dio. The two would form Rainbow soon after, then consisting of the two men and bandmates from Dio's band Elf. Their debut, while fairly inconsistent, did sport some incredibly promising songs such as the anthem Man on the Silver Mountain and the beautifully dreamy ballad Catch the Rainbow. But immediately after the albums release, Dio and Blackmore fired their lineup, replacing it with a much more talented one.

Consisting of Dio on vocals, Blackmore on guitar, Jimmy Bain on bass, Tony Carey on keyboards, and Cozy Powell on drums, this lineup is certain to raise more than a few eyebrows. Jimmy Bain would appear on Dio's massively successful solo debut Holy Diver, as well as many other of the singers albums. Tony Carey would go on to some moderate solo success, and Cozy Powell (previously of the Jeff Beck group) is hailed as one of the greatest hard rock drummers of all time, and would go on to record with numerous artists.

The album itself is by far Rainbow's best. Its balanced between direct rockers (Run With the Wolf, Starstruck, Do You Close Your Eyes) and longer, more progressive tinged pieces (Tarot Woman, Stargazer, A Light in the Black,) all of which fair well. Every member shines equally on here. Dio's trademark growls and wails (as well as sometimes cheesy, sometimes mystical lyrics) are present even at the start of the singer's career. Blackmore's classic stratocaster tones tare through massive solos and riffs. Bain is always audible, and plays some pretty catchy basslines. Carey draws upon a bevy of synth's to provide a partner to Blackmore, and Powell's drumming is nothing short of fantastic.

A good one and a half minutes of spacey synthesizer introducing the listener to the album, before Blackmores strident riffs rip into Tarot Woman. Dio's vocals are his usual powerful best, and his catchy chorus of " Beware of a place/A smile on her bright shining face/I'll never return, how do you know/Tarot woman/I don't know, I don't know" sets the tone for Rainbow's signature sound, and will be stuck in your head for weeks. Blackmore's solo is quite effective to boot.

Tarot Woman gives way to the bluesy groove of Run With the Wolf. With memorable guitar licks and bass lines, combined with rhythmic organ, steady drumming and a signature Dio chorus, the quality of the album can't be denied.

The same groove is carried over to Starstruck, which openings with one of Blackmore's most catchy riffs. This is easily the most Deep Purple-ish of the tracks on here, with organ and vocals that could have come compliments of Jon Lord and Ian Gillan respectively.

With a massive riff, and hugely strong vocals Do You Close Your Eyes is also the shortest and most direct of the songs on Rising. It rocks with a powerful groove. But its the next track, Stargazer that really shows off Rainbow's potential. With a hugely technical and hectic drum intro, tasteful synth arrangements, Dio's huge vocals, and a wonderful guitar solo this track clock in at a full eight and a half minutes, the longest on the album. Its easily one of the best tracks Rainbow has pulled off, an mini masterpiece in itself.

The albums finale, another eight minuter, A Light In the Black is just as powerful as Stargazer. Blackmore's unforgettable intro riff and Bain's great bass lines set the tone for Dio's vocals, and some truly amazing synth and guitar soloing. By the time the song has run its course, its certainly made more than a minor impression.

Rising is a startling brief record, however, clocking in at about thirty three minutes in length, but this is an easily forgivable flaw. While Tarot Woman, Stargazer, and A Light in the Black are easily my favorites on here, all the songs are great. Unfortunately, Rainbow's next record, while certainly a stellar offering in its own right, was not as good as this would be. Even when Dio departed the band to do a stint fronting Black Sabbath, Blackmore would take the group down a surprisingly poppy road, before the guitarist returned to Deep Purple. But all that was in the future, at the time it was released, Rising was an unconditional triumph.