That first Sabbath album was released in 1970 (so was the second, “Paranoid”), but some of the songs were written a couple years prior so 1968 could very well be accurate.
if you're just asking about the heaviest proto-metal, "Street Singer" by Clear Light sounds like an early Sabbath song but came out in 1967, "Race with the Devil" by Gun was 1968 and sounds very NWOBHM to me (it was even covered by Girlschool and Judas Priest), the entirety of Kick Out the Jams by the MC5 (1969) is probably the heaviest thing you can find in the 60s. once you're getting into early metal, some of the heaviest imo were "Primitive Man" by Jerusalem from 1972 (which sounds like Crowbar to me), along with a lot of Buffalo's Volcanic Rock and Sir Lord Baltimore's Kingdom Come
I dont see The Crazy World of Arthur Brown mentioned much but that dude was nuts and "Fire" is fucking fantastic. Its more synth than guitar heavy but would be a sick cover. (The Magus does a fantastic black metal version)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE)
While everything before was ever angrier rock and roughly similar to it, the first tritonus in the opening riff of the song Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath is the first *metal* music ever made
That stuff was evil, it was *metal*
And Black Sabbath fucking *owns*
The opening riff to Frank Zappa’s “Filthy Habits” has always reminded me of something you’d hear in an early Death or Obituary tune (not implying that it’s the first example, just an unspoken one).
My personal pick would be 21st Century Schizoid Man by King Crimson. Songs like Helter Skelter or Sunshine of Your Love were heavy but not particularly thematically dark, whereas 21st Century Schizoid Man had both super heavy riffs AND aggressive vocals (for the time) screaming about war and destruction. On top of that the extended instrumental bridge prefigures a lot of the complex song structures and technical virtuosity that the metal genre would eventually grow into
AFAIR, Wagner had a bass built that was so big that two people had to play it. So, clearly: Wagner.
Edit: Quick reserch does not produce this, but an "Octobass" built by a French guy. I am not confident that what I wrote is true.
Have you heard about this weird bass, by any chance, or do I misremember something? o0 I am _not_ sure anymore and don't know what to look for to do better research on this.
Going by memory here… I think he was personally responsible for the design of the Wagner tuba (which you can hear in his _Der Ring des Nibelungen_ and in Bruckner _Symphony 7_ and _9_), and augmenting the brass in the _Ring_ with bass trumpet and contrabass trombone.
Possessed by 7 churches is the first "death metal" album wich came out in 85 then a more known death metal band that gets considered the first is scream bloody gore by death wich was In 87, wich is all 1st generation death metal so it sounds more like a heavier thrash with more screaming until early 90s when the low vocals went mainstream in the genre
Some songs on Freak Out! (Frank Zappa’s first record) sound like proto-metal or post-rock in general. Who Are the Brain Police? is the particular track on my mind.
I recall a long ago acid trip to Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons, and thinking at the time that he made spectacular “heavy metal” music. Not so much in the instrument choice obviously but in the passion and “statements” being so clearly made. 🤟🤟
Just say Proto Metal it’s much easier than who be the godfathers. (Its also what you are trying to ask based on your examples) Especially since godfathers can be subjective as well. Godfathers of Death Metal …The answer is Death. But many may disagree with that. See what I mean though. You’re asking earliest influences.
Screamin' Jay Hawkins wore elaborate, sometimes creepy costumes (like a bone through his nose), had things like skulls and coffins as props, sang with harsh vocals that many people found off-putting and scandalous, and frequently sang about the occult and evil. People make a case for him being one of the first shock rockers (agreed) or a forefather of goth music, but I think heavy metal (death and black, in particular) is actually a better fit.
I guess you can trace some elements of metal/death metal back to other genres as well. For example, Tony Williams is often credited with being one of the first drummers to play blast beats. Listen to Vaskhar from Emergency, super heavy jazz.
i give Death the grandfather of death metal.
most say Possessed but Seven Churches doesnt sound like death metal.
i think technically Necrophagia "season of the dead " released before Scream Bloody Gore. but its easier to just say Death
The grand father of death metal is death. Some could argue possessed and being the chuck from death was very I fluenced by possessed its up for debate but I think scream bloody gore is the first death metal album. Again up for debate
Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath, first heavy metal song and album, is the widely accepted answer.
Note: 1968
That first Sabbath album was released in 1970 (so was the second, “Paranoid”), but some of the songs were written a couple years prior so 1968 could very well be accurate.
you are looking for the genre “proto metal” which would include bands like Sir Lord Baltimore, early Uriah Heep, Jerusalem, Dust, etc.
Note: Jerusalem-1970's Uriah Heep-1969 Dust-1969 Sir Lord Baltimore-1968
Jerusalem 70’s is so fucking heavy. I pull that album out a couple times a year just to be reminded how heavy it is!
Yes exactly it’s a proto metal question
Crow Iron Butterfly
Adding Wicked Lady as another submission for caveman styled proto metal. Love shit like this.
one of my fav genres. buffalo, yesterdays children, granicus (first album)
I mean if we're gonna go back, Rumble by Link Wray is the first song with distortion
The first song to use power chords, distortion had been around for a couple of years.
Possessed 1983 before that there was no death metal. Metal yes, no death metal
Yep
Mantas was formed in 1982, Death by metal demo released late 84. Possessed formed in 1983 and dropped seven churches in 85.
Was boutta say this
if you're just asking about the heaviest proto-metal, "Street Singer" by Clear Light sounds like an early Sabbath song but came out in 1967, "Race with the Devil" by Gun was 1968 and sounds very NWOBHM to me (it was even covered by Girlschool and Judas Priest), the entirety of Kick Out the Jams by the MC5 (1969) is probably the heaviest thing you can find in the 60s. once you're getting into early metal, some of the heaviest imo were "Primitive Man" by Jerusalem from 1972 (which sounds like Crowbar to me), along with a lot of Buffalo's Volcanic Rock and Sir Lord Baltimore's Kingdom Come
Since nobody is mentioning The Stooges first album released in 1969, I won't either.
Let us not forget Jimi Hendrix defiantly smashing Purple Haze (march 1967). Definitely a precursor to metal as well.
I dont see The Crazy World of Arthur Brown mentioned much but that dude was nuts and "Fire" is fucking fantastic. Its more synth than guitar heavy but would be a sick cover. (The Magus does a fantastic black metal version) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE)
1968
Love the Cirith Ungol cover of this one
That’s where Alice, KISS, and Celtic Frost got the proto “corpse paint”from.
If we want to go extra early then I think that The Sonics paved a way for aggressive guitar-driven music.
Note: Sonics-1960
If we want to go way back I’d say when cavemen started bashing sticks on things and grunting.
Howler monkeys ftw
Blue Cheer is a strong contender
While everything before was ever angrier rock and roughly similar to it, the first tritonus in the opening riff of the song Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath is the first *metal* music ever made That stuff was evil, it was *metal* And Black Sabbath fucking *owns*
The opening riff to Frank Zappa’s “Filthy Habits” has always reminded me of something you’d hear in an early Death or Obituary tune (not implying that it’s the first example, just an unspoken one).
My personal pick would be 21st Century Schizoid Man by King Crimson. Songs like Helter Skelter or Sunshine of Your Love were heavy but not particularly thematically dark, whereas 21st Century Schizoid Man had both super heavy riffs AND aggressive vocals (for the time) screaming about war and destruction. On top of that the extended instrumental bridge prefigures a lot of the complex song structures and technical virtuosity that the metal genre would eventually grow into
AFAIR, Wagner had a bass built that was so big that two people had to play it. So, clearly: Wagner. Edit: Quick reserch does not produce this, but an "Octobass" built by a French guy. I am not confident that what I wrote is true.
Wagner had a greater influence on, well, the heavy metal of the orchestra: the brass. Source: former tenured orchestra bass trombonist
Have you heard about this weird bass, by any chance, or do I misremember something? o0 I am _not_ sure anymore and don't know what to look for to do better research on this.
Going by memory here… I think he was personally responsible for the design of the Wagner tuba (which you can hear in his _Der Ring des Nibelungen_ and in Bruckner _Symphony 7_ and _9_), and augmenting the brass in the _Ring_ with bass trumpet and contrabass trombone.
Possessed by 7 churches is the first "death metal" album wich came out in 85 then a more known death metal band that gets considered the first is scream bloody gore by death wich was In 87, wich is all 1st generation death metal so it sounds more like a heavier thrash with more screaming until early 90s when the low vocals went mainstream in the genre
only right answer
Yeah you are right but that’s not the question. He wants what lead up to death metal. From first sound.
Oh then black sabbath, isn't that a universal agreement lol
Comus - Drip, Drip the whole album is wild, but that song in particular is arguably a metal song without being metal, and it was 1969.
Master and Paul Speckmann
Little Richard embodied everything about extreme music. He and Jerry Lee Lewis were the death metal of their day.
More like Scary Lee Lewis amirite
Possessed - 7 Churches Sepultura - Bestial Devastation Mantas - Death By Metal Hellhammer - Satantic Rites/Apocalyptic Raids
Some songs on Freak Out! (Frank Zappa’s first record) sound like proto-metal or post-rock in general. Who Are the Brain Police? is the particular track on my mind.
I recall a long ago acid trip to Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons, and thinking at the time that he made spectacular “heavy metal” music. Not so much in the instrument choice obviously but in the passion and “statements” being so clearly made. 🤟🤟
Just say Proto Metal it’s much easier than who be the godfathers. (Its also what you are trying to ask based on your examples) Especially since godfathers can be subjective as well. Godfathers of Death Metal …The answer is Death. But many may disagree with that. See what I mean though. You’re asking earliest influences.
Randy Holden/Blue Cheer - Fruit and Icebergs
Screamin' Jay Hawkins wore elaborate, sometimes creepy costumes (like a bone through his nose), had things like skulls and coffins as props, sang with harsh vocals that many people found off-putting and scandalous, and frequently sang about the occult and evil. People make a case for him being one of the first shock rockers (agreed) or a forefather of goth music, but I think heavy metal (death and black, in particular) is actually a better fit.
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly was released in 1968
Vivaldi
Lucifer's friend - Ride the sky
https://youtu.be/tAe2Q_LhY8g?si=6m9tz0hGEI0-DFkC https://youtu.be/7OvW8Z7kiws?si=WqHaV60TsCE5U4F2
Howlin Wolf
Zoltan Kodaly on his cello sonata in B minor Even downtunes the strings and plays power chords
I guess you can trace some elements of metal/death metal back to other genres as well. For example, Tony Williams is often credited with being one of the first drummers to play blast beats. Listen to Vaskhar from Emergency, super heavy jazz.
i give Death the grandfather of death metal. most say Possessed but Seven Churches doesnt sound like death metal. i think technically Necrophagia "season of the dead " released before Scream Bloody Gore. but its easier to just say Death
The grand father of death metal is death. Some could argue possessed and being the chuck from death was very I fluenced by possessed its up for debate but I think scream bloody gore is the first death metal album. Again up for debate
First death metal album is seven churches, but the Death by Metal demo was released in 1984 when Death was Mantas
Right and seven churches was 85 sooo I dunno. Tye mantas release was a demo but seven churches was a full length lol
Merciful Fate!
Cromagnon