If you like worshiping the devil, you’ll love heavy metal music.
This probably echoes some stereotype about metal music you’ve heard before. It’s on par with saying that listening to rap music will make you try drugs, or that all country music sucks. The difference, however, is that the mainstream appeal of these other genres have allowed them a chance to clear their name based on popularity and accessibility alone. Metal music hasn’t received the same grace.
You never dial the radio just in time to hear an upbeat announcer introduce “Angel of Death” by Slayer — a song which I don’t recommend to first time listeners.
But, if you expose yourself to the right tracks, albums, or bands, you can uncover the tantalizing and acutely inspirational genre that is metal. Luckily, there exist many tracks, off of a fantastic album, by a great band, that are perfect for any new metal aficionado.
The Finnish-Greek album “From Hell with Love,” by Beast in Black got rave reviews from fans and critics alike when it was released in 2019, and with good reason.
Power and Glam metal, well-known for its flashy synthetic sound and more catchy choruses, became a taboo subgenre among metal listeners ever since “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Metalheads, like all other music fanbases, are known to adopt the pretentious mindset that if something is popular, it can’t be good.
“From Hell With Love” helped change this long-held opinion. Its hardcore themes combined with lead Yannis Papadopoulos’ impressive vocal range have made it one of the more well-received power metal albums in recent memory, despite its gaudy elements. And, with its primarily fast-paced and synthetic nature, the entire album is reminiscent of everybody’s favorite classic rock standards, just with a screamier flare.
What’s special about this album lies outside of its good reception and general sound. The lyrics flawlessly take well-known stories and make them new again.
With as many songs as there are about lovers growing apart, it can be hard to find new ones to resonate with. Radio stations are haunted with whiny, recycled verses about driving around all our old spots, and missing your body next to mine. Why not kick things up a notch?
“Sweet True Lies” is the perfect antidote to modern love songs’ boring apathy. Hearing “Faith torn asunder / I’m burning alive / Baby, baby tell me more of your lies / Say you want me for a lifetime / I believe you even when I know it’s a lie / Love’s so blind,” screamed at you won’t make you sad about your inattentive boyfriend, it’ll make you angry in the best way. You won’t be missing anybody’s body next to yours after listening, that’s for sure.
If love songs aren’t your thing, maybe self-loathing is. If Nirvana’s popularity made anything clear it’s that people have some deep-seeded issues with themselves — and even though I love “Lake of Fire” — I think Beast in Black explores the topic with more panache.
In “Die by the Blade,” Papadopoulos sings “The abhorrent beast / Has revealed its ugly face / You can smash all the mirrors / But there’s only one true escape / Fight until you / Die by the blade of the one you hate.” Though both the song and the album as a whole are inspired by the rivalry in the manga series “Berserk,” the smashing of mirrors in the name of hatred still demands deep self-reflection from the listener.
Every track on this album has unique themes and poetic lyrics to explore. “Repentless” deals with the imposition of religious authority, “Unlimited Sin” explores the corruption of innocence, and “Oceandeep” makes me — a 20-year-old woman with a living boyfriend — believe that I have lost my wife.
There’s something important about having a message slapped across your face. You can continue to dial the radio and feel comfortable with the same auto-tuned comforts made popular on Tiktok, or you could choose to challenge your musical norms.
I can say with near certainty that you’re not going to hell if you listen to this album — but if that’s what scares you, maybe stay away from Judas Priest.
