Tales from the Jugular

Staff Top Three Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Love Songs!

"I would not wish any companion in the world but you" --Shakespeare, The Tempest - Act 3, Scene 1

Rarely is love the subject matter of heavy metal where death and destruction play primary roles.

As any deconstructionist would consider--why not?

Black Sabbath was a dark reaction to flower power and folk music of the late 60s. Led Zeppelin laid down a blueprint of hedonism and excess. Hair metal acts of the late-80s courted the love ballad and by the 90s more expressions of emotion were explored. Now, metal subject matter is wide open.

The simple answer may be that the qualities we tend to see with love are incongruent with the way we picture the heavy metal environment and themes. Love is connective and nourishing. Rock music can be aggressive and rebellious. Heavy metal is often about struggles of power. Musically, love songs are sweet and melodious where metal is based upon amplification and distortion. Love will embrace, but doesn't celebrate, evil.

But we can love in different ways and songs can reflect it having been won, lost, or simply as is.

February 14 is Valentine's Day so we each chose our favorite three songs that relate to L-O-V-E.

Atrocity - "Love is Dead"



Sentenced - "Killing You, Killing Me"



Dokken - "The Hunter"
("You're the only one I could call my own" suggests deep love. But the next verse, "But then the shadows fall and I'm gone again" suggests otherwise.)



(Led Zeppelin would probably have one in here, but I'm classifying their "love" songs as classic rock)

Foo Fighters - "Everlong"



Skid Row - "I Remember You"



Scorpions - "Still Loving You"



Megadeth - "Promises"



Opeth - "Face of Melinda"



Type O Negative - "Love You To Death"



Devin Townsend Band - "Deadhead"



Scorpions - "Still Loving You"



Type O Negative - "Love You To Death"



Scorpions - "No One Like You"



Alice Cooper - "You and Me"



Judas Priest - "Love Bites"



Whitesnake - "Love Ain't No Stranger"



Steelheart - "I'll Never Let You Go"



Metallica - "Nothing Else Matters"






[Other Maximum Metal Columns]

<< back >>