proto-metal

Diving into Toad’s hard-rockin’ self-titled 1971 debut.

Get your proto-metal on with this exclusive full-album premiere of Randy Holden

Diving into Lucifer’s Friend’s 1970 self-titled debut to see if the proto-metal holds up.

Swedish power trio Nekromant unveil a rambunctious third album with nods to the trad metal greats—from Thin Lizzy to Maiden to Priest.

Check out a full stream of Russian retro/throwback-doom rockers Scarecrow‘s new album, Scarecrow II, which drops tomorrow.

Looking back on Sarcofagus‘ second album from 1980 as it gets set to be reissued next week.

For this Fight Fire With Fire installment, we go proto-metal and pit Blue Cheer and their 1968 debut Vincebus Eruptum, against the more obscure Randy Holden and his Population II.

Mining Bloodrock‘s self-titled album from 1970 to determine its metallic quantities and qualities.

Checking out the only album from The Power of Zeus to see if the tunes hold up in heaviness 51 years later.

Checking out Zarpa Rock’s 1978 album Los 4 Jinetes del Apocalipsis to see if the tunes are as metalhead-friendly as that gruesome cover art.

Re-examining the 1974 self-titled debut from the curiously named Heavy Metal Kids to find out just how heavy metal they are.

Re-examining the output of early British punk/metallers Crushed Butler.

Re-examining Black Widow’s 1970 debut, Sacrifice, in a seasonally appropriate Primitive Origins.

Cali rockers King Gorm are the latest episode in proto-metal’s never-ending ’70s show.

Revisiting Blackwater Park’s only release, 1972’s Dirt Box.

Revisiting En ny tid är här…, the 1970 debut from Sweden’s November.

Revisiting South Africa’s Suck and their only release, 1970’s Time to Suck.

Is Blue Cheer‘s Vincebus Eruptum the first metal record? We dive deep to figure it out.

Re-examining how Randy Holden foreshadowed Eyehategod’s down and dirty sludge in 1969 on Population II.

Re-examining New Trolls’ 1972 prog-rock odyssey UT.

Enter Mirror‘s Pyramid of Terror.

Does Epitaph’s debut album, from 1971, live up to its ’91-DM cover art? We dig deep to find out.

Revisiting Toe Fat‘s self-titled debut from 1970 as we continue our proto-metal minings in Primitive Origins.

Underground Soviet metal from the early ’80s? Sure. Bring it on. Bring it all on!

Looking back on Hairy Chapter‘s very weird 1971 album Can’t Get Through.

Revisiting Granicus‘ self-titled 1973 album, an underrated proto-metal rager.

Lucifer pay tribute to the heavy rock and proto-metal of decades past on their aptly-titled second album, Lucifer II.

Revisiting The Shiver‘s one and only album, 1969’s Walpurgis.

Stream the new album from Oblivious now.

Stream a new song from occult group Demon Eye now!