QUESTION OF THE WEEK: CARMINE APPICE SAYS THAT METALLICA IS THE FIRST TRUE HEAVY METAL BAND, “BEFORE ALL THAT, IT WAS HARD ROCK” (*VARIATION ON THE ROGER DALTREY COMMENT)

n a new interview with Poland’s MetalSide, legendary rock drummer Carmine Appice believes that Metallica was the first true heavy metal band.

He said (as per blabbermouth.net), “I consider heavy metal starting with Metallica. Before all that, it was hard rock. The crunchy guitars, the buzztone guitar and the double bass following guitar, that’s what started heavy metal. Everything else before that — Mötley Crüe and Van Halen, Blue Murder — everything’s hard rock. Heavy hard rock. But metal comes from the guitar for me.”

19 Responses

  1. Kind of a silly comment. Carmine’s a great drummer. I agree its Priest, although until I looked it up, I thought Motorhead was possibly the first.

    While Metallica were still doing well in the early 90’s Pantera was starting to dominate the metal scene and give ‘tallica a right kick in the arse. I thought it was fun the rivalry that started up. Yet, at the time I did think it was lame when Phil said on stage they were better than Metallica circa ’96 Bristow, VA. Good times

    1. Tasker, I agree with you about Pantera’s role in heavy metal in the 90s…..IMO, Pantera saved heavy metal in the 90s as the grunge scene was taking over. Grunge creeped in and changed heavy metal bands….Metallica changed sound, Megadeth started wearing flannel, etc…. Kinda ironic that Pantera saved heavy metal in the 90s considering that in the 80s they were jokingly known as “Glamtera” cuz of their hair metal 80s era before they became the powerful, aggressive band in the 90s.

    2. So true. Totally forgot Dave and Co went with flannels. That must’ve been around Countdown & Youthanasia. I loved Countdown back then. Like Rust In Peace, it’s a great album from beginning to end. Youth I never got into. I should pick it up and check it out. Will be fun to see Dave in September one more time.

      Thank goodness Pantera came out of their glam style era and turned into CFH.

  3. Metallica were the first known Thrash Metal band. Elliot Goldberg: That’s hilarious to me because that was a playful insult us metalheads would insult each other with. “You love Spandau Ballet”. I think because it’s such a limp wristed band name lol

  4. Oh come on Carmine! Metallica came out in 1983, so you’re saying none of those early bands were metal? Ever hear of this thing called THE NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL before? Started way before Mehtallica released Kill ‘em All. Your own brother was even in the first metal band, and they were called Black Sabbath. I find his comment almost more delusional than Roger’s lol There were a shitload of metal bands before Mehtallica was out of middle school. I love both Appice brothers, but that’s a ridiculous thing to say.

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