QUESTION OF THE WEEK: DO YOU LIKE HAVING KEYBOARDS IN HARD ROCK/HEAVY METAL MUSIC?

One word: No.

29 Responses

  1. We would have no Rainbow in the Dark if not for keyboards, so yes they have their place. What would Mr. Crowley be like without that keyboard intro? Most of Deep Purple wouldn’t even exist. LED Zeppelin anyone? And I know they aren’t hard rock, but might as well erase Pink Floyds catalog if not for the keys. So yeah, in a lot of bands they were very important and necessary.

    1. WN, this version of “Rainbow In the Dark”, without the keyboards, sounds killer! To me, the song sounds much more heavier and Dio’s voice sounds more powerful. I agree with Dana, I like this version of the song better than the original version.

    2. Rattle,

      I totally agree, and I think removing the organ/keys from many of these rock songs, would make them sound heavier, rawer and far more punchy.

      But of course, that is my just my personal opinion.

    3. 100% agree. Mean Streets by Van Halen and a whole bunch of songs they did after that album. Ozzy’s entire first two albums – like Doug says in his comments ” it really comes down to whether the keyboards enhance or take away from the heaviness”

  2. Future question of the week proposal: The original “Big 4” of thrash is Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer & Metallica. A lot has changed since these four giants dominated the thrash scene. If the “Big 4” were being chosen today just based on what these bands have recorded since 2000, would it still be these 4? Or would one/all of these bands be replaced by a band like Testament or Overkill or any other thrash band?

  3. For me, it really comes down to whether the keyboards enhance or take away from the heaviness. I’m not much into symphonic metal, for example; I tend to prefer bands like Dream Theater, where the keyboards add to Petrucci’s driving guitar sound.

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