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Photo: Iron Maiden: Bill McCay/Getty Images | Arch Enemy: Mark Horton/Getty Images | Children Of Bodom: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images | Black Sabbath: Fin Costello/Redferns | Nightwish: Rowen Lawrence/WireImage
A successful cover can make a band famous. Word Up! from Korn, Sound of Silence from Disturbed, Cum On Feel The Noize by Quiet Riot—all of these and many more became true hits, bringing their artists to new, unfamiliar audiences. However, for every metal interpretation heard around the world, there are dozens that barely reach the ears of a few. Whether due to intentionally limited releases, unfortunate timing, or a lack of interest, here are 10 flawless covers by heavy metal superstars that (unfairly) never gained popularity.
Metal Hammer line break
Iron Maiden – Rainbow's Gold (cover of Beckett's song; B-side 2 Minutes To Midnight, 1984)
Iron Maiden aren't exactly known for their covers (except for Doctor Doctor ). To be fair, when your original songs are as iconic as Run to the Hills и Hallowed Be Your Name , why give priority to other people's works at all? However, on this B-side 2 Minutes to Midnight The Beast literally turbocharged progressive rock, preserving Beckett's sinuous rhythms and adding a ton of power. Bruce Dickinson's screams are especially deafening.
Ghost – Here Comes The Sun (cover of The Beatles song; bonus track on the album Opus Eponymous, 2011)
It takes either a genius or a madman to make The Beatles truly terrifying. Considering Tobias Forge created some of the most compelling songs in metal. и walked around as a skeletal antipope, he may have been both. The ghostly pontiff and his monk-like followers reimagined the Here Comes the Sun like a treacherous lullaby, and it's so mind-blowingly good that its absence from streaming services is, well... sacrilege.
Nightwish – Symphony Of Destruction (Megadeth cover; B-side to The Siren, 2005)
Nightwish and Megadeth have nothing in common. While Nightwish strive to seduce you with a menagerie of elegant melodies, Megadeth's hits invariably slap you in the face. However, this didn't stop the Finnish favorites from paying homage to their thrash predecessors. Bassist Marco Hietala sings lead vocals on this surging version. Symphony of Destruction , which was recorded live and, despite its captivating clash of sharp guitars and lush synths, ended up on the flip side of the single The Siren .
Slayer – Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf cover; NASCAR: Crank It Up, 2002)
How could it not be more scandalous?! In 2002 – completely unexpected for a NASCAR soundtrack – trash rebels Slayer planted their flag in the immortal anthem «Born to Be Wild» , and the result, as expected, was incredibly cool. Tom Araya's team captured Steppenwolf's "heavy metal thunder" in a bottle and then shook it violently. This piercing scream «"Born to be wiiiiiild!"» From the cacophonous solos, the rebellious spirit of this classic is amplified to the limit: this is the loudest level Slayer have ever reached.
Black Sabbath – Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple cover; Born Again deluxe edition, 2011)
Yes, the sound of Tony Iommi playing one of the most iconic riffs of all time is as incredible as you might think. In 1983, Black Sabbath was fronted by former Deep Purple member Ian Gillan, and the band dropped a subtle hint of that fact on tour like a hand grenade. They covered Smoke On The Water, to pay tribute to the former profession of their vocalist, and the result was undoubtedly the best that came out of that damned era Born Again .
Dream Theater – Heaven And Hell (Black Sabbath cover; Uncovered 2003–2005, 2009)
Dream Theater defeated piracy by joining it. While most bootlegs of B-sides, concerts, and rarities are released by fans looking to make a quick buck by infringing copyrights, the progressive metal icons simply release their own! In 2009, the New York band released as part of their series Official Bootleg many covers, including a particularly dynamic one Heaven and Hell . However, you won't find it on streaming platforms, and knowing that is hell in itself.
Alice In Chains – Tears (Rush cover; 40th-anniversary edition of 2112, 2016)
For the album's 40th anniversary «2112 »"Rush assembled a completely random cast of stars to perform the album's highlights. Steven Wilson took on «The Twilight Zone» , which was damn brilliant, and «A Passage to Bangkok» went to, um... Billy Talent? Okay. Bringing in grunge icons Alice In Chains for Tears recordings« seemed equally strange, but everything became clear after the song's release. The harmonious vocal lines of the two singers not only reveal the emotional depth of the original; they further intensify its sadness.
Children of Bodom used to do some pretty crazy stuff. Their fun Finnish version of the song Oops… I Did It Again! was so unexpected, yet captivatingly crafted, that it created a sensation, and they also left their mark on tracks by Pat Benatar and Billy Idol. The album Antisocial Attempting Trust (known for the Anthrax remake) didn't quite reach these standards in terms of insanity, but it certainly surpassed them in quality. The fast-paced riffs and choral vocals perfectly matched the band's consistently energetic style.
Arch Enemy – Breaking The Law (Judas Priest cover; bonus track from the album War Eternal, 2014)
If we were Alyssa White-Gluz, we would assume it was a rite of passage. War Eternal was the blue-haired badass' first Arch Enemy album after Angela Gossow's 14-year tenure with the band. As if that wasn't enough to inspire fear, the band made the newcomer sing Breaking the Law ?! That's brutal! Still, Alissa's roar was on point, and guitarist Michael Amott was in suitably flamboyant form, recreating that iconic riff using multiple neck sections.
Gojira – Escape (Metallica cover; bonus track on the album From Mars To Sirius, 2005)
Album From Mars to Sirius Gojira have established themselves as metal's most vocal eco-warriors, using death metal, groove metal, and post-metal to fight for the Earth's salvation. The Japanese release of the album also revealed they possess the world's most powerful excrement polish. The French brutally reworked a Metallica song. Escape (notorious for its "wet" composition from the album Ride the Lightning ). Each powerful guitar riff, along with Joe Duplantier's growl and Brother Mario's furious drums, added weight to this previously rather sedate pop-rock attempt.