Speed Metal Defined!

METAL RULZ!

It's all coming back now. A full circle, traced over a period of more than 16 years. I'm reliving my speed metal years! It had all started back in 1989 over a silly AC/DC tape; Blow up your video tactfully left on my desk by my cousin and my life'd never been the same. The slow yet regulated and controlled crossover from rock to hard rock, hard rock to metal and finally from metal to its sub-genres has paid off. The initiation into one of the most vocal, aggressive and powertripped form of music has become an inherent part of my 'circuitry' (with all apologies to the mighty Trent Reznor who re-incarnated the term in flesh n' blood). So, the journey has been anything but sweet. Personal failures, overflow of emotions, anger, rage and every conceivable emotion has been experienced with additional enhancement offered by the music.

Sudarshan, my good friend from years had brought two recorded cassettes for me around October 1989. The cassettes had four albums in all; Ride the Lightning & Master of Puppets on one and Rust in Peace & Peace Sells but Who's Buying on the other. I still blame the fucker for bringing me into this. I'm addicted, and the urge has been uncontrollable ever since. Two weeks later, from the time I got those tapes I raided a music shop armed with two hundred rupees and a thirst to get every album recorded by Metallica and Megadeth. I was able to procure most, minus the inlays, the lyrics and additional eye candy available in most international album releases. But I can still recall how within a year I'd started listening to Anthrax, Testament, Corrosion Of Conformity and the Cowboys from Hell, if you know who that is. Added to the agony were two more acts that could not be heard without experiencing severe gooseflesh, clenched fists, gritting teeth and an uncontrollable urge to scream until your vocal chords bled. Slayer and Sepultura, reincarnations of the radio station from hell.

One must understand that growing up in Mumbai, India and listening to heavy metal don't exactly gel. Hailing from a conservative background, it's impossible to indulge in the ultimate metal fantasy; growing long hair, drinking beer, smoking, hanging out with girls (I dont exactly miss not doing that) and the best of them, all seeing your favorite band live (now that I miss fr sure!). This part of the world remained unborn to the groups and they would get as far as Japan, thats it. Most of all, this form of music cannot be understood by every individual. Which meant only a handful of us were the ones who did and we swore by that! Most of my contemporaries were still listening to Madonna and Michael Jackson or tapping their feet to the 80s pop music scene. We chose to get past the hair/glam bands, grab at the NWOBHM and the speed/thrash scene.

Bruce Dickinson growled in my bedroom about how I needn't be afraid, the experience was as safe as a song could be; honestly I'd to just let myself go......... Tipton's riffs helped me perfect my air guitar skills on harmony solos while I fought under blood red skies! Fucking Awesome! And then as time passed by, the advent of the more darker, notorious and sinister songs crafted by Mr.Reznor took charge. The occasional Mechanical Animal with his zapruder eyes tried to to convince me that rock was deader than dead.