Welcome To The Foundry

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, dogs and cats, or whatever else you may be, you have found the one stop blog for all your rock and metal needs! This is The Foundry, a blog that I've created to cater to fans of the greatest music on Earth! In case you don't know, a foundry is a large and powerful furnace that melts down ore (rock) into metal. That is what inspired the name of this blog.

The Foundry will celebrate rock and metal from all eras, from their humble beginnings all the way to modern day. Here I will discuss the classic bands we grew up listening as well as new bands who will lead the charge for years to come. Almost all the bases will be covered so hopefully everybody will be happy. There is an inherent bond between all fans of this music, and here we will come together as a family to honor the music that brings us together.

Some of the features that will be included in this blog are:

- New Release Reviews: Self-explanatory; just reviews of new album releases.

- Classic Reviews: Reviews for albums at least 25 years old.

- The Essentials Collection: Albums from any era that every rock and metal fan should own.

- Keep Your Eye On Them: New or underground artists you should check out.

- Top 5: A list of the top five bands, songs, albums, etc. of a specific criteria.

- Throwback Thursday: Every Thursday, a classic song, live performance, band picture, etc.

- Anything else I can think of.

To kick things off, let's have a:

Top 5!

To celebrate the debut of this new blog, the category of the first Top 5 is Top 5 Debut Albums of All Time.

5. Metal Church: "Metal Church" 1984 

With the tight musicianship, raw sound, and shrill screams provided by the late, great David Wayne, Metal Church's self-titled debut left an immediate impact on the metal world. The blend of thrash with the more melodic New Wave Of British Heavy Metal make this album a standout from other metal albums of the era. Although the band has always been in the shadows of their thrash contemporaries, some would argue that they are one of the greatest of the thrash movement. This debut, along with their follow-up "The Dark," are among the strongest releases of the 1980s thrash scene, and are seen by some as landmarks in the genre. 

4. Slipknot: "Slipknot" 1999

When it comes to sheer "What the f*** is this?" factor, it's hard to top Slipknot's self-titled debut. That sentiment, though, is used in a very positive connotation. This album packs a raw power that took the metal community by storm at the time of its release, and brought them popularity beyond what they could have ever hoped for. Between the flagrantly over-the-top drumming, disturbing lyrical themes, and overall sense of chaos immediately cemented this band as one of the dominant forces in heavy metal.

3. Metallica: "Kill Em All" 1983

While on the topic of "What the f*** is this?" factor, Kill Em All by the thrash metal giants Metallica is one of the few debuts that can top the previous album in this Top 5. Just for sheer speed alone, this album was like nothing anyone else had ever heard at the time. Couple the blistering tempos with the high level of composition and musicianship, this album was the shot heard 'round the world for the thrash metal genre. This frenetic debut and subsequent releases have placed Metallica forever in the grand Pantheon of thrash bands.

2. Guns n Roses: "Appetite for Destruction" 1987

From the first time people heard the opening song "Welcome To The Jungle," the world knew that rock would never be the same. The opening riff, Axl's siren-like scream, the energy, and of course those famous words, kicked off a rock journey that the world had never heard before. The impact of this album was immediate and lasting, and to this day is considered one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded.

1. Led Zeppelin: "Led Zeppelin I" 1969

A band so ahead of their time, when they first came out, they were shunned by their critics and fellow bands of their era. In fact, the name of the band comes from what The Who drummer Keith Moon said about the band: "It'll go down like a lead zeppelin." Yeah, they sure showed him. This groundbreaking album revolutionized rock music, and was the first monumental salvo for what would be one of the greatest and most influential groups in the history of music. This album changed the way rock and roll would be played forever, and to this day new musicians are taking influence from the band. And to think people said their careers would never take off... Well, you can't be right all the time.

*****

That is The Foundry's list of the top 5 debut albums of all time. These are my picks and they will not reflect everyone's choices, so if you have a different opinion on the top 5 debut albums of all time, post your list in the comments.