Music Best Metal Music made by black artists, according to Rolling Stone USA

Blacks are a minority in heavy metal. It is indisputable. The strongly developed musical style in the United States and the United Kingdom represents a side of rock and absorbs Blues influences, two genres conceived by African American, but for some reason has acquired a majority roots – even if not exclusively – white.

Naturally, the list published in 2023 by Rolling Stone USA With the 100 best Heavy Metal songs in the opinion of his team is dominated by white artists. However, there is a group formed by blacks very well positioned in the ranking.

This is Living Colorwhich had its great hit “cult of personality” approached in 12th position. The track that opens the album Vivid (1988) is above classics such as “Stargazer” (Rainbow), “Immigrant Song” (LED ZEPPELIN), “Peace Sells” (Megadeth) and “Caucho in a Mosh” (Anthrax).

A text signed by journalist JD Considine defines “Cult of Personality” as follows:

“It’s hard to talk about Living Color without addressing politics, partly because of what it meant being a black man playing heavy metal in the United States under the government of Ronald Reaganbut also because ‘Cult of personality’how Greg Tate pointed out, ‘got the feat of putting a sample of [um discurso de] MALCOLM X on the radio ‘. [Winston Churchill e J.F.K. também.] Still, despite the lyrics that joins Mussolini with Kennedy and Stalin with Gandhithe most impactful content came from the guitar of Vernon Reidthanks to a riff that he described as having a vibe LED ZEPPELINbut also something Mahavishnu Orchestra happening’.”

Living Color and “Cult of Personality”

With creation signed by the four original members of Living Color – Corey Glover (voice), Vernon Reid (guitar), Muzz Skillings (low) and Will Calhoun (battery) -, “Cult of Personality” has a title extracted from a speech contrary to Josef Stalin, “About the cult of personality and its consequences”. It emerged amidst rehearsals of the band, from a melody hummed by Glover, and soon gained body with a letter of letter offered by Reid.

In a 2018 interview, the guitarist explained that the lyrics aim to reflect on how the duality of “good person and bad person” should be overcome. He explains:

“What are good and bad in common? Is there anything that unites Gandhi and Mussolini? Why are they? And part of it is charisma.”

The album that brings it, Vividit reached sixth in the American parade and won double platinum album there. Already the single of the song reached 13th position in the same country, the highest position in the national ranking.

Rolling Stone Brazil Special: Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden on the cover: A Rolling Stone Brazil He launched an edition of unpublished collector for fans of the Heavy Metal band. The biggest albums, the list of shows in Brazil, the power of the group’s market and even a tour of the band’s plane you can see in the printed special, for sale at Profile store.

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