Replacing Dave Mustaine as Metallica’s lead guitarist in 1983, Kirk Hammett cut his teeth on Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. So it’s unsurprising that he lists Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys and Zeppelin’s ...

Heavy metal had been slowly growing in popularity for decades by the time it hit its commercial peak. The ’80s are considered mainly the heyday of heavy metal in its official definition. That being ...

Heavy metal certainly had its origins prior to Black Sabbath's 1970 debut album – and more specifically, the intro riff to the opening song "Black Sabbath" – but the genre certainly came into form at ...

Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett named one particular guitar riff that he believes “shifted heavy metal.” In anew feature with Consequence, the Metallica guitarist chose 11 albums that he thinks every ...

What band wrote the first-ever heavy metal riff? According to Zakk Wylde, that honor goes to the legendary English power trio Cream. In addition to Cream, Benante points to Queen for their influence ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Quentin Singer is music journalist who covers rock and heavy music. As it relates to who should be considered heavy metal’s ...