13 Classic Heavy Metal Songs With The Vocals Only

Isolated Vocals On 13 Songs From Classic Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Motley Crue & Other Bands

Ian Gillan, Deep Purple photo: Jan Persson

We will conclude our overview of isolated vocals with a selection of songs from some of the most iconic hard rock and heavy metal bands.

What you may notice in listening to these cuts is that more than other types of rock, heavy metal has people who can sing and others who greatly benefit with the helping hand of compression and echo.

There were many bands to possibly profile and limiting the number of songs to a bakers dozen was a challenge. While we would consider including Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus, Anthrax, Slayer, Testament and other thrash bands, we left them out this time. Maybe we’ll revisit this subject in the future.

Originators

Starting things off is the band that many fans consider the inventors of heavy metal, Black Sabbath with Paranoid (vocals – Ozzy Osbourne)

In music polls, Led Zeppelin is consistently ranked as the one of the greatest bands in rock history. They also influenced practically every hard rock and metal band even if Zeppelin themselves did not call themselves a “heavy metal” band. This is their iconic 1971 song Rock and Roll (vocals-  Robert Plant)

Most rock fans can name the song in three notes. If Deep Purple did not create the catchiest (and unfortunately most overplayed) hard rock song of all time, then what song challenges it? Interesting to hear the song with vocals only and without the famous guitar chords. Smoke On The Water (vocals – Ian Gillan)

Contrast Ian Gillan with David Coverdale, taking over lead vocals after Gillan left Deep Purple in 1973. Coverdale would later form Whitesnake. From 1974, the title track Burn (vocals – David Coverdale)

The New Age Of Hard Rock

AC/DC had the unique voice of Bon Scott as their lead singer for only six years when he died in 1980. Brian Johnson has been the singer for 40+ years, but the band still performs mostly Scott’s songs. Touch Too Much (vocals – Bon Scott)

Even people who don’t like heavy metal generally will give Motörhead a second listen, not just because of the music but the sandpaper vocals of the incomparable Ian Kilmister, a..k.a. Lemmy. This is a 2008 recording of their 1980 penultimate song Ace of Spades (vocals – Lemmy)

The “metal god” Rob Halford of Judas Priest has a four octave range and shows off his upper register in the title track to 1982’s Screaming For Vengeance. (vocals – Rob Halford).

Featuring another band with a lead singer switch. The late, great Paul Di’Anno of Iron Maiden put an indelible stamp on the catchiest track of their 1980 debut album. Running Free (vocals – Paul Di’Anno).

When Iron Maiden did change singers after Di’Anno’s departure in 1981, it led to the emergence of Bruce Dickinson. As good as Dickinson’s previous band, Samson was, he was never going to get the worldwide fame he deserved had he not joined Maiden. Here is 1983’s The Trooper (vocals -Bruce Dickinson)

The Mid to Late 80s

After Ronnie James Dio served as the lead singer for Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath it was time for him to embark on a solo career in 1983. Dio’s powerful voice has never been equaled.  Rainbow in The Dark (vocals – Ronnie James Dio)

I have heard people say that Van Halen made the greatest hard rock song ever in Hot For Teacher. I think that opinion has a direct tie-in to the extremely original video. Putting aside the video and the memorable lyrics and vocals, Hot For Teacher is an excellent song for its drumming and guitar work. Now in this version, you can hear all that’s going on, concentrating on the heavy echo-chambered vocals and background sounds. I brought my pencil. (vocals – David Lee Roth)

Music critics and fellow band members say a key ingredient that propelled Mötley Crüe to success was the uniqueness of singer Vince Neil’s voice. Too Young To Fall In Love (vocals Vince Neil)

Finally Guns N’ Roses. Whether you are a fan or not, there is only one Axl Rose. You Could Be Mine (vocals – Axl Rose)

 

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