Early 70's Underground Heavy Metal

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

There was Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and and um...Uriah Heep and oh Budgie as well. But once you get there you start struggling for anymore.

Truth is there were alot of bands making a loud racket albeit it only on record working in and around those monoliths at the dawn of heavy metal.

But navigating through all these lost entities is frought with follies and overrate's from the crazie's who dig this stuff. Don't trust anyone who say's their's anything as heavy as Vol 4., Master Of Reality and In Rock (Night Sun comes close though)....

....Anyway the list below is imo the 10 greatest 'underground' heavy metal record's of the first half of the 70's. Complete with album cover and myspace link to music. The record's are heavy and most importantly really really good. If alot of the 80's US poverty metal bands are 'Arcane Steel' then call this 'Rusted n' Crusted Steel'.

1. Leaf Hound - Grower's Of Mushroom (1971)

Recommended Track: Freelance Fiend
http://www.myspace.com/leafhound

2. Buffalo - Only Want You For Your Body (1974)

Recommended Track: I'm A Skirt Lifter, Not A Shirt Raiser
http://www.myspace.com/buffalotheband

3. Night Sun - Mournin' (1972)

Recommended Track: Plastic Shotgun
http://www.myspace.com/nightsungermany

4. Hard Stuff - Bulletproof (1972)

Recommended Track: Time Gambler
http://www.myspace.com/ledders1

5. Tear Gas - Tear Gas (1971)

No Myspace, Rateyourmusic Tear Gas reviews:
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/tear_gas/tear_gas/

6. Jerusalem - Jerusalem (1972)

Recommended Track: Primitive Man & Kamikaze Moth
http://www.myspace.com/jerusalemheavy72

7. Atomic Rooster - Death Walk's Behind You (1970)

Recommended Track: Tomorrow Night
http://www.myspace.com/classicatomicrooster

8. Possessed - Exploration (1971)

Recommended Track: Darkness Darkness
http://www.myspace.com/possessedwb

9. Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend (1970)

Recommended Track: Ride The Sky
http://www.myspace.com/xlucifersfriendx

10. May Blitz - May Blitz (1970)

Recommended Track: Smoking The Day Away
http://www.myspace.com/mayblitzuk

.....So that's it. No Captain Beyond, Dust or Sir Lord Baltimore ( Sleep

) who are the usual suspects when something like this comes up. Anyway over to you Sahb....
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

I've heard of Atomic Rooster (Trogs favorite, by default) and Lucifer's Friend (I heard a cover of one of their songs recently, but it espaces me what band it was). Also cool to see the "other" Jerusalem and Possessed! I'd mininate Blue Cheer for a list like this.
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Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

Trouble recently covered 'Ride The Sky' by Lucifer's Friend.

Blue Cheer are definately heavy but were more like blues played to it's absolute extreme in volume and not really any attempt at then modern hard rock/metal.
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

Norway was actually a great place for that 70 heavy prog rock metal scene. Here are some bands to check out:

Aunt Mary was a band with members from my home town, and the town next to us. They were quite huge in the Scandinavian countries, and especially in Denmark. They even opened for bands like Deep Purple and Rainbow. Check out this video track for "Stumblin' Stone", from their 1973 album "Janus".

http://www.myspace.com/auntmaryprog

Then there was the mighty Popol Vuh (later on re-named Popol Ace). Rumors have it that vocalist Jahn Teigen was asked to join Genesis, after Peter Gabriel left. But he wanted to concentrate on Popol Vuh! Check out the song "Hunchback" from their self titled 1972 album:

http://www.myspace.com/popolaceprog

One of my favorite bands, although maybe not the most consistent one, was Ruphus. Set apart from the masses with a male and female singer, they had some of the most haunting songs ever. "Still Alive" from the 1973 "New Born Day" album is a great place to start!

http://www.myspace.com/ruphusprognorway

Prudence hailed out of Trondheim, with their Jethro Tull inspired folkish rock/metal hybrid. Their singer, Åge Aleksandersen) is one of the most respected artist in Norway, even today. Check out "Mild Grey Fog" from the bands 1972 album "Tomorrow May Be Vanished". Accordian in metal!!

http://www.myspace.com/prudence7274

Now do your own search for acts like Difference, Hole In The Sky, Høst (another local band, with lyrics in Norwegian!!) and Flax
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Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

Oh yeah Aunt Mary are great, their album Loaded (1972) was a contender for the list.

Aunt Mary - Loaded (1972)

http://www.myspace.com/auntmaryprog
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

I hit send too fast! The edited post is complete. I also found this great American band:

Goliath
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Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

Avantasia covered "Ride The Sky" on their "Lost In Space part 1" EP.
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Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

That's some great bands you listed, really cool. Haven't heard half of them.

Never heard Goliath before, just listening to them and yeah their great. Wonder if Sahb knows them.

Must have been another band aswell because Trouble covered Ride The Sky as a bonus track on SMC.
_________________
"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

haha, we keep posting ahead of eachother!

Anyways, this was a blast! I'm discovering a sh*t load of new, eh... old bands!! Check out this UK band:

Armageddon
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Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

Yeah their all linked together on myspace.

Armageddon are great, although there's two.

Their's a hard german prog band of the same name that released a record in 1970...but the best one is the one you posted featuring Keith Ralf of Yardbird's fame. One great record in 1975.

http://www.myspace.com/armageddonrock75
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Heart of Metal Age : 33 Joined : 15 Feb 2007 Posts : 2167

Great post to discover all those lost 70s albums. Keep them coming.

Metal master Age : 43 Joined : 10 Feb 2008 Posts : 582

thanks gentleman....

Administrator Age : 34 Joined : 02 Jan 2007 Posts : 5331

Okidoki. While we are on band with famous members, and names used a tons of times, I give you: Tempest. Also from the UK, these guys were heavily into blues and prog. Formed by Mark Clarke and Jon Hiseman after the demise of jazz-rockers Colosseum. Their original vocalist, Paul Williams, had previously played with Zoot Money, John Mayall and Juicy Lucy. Their "Living In Fear" album from 1974, with it's title track:

http://www.myspace.com/tempestuk7374
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Subject: Re: Early 70's Underground Heavy Metal Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:49 pm

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

This one just missed the top 10, great Texan Metal from the early days....

Josefus - Dead Man (1970)

http://www.myspace.com/103110183
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Subject: Re: Early 70's Underground Heavy Metal Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:57 am

Awesome cover!!

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Metal graduate Age : 22 Joined : 22 Jan 2007 Posts : 414

This thread is pure gold! I love this kinda stuff, thanks for the hookup!
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MY HEROES

Heart of Metal Age : 49 Joined : 24 Jan 2007 Posts : 1546

Heart of Metal Age : 50 Joined : 06 Feb 2007 Posts : 1844

Oh bloody hell. Sorry I missed all this, my roof got destroyed by hail and I've been offline mostly this week. Thoughts...

Goliath- great southerish (very) hard rock, good stuff!
Armageddon- Pretty spacy and jammy, but good like Captain Beyond.
Armaggedon(Ger.)- Under rated. Capable of very driving funky(!) metal. I like.
White Witch- Very versatile. Weird. Southern, but thier best stuff is glammy. Way cool.

I'd mention first Steel Mill, although thier timeline and history is uncertain. Also Bang gets unfairly lumped with Sir Lord Baltimore & Dust as over rated legends, but they ain't. Ask Troggy. Their s/t is almost as good as Buffalo, which is damn good (great actually).
I'll be off for two days to fix my roof. I hope you keep this going in the meanwhile.

Heart of Metal Age : 50 Joined : 06 Feb 2007 Posts : 1844

Kmorg, I forgot the band Titanic, which was I think a Norsk/Anglo hybrid. I really love them. "Eagle Rock" is a great album, reminds me of one of my top 10 bands the German/Brit hybrid Epitaph.

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

Bang is definately not one of those overrated bands, great first record.

On the end of my original post i made an effort to out the 3 usual suspects that get bought up in conversations like this, Captain Beyond, Sir Lord Baltimore & Dust Sleep

What did you think of the 10 i listed? Any holes?
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Heart of Metal Age : 50 Joined : 06 Feb 2007 Posts : 1844

I wouldn't put Leaf Hound at #1. I think they are famous as much for being a legendary collectible as being good. They were good though. I prefer the other legendary collectible, Dark.
I gotta go home and fix 'me roof, it sucks! Back in two days, keep talking you guys!

Parting word- T2 "It'll All Work Out in Boomland" (proto prog/doom).

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

Leaf Hound are just one of my top favourites regardless of collectibility. I think that record is one of the best from the era, i'd rank it with the early Sabbath's and Budgie's as the best of that time.
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers

Heart of Metal Age : 21 Joined : 23 May 2007 Posts : 1943

Oh yeah...

T2 - It's All Work Out In Boomland (1970)

http://www.myspace.com/t2boomland
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"...Those tunes ain't an entertainment, their a way to be..."

- Tim Rogers