Listening to non-metal versions of heavy metal songs is especially interesting.
Heaviness and speed are two things attracting fans to bands like Iron Maiden or Slayer. It’s also what keeps some music fans away. But hearing other artists interpret heavy songs within their own style gives non-metal fans an opening to appreciate the compositional greatness of bands they might otherwise ignore.
The list below looks at three heavy metal bands: Slayer, Soundgarden, and Metallica. You might object to Soundgarden being considered heavy metal but the metal evidence is heard in the Black Sabbath-inspired riffs of Chris Cornell and Kim Thayil. Also, this list is far from complete, so consider this just a taste of great non-metal covers of heavy metal songs.
Though these versions are softer, feel free to throw the sign of the horns while listening loudly. Hey (hey), I’m your life, I’m the one who cares.
“Raining Blood” by Tori Amos from Strange Little Girls (2001)
For Strange Little Girls, Tori Amos recorded covers of songs written and performed by men and reworked them from a female’s perspective. “Raining Blood” appears on Slayer’s Rick Rubin-produced 1986 album Reign in Blood. The gory song is about a man stuck in purgatory planning to exact revenge on his enemies. He plans to rain blood “from a lacerated sky.” Also, the sky’s crimson tears allude to the blood of angels. Amos switches the protagonist’s gender to female and the violence is no less grisly.
“Rusty Cage” by Johnny Cash from American II: Unchained (1996)
Rick Rubin appears here, too. Johnny Cash’s career found a new life by covering contemporary rock songs by artists like Soundgarden and Nine Inch Nails. Rubin employed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as Cash’s backing band on Unchained. The Heartbreakers turn Soundgarden’s grunge metal anthem into a swinging country rock number. Rubin’s sparse production allows Cash’s man-in-black storytelling to transform Chris Cornell’s lyrics into old-time blues.
“Orion” by Rodrigo y Gabriela from Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006)
Metallica’s Master of Puppets features an instrumental piece composed by bassist Cliff Burton. James Hetfield has a tattoo of the musical notation to Burton’s iconic bass break from “Orion,” in tribute to his late friend. In 1986, Burton died tragically in a tour bus accident while Metallica were traveling through Sweden. Rodrigo y Gabriela became famous by combining flamenco and heavy metal music and their cover of “Orion” has become a signature song for the duo. Rodrigo Sánchez handles the melodic duties while Gabriela Quintero provides a rhythmic foundation using mind-blowing flamenco guitar technique.
“Sad but True” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit from The Metallica Blacklist (2021)
Metallica released their gigantic Black Album in 1991. A collection of cover versions arrived in 2021 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the album’s release. It features Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit smashing through a swampy version of “Sad but True.” The 1978 horror film Magic inspired Metallica’s original. In it, James Hetfield howls through a justification for one’s inner demon. Isbell turns Hetfield’s dark metal into a blistering crossroads blues. Several artists covered “Sad but True” for the Blacklist, including St. Vincent, Sam Fender, and Royal Blood.
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