(TheBRHM.com) In the 1980s, heavy metal really made use of emerging music videos to add visuals to their tunes. I also like that music videos remove some of the mystery and vagueness of some songs by showing the story or referencing imagery from the song.
Sure, many artists leave their music, books, and so on “open to interpretation” but I’m not gonna lie, folks. As a fan of different things for many years: leaving it open to interpretation can go in the weirdest, most left field directions. I’m talking about directions that you’d never considered.
Of course, sometimes the music video itself is vague or doesn’t explain specific things in a song. It could just be a display of the band’s ability or just a creative project within a creative project.
Let’s check out a couple of music videos that can sell you on a band.
Judas Priest – Painkiller
“Painkiller” is definitely my personal favorite Priest song and the music video simply rips. I’ve gone into the song and album before and the album is all motor from the start. The music video would have to match that speed and intensity. These were new waters for the band in a project that was their most all out, modernized effort.
It was also an effort that Judas Priest never really attempted again. Sure, they had songs that could’ve been on Painkiller II if you compiled them but the approach/project with Halford was never given a sequel.
“Painkiller” the music video is just as bombastic and outrageous as the song itself without really touching on anything in the song. This is just Judas Priest going apesh** at ludicrous speeds! The video itself is shot in black and white with flashing lights in what appears to be a factory. Lead singer Rob Halford is screaming and screeching each verse.
This is perfect form Judas Priest to me and this video is what I’d picture the performance being. However, “Painkiller” is actually the introduction to a powerful sci-fi being or character.
Malefactor – Elizabathory
This was a song I stumbled upon while romping through music videos on YouTube. It was a lyric video and I thought it was a pretty decent song on its own. The lyrics about Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory and the lore around her “vampirism” was very interesting.
Of course, after discovering a new band I do a bit of research into them and found that there was a music video for “Elizabathory”. I’m a sucker of music videos, so of course I was going to check it out. Sure enough, it amplified the song.
Now, “Elizabathory” didn’t just jump into my own top ten or top five on this video. It’s on the list because of the power of music video and how the band as well as the actors performed in it. A story was being told and everyone was doing their part in the presentation extremely well!
It made me give another look to just the song itself and dive into the band’s discography. There was some juice in the music video.
Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah
A song that is in my top ten is the super catchy and over-the-top “Hard Rock Hallelujah” by Finnish band Lordi. This music video makes the list because of the progression of “the power of hard rock” throughout the video. Everything escalates into lead singer Mr. Lordi sprouting demon wings and the band reaching the big climax of the song.
This was a perfect fit for the song which has hard rock anthem simplicity mixed with the heaviness and largeness of 80s heavy metal. If you want something that is simple, theatric, kind of cartoonish, and over-the-top in a KISS or Alice Cooper way—check out the video for “Hard Rock Hallelujah”.
Immortal – Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)
Norwegian black metal legends Immortal—which split into the band Abbath—had classic after classic album in the early 1990s. Battles in the North was released in 1995 and featured two music videos: “Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms” and “Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)”. Both songs and others on the album were about the fictional kingdom of Blashyrkh, created by the band members.
Battles in the North is in my top ten favorite albums and part of that is that I vividly remember “Blashyrkh”. Parts of the music video became memes on metal message boards in the 2000s and that’s because of how it was filmed.
The music video’s camerawork isn’t bad at all. However, some of the scenes are hilarious in how they are performed and cut into the video. For the most part, it’s still a rad music video that can be a cool introduction to this speed demon of a band.
W.A.S.P – L.O.V.E Machine
I’m not the biggest fan of romance or sex songs. One is fine but several can kind wear on me and I’m likely to bail on the rest the album. The exception has been rapper YN Jay and his Coochie albums.
Fortunately, W.A.S.P doesn’t give you a brick of sex demon songs with three or four in a row on their self-titled debut. Oh no, there are some bangers and an anthem or two between those tunes. One of the tracks that became a single and got a music video was “L.O.V.E Machine”.
The first time I heard this song was via a cover version by the Chris Jericho-fronted band Fozzy. I enjoyed his vocal performance and wanted to check out the original. That meant waiting a week and half for someone else to return it to the public library then for my library to the W.A.S.P album.
Anyway, someone put a questionable quality version of the music video up on YouTube. I instantly became a W.A.S.P fan from this video. I definitely gave the whole debut a second and third listen and came to love songs like “Animal (F** Like a Beast)”, “L.O.V.E Machine”, “Tormentor”, and “On Your Knees”.
We’ll look at that album in a future “Greatest Debut Albums”. The song itself isn’t even the best song on the album but it did get a very well shot, darky mystical music video that is memorable. If you’re familiar with Motley Crue, enjoy that band, but want something with a little more edge—check out W.A.S.P and check out “L.O.V.E Machine.”
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.