Stuff You Should Know: Heavy Metal Pt I Hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant | Released August 12, 2025

Introduction to Heavy Metal

In this episode, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant delve deep into the world of heavy metal, exploring its origins, evolution, and the myriad subgenres that have emerged over the decades. Recognizing the challenge of satisfying a diverse metalhead audience, the hosts set the stage for an engaging discussion, acknowledging that covering such a vast genre without missing key elements is no small feat.

Personal Journeys and Top Metal Bands

The conversation kicks off with the hosts sharing their personal journeys into heavy metal:

• Chuck Bryant reflects on his metal experience from the 1980s, listing his top five metal bands:

  1. Black Sabbath
  2. Ozzy Osbourne
  3. Motley Crue
  4. Ratt
  5. Scorpions

  [03:09] Chuck: "Black Sabbath is number one, Ozzy number two, Motley Crue, then Ratt, and then the Scorpions."

• Josh Clark initially lists bands like Metallica and Poison, later expanding his top five to include Iron Maiden, Gojira, Godflesh, and High on Fire as he delves deeper into the genre.

  [04:09] Josh: "The best hair metal band of all time was Poison. I mean, no questions asked."

  [08:52] Josh: "There's a French metal band called Gojira, and they're very good. They actually played at the Summer Olympic opening ceremonies."

Defining Heavy Metal

The hosts explore the definition of heavy metal, drawing from the Encyclopedia Britannica's description: a genre characterized by intensity, virtuosity, and powerful performances, often featuring distorted electric guitars.

[10:02] Chuck: "Britannica says it's a genre that includes a group of related styles that are intense, virtuostic, and powerful. And includes distorted electric guitar."

They discuss the complexity and fragmentation within the genre, highlighting the numerous subgenres that cater to specific tastes.

[10:25] Josh: "There's subgenres of subgenres, and there's probably subgenres of subgenres of subgenres. Like, that's how niche some of this stuff is."

Black Sabbath's Pivotal Role

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Black Sabbath's influence on heavy metal:

• Tony Iommi's Tragedy and Adaptation:

  Chuck recounts the tragic incident where Black Sabbath's guitarist Tony Iommi lost fingertips, compelling him to adapt his playing style by loosening his guitar strings. This modification not only accommodated his injury but also inadvertently contributed to the band's signature heavier and grungier sound.

  [23:00] Chuck: "Tony Iommi had to adapt by loosening the strings and switching to lighter strings, which gave Black Sabbath that deep, sludgy grind."

• Impact on the Genre:

  The hosts emphasize how Black Sabbath's debut album and the subsequent "Paranoid" album solidified their status as metal pioneers.

  [19:54] Chuck: "Paranoid is ranked as the number one metal album of all time by Rolling Stone. So there you go."

Iron Maiden’s Enduring Influence

Iron Maiden’s monumental impact on heavy metal is a focal point:

• Band Overview and Mascot:

  The hosts discuss Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie, illustrated by Derek Riggs, and how Eddie has become synonymous with the band's identity across all 17 albums.

  [29:50] Chuck: "Their mascot is Eddie. If you've ever seen an Iron Maiden album cover or poster or live video where they have big, giant Eddie walking around, that's their mascot."

• Musical Legacy:

  They highlight Iron Maiden's influence on the "Big Four" of thrash metal—Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax—acknowledging that many thrash bands owe their existence to Iron Maiden's groundwork.

  [28:34] Chuck: "If you ask some of the people who make up the Big Four of thrash bands, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax, they're basically like, we wouldn't exist if it weren't for Iron Maiden."

• Cultural and Musical Impact:

  Iron Maiden's thematic diversity, from historical events to personal struggles, and their meticulous album art are praised for making heavy metal both accessible and profound.

  [29:21] Chuck: "Their songs are really varied. Like, they cover history a lot. There's a song about World War II pilots called 'Aces High.'"

Evolution and the Rise of Subgenres

The discussion transitions to the fragmentation of heavy metal into various subgenres:

• Death Metal vs. Black Metal:

  Josh differentiates between death metal's guttural growls and black metal's higher-pitched screams, both of which often require listeners to read lyrics to fully grasp the content.

  [58:25] Josh: "Black metal is legit. The kind of satanic metal that the censors of the 1980s and the pastors of the Satanic panic were actually scared of."

• Influential Bands and Controversies:

  The hosts touch upon controversial figures and events within black metal, such as the notorious Mayhem incident involving a suicide and the genre's association with white supremacists.

  [59:58] Chuck: "You can't talk about Mayhem without talking about the worst album cover of all time. 'Dawn of the Black Hearts' is a photograph that was a bootleg album."

Grammys and Metal Recognition

They critique the Grammys' handling of heavy metal, highlighting instances where the awards were out of touch with the genre's evolution, such as Metallica's loss to Jethro Tull.

[52:20] Chuck: "Metallica's 'Injustice for All' very famously lost out to Jethro Tull. They had a comeback album called 'Crest of a Knave,' and everybody immediately was like, Grammys, you're never seen more out of touch with what's going on in the world."

Closing Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Josh and Chuck reflect on the enduring legacy of heavy metal, acknowledging its resilience and ability to evolve despite challenges from mainstream media and shifting musical landscapes.

[62:30] Chuck: "That's a super sized part one. I think we'll probably have the super sized part two. And there's also going to be a fun little short stuff this week. So I guess we should just call this Metal Week."

Notable Quotes:

• [02:24] Josh: "Way to use a carrot rather than a stick, Chuck."
• [04:09] Josh: "The best hair metal band of all time was Poison. I mean, no questions asked."
• [19:59] Josh: "Paranoid is ranked as the number one metal album of all time by Rolling Stone."
• [29:50] Chuck: "Their mascot is Eddie."
• [52:20] Chuck: "Metallica's 'Injustice for All' very famously lost out to Jethro Tull."

Conclusion

This comprehensive exploration of heavy metal by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant offers listeners an insightful journey through the genre's rich history, influential bands, and the complexities that make heavy metal a beloved and enduring form of music. Whether you're a seasoned metalhead or a curious newcomer, this episode provides valuable context and appreciation for the powerful and virtuosic world of heavy metal.