Metal University

The professors list and discuss their favorite five metal albums from different artists. And they learn that they might need to follow up with a look at music from the twenty-first century.

(Note: the audio is only wonky for the first ten seconds and then becomes normal.)

The professors dig into Savatage's entire eleven-studio-album catalog and each determine their top 5 Savatage songs. If you're a Savatage fan, you'll want to hear which deep cuts make the rankings. If you're not a Savatage fan, the lists will give you the perfect place to start listening. 

The professors swap albums, each giving the other something new to them. Chris gives Bryan Symphony X's Paradise Lost, and Bryan gives Chris Overkill's The Electric Age. The professors talk about their initial (and mildly prolonged) experiences with these bands and albums they weren't initially familiar with.

The professors dig into Iron Maiden's entire seventeen-studio-album catalog and each determine their top 5 Maiden songs. If you're an Iron Maiden fan, you'll want to hear which deep cuts make the rankings. If you're not a Maiden fan, the lists will give you the perfect place to start listening. 

The professors are back with an episode from the vault. Join Bryan and Chris as they discuss the connections between metal music and the horror genre; the professors consider lyrics, album art, and themes among other elements that overlap.

The professors are back with special guest Dr. Nelson Varas-Diaz to discuss globalization and the metal of the global south. 

The professors explore the various ways in which metal and religion interact, including discussions of religious bands, stigmas on both sides, and the ways in which metal and religion might not be as diametrically opposed as some might think. They also consider metal-based churches and the influences that metal and religion might have on each other.

The professors continue their series exploring the many subgenres of heavy metal. This time: thrash. Bryan and Chris discuss everything from lyrical content, musical hallmarks, and important bands to the very name itself and why we might call this kind of music thrash. 

This time, Bryan has been listening to Anthrax and Carcass, and Chris has been listening to Ex Libris.

The professors discuss the merits, flaws, legacy, and controversy of Metallica's most successful (and potentially most divisive) album. Bryan and Chris consider the often differing opinions of fans and musicians and dive deep into what exactly this album means for Metallica as a band and for metal as an entire genre.

This time around, Chris has been listening to Dream Theater's live album cover of the entire Master of Puppets album. Bryan has been listening to Megadeth and shares his thoughts on the Megadeth and Lamb of God show.

Find Chris on Twitter: @valvoch

Email us: [email protected]

The professors begin their series exploring the many subgenres of heavy metal. Up first: New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). Bryan and Chris discuss the formation of the subgenre, the popular and obscure bands who make up NWOBHM, and the reasons why it dropped off in popularity. They also look at its contemporaries and consider how it influenced thrash and glam metal.

This time around, Bryan and Chris have both been listening to Iron Maiden. Chris discusses the rare version of "The Wicker Man," and Bryan ranks his top (and bottom) Maiden albums.

Find Chris on Twitter: @valvoch

Email us: [email protected]