The Batlord

I love too many bands to really have a definitive answer, but if I had to...

Bathory: Quorthon's black metal sound is the epitome of the kind of early extreme metal that I love, and his Viking era is so unique I just can't get the same feel from anywhere else.

Manowar: I don't necessarily like their sound more than other trad/power metal bands (with the except of their Into Glory Ride era, which is totally amazing) but I just can't shake the band, and play far more than their talent deserves.

Black Sabbath: I'd need some doom if I'm going to live off of only three bands, and while they may not be as heavy as Electric Wizard or Candlemass or many of the bands they inspired, I'd still rather give up "Funeralopolis" than "Black Sabbath". And the diversity of much of the rest of their discography would assure that I had some much needed variety (not to mention some of Dio's best music).


Honorable Mentions


Metallica: The only album that I simply couldn't live without is Kill 'Em All, so I couldn't choose them just for that.

Slayer: So many amazing albums, and I'd bemoan the loss of their first three for all time, but without one or two more spots they just miss the cut.

Electric Wizard: Black Sabbath and Bathory would give me enough heaviness to get by, even though nothing they produced would scratch that doom itch quite as much, but the sameness of their albums in general disqualify them if I'm going to only be able to listen to three metal bands for the rest of my life.

Megadeth: Thrash/speed metal gods who were a large part of my childhood, but too much of Davy Dave's discography is garbage.

Iron Maiden: If I had five spots, then Slayer and Maiden would probably be shoe-ins, but after much deliberation, they just lose out to Manowar and Sabbath.

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