10 Best Metal Albums For Non-Metal Heads
4. Van Halen - Van Halen
At the end of the '70s, metal was still considered a somewhat off-putting genre of music for rock listeners. As opposed to the sounds of acts like Aerosmith or Led Zeppelin, these musicians were into a lot darker themes than most people were ready for. Coming from the Sunset Strip, Van Halen broke down the barriers of what metal was and created the ultimate party metal album.
From start to finish, this album is still one hell of a forceful punch, with Eddie and Alex Van Halen bringing some of the most punishing beats and guitar solos ever committed to tape. However, that doesn't come without its fair share of fun moments, as David Lee Roth proves himself to be the ideal party animal to keep you engaged in every single track. Instead of the brooding atmosphere that came from acts like Black Sabbath, this was metal with a lot more swagger in their presentation, looking to fill you with excitement rather than scare you to death.
Hell, you could argue that the real start of the '80s hair metal movement got started right here with this record, with acts like Motley Crue and Poison quickly following their lead a few years down the line. Though hair metal would eventually fall by the wayside, this is still one hell of a blast to listen to if you're looking for something a little heavier than your standard rock and roll.