10 Greatest Closing Tracks In Metal

Metal has always be known as one of the most abrasive genres of music. Though many people may claim to be an eclectic fan of music, even some of the more seasoned pros won't dare take on music that's this extreme. While some bands like to blow your speakers out from one track to the next, the right acts know how to balance everything out.

When crafting a metal album, most musicians look to give you a surge of excitement from the first second it starts. On the other hand, how do you bring everything to a close? Even though you've been hammering away at the listener for the last few minutes, what's going to be the one thing that takes your final statement from 10 to 11? For any lesser band, they just plow through to the end, but these songs are a bit of a different animal.

Instead of the usual songs that you've already heard throughout the album, these tracks bring everything home with arrangements that are a lot larger in scope, almost like you're watching sonic skyscrapers being built with every single riff. For a genre that's always been known for its blunt force, these songs are proof that there are plenty of metalheads who understand the importance of leaving on a high note.

After years of permeating the metal underground, Deftones seemed to finally hit the big time with White Pony. Just as the nu metal scene was starting to get stale and more than a little bit stupid, these tortured songs made you realize just how twisted the genre could get at the best of times. However, the real darkness was saved for the very ending.

As opposed to the re-recording Back to School, Pink Maggit is one of the most nervy endings of the '00s, as Chino Moreno pours out his lyrics of turmoil over one of the most downtrodden beats they have ever laid down. Though the Deftones did bring on a DJ at the time to broaden their sound palette, the real gut punch comes in the form of Stephen Carpenter's guitar work, which slithers across the song like it's ready to pounce on its prey.

Once you reach the chorus, you realize that this fundamental groove has metamorphosed into something completely different, as the band practically use their instruments as a means to emote every single depressive emotion in their body for maximum impact. Even with the more laid back tempo of the song, this is still heavier than much faster metal acts would have been willing to touch. Anyone can play a thousand notes per second, but it takes a certain kind of talent to create something this trance-like.