Try to imagine, if you will, that you're at a party. There's a palatable blend of genre's on tap; the old and the new, the mainstream and the alternative, the daring and the dreary. You wonder if this could be your night, the night that you finally pluck up the courage, the determination and the willpower to just this once to plug your mp3 player in. As most metal-heads are aware, scream-heavy vocals and tremolo guitars are rarely welcome among the uninitiated. Putting the likes of Slayer or Lamb Of God on is all too often met with sneers, dropped expressions and a chorus of complaints, ranging from the refreshing "I can't even hear what they're saying" to the always-enlightened "It all sounds the same". Religious aunt getting overly preachy? Neighbours arguing too loudly? Or are you just feeling a little bit sadistic? It's largely a pointless endeavour, but a song's ability to instantly enrage an entire room of people is unique in its own right. And if you're enjoying every last second of it, why not indulge your anti-social side with the following 12 tracks, covering the technically oppressive, the lyrically abrasive, and the outright explosive best of the metal world.
