7 Good Songs From Bad Metal Albums
Making the best of a bad situation.
A good album is a be-all and end-all for the majority of musicians. It allows them to tell a story, express their creativity, and sharpen their artistic abilities, but sometimes it doesn’t quite work out like that and artists are left sticking their name on a sub-par, effortless record.
This is especially true in the world of metal, as many bands that enjoy the success of a hit album also find themselves lumbered with a great many stinkers along the way. It doesn't mean they can’t have the brief moments of brilliance, however, as the worst albums out there can be home to some surprisingly good songs, and have provided live staples used by artists for years following release.
These diamonds in the rough can sometimes be a saving grace and go on to be bigger than the lousy album from which the originated.
For bands with long and storied careers, this is to be expected, but you’d be surprised how often this happens to younger and fresher bands...
7. Never Say Die (Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!)
By the time Never Say Die! was released in 1978, Black Sabbath and their frontman Ozzy Osbourne were on shaky ground, releasing average work while the iconic singer battled his personal demons.
Though the album was the worst of the band’s original run, the title track, Never Say Die, is somewhat of a hidden gem, showing that even at their worst, Black Sabbath could produce memorable heavy metal.
In fact, it feels like the only song on the album that had any actual effort put into it. The vocals, drumming, guitar, and bass playing all seem to complement each other perfectly, while the lyrics are catchy and strangely uplifting.
These shreds of greatness ensured that Never Say Die was the only song worth remembering from its dreadful namesake album.