10 Best Metal Covers of Hit Country Songs

What higher approach to finish this listing than with a track by arguably the best nation songwriter and artist of all time. Hiram “Hank” Williams (1923 – 1953) is rightfully considered some of the influential figures in nation music historical past with an astonishing 55 High 10 hits on the nation charts, 12 of these at No. 1.

Williams wrote and recorded the now-iconic “I am So Lonesome I May Cry” method again in 1949, and this model stays an engrossing pay attention due to the assembled gamers’ peerless musicianship and Williams trademark plaintive singing model. An enormous variety of artists have lined the track from nation greats similar to Johnny Money and Charlie Wealthy to acts as numerous as Diamanda Galas, The Waterboys and Yo La Tengo, not forgetting, in fact, Elvis Presley.

Danish rock/metallic band Volbeat laid down their very own tackle their 2008 album, Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood. It is an indicator of their expertise that Volbeat handle to mark their very own stamp on this well-known and well-worn quantity.

Arguably one of many catchiest songs in well-liked music historical past, “These Boots Are Made For Strolling” was an enormous hit for Nancy Sinatra upon its unique launch as a part of her debut album in 1966. The track, which has remained well-liked thanks in no little half to Sinatra’s iconic eye-popping accompanying video, was written by Lee Hazlewood, a person additionally remembered for his work with the good “grasp of twang” Duane Eddy, and who loved a critically-acclaimed solo profession himself.

It is a versatile track, which lends itself properly to a rock setting, and there have been some notable efforts in that route. Hellsonics and Limouzina Categorical are amongst those that have recorded covers, however neither match legendary American rockers Megadeth — who included the model proven right here on their 1985 debut album, Killing Is My Enterprise… and Enterprise Is Good! — for visceral energy.

Sinatra’s model of this quirky country-pop quantity reached No. 1 within the U.Okay. and the U.S., and the tune has since been lined many occasions. Different artists to have tried filling Sinatra’s boots embody Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Ray Cyrus, Geri Halliwell and Bucks Fizz.

You may choose any track from Californian heavy metallic band DevilDriver’s 2018 album, Outlaws ’til the Finish, for this listing. That bold and extremely pleasing file is fully made up of nation covers and options some heavy-hitting particular visitors, together with Misfits’ Glenn Danzig, Testomony’s Chuck Billy and Rob Zombie guitarist John 5.

Amongst stiff competitors, we have gone for “Whiskey River,” a advantageous tune initially penned by Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud, first made well-known by the good Willie Nelson on his 1973 album, Shotgun Willie. For his or her cowl, DevilDriver known as upon the appreciable abilities of Randy Blythe and Mark Morton from Lamb of God.

Collectively, the musicians nearly deconstruct the unique, recombining the constituent components right into a monumental slab of onerous metallic with machine-gun drums and swirling guitars. For distinction, it is also value investigating Willie Nelson’s quartet of duets of this track with Jerry Lee Lewis, Sheryl Crow, Trick Pony and Johnny Bush himself.

Finnish folk-metal band Ensiferum will probably be acquainted to readers of Loudwire. It is no secret that some extraordinary music has come out of that nation during the last 50 years, and this four-piece are not any exception, fusing heavy, driving riffs with extremely melodic songs to create an instantly recognizable sonic panorama.

The band’s glorious cowl of “Rawhide” initially featured on the bonus disc of their 2015 album, One Man Military. The track was written in 1958 by Ned Washington, with music by Dimitri Tiomkin (who additionally offered scores for a lot of traditional movies, together with Excessive Midday and The Weapons Of Navarone).

The tune will probably be identified to many due to its position because the theme track to the long-running TV Western sequence of the identical title, which featured a really younger Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates. Ensiferum’s creative take retains all of the rolling allure of the unique however ramps issues up significantly with the next tempo and double-time drums. As ever, with this group, there is a wholesome injection of bombastic vitality to assist issues alongside.

At first look, “The Satan Went Right down to Georgia” looks as if the right candidate for a metallic cowl, or any cowl, however the truth is there have been comparatively few launched because the unique, which was written and carried out by The Charlie Daniels Band in 1979. The multi-instrumentalist Daniels reworked a tune initially composed by Vassar Clements, bringing it up an octave and including lyrics that relate a model of the traditional man-meets-devil story.

In Daniels’ track, this assembly takes the type of a fiddle contest between the hero, “Johnny” and Devil himself. The story’s sung-spoken narration units the scene, with instrumental passages actually enjoying out the competitors as every combatant takes his flip. Right here lies a doable rationalization for the dearth of covers – Daniels himself offered some blistering fiddle on the unique, which is exceedingly onerous to match.

American nu metallic band, Korn, side-stepped this drawback by substituting guitar for the fiddle-parts, and did a advantageous job of maintaining the tempo, vitality and drama inherent within the tune. A notable contribution comes from rapper Yelawolf, who lends his abilities to the vocals.

If ever there was a rustic track suited to a heavy-metal re-working, “Ghost Riders within the Sky” should absolutely be it. Written in 1948 by actor/author Stan Jones, the lyrics soak up damned cowboy spirits, limitless skies and red-mist visions of steel-hooved, rampaging cattle. In line with Jones, the story was informed to him as a younger boy by an aged Native American man. It echoes the traditional theme of the Wild Hunt, which is present in folklore and mythology throughout the globe.

First recorded by Burl Ives, in 1949, the track has been lined by a number of nation greats, together with Gene Autry, Frankie Laine and Eddie Arnold. Away from nation, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, R.E.M. and even horror supremo, Christopher Lee, have all contributed variations.

On the metallic facet, there might be no higher candidate than German rockers Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, whose title interprets into English as The Apocalyptic Riders. Maintaining that traditional riff in place, the band add thumping, swinging drums, deep chugging guitars and a suitably reverent spirit.

Garth Brooks may not be the likeliest individual to show to when in quest of a track appropriate for a very good metallic cowl. His extremely business model of nation music leans closely towards the lighter, extra pop-oriented facet. He’s a advantageous songwriter, nevertheless, and you do not rack up the variety of gross sales and record-breaking dwell performances Brooks enjoys by means of lack of expertise.

“The Thunder Rolls” was co-written by Brooks and Pat Alger, and initially recorded by Tanya Tucker. Tucker’s model, nevertheless, didn’t see the sunshine of day till 1995, by which period Brooks had launched his personal tackle his 1991 album, No Fences, the only reaching No. 6 on the nation chart.

Twenty years later, American heavy metallic band All That Stays laid down their very own interpretation as a part of their eighth studio album, 2017’s Insanity. On this reduce, the group efficiently retained the melodic hooks and drama of the unique whereas including their very own muscular contact to create a compelling narrative piece.

“Take Me Dwelling, Nation Roads” absolutely should sit close to the highest when drawing up a listing of most-loved and iconic nation songs. Written by Invoice Danoff, Taffy Nivert and John Denver, the latter of whom recorded and launched the unique in 1971, the lyrics kind a tribute to West Virginia (described as “nearly heaven”). So revered is that this track, the truth is, that in 2014 the tune was adopted as one in all 4 official state anthems for that territory.

Our entry right here issues the prolific Norwegian multi-instrumentalist and producer, Leo Moracchioli, who absolutely claims the “highest variety of metallic covers of well-liked songs” award, having recorded greater than 400 thus far. His cowl of “Take Me Dwelling, Nation Roads,” appeared on the artist’s 2019 album, Leo Steel Covers, Quantity 25. Kicking off with a deceptively restrained acoustic part, Moracchioli’s progressive model quickly blossoms right into a full-on metallic affair, although this advantageous reduce by no means loses sight of its melodic core.

The recognition of Denver’s personal recording has endured, having been licensed a platinum-seller (two million copies) in 2017. The track has been lined numerous occasions, together with efforts by artists as numerous as Ray Charles, Billie Joe Spears, The Bavarian Banditos and David Hasselhoff.

Since forming in 1978, California’s Social Distortion have explored many musical territories — they’ve been labeled as punk, roots, melodic hardcore and various rock. No matter kind they take, although, the group brings quite a lot of expertise and dedication. Social Distortion’s cowl of “Ring of Fireplace” first appeared on their self-titled 1990 album.

Written by Merle Kilgore and June Carter, the track was initially recorded by June’s sister, Anita, in 1963. That very same 12 months, with Anita’s blessing, the good Johnny Money scored large with a reworked model, occupying the No. 1 slot on the nation charts for seven weeks. It stays Money’s greatest vendor and his most enduring work. Money and June Carter would later marry, in 1968.

Social Distortion’s take provides a punky, playful vitality that sits completely each lyrically and musically. You possibly can’t assist however suppose that Money should have heartily permitted of this quantity. He was at all times one thing of a insurgent at coronary heart, and the Californian rockers convey that spirit to the fore.

A superb contender for oldest track on this listing, the origins of “The Home of the Rising Solar” are misplaced to time. Musicologists agree that it’s a conventional people quantity that was first collected in Appalachia within the Nineteen Thirties, nevertheless it’s nearly actually a lot older. Famed field-recordist and collector Alan Lomax urged a hyperlink to the Seventeenth-century tune, “Matty Groves,” however the fact, in all probability, won’t ever be identified.

Probably the most well-known model, and the one which little question first springs to thoughts, is by the superb U.Okay. band, The Animals, which hit No. 1 on either side of the pond in 1964. Swiss heavy metallic outfit, Krokus, laid down their very own take 5 a long time later as a part of their 2017 album, Large Rocks.

Krokus do that advantageous track full justice right here, opening with a suitably eerie blast of harmonica earlier than settling down right into a thumping, onerous rock model stuffed with excessive emotion. Different notable artists to have lined this tune embody The Platters, The Everly Brothers and Muse.