How Heavy Metal Sparked My Love for Guitar: From Rap’s Fade to Metallica’s Rise

When Rap Lost Its Spark and Heavy Metal Took Over

Rap felt raw and genuine when it first emerged, but as it quickly became commercial, something essential faded for me. Around that same time, a close friend played me a band that rewired everything again — Metallica.

The shift was instant. The aggression, the precision, the edge — it was everything teenage me needed. Again, it was the music that pulled me in that direction, and I was a big fan of Metallica way before their big first hit came out: 'one'.

The Metallica Shockwave: Soundtracking My Teenage Anger

Metallica was furious, real, talented, prolific, and appeared to me to be absolutely fearless. Albums like Ride the Lightning and Kill ’Em All matched my growing teenage angst perfectly. Their sound had weight — riffs that hit like a freight train, drums like artillery, and melodies that cut through everything. Again, there were hooks everywhere. Their first 4 albums have an undeniable 'punk' attitude, but with higher musical standards.

This music didn’t just entertain me.
It became part of who I was becoming.

From Grunge to Guns N’ Roses: Finding Power in Guitar-Driven Music

I liked grunge too and thought Nirvana, Alice in Chains, STP, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam nailed it — mood, grit, and honesty — but grunge felt a bit like riding a moped while heavy metal was a full Harley: bigger, louder, faster, and unapologetically forward.

Metallica led to Pantera, Guns N' Roses, then back to Def Leppard, Van Halen, and of course Led Zeppelin. All of this music shared heavy guitars and real drums in common, and I needed to know how to make the sounds of these guitars, and be able to play the double-kick patterns on the drums.

That era cemented my love for soaring guitar, massive riffs, and music that hits you in the chest. I started actually practicing guitar seriously, sometimes for hours a day. By 19, I was a full fledged shredder; technically, it was my pinnacle and there's no way I could play now what I could then.

These influences still shape the way I play and write today, and of course, so many of the songs from this era still hold precious.