Rob Flynn Calls Out Rolling Stone ‘Best Metal Songs’ List Omissions

Esteemed music rag Rolling Stone recently published a list of the 100 Best Metal Songs of All Time and, while the mag certainly gives credit to dozens of heavy metal’s essential figures, it’s also kind of a mess. For example: how is Death not on the list but Evanescence is?

Normally these lists aren’t even worth getting heated over because Rolling Stone isn’t catering to an underground metal audience, just like MetalSucks isn’t catering to Bad Bunny fans. Still, the list was guaranteed to get people talking and it did.

Machine Head‘s Robb Flynn recently took to Instagram to offer a number of well-reasoned suggestions for what Bay Area thrash metal songs should have been included on the list, pointing out that Metallica are far from the only band who contributed to the sound’s development.

“No Exodus?

No Testament?

Bay Area Thrash Metal is still an extremely vital and powerful force in music, and it wasn’t just Metallica that brought it to the World. Upon formation, Exodus were literally the most exciting band around. Crafting timeless songs like ‘Bonded By Blood,’ ‘A Lesson In Violence,’ or their own ‘pit anthem’ – ‘The Toxic Waltz,’ all deserve similar honors on such a list. When I was a teenager growing up in the Bay Area, I cannot express how important and influential Exodus and guitarist Gary Holt were and remain. Without Gary, there is no Robb Flynn. Without Exodus, there is no Machine Head.

“And when it comes to Testament? The word that continues to flash before my eyes is ‘impact.’ I can assure you that every single Rock/Metal guitar player on the face of the planet’s collective jaws hit the floor when they heard Alex Skolnick play. His adding of classical arpeggio sweeps into songs like ‘Over The Wall,’ and ‘Disciples Of The Watch,’ was game changing. Soon everybody from Kirk Hammett of Metallica to Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest was doing it. The commanding bellow of singer Chuck Billy was an absolute precursor to the Death and Black Metal vocal that would soon follow and continue until this day. That’s undeniable impact.”

Despite his criticisms, Flynn also thanked Rolling Stone for including “Davidian” on their list.