Jamey Jasta's Commemorative Metal Playlist

In honor of Headbangers Ball's 20th anniversary, we caught up with Hatebreed/Kingdom of Sorrow frontman and former host of the Ball, Jamey Jasta. "These were really hard to choose," said Jasta when asked to pick his favorite metal songs. "I wouldn't say these are my all-time faves or the order I would would list my top metal songs. This is what I would say right now off the top of my head and I included some metal-influenced hardcore songs, too. Here's my 15 jams. Enjoy and be inspired by them like I have!"

[Click the "Continue Reading..." link to listen to a playlist featuring the music discussed in this post.]

Slayer, "Raining Blood"
"From the first bit of feedback until the first drum hit, when this song comes on, if chills don't run down your spine ... you are already dead. It could possibly be the sickest song ever and the greatest name for a metal song EVER! SLAYER!!!"

Sepultura, "Arise"
"Many say that this album was trying to be too 'Slayerish,' but I think they cranked it up and notch and brought some killer groove into their sound. This is Sepultura at its finest. The song is a masterpiece! We shall arise!!!"

Megadeth, "Holy Wars"
"Hands down one of the greatest metal songs ever. Epic, memorable, and dynamic. Even people who don't like Megadeth respect this song. The solos are mind blowing and the thrashy parts make me want to smash things!"

Madball, "Set It Off"
"This helped bring back New York hardcore in the mid-'90s. The epitome of BADASS. No one was harder. Freddy and Hoya made a song that destroys venues all over the world."

Cro-Mags, "World Peace"
"The lyrics may have been written in the '80s but they still apply in the year 2008. This song blazes and crushes from start to finish! John Joseph and Harley were an incredible team. Even Metallica gave them props. 'World peace can't be done!!!'"

Metallica, "Battery"
"One of, if not the best metal songs EVER. What an opening track. Nobody will ever touch this or even come close. Just talking about it makes my hair stand up! If by any chance anyone from Metallica reads this, I love you! I've had fist fights defending you!!"

Judas Priest, "Victim of Changes"
"This song is older than me and it still rocks harder than hell! Halford can sing his ass off. I listen to this and I say to myself,  'Holy F*CK!' It blows my mind that I've opened for Judas Priest on many occasions. The whole band is unstoppable. They didn't need pitch correction or Pro Tools. They were just THE BEST. True legends!"

Cannibal Corpse, "Death Walking Terror"
"Just when most old bitter death-metal fans were gonna write off one of the genre's longest running and most legendary bands, Cannibal Corpse fired back with an album of their most modern and brutal sounding tracks. When I listen to this song,  I can actually feel the veins in Corpsegrinder's neck swelling! If this doesn't start a violent pit, NOTHING WILL. I now keep a knife in my glove compartment just to reach toward it when I listen to this song!!!"

Agnostic Front, "Addiction"
"I like all AF material and their new album is proof that they are still strong and focused. This is a great track that makes my blood boil. It's simple and to the point and I love it! Miret and Stigma are LEGENDS."

Type O Negative, "Christian Woman"
"This band is totally insane yet almost genius. There's like four great songs within this one song. It's like a goth-metal Beatles song or something. It's epic! Peter Steele is a mad genius. Plus, he wrote 'S.M.D.' by Carnivore, which should be on this list!"

Destruction, "Mad Butcher"
"The riffs and drums are sloppy and crazy sounding, but that makes it great! It also has a killer breakdown. This is true German thrash in all its glory."

Celtic Frost, "The Usurper"
"This is one of those tracks I play when I DJ that makes every older thrash metal fan look away from his beer and go "YES!!!" and immediately headbang and air guitar. CF was badass!"

Decapitated, "Spheres of Madness"
"I believe this song helped usher in a new era of death metal and inspired an entire new generation of death-metal-influenced bands. This makes me want to throw your mother through a glass coffee table! R.I.P. Vitek."

King Diamond, "Abigail"
"You can't talk about metal and not mention the KING. What a track! It's amazing. He's amazing. He's never let me down. I even love Voodoo, The Graveyard and The Spiders Lullabye. The King can do no wrong in my eyes."