# Your top 5 metal vocalists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588 "2013-12-17T19:30:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/21 "2013-12-22T05:35:09Z")
#1: Rob Halford. IMO, Halford _defined_ heavy metal vocals and set the example for all who followed. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQSBSkYx8-0) #2: Bruce Dickinson. “Air Raid Siren” indeed. That scream rivals Daltrey's famous scream. #3: Eric Adams of Manowar. So much power, and I’ve always loved the fact that he uses his full range, not just the top or bottom. Here he is at age 54, singing something he originally sang at 32: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ydxwQvsrhQ) #4: Since the OP didn’t specify _male_ vocalists: Floor Jansen, formerly of After Forever and now fronting Nightwish and ReVamp. (Seriously, watch the whole thing. It's the most breathtaking vocal performances I've ever heard.) #5: Okay, I’ll get a bit obscure with this one: Nitte Valo of Battle Beast: And her successor in the band, Noora Louhimo, ain't bad either, if you can get past how utterly stupid this song is: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/38zmdwd5K3E/maxresdefault.jpg "BATTLE BEAST - Black Ninja (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38zmdwd5K3E) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/22 "2013-12-22T15:56:19Z")
[Maynard James Keenan.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6tKKp4ZUYg) ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/23 "2013-12-22T22:30:18Z")
Geoff Tate Chuck Billy Ray Adler ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/24 "2013-12-22T23:48:03Z")
> [@Jamicat](#): > > Rob Halford - Priest > Ronnie James - Dio > **Bruce Dickerson - Maiden** > Jeff Scott Soto - Malmsteen > Blackie Lawless - Wasp I believe it’s spelled "MAAAAAAAAIDEEEEEEEEAAAAAH!!!’ ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/25 "2013-12-23T00:24:51Z")
1. Freddie Mercury 2. [whoever else you fancy] ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/26 "2013-12-23T12:58:26Z")
Tom Araya and four players to be named later. ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/27 "2013-12-23T15:58:43Z")
Howard Jones when he was with Killswitch Engage [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JiDnB-CrrNs/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGFMgXShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAjikTiymxjNg9xFq1nOax6VUIBBw "Killswitch Engage - The End Of Heartache") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiDnB-CrrNs) ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/28 "2013-12-23T16:32:50Z")
Bruce Dickinson. There are no others. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/29 "2013-12-23T16:53:06Z")
Geoff Tate, everyone else. Except for Michael Kiske from Helloween who [sounds _exactly like_ Geoff Tate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ge6xFOB9rg). Then Bruce Dickinson. Then Rob Halford. > [@Lowdown](#): > > Axl Rose I never cared much for Axl as a vocalist; there were literally a dozen backing singers on GNR’s studio albums who were uncredited because they were doing stuff that was supposed to sound like him. I thought he was a tremendous _frontman_, but that’s different. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > [Max Cavalera on Roots from Sepultura.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsR3PUdNrNk) > [@Leaffan](#): > > I hope this is a fucking joke. I know there are a lot of people who hate the guttural/cookie monster stuff, but is has its place and Cavalera is the best of those guys. > [@Loach](#): > > M. Shadows, Avenged Sevenfold. Great mix of screams and melodic singing. I can’t get into Avenged Sevenfold, but I was _stunned_ when I saw them cover Pantera (Mouth for War, I think?) on an awards show. M. Shadows’s vocals on that song were _better_ than Phil Anselmo’s. > [@Lightlystarched](#): > > Chuck Billy Wow. Didn’t see that coming at all. I always got the impression that lyrics and vocals were sort of an afterthought for Testament, so Chuck gets buried a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/30 "2013-12-23T17:08:20Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > 1. Freddie Mercury > 2. [whoever else you fancy] If Queen was anything close to metal I would have to agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/31 "2013-12-23T17:23:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Geoff Tate, everyone else. Except for Michael Kiske from Helloween who [sounds _exactly like_ Geoff Tate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ge6xFOB9rg). > > I can’t get into Avenged Sevenfold, but I was _stunned_ when I saw them cover Pantera (Mouth for War, I think?) on an awards show. M. Shadows’s vocals on that song were _better_ than Phil Anselmo’s. I know the genre still exists and has changed since then but when I hear “metal” I think the 80s. If asked for one album as the best of the genre I would say Operation:Mindcrime. And Tate’s voice is just so damn good. I’m not into much newer metal but when I heard Bat Country for the first time I was hooked. Avenged Sevenfold blends old, new and prog metal together and they are damn fine musicians. Speaking of prog, I can’t believe I forgot to put James LaBrie from Dream Theater on mine. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/32 "2013-12-23T17:41:55Z")
Funny, Mindcrime is one of my less liked Queensryche albums. > [@Loach](#): > > If Queen was anything close to metal I would have to agree with you. There are Queen _metal songs_ (_Ogre Battle_, _Princes of the Universe_, _Stone Cold Crazy_ and the second half of _Bohemian Rhapsody_ come to mind), and Freddie probably would have been a great metal singer if he’d wanted to play heavier music. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/33 "2013-12-23T17:44:19Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I know there are a lot of people who hate the guttural/cookie monster stuff, but is has its place and Cavalera is the best of those guys. Not to derail, but these things rarely arise on the SDMB, so I have to plug Cavalera’s replacement Derrick Green as superior (likely a **very** unpopular opinion). He can actually “sing”, also, though he seldom does. I grew up on Black Sabbath, and still love all the Ozzy-era stuff. When Iron Maiden rose I was completely into them, and I still cherish those pre-Somewhere In Time albums. Metallica and Slayer came along and my musical taste expanded to thrash and the speedier, angrier edge it embodied. I have most of Motorhead’s 700 releases 😃 1. Ozzy. 2. Lemmy. 3. Bruce Dickenson. 4. Ron Broder. 5. Denis Belanger. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/34 "2013-12-23T17:49:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Funny, Mindcrime is one of my less liked Queensryche albums. > > There are Queen _metal songs_ (_Ogre Battle_, _Princes of the Universe_, _Stone Cold Crazy_ and the second half of _Bohemian Rhapsody_ come to mind), and Freddie probably would have been a great metal singer if he’d wanted to play heavier music. Hard rock and metal overlap some what but they are different. I would say that at times Queen was hard rock but they were never metal. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/35 "2013-12-23T18:20:43Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Hard rock and metal overlap some what but they are different. I would say that at times Queen was hard rock but they were never metal. Here’s the Queen track [Sheer Heart Attack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmfTE5ryMAU), from _News of the World_ (yes, it’s weird that it’s not from the album _Sheer Heart Attack_). While I generally agree with your observation (and I’m a big Queen fan), if you wouldn’t consider this song to be “metal” (considering its era), I’m curious as to why not? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/36 "2013-12-23T18:23:13Z")
He’s saying they were never a metal _band_. Which is true. ---
**Author:** ![jools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@jools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jools)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/37 "2013-12-23T19:39:12Z")
Your list made me smile… Denis Bélanger, isn’t he best known under the name Snake? I didn’t think people knew his name hahahaha > [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > 1. Ozzy. > 2. Lemmy. > 3. Bruce Dickenson. > 4. Ron Broder. > 5. Denis Belanger. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/38 "2013-12-23T20:21:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I know there are a lot of people who hate the guttural/cookie monster stuff, but is has its place and Cavalera is the best of those guys. Absolutely concur. But I would start with earlier tracks such as “Chaos A.D.”, “Dead Embryonic Cells”, even as far back as Sepultura’s groundbreaking _Schizophrenia_ album. Only then should you listen to “Roots Bloody Roots” and you’ll realize what an absolute masterwork that song is! > [@Loach](#): > > If Queen was anything close to metal I would have to agree with you. This thread is going to get very ugly very quickly if we awaken the dreaded rock vs. metal debate. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/39 "2013-12-23T20:35:25Z")
I think the top guys are pretty obvious and we just mix and match the top 10 1. Chris Cornell - call him non metal if you must but he has IMO THE best range in all of music. 2. Rob Halford - Not a huge Priest fan but the guy defined metal vocals 3. Bruce Dickenson - Legend 4. Ronnie James Dio - Not sure he wrote a song I don’t like 5. Randy Jackson (Zebra) - The range is undeniable Honorable Mention Zach De La Rocha Don Dokken Dave Mustaine Klaus Meine Corey Taylor (would never have made my list if not for hearing some of his acoustic stuff ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-metal-vocalists/676588/40 "2013-12-23T21:00:16Z")
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