Album Introductions -

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Malmsteen's Odyssey - the first 30 seconds !
I love how KISS Alive ll starts off - so sudden -
AC DC were the masters of this -
so many of their albums had that opener -

Do you have a particular favorite ?

The beginning of Yngwie's "Magnum Opus" is absolutely amazing.

Helloween's Better than Raw.

A high classical symphony piece, and now you're expecting a melodic classic Helloween tune, but they come out with their thrashiest and most aggressive song ever.

Similar to Metallica's Master of Puppers and stuff, but done less tackily.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

This! I like the version from the Heavy Metal Thunder redo as the drums sound like fecking thunder, man!

To me, Hell Awaits is the best opening track to an album ever. I just love the build up, with the low backwards messaging, getting louder, then the slow build of the music, just doesn't get any better IMO.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

To me, Hell Awaits is the best opening track to an album ever. I just love the build up, with the low backwards messaging, getting louder, then the slow build of the music, just doesn't get any better IMO.

Good call. That completely blew me away as a kid.

"Hell's Bells" by AC/DC is one I really dig. Then there is "Steel The Light" by Q5.

Great call on the Slayer tune.

"The Big Welcome" that leads into "Inside the Electric Circus" is a fave as is the intro on the "Live...In the Raw" album that precedes the opening track. I know it's not an album opener, but the way the second side of Savatage's Hall starts with "Prelude" into "Hall" has always been a longtime fave as well.

"Turbo Lover"
"Into the Lungs of Hell" into "Set the World Afire"

"Traveler in Time"
"No Exit" into "Anarchy Divine"

the sentinel wrote:

"Into the Lungs of Hell" into "Set the World Afire"

That's a good one. I've always loved the way that album started out.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

"Into the Lungs of Hell" into "Set the World Afire"

That's a good one. I've always loved the way that album started out.

Thanks. That combo sorta "makes" the album for me. I show up for those two and stay for the rest.

I could have gone with Human instead but as ever the answer is Celtic Frost!

Iced Earth-The Glorious Burden, when they lead off with the Star Spangled Banner

Flotsam and Jetsam's "No Place For Disgrace" and Testament's "Over the Wall" have always been two of my favorites. Also throw Sanctuary's "Battle Angels" and Slayer's "South of Heaven" in there as well.

Good call on Sanctuary.

I would add the Keeper's albums intros as well.

"Overture" on Rush 2112

Crap, I was going to say Overture.
There's this:

Metal Church's debut starts (Beyond The Black) and keeps going in a most excellent manor... Many may disagree but this record is perfect though and through. Especially the original cassette issue on Ground Zero Records with the closer Big Guns!

Skid Row's debut did the same with a dinger (Big Guns, ironically the closer to the MC album, but obviously not the same tune) to start and the remainder of the album is perfection.

Warrior Soul's Last Decade Dead Century also starts amazingly (I See The Ruins) and continues through and through with greatness.

Armored Saint's March of the Saint. Starts with the title track and as the above mentioned discs, plows forward with consistent killer tunage throughout.

I am certain there are many others...

Dark Horseman wrote:

Crap, I was going to say Overture.
There's this:

Damn, I just thought of that last night, but figured it could wait until morning to post.

I love how this song opens: