Ruthless Metal: thehistoryofthrashpart2

PART II.
THE LATE SEVENTIES...
OR WHEN HARD BECAME HEAVY.
(1975-1979)

The late seventies were a fractured moment in music history. Disco dominated charts, punk exploded onto the streets, and many wondered whether hard rock was already becoming a relic. Punk’s eruption in 1977 stole the spotlight from the so‑called "dinosaurs" of rock, and for a moment it looked like the old guard might be swept aside entirely.

But beneath the surface, something else was happening. A handful of bands ignored trends, refused to soften, and instead pushed hard rock into a heavier, faster, more aggressive form. At the same time, the "The Unholy Trinity" of the early seventies: Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. Were struggling, leaving a vacuum that new, hungrier bands were ready to fill. From that pressure and opportunity, heavy metal took shape.

Four bands in particular carried the torch into this new era: Rainbow, Motörhead, Judas Priest and Scorpions.

RAINBOW

When Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple, he teamed up with the members of Elf to form Rainbow (or Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow). Fronted by Ronnie James Dio, the band released three absolutely essential albums: Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow (1975), Rising (1976), and Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll (1978). After those three albums Ronnie James Dio left in the band 1979 to join Black Sabbath. This made Rainbow go in a more commercial direction with Graham Bonnet and later Joe Lynn Turner. The band dissolved in 1984, but their influence on future metal musicians, including Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax is undeniable.

Rainbow - Rising (1976)

JUDAS PRIEST

In the mid‑seventies, no one embodied heavy metal like Judas Priest. They introduced the leather‑and‑spikes aesthetic, brought motorcycles onstage, and perfected the twin‑guitar attack with Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing. Albums like Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), Sin After Sin (1977), Stained Class (1978), and Killing Machine / Hell Bent for Leather (1978/1979) became a blueprint for how heavy metal should sound and look. During the late seventies Judas Priest also pushed the speed barrier with early proto‑speed‑metal tracks like "Dissident Aggressor" and "Exciter".

Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)

SCORPIONS

Before the power ballads of the eighties, Scorpions were a fast, sharp hard‑rock band with a sound not that far from Judas Priest’s early work. Their seventies output especially with guitarists Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker helped shape the German metal scene.

When both guitarists left, Scorpions moved toward a more commercial direction, but their influence remained massive. Scorpions quickly established themselves as the premier european heavy metal band with albums like Virgin Killer (1976), Taken By Force (1977) and Lovedrive (1979).

MOTÖRHEAD

Motörhead stripped rock down to its rawest form. Their sound was dirty, loud, and unapologetically fast. A perfect bridge between hard rock and punk. They didn’t wear spandex or glitter; they wore denim, leather and they had an attitude like no other band.

Motörhead united punks and metalheads in a way no other band could. Overkill and Bomber, both released in 1979, became foundational records for anyone who loved speed and aggression. Bands like Metallica, Megadeth, and Sodom have all cited Motörhead as a main influence.

Motörhead - Overkill (1979)

What about "The Unholy Trinity" of 70's heavy metal? Well, By the late seventies these legendary bands struggled quite a bit.

LED ZEPPELIN

By 1975, Led Zeppelin were the biggest rock band in the world but the cracks were forming. Robert Plant’s serious car accident slowed the band’s momentum, and heavy drug use began to take its toll. Their late‑seventies albums couldn’t match the impact of their earlier work, and as heavier bands emerged, Zeppelin’s reputation as one of the heaviest bands on the planet was fading even though they still were a huge mainstream attraction.

BLACK SABBATH

Black Sabbath stayed active through the late seventies with albums like Sabotage (1975), Technical Ecstasy (1977), and Never Say Die! (1978). During this period they added keyboardist Gerald Woodruffe and experimented with more uptempo material, drifting away from the doom‑laden sound that defined their early years. Sabotage was well-received but Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! didn't fully live up to the standard we were getting used to. Combine that with Ozzy Osbourne's escalating drug and alcohol problems, the band eventually fired Ozzy in 1979. First hiring Dave Walker and then Rainbow's Ronnie James Dio.

DEEP PURPLE

Deep Purple’s mid‑seventies were defined by instability. Ian Gillan and Roger Glover had the band left in 1973 amid management conflicts. A loss Jon Lord called "the biggest shame in rock and roll history." Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale stepped in, and later guitarist Tommy Bolin joined, only to die a year later. After Ritchie Blackmore’s departure, the band collapsed entirely in 1976.

THE PUNK WAVE

Around 1977, punk erupted with bands like Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Misfits and The Clash. Punk was initially seen as the nemesis to metal. A raw, rebellious force meant to tear down the old guard. But instead of killing metal, punk became one of its greatest catalysts. Punk’s speed, simplicity, and aggression fed directly into the hardcore scene, which in turn became a crucial ingredient in the birth of thrash metal a few years later.

FAST AND HEAVY SONGS FROM THE ERA: 1975-1979
(Spotify-Playlist)