There is only way to kick off Metal March is with Zero Signal by Fear Factory. This is the song that got me into modern metal back in 1995. This song was on the soundtrack to the Mortal Kombat movie that had come out, and my brother picked it up. It was full of a lot of heavier tracks than I had been exposed to previously, but Zero Signal was the one that really stood out.
I was 13 when I first heard this track, and while I’d listened to Metallica before and owned (the excellent) And Justice For All, this song was on an entirely different level. The nonstop riff speed, the kick-your-teeth-in drums with prominent double bass, the brutal screaming vocals… it was my first exposure to anything this heavy, and I was immediately sucked in.
I wasn’t really into metal, but I’m always drawn to things that sound unique. I’d definitely never heard anything like this before, and I was instantly hooked. I went out and bought Demanufacture, the album this song appears on. It blew me away, and started me on the lifelong pathway to awesome metal.
This song still kicks ass today. Enjoy.