10 Classic Metal Bands We'd Love to See Reunite

Heavy Metal has been in existence as a musical force and genre of rock music for the last four decades. Some might argue that the glorious heyday of the '80s and '90s scenes for heavy metal music can't be replicated. But, others might beg to differ. And, as a sign of fan demand, perhaps, or a last attempt to cash in at the perfect moment when fans brew curious with nostalgia, many bands, both punk and metal have reunited their former band members (or new ones) and perform, and in some cases record music again. Such notable examples include Refused, At the Gates, Dark Angel, Faith No More and many others.  But, we now offer our list of 10 metal bands that wish could reunite.

See also: 10 Classic Punk Bands We'd Love to See Reunite

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10.Kyuss
Kyuss was perhaps the best of the desert rock stoner bands from the SoCal desert areas. With massive, fuzzy riffs and polarizing drum beats that stung, the band was definitely destined to be bigger before they called it quits in 1995, and members Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri went on to form the hugely successful band, Queens of the Stone Age. But alas, Kyuss reunion is almost literally impossible, as Homme sued the members when they tried to use the moniker Kyuss Lives, in 2012.

9.Skid Row
This hair metal band rose to fame in the late '80s, with the help of the excellent vocals of singer Sebastian Bach. With looks, hair, a great vocal range and a bit of an attitude this singer led the New Jersey based metal band through the late '90s. With anthems like 'Youth Gone Wild,”  “18 to Life” and “Slave to the Grind” it was this classic line up that most fans remember, despite the bands split from Bach, and addition of singer Tony Harnell from the band TNT. Both Skid Row and Bach have gone on to formidable solo careers but the nostalgia for a reunion with Skid Row might always be an issue for both band and former singer.
 
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8.Acid Bath
This is an extreme metal band that is often underrated. Pioneers of experimental death metal grindcore, this band rose from the swamps of Louisiana, to gain a following in the NOLA metal and punk scene. The band had numerous line up changes during its short years together between 1991 and 1997, but featured future Goatwhore guitarist Sammy Duet, and vocalist Dax Riggs. Mixing grindcore with everything from black and doom to country and even folk, the madness, speed, and tempo changes, made the music as eclectic as it was morbid. Sadly, when bassist Audie Pitre was killed in a DUI crash in 1997, the band split up. Known as a cult band, the band music was ahead of its time and influenced tons of NOLA bands such as early NIN, Pantera, Down, Warbeast, Crowbar, Goatwhore, Superjoint Ritual and more, as well as many and death metal, stoner metal and even punk bands.
 

7.Queensrhyche
Formed in the early 1980s on the East Coast, Queensryche built a foundation in early heavy metal with progressive rock and classical to create a version of power metal /prog rock to win over hordes of fans with an enormous larger than life sound. Originally the band's line up (and some might say the best) was   comprised of singer Geoff Tate, bassist Eddie Jackson, drummer Scott Rockenfield, and guitarists Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton. The band's most successful and important album to this day, was created with this line up.

Operation Mindcrime was a dystopian rock opera, a musical oddity fans loved, which became a phenomenal hit. But, today, Tate is no longer in the band as very recent lawsuits and court case settlements have given him rights only to tertian songs from the Operation Mindcrime (1991) album. Although many reunions and even follow ups to the renowned album, today, the band (with new singer Todd La Torre), and Tate (with a solo career) has moved on with new music, but the music of Queensryche and the classic line up will remain eternal on record.
 
See also: The 10 Best Historical Metal Bands
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6.Immortal
As part of the initial wave of blasphemous Norwegian black metal, Immortal was a band that stood out because their albums and songs were not about Satan.  Instead the band used heavy, icy Nordic references to fantasy kingdom of battles, demons and eternal hellish frozen winter landscapes. The technicality of musicianship also propelled immortal to be a leader, among bands such as Dark Funeral, Mayhem, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir,  Gorgoroth or Cradle of Filth. But, after nine full length albums, numerous changes in line ups, health issues, and a lawsuit over the trademarked use of the name and logo among band members, the band has sadly called it quits, as of March, 2015.
 

5.Black Sabbath (With original drummer Bill Ward)
It's a shame that the aging pioneers of heavy metal have taken to social media and public interviews to air their dirty laundry. To get some background info, original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was not included on the band's last recent album and world tour. He vented on Facebook about not being able to sign a fair contract with the band, and the band moved on, ostensibly replacing him. But, even as fans online began to support Ward, Ozzy Osbourne muttered some words about Ward's health, and more hurtful insults and accusations were flung back and forth over the course of a couple of years. 

Now, in another twist, Osbourne has been reported in interviews saying Black Sabbath will record a final album in 2016 and embark on a final tour, but it was unclear if Ward would be a part of it. We've all heard the phrase “final tour” before, and unfortunately it's lost all meaning. But for what it's worth, the original line up of drummer Bill Ward, bassist Gezzer Butler, singer Ozzy Osborne and guitarist Tony Iommi invented heavy metal and wrote the blueprint for most metal bands after to follow.

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4.Megadeth (Classic Rust in Peace line up)
Sure, mega guitarist and songwriter Dave Mustaine along with bass player David Ellefson remain the driving though Megadeth to this day, but things were stirred up guitarist Chris Boderick and drummer Shawn Drover exited, leaving many to speculate on who would fill their shoes. Many die hard fans and metal purists would kill for the line up that was featured on the seminal album, Rust in Peace (1990).

On this record, guitarist Marty Friedman, and drummer Nick Menza join the two Davids, for a classic; melodic and epic thrash metal assault that brought the classical and hard rock influence to thrash metal, and the mainstream. The music is centered upon songs detailing UFOs, aliens, religious wars, nuclear proliferation and the dark struggles of substance abuse.  Mustaine's catchy songs and lyrics backed up by the talent in this version of the band was, what many might argue trend's peak. But, even though Mustaine has gone through more guitarists than perhaps Ozzy, he promises that a new and determined line up featuring Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler, and Brazilian guitarist, from the band Angra, Kiko Louriero, is the strongest Megadeth lineup yet. 
 
 
3.Sepultura
So, even though Sepultura does in fact still exist today, many fans claim and hold true that the original line up featuring the Cavalera brothers (guitarist Max and drummer Igor) should reunite. Currently, only original bassist Paulo Jr. and longtime guitarist Andreas Kisser remain of era that most fans would argue is the quintessential line up of this classic Brazilian thrash metal band, which formed in the mid '80s.  Another instance of Internet rumors might be the only hope fans have, the Cavalera brothers have both left their old days with Sepultura, but still play the songs they wrote and recorded with Cavalera Conspiracy. Max also fronts Soulfly, a tribal extreme metal entity on its own, and the new, extreme metal super group Kill or Be Killed.

Sepultura, featuring vocalist Derrick Green and new drummer Eloy Casagrande, are still touring the world celebrating the existence of 30 years of a band known as Sepultura. But, as with most of these bands, nothing but the originals can bring back the magic and chemistry that once was in this thrash unit, who produced the albums Schizophrenia (1987), Beneath the Remains (1989), Arise (1991), Chaos A.D. (1993) and Roots (1996). With a fierce, monstrous thrash metal massacre of a foundation, the bands rage was often directed at the conditions of the third world and escalating war, famine, terrorism, racism, violence and elitist control of the planet.
 
See also: The 10 Best Heavy Metal Concept Albums
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2.Rage Against The Machine
It has been 15 years since this pivotal rap metal/hard rock band broke up, leaving behind hordes of fans and musical protestors, who still hold true to the band's uber heavy sound and revolutionary politics. In 2015, we need this band now more than ever, with the rampant world of political hacks, partisan political corruption, overall political hypocrisy, injustice, and the widening gap between the haves and have-nots. Even if you disagree with the bands radical, in your face agenda, and political philosophy you have to give credit where credit is due: the music. These guys rock, and harder than most rap metal bands wish they could.

With a sound that was a few years ahead of its time, RATM utilized the rapping speed and talent of vocalist Zak de la Rocha, and guitarist extraordinaire Tom Morrello, to create an innovative and screaming sound, that was rounded out by drummer Brad Wilk and drummer Tim Comerford. As a political hard rock/heavy metal band, Rage is definitely the best of the rap rock musical revolution. Too bad that personalities, and musical artistic differences caused the band to break up in 2000. Despite several major festival reunion shows and appearances, the band, as of last year has no plans to record new music or tour as Rage Against the Machine, according to a published interview with Morello.
 

1.Guns N Roses
In 1987, when the classic Appetite for Destruction album was released by LA based hard rockers Guns N' Roses, the band was on fire and at the top of the charts. They were also on the road to real life destruction of the original line up which produced the masterpiece: guitarist Slash, front man Axl Rose, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. With massive drug and alcohol abuse rampant, sex everywhere, property damage and violence, inner turmoil, tension and hyper explosive personalities, the band exploded and reformed after losing and gaining members in the mid '90s. 

Now, almost 20 years after that, GNR has long since moved forward with only Axl Rose remaining from the height of the band's classic line up. Though many fans still flock to see the band in concert, as well as Slash's solo concerts, all across the globe, it just isn't the same. The magical, molecular, almost spiritual component to hit songs like “Paradise City,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” and “Sweetchild o' Mine,” just isn't as authentic.

This by no means should be taken as disrespect to newer members of GNR or others in Slash's band(s). Understandably, the iconography GNR's image and sound, is known best under the context of this line up.  But, as the years go on, it seems like the only hopes for Slash reuniting with Axl, Adler and McKagan is misquoted interviews and Internet rumors.  Yet, whatever bad blood, grudges, or problems between Rose and Slash that exist must be serious enough to turn down numerous offers over the years to reunite, for, sometimes millions, if not tens of millions of dollars and more over the years.

See also
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10 Most Satanic Metal Bands

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