The amount of hours I’ve poured into games like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero Metallica, and Rock Band 1 & 2 is probably more than I ever spent doing homework. Back in the early to mid ‘00s, these games were everything to me, and looking back, it’s interesting how quickly this booming genre suddenly disappeared. Well, because people from my generation are now wanting to relive those memories, we’re starting to see a bit of a rekindling of the genre. And here’s my top 5 artists I’d love to see in these new Guitar Hero-inspired games.
1. Dragonforce | Guitar Hero Legends
I know the reaction to this is either a 180-degree eye-roll or a “Hell Yeah!” But hear me out. Which song was more iconic, and more a testament to someone’s skills in Guitar Hero than that of the 7-minute epic “Through the Fire and Flames?” The first time playing the song on Easy or Medium made you feel badass already, but Hard or Expert? That song was a rite of passage for many, and to this day, I can still visualize the notes coming down that iconic fretboard.
While the band roster has changed a bit since then, their music today is still full of crazy solos and unbelievably high-pitched vocals that just make you want to ride a dragon while shredding on your guitar. Their more modern songs like “Troopers of the Stars”, “Ashes from the Dawn”, “Curse of Darkness”, and others could be the peak of difficulty in this new generation of games. Imagine: Gen Z kids talking about Guitar Hero AND Dragonforce? In 2025? Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.
2. August Burns Red | Prepare Your Fingers
As a long-time fan of the band, I can’t help but fantasize about a world where I can shred to their immaculately crafted songs. Every one of their songs presents itself as almost a journey, as many of them hardly repeat themselves or have a repetitive aspect to their structure. Songs like “Meddler” and “White Washed” offer such dynamic and constantly changing sequences, yet still feel cohesive.
Their more current songs from the ‘23 album “Death Below,” like “Backfire” and “Ancestry,” still hold to their iconic style and would no doubt fit perfectly amidst a list of similarly head-banging masterpieces.
3. The Devil Wears Prada | No, The Other One
No, I’m not talking about the movie. I’m talking about the geniuses behind one of my all-time favorite metal albums, “Dead Throne”. Look, these guys have such a talent in bringing you absolutely floor-shattering drops like in their song “Forever Decay” or “Untidaled”. Listen to these two songs and tell me you wouldn’t be afraid of accidentally throwing your Guitar Hero controller.
Should this new generation of Guitar Hero-inspired games offer additional instruments in their repertoire, the drummers will have one hell of a time shaking off the rust. And the vocalists? Well, I think it would be awesome to include songs that could challenge their vocal prowess. With a nice mix of harsh and melodic vocals, giving every member of your virtual band moments to shine is just what this genre needs!
4. Dream Theater | A No-Brainer
If you know these guys, I almost don’t need to explain myself. But, for the uninformed, Dream Theater has been around since the 80s, and with a style that may have influenced that of Dragonforce’s epic and solo-heavy music. Sometimes you discover a band where every single member is a musician of the highest caliber. Not just good, but masters of their discipline that, in coming together, create music that’s transcendent in its presentation. Captivating vocals and sick multi-minute long solos, they seem like a no-brainer in my book.
5. Slayer | Get Your Umbrellas Ready
Image of Slayer, Courtesy of SpotifyDon’t get me wrong, “Raining Blood” is an amazing song and remains as one of the only songs I could never get through in Guitar Hero 3. It was that damn ending part where it looked as though the developers threw a bunch of random notes at the end just to mess with you. Regardless, fans will no doubt agree with me that they have plenty more head-bangers that would fit perfectly with the others in this list. The energy they bring into their songs puts the “thrash” in thrash-metal.
You have the iconic adrenaline-inducing songs like “Angel of Death”, “War Ensemble”, and “Disciple”. And then you have the more modern speaker-destroying works like “World Painted Blood” and “Repentless”. And if we see games that offer a full-band experience, these are sure to get the vocalists or drummers begging for mercy as their muscles ache from the intensity. Who says video games can’t be considered physical activity? Nay, I say!
A New Generation Of Rock And Metal Fans
Playing Guitar Hero III was the quintessential experience that solidified my love for metal. While I love and can appreciate all types of music, nothing hits quite like a gnarly drop that gives you that feeling of falling from a great height. Despite the incredibly passionate fans, metal, particularly, isn’t generally liked by the public.
What better way to annoy the masses with this awesome music than to get Gen Z obsessed? With their social media prowess and presence, we could see an age where metal gets played on pop stations all around the world! If K-pop can make its way across the sea and have a huge influence on our media, there’s no reason our homegrown genre can’t finally have its spotlight.
Rock on!
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