When people talk about the origins of heavy metal, they usually beeline for Black Sabbath. They should actually go to Necromandus. Tony Iommi would probably back me up since he discovered this band, stole them away from the Vertigo record label, and produced (and played on!) this heavy as hell album. The 1972 record, Orexis of Death, has metal music written all over it: palm-muted guitar crunch, fast-paced riffs and solos, and cornily dark song names like “A Black Solitude” and “Still Born Beauty”. Just look at that album art. They’re like Metallica’s grand-pappy.