Rancid's Lars Frederiksen: My 10 Favorite Metal Albums | Page 2 | Revolver

Rancid's Lars Frederiksen: My 10 Favorite Metal Albums

From "pure carnage literally and figuratively" to "the gateway band to all hard music"
Lars Frederiksen Solo 2021
Lars Frederiksen

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Lars Frederiksen is best known as the guitarist-vocalist of Rancid, frontman of both the Old Firm Casuals and Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards, and a producer who's worked the boards for the likes of Agnostic Front and the Dropkick Murphy's. The dude is a dyed-in-the-wool punk, but as a guy who grew up in the Bay Area throughout the Eighties and Nineties, he also has a real soft spot for metal.

Ahead of the solo EP he's releasing later this week, To Victory — which features reinvented versions of older originals and covers of both Kiss and U.K. Subs songs — we wanted to know what one of the United States' most prolific punks likes to bang his fucking head to. As it turns out, his taste is extremely diverse, encompassing old-school metal, underrated thrash icons, savage death metal and more.

From "pure carnage literally and figuratively" to "the gateway band to all hard music," these are Frederiksen's 10 favorite metal albums of all time.

10. Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying

Love this band and love this record. Everything they do is awesome. They have a good time and a sense of humor with it but still get a message across. To me they are like the Toy Dolls of thrash. 

9. Judas Priest - Point of Entry

First off, Rob Halford is the greatest singer in the metal world. Secondly, K.K. and Tipton are hands down on the top five greatest guitar duos ever. Number one on that list is ACDC's Malcolm Young and Angus Young for me. "Heading out to the Highway" is the perfect opener and the record is sequenced so flawlessly. 

8. Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

This record ends up on my turntable or varied forms of playback at least once a month and has since it came out. Like most of the bands on this list who have an extensive discography, it's hard to pick one record out of so many classics. But Slayer must be included. 

7. Exodus - Pleasures of the Flesh

As you can see, I've got mass love for the Bay Area thrash. And rightfully so. We stick together. One of Zetro's finest hours as a vocalist and Gary [Holt, guitarist] shows how guitar is meant to be played. Overall, it's my favorite record of theirs.

6. Hell Fire - Mania

Next level Bay Area metal!!!! Fucking love these guys and will buy every release. They are the new breed so you better make way. Fucking love it.

5. Charger - Charger

My Brother and bandmate in Rancid doing his thing. I'm a super fan regardless of our connection. Motörhead meets Venom with more punk as fuck energy. You can't step to it.

4. Cannibal Corpse - Kill

Pure carnage literally and figuratively. I love this band. Honestly, I think they get better and better each release. This was a hard one to pick cause every effort is impeccable.  

3. Death Angel - Humanicide

Bay Area legends and a fine bunch of humans. A more recent record for them but their punk roots shine real bright on this one. Heavy and upbeat and the lyrics are next level. 

2. Kreator - Phantom Antichrist

This record has everything and is hooky and fast as fuck. I love the early stuff as well but there's something about the records after Endorama that have something a touch more special to them for some reason. This is one of 'em.

1. Motörhead - Overkill

It's more punk but whatever. Motörhead will always be and has always been the gateway band to all hard music. If there wasn't a Motörhead there never would have been punk or metal as we know it today.