5 Heaviest Rush Songs

[WK BEN]

First let me acknowledge that "heavy" is an extremely subjective term. For me
it has to do with a thick, dense, powerful, sometimes abrasive and slightly
evil sound. As an example just about every well-known Black Sabbath song would
qualify as heavy whereas no song ever done by the Police came close to being
heavy. Dream Theater tries to be heavy but doesn't quite pull it off. Metallica
also tries to be heavy and usually they do pull it off. I think you get the
picture. This is not a value judgement btw (I am a fan of all of these bands).
Rush is certainly not the heaviest band to come down the pike, but they are no
lightweights either. I consider the heaviness of Rush to be an important
aspect of their music. Heavy yet complex...its part of what makes them so
special. Anyways this is my list...

2112 Overture (DS version in particular)
With that low tuning it sounds especially thick and mean.

Jacob's Ladder
The last few seconds before "Follow men's eyes as they look to the skies" are
pushing maximum heaviness.

Cygnus X-1
Probably the most evil sounding Rush song.

Time and Motion
Maybe a little too clean sounding for this list, but when the bass and guitar
get in synch this song gets pretty heavy. Also the guitar solo ranks as their
most abrasive.

Working Man
That big riff impressed me a lot more when I knew less about music, but its
still damn heavy.

-Ben

[Mike Smith]

"WK BEN" <wk...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000905173316...@ng-mc1.aol.com...

> Rush is certainly not the heaviest band to come down the pike, but they
are no
> lightweights either. I consider the heaviness of Rush to be an important
> aspect of their music. Heavy yet complex...its part of what makes them so
> special. Anyways this is my list...

"2112 - Overture" (DS version). It would have been even "heavier" if they
had taken it down another half-step or two.

"Driven" - specifically, the verses and the bridge. The choruses aren't
really "heavy".

"Jacob's Ladder", except for the vocal parts.

The verses of "Double Agent", and the bridge. Again, the choruses are more
"pop".

The bridge of "Free Will".

--
Mike Smith

One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.
-- R. A. Heinlein

[TapeHead4]

Double Agent.

There's something about LTTA which strikers me as heavy and jazzy at the same
time.

Jacob's Ladder.

Between the Wheels, sort of.

Driven.

When in doubt, go with Counterparts.

Paul
formerly TapeHead4
fan of the Cafeteria Hyenas

[Jim Geiger]

I guess the heaviest Rush songs would be the ones recorded after Alex
discovered carbohydrates.

[SonicJam]

"WK BEN" <wk...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000905173316...@ng-mc1.aol.com...

[..]

I'd say...

1) Virtuality (just listen to the bridge between chorus and verse)
2) Anthem -the riff's a killer
3) Stick It Out (fairly heavy at times)
4) 2112-The Grand Finale (esp. the very end, before the words come in)
5) Circumstances (the chorus is pretty cool and heavy)

--
arattle
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~arattle

"No tears to cry no feelings left
This species has amused itself to death"
--Roger Waters

<v1.2a r+d>s TW 0/0/ FD 0- 0 WYWH 4 24 99.1% <27feb0>

[Daniel McConnell]

Stick It Out!

[Patrick Metzger]

The Necromancer, especially the jam right before "Return of the Prince"

[Circus Boy]

1. 2112, Grand Finale
2. Animate
3. Driven
4. Double Agent
5. The Battle scene of Bytor and the Snowdog

--
karnevil the Circusboy

She's everybody's sister
She's symbolic of our failure
She's the one in fifty million
Who can help us to be free....
Because she died on T.V.

And I grieve for my sister

R. Waters. "Watching T.V." from Amused to Death

[Wont Stay Lit]

The ' F# dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun G dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun'
part of 'The Trees', especially on ESL.

[Oswald Niplock]

Something For Nothing

WK BEN wrote:
> 2112 Overture (DS version in particular)

> Jacob's Ladder
> Cygnus X-1
> Time and Motion
> Working Man
> -Ben

[Rocinante]

I think I'd put my choice on the whole album "Rush".
It's a little bit rough around the edges, whereas they tend
to get a bit more refined as time goes by.

The riff in "What You're Doing" is kinda Sabbath-ish - add a bit more
fuzz to it and I'd expect to hear Ozzy singing.

Working Man is a great heavy song.

then add..
Anthem
Beneath, Between & Behind
Bastille Day ??? maybe not.. the chorus is a bit "regal".

[Jason Aucker]

In my opinion, I'd add "Stick It Out" to this list, as well as the cover of
"Bad Boy" from the Electric Ladyland Studios boot. (I know it's a rarity,
but Alex's solo on Bad Boy is blistering.)

Ack

[WK BEN]

Some other heavy Rush songs:

Between the Wheels
When the guitar kicks in at the beginning of the song, it definitely pretty
ominous and heavy. The dives and screams also work pretty well.

Anthem
The opening guitar riff / drum onslaught is definitely one of Rush's heaviest
moments. The verses are pretty mellow though.

Bastille Day
Some pretty impressive riffage at the beginning.

Show Don't Tell
Ditto, although the DS version is far heavier than the studio.

-Ben