People usually associate death metal songs with aggressive, brutal riffs and loud, violent performances; however, there are also numerous love songs within this genre.
Pantera’s This Love song has become one of the most iconic tunes, starting off with soothing guitar chords without distortion before rising up into loud, intense vocals.
I Walk Beside You by AC/DC
Metal music may not be known for its tender ballads, but that doesn’t mean its composers can’t express emotion through love songs. From longing and pain to pure delight and satisfaction, metal’s love songs cover every emotion from tortured obsession to undying admiration.
Guns N’ Roses’ 1987 track Sweet Child O’ Mine stands out among metal love songs as one of its iconic examples, depicting a lost romance through an emotive guitar solo and American country vocals.
Avenged Sevenfold’s A Little Piece of Heaven offers an especially brutal take on this topic, while remaining technically proficient and heavy at once. While Avenged Sevenfold are best known for their heavy rock sound and technical proficiency, their music also exhibits theatrical elements which push it deeper into gothic territory – something especially evident on their 2007 album October Rust song that follows an unnerved man murdering his partner before bringing her back as a ghost and taking revenge against those around them.
Kiss by Korn
Metal music can be an immensely romantic genre. Some songs feature explicit sexual innuendo while others can convey feelings of loss from broken relationships or celebrate all that makes love worthwhile.
Korn are well known for their introspective lyrics and rap-influenced sound, yet this track shows they can write about love as well. Featuring powerful vocals from Benjamin Burnley and intricate guitar riffs from Joey Jordon, it’s about reaching out for support when times get rough – love being the answer to all things!
The 90s grunge explosion introduced many innovative bands with distinct musical styles, among them nu metal band Korn. Mixing rap lyrics with emotive introspective verse, their crunching riffs and drumbeats propelled them towards worldwide renown; one song off their album Ram It Down deals with wanting love again following an unfortunate breakup.
Bulletproof Love by Pierce The Veil
Pierce The Veil are one of the premier post-hardcore acts, known for their high-energy live shows and emotive lyrics. One of their most well-known songs, Bulletproof Love tells a heartbreaking yet hopeful story of loss and hopefulness – it remains one of their most popular selections today.
Def Leppard quickly rose to fame with their 1987 album Hysteria and its hit track “On Stage.” Featuring beautiful vocals and intense clashes between guitar riffs, its lyrics capture feelings associated with first love.
Maynard James Keenan from Tool is widely renowned for his musical genius and soulful love songs such as this one, which explores how love can change lives forever. Here he describes its transformative effects.
Black Sabbath are legendary doom metal artists, yet the band still knows how to write heartbreaking love songs like Dying For Love from their 1994 album Cross Purposes. This slow-paced melody expresses longing while at the same time conveying isolation and longing.
Dying For Love by Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath fans should have taken note of the subpar production and subdued songwriting on this album as an indicator that this was no longer Black Sabbath as we knew them. Even with some bright spots (the explosive title track, A Hard Road’s slow-rolling boogie and jazz-influenced Air Dance with Don Airey showing his singing chops), it can be easy to lose interest with an album which even diehard fans admit is disappointing in comparison.
Cross Purposes saw the band return to form with an authentic sound, featuring Dio in his more comfortable husky vocal style rather than operatic yelling and songs reflecting more contemporary issues rather than dark fantasy fantasies of their earlier releases. Even without Geezer Butler present, guitarist Tony Iommi still had an exceptional understanding of why this band stood out from its peers.
Endless Love by Metallica
Metallica’s 1992 song Endless Love shows just that. The tune captures the joy of finding someone who makes life meaningful and gives their existence meaning.
Guns N’ Roses often dabbled in metal music, including with their 1987 hit Sweet Child O’ Mine which pays homage to Axl Rose’s girlfriend at the time. This fast-paced track stands as an excellent example of metal love song with its distorted guitar and harsh vocals.
Alice in Chains was known for their grunge-influenced rock sound as well as their metal love songs like Kickstart My Heart from their 1994 album. This track features a powerful lead vocalist with heavy staccato drums to tell its tale of romance between two individuals – Kickstart My Heart is about an individual who makes life exciting for its singer.
Wasting Love by Iron Maiden
Metal may not be known for its love songs, but there are still plenty of powerful tracks about this emotional topic. From Trent Reznor’s seductive moans on Nine Inch Nails’ Closer to Avenged Sevenfold’s murky motives on their murder-happy A Little Piece of Heaven by Avenged Sevenfold, metal artists often examine the tortured and obsessive aspects of love in their work.
Iron Maiden aren’t known for writing love songs, but in 2010 they released this one that focused on young couples battling hard to make their relationship work despite all odds. It is an inspiring song that should definitely make its way onto your list of metal love songs!
Tears Don’t Fall by Bullet For My Valentine
Metal’s love songs provide the epitome of emotional honesty. From Corey Taylor’s poetic lyrics to Pantera’s powerful riffs, hard rock and metal bands have never shied away from exploring the darker sides of love.
Bullet For My Valentine of Welsh metal band Bullet For My Valentine wrote their hit single to express the heartbreak associated with losing someone close. Its lyrics emphasize how one person can have an immense effect on someone else.
Type O Negative were an influential metal band from the ’80s that created some unforgettable classics, including their gothic Metal Love song. This track explores an unhealthy relationship that leaves its subject questioning whether death really marks an endpoint; its chorus serves as an emotional reminder that you would go far for someone you loved; additionally it boasts haunting piano keyboard and dark vocals for added authenticity.
You’re Mine by Disturbed
Metal can be both powerful and beautiful, offering intense, heartfelt and dark melodies as well as romantic ballads. This list shows that even though heavy metal may often seem harsh or violent, there can also be romantic love songs hidden among its ranks.
The first song on our list comes from one of the pioneers of hair metal music: you’re Mine is by one of their pioneering bands and depicts a love so powerful it can overcome anything – it features slower guitar style to contrast against their signature heavy metal sound while exploring what newness there may be within love.
Pantera is another metal band renowned for their romantic songs. Their 1992 track This Love begins slowly before gradually increasing in intensity as lyrics focus on young love’s transformative powers and how it makes you feel alive – this track earned Pantera its first Billboard top-10 hit!
Ruptured Heart Theory by Eyehategod
“Love Zone”, from one of metal music’s greatest bands – who brought us such classic songs as Ram It Down – is all about love. It tells the tale of someone willing to sacrifice everything just so they could be with the one they love; its infectious riffs and drums perfectly convey this narrative.
Skid Row, known for their hair metal journey and transition into the glam metal genre, also has several memorable metal love songs that celebrate love through war and death. One such track called Forever and Always describes two people who remain committed even in times of war or death.
Black Sabbath, one of the world’s best-known metal bands, has created many timeless love songs such as Dying For Love that speak about an existential desire for romantic love in humans everywhere.