The power trio is a different breed of rock and roll animal. With fewer people there is more ground for each member to compensate and less room to mess up. It’s no wonder then that the form is so popular amongst the precise world of heavy metal. Here’s a list of five of our favorite heavy metal power trios. And be sure to check out our previous feature on
Tony Iommi’s Pentagram of Influence, which highlights a few more of our favorite power trios—namely High on Fire, Cream, the Melvins, and Blue Cheer!
Budgie – These guys may have never broken big stateside but they were giants in the U.K. As the anchor of the burgeoning New Wave of British Heavy Metal (or NWOBHM for short) the Welsh trio’s proggy songs like “Breadfan” and “Crash Course in Brain Surgery” are genre classics. Metallica covered a couple of Budgie songs early on and introduced their music to a new generation of headbangers. Here’s the original lineup doing their classic “Breadfan”:
Motorhead – Everything louder than everything else! Though not always a trio—the band was a 4-piece for a while in the ’80s—Motorhead are pretty much the quintessential hard rocking power-trio. Lemmy has been the sole constant member over the group’s 30+ year career. Besides the classic lineup of Lemmy, Philthy Phil, and Fast Eddie Clarke, members of Thin Lizzy, King Diamond, and the Pink Fairies have passed through the band’s ranks. Check out the Lemmy/Philthy Phil/Fast Eddie lineup and “Stay Clean”:
Boris – This mysterious Japanese band has been creating huge waves among underground metal fans for their gut-rumbling live shows. Audiences often walk away wondering how so much noise can come from so few musicians. With an assortment of gear that has guitar collectors drooling and a prolific output including collaborations with Ghost, Sunn 0))), and Acid Mothers Temple, Boris are a force to be reckoned with. Feel the rumble:
Venom – They are evil in a league with Satan—coming off as a less-articulate version of Motorhead playing on a pawnshop backline—Venom have long been a cult staple among metalheads. Their sometimes-comical approach was integral in the development of extreme metal and everyone from Megadeth to Emperor cites them as an inspiration. The band is also credited with coining the term
“Black Metal” though it’s a stretch to say they invented the style.
Wolfmother – Singer and frontman
Andrew Stockdale has a passing resemblance in both looks and riffage to the Melvins'
King Buzzo. The Australian heavy rock band became critical faves after their first EP and followed up with a strong full-length that even garnered a Grammy award.