Punk Rock Roots That Came From Queen

Queen could parade themselves for their versatility, and no one would beat them for it. They’re pretty much known for fusing opera and rock, best observed from their magnum opus, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Yet apart from that, they’ve explored territories in the name of music, achieving greatness and inspiring hundreds of artists all in different aspects.

Perhaps one of the territories they’ve ventured one was, quite surprisingly, the heavy metal world. Inside their 3^rd album Sheer Heart Attack, their knack for diversity kicked in. With “Now I’m Here” and “Killer Queen” cementing their burgeoning theatric style, “Brighton Rock” for their take on hard rock, and the heavy metal madness came resurfacing inside “Stone Cold Crazy.” The latter brought along one of Queen’s heaviest sound, with raunchy guitar riffs and loud thud of the beating drums. Its fast tempo is as ferocious as you would imagine it, with frontman Freddie Mercury nailing it as if he was a true-born rapper.

“Stone Cold Crazy” is likely discussed under the impression of thrash metal, and there are well-established truths to prove that. Among those was Metallica’s cover of the song as the B-side of their seminal track, “Enter Sandman.” It received general praise from the public, noting Queen’s authenticity that many artists strived to imitate afterward.

Looking deeper ahead, the song could also be credited to the start of the new punk wave. Although bands such as Sex Pistols or even the Ramones could disrupt the music that Queen were making, it’s an undeniable truth that the band Queen were among the strong hands that helped build up the developing genre that is punk.