Led Zeppelin's Debut Album--The Beginning of Metal?

Some would argue that with their debut album, Led Zeppelin began the musical genre which we would come to know as heavy metal. I don't know about that, but the sound of Led Zeppelin is certainly heavy--I know that they created that word.

Led Zeppelin, by Led Zeppelin, was recorded in London in October of 1968, and released on the Atlantic label on January 12, 1969. The band was formed by Jimmy Page, the Yardbird refugee, and included a young, unknown singer named Robert Plant, who was recruited for his incredible vocal range. John Paul Jones on bass guitar and John Bonham on drums round out the band, and believe me when I say that all of these musicians were world-class players. Their contributions to this album are as follows:

Jimmy Page, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar and
backing vocals
Robert Plant, vocals and harmonica
John Paul Jones, bass, organ and backing vocals
John Bonham, drums, tympani, backing vocals

The following is a list of the songs on the album, and a brief description of each.

1. Good Times Bad Times--This songs starts with some powerful guitar chords and some over the top drumming by Bonzo Bonham. John Bonham played his double bass drums like they were tom-toms, and thereby influenced a whole generation of drummers. The tune itself is very representative of the Led Zeppelin sound, featuring some high-range vocals by Plant and a big guitar solo by Jimmy Page. Page used certain effects on his guitar which made it sound like he was playing in an arena all of the time, and the effects work here to give his guitar a big expansive sound.

2. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You--This song demonstrates why Jimmy Page is the most versatile guitarist in the world. His acoustic guitar work is his trademark, and this song showcases his talents with that instrument. Robert Plant's vocals are soulful, and when the entire band gets involved, the sound is really heavy. This song proves that you don't have to have a loud, distorted guitar to make heavy music. All it takes is a little talent and a lot of feeling. This tune is long on both.