Heavy Metal Hanukkah: 20 Head-Banging Hebrews

adam_dutkiewicz

alex_skolnick

ben_weinman

eric_bloom_buck_dharma

david_draiman

david_lee_roth - Copy

DictatorsBloodbrothers

evan_seinfeld

geddy_lee

joey_kramer

jordan_rudess

Typeo

gene_simmons_paul_stanley

leslie_west

marty_friedman

mike_portnoy

scott_ian_

steven_adler

tracii_guns

dee_snider_jay_jay_french

Tonight at sundown the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins. The holiday, which will occur over the next eight nights days, celebrates the victory of Judah Maccabee and the ancient Judeans over the forces of Antiochus IV Epiphanes which already sounds like the subject of a totally awesome metal song. Given the New York City area’s rich hard rock tradition and large Jewish-American population it goes without saying that quite a few of our favorite head bangers have lit the Menorah. From old school hard rockers like Kiss and Mountain, through thrash heroes Anthrax and up to modern bands like Killswitch Engage and The Dillinger Escape Plan, Jewish musicians have played a huge role in the history of hard rock so this Hanukkah let’s light a candle and say l'chaim to 20 of the greatest Jewish metal heads of all time.