Heavy Metal Takes Over Online Gambling

December 2, 2020, 3 years ago

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Heavy Metal Takes Over Online Gambling

Online gambling games themed on heavy metal were a rarity several years back. Now, new titles are rolling out quite often. Could it be that new interests for heavy metal slot games appeared out of nowhere, or did developers just run out of inspiration and material, having exploited all there is to exploit in ancient Norse, Greek and Egyptian mythology? 

Whatever the case, fans of heavy metal music can enjoy some terrific online slot games, most of them branded and endorsed by the famous musicians that inspired them, not to mention terrific online casino bonuses tied to them. It’s no secret that some metal legends were attracted to gambling (Lemmy Kilmister, Sully Erna, Scott Ian) and this passion, for some, was as intense as their love towards music. 

Here are some of the top metal-themed video slots released in recent years; feel free to fire them up instead of a concert on YouTube, as the musical experience is just as overwhelming.

Helloween - Play n’ GO

This German heavy metal band from Hamburg has been active since 1984 to this day. Their role in establishing power metal as a subgenre is undeniable, especially their work in the Keeper of the Seven Keys albums. Approaching the Halloween weekend in 2020, Play’n Go released Helloween, accommodating both horror and music enthusiasts with a single video slot. The game has a standard 5x3 setup, and there are 10 fixed paylines. 

The graphics are astounding and from the first moment you load the game you will be greeted by one of the band’s best live performances. The music will continue in the background, as you will fight to land Scatters (orbs with keys) on reels 1, 3 and 5 to trigger the Keeper of the Seven Keys feature wheel. Spin it to pick one of the 7 available bonuses - Helloween Free Spins, I'm Alive, Future World, Eagle Fly Free, Dr Stein, March of Time and I Want Out features. The game is absolute madness, with freebies, multipliers, Scatters and Wilds bursting across the screen while timeless tunes fill your ears and prizes land on your balance. 

Saxon - Play’n GO

Play’n GO seems to be a true metal-supporting software company, releasing a series of rock-themed video slot games not few and far between. The point is not just to use a shocking theme and add aggressive music to make something different. These guys know how to implement music into their games and make the gameplay feel well-rounded-up, in-sync with the theme. Saxon is one of the titles relatively recently launched by Play’n GO, offering original music blaring from the speakers and exhilarating slotting sessions to complete the experience.

Saxon, for those born just in time for Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory, is an English heavy metal band formed in 1977 in Barnsley. They are known as leaders of the new wave of British heavy metal, influencing many globally acclaimed bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Pantera and Dream Theater, among others. The slot focuses on the band-related imagery, delivering symbols such as their “S” logo, the Eagle logo form several of their albums and a Crusader helmet, which is a nod to their album of the same name.

With the loading screen transitioning onto the reels, you can enjoy “747 (Strangers in the Night)” and guitars shredding. Lead singer Biff Byford is one of the two Scatters in the game, helping players to unlock free spins. A really cool game which can get you into Saxon’s music if you haven’t been exposed to it before. 

Twisted Sister - Play’n GO

Glam metal would have never been such a notable genre in heavy metal music if it weren’t for Twisted Sister. The American band became famous for their sense of slapstick humor and also their frontman Dee Snider who defended their music in front of the Senate, as they were being criticized by conservative organizations for being violent in the mid-80s. Twisted Sister's best-known songs include "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock" and you can hear both in Play’n GO’s Twisted Sister online slot.

The game features a 6x6 setup with cascading reels, as well as all band members doubling as symbols: Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda, Mark “The Animal” Mendoza and Anthony “A. J.” Pero.  Fans of the band will also recognize Mark Metcalf as the Angry Dad, a character present in their MTV videos representing the establishment they were rebelling against at the time. Packed with features, the Twisted Sister slot features bonuses such as Scream, Unite, Dad Gets Angry and We’re Not Gonna Take It.

Annihilator - Play’n GO

The Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator was founded in 1984 by guitarist Jeff Waters and vocalist John Bates. They have made their mark on national history, being deemed the highest-selling Canadian thrash metal group ever. Play’n GO offers a slot game called Annihilator, a 5-reel video slot machine with 10 fixed paylines which features hit songs from the band. 

The songs can be accessed via the Playlist button, and you can toggle between smokin’ tunes like “Never, Neverland”, “Alison Hell”, “Word Salad”, “Stonewell”, “Nozone”, “King of the Hill”, “21” and “Psycho Ward”. 

The Wild symbol (Jeff Waters) substitutes for all symbols, except the Scatter and Bonus symbols. In the In Command feature, the Wilds expand. The Fun Palace feature is activated with 3 Bonus symbols and during this bonus you need to pick dolls to reveal multipliers and cash prizes. Spooky and heavy, just the way we like them. 

Testament - Play’n GO

The American thrash metal gods Testament have finally gotten their slot machine homage. Thanks to Play’n GO one of the most popular and influential bands of the thrash metal scene jams on the online casino screens worldwide, delivering demonic notes with each spin. 

The game is devilishly delightful, featuring the 2012 album Dark Roots of Earth cover as the Scatter icon. That’s not even the half of it – you can also benefit from three amazing bonus features that can shake you to the core: Song Features, Rise Up Spins and the all-powerful Testament Spins!

Song Features are carried out in three modes: Cold Embrace, Dark Roots of Earth and Throne of Thorns. The player gets 3 free spins and a specific round modifier (sticky Wilds, increased payways, expanding Wilds). Don’t forget to put the headphones and rock out with this one. 

Demon - Play’n GO

Remember Demon? Demon is an English band, formed in 1979 by vocalist Dave Hill and guitarist Mal Spoone. They have contributed to the uprising of hard rock, heavy metal and progressive rock, as well as the new wave of British heavy metal. 

The band did split up in 1992, but they got back together with new members in 2001. Their newest album is “The Devil Rides Out” and as part of their promo campaign for it they’ve partnered up with Play’n Go for a branded slot release.

Lead singer Dave Hill appears quite often on the screen, and you will also see four iconic album emblems as symbols landing across the 5 reels. Wild Mask and Wild Amulet are the most interesting features of the game, but players can also benefit from the One Helluva Night feature, the Depths of Hell Nested Free Spins feature and Portal to Hell. The animations are magnificent, so much so that the game is recommendable for anyone, rocker or not. 

House of Doom - Play'n GO

Fans of gothic imagery and the acclaimed doom metal band Candlemass should check out House of Doom by Play’n GO. A frenetic heavy metal guitar anthem provided by the Swedish epic doom metal band will double as the atmosphere-booster, as you spin the 5 reels and try to match symbols across 10 win lines. 

Symbols of the occult will appear after each spin, but you are pursuing the Seer. She expands to cover entire reels. Expect also Wilds and free spins, but beware – once you enter the House of Doom, it becomes hard to leave. 

Ozzy Osbourne - NetEnt

How can there be any mention of heavy metal without Ozzy? He is a living legend. The dude has been rocking since the 70s and directly participated in the creation of heavy metal with early Black Sabbath. He is one tough nut, turning 72 this December. The Prince of Darkness is the inspiration for NetEnt’s Ozzy Osbourne slot, so you will see him presented in a gothic style, looking more ominous than ever. 

Looking at the splash screen is enough to get you hyped – Ozzy is seen sitting on a throne whilst the hit track “Mr Crowley” introduces the game. Other loved tunes you can hear while playing this game include “Diary of a Madman”, “Crazy Train” and “Bark at the Moon”. Just dare to hit the mute button on this one.

As for the gameplay, the Ozzy Osbourne slot packs a classic 5-reel, 3-row layout and 20 fixed paylines. The specials are numerous, from the Re-Spin and Charge Up features to the Symbol Spinner box, the Feature Spinner box and Free Spins. Ozzy stepped forward as the ambassador and co-owner of Metal Casino, an online casino launched in 2017 presenting itself as “a true, relevant and dedicated casino for all metalhead fans”. So, there’s no doubt the man endorses fun online gambling paired up with awesome music and casino bonuses. 

Will any of these heavy metal-themed slot machines eventually work their way onto the gaming floors of land-based U.S. casinos? While that is probably an ultimate goal for slot machine manufacturers, it’s doubtful that will happen because the average age of the visitor to a brick and mortar casino skews a bit older: 45 and up. 



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