Sometimes all you need to improve your mood is to headbang to a good metal song to get you up and moving and that adrenaline rushing. Whether you’ve had a bad day at work, or just need something different from your usual workout pop playlist to run on the treadmill, a good metal song is always a good choice to practice your “I’m running from a hoard of zombies during an apocalypse” type of run.

Something about metal songs manages to push you just that extra bit further in your workout or gives you the cathartic release that you’re looking for after a particularly hard day at work. If you’re looking for a new selection of songs to listen to before a game or have simply forgotten about these top tracks, then keep reading below to find out our top metal songs that are sure to get you pumped!

Mr. Brightside

Okay, we know this one technically doesn’t fit the metal genre, but it’s too good not to include it on our list. It gets you headbanging and screaming the lyrics the same way, no? Released in 2003, Mr. Brightside by The Killers is a track that even those born after that year are familiar with, and as soon as you hear the opening guitar, you can guarantee that everyone will be on their feet and belting out the lyrics. A great song to have at any party or while exercising!

Bring Me to Life

Even if you don’t know any other song by Evanescence, Bring Me to Life is undoubtedly a classic and a great track to listen to while working out. If nothing else, it’s a great reminder of the Daredevil film whose soundtrack the song was featured on. Time to whip out and practice your Matt Murdock moves in the ring, perhaps?

Should I Stay or Should I Go

Although ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ might have gained a lot of popularity in recent times thanks to Will singing it in the Upside Down in Stranger Things, this 1981 classic was just as popular even before that. It featured in a Levi jeans commercial in the early 90s and this re-release is what really kicked off its popularity across the world. Recreate your own experience in the Upside Down and run from The Mind Flayer and make that evening workout that little bit more fun!

All Star

Truly an unforgettable classic, All Star by Smash Mouth and Shrek really do go hand in hand, and even though it barely counts as the metal genre, the headbanging rock track is still great to get you pumped. First released in 1999 and then featured on the Shrek soundtrack in 2001, it’s still an instant hit and one of the most-streamed rock songs today. 

That isn’t the first or last time that a rock/metal song has featured in the franchise’s soundtrack. Led Zepplin’s Immigrant Song is no stranger to Shrek 3 and it really pulls the iconic team scene of the princesses absolutely storming Prince Charming together.

Resident Evil Theme Song

Is there anything cooler than finding out that the Resident Evil theme song is written and performed by Marilyn Manson? We didn’t think so either. The movie is badass enough with Milla Jovovich playing the role of zombie killer maestro Alice, trying to contain the outbreak of a virus in an underground facility, and with the soundtrack featuring other metal artists like Slipknot, Devil Driver, and of course, Marilyn Manson, you can imagine it made the film even better and is sure to get you pumped up as well. 

Mission Impossible 2

Everyone was already looking forward to seeing Tom Cruise perform death-defying stunts on the screen once again after the first Mission Impossible, so when it was revealed that the soundtrack for the movie was especially metal-heavy, it made the movie all the more exciting! “I Disappear” by Metallica, “Scum of the Earth” by Rob Zombie, and “Mission 2000” by Chris Cornell are just some of the hit tracks that were featured, and with such an amazing artist lineup, the songs alone are enough of a reason to watch the movie if you haven’t already!