Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin II was nicknamed the Brown Bomber, in reference to its sepia-tinted cover and the explosive music within.

It was this album, which arrived before Black Sabbath and Deep Purple In Rock (both of those released less than a year later), which set the template for hard rock and heavy metal: the mighty riff and wailing vocals in Whole Lotta Love; the sexual braggadocio in The Lemon Song; the histrionic guitar solo in Heartbreaker; the drum solo in Moby Dick. There was light relief in Thank You, with its delicate melody, and Ramble

On, with Plant singing sweetly, but of all Zeppelin’s albums, the Brown Bomber is the heaviest.