Ask anyone who isn't really familiar with synthesizer to describe the sound that these instruments make and they will more than likely tell you that it is just beep-boop noises. While it is true that synths have become synonymous with science fiction movie sound effects and music, there is a lot more to these marvelous instruments. The versatility of synths means that there are very few, if any, genres of music that can't be played with them. For example, just check out these amazing rock and metal covers that are performed on synths. 

Slayer - Raining Blood

Raining Blood, from the 1986 Slayer album Reign in Blood, is without a doubt one of the most popular tracks by this trash metal band. It is also one of the most unlikely songs to be played on a synth, but that is exactly what Brett Domino and Steven Peavis accomplish in this video. Brett handles all the guitar parts using an Ax-Edge keytar while Steven does a great job with the drums. 

Metallica - Fade To Black

Metallica has had a string of hits over the years, but it was their first ever power ballad, Fade to Black, that is still considered by many fans to be amongst their favorites. One of the things that stand out the most about this song is the incredible guitar solo by Kirk Hammett. It is a song that many guitarists can't even play correctly, but the uploader of this video managed to accomplish a great rendition using an Arturia Microbrute. 

AC/DC Thunderstruck 

AC/DC is another hard rock band that needs no introduction and their 1990 single, Thunderstruck, is one of their most popular and recognizable songs. Age has done nothing to diminish the popularity of this track either as it has already sold in excess of one million digital copies since becoming available for download. The cover version in this video is not an exact replica of the original track, but rather a remix with a slightly faster tempo. While nothing can obviously beat the original, this synth cover is nonetheless an extremely impressive feat. 

Megadeath - Tornado of Souls 

Megadeath released their fourth studio album, Rust in Peace, back in 1990. It marked the album debut of Marty Friedman and Nick Menza on guitar and drums respectively while also going on to earn the band a Grammy Award nomination. While Tornado of Souls was not a single, it is a great track and features some incredible guitar and drum parts. Performing a cover version was always going to be tricky, but in this video Jackson Choate can be seen pulling it off with nothing more than a keytar. 

Black Sabbath - Paranoid 

Paranoid, the title track from their second album, earned Black Sabbath a number four spot on the UK Singles Chart as well as number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in 1970. Over the years the accolades for this song kept pouring in and it regularly features on lists of great metal songs or guitar tracks. The popularity of this song also means that it has been covered a lot, but this version by Bram Lammens shows what can be done with a Yamaha PSR S900. 

Bon Jovi - Living on a Prayer

If there is one song that is synonymous with Bon Jovi, it has to be their 1986 hit, Livin' on a Prayer. It is a certified rock classic and shot straight to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was first released. Not bad for a song that Jon Bon Jovi originally didnt' like and only included on the album after being convinced by Richie Sambora that it was good enough to be reworked into the version everyone now knows and loves. The cover version in this video is performed on a Yamaha Tyros 4 and definitely captures the spirit of the original. 

Antrhax - Madhouse

Madhouse was a big hit for the thrash metal band Anthrax in the eighties and popped up in a couple of video games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Guitar Hero II many years later. One of the most impressive elements of the track is undoubtedly the blistering guitar solo and earned a spot as the 46th best hard rock song of all time according to VH1 in 2009. In this video DavidKBD proves that you don't need a guitar to emulate the impressive guitar solo.

Conclusion

These videos are just a small sample of the versatility offered by synthesizers when it comes to music. If you know about any other impressive rock and metal covers performed on synth let us know in the comments below.