But his definition of "extreme," in regards to what music he listens to, is rather open-minded. To him, the Beatles were an extreme band. So was Queen. And, perhaps surprisingly, so were The Smiths.

So, when he came to Radio.com's studios last year to talk about his first effort with the Illegals , Walk Through Exits Only, and heavy metal in general, the conversation soon veered towards his love of the legendary Manchester quartet. A group that definitely doesn't make the influence list of many heavy metal bands. Although, Anthrax did cover "London" a few years back. But as Anselmo points out to all the metalheads out there, "You think you know depression, grimness and self-loathing? Listen to Morrissey!"

In this edition of Radio.com Essentials, he chronicled his Smiths fandom in full. When he first heard Moz, he said it sounded a bit alien to him due to his androgyny, his honesty, his bleakness and his humor. All themes that are often cited by Morrissey's disciples, but Anselmo is probably one of the first to compare Morrissey to Mercyful Fate frontman King Diamond, whose mic handle consists of a femur and a tibia bone tied together in the shape of a cross.

Anselmo is also quick to point out that the Smiths weren't just about Morrissey. He calls Johnny Marr an "insane guitar player," citing the riff to "This Charming Man" as a prime example. And later compares Mike Joyce's drumming on "Death of a Disco Dancer" to Led Zeppelin's John Bonham.