The Heaviest Genesis Tracks Ever Made

Creative sparks—and the occasional argument—are inevitable when a band has multiple songwriters. Genesis, however, took full advantage of the variety that frequently accompanies that tension. From their early days, when Peter Gabriel led grandiose prog-rock journeys to the smoother, radio-ready successes of the Phil Collins era, they learned how to change without becoming obsolete. Although Genesis is renowned for their songs and elaborate orchestration, they also knew how to ramp up the volume. These ten tracks are among the heaviest in their repertoire.

10. ” … In That Quiet Earth”
You might not throw up the horns to this fusion-style instrumental, but it still hits hard in its own way. The first half rides a stormy guitar melody from Steve Hackett, while Phil Collins hammers the drums with serious force. Then things shift—the second half leans into a gritty, “Squonk”-style riff, with Tony Banks weaving in eerie, off-kilter synths. It’s not your typical heavy, but it’s weighty in all the right places.

9. “The Musical Box”
It might be called “The Musical Box,” and yes, it even features a guitar part that sounds like one—but don’t be fooled. This track packs a punch. Things take a heavier turn around 3:38, with grinding power chords and roaring Hammond organ setting the stage for a fierce Hackett solo. And of course, there’s that dramatic finale where Peter Gabriel growls “now” over and over, delivering a finish that’s anything but delicate.

8. “Back in N.Y.C.”
Peter Gabriel may be known as a prog legend, but he’s always had a punk streak—especially in his early solo shows. One of the few Genesis tracks he kept in rotation was “Back in N.Y.C.,” which matched his edgier stage style perfectly. He growled through every line with attitude, but the original still hits harder. The band’s tight playing brings real punch, and Collins’ drumming—part hard rock, part jazz-fusion—is packed with replay-worthy moments.

7. “The Return of the Giant Hogweed”
Peter Gabriel has delivered some wild lyrics in his time—seriously, who else has sung about a raven stealing a man’s severed penis in a tube? But “The Return of the Giant Hogweed” might just take the cake. The song follows a monstrous mutant plant out to destroy humanity, and Genesis leans all the way in. The music hits hard, with distorted riffs everywhere—from Banks’ gritty Hammond organ to Hackett’s rapid-fire, tapped guitar licks.

6. “The Waiting Room (Evil Jam)” (Live)
You can’t talk about heavy Genesis moments without bringing up “The Waiting Room.” This eerie instrumental came from the band trying to spook themselves in the studio — “We just sat there and tried to frighten ourselves!” Tony Banks once said. The creepy, haunted-house vibe sticks around even when the track briefly lightens up. But the real punch comes in the live version from the Genesis Archive 1967–75 box set, where Collins goes wild on drums beneath sharp, stabbing guitars.

5. “Supper’s Ready”
This 23-minute Genesis masterpiece goes through all kinds of moods — not all of them heavy. (Looking at you, the quirky, piano-led “Willow Farm.”) But things take a dark turn during the final section, “Apocalypse in 9/8.” That’s where the real weight kicks in, with a gritty, pounding riff and Peter Gabriel opening the vocals by shouting “666!” Let’s be honest — if you’re name-dropping the Antichrist, you’ve earned your spot on any heavy list.

4. “Squonk”
Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods sounds more like a wild ‘70s prog-rock album than a 1910 folklore book — but it ended up inspiring one of Genesis’ heaviest songs. The Squonk, a mythical creature from Pennsylvania, was said to be so ashamed of its looks that it cried constantly. Genesis brought the legend to life in “Squonk,” where a hunter catches the beast in a sack, only to find it’s melted into a “pool of tears.” Thankfully, Phil Collins’ booming, “Kashmir”-style drum groove and Mike Rutherford’s thunderous bass pedals give the song some serious bite to match the whimsy.

3. “Down and Out”
When Steve Hackett exited Genesis in 1977, most fans figured the band would mellow out — and with tracks like “Follow You Follow Me,” who could blame them? But the trio had other plans. They opened …And Then There Were Three… with “Down and Out,” one of their most aggressive tracks. Mike Rutherford’s guitar growls like a buzz saw, and Phil Collins hammers the snare with an intensity that made it clear: Genesis still had bite.

2. “The Knife” (Live)
Armando Gallo, a longtime Genesis journalist and photographer, wasn’t sold on the band’s early folk-heavy sound — especially their 1970 album Trespass. That all changed when he saw them live in January 1971. “I was into heavier stuff, probably, King Crimson and so on,” Gallo said in 2006. But when Peter Gabriel nearly leapt into the crowd during “The Knife,” everything clicked. Already the most aggressive track on Trespass, “The Knife” truly came alive onstage — and the fiery 1973 Live version blows the studio cut out of the water.

1. “Fly on a Windshield”
Originally called “Pharaohs,” this eerie track came together by blending two contrasting parts — one soft, one thunderous. As Tony Banks explained on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway reissue DVD, the idea was to evoke “the Egyptian army coming across the landscape.” The beginning feels hazy, with choppy guitar and choral mellotron creating a dizzying calm — but at 1:17, everything flips. Gabriel’s echoing voice fades, and Collins crashes in with Bonham-style drumming while Hackett unleashes a frantic, ferocious solo. Banks later called it “probably the single best moment in Genesis.”