Here are 18 essential ’90s metal albums you should own on vinyl.
The decade marked a time of transition for metal in more ways than one.
Veteran acts such as Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden had already put out their best work long before this time. Hair metal was also fading fast.
The same couldn’t be said about the “Big 4” thrash metal bands, as some of them were going through a transitional period of their own.
READ MORE: The Most Collected Albums By 11 Big Thrash Metal Bands (on Discogs)
Metallica found themselves getting regular airplay on both radio and MTV thanks to multiple tracks off 1991’s self-titled “black album.” Megadeth also continued their push into the mainstream.
And while these bands continued to grow their fanbase on a global scale, other, less mainstream acts were bubbling up from the underground and parts of Europe. British imprint Candlelight Records helped bring multiple breakthrough albums from international acts, including Opeth and Emperor, to the forefront.
Here are a few essential albums that will help you understand what metal in the ’90s was all about. We’re also throwing in a few suggestions on where to buy them (um, the Loudwire online vinyl shop) in case you still need to add any of these titles to your collection.
Deicide, Deicide (1990)
Key tracks: “Sacrificial Suicide,” “Dead By Dawn,” “Lunatic of God’s Creation”
Megadeth, Rust in Peace (1990)
Key tracks: “Tornado of Souls,” “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due,” “Hangar 18”
Death, Human (1991)
Key tracks: “Lack of Comprehension,” “Flattening of Emotions,” “Suicide Machine”
Metallica, Metallica (1991)
Key tracks: “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Sad But True”
Slayer, Decade of Aggression (1991)
Key tracks: Anything with Tom Araya’s stage banter
Megadeth, Countdown to Extinction (1992)
Key tracks: “Symphony of Destruction,” “Sweating Bullets,” “Skin O’ My Teeth”
Pantera, Vulgar Display of Power��(1992)
Key tracks: “Walk,” “This Love,” “Mouth for War”
Tool, Undertow (1993)
Key tracks: “Sober,” “Prison Sex,” “Intolerance”
Type O Negative, Bloody Kisses (1993)
Key tracks: “Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All),” “Christian Woman,” “Summer Breeze”
Pantera, Far Beyond Driven (1994)
Key tracks: “I’m Broken,” “5 Minutes Alone,” “Becoming”
Korn, Korn (1994)
Key tracks: “Blind,” “Shoots and Ladders,” “Clown”
Metallica, Load (1996)
Key tracks: “Until It Sleeps,” “King Nothing,” “Hero of the Day”
Sepultura, Roots (1996)
Key tracks: “Roots Bloody Roots,” “Ratamahatta,” “Attitude”
Emperor, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997)
Key tracks: “Ye Entrancemperium,” “The Wanderer,” “Thus Spake the Nightspirit”
Metallica, ReLoad (1997)
Key tracks: “Fuel,” “The Memory Remains,” “The Unforgiven II”
Rammstein, Sehnsucht (1997)
Key tracks: “Du hast,” :”Engel,” “:Sehnsucht”
Opeth, My Arms, Your Hearse (1998)
Key tracks: “Credence,” “Demon of the Fall,” “When”
System of a Down, System of a Down (1998)
Key tracks: “Sugar,” “Spiders,” “Suite-Pee”
Of course, these albums don’t tell the entire story of metal in the ’90s. A lot was going on outside of the music as well.
Keep reading to see the most shocking moments in rock and metal during the decade.
The Most Shocking Rock + Metal Moments of the ’90s
The wildest moments of the ’90s.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner