Here are 11 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.
Death, Human (1991)
Relativity Records
Key tracks: “Lack of Comprehension,” “Flattening of Emotions,” “Suicide Machine”
Emperor, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997)
Candlelight Records
Key tracks: “Ye Entrancemperium,” “The Wanderer,” Thus Spake the Nightspirit”
Megadeth, Rust in Peace (1990)
Capitol Records
Key tracks: “Tornado of Souls,” “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due,” “Hangar 18”
Metallica, Metallica (1991)
Key tracks: “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Sad But True”
Pantera, Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
Key tracks: “Walk,” “This Love,” “Mouth for War”
Opeth, My Arms, Your Hearse (1998)
Candlelight Records
Key tracks: “Credence,” “Demon of the Fall,” “When”
Sepultura, Chaos A.D. (1993)
Sepultura, ‘Chaos A.D.’
Key tracks: “Refuse/Resist,” “Territory,” “Propaganda”
Slayer, Decade of Aggression (1991)
Def American Records
Key tracks: Anything with Tom Araya’s stage banter
System of a Down, System of a Down (1998)
System of a Down, ‘System of a Down’
Key tracks: “Sugar,” “Spiders,” “Suite-Pee”
Tool, Undertow (1993)
Key tracks: “Sober,” “Prison Sex,” “Intolerance”
Testament, The Gathering (1999)
Testament, ‘The Gathering’
Key tracks: “Down for Life,” “D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate),” “3 Days in Darkness”
The ‘Big 4’ of 17 Metal Subgenres
Everyone knows the ‘Big 4’ of thrash metal, but what about some other styles of metal?
Gallery Credit: Jordan Blum
