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Lists of Domination
GD's Most Dominating Albums Of The 1990's (70-61)
03/04/07 || Global Domination
70. Grave: Into the Grave
Released: 1991
I find it hard to believe Jörgen Sandström is a member of the human race. He has the most evil, twisted vocals in the metal scene, and even though his voice was not totally developed on “Into The Grave”, he still outdoes the competition. Grave does not fuck around in their freshman release, no shitty breakdowns, no trying to act evil for the sake of it. Just pure, downtuned, slow, groovy riffs. And it works, good lord it works. Out of all the “classic” Swedish death metal albums, this has to be my favorite, and it sure as hell belongs on this list.
-Eric W
69. Acid Bath: When The Kite String Pops
Released: 1994
Acid Bath’s debut, “When the Kite String Pops”, is one of the finest and most original recordings representing the extreme metal division of the Southern metal genre. The album is incredibly dirty and ferocious, but also quite varied in sound. Songs on the album range from sludgy doom ditties to fierce full-speed-ahead attacks with formidable screaming vocals to eerie melancholic ballads crowned by the soulful crooning of Dax Riggs. Acid Bath released one other remarkable dirty-south-style metal album before their tenure in the scene was cut short by a tragic car accident which left bassist Audie Pitre dead. In spite of the band’s untimely end, “When the Kite String Pops” (along with their sophomore release, to a slightly lesser extent) is widely recognized as one of the few true masterpieces in the Southern metal genre.
-Consumer
68. Slipknot: Slipknot
Released:
No matter what people say, everyone thought Slipknot were cool and interesting when they first came out. I know this, and so do you. As soon as they turned into a major thing it was time to start dissing them. I never did. I just started to find their music less interesting when they started trying for the charts with ballads and whatever. I think some of the Slipknot material is fantastic while some of it is quite boring. Alot of fillers here, but nonetheless they made a huge impact on the scene and this album was a fine punch in the nose for its time. Tons of aggression and fresh ideas, at the time matched by few. This is definitely the hardest album from these guys, closely followed by “Iowa”. They deserve the success, without a doubt. If not for the music alone, then for the fact that Joey Jordison handed me Screwdrivers after their show in Stockholm some years back.
-Lord K
67. Machine Head: Burn My Eyes
Released:
I know a lot of people out there hate what Machine Head has become, and I have to admit, “Burn My Eyes” is the only Machine Head album I enjoy. A modern thrash classic, with guitar tone to die for.
-Chazz
66. Earth: Earth 2
Released: 1993
Earth can be summed up in one word: “DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE”. This may be the heaviest album ever made, but to “n00bs” of drone this can be a very painful experience. To some this is the musical equivalent of watching paint dry, but to others (like me), it is a run through of sound manipulation and pushing amps to their fullest.
-Eric W
65. Godflesh: Pure
Released: 1992
“Pure” is an album that preys on the listener. It sounds calm at first, and you might think, “Well, that’s not so harsh”. When you least expect it, nails are being bitten, you’ve already kicked the cat twice and that vodka bottle is gone. Ok, maybe I’m an alcoholic cat-kicking son of a bitch, but the truth is that this album has a really acrid taste lurking behind its plodding pace and linear beats.
While their debut “Streetcleaner” was more direct than its successors, listening to “Pure” catatonic endeavors is like being tied down and being submitted to a session of Chinese water torture. It doesn’t hurt, but it keeps you anxious. And what makes this album worthy of being featured on this list is exactly this: it found a new way to abuse the listener. And for that the masochist in me is forever grateful.
-Tiago Bonamigo
64. Dillinger Escape Plan: Calculating Infinity
Released: 1999
“This shit is fucking crazy!” That’s usually the first thought that rolls through the head of a DEP virgin as he or she experiences this musical tempest for the first time. And it’s the perfect descriptive phrase for “Calculating Infinity”. Though the aleatoric music techniques (look it up) Dillinger Escape Plan used to produce this album have existed for many years in free-jazz and classical music, no one had ever done it as loud or as heavy. And DEP’s violently intense live shows prove that they aren’t doing it just to show off.
Chris Pennie is a Top 5 modern metal drummer and the rest of the band keeps up fine, with Dimitri Minakakis screaming his lungs out and Ben Weinman climbing the frets of his guitar at a million miles a second. In fact, Weinman handled bass and electric guitar duties, since just prior to recording this album the band’s usual bassist, Adam Doll, was tragically paralyzed in car accident.
Although no one ever finds themselves humming “43% Burnt” every track is unforgettable and “Calculating Infinity” is an intense edge-of-your-seat type listening experience. It’s also the pinnacle of math metal and must own for anyone into really extreme, mind bending music.
-Stephen Fallen
63. Ayreon: Into the Electric Castle
Released: 1998
The opening track to this album is “Welcome To The New Dimension”, and how aptly titled it is. Take Hawkwind, make them ten times more heavy, and add a story that would shame The Who, and you have “Into The Electric Castle”. When I first heard this album three years ago, it was 3 AM, and I was ready for bed. I decided to check out a new CD I bought, unaware of the ride I was about to experience. It’s psychedelic, heavy, and spacey. Not to mention all the fantastic vocal work, and our own Mr. Ed WARby, because he sounds like he is banging on war drums in this album. I’ve told him before that if he ever starts a black metal project, that should be his name. Anyways, this is a must have for all fans of prog, and really anyone who claims to be into metal. If you want to experience it in the best way possible, turn off all the lights, lie down, close your eyes, and drift away into the electric castle.
-Eric W
62. My Dying Bride: Turn Loose the Swans
Released: 1993
There’s no denying that “Turn Loose the Swans” was a milestone in doom metal. It’s dark, slow ‘n heavy with a huge dose of romanticism wrapped all around it. Such things don’t come off so well too often. These guys knew how to rock back in the day, and they never lost the ability to maintain their snail-pace on later albums. But this one effort was the apex of their whole career, because with songs like “The Crown of Sympathy” or “Your River”, you can’t go wrong. Best doom metal album. Ever.
-Rafal
61. Amon Amarth: Once Sent From the Golden Hall
Released: 1998
This was the album that made it obvious to me that Amon Amarth were something VERY different from the typical melo-death Swedish stuff. On this album they were not too arrogant, proud, or fearful to put in some sexy fucken melodic passages…but they are also TOUGH! Enslaved might have shaken their dragon sword at Amon, but the latter got the better of the genre of viking death metal, and we still see proof of this today. “Once Sent” has such a fresh sound to it given the scene in the late 90’s that it cannot be overlooked as a genre transitional masterpiece. Great songs, awesome riffs that hold up to this day in their concerts, and a power not seen in those who seem to try twice as hard. Hail Amon!
-Syrrok
