Never, Neverland
Artist: Annihilator
Community Score: 6.50

In the 1980s and early '90s, there was often a very fine line between "hard rock" and "heavy metal." But with Annihilator, there was never a question -- this was most definitely a metal band to the core. Comparable to Metallica and Judas Priest at their heaviest, Never Neverland is a blistering gem that takes no prisoners either musically or... Read More

Pro-Pain - FIERCE
Artist: Pro-Pain
Community Score: 9.50

Pro-Pain finds Pro-Pain at the top of their game, turning out a record filled with fierce, brutal riffs and impassioned songwriting. The band's ability to weave bleak soundscapes has increased significantly, as has the group's songwriting ability. The topics remain familiar -- violence, love, hate, lust -- but they're said better than ever. ~... Read More

Blues for the Red Sun
Artist: Kyuss
Community Score: 8.67

With Josh Homme's guitar tuned down two whole steps to C, and plugged into a bass amp for maximum distortion, stoner metal pioneers Kyuss achieve a major milestone in heavy music with their second album, 1992's Blues for the Red Sun. Producer Chris Goss masterfully captures the band's unique heavy/light formula, which becomes apparent as soon as... Read More

Seasons in the Abyss
Artist: Slayer
Community Score: 7.83

After staking out new territory with the underrated South of Heaven, Slayer brought back some of the pounding speed of Reign in Blood for their third major-label album, Seasons in the Abyss. Essentially, Seasons fuses its two predecessors, periodically kicking up the mid-tempo grooves of South of Heaven with manic bursts of aggression. "War... Read More

Prove You Wrong
Artist: Prong
Community Score: 10.00

On Prove You Wrong Prong began to allow a little more melody to trickle into their depressing urban noisescapes, but the album lacks some of the spark which made the band's breakthrough, Beg to Differ, so surprising. The trio gets right down to business with brutal opener "Irrelevant Thoughts," its tribal drumming and supersonic guitar effects... Read More

Harmony Corruption
Artist: Napalm Death
Community Score: 6.52

During the two-year interim separating Harmony Corruption from Napalm Death's previous album, the band totally revamped its lineup and its sound as well, moving toward the more expansive horizons of standard death metal. This move inspired quite a bit of debate among fans. Napalm Death had been -- and will always be -- the definitive grindcore... Read More

Human Factor
Artist: Metal Church
Community Score: 9.33

There's often a fine line between hard rock and heavy metal, but with Metal Church, there was never any doubt -- they were always very much a metal band. When major record companies were quick to sign faceless Warrant clones and Poison imitators, Metal Church stuck to its guns and never lost its integrity. After five or six years with Elektra,... Read More

Painkiller
Artist: Judas Priest
Community Score: 8.85

From out of nowhere, Judas Priest suddenly revitalized themselves with Painkiller, in no small part because of new drummer Scott Travis, whose busy, virtuosic rhythmic base pushes Rob Halford, K.K. Downing, and Glenn Tipton to their most energetic and impassioned performances in an extremely long time. Songs like the title track, "Leather... Read More

The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move
Artist: Infectious Grooves

Mike Muir's Infectious Grooves side project allowed him to relax and display his fun, non-political side, and also provided Suicidal Tendencies bassist Robert Trujillo an opportunity to turn loose his formidable funk chops. The resulting debut album, The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's the Infectious Grooves, mixes hyperactive Chili... Read More

Peaceful Death and Pretty Flowers
Artist: Dead Horse
Community Score: 6.00

Brute force goes with the territory in thrash and alternative metal -- no one who is knowledgeable would acquire a thrash or alternative metal CD in the hopes of hearing gentle, hushed easy listening. But there are different ways to use brute force. A band can indulge in sonic assault for its own sake and steer clear of melody, or it can combine... Read More

Symbol of Salvation
Artist: Armored Saint
Community Score: 10.00

Recorded soon after the tragic and untimely death of guitarist Dave Prichard from leukemia, Symbol of Salvation is arguably Armored Saint's finest hour. In what is certainly their best-produced and most diverse album, the band pays tribute to their fallen friend with every performance. And since many of these tracks were co-written by Prichard... Read More

Attack of the Killer B's
Artist: Anthrax
Community Score: 6.14

Not just for devoted fans, this collection of B-sides, covers, rarities, and obscurities actually presents a surprisingly solid overview of the range and diversity of Anthrax's material in an engaging, entertaining manner. Listeners wanting to hear more of the band's sense of humor will be pleased with the bizarre "Milk (Ode to Billy)" (one of... Read More

Persistence of Time
Artist: Anthrax
Community Score: 8.12

Persistence of Time rivals Among the Living as Anthrax's best album and might even be a clear-cut favorite if some of the songs had been trimmed a bit. The more cartoonish side of the band is missing here, trimmed in favor of a dark, uncompromising examination of society's dirty underbelly -- nearly every song rails against hatred and prejudice,... Read More

Pile of Skulls
Artist: Running Wild
Community Score: 6.00

One of Running Wild's strongest efforts, Pile of Skulls combines the group's trademark pirate subject matter with a unifying concept about corruption and abuse of power through history. It's perhaps a bit too ambitious, but there are enough strong songs here to justify the approach. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide Read More